Samantha Henry and Hycandra Barlett, two exchange students from Australia, arrived in the territory this past Wednesday and were greeted by their host families and members of the Rotary Club.

The girls are here as part of the Rotary Club of American Samoa’s annual student exchange program, which is open to kids here and from all over the world.

Henry and Barlett will be in the territory for the next three weeks, hosted by the families of the two local students who have been selected for the program: Chang Jing “Roy” Tang of Pacific Horizons School and Cassidy Mahuka of Faasao Marist College Preparatory School.

When Tang and Mahuka depart the territory for Australia, they will be hosted by the families of Henry and Barlett.

Local students who want to apply for the chance to study abroad under the annual exchange program are welcomed to do so. Applications are reviewed by a Rotary Club committee whose members make the final selections.

In other news from the Rotary Club, a tsunami memorial remembrance service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 11:30 a.m. at the Lyon’s Park Tsunami Shelter for the 34 victims who lost their lives during the Sept. 29, 2009 tsunami.

Members of the public are invited and the service is open to anyone who wants to give a testimonial. Light refreshments and food will be provided.

The memorial service is in collaboration with Hawaiian Air, with support provided by the  Dept. of Human and Social Services (DHSS) as part of National Recovery Month.