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.