BIS students give Down's syndrome kids courage

BIS students give Down's syndrome kids courage

Abdul Khalik
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

After finishing a 25-meter swim, several children with Down's
Syndrome continued on with a 100 meter run to cross the finish
line in a biathlon inside the British International School (BIS)
in Bintaro, Tangerang on Sunday.

Several BIS students screamed in excitement as they followed
the children to ensure that all of them crossed the finish line.

They shouted and waved their hands to encourage the children
to go on to finish the lap.

Michael, one of the Down's Syndrome children, ran the fastest
with a BIS student encouraging him from behind.

He held his medal with pride. All participants who made it
through to the finish line received a medal.

With the students' support and encouragement, most of the
children managed to get to the finish line.

"It's really cool like stimulating them to run the whole lap.
They really can run. I don't think that people should
underestimate them," Carol, a 12th grader at BIS, told The
Jakarta Post after helping one of the children to the finish
line.

Another volunteer student Iman said that all the children
showed high fighting spirit until the end of the lap.

"They are all amazing. It seemed that all of them were
enjoying themselves during the race," she said.

Indonesian Down's Syndrome Association (ISDI) chairwoman
Aryanti R. Yacub expressed her appreciation to BIS for continuing
to support children with Down's Syndrome.

"I thank them for involving the children. I hope the race can
show that the children with Down's syndrome can be accepted in
society," she told the Post.

Paul Starkie, BIS head of pastoral care and community
relations, said that the biathlon had been conducted annually for
10 years.

"Over the years, we have raised a lot of money for charity
from this event. Over the last few years, we have invited
children from ISDI. It's great to see them taking part today. And
taking part along with some parents and students," he told the
Post.

He said that this time around a part of the money they raised
from the event would go to ISDI and to several orphanages nearby
the school.