STEP - Short Term Exchange Program

Rotary International has sponsored a Youth Exchange Program for more than 30 years. The goal of our program has always been the creation of world-wide goodwill and international understanding. The Short Term Exchange program (STEP) is one of the ways that Rotary implements this goal. Through STEP, young people from many different countries get the opportunity to spend a summer together, learning about different countries and cultures.
(Be sure to include this form with your application)

Our Program
Your son or daughter will be hosted by his/her matched family in another country for four weeks during the summer. Your family will reciprocate by hosting your matched international student for a similar period. Students traveling to Finland will exchange in reverse, with the Finnish students arriving here in June and our students traveling to Finland in July. Some of the Southern hemisphere countries have "split-exchanges" with each student traveling during their appropriate school vacations (typically December-January). Due to conflicts with school calendars, it is always possible that students may have the added bonus of attending school for a week during their exchange.

Student Matching
Originally, emphasis was placed on closely matching just the young people, but experience disclosed that the other members of the families were equally important. Our program has evolved into a family exchange. The families are offered this opportunity and privilege of sending a son or daughter to the home of a Rotary sponsored family in another country and hosting the international boy or girl in their home. The reciprocal matching of the young applicants and their families is the most important feature of this program and will be made on the basis of age, interests, and general background of both parties. The matching is typically done in late April at which time you will be provided with a copy of your match's application.

Qualifications
The District 6600 STEP holds its participants to high standards. Students are interviewed by their local Rotary Club and typically participate in a district-wide orientation program. It is very important to realize that flexibility is an important factor for students and families involved in STEP. The student must meet the following requirements to participate in the program:

You must be in good health.
You must be no less than 15 and no more than 18 years old at departure time.
Your parents must be willing to host an international son or daughter for four weeks during the summer (or at Christmas if going to Southern Hemisphere country). You and your parents are expected to arrange activities making it possible for the visiting student to get as much knowledge as possible of your country during the short period he/she will be there. Any costs involved are your responsibility.
Your parents must be willing and ready to pay the total program cost which includes a $295 administration fee, round trip airfare and pocket money for you. (Could run as much as $2000.)
While in the host country, you must act at all times in a way befitting a representative of your family, community, and country. You should understand that cultural differences that are experienced are to be accepted and not criticized in any fashion.
You must want to join this exceptional program of your own free will in a positive way, which means that you are ready to give your hosting family as much as possible of yourself and your knowledge.
You must have read the program rules and you and your parents must be willing to strictly abide by them.
During your hosting period, you are expected not to take a summer job that will interfere with your host obligations.

Rules for Participants - Parents and Students

Travel to the other country with the group, stay with the host family assigned and return home with the same group.
Willingly accept the advice and supervision of the chairperson(s) and of host parents in the host country.
Accept the difference in the culture in your host country without vocal criticism. Take home impressions and experiences to further international communication.
You are not permitted to drive a motor vehicle of any kind while in another country.
Hard liquors are not permitted in this program. In many host homes, wine and light beers are served with meals. This is permissible provided your parents approve. Any misconduct while under the influence of alcohol is sufficient cause to be sent home.
The use of illegal drugs, including "pot" is absolutely forbidden and infringement of this rule will cause you to be sent home.
Hosting parents should take their guest to a Rotary meeting early in the hosting period.
Independent travel without the host family is not permitted while abroad.
The host family and young people should consider the involvement and entertainment of the guest not only in the evenings but during the day as well. Loneliness and inactivity can breed dissatisfaction.
If for any reason, the stay of the visiting student should be unpleasant, the student should contact the host Rotary Club. If the student is moved to another family, the parents should abide by the change.

Desired Student Attributes
We have found that students with many of the following traits may be good candidates for the summer exchange program:

Demonstrated interest in things international, through language classes, pen pals, cultural studies, foreign travel, and/or hosting inbound students, etc.
Mutual desire for parents and student to participate in an exchange
Ease of making new friends with both adults and students
Politeness, pleasantness, and a confident smile
Flexibility to adapt to new and changing environments
Comfortable traveling away from home for 4 weeks or more; cultural shock/change
Participation in some monthly Rotary meetings held for inbound exchange students
Student overall grade point of about 3.0 or above (not mandatory, but a good sign of dedication and discipline)
Ability to make group presentations to sponsoring Rotary Clubs here and abroad
A sense of humor (even if subtle), and a positive and enthusiastic outlook
Firm commitment to travel somewhere between June 1st and end of July time frame
Family commitment to hosting here in the mid-July to mid-August time frame. Student's work schedule should not interfere with entertaining your host brother or sister

Travel Schedule
Cost and specific schedule is usually not possible to determine early in the program; however, every attempt will be made to obtain the most economical fare and the most convenient schedule possible. Please remember that the schedule is subject to change. All travel arrangements must be made through the designated District 6600 travel agent.

For summer of 2008, your travel or your match's travel will begin somewhere between June 1 to July 1, when one will depart from home to the other country where their hosting family will meet the traveler. The tentative date is June 22, 2008.
The return home will be somewhere between July 1 to the end of August accompanied by the hosting student. The tentative date is July 21, 2008.

Note: Students from USA/Canada must inform the Rotary Short Term Chair (STEP) listed near the end of this document and your host family of your travel arrangements and arrival time which will be sent to you by Rotary’s appointed travel agent. Rotary’s appointed travel agency will confirm the airfare and you will be notified of ticket and travel arrangements. This should be done as soon as you have been informed of your match. Our designated travel agency will arrange all travel. Airline tickets must be paid for in full prior to departure. Parents/students and District Chairs will be furnished an itinerary from the travel agency from you desired departure point and an invoice for the round trip for these arrangements.

USA/Canada students must reconfirm their reservations from the host country and notify their families of their home arrival time.

Your match in the other country has the responsibility to contact you with their arrival time and dates in sufficient time so that they can be met at their destination if they are first to travel or do not return on your same schedule. It is the responsibility of the students and parents to contact their matches overseas and confirm arrival and departure dates.

General Application Information

Three copies of the "Application for a Rotary Youth Exchange Short Term Program" are to be completed. Applications must be typed. Click here to download the STEP application. The application obtained via the web can be filled out on your home computer and then printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free of charge. The last page of this flyer has the "Country Preference" form, which should be included with your application.
Good clear color photos are to be attached to each application form where indicated. Three sets are required (color copies are acceptable.) Prepare one original application without any signatures, make two more sets and sign all as originals in BLUE ink.
Application must be returned to your local sponsoring Rotary Club President, Secretary, or Youth Exchange Officer. He or she will interview you in your home prior to forwarding your application to the District STEP Chair.
The student must be in possession of a valid passport. Application and instructions can be provided by the Rotary appointed travel agent or a Post Office. Passports take time to get processed, so please do not wait until the last minute to apply. Students traveling to Brazil will need a visa at an additional cost. Our travel agent (It's Your World Travel) will assist by providing the necessary forms.
The administration fee of $295 must accompany the application and be made payable to "Ohio-Erie STEP."
A letter of recommendation should be submitted with your applications. This letter should not be from a family member.

Administration Fee Refund Policy
If your application is unacceptable, the entire administration fee will be returned to you. If you withdraw from the program prior to April 1, 2008, the portion of the administrative fee attributable to medical insurance will be refunded. After April 1, 2008, no refund will be given unless the applicant cannot be placed, in which case, the entire fee will be refunded. Once a student has been placed, no refund will be made.

Application and Administrative Fee Should Be Sent To:

Dee Whitcraft
Rotary District 6600 STEP
12367 Reidenbach Road
Van Wert, OH 45891
Home Phone: 419-968-2826
Cell phone: 419-234-8590
Fax: 419-968-2833
E-mail: ckst@watchtv.net

OE-STEP 2008 Air Travel Preference Form (156kb PDF)
OE-STEP 2008 Country Preference Form (27kb PDF)
OE-STEP 2008 Students-Parents Information (192kb PDF)