The Rotary Club of Oban were visited by 24 members of the 31st annual exchange trip with pupils from Oban High School hosting their exchange students from Scotland High School, Laurinburg, North Carolina, USA.
The Exchange was set up 31 years ago between the Rotary Clubs of Oban and Laurinburg, in association with both High Schools in Argyll and North Carolina, and has been a huge success over the years.
All 24 students and their chaperones joined Rotary Club members at the club’s lunchtime meeting and gave talks about their studies and what they hoped for in the future.
The party of young people have been busy visiting local primary schools to encourage young pupils in Argyll and have been visiting other local groups and places of interest.
Since the exchange started 744 young students have participated in friendship and learning both in Scotland and in North Carolina with friendships being made and lasting a life time.
Both Rotary Clubs and High Schools hope that this fantastic exchange goes from strength to strength in the years ahead.
After a break of 2 years due to Covid a group of students from Laurinburg has been in Oban as part of the longstanding exchange programme with Oban High School.
The group along with their Oban hosts and staff attended lunch with the Rotary Club of Oban who have been supporting the exchange since it started 31 years ago.
The Rotary Club of Oban has supported the "Laurinburgh, North Carolina Student Exchange Programme" for the past 26 years, which involves students from Oban High School entertaining fellow students from Scotland High School in Laurinburgh, North Carolina here in Oban where they "live in" with the families of their OHS counterparts where they learn about local food and culture. The latter also involves visiting many places of local interest.
The Laurinburgh students arrive in June and their visit is reciprocated later in the year when OHS students visit Laurinburgh. In addition to financially supporting the exchange, Oban Rotary also entertains both sets of students and their teachers to a lunch at the Perle Hotel, Oban.
Our picture shows Oban Rotary President Iain Mac Intyre and Laurinburgh Exchange Convener Ken Oxland with the OHS students who will participate in the exchange.
Our photograph shows students from Oban High School with their counterparts from Laurinburgh, North Carolina, USA with Rotary Club of Oban President Tommy McQuade and Past President Ken Oxland prior to a lunch at the Perle Hotel in their honour.
Now in its 26th year, the Laurinburgh Exchange involves visiting students being housed by their counterparts here in Oban which gives them the opportunity of experiencing within a family atmosphere local food and culture. The Rotary Club of Oban in addition to hosting the lunch has supported the Exchange financially since inception and the visiting Americans all testified to the friendliness of the local people and the magnificent scenery.
The OHS students visit Laurinburgh later this year.
2017 was the 25th anniversary of the Laurinburgh Exchange which involves students from Oban High School hosting fellow students from Laurinburgh, in North Carolina, USA. The students from America come to Oban in June Through participating in a variety of pre-arranged local activities, they enjoy what is sometimes a life changing experience in terms of broadening their education. The Exchange is reciprocated later in the year when the Oban students visit Laurinburgh.
Oban Rotary Club has contributed financially to the project since inception and, as part of the "events" laid on for the Laurinburgh students, the club entertains the students and their Oban counterparts to a lunch which enhances the fellowship enjoyed by all concerned for a fortnight and are housed by the families of their fellow students.
Oban Rotary President Graham Fraser is seen here presenting a cheque for £500 towards the cost of the project.
Also in the picture are Rotarians Iain Mac Intyre and Ken Oxland.
The picture shows the Laurinburgh students being entertained to lunch by members of Oban Rotary on Tuesday, 20th June. The Laurinburgh students who spoke paid tribute to the friendliness of the Oban people and the breathtaking scenery
