Shorecrest Senior Selected for Rotary International Youth Exchange
Source/Author: Rachel Barrett, Director of Marketing and Communications
December 09, 2016
Jeremiah W., Shorecrest Class of 2017, has been awarded a scholarship for the Rotary International Youth Exchange. He and fellow participants will undergo six months of training in preparation for 10-month experience abroad. Jeremiah is sponsored by District 6950 Rotary.
Program Chairman Doug Lobel says, “District 6950 Rotary Youth Exchange is proud to announce the acceptance of Jeremiah into the elite group of 10 young students that we will prepare to spend a year overseas learning the culture, including a new language, and studying in their school system. Upon his successful return he will be considered a citizen of the world and a member of the Rotary family as a Rotary Alumni for the rest of his life.”
In addition to academic transcripts and essays, scholarship hopefuls undergo an intensive interview process that tested their mettle in new or potentially uncomfortable situations, like those they may experience abroad. Parents of applicants are also interviewed to assess their level of support in the exchange program.
“Jeremiah passed with flying colors and was one of the first picked by the committee to be offered a scholarship,” says Lobel.
“Jeremiah passed with flying colors and was one of the first picked by the committee to be offered a scholarship,” says Lobel.
Beginning in January, Jeremiah and his cohort will undergo a six-month training process to prepare them for the exchange. Each student will then be re-evaluated for program readiness before departing for their host countries in June. Jeremiah's host country will be India.
According to Jeremiah, “As an exchange student, I hope to grow as a person and better understand another culture. Although I’ve had the chance to visit other countries for some days or a week here and there, I’ve never stayed for months at a time and I know that will deepen my experience.”
Each year, over 9,000 high school students participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange program worldwide, learning a new language and experiencing a new culture, through the efforts of Rotary volunteers around the globe.
Rotary International is the world's oldest and most international service organization, with over 1.2 million members in 32,000 clubs, in almost 200 countries. The official Rotary motto is, "Service Above Self", and Rotarians live their lives in accordance with the Four Way Test.
