Exchange Student Selection

exchange student selection

This report has firstly been presented at the Rotary YEO
Pre Convention in Glasgow, June 1997

THE DISTRICT 4760 SELECTION
for OUTBOUND STUDENTS

ROTARY DISTRICT 4760 YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM

Prepared by District Selection Coordinator Ivan Libanio Vianna

OBJECTS: The District 4760 Selection Procedures of candidates for the Youth Exchange Program for the following year has the purpose: To select the students previously chosen by the Rotary Clubs of the District, according to the criteria defined by the Youth Exchange District Committee, in order to search for an incoming exchangee that would be a good representative abroad from our country and from our culture, following the rules of this Program and accepting the responsibility of this task. To eliminate the candidates who would not fit to become a Rotary Youth Exchange Student and those who eventually are participating of this selection more encouraged by parents or friends than by themselves. To make the chances of the selection equal to everyone who applied, not favoring any candidate as this District Selection has Rotarians and non Rotarians involved in the process .
BRIEFING: Our District Selection usually happens on middle February, always on a Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and it is held on the Rotary Building downtown Belo Horizonte, Banquet Floor. There are a lot of people involved in this process, based on the past 5 years: around 150 candidates, 20 YEO from different Rotary Clubs, 10 Rotex members, 10 Rotary-Moms who had experience both on hosting and sending their own children abroad as exchange students, 10 inbound students, RYEP staff and the 2 psychologists who conducted part of the tests. Altogether this number reaches over 200 people who joined for lunch at the Rotary Bldg. in a beautiful demonstration of truly Rotary fellowship. The selection consisted of four different tests: a written essay, a multiple-choice type quiz based on general culture and present affairs, a personal interview and a psychological evaluation. The Quiz and the Essay are the first exams to occur. Afterwards, comes the phycological test and the last part, the personal interview. During lunch there are presentations made by present inbound students from different continents selected among the 27 countries we are exchanging with. Each one gives individually a short talk comparing their daily life in their country with the one they have in Brazil, as well what they think is the responsibility of being a Rotary Youth exchange. Through these reports, it comes clear for the audience that this program is a very positive experience no matter which country you go to and no matter what language they speak there. It is NOT a language program.
THE FOUR TESTS OF THE SELECTION: 1st: THE ESSAY: This test was created by a team of high school teachers led by a Portuguese teacher who knows well our Program as herself is mother of two Rotex and host of inbound students. The chosen theme to write about was given at the moment, not disclosed before. Once it was based upon a statement of the Brazilian navigator and adventurer Amyr Klink who had his single-crew boat PARATII stuck in the ice on the Antarctic region for a whole year. At that time there was a concern what would be for someone to be alone for such a long period. This answer was given by Mr.Klink who then said: You are never alone when you have a friend anywhere in the world. Another time the theme was to write about the reasons that a student have to become na exchange student abroad. This essay is later corrected by the teacher as it were a high school test. It is written on a blank sheet in pen, not pencil. A draft sheet may be used.