Above: Our District 6900 Trustees and students for 2018-19; Just below: Terry Schaede receives Trustee Emeritus award

GRSP CONCLAVE

Each year all the GRSP students in the state are hosted by one of the districts, so that they can bond and learn about what is expected of them during the year.This year District 6910 and the clubs near Brasstown Bald hosted the Conclave.The venue was excellent as all meetings were held at the Brasstown Valley Resort and Spa.All students in the program are required to attend, as this is the first weekend that they will hear about the other student weekends, a little about Rotary and how to obey the laws in the State of Georgia as well as the United States.

This year our District is hosting 20 students and 37 of our clubs will be getting the benefit of their yearin the United States.The students were excited to be here and particularly to meet their fellow scholarship recipients from the 14 countries that we are hosting.We are sending them to 22 schools here in Georgia. Once again, 2/3 of our students are female.

Each year we also have host family training, which the host families find to be very informative. We recognize that training should begin long before the students arrive, so we hope to have some short videos made for the host families to watch prior to their selection of a student for next year. Anyone is invited to attend these sessions, particularly if you are thinking about being a host family. If nothing else, the Saturday Night Cabaret is worth the entire weekend. We saw skits, singing, dancing and storybook readings. It is always interesting when we see several countries coming together for a song or dance. The students are encouraged to wear their traditional dress to the Cabaret, so we are invited to see face paintings, beautiful dresses and hats.

At the end of the weekend, the students were invited to play a game a whiffle ball and do a little swimming, which is a great way to end the weekend. All of us were disappointed to be leaving our new friends, whether they be GRSP students or other Rotarians. If you are interested in joining us next year, consider this your personal invitation to come. Registration for the weekend usually beings in the spring, so be sure to look for your personal invitation on the GRSP website at www.grsp.org.>

DISTRICT 6900 ROTARIAN RECOGNIZED

Rotarian Terry Schaede of the Rotary Club of Atlanta Airport was honored at the Conclave this year with the designation of Trustee Emeritus. The fact that Terry has personally hosted over 30 students and has served in many leadership positions in GRSP as well as Rotary was not lost on the leadership in GRSP. At the summer meeting this year, our District recommended this honor and the GRSP Trustees for the entire state of Georgia unanimously voted for Terry to receive this designation. District 6900 is very proud of Terry. Congratulations, Terry; may you serve many more years in the Georgia Rotary Student Program!!!

GOVERNOR'S VISITS

This year we have yet another district governor who is supportive of GRSP.DG Court has not only allowed, but encouraged, trustees to come with him to his club visits and board of directors visits along with their AG. Please welcome your trustee and set aside a time for a program about the GRSP, whether or not your club hosts a student. Again, this program is unique to Georgia and has been in existence for more than 70 years.The Georgia Rotary Student Program has commissioned a very good short video about the program, which your trustee would be happy to show your club or if you are without a program at the last minute, please go to the GRSP YouTube Channel and play the 18-minute video. You can copy the following link and paste it to get to the video:

ENDOWMENT

The GRSP Office is busy calculating the checks that will be sent out in response to those clubs that donated at least $50 per capita last year. Your trustee should be delivering those by the middle of October. The check will be written out to the Club and the Club may use this money to help subsidize the student or even for another service project. This is GRSP's effort to give back all of the income from the GRSP Endowment each year. While your trustee is visiting your club, ask about matching funds that may get you to your next level of giving.