Western States Student Exchange, Inc. (WESSEX)

The experience of Rotary Youth Exchange students in Western North America may range from the metropolitan areas of Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, or San Francisco. Or to its rural areas, the Alaskan Frontier, Western Canada, or the Colorado Rockies. 

From the Pacific Ocean to the Rockies, from the Arctic Circle to the Golden Gate Bridge, the exchange of each student is certain to be a unique and rewarding adventure. 

Western States Student Exchange, Inc. (WESSEX) is an association of Rotary Youth Exchange programs in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Our programs cover all of Oregon and Alaska, portions of Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Colorado in the USA, and portions of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory in Canada. Across all programs, our members have arranged as many as 300 outbounds exchanges for 600 students each year. They are supported by more than 1,400 vetted volunteers.

Through Rotary districts, WESSEX coordinates long-term academic exchanges for high school students aged 15 to 18. Certified Rotary districts and their members’ Rotary clubs arrange for students’ education, home hosting (usually 2-3 host families), and other necessities. The mix of nations and arrangements changes each year. In most cases, the Rotary Youth Exchange programs are a one-for-one reciprocal exchange between Rotary districts worldwide.

Student applications for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program start with an inquiry to a local Rotary Club. To express your interest in a WESSEX program, see our website at rotarywessex.org, which includes links to individual district programs. 

WESSEX Rotary Youth Exchange programs are available in Rotary District 5010, Alaska and Yukon Territory; District 5020, 5050, and 5060, all serving areas in Washington and British Columbia; District 5030, Washington; District 5100, Oregon and Washington; District 5110, Oregon and California; District 5190, Nevada and California; Districts 5130, 5150, 5160, 5170, 5180, 5220, and 5230, all in Northern California; District 5400, Idaho and Oregon; and District 5470, Colorado.

The WESSEX Rotary Youth Exchange program is committed to providing the safest possible environment for all Rotary Youth Exchange students, Rotarians, host families, and volunteers are all vetted and trained for their roles in youth exchange programs, and our program is independently audited for compliance with Rotary and CSIET standards and U.S. Department of State regulations when a student is placed in the U.S.

Most importantly, WESSEX is a non-profit organization operated and supervised almost entirely by volunteers.  The Rotarians, host families, and other volunteers give their time and energy with the hope of creating cultural understanding and a more peaceful world for future generations.