Lauren Kelly - November 2

Our program on 2 November challenged us to “move out of our comfort zone and discover new possibilities.” Lauren Kelly, native of Spring, Texas, daughter of a Rotarian, and currently located in Houston as Marketing and Outreach Coordinator of Amigos de las Americas, introduced us to a unique program of cultural enrichment with a focus on service. Amigos is kin to Rotary’s Youth Exchange program which lasts for a complete school year with the cultural enrichment anchored in the school and its activities. However, Amigos is a summer (4-9 weeks) cultural and language enrichment experience anchored in leadership development and community service. With over 50 years experience, Amigos is thoroughly grounded in the basics of careful selection of applicants, thorough vetting of leaders and host families, and core values of extensive pre-experience training, language and cultural emersion, youth-led community service, mentorship, reﬂection and continued engagement, health and safety. Their vision: “a world where each young person becomes a lifelong catalyst for social change.” Like Rotary International Global Grants, each of the community service projects must originate in the local community by local citizens to meet a local need. The various themes underpinning all local projects are civic participation, environmental sustainability, public health, youth leadership and entrepreneurship, global health, engineering, social transformation, education, child welfare, sports and ﬁtness, and creative expression. Always mindful of uplifting the local economy, all technical support and guidance, materials and supplies, and sustainability resources must come from the local community. Always the focus is discovering, planning, and doing with, not for. NxNE Rotary can support this impressive organization and its achievements with introductions to the Interact members, with identifying and supporting possible participants, and/or monetary donations. For more information: www.amigosinternational.org.