Exciting days are ahead for our club’s Rotary Youth Exchange program as we prepare to welcome a new inbound student to Pagosa Springs and send one of our own local students on an adventure abroad.
Aron Engelsz
Welcome to Pagosa Springs, Aron!
Our 2026-27 inbound Rotary Youth Exchange student is Aron Engelsz, a 17-year-old from Sződliget, Pest, Hungary, a community north of Budapest along the eastern bank of the Danube River.
Aron will arrive in Pagosa Springs on Aug. 24 and will attend his first Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs meeting on Thursday, Aug. 27. He will then join the rest of District 5470’s inbound exchange students for orientation in Durango Aug. 28-30 before beginning school on Aug. 31.
Bellina family
Aron’s first host family will be the Bellina family: Stewart and Dave, along with their children Noah and Camille. Stewart is principal of the San Juan Mountain School, Dave is a contractor, Noah is an 11th-grader and Camille is in eighth grade.
The Bellinas are already experienced Rotary Youth Exchange hosts, having opened their home to Wennei, and they are excited to welcome another exchange student into their family.
Be sure to give Aron a warm Pagosa Springs Rotary welcome when you meet him on Aug. 27!
Marcy Barnas Heads to Japan
While we welcome Aron to Colorado, Marcy Barnas is preparing for her own Rotary Youth Exchange adventure.
Marcy will depart for Japan at the end of August and has been assigned to the Kyoto, Nara, Fukui and Shiga region, an area that includes 94 Rotary clubs.
Over the coming year, she will have the opportunity to immerse herself in Japanese culture, attend school, live with host families and build friendships that reach far beyond Pagosa Springs.
Youth Exchange is one of Rotary’s most powerful ways of building international understanding, one student and one friendship at a time. We look forward to following both Aron’s and Marcy’s adventures during the year ahead!