SEDONA, Ariz. — Local high school students have an opportunity to see the world in an extraordinary way, while Sedona-area families can bring the world into their own homes through Rotary International Youth Exchange.
Applications are now open for current high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in studying abroad during the 2027–2028 school year. Rotary Youth Exchange gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture, learn a new language, gain independence and confidence, and build friendships that can last a lifetime.
One mother whose daughter spent a year in Brazil described the transformation she witnessed:
“Your child will change—they will grow up. They learn responsibility quickly so that you begin to wonder if there’s something in the water they’re drinking while abroad. My ‘little girl,’ who 12 months previously was too intimidated to order pizza over the phone, led me around Brazil as if I was a small child. I want to thank Rotary for that. Thank you for changing our lives.”
Rotary Youth Exchange is a volunteer-run program supported by Rotary clubs around the world. Participating families are responsible for program fees, airfare and other travel expenses, insurance, passports, visas and additional personal spending money. Rotary arranges two to three volunteer host families during the exchange year, provides the student with a monthly stipend, and offers opportunities for trips, activities and experiences in the host country.
The international experience can also happen right here at home. The Rotary Club of Sedona Village is currently seeking host families for a female exchange student from Brazil attending Sedona Red Rock High School.
Families do not need to have teenagers—or even children at home—to host. What matters most is a willingness to welcome a young person into everyday family life and share the Sedona community and American culture with her.
Hosting typically lasts three to four months. Host families provide a welcoming home, meals and a place to sleep while including the student in the normal routines, activities and experiences of family life. In return, families have the opportunity to learn firsthand about another country and culture while forming a relationship that often continues long after the exchange year ends.
Whether traveling abroad or welcoming an international student into your home, Rotary Youth Exchange offers a unique opportunity to build understanding and friendships across cultures—one student and one family at a time.
Information about both becoming an exchange student and hosting a student is available at RYE5495.org.
Rotary International Youth Exchange in Sedona is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sedona Village. For local information, contact Jennette Bill at JLBill@outlook.com.