Embassy News
Local High School Exchange Students return from a successful year in the USA
On Sunday, American Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer welcomed home to Qatar four talented students returning from one year in the USA as participants in the Youth Exchange and Study Exchange Program in the United States. The four students were living with American host families and studying at American high schools while in the USA. This year’s students included Sara Haroon of Amna bint Wahab School and Mohammed al-Mulla, Mohammed al-Yahri, and Mohammed Hamdouna of Omar bin Al Khattab School. While in the USA they lived in Sand Lake, Michigan, Louisville, Kentucky, Central City, Iowa and Statesville, North Carolina.
Before presenting the students with awards recognizing their achievements, Ambassador Untermeyer stated that he was pleased the students had the chance to live in a variety of places in the United States, particularly small American towns that are not often portrayed in American movies and television programs. While in the USA, the students had opportunities to integrate themselves into their local schools and communities. Mohamed Al Mulla talked about his experiences playing second base on the local high school team, even though he had never before played baseball in Qatar. At the end of the season his high school team awarded him the “Most Improved Player” award. Sara Haroon completed the 12th grade in the USA and was able to participate in her school’s graduation ceremony alongside her American classmates. While in the USA Sara applied for colleges and universities, and she was awarded a scholarship from Grand Valley State University to continue her studies in America as an undergraduate college student.
Ambassador Untermeyer also took time to recognize three students from Omar bin Khattab School who have been selected to participate in the YES program for the 2007-2008 school year. Omar Murtaja, Ahmad Abu Yousef and Abdrulahman Al Ansari will travel to the United States in August to begin their exchange programs.
The YES program was initiated in 2003 and has since tripled in size. The 271 students on this year’s program represented over 15 countries and regions in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. YES scholarship recipients in Qatar were selected in a competitive application process that included an interview. Applications for next year’s exchange program will be available in September, and interested secondary school students between the ages of 15 and 17 should contact the embassy’s public affairs office at 974-488-4101 and continue to check the embassy’s Website at qatar.usembassy.gov for updates.