Youth Message

Our Incredible Year

District 6250 is a regional juggernaut in the area of Youth Exchange.  We are amongst the largest programs in the Midwest, currently the largest of the 19 districts that make up the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange organization that stretches from North Dakota to Pennsylvania and includes parts of Canada.  On average year, we welcome approximately 20-25 inbound students from around the world for a year-long exchange, an additional 14 students that do a yo-yo short term exchange (7 Americans go out and 7 foreign students return with them), and an additional 20 young Americans venture abroad from our cities and towns to points all over the world.  All told, that means that over 50 students are touched by the Youth Exchange Program in District 6250 each and every year.
 
It goes without saying that to lead a program that is so comprehensive takes extraordinary individuals.  Our district has been so ably served by our remarkable Youth Exchange chairs – from Harry Van Camp (now a member of Madison Breakfast), to Judy Levine (2008 – 2014), to now Jan Bonsett-Veal (2014 – current).  Each of these leaders held numerous positions within Youth Exchange before ascending to the chair position.  It may be safe to say that no one position within Rotary demonstrates such loyalty and dedication to purpose as does the Youth Exchange Program.
 
Jan Bonsett-Veal is about to embark on a new role as the Vice Chair of the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange organization.  She takes over on July 1st, and will be the first woman ever to hold this position.  In one year, on July 1, 2023, she will take over as the first woman president of the Central States Rotary Youth Exchange Organization.  How fitting that this will occur the same year as Jennifer Jones becomes our first woman president of Rotary International.
 
I have the incredibly enormous challenge of filling these incredibly capable shoes.  This year I will be co-chairing with Jan – but in truth just trying to keep up with the incredible flow of communications and work flow.  Jan is quick to say that if it wasn’t for the dedicated volunteers who give incredible effort to the Youth Exchange program – from the Youth Exchange Officers, Counselors and Youth Protection Officers in our clubs… to the remarkable Outbound Exchange team (led by John Holevoet and Ann Oberle), Inbound Exchange team (led by Janine O’Rourke and Tammi Richmond), and Short-Term Exchange Team (led by Carl Kinsley)… to the remarkable Judy Steinhauer and Sharon Richmond – who keep on top of the incredible flow of background checks, applications, foreign visas…( I could go on and on).  If it wasn’t for this dedicated team, I don’t know how it would get done.  But it does… in large part to the incredible work over these past 8 years by Jan.  Congratulations Jan!!  On behalf of all who have had the honor of working with you, I think past chair Judy Levine said it best when she shared with me by email:
 
“She will be a great leader of Central States – just as she has been as our district chair.”
 
I could not agree more. 😊
 
Bill Pritchard
Edinburgh, Scotland
June 1, 2022