In this photo left to right are Dana Delano, Rotarian and leader of the youth exchange program, Hannah Jacobs of Houlton High School and Jane Torres, President of the Houlton Rotary Club. The subject of Hannah’s talk was the Rotary Youth Exchange. This exchange program has been going on since 2003. Dana has been working on this since 2008. Each year  two or three high school students from the area are involved. All expenses are paid for the students in this summer opportunity to go to a county in Europe that is selected by the student. The families of these students are very much involved since the exchange occurs at each student’s home. The host family has the responsibility to share the culture of their country with their exchange student. Hannah chose Italy and she began her journey in Milan, visiting Cannes in France and experiencing Bastille Day. She also visited a vineyard and the World Expo. She stayed at her host Sophia’s grandmother’s castle in Turin. Hannah noted two major differences in her experience from her home in Maine were walking everywhere and eating late, around eight thirty in the evening. Hannah shared slides of her trip and she thanked Houlton Rotary club for the opportunity. The club met the new exchange students who will be going to Switzerland and France. This exchange experience adds to the maturity of the students involved in the process.