From left, Youth Exchange Officer Joanne Laird, Host Mom Courtney Sakalosly, Graduate Sara Nidasio and Youth Exchange Counselor Erica Gale — Sara’s Maui Ohana! — celebrate Sara’s graduation from Lahainaluna High School.

LAHAINA — The Rotary Club of Lahaina Sunset was delighted to host Sara Nidasio from Cermenate, Italy as the Rotary Youth Exchange student for the 2022-23 school year.

After a one-month stay in Hana, Sara was welcomed as a student at Lahainaluna High School as senior due to her previous coursework in Italy.

The West Side club and her three Lahaina host families have enjoyed watching Sara thrive since her arrival in the community.

Some of her experiences included: learning and loving surfing; riding in the Lahaina Keiki Halloween Parade in a convertible; hosting the three other District 5,000 Youth Exchange students on Maui for a weekend; celebrating her 17th birthday at a dinner attended by 30 Rotarians; being a member of the Lahainaluna soccer and tennis teams; traveling to Kona and Kauai for weekends, and one week in California during Spring Break.

While at Lahainaluna, Sara also experienced the island-style junior prom and senior banquets.

And, of course, nothing compared with the Lahainaluna graduation ceremony and attending Project Graduation, the all-night celebration exclusively for the graduating Class of 2023.