Charleroi Area student will finish high school in Belgium

Finlee Lenhart is a participant in the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

Next year, Finlee Lenhart won’t be driving to work or heading out with friends after school.

Instead, the Charleroi Area High School junior will be living with a host family, attending school in Belgium and learning to navigate daily life as a foreign exchange student through the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

Lenhart first learned about the opportunity in March, although she’s been involved with the Rotary-affiliated program for years.

“I really had no idea that Rotary could do this at all,” she said. “And as soon as I found out, which would have been in March, I was immediately interested and was trying to find out how to do it.”

Her interest quickly turned into action. The application process involved multiple phases, including written submissions, transcripts, recommendations and interviews at both the local and district Rotary levels.

“For the first part, I had to write a lot of stuff about me, submit my transcripts and have referrals,” Lenhart said. “I showed them pictures of my family and my friends and my house, and kind of just explained how my life was here right now.”

After completing interviews with Rotary representatives, Lenhart advanced to the next stage of the application, which focused largely on medical information. She later learned she had been accepted into the program.

In December, she found out her host country would be Belgium, which was among her top choices alongside Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Slovakia.

Lenhart will remain in Belgium for the entire school year.

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“It’s kind of hard to think about language right now because there are different languages. But I am looking forward to learning a new school system and how they do their schooling.”

FINLEE LENHART For the next few months, there’s still a bit of mystery surrounding the trip.

She won’t learn the exact location or meet her host family until around May, but there’s plenty to be excited about.

“It’s kind of hard to think about language right now because there are different languages,” she said. “But I am looking forward to learning a new school system and how they do their schooling.”

She has researched Belgian culture, food and holidays, noting similarities to the United States. While she doesn’t know exactly where she will end up, she expects plenty of differences.

“I’m excited,” she said. “I feel like I’m good at trying new things.”

Lenhart is involved in several extracurricular activities, including Interact, the Rotary-sponsored service club at Charleroi Area High School, as well as Students Against Destructive Decisions. She believes those experiences have helped prepare her for a year abroad.

“Being able to see things more than just academics and the main things you do in school has helped a lot,” she said. “You meet people from other schools; you meet adults with stories. There’s just so much more to learn.”

Ensuring Lenhart remains on track academically has also been a priority.

Guidance counselor Gina Cotton has been working with Lenhart to make sure she can still graduate on time with the Class of 2027.

While she’s excited about the opportunity, Lenhart knows there will be things she misses at home outside of her family and friends.

In Belgium, said she will not be able to drive or work while abroad, two things that have been part of her daily routine.

“I love driving,” she said. “I know it’s going to be really hard not to drive for a couple months. And I also love working.”

Lenhart is currently employed at Panera and previously worked at a nursing home. Both experiences have given her added perspective.

Family is another adjustment she is preparing for.

“I have a very big family,” she said. “If I’m not in a situation where I have a lot of people to hang out with all the time, it’s going to be very different.”

Her mother, Tara Lenhart, said the idea of her daughter living overseas has been emotional, particularly as each step of the application process moved her closer to departure.

“I’ve known for a long time that she was going to spread her wings when she was finally able to,” Tara said. “I didn’t anticipate that it would be on the other side of the world.”

She said each milestone — advancing through application phases and learning the host country — came with a mix of pride and emotion.

“I think this is going to change her life,” Tara said. “This is going to change the trajectory of her life for the better. It’s going to open up opportunities that people only dream about.”

The Lenhart family is no stranger to travel, often taking road trips and spending time outdoors together as a family.

They plan to travel to the West Coast again before Finlee leaves later this summer.

As they wait to learn more details about Lenhart’s host family and placement, anticipation continues to build.

“Once May comes and we get more information, the excitement is going to start building,” Tara said. “Right now, everybody’s kind of anxiously awaiting for all the new information.”

When she thinks about the year ahead, Lenhart said she hopes the experience helps her better understand the world and herself, and possibly gain a bit of clarity when it comes to her future.

“I’m hoping it gives me more ideas of what I want to do with my future,” she said. “What interests me and what I’d be interested in learning about.”

As she prepares for a year that will look nothing like the one she once expected, Lenhart said the decision ultimately comes down to choosing growth over comfort.

“I kept saying that I went to school for 12 years and I wanted to graduate with all of my friends and walk across the stage with them. It was hard to think about letting go of that, but in the end, even if it isn’t able to happen, I don’t think I will ever regret this.”

Finlee is the daughter of Tara and Robert Lenhart. She has younger siblings, Garret and Makayla, and older siblings, Elliot, Fern and Chase.