Introduced by Rotary President Mark Waters as “Rotary royalty,” Carol Mattingly and Dr. Marcus Gillespie recently provided a program for the local service club on Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE), the Rotary Club’s study abroad program, even introducing the club to Heloisa, an exchange student from Brazil who is currently living with host families in Huntsville.
Having been involved with RYE for many years, Mattingly serves as chair of the District 5910 Rotary Youth Exchange Program. Her late husband, Past District Governor Glen Mattingly, started RYE in District 5910 and have hosted 19 long-term students. Carol serves on the Board of Directors for the North American Youth Exchange Network.
Gillespie is a past president of the Huntsville Rotary club and is a member of the District Youth Exchange Committee. He serves as both the short-term program coordinator and as the club counselor for the Huntsville Club. He will be serving as a board member and as a district assistant governor beginning in July. He and his wife, Sunisa, who is also extensively involved with RYE, have hosted seven students
“Rotary Youth Exchange, or RYE, is a youth exchange program operated by Rotary Clubs all over the world. The big goal is promoting peace in the world, good will and better understanding. Well-chosen young people make excellent ambassadors,” Mattingly said.
Gillespie said there are two programs – the long-term is for a full academic year and the short-term is a six- to eight-week cultural exchange during the summer where students are matched from different countries, exchange visits for three to four weeks. He said these exchanges are typically with France, Germany, Spain and Italy and that while the parents assist with the schedule, Rotary supervises and does the background check for short-term.
“For the long-term or school year, students live in another country with two to four selected families, attend school there and become fluent over time,” Gillespie said.
“What are the requirements? The student must have a good attitude, be 15-18½ years old, have reasonable academic skills, be open-minded and able to adjust to cultural differences. They submit an application which is reviewed and then there is an interview with the student and parents,” Gillespie said.
“Parents may ask ‘Why Rotary?’ It’s a broader experience, the most secure and the most cost-effective,” Mattingly said.
“The experience provides a better understanding of the world, respect for other people and cultures, respect for our country and respect for their families,” Mattingly said. “Plus, they learn a new language, learn to take care of themselves and develop self-confidence and independence. It really stands out on university application or job application.”
Heloisa, an exchange student from Brazil, is a long-term student and has been in the states since August, where she is enrolled at Huntsville High School and has even written stories for the Huntsville Item, the newspaper in Huntsville.
“Thank you so much. It’s amazing meeting other cultures, learning about other countries and cultures. It’s absolutely amazing,” Heloisa said.
She remarked that since being in the states, she has had the opportunity to do a lot of things she’s never done before, such as seeing snow and attending a rodeo. She also expressed her excitement about the opportunity to write 10 newspaper stories for “The Item.”
For additional information about RYE, write to 5910rye@gmail.com or call 936-661-3997.
Mattingly holds a BA and MA in mathematics from Sam Houston State University. She was the mathematics department chair at Conroe High School for four years and retired after 30 years of teaching there. After retirement, she spends most of her time working with the District RYE program and is a member of the Rotary Club of Huntsville.
Prior to retiring in 2021, Gillespie was an associate professor, department chair and associate dean at Sam Houston State University, and was a martial arts instructor for an academy on campus for 22 years.
