Local Student to Study in Ecuador as Rotary Youth Exchange Student
The Winnetka-Northfield Rotary Club is pleased to announce that it will be sending a North Shore local to Ecuador for one year as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student. Ms. Helen Galliani is a graduating senior at Regina Dominican High School and resides in Evanston with her family.
During a gap year between high school and college, Helen will spend one year in Ecuador as a Rotary International Youth Exchange Student. During that time she will reside with different host families and attend a local high school. Youth Exchange provides a wonderful opportunity to master a foreign language and to immerse oneself in a foreign culture. Helen has been particularly interested in improving her Spanish language skills so Ecuador is a terrific fit.
In preparation for her year abroad, Helen and her family are provided training and support through Rotary's well organized world wide Youth Exchange program. The Rotary Youth Exchange program is well established with local Rotary Clubs and Rotary Districts facilitating exchanges of over 8,000 students per year between more than 80 countries with 75 years of experience.
Helen follows in the footsteps of the Winnetka-Northfield Rotary Clubs recently sponsored outbound student Ms. Zoe Nunoz, a student from Antioch who spent a year in Germany and inbound students, Mr. Hideki Tsuji from Japan, Ms. Maren Liven from Norway, Ms. Pranali Raskapoor from India and Ms. Yagmur Sidal from Turkey who all came from abroad to study on Chicago's North Shore.
After a long hiatus, the Winnetka-Northfield Rotary Club began sponsoring students again after Past President, Kristen Jasinski revitalized the club's interest in getting involved with Rotary's Youth Exchange program. Kristen herself was a beneficiary of the program many years ago when she was given the opportunity to spend her senior year of high school in Japan. "Mastering a foreign language is a matter of living and breathing it while being totally immersed into foreign culture", says Jasinski. The benefits of understanding and appreciating foreign language and culture from a young age broadens one's mind beyond measure and sets a course for lifelong rewards.
Those interested in learning more about Rotary's Youth Exchange program may submit an inquiry through Contact Us at wnrotary.org. Local North Shore students and families are welcome to participate either as a host family to an inbound student or by sending their high school aged student for a year-long study abroad program. Short term exchanges are also available, typically during the summer months.
Contact info@wnrotary.org for more information.