Fulton students to participate in Rotary Exchange program

Two students will participate in the Rotary Exchange program this school year.

Adam Hicks will be an exchange student in Italy, and Hunter Key will be an exchange student in Germany.

The 16-year-old exchange students spoke about their future trips with the Fulton Rotary Club during Wednesday’s meeting.

Key is excited to be an exchange student in Germany. He will stay in Freiberg on the eastern side of Germany.

He wants to pursue a culinary career when he gets older.

“Well, they just have really good food there (in Germany),” Key said.

Key is also interested in learning more about German architecture.

The local population uses a high German dialect, and Key said he is learning German.

“The language aspect of these allows me to obviously communicate with lots more people and gives me a bigger chance to make friends,” he said.

Key said being an exchange student is “the experience of a lifetime” and will be beneficial to him growing as a person.

“It allows me to connect with other people around the world and make friends for life,” Key said.

Key leaves for Germany on Friday. He said his parents are nervous for him to leave.

“But they’re really excited because they never got to have a chance like this,” Key said, adding “I can’t put into words what they’re thinking, but I hope they’re really proud.”

Hicks will stay in Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea.

He wanted to be an exchange student to see the world outside of the United States.

“U.S.A. is a completely different culture wherever you go,” Hicks said, adding “Sardinia actually, it’s a different culture entirely from Italy.”

Hicks is not nervous about staying in Italy for nine months, but is worried about food options.

“I’m willing to try new food,” Hicks said, adding “I’ve picked like one food I really like and I stuck with it because it’s easier for me to have that go-to food.”

He does not speak fluent Italian but does understand basic phrases.

Hicks said he would learn Sardinian, the local dialect, from his host parents.

He will attend a science-focused high school while in Italy, which he is excited about because he enjoys science.

Hicks said being an exchange student will give him a better understanding of the world around him.

“It gives a better understanding of the world outside the U.S.A.,” Hicks said.

Hicks will leave for Italy late August or early September.

Before they were selected as exchange students, Key and Hicks both went through an interview process.

Prior to their trip, both exchange students had to attend training sessions to go over things like travel safety and have filled out a lot of paperwork.

“There is even more paperwork to come when I actually get there,” Hicks said.

The Upton Foundation is funding half of Hicks and Key’s foreign exchange trips.

“I’m really appreciative of them,” Hicks said.

Amanda Gowin, co-chair of the Rotary’s youth services, said there will be an exchange student from South Korea studying in Fulton this school year.