Student Youth Exchange Program
Rotary International District 7890
Northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts
A member of ESSEX (Eastern States Student Youth Exchange)

For more than 20 years, New Milford Rotary has been sending Youth Exchange students to Europe, South America, and Asia as part of the District 7890 Youth Exchange Program.

Countries Involved
Students will be assigned to countries such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador France, Germany, Italy, Slovak Republic, Japan, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan, and the same amount of students from these countries will be hosted in District 7890.

Length of Exchange
About 10 months-August through June. Students stay with 1, 2, 3 host families during the year.

Students Eligible
Boys and girls ages 15-18. Parents may be Rotarians or Friends of Rotarians. Applicants must be willing to select four of the countries and go to any one of the four.

Approximate Costs
U.S.STUDENTS: Round trip airfare to foreign country ($1000-2000) , $360 application fee on being assigned,  approximately $550 for health insurance and obligatory insurance in some countries.  Students are required to use the Rotary approved travel agent, Bokoff-Kaplan, for travel arrangement.

Applications
Applications should be submitted as soon as possible and normally no later than December 31 of the year prior to their departure. Early applicants will get preference in country assignments.
Applications can obtained from high schools or from Rotary Club Exchange Officers and should be submitted to him/her as an original and two photocopies with identical color photographs affixed to each copy.
Applications must typed or printed neatly.

District Screening and Selections
Students will be interviewed first by local Rotary Clubs and then District Committee members after receipt of the application. Country assignments will be determined later, upon acceptance into program.

Host Families
Hosts may be Rotary or non-Rotary families. Parents of Outbound Students are encouraged to host. Rotary Clubs who sponsor an American Outbound Student are expected to coordinate hosting for a foreign student with the host parents. A Host Family Application and review of the hosting family must be completed by the Rotary Club.

Rules for Exchange Students
1. Must live as a member of host family, attend school regularly and get passing grades.
2. May not take or possess illegal drugs.
3. May not drive a car or any other type of motorized vehicle.
4. May not leave hometown of host family without a Club Exchange Officer's permission
5. Must attend certain Rotary meetings and other functions.

Club Youth Exchange Officer
Recruits Outbound Students, receives applications, arranges club screening and pre departure orientation, insures proper travel arrangements.
Recruits host families, welcomes inbound students and provides club orientation, helps host arrange high school enrollment, checks periodically with school and family, helps students and host families with problems that may arise, ensures monthly payment of student allowance, arranges student contacts with club, keeps club informed and maintains contact with District Chairman of Youth Exchange

New Milford Rotary Contact: Dave Elmore, 20 Maplewood Dr, New Milford, CT 06776   Ph: 860-354-0136 E-mail: yex@nmrotary.org

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