Steven Lee '03

Each year the King's Scholarship Program sends Deerfield a few exceptionally bright students from Thailand. The two Thai Scholars this year are Naris Aruksakunwong and Jetsada Chuenchoojit, nicknamed "Off' and "Tor" respectively. They are post graduates who sought the opportunity to achieve success through their own hard work. Jose J. Briones '82, associate director of admissions, is also the main correspondent to the King's Scholar Program of Thailand and describes the Thai Scholars as "bright, articulate, and engaging young men."

Off lived in the town of Rayong, Thailand, until ninth grade, when he moved to Bangkok to study at the Tolam Udomsuksa School, one of the most competitive schools in Thailand. His transition to the city was a difficult one, but by living with his sister in Bangkok, he was able to adapt to the environment. When asked about the workload at his old school, he replied, "We had much less homework than Deerfield, but we had to use the extra time [to] read books and [to] study by ourselves." Off plans to pursue and engineering major at Stanford and continue on to robotics.

Tor lived about an hour from Bangkok in a town called Nakhonpathom. He studied at Suanklarb Wittayalai School in Bangkok from grade 7 through 12. School life there was similar to Off's as it too was one of the most competitive schools in Thailand. Coming to Deerfield was his first time leaving home. "I had to leave my parents, my old friends, but I had to start doing everything by myself." He feels grateful for having the opportunity to study in the United States when most other Thai students cannot afford to do so. Tor plans to study economics in college next fall.

Unlike other scholarships offered in Thailand, the King's Scholarship Program offers the top nine students in Thailand the opportunity to study at the best institutions in the United States on a full scholarship. The process in which they select the nine scholars is a rigorous one that begins in October of their senior year. They have to maintain a grade point average of 3.5 or higher to be eligible to apply for the eighteen-hour exam which is taken over three days in December. The exam tests potential applicants in math, English, science, social science and Thai. About 3000 students took the test last December. Of the 3000 people, the top eighteen students received a chance to interview for the nine scholarship positions in March.

The scholarship consists of a full ride for one year in one of the best prep schools in the United States, followed by a full scholarship to a four-year college. If a scholar planned to pursue a medical career, the scholarship would also pay for the extra four-years of medical school. The one commitment that these Thai Scholars have is that, after college, they must return to Thailand, where they will have to work for the same amount of time for which they were in the United States.

Tor and Off are having a great time at Deerfield right now. They like the food, people, and especially the relationship between the faculty and students. "The environment here is very different from back home. The rural area is very conducive to studying but not convenient for travel," Tor exclaimed.

They also enjoy the tight-knit community Deerfield offers. The schools in Thailand were made up of 4000-5000 students and thus they are in awe of the ideas of the Deerfield community. "This is the best school I've ever been to. I wish I could take advantage of all the opportunities given to me here, but my time here does not allow me to do that," Off remarked. Though the Thai Scholars stay at the Academy is short, they have made an effort to take advantage of this opportunity.