Boyolali – There's a saying in a hadith, "Seek
knowledge even as far as China," but it
turns out learning doesn't necessarily
require going to China, right? This is
something that will soon be experienced
by Prescyllia Maura Rezqi, an 11th-grade
student at Pradita Dirgantara High School, Prescyllia Maura Rezqi who will soon be flying to America on
August 10, 2021, through the KL Yes
scholarship program. What is KL Yes?
Let's find out!
Maura, who hails from Batam, will be participating in a high school student exchange scholarship to the United States through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (KL YES) program. She will stay in America for 10 months.
"My older sibling also participated in a student exchange, so I've been interested in it since junior high. When there was an opportunity for KL YES, I applied right away," expressed Maura during an interview with the Pradita Dirgantara High School public relations team on Sunday, (8/8/2021).
Also read: Naufal Aji Fitrianto, Pradita Dirgantara High School Alumni Passes 2021 Police Academy Selection
According to Maura, who comes from Batam and grew up in a multicultural family of Malay and Chinese heritage, she intends to make the most of this chance to visit America. She also hopes that Americans will gain insights from Indonesian culture.
"Even though my impact may be small in America, I will still give my best, especially since I'm representing Indonesia. I will try to show what the true identity of Indonesia is," said Maura.
Maura, who is fluent in English, also revealed that KL Yes is not just about exchanging lessons, but they want to find "ambassadors of peace and friendship" from countries with significant Muslim populations. With Maura's multicultural background, KL Yes is the best opportunity to showcase the diversity of our homeland to foreign countries, especially America.
During the KL Yes program in America, Maura will live with a selected host family. While in America, Maura will attend Oakland Mills High School, Kilimanjaro Rd, Columbia. In addition to school activities, Maura will actively engage with the community through KL Yes programs.
In addition to Maura, there are four other students from Pradita Dirgantara High School who are also set to partake in the KL YES program in America, each with different departure schedules. Among them are Syahirah Putri Aisyah from Padang (XII-E), Ratu Putri Dewi from Mataram (XI-B), Nirmana Artistika De La Rantow from Yogyakarta (XI-D), and M. Rizky Narindra from Palembang (XI-E).
For all of you students from Pradita Dirgantara High School or from other schools, come on, follow in Maura's footsteps. Show the world that Indonesia is a country that upholds diversity and tolerance. Different, but still one, Indonesia.