Better late than never
Declan Rockwell has had his planned trip to Belgium delayed a year due to COVID-19
SUMMERSIDE – Declan Rockwell did not expect to be spending his senior year of high school in his hometown.
The 17-year-old Summerside resident was selected to participate in the Rotary International Long-Term Exchange Program. He was to leave for a 10-month stay in Belgium in August, but the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic changed those plans.
"When I came back to school, there were a lot of happy faces and a lot of confused faces,” said Declan. “Why are you still here, kind of thing. My friends were like, ‘I was preparing for you to leave’.”
Declan, who is happy to be doing his final year of school at Three Oaks Senior High School, said all parties agreed it was too dangerous to travel to Belgium at this time. Assuming everything goes according to plan, he will leave for Belgium in August 2021.
“I was worried because I put a lot of time and effort into doing the Rotary Exchange,” said Declan.
“For all my life, I have wanted to travel abroad and study. I was very thankful and relieved to know that I would be going if everything holds up.”
Angie Arsenault, the youth exchange officer for the Summerside Rotary Club, said officials spent a lot of time with Declan before deciding on Belgium.
She said the biggest goal of the program is to send students away from a small network and environment and have them come back globally-minded.
“They become more of a global citizen and they see the world a lot differently than before they left,” said Arsenault.
“When they come home, they are more aware of world issues, more aware of world opportunities and more aware of what’s possible.
“Once you open up someone to that thought process, their entire life changes.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Declan, who has a passion for music and plays a lot of different instruments, says he would like to become a journalist, musician or own his own business. And although he is excited to participate in the exchange, he admits it’s a roller-coaster of emotions as he’ll be leaving his father, Johnny, and 14-year-old brother, Nicholas, for an extended period.
In Belgium, he will be staying with host families from different backgrounds.
“It will be different demographics, whether it be rich or poor,” said Rockwell. “One of the questions was how would you feel if you get to your host family and the community is dirty and very poor?
"I would feel happier than to be with a nice, wealthy family because I want to know what the world is like outside of the resort essentially.
“When people go to Cuba, for example, they stay in a resort and they don’t know that there are people who work there that are living in mud huts. I want to see the world for what it really is.”
Although he will have graduated from high school, Arsenault said Declan still must attend school while on the exchange. She said the benefit of going right after graduating from high school is it doesn’t have to count, and students can take classes purely for enjoyment and not for credits.
“Declan, for example, has an affinity towards the arts,” said Arsenault. “He can go and explore different art classes and different styles of music.”
FUNDRAISING
Declan is working towards raising between $8,000 and $9,000 for the trip. He said the local Rotary club has been a big help providing the tools and people to assist.
Declan operated a 50-50 raffle in March where the winner donated their $2,500 share back. That, combined with Declan’s share of the draw, gave him $5,000 before COVID-19 shut things down. He is still looking to raise between $3,000 and $4,000.
"The community outreach has been incredible,” said Declan. “I have lived in a lot of places and I appreciated the Summerside community helping me.”
Arsenault said Declan has worked hard and put a lot of effort into preparing for the exchange, which she added builds the character, confidence and self-reliance of participants.
“They become a lot more independent, and that creates a wonderful community member,” said Arsenault. “For Declan to have this opportunity, and he’s working hard for it, someday he will sit back and reflect on the path that his life took, and this will be a pivot point.”