While Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) is new to our district, I am very excited about its potential. Mike Parks and his team (especially Mike) are doing a fabulous job of establishing this program in our district.

Here are the top reasons I like Rotary Youth Exchange:

1. Rotary Youth Exchange changes young lives forever. Everyone who has been through the program, and there are a good many in our district, report that it changed their life, giving them more confidence and a broader understanding of the world.
2. RYE is a full exchange program. I think this is one of the most overlooked benefits of Rotary Youth Exchange. For every inbound student our district accepts we can send a Georgia kid overseas. And the cost of sending one of our kids overseas? Travel expenses and spending money. That's it.
3. Rotary Youth Exchange is a Rotary program. RYE is a full Rotary program. That means we have the full resources of Rotary behind us in recruiting students from around the world and placing our own kids overseas.
4. Georgia public high schools don't charge tuition. Because the clubs don't have to pay tuition, the program is very cost effective. Not every club can afford to host a college student, but all clubs can afford to host a high school student.

As your club is planning next year, I urge you to take a serious look at Rotary Youth Exchange.

For more information contact Mike Parks or look for Rotary Youth Exchange on the district website under About Us ... or just click https://rotary6900.org/RYE