From left: Ha, Muhammad, Vagish, Anastasia, Sarah, Siti, Gwyneth and Shahshi.
TAWAU: Six students from the east coast of Sabah have been chosen to participate in the Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Program (SEAYLP) 2020.
Gwyneth Valencia Ortiz and Vagish Krishnan (SM St Patrick, Tawau), Ha Hen Bin (Vision Secondary School, Tawau), as well as Muhammad Azizan Totik and Siti Juliana Sahaawi (SMK Bum Bum, Semporna) were formally introduced by a representative of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpurat the Tawau State Library yesterday.
They will leave for the program with an adult mentor, Shahshi Davien Thomas of SMK Kinabutan, Tawau.
The event was held in conjunction with “Beyond the Moon”, a program celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing that advocates the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects to secondary school students.
SEAYLP is a three-week US-based exchange program that 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) in April 2020.
The program will include workshops, interactive sessions, simulations, leadership training, and team-building exercises. The participants will also be involved in volunteer service opportunities and will visit relevant organizations in the host community. They will have homestays with American families and a study tour to a different region in the US.
This year, US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur had specifically targeted recruitment of participants from Tawau and Semporna.
Under the collaboration of the US Embassy, Tawau State Library and Kinabalu Coders, the Beyond the Moon program includes hands-on space-themed activities, a photo exhibit exploring the journey to the moon, and, in honor of African-American History Month, screenings 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.
Meanwhile, Gwyneth who cannot wait to go to the US, feels excited to be chosen for the program which she came to know from her English teacher at school, who encouraged her to sign up.
As one of the leaders at her school, she joined the program as it would be an opportunity to improve her leadership skills and as an individual.
Ha is also excited to go to the US but at the same time feeling worry as he has never travelled far from home and family.
He came to know about the program from his teacher who told him and his friends to grab the opportunity.
“I hope this will be an opportunity for me to learn the culture of people from other countries, and to bring back the skills I gain from the workshops to help the community here,” he said.
Vagish is proud to be able to represent the country and Sabah in particular, to the program.
He came to know about the program through social media and found out applications were opened and applied for it.
“The interview was held at a hotel. I was thrilled to be selected for the program which is about leadership,” he said.
Siti who got to know about the program from her teacher felt that it is just like a dream and could not believe that she got selected.
“My parents also know about this program and they encourage me to go. They are proud for me,” she said.
Muhammad whose parents encouraged him to apply for the program, said he feels a bit nervous yet excited because it is the first time for him to go to the US and hopes to improve his leadership skills.
As an adult mentor, Shahshi will be guiding them with the facilitators. He is excited to be responsible for the five students and wants to make sure that they go to the US and return home safely.
“I am proud that Tawau and Semporna have the opportunity to represent Sabah and Malaysia.”
Representing the US Embassy was Cultural Affairs assistant officer Sarah J. Talalay Shiamala. Also present were Cultural Affairs assistant Shiamala Thambirajah and Southeast Asia Youth Leadership Program Administrative director, Anastasia Kochee.