Youth Programs

Youth Exchange

Rotary Youth Exchange promotes international understanding and develops lifelong friendships. It began in 1927 with the Rotary Club of Nice, France. In 1939 an extensive Youth Exchange was created between California and Latin America. Since then the program has expanded around the world. In recent years, more than 7,000 young people have participated annually in Rotary-sponsored exchange programs.

The values of Youth Exchange are experienced not only by the high school-age students involved, but also by the host families, sponsoring clubs, receiving high schools and the entire community. Youth Exchange participants usually provide their fellow students in their host schools with excellent opportunities to learn about customs, languages, traditions and family life in another country.

Youth Exchange offers young people interesting opportunities and rich experiences to see another part of the world. Students usually spend a full academic year abroad, although some clubs and district sponsor short-term exchanges of several weeks or months.

Approximately 36 percent of Rotary Youth Exchange students are hosted or sent by clubs in the United States and Canada. European clubs account for about 40 percent, and 12 percent come form Australia and New Zealand. Asian clubs sponsor 5 percent, and 7 percent of all Rotary districts participate in Youth Exchange activities.

Youth Exchange is a highly recommended program for all Rotary clubs as a practical activity for the enhancement of international understanding and good will.

Hosting a Youth Exchange student can be as rewarding as being one. It's an opportunity to make a personal contribution to advancing world understanding while expanding your own horizons and those of your family. It's a chance to build a relationship with someone special, someone who will be a part of your life for a long time to come.

If you have children of your own, you can appreciate the responsibility that comes with hosting a Youth Exchange student. You will be expected to provide parental guidance and supervision for the student as well as room and board during his/her stay in your home. To facilitate the exchange's assimilation into the culture and allow more families in the community to participate in the Youth Exchange experience, the student can stay with more than one family during an exchange.

What types of families open their doors to Youth Exchange? All types. Rotarian and non-Rotarian families with young children, grown children and no children - all have shared the joy of hosting a new 'son' of 'daughter' from another land. All it takes is the willingness to care and a heart that's ready for a touch of adventure.

You can make a difference - in a world of differences - by taking a step toward promoting world understanding through Youth Exchange. Whether you step off an airplane as an exchange student, or, as a host parent, step back from your front door to let a young person enter to become part of your family. Either way, you'll be taking a step in the right direction.

Who is Eligible?

Rotary Youth Exchange programs are open to qualified students ages 15-18, relatives of Rotarians and Non-Rotarians alike. To qualify, applicants should be above-average students who demonstrate leadership in their community. Candidates should also possess qualities which will enable them to become excellent cultural ambassadors, such as flexibility and a willingness to try new things. All applicants must be sponsored by a local Rotary club and complete a written application and oral interview. Salt Lake Rotary Club 24 prefers to send students during their Junior year of high-school and asks that they apply a year in advance, during their Sophomore year.

How Much Will it Cost?

Typically, the student and his/her parents or guardians are responsible for:

1. Round-trip airfare to the host country.
2. Health and accident insurance acceptable to the host club and district.
3. All travel documents, such as passports and visas.
4. Clothing and Spending money.
5. An emergency fund for student's use during the year.

What Are My Responsibilities?

1. Agree to abide by all program rules of your host Rotary clubs and district.
2. Accept the supervision of the sponsoring host districts, and sponsoring clubs, and host family.
3. Act as an ambassador of your own country.
4. Be open to new experiences and cultural differences.

Where Will I Go?

Youth Exchanges may take place wherever Rotary clubs exist. Contact your local Rotary club for more information on where its programs operate and whether or not you may select a specific country. Wherever you go, you will discover that the world is smaller than you once thought, and that you can gain a great deal form the unique experience of being a Rotary Youth Exchange participant.

How do I apply?

If you know a high school student (they need to apply as a sophomore, and go abroad their junior year) who would be interested in spending a year in a foreign country, please contact the Rotary office at (801)363-8415. To download an application, click HERE.

Youth Scholarships

Yearly Scholarships

Rotary Club 24 pays tribute to the past accomplishments of 18 Salt Lake high school students and gives their dreams a boost as they wend their way into the next phase of their lives and career with financial assistance that will help pay for the next higher level of their education.

These students will receive Rotary Club scholarships of $2,000 for top recipients, $1,000 for the second tier, and $500 for the third tier. The scholarships are granted based on the following:

1. Demonstrated service activities outside the classroom and church.
2. Demonstrated service activities within the school and/or church groups.
3. Demonstrated need.
4. Knowledge of Rotary.
5. Demonstrated scholarship - inside and outside of the classroom.
6. Principles of improvement. Students interested in applying for a Rotary Scholarship should pick up an application from your high school's advisement center.