Community Corner

Rotary Club of Palatine: Through the Eyes of a Youth Exchange Student

Information submitted by the Rotary Club of Palatine.

Naara Julia de Souza, of Santa Catarina, Brazil, lived with three different host families during the last year while immersing herself in American culture. She attended Fremd High School, while joining the Rotary Club in many events.

Jaime Suszek, Rotary’s Youth Exchange Counselor, stated, “Naara learned a new way of living and a great deal about herself, the United States, and Rotary International.  She arrived as an ambassador for Brazil and left as an ambassador for Rotary and the world.” 

More than 8,000 young people each year have experiences like these through Rotary Youth Exchange. “It has been the opportunity of a lifetime for each of our students,” Suszek stated in a press release.

The Rotary Club of Palatine is part of Rotary District 6440 which is comprised of 72 Rotary clubs with approximately 3,000 Rotarians, located in 5 counties of northeastern Illinois. Currently, clubs in the district are hosting close to 20 students from around the world. 

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Rotary Past President Liz Noe stated, “The youth exchange program perfectly fulfills one of Rotary International’s founding principles of building good will and better friendships.”

Noe noted that the youth exchange program is also a perfect avenue to globalizing one’s education, either as an exchange student or a host family/student, a press release stated.

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Any family interested should contact the Rotary Club of Palatine at info@palatinerotary.com. 

The Palatine Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at 7:15 AM at the Red Apple Pancake House at 2121 Plum Grove Road in Palatine.  Email information@palatinerotary.com for details.    


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