Two high school students from Papua recently had the honor of participating in Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations as part of the elite national flag-raising troop, Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka), at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Representing Papua Pegunungan Province is Franciscus Sakfiris Pahabolisage, a student at SMA Negeri 1 Wamena, while Stincek Laramiapa, representing Papua Tengah Province from SMA Negeri 1 Nabire, also joined the prestigious troop.
In an interview, Franciscus expressed his happiness and gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the event, mentioning how he used to only watch it on TV or his phone. He thanked the President for selecting them and emphasized his excitement and pride in meeting him in person. Recalling the challenging selection process, Franciscus highlighted the physical training as one of the toughest parts, particularly adjusting to running, push-ups, and sit-ups, activities he was not accustomed to.
On the other hand, Stincek shared her commitment to giving her best performance during the flag-raising ceremony. She expressed her determination to raise the national flag with great pride and make the country proud. Despite initially doubting her ability to reach the national level, Stincek now feels thrilled to be part of the Paskibraka team, having forged strong friendships with participants from all 38 provinces during the training process.
Both students emphasized the importance of teamwork and unity, highlighting how they learned to work together and support each other throughout the training. Stincek admitted to feeling nervous about the upcoming performance but expressed that the excitement and joy of the moment overshadowed her nerves. Meeting the President in person was a nerve-wracking yet joyful experience, knowing that their efforts had led them to this incredible opportunity.