By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Three high school students were accepted to the Junior Statesmen Summer School giving them opportunity to attend prestigious universities in the United States.
The scholarships was awarded on Wednesday to Chaz Arurang, Swayze Chin and Mechereng Emesiochel by U.S. Charge d’ Affaires Mark Bezner.
Arurang and Chin both from Emmaus High School will be attending the Junior Statesmen Summer School in Princeton University while Emesiochel got into the Standford University.
The three students were awarded full scholarship to take part in the United States Department of Interior’s Junior Statesmen Summer School program this year.
The three students obtained full tuition and round-trip transportation
The program allows qualified students to attend the summer school program either in Stanford Univeristy, Yale University, Princeton University, Northwestern University or GeorgeTown University.
The program will help students learn that a just and democratic society requires adherence to certain ethical principles and help them develop time management skills and a sense of personal responsibility.
Bezner said this is a special year because the summer school program is celebrating its 15 years.
He said it has been 15 years since the U.S. has been contributing for the education of the youth in Palau.
Joyce Isechal Salii , Palau coordinator of the program said that in that 15 years, there were 154 students from Palau who have benefited from the program.
She said the scholarships has valued of more than $258,000 which is not part of the Compact of Free Association and have enabled the students from Palau to participate in the program.
Isechal said Palau is extending their gratitude to the US government and USDOI and the Junior Statesmen Foundation at San Mateo.
Since the program was opened to Palau since 1992, there are over 148 students from Palau who have attended the program.
Both Palauan and non-Palauan students studying in the island nation had applied and were found eligible to the program.
The program decides on the applicant’s academic achievements, leadership potential and interest or involvement in community affairs.
The program is an extensive and rigorous program for high school students.
The curriculum includes college-level courses in American government and speech communication.
This year eight more students were accepted to the program but did not get the full scholarship.