Contest sizes up capital's youngest, `healthiest' ambassadors
Contest sizes up capital's youngest, `healthiest' ambassadors
Jock Paul, Contributor, Jakarta
After a week of qualifying rounds, the finalists in the first
Abang None Jakarta kindergarten contest gathered for the crowning
of the winners.
Some of them thought the selection of the most suitable
ambassador for Jakarta as abang and none (the terms for older
brother and sister respectively in the local Betawi dialect) was
going to be their big break.
"I want to be a model," said hopeful Rizky Apriliani, 5, from
East Jakarta.
Bima Reza Pertama said he was excited about the event,
"because I want to become famous".
The six-year-old student at Al-Azhar kindergarten in West
Jakarta, added that when he grows up, "I want to be an artist,
and be famous and smart".
For Bima, it turned out that last Sunday's event could help
him reach his goal.
Wearing number 51, Bima was the 101st and last competitor to
be called onto the stage at the Taman Mini complex in East
Jakarta.
As each finalist took the stage, they had half a minute to
greet the audience and then answer a few questions.
Bima, looking smart in traditional Betawi clothes made for him
by a family friend, started into a traditional Betawi song as
soon as he had the floor.
His energetic and clear performance captured the hearts of the
jury and the audience. Bima was named the event's Abang Jakarta,
and also voted "audience favorite".
It was the first year of the event organized by Nutricia,
which produces nutrition products for babies and children, and
the Indonesian Association of Kindergarten Teachers, in
conjunction with the celebration of Jakarta's 476th anniversary.
The contest is a smaller version of one held for young people;
the latter has been the stepping stone for such artists as Alya
Rohali, Venna Malinda and Maudy Kusnaedi.
Although the organizers of the event are not expecting to make
stars out of the first kindergarten pageant winners, they are
hoping that the event will give the participants a boost for the
future.
The company's business unit manager, Dr. F. Cisca Dewiyana,
said that building the self-confidence to speak in front of a
crowd was one of the goals of the event.
"We are hoping to support the children with nutrition, and
educate them about their health and also encourage them to be
brave," Cisca said.
But the primary purpose of the event is to educate the kids
about health, and hopefully improve the health of Indonesian
kids, she said.
The final was the culmination of a weeklong contest that
involved a total of 762 children from East, West, North, South
and Central Jakarta.
Ten girls and 10 boys from each area qualified for the final,
with one extra boy added from West Jakarta to bring 101 children
to the final.
During the week of qualifying a children's dentist, a
pediatrician and a child psychologist met the children and
assessed the quality of their health and hygiene.
Children's dentist Dr. Rinati Adrin said she graded the
children on a scale of 1 to 20, depending on the number of teeth
that showed signs of decay.
She said she decided to be a judge for the contest because of
the opportunity to educate children that their health, including
taking care of their teeth, is important.
Organizers and judges were emphatic that the event was not a
children's beauty contest.
The final two winners and runners up were chosen among the 101
finalists based on their confidence, eye contact, physical
health, appearance, sense of humor and additional skills, such as
singing, said jury member Riza Fachrizahy.
The organizers are planning to make the contest an annual
event. "In the future, we would also like to involve other
organizations," said the company's managing director, Rob
Versloot.