Rotary Youth Exchange

The promise of Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) is to build peace one young person at a time. RYE offers students ages 15 to 19 an amazing, life-changing experience that provides an opportunity to become fluent in another language, to be immersed in another culture, and to form lifelong friendships.

Long- and Short-Term Exchanges

There are two types of Exchanges for students seeking to live for a time in another country – Long-term and Short-term. Students interested in either a short-or long-term experience, can complete a brief Student Interest Form, and we’ll reach back out to you soon.

• • A long-term exchange is an opportunity for students age 15.5 to 18.5 (at time of departure) to study abroad and live with host families for a year in another country. Selections for long-term exchanges occur in the fall, followed by 8 months of training, with departure in August.
  • A short-term exchange is for students age 15-18 who want to live abroad during their summer vacation from school, and then host a student from the family they visit in return.

Inbound Students

Our club hosts two or three students from abroad each year.  We help to coordinate their stay in Waupaca, finding host families, working with the school, and providing support for the student while they are away from home for 11 months.

Host Families

Waupaca families open their homes to our Inbound students and form the backbone of support for our visitors.  Families learn about another culture and also see our own culture through new eyes.  Host families often make life-long connections with visiting students and their families. Click here to learn more about being a host family, and complete a Host Family Interest Form if you think you may be interested in hosting an inbound student and we’ll get back to you soon.

Returning Students

Students who have returned home to the United States are encouraged to take a leadership role in preparing future exchange students for their year abroad.  Most students attain a high level of language proficiency and feel bi-cultural in many ways.  They become an ambassador for their host country here in the United States.

We are grateful to our local high schools, teachers, and guidance counselors for supporting RYE. Their encouragement and support of inbound and outbound students helps open a world of opportunity for participating students and enriches our community.