Cascade High School student selected for year abroad through Leavenworth Rotary Club's Youth Exchange

LEAVENWORTH – Leavenworth Rotary Club will be sponsoring a year abroad for Cascade High School student Coal Fiano as part of its decades-long youth exchange program.

“Coal will be perfect. They’re an ideal candidate. We're so happy to have them represent Leavenworth, and Washington, and the United States,” said Youth Exchange Officer Karen Haire, who describes Fiano as kind, outgoing, and a go-getter.

Fiano will spend senior year in the Netherlands, learning a new language, a new culture, and making friends from across the world.

“Our club feels that this is a really important opportunity that should be available to high school students. An exchange student is an ambassador, and ambassadors build world peace,” said Haire.

Each year, the Leavenworth Rotary participates in the Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) program, sponsoring a student to go abroad while hosting an international student in exchange. Students are assigned to countries that best align with their preferences, though they are not always first choice. The program provides room and board for the student, access to mental health counselors, and support through the sponsoring club’s officer, such as Haire. While abroad, students live with multiple host families throughout the year in order to make more connections and gain a broader understanding of another culture.

Due to the nature of the exchange, students go through a rigorous selection process, attending informational sessions, obtaining teacher references, submitting letters from them and their parents, and then interviewing with both the Leavenworth Rotary and Rotary District 5060, which is made of of twelve regional rotaries spanning from Clearwater, British Columbia, to Prosser, Washington. 

“We want to make sure that the students are successful and that they have the full support of their parents and their family. That means that they will have a better year,” said Haire.

After confirming their exchange, Fiano spent the winter break preparing their student visa and other documents and enrolling in a Dutch class outside of school. Next, Fiano will participate in monthly Zoom check-ins and also attend two intensive training weekends alongside other students chosen by Rotaries within the district, which cover culture shock, language adaption, and managing homesickness.

“In Cascade, I know everyone. I know almost every single person's first and last name. I've grown up with these kids since I was in sixth grade, and I think I'm really, really excited to be able to go to a school where I can learn [about] all these new people,” said Fiano.

Fiano first learned about the program through their friend, Reese Mathers, who went to Germany through the exchange program last year. The two talked about the experience for five hours, with Fiano inspired by the vast network of people Mathers created while abroad.

“She met so many people from different cultures, because there's a bunch of other Rotarians that are also [coming] to your same country…Speaking a different language too, was also another thing that intrigued me, because all these people were there together, speaking the same language, but they all grew up with a different one,” said Fiano.

Fiano is heading into the year with an open mind and no expectations, at the advice of their friend Mathers. However, they feel optimistic that the experience will prepare them for their future, such as pursuing a career as an attorney.

“I think I need more practice talking to people that I'm not familiar with, so I think this will definitely help me get out of my shell a little bit more,” said Fiano.