Outbound Youth Exchange – Rotary Club of Cedar Falls

Information for Outbound Students

Downloads:

Important Dates

OCT -17^TH – APPLICATIONS DUE
OCT. 25^TH – CLUB INTERVIEWS FOR OUTBOUND STUDENTS
NOV. 7^TH – APPLICATIONS DUE TO THE DISTRICT
NOV. 22^ND DISTRICT INTERVIEWS
DEC 5^TH SEND LETTERS OF CONFIRMATION TO STUDENTS
DEC. 15^TH – CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR INBOUNDS AND OUTBOUNDS DUBUQUE
JAN. 10^th – ORIENTATION 1 FOR PARENTS AND KIDS
FEB 21^ST – ORIENTATION 2 FOR PARENTS AND KIDS
MARCH 21^ST PLANNING FOR THE DISTRICT CONF. INBOUND OUT BOUND CR KIDS
APRIL 17^TH -18^TH – DISTRICT CONFERENCE IN OKOBOJI, IA
MAY – ORIENTATION 3 PARENTS AND KIDS

Important Information and Contacts

Local Youth Exchange is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Cedar Falls
Club Number is 2184
District Number 5970
Club Youth Exchange Officer (YEO): Jozsef Gitta
District YEO : Elizabeth Daly

Frequently asked questions

Why go on a Student Exchange
Students that go on an exchange to another country enjoy a remarkable and life changing experience. Students will be immersed in a new culture, learn a new language and make lifelong friendships. Students that go on exchanges come back with a better sens of purpose and maturity. They learn adaptive and problem solving skills, patience, and increased awareness and respect of people and other cultures. Students return with a tremendous sense of accomplishment, new found confidence and poise, and a greater appreciation of family, friends and country.
Will the student be safe?
Rotary is committed to keeping all youth not only safe but in comfortable surroundings. Please read Rotary’s Statement of Conduct for Working With Youth.
To maximize the student’s safety every Rotarian or adult volunteer is required to go through a background check, specific training for their role, training on youth safety and harassment or abuse identification, reference checks and personal interviews.
In addition the student will be assigned several contacts. A Rotarian Exchange Officer, a Rotarian Counselor, and a Non-Rotarian contact. The student will be visited or contacted monthly by one or more of these individuals to insure that the student is having a positive experience and to address any issues that may arise.
How old do I have to be?
The minimum age for an outbound student is 15½ years of age and they cannot be more than 18½ at the start of the exchange.
Can I Choose what Country I go to?
Rotary youth Exchange works on a one for one exchange with other host countries. The number of exchanges with each country is usually equal so if a District in Germany sends four students to the US they the US can send four to Germany. That said, outbound students are requested to select their top three destinations. In many cases they will get assigned to their first choice but this is not guaranteed and Rotary would expect the student to accept one of their other choices.
What if I don’t like it there?
In every exchange there will be ups and downs and eventually language and cultural challenges and home-sickness will become an issue. For almost every exchange however, the student that pushed through these challenges were rewarded by what many describe as “The best time of my life” for years to come. We ask that you do research and speak to other exchange students before you commit. (let us know if you need exchange student contact) Parents and guardians must both be 100% on board and supportive. Remember, Rotary will always be there to address and issues you may have
However, sometimes there will be occasion where the student decides to come home. That is one of the reasons that a open ended airline ticket is pre-purchased.
How much does it cost?
Here is a breakdown of the fees:
- Application Fee: $100
- Cost of the program if accepted: $5,500
- Includes –
  - Airline Tickets
  - Visas and Permits
  - Insurance
  - Rotary Youth Exchange Blazer

Many students decide to hold fundraisers to help with these expenses.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Contact our Youth Exchange Officer below: