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Students shine in national art event
As many as 231 elementary and junior-high school students from across the country joined the annual arts competition at the Tampaksiring Presidential Palace in Bali in observance of National Children's Day, which fell on July 23
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s many as 231 elementary and junior-high school students from across the country joined the annual arts competition at the Tampaksiring Presidential Palace in Bali in observance of National Children's Day, which fell on July 23.
In this Fifth National Students Arts competition to win the president's cup, representatives from each of the country's 33 provinces presented their creative minds in drawing, song-writing and poetry competitions.
This year's event also saw a new batik-drawing event participated in by 24 junior high school students. The new event was included in recognition of batik's UNESCO world heritage listing.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono attended the competition observing participants while they finished their works. The President praised the children's creative works sharing his optimism about the country's creative future.
"Seeing these children's talents, I am very optimistic that our nation will not be short of great artisans and cultural observers in the future," Yudhoyono said.
The President highlighted that arts, culture and sports should be made a priority in the country's education system, since they contributed to building well-rounded individuals.
The winners were later announced by the jury team in front of the President. Fauziah Nada Rianto from elementary school SDN 20 Bengkulu and Renita Rahayu from junior high school SMP 1 Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java, won the drawing competition.
Sherina Deborah from Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and Fadli Andaresi from Lhokseumawe, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam won the song writing competition.
In the poem-writing competition, Aulia Murti from Jambi and Vita Nur Aini from Yogyakarta took first-place honors, while the batik drawing competition was won by Cynthia Carolina from Jambi.
Aulia Murti received first prize for the elementary school poem competition with her piece titled "Baju Seragam" (Uniform).
"I am very happy and proud to receive the prize from the President. I was inspired to write the piece when seeing my mother wearing her batik uniform to work," she said.
The competition was marred with by a few errors when the jury team read out the winners' names.
One participant burst into tears as her name, which was initially announced as one of the winners, was rectified.
Agustina Eka Kusumawardani, an eighth grader from state junior high school SMPN 1 Wonosari, Central Java, had walked onto stage to receive the prize from the President, when composer Purwa Caraka, one juror, announced again that the winner was in fact Richard Herlambang from SMPN 37 Jakarta.
"We're very disappointed, but it's the jury's decision," said Daris Sutiawati, an education agency official who assisted Agustina in the competition.
Agustina was then invited back on stage and was comforted by the President and the First Lady.
The jury obviously made errors for several times when announcing the winner, inciting jeers in the audience.
The President also looked perplexed, shaking his head following one announcement.
The jurors apologized for the mistakes, maintaining that the mistakes were made due to the limited time in which to decide the winners.
"We apologize for the mistakes, and we have settled all the problems," poet Putu Wijaya said representing the jury.
