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The Aspen Rotary Club is proud to participate in the global Rotary Youth Exchange
(RYE) program. Each year, high school students are provided the opportunity to
travel abroad for an entire school year, living with native host families, attending
local schools, learning about new cultures, and creating fellowship and goodwill
across countries. This is an annual program that students apply to participate in
and must be good ambassadors for their communities and for Rotary in order to
participate. Students are typically in their sophomore or junior year of high school
when they participate in the program. The Aspen Club has been participating in RYE
for many years and all students who have participated in the past have reported
that the experiences gained while in the program are ones that they will carry with
them for a lifetime.
For the 2012-2013 school year, the Aspen Rotary Club sponsored four Aspen
High School students to travel abroad. Joana Ospina, Hannah Chi, Ana Montoya,
and Lauren Sumner all departed Aspen in August 2012 and traveled to their new
homes abroad. All are doing well and regularly report back with news of incredible
experiences.
Joana Ospina is in Mautauban, France and recently reported that” My French has
improved a lot in three months. By taking all of my classes in French, I’m almost
fluent. While the transition to a new country was difficult at first, I’ve made a lot of
friends and am really enjoying my time now.”
In addition to the four students that are out on exchange, the Aspen Rotary Club is
hosting a young man named Marco Usai in Aspen for the year. He is from Sardinia,
Italy and has stayed with two local host families, the Kaplans, and the Howies. Marco
enjoys skiing and is enjoying having the slopes so close to his front door, rather than
having to travel from the Alps to Sardinia to ski. Marco also enjoys running track
and plans to join the Aspen High School track team in the spring. He adds, “I love
Aspen! It is so beautiful and everyone here has been so nice and helpful.”
(RYE) program. Each year, high school students are provided the opportunity to
travel abroad for an entire school year, living with native host families, attending
local schools, learning about new cultures, and creating fellowship and goodwill
across countries. This is an annual program that students apply to participate in
and must be good ambassadors for their communities and for Rotary in order to
participate. Students are typically in their sophomore or junior year of high school
when they participate in the program. The Aspen Club has been participating in RYE
for many years and all students who have participated in the past have reported
that the experiences gained while in the program are ones that they will carry with
them for a lifetime.
For the 2012-2013 school year, the Aspen Rotary Club sponsored four Aspen
High School students to travel abroad. Joana Ospina, Hannah Chi, Ana Montoya,
and Lauren Sumner all departed Aspen in August 2012 and traveled to their new
homes abroad. All are doing well and regularly report back with news of incredible
experiences.
Joana Ospina is in Mautauban, France and recently reported that” My French has
improved a lot in three months. By taking all of my classes in French, I’m almost
fluent. While the transition to a new country was difficult at first, I’ve made a lot of
friends and am really enjoying my time now.”
In addition to the four students that are out on exchange, the Aspen Rotary Club is
hosting a young man named Marco Usai in Aspen for the year. He is from Sardinia,
Italy and has stayed with two local host families, the Kaplans, and the Howies. Marco
enjoys skiing and is enjoying having the slopes so close to his front door, rather than
having to travel from the Alps to Sardinia to ski. Marco also enjoys running track
and plans to join the Aspen High School track team in the spring. He adds, “I love
Aspen! It is so beautiful and everyone here has been so nice and helpful.”