Becoming global citizens

For Beechworth mum Penny Everingham, her daughter’s perspectives on the world widened from an overseas Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE). Ruby Burns at the end of year 9 had the trip of a lifetime when she spent three months in the Czech Republic last year. Ruby with another exchange student Audrey Rodda, who spent time in Germany last year, delivered insightful presentations of their overseas experiences to Beechworth Rotarians and guests at a dinner earlier this month. Four local young people – Beechworth’s Hazel Woodford, Sam Ritchie, Anton Davey and Nia Lewis from Myrtleford will also be embarking on the youth exchange program. The exchange students including Audrey and Ruby have been sponsored by the Beechworth Rotary Club. Ms Everingham said exchange students had a great opportunity to meet other people from around the world and experience another country’s culture. “It was exciting to see Ruby develop friendships through goodwill and understanding that also helps to promote global peace,” she said. “We hosted Brigita, a Czech Republic exchange student for three months, and Ruby when on exchange, stayed with her family. “In July this year we’re hosting a Danish student.” Ruby said besides learning a new culture and trying different Czech food when overseas, the Czech exchange student hosted by her family is now part of a friendship for life. Beechworth Rotary Club president Harry Thomas said students became global citizens with the chance to learn a new language and discover another culture. “Exchanges for students from 15 to 19 years old are sponsored by Rotary clubs in more than 100 countries,” he said. “The program also helps unlock their potential in developing lifelong leadership skills and building lasting friendships with young people from around the world." Beechworth’s Christie Rodda said exchange experiences had been valuable for her daughter Audrey as well as for the family in hosting teenagers from other countries. “Exchanges are valuable for the Beechworth community with benefits of having young people in our town from overseas but also our local kids who bring their experience back into our community,” she said. “Exchange students develop a real sense of who they are in the world and how they want to interact with it, and they become much more independent.” Dr Rodda who is the club’s RYE officer said the family has hosted an exchange student from France and one from Germany with another from Poland to stay with them in term 3 of the school year. “Hosting opens your eyes to other cultures, broadens all our horizons and helps cast a light back on our own family's way of living and interacting, which can be very enlightening,” she said. Mr Thomas said the club is grateful to Christie working with District RYE in coordinating the growing number of youth exchanges in the region.

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