From left, New Mexico Rotarians from District 5520 attended a youth exchange conference in Tulsa, Okla., last weekend, from left, District Governor-nominee Richard Haas of Las Cruces, Los Alamos Rotarians Melissa and Rob Metcalf and Laura Gonzales, Cassidy Gardner of Albuquerque, Rotex (Rotary Youth Exchange intermediaries between Rotarians and exchange students), and District 5520 Country Coordinators Bianca and JP Cheney of Roswell. Courtesy photo

By LINDA HULL
Vice President
Rotary Club of Los Alamos

Los Alamos Rotarians Rob and Melissa Metcalf and Laura Gonzales have just returned from a Rotary conference in Tulsa, Okla., the South Central Rotary Youth Exchange conference, usually referred to simply as SCRYE.

The SCRYE region includes 36 member districts in 15 states in the south and central part of the country and promotes Rotary International Youth Exchange within those districts. The Rotary Club of Los Alamos is a member of District 5520, which includes all of New Mexico and west Texas.

Although COVID-19 has curtailed inbound and outbound exchanges, the Rotary Youth Exchange program is one of Rotary International’s most recognized opportunities for young people to study abroad and is available to high school students in 86 countries. District 5520 exchanges with students from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Peru, Sweden, Switzerland and Taiwan.  

Melissa Metcalf attended in her role as the SCRYE Responsible Officer, the Rotarian who answers directly to the Department of State regarding foreign youth exchange students’ travel into the U.S. This includes serving on a management team.

Rob Metcalf attended in his capacity as president of the newly founded multidistrict Alumni Association for youth exchange students. The Alumni Association has more than 60 members already, 22 of whom attended the conference and were invited to give presentations to the Rotarians who chair the youth exchange programs in their districts. Time also was scheduled to clarify and formalize the Alumni Association’s constitution, elect management positions, and decide future projects and activities.

Laura Gonzales attended training at SCRYE as the District 5520 Inbound Coordinator for students coming from abroad.

Founded in 1905, Rotary is the world’s oldest humanitarian service organization. Its 1.2 million members worldwide support basic education and literacy, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, peace and conflict prevention, economic and community development, environmental stewardship, and disease prevention and treatment, in particular the eradication of polio.

The Rotary Club of Los Alamos meets in person 12-1 p.m., Tuesdays, in the Community Room at Cottonwood on the Greens at the golf course. A Zoom option is available by contacting Club Vice President Linda Hull at 505.662.7950. Hull also is happy to provide information about the Club and its humanitarian service.