Events

This year, the Rotary Club of East Wichita is hosting the Open World delegation from Armenia; with a program emphasis of Emerging Leaders: Youth-led Social Change.  This emphasis played a key role in galvanizing the political transition in Armenia in May 2018, and during the past year, this sense of empowerment to change "business as usual" has matured. Young people wish to remain engaged and have their say in decision-making, both at the local and national levels. A customized Open World program benefits these emerging voices by providing first-hand exposure to local politics in the United States, how strategies/plans of action are developed, and how networks are formed. The program provides insight as to strengthening institutional capacity, incorporating issue-based planning, and how to increase exposure for increased influence and impact. The delegation benefits from exposure to grassroots issues started at the local level that have gained traction at the state and national level.  Rotary plays a significant learning opportunity for the delegates and an opportunity to see grassroot action.

The Open World Leadership Center awards grants to a wide range of U.S.-based nonprofit and governmental organizations to host Open World delegations. The Center selects its host organizations annually through a competitive grants process conducted according to federal guidelines. All successful candidates have expertise in implementing professionally oriented foreign exchange programs. Some grantees carry out Open World visits themselves or through their local affiliates; others develop and oversee a network of local organizations to provide this hosting. These local organizations include civic associations, academic institutions and centers, and nonprofit international training providers.  Rotary is one of the partner host organizations.

Kylie Stupka was born and spent her primary years in northeast Colorado.  Her mother was as a bookkeeper and her father worked his way up through the ranks of a natural gas company.  His promotion to management moved her and her two brothers, of which she was the middle, to northwest Kansas where she attended Colby High School and Colby Community College.  She completed Colby Community college with an AA in Pre-law and with academic All-American volleyball honors.  After completing her post-secondary education at Kansas State University with a BS in Accounting, Kylie went to work for BKD CPAs and Advisors in Wichita, KS.  During her time with BKD she specialized in manufacturing and NPO accounting and consulting while heading up the recruiting and hiring practice. This specialization lead her to Youth Entrepreneurs.

Youth Entrepreneurs (YE) cultivates an entrepreneurial mindset through its experiential learning model and opportunities to apply those learnings, fostering personal transformation and self-actualization in educators and their students, who in turn positively impact their communities. Through its eight Foundational Values, YE focuses on Principled Entrepreneurship® which emphasizes key principles and character traits such as integrity, responsibility and respect in addition to teaching core entrepreneurial and economic concepts.

Youth Entrepreneurs (YE) allows educators the freedom to implement its experiential curriculum in the way they deem is best for their students, regardless of the class’s subject matter or setting. Through this flexibility and customization, YE educators are able to focus on developing the individual characteristics and innate abilities of the students in their class – moving them towards becoming a contributing member of society – without a need to seek conformity through standardization.

YE seeks to ignite a passion for learning across the nation that taps in to the talents of educators who can unlock the incredible gifts each student has to offer. Educators are encouraged to utilize an entrepreneurial mindset and truly own their classroom by offering engaging and hands-on activities of their choice that help build self-confidence and provide real-world experiences for their students. Resources, tools and support are offered by YE to ensure educators are successful.

Michael Monteferrante is the president and CEO of Envision, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas with locations in 11 states.  Envision employs more than 500 people, with half of its direct labor workforce made up of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.  In addition to offering employment, Envision provides rehabilitation services, research, workforce innovation initiatives and private and public education and foundation services on behalf of people who are blind or visually impaired.

Prior to joining Envision, Monteferrante was president and CEO of Future Food Brands, an American Capital-owned company that produces various food brands. Earlier, he was president and CEO of Occidental Management, a Wichita-based real estate development firm and has extensive experience in the transportation, technology, engineering and construction industries.

Monteferrante was the 2019 chair of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce board of directors. He has also served on the board of directors for National Industries for the Blind, The National Association for the Employment of People Who Are Blind, Visit Wichita, Future Food Brands, Vintage Bank, Kansas Red Cross, Kansas Humane Society and Park City Convention and Tourism. He has a BBA in business management from Boise State University and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumni in 2014.

Before his election to the position of District Attorney, Marc Bennett was a Deputy District Attorney and served in the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office for 15 years where he supervised the prosecution of sex crimes, human trafficking, domestic violence and elder abuse. Mr. Bennett completed his undergraduate degree in History from Kansas State University and his Juris Doctor degree from Washburn University.

Mr. Bennett is a member of the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Coalition, a member of the board of directors of the Exploited and Missing Child Unit (EMCU); the Wichita Area Sexual Assault Center (WASAC); the National District Attorneys Association and past president of the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association. He was named Kansas Prosecutor of the Year by the organization (KCDAA) in 2018.  He is a past board member of the Sedgwick County Child Advocacy Center.  He is an appointee to the Kansas Prosecutor’s Grievance and Ethics Committee.