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Clow to spend a year in Germany as part of Rotary exchange program
Six months after her first inquiry about the Rotary International Youth Exchange, Kelly Clow received confirmation that she will be going to Germany to live for the coming school year. Clow's interest in foreign study began while in St. Louis on vacation during the summer, Clow read a book about a woman and her daughter who had both experienced exchange programs and had recommended the Rotary exchange as a worthwhile and meaningful program.
So, Kelly talked to Brian Bloom, president of the Nevada Rotary Club, and Jim Adams, a long-time Nevada Rotarian who coordinates international service projects.
Through these two local Rotarians, Clow obtained the application to become a Rotary Exchange Student. Taking nearly two months to complete the application process, Clow's desire to become an exchange student was reaffirmed by the procedure.
In early December, Kelly and her parents, Ron and Nancy Clow, traveled to Eureka Springs, Ark., to experience the Rotary interview system first-hand. At this point, Clow selected nine countries to consider for her exchange. The interview process was intense: "The orientation started at 8 a.m. on Saturday, after which I was interviewed a total of eight times. My parents were interviewed three times. On Saturday night, all six applicants went out to eat together to have further time to get to know each other. I received a recent Rotary magazine article and was directed to prepare a speech on a selected article for presentation on Sunday morning," Kelly said.
"On Sunday morning, after we gave our speeches, we met again for further orientation. We were given information on the costs of the program, dates for the next exchange, future training session schedules, and in general, what to expect from the experience. Then we went through a very emotional family session where we told each other why we would miss each other," Kelly continued. At the end of the day, Paul Ragan, who was in charge of the exchange program, told the six youngsters if they had passed the screening process.
The 2010 participants will meet in March for three days in Tulsa, Okla. They will meet again in June for a week long training "camp" to further prepare for leaving their families for the coming school year.
In the meantime, all participants must get immunizations completed, insurance arranged, and all their school records gathered and submitted. She will leave in August and return in May or June of 2011.
Kelly recently learned that Germany will be her host country, and she has been working hard to find out as much as she can about the German language and culture. She also may have a week or two of intense language study in Germany to prepare for the school year.
Kelly is a sophomore at Nevada High School, has been an avid competitor in horse shows for several years and has competed successfully in area competitions. Her favorite kind of music is classical, and she performs with the jazz band at NHS. She loves arts and crafts projects and painting floral and landscape scenes in acrylics, as well as making bead jewelry. She enjoys sewing, knitting, and other needlework. She has been active in the local Presbyterian youth group and area 4-H clubs, taking part in various service projects at Bickett Cemetery, as well as taking part in 4-H State Congress and the Equine Career trip to Kentucky. Clow has one 12-year old sister, with whom she shares much of her activities and interests.
Kelly, an honor-roll student, will miss her junior year in high school, but after talking to her high school counselors, believes the credits and experiences she will bring back from her school year in Germany will allow her to satisfy her junior requirements and come back to complete her senior year and graduate with her class in 2012. After returning, she must be available to speak to regional Rotary clubs and to future exchange students for at least one year. She will be living with two or three different Rotary families while in Germany.
In exchange, a German young person will be coming to Nevada to live with two or three Rotary families and attend school for a year. The Clow family, together with the Drs. Ted and Candice Moore, and Bill and Sylvia Martin have agreed to host a youth exchange student from some country when he or she comes to Nevada to live and attend school next year.