"Clock Kid" Ahmed Mohamed Is Moving To Qatar After Accepting A Scholarship

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Ahmed Mohamed, the 14-year-old Irving, Texas, student who was taken away in handcuffs after showing his teachers a homemade clock, will move to Qatar after accepting a full-ride scholarship, family representatives announced on Tuesday.

Mohamed will join the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development's Young Innovators Program, and move with his family, after accepting the scholarship.

"I was really impressed with everything that Qatar Foundation has to offer and the campuses are really cool," the teen said in a statement. "I got to meet other kids who are also really interested in science and technology. I think I will learn a lot and also have lots of fun there.”

Ahmed's parents pulled him out of his MacArthur High School following his arrest in September. A teacher called police, describing the clock as a "hoax bomb." After investigating, police determined Mohamed had no intent to alarm anyone with the digital clock he assembled. He was released without charges, and the clock was available to be picked up, police said.

By that time, his story had gone viral and prompted questions of whether the school's response showed bias against Muslims. Support from across the U.S. then started to pour in, including from President Obama and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. This week, the teen visited the White House as part of an astronomy event, where he and the president exchanged a hug.

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"Our family has been overwhelmed by the many offers of support we have received since the unfortunate incident of Ahmed’s arrest," the family said in a statement Tuesday. "From the White House to Sudan, to Mecca, we have been welcomed by a variety of individuals, businesses and educational institutions, which have all provided Ahmed with real encouragement and the ambition to continue to work hard."

The Qatar Foundation offered Mohamed a full scholarship for the rest of his high school and undergraduate college education, the family said, adding that they had recently visited Doha, and were impressed with the educational facilities, as well as the number of international university campuses.

About 6,000 students are enrolled in Qatar Foundation schools. The foundation also has partnerships with a number of U.S. universities.

"As an incubator of knowledge and talent, QF values its multiculturalism, diversity and non-discriminatory atmosphere, and is happy to welcome Ahmed to the Young Innovators Program," a foundation statement said. "QF is glad to welcome the family to Doha and provide Ahmed with the opportunity to develop his skills and excel in future endeavors."

LINK: Texas Teen Who Brought Homemade Clock To School Visits The White House

LINK: Teen Arrested For Bringing Clock To School: “Don’t Let People Change Who You Are”

SOURCE: BuzzFeed