Rotary Youth Exchange
Sep 09, 2019 12:00 PM
Hanna Puustinen, Youth Exchange Student
Rotary Youth Exchange

We will be introducing our newest inbound exchange student, Hanna Puustinen (age 17) from Finland to the community!  Hanna will be attending West Ferris Secondary School.

Backgrounder:

  • Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) is a Rotary International student exchange program for students (age 15 to 17) in secondary school. Since 1929, Rotary International has sent young people around the globe to experience new cultures. Currently, about 9,000 students are sponsored by Rotary clubs every year in over 80 countries. 
  • Through the Rotary Youth Exchange, Rotary International hopes to create a more interconnected and understanding world. One of Rotary's primary goals is promoting peace around the world, and through the Rotary Youth Exchange, it aims to make the world a more peaceful place one exchange at a time. This rationale follows the logic that if students experience different cultures and meet people from all around the world, they will be more understanding of foreign people and countries in the future. 
  • The experience has a life-changing impact on every student who undertakes it. Students achieve fluency in a new language, make lifelong friendships, and gain appreciation of host country and culture. 
  • The Rotary Club of North Bay is currently sponsoring Kaylee Renaud, who is currently doing her exchange in Switzerland.  You can follow her blog at: https://kayleeonexchange.blogspot.com/2019/08/first-days-in-switzerland.html?fbclid=IwAR0UtpmI8uCciLcgTVgA1mTX8E5WyxQMisHFUTZUEeqTgnbwgK6-XxlBmko
  • For more information on the program or to apply to be considered for the 2020-2021 school year, please contact Natalie MacDougall at nataliem@fibreop.ca.