Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club will send three local students abroad this summer as part of the Rotary Summer Exchange Program (STEP). All three candidates exhibited outstanding academic and extracurricular abilities.
Simon Campo is a junior at Kingston High School who has a wide range of talents. He has been an avid soccer player since the age of 4 and now plays on the Kingston High School soccer team as well as for the Premier League with the North Kitsap Storm.
Simon’s sports abilities are diverse. He is a key member of his school’s mountain-biking team and also enjoys hiking, snowboarding, surfing, running and, as he puts it, “anything outdoors.”
Academically, Simon is an honor student and is co-president of the school’s National Honor Society. This year, his courses include three Advanced Placement classes: Biology, Chemistry, and Language and Composition. Simon is a self-taught piano player and is now taking a course in digital graphics.
This fall, Simon was selected Homecoming “prince” by his classmates. He recently was nominated to attend the Boys State, which will give him a detailed understanding of how government works. This one-week honor will come just before he leaves for his Rotary exchange.
Simon wrote on his exchange application, “Every kid has a dream … in my case to see the world.” His Advanced Placement course last year in World History reinforced that dream. His exchange next summer will be a first step in a dream’s fulfillment.
Two young ladies will also travel abroad next summer, Taylor Larson and Leah van Lieshout.
Taylor, now a freshman at Kingston High School, is an A-student and has honors classes in math and English. She is a people person and finds it easy to talk to people of all ages.
Taylor’s participation in school activities include serving as manager of the football team and being an active member of the Interact Club. Taylor definitely plans to attend college, seeking a career either as a science teacher or an animal trainer.
Leah is an A-student and is now a sophomore at Kingston High School.
She loves sports and this year is co-captain of the school cheer squad. She also loves creative writing. Her academic goals include enrolling in Stanford University, but she has not yet decided whether she would prefer to become a marine biologist or a veterinarian.
All three students were accepted into the STEP program at the district level and now await news of their placement with a Rotary district abroad. STEP ambassadors expected to receive news in late January as to which country they will travel. Then in April, they will receive the name and location of their exchange partner and start making arrangements for travel.
A fun part of the STEP program is when our local candidates return to Kingston with their exchange sisters or brother. It’s an opportunity for Kingston Rotarians to introduce our guests to the wonderful town of Kingston. This is another great benefit of membership in Kingston Rotary — the opportunity to interact with local and international youth.
Please feel free to attend a meeting and learn more about our Summer Exchange Program.
