Boulder Rotary has hosted and sent abroad a long list of young people, and some older ones, through Rotary International programs such as youth exchange, Ambassadorial scholars, and Group Study Exchange.
Our first youth exchange student, Patricia Heimann of Remagen, Germany, came to us in 1975, when Jack Rummel made arrangements for her to come to Boulder High School.
For the last 20 years or so, Nancy Stocker has been the queen of youth exchange. Nancy and her husband, Scott, have been honored many times for their enthusiasm and participation in the program. Peter Ewing, Jon Kottke and many others have also been involved. Nancy reports that in recent years we have averaged two inbound students a year and three to four outbound.
Ryan Van Duzer, now somewhat of a local celebrity, went to Svedala, Sweden, as an outbound student from Boulder High. When he returned, bringing a banner from his Swedish host Rotary Club to present, he told the club, “When I get really, really old, I’d like to be a Rotarian.” Maybe we should check back with him!
In 1991 Boulder Rotary “adopted” a Russian student who did not have a scholarship or grant but desperately wanted to study at CU. She had served as an interpreter for a Colorado professor who worked with Rotary to help her. Lena Kirochko of Leningrad, Russia, received aid from more than 150 Rotarians who volunteered $2 a week for two years to pay the $23,000 cost of tuition and books. She received free room and board at a sorority house on campus. Her proud parents came to her graduation.
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