Rotary sending Jaden Sander to Denmark

Rotarian Barb McCabe | Special to TODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — Our Rotary Club  has proudly selected topnotch students from our High School to send out of the country for a one-year exchange.  This wonderful opportunity has been offered for over 44 years in our town.

Rotary can guarantee exchange student Jaden Sander will make friends in Denmark.

In those 44+ years students have had the chance to experience life in countries such as Brazil, Denmark, Belgium, France and many many other parts of the world.  While our students leave home for this year our town welcomes another student from countries such as Italy, Taiwan, New Zealand, Germany, etc.  It is a truly remarkable chance for the students to meet others, learn another language and get to know cultures other than their own.

There are many interesting stories to come from these adventures.  In one case one of our students selected his chosen career (working with Canada World Youth) as a direct result of his year in Mexico.  Lifelong friendships have been forged over several generations.  The students aren’t the only ones to gain so much.  The host families in town are still, to this day, visiting their exchange students abroad and having them come back to Muskoka with their families.  It is so exhilarating to hear these stories.

We are very proud to have selected Jaden Sander for this year’s exchange.

A few of the things we have learned about Jaden: she loves to travel, she loves to cook, she is a risk taker, she loves to keep busy, is on the school soccer, basketball and hockey teams, was the school rep for the G7 Conference and is a lifeguard.

Jaden tells us she wants to make new friends (we can guarantee that, Jaden).

We so look forward to sending Jaden off for her year in Denmark and to receiving news as her year progresses.  The very best to one of our best.