Peekskill Club Exchange Student

Rotary Hosts Kyrgyzstan Student in Youth Exchange Program to Promote International Understanding

Ainura Jeenalieva is the Peekskill Rotary Club’s Youth Exchange Student for 2006-2007 and will participate in many club activities before returning home next summer.  The club’s Rotary Foundation will subsidize her expenses this year as she lives with several local families and attends Peekskill High School.

The 17-year old student comes to us from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan where she lives with her parents, and older brother and sister.  She describes herself as “very cheerful, optimistic, responsible, honest and creative.”

Last year she was an executive member of her school’s parliament (there are 2,780 students in her school!) and founded a club for elementary school children to help them adjust to school life.  Ainura speaks Russian, French and English, in addition to her native Kyrgyz.  She has traveled to the United Arab Emirates and to Tajikistan while participating in a Junior Achievement program.

Ainura enjoys collecting old photos; swimming and volleyball at school; and reading, especially Pushkin, Murakami and Shakespeare.  She also attends a horse racing school.

During the year ahead, Ainura looks forward to the cultural exchange, representing Kyrgyzstan to Americans, improving her English, meeting new friends and learning more about American political, economic and social systems.  She expects to focus on law in her post-secondary education.

» Youth Exchange Program
» International Youth Exchange
» Former Exchange Students