Five Sabah students chosen for US exchange programme
Published on: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
By: Christy Chok
TAWAU: : Five students from east of Sabah have been chosen for an exclusive United States (US) exchange programme in conjunction with the “Beyond the Moon” programme to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing that advocate the importance of STEM subjects to secondary students.
The students are Gwyneth Valencia Ortiz from SM St Patrick Tawau, Ha Hen Bin of Vision Secondary School Tawau, Vagish Krishnan of SM St Patrick Tawau, Muhammad Azizan Totik of SMK Bum-Bum Semporna as well as Siti Juliana Sahaawi of SMK Bum-Bum Semporna.
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Mentor Shahshi Davien Thomas from SMK Kinabutan Tawau will also be joining the exchange programme too.
Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the United States of America, Sarah J. Talalay said the students will be going on a three-week Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Program (SEAYLP) US–based exchange programme starting in April.
Sarah said the programme also brings together high school students and adult mentors from 10 Asean member countries to focus on leadership and youth development at the University of Northern Illinois (NIU).
It will include workshops, interactive sessions, simulations, leadership training as well as team-building exercises.
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The participants will be involved in volunteering activity and visit relevant organisations in the host community. They will be staying with American families and go on a study tour to different region in the US.
She told reporters in a formal announcement ceremony held in collaboration between the US embassy, Tawau state library and Kinabalu Coders at Tawau State Library on Monday. Also present was SEAYLP administrative director Anastasia Kocher.
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The Beyond the Moon programme includes hands-on-space-themed activities, a visit to a photo exhibition and, in honour of African-American History Month, screening of the 2016 hit movie “Hidden Figures”, which tells the story of three African-American women mathematicians at Nasa, who played a critical role in the US astronauts’ journey to space.
Muhammad Azizan Totik of SMK Bum-Bum Semporna said he is excited but nervous because it is his first time to go on an oversea trip. It will be more challenging for him as it will be during the month of fasting.
“I voluntary joined the exchange programme while my school teacher announced it in class. I love English very much and I hope to improve my English and my leadership skill through the programme. I also hope that I could change Semporna after joining the programme,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gwyneth Valencia Ortiz of SM St Patrick Tawau is also excited to be a part of the exchange programme as it has always been her dream to go to America, which happens to be her favourite country too.
She hoped that after the programme she would be more independent and a good leader.
To prepare for the trip, she did many researches on YouTube about the programme and also experience from former exchange students before going for the visa interview next month.
Mohammad Fauzi, 25, from Merotai Besar Tawau, will also join the six-week Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSALI), a US Government signature programme to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia.
Fauzi, a law-graduate from International Islamic University Malaysia, said the programme is a very good opportunity for him to enhance his networking, knowledge and learn more about US culture.
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