Four Florida Districts Win YE Achievement Awards

There are 173 Rotary districts in North America. At the North American Youth Exchange Network Conference in Chicago in late February, the Youth Exchange programs of 22 of those districts were honored with annual District Achievement Awards. And four of the 22 recognized districts are members of RYE-Florida.

Just as in Olympic competition, which was going on at the same time as the conference,  the District Achievement Awards are presented in gold, silver, and bronze. Florida districts 6930 (central Atlantic coast) and 6980 (Orlando area) won bronze awards. District 6990 (southeast Florida and Grand Bahama Island) earned a silver award. And District 6970 (northeast Florida) was one of only two districts in North America to accomplish the goal of winning a gold-level District Achievement Award.

Congratulations to all Youth Exchange Committee members and Rotarians in each winning district, and especially to the district YE chairs, under whose leadership this is possible: Tracy Carroll (6930), John Siegel (6980), Drew Monaghan (6990), and Jody Davis (6970). RYE-Florida is proud of you all!

St. Edwards School Wins Global Classroom Award

St. Edwards School, a small PK-12 school which has hosted inbound Rotary exchange students and sponsored outbounds as well, has been honored as one of two recipients of the annual Global Classroom Award by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). The Vero Beach school was nominated for the honor by District 6930 Youth Exchange Chair Tracy Carroll.

Presentation of the award will take place at CSIET's third annual National School Conference on International Youth Exchange, to be held in Charlotte, NC in February. The school will also receive a $500 scholarship contribution.

YE Chair Tracy tells us that St. Edwards School "has two students currently outbound through RYE to Italy and Japan, and has offered full scholarships during the last two years to an inbound Rotary YE student, at a value of $25,000 US per year. The school has a long history of a world-view education, and partners with Rotary and other organizations to bring in students from around the world."

Rotary Youth Exchange Florida offers congratulations to the administration and faculty of St. Edwards School, and to Tracy Carroll and the District 6930 Rotarians as well, for this recognition of the excellent partnership that they have established.

Read Tracy Carroll's nomination letter.

Countdown to Liftoff - D6930 Inbounds Watch Launch

On Monday, November 16, most of the inbound Rotary District 6930 Youth Exchange students attended the launch of the space shuttle at NASA. The students were treated as VIPs with free admission and bus passes directly to the Banana Creek viewing site. Many purchased souvenirs and send postcards home, postmarked the date of the launch.

Students included: Back row: Carolin Janssen (Germany, Titusville RC), Simon Jensen (Denmark, Orchid Island RC), Simona Mulas (Italy, Vero Beach RC and Treasure Coast RC); Front row: Sachie Arai (Japan, Vero Beach Sunrise RC), Rishika Lekhadia (India, Palm Bay RC) and Clarissa Pereira (Brazil, Sebastian RC).
(Click on photo to enlarge.)

The students were accompanied by DGE Louis Venuti, Marcia Gaedcke, Judi Silvasi-Patchin and Tracy Carroll. Big thanks go to Marcia Gaedcke of the Titusville Rotary Club who "pulled the Rotary strings" to make this exciting day happen for our kids!

2009-10 Exchange Year Begins with Goodbyes and Hellos

Various airports around the state and around the world were the sites as the dreams of our 2009-10 Rotary exchange students became reality.  The first to depart from Florida were Michael Booker and Caroline Fields, who left for India in mid-July, soon followed by Chelsea Neal (Japan) and Matt Botkin (Germany). On the inbound side, Florida's first new arrival was Rishika Lekhadia from India, whose smiling face can be seen amid the warm welcome scene below.

Over the next month or so, approximately 150 students will have the same experience, our outbounds departing Florida for various destinations around the world, and our inbounds arriving here to begin their year in the Sunshine State. Expect similar airport scenes - excitement and sadness on one end, excitement and exhaustion and confusion on the other - on both sides of the globe as these adventures get underway.

The first 2009-10 inbound to arrive is Rishika from India, greeted at the Orlando Airport by Tracy Carroll (D6930 YE Chair), OB to Brazil Sarah Kelly, friend Jacqs Carroll, Rishika, Host Father Pravin Patel, OB to Italy Austin Carroll, and Eau Gallie (Melbourne) Rotary Club President Chad Dhotre

Adam from Sweden is greeted upon his arrival in Jacksonville	The smiling face in the center belongs to Yurika from Japan	Elizabeth arrives as our first-ever inbound student from Paraguay	Marie-Claire from France found this warm welcome at the Miami Airport
A big crowd was on hand to help make Brazilian Ana Laura feel at home	Guro from Norway found friendly faces when she landed in Jacksonville	Here's Isabel from Taiwan being welcomed by Bartram Trail Rotary	The colorful sign was hard to miss for Leandro from Argentina
Fanni from Hungary finds a friendly welcome in Daytona Beach	Albert from Turkey arrives at the airport in Fort Lauderdale	On the other side of the world, Jamie begins her exchange in Norway	It was easy for Sam from Finland to realize what country he was now in!
T-shirts in Tallahassee made for a special welcome for Gracie from Spain	Marlon from Brazil was definitely the best- dressed upon his arrival in Daytona Beach	Juline and Ashley from France and Patrick from Switzerland all arrived together in Jax	The sign told the whole story as Shaina was warmly welcomed to São Paulo Brazil
Sanne from Denmark	Vilius from Lithuania	Tim from Germany	Gabriel from Brazil
Laurenz from Austria	Kwan from Thailand	Madeleine from Sweden	Sena from Turkey
Yuka from Japan	Yuka helps welcome Pieter from the Netherlands	It's a big Bem Vindo for Segah in Brazil	Manon from Belgium
Matt steps cautiously through the airport as he makes his way into Germany	New inbound Laurenz, along with outbounds Liz and Adam, meet Mayor Peyton of Jacksonville	Looks like a "magical" arrival in Orlando for Clarissa from Brazil	Zeeshan from India was welcomed "above and below" when he arrived in Jacksonville
Kelsey arrives in Taiwan	Simultaneously, so does Rebekka	Mely and Grant got a big greeting in Japan	Michael's Japanese welcome was warm too
Sachie from Japan	Simon from Denmark	Simona from Italy	Erik from Slovakia

Indian River County (in District 6930) Proclaims July 14 as "Rotary International Youth Exchange Day"

In celebration of ten soon-to-be outbound Rotary Youth Exchange students from their communities, the leaders of Indian River County have issued an official proclamation honoring those individuals and Rotary.

The proclamation (read it) states, "Be it proclaimed that the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners does hereby declare July 14, 2009 as Rotary International Youth Exchange Day in Indian River County, Florida and encourages all citizens to join them in recognizing Rotary International for over 100 years of service to improving the human condition in local communities around the world."

Congratulations to the area's outbound students, to District 6930 YE Chair Tracy Carroll, and to all the Rotarians in the region for this superb recognition.

Jacksonville to Host 6th Annual YE Welcome Home Dinner

Families, friends, and all Rotarians are invited to join in the celebration of successful 2008-09 exchanges at the 6th Annual District 6970 Youth Exchange Welcome Home Dinner. The event will be held on Saturday evening, August 1, at the studios of WJCT-TV in Jacksonville, and will feature an "international" dinner followed by the speeches of more than two dozen returning outbound students who represented northeast Florida around the world this past year.

Since 2004, District 6970's "rebounds" have come together for this very special evening, and the speeches have been inspiring, amusing, and touching every year. It's truly remarkable to hear about the adventures, the accomplishments, and the attachments that comprise the unforgettable experience that each student has enjoyed.

Tickets are $25 per person, and are available through D6970 YE Chairman Jody Davis, jodydavis@cfl.rr.com, or any member of the District 6970 YE Committee.

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