Sunday, October 26, 2014 from 1:30 PM to 3 PM, The Milton Rotary Club will be presenting an informational meeting about Rotary International’s programs for students and youth at the Milton Public Library, 476 Canton Avenue.

Rotary International, a worldwide organization of business and community leaders, dedicated to “Service above self” is uniquely positioned to offer youth programs, which can change the lives of those who participate. Through them young people can earn scholarships, travel on cultural exchanges, or help a community through a service project.

The first program is Rotary Youth Exchange. If you are a Milton resident between the ages of 15 and 19, in the upper one third of your academic class, and want to be a world traveler, the Rotary Club of Milton could give you a ticket for a great experience you will remember your whole life. In 2015-2016 we will be offering two exchanges – a long term and a short term.

• The long term exchange means the Milton student we select will attend secondary school overseas for one year, for a minimal cost (approximately $2,500) with room, board, and schooling provided by the host Rotary club.
• The short-term exchange allows the Milton student to go overseas for about three weeks during the summer vacation, and stay with a Rotary family abroad that also has a teenaged student.  At the end of the stay the foreign teenager will spend about three weeks with the Milton student’s family.

Additionally, hosting an exchange student can be an incredibly rewarding experience for your family, providing an international experience without leaving home. Host families provide room and board and share their lives with exchange students, involving them in family, community, and cultural activities.

Milton Rotary Club has hosted students from Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, Ukraine, France, Thailand and Brazil over the past eleven years.  This year the Club is hosting a student from Turkey and is sponsored a Milton High graduate for a yearlong exchange in Thailand. Having foreign students in Milton makes a richer educational experience for all our children, and teaches them about the world as no other way can.

The second program is Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA), which is Rotary’s leadership development program for young people. While participants can be any age, most events focus on secondary school students, university students, or young professionals. RYLA participants are nominated by their local Rotary clubs and can be Milton residents who are sophomores or juniors in high school.
RYLA events are typically 3–10 days long and include presentations, activities, and workshops that cover a variety of topics, including:

• Leadership fundamentals and ethics,
• Communication skills,
• Problem solving, and conflict management, as well as
• Community and global citizenship.

During the year participants seek to work on community service projects. Next spring RYLA will be held at Cape Cod Sea Camps. Participants can be Milton residents who are sophomores or juniors in high school.

The third program is Interact. Interact is a club for youth ages 12-18 who want to connect with others in their community or school. Interact club members have fun while carrying out service projects and learning about the world. Interact clubs organize at least two service projects a year: one that benefits their community and one that encourages international understanding. While Interact clubs receive guidance from individual Rotary clubs, they govern and support themselves.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE IN YOUTH EXCHANGE, RYLA OR INTERACT?

Follow RYLA on Facebook to learn about inspirational events happening around the globe. Contact M. Sheri Richardson at 617-698-3990 or michael.maholchic@gmail.com for a Youth Exchange or RYLA application.
Follow Interact on Facebook and visit Interact’s YouTube channel to see what Interact clubs are doing around the world.