Last January, Maria Paz Gardella arrived in Waupaca from Argentina.
Over the past year, this Rotary Youth Exchange student has been an active part of her host community and at Waupaca High School.
Gardella played for Waupaca’s soccer team and she was on the WHS dance team, helping her team win first place in a recent competition.
She also worked in the Community Garden during the summer.
Hosted by the Waupaca Breakfast Rotary Club, Gardella took on a leadership role within Rotary District.
She developed a popular session on how to have a successful exchange year, which she presented to other students in the district from around the world. She has also shared her thoughts with U.S. students who are preparing to study abroad next year.
As a Rotary Youth Exchange student in Waupaca, Gardella has worked to promote the program’s goal of fostering world peace through better understanding of other cultures.