REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- US Ambassador to Indonesia Robert Blake received some 83 Indonesian high school students at his residence here on Friday night.

The students had just returned from the US after participating in the Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program for one year.

"I am very pleased to welcome the students who had just returned to their homeland after a year of experience living and studying in the US," Blake remarked.

The YES program provides scholarships for high school students ages 15-17 years from countries with significant Muslim populations, allowing them to spend up to one academic year in the United States.

Students live with host families, attend high school, participate in activities to learn about American society and values, acquire leadership skills, and educate Americans about their countries and cultures.

Approximately 900 students travel to the United States each year to be part of the YES program.

The US envoy also noted that full scholarships are available through YES Abroad for American high school students to study for one academic year in select countries with significant Muslim populations.

He added that the program, first authorized by the US Congress in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001, seeks to increase mutual understanding between the US and countries with significant Muslim populations.

In 2007, the YES program was expanded to include YES Abroad, offering American high school students the opportunity to live and study abroad in a YES partner country.

Nabila Utami, one of the YES participants from Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, said the program had been very good, allowing her to gain new experiences in the US.

"I was very happy to stay in the US for one year, and took the opportunity to study the US culture, and to become an Indonesian ambassador there," Nabila said.

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