Dirsa Deandaru

My name is Dirsa Deandaru Said. I’m 16 years old. I live in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. I’m a student at SMA Lab School Kebayoran. I have an older sister, her name is Demira Kania Sasdira. She is 17 years old. She is currently studying Law in Universitas Indonesia. She likes reading, writing a novel, and those kinds of stuff. Both my parents are lawyers. They have their own Law Firm. I in the other hand, have a slightly different hobby. Rather than focusing studying about law, I love racing.

I got interested in racing in 2007. My parents took me to Sentul race track to watch a go-kart race. And then I saw some of my school friends from Al-Izhar. They were about 5 years older than me. I saw them racing that day, and then I got interested in racing karts. So after that day, I began practicing go-karts at some go-kart renting places. I practiced diligently and after a few months, my parents bought me my own go-kart. Every Sunday I went to Sentul Karting Race Track to practice. Then I competed in the National Karting Championship for the first time. The championship was held for about 6 rounds each year. I only participated in 1 round that was held in Sentul. I got so many experiences from it. Then in 2008 I got recruited in Djakarta Theater Racing Team.

My team gave me a new competitive race kart. It felt a lot better and faster than my old kart. After practicing hard and adapting to my new kart, I went to compete in the National Karting Championship full round. I won 1^st place in every race and finally got the tittle as the 2008 National Champion. In the following year I didn’t participate much in the national championship because I had to focus studying for my primary school national exams. I only raced 2 rounds for the national championship but still I managed to finish the season in 3^rd place in the national point standings. But in same year I also got invited to compete in the 2009 Red White Sangari Invitational Kart Prix that was held in Sepang, Malaysia. It was World Karting Grand Prix. So in 2009 I went to Sepang, Malaysia to race go-karts outside Indonesia for my first time and I’m representing Indonesia in that event. There were more than 400 racers that competed in that grand prix. In my class there were about 40 racers from all around the world. I started the race from 18^th position. The European and Brazilian drivers are starting from the front row. It was very rainy that time so it was a wet race. The track was very slippery. There were so many crashes during the race and in the end I ended up finishing in 20^th position. I was disappointed at first because I didn’t win the race but then I got over it because I realized that not all racers got an opportunity to race in that grand prix because it was an invitational grand prix so only the best racers got invited to that race and I was able to represent my country that time. In 2011 I moved up to higher and much faster class called the Junior Rotax Class. It uses a Rotax 125cc engine that can go up to 140 km/hour. I got so many hard times trying to adapt to the speed. Then I participated in the Asian Karting Open Championship (AKOC) that was held in Sentul. It was my first time racing in the Junior Rotax Class. In the end I managed to take 3^rd place in my first ever Junior Rotax race in an international karting championship.

2012 was a very disappointing year in my racing career because I had to stop racing to prepare for my junior high school national exams and. I didn’t race at all that year. I only studied hard at school and home. But in the end it was all worth the risk because I got a great score and also got accepted in SMA Lab School Kebayoran.

In 2013 I moved up to an even higher level of racing. I began racing cars. First time I practiced racing cars, I used my cousin’s race car. It was a Subaru WRX STI. Then my parents allowed me to build my own race car. My first race car was a Daihatsu Charade. I swapped the engine with a much faster one, lighten it, changed its wheels, and many other things to make it a compatible race car. I used my Daihatsu Charade to race for the first time in the Indonesian Series Of Motorsport (ISOM) in Sentul. It was my first ever racing cars and I finished in 4^th place. The next race I was much more ready. My car was faster and more stable than before. I managed to take 3^rd place in my second car racing career.  Then my parents bought me a new racing car. It was a Honda Accord with a turbo engine in it. But then, yet again I had to stop racing until now because I have to study hard to get great scores each semester so that I can get the SNMPTN, a ticket to get to University without going through registration tests.

Even though I’m not racing now, I will still be preparing to get back to racing someday. I will still be taking care of my race cars every day so that if one day I got an opportunity to race again, I’ll be ready. I won’t quit racing that easily because racing is already a part of my life.    

Muhammad Kalvi Tadjoedin

My name is Muhammad Kalfi Tadjoedin. I was born and raised in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta. I grew up an only child who lived in the streets of Menteng Jakarta Pusat since I was a young boy and lived there with my beloved family.

Growing up in Indonesia for the most part of my life has been some what a hell of a ride. Many stories from my years before kindergarden through highschool right now that is fill with precious memories that will remain forever in my heart, like the time I have my first crush on a girl name Tisa in kindergarden!

One of my best year was maybe 2011 when I won the O2SN (Olimpiade Olahraga Siswa Nasional) and blessed to be a part of the Jakarta state team and making history for being the first Jakarta state team to win the O2SN championship. The next year, 2012. I won my first trophy with my basketball club IM (Indonesia Muda) winning the State championship and got the change to represent the Jakarta state team in the KEJURNAS (Kejuaraan Nasional) event at bali and it is regard as one of the biggest basketball championship in Indonesia. And thank god we won it that year!

2013. maybe I can say that 2013 was my down year, I was hit with an ACL (Anterior Cruciet Ligament) injury that kept me out from basketball for almost a year. It was very painful for me psycologicly because I have to do therapy almost everyday to revive my muscles, I can only sat on the bench whenever my team or my school plays, and the most painful part was seeing my team losing on the Nasional  championship game against East Java and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Motivation was the key for me to get back up and try to comeback playing basketball ASAP and Alhamdulilah eventhough my recovery takes a long time but it is damn worthed.

I can say that 2014 is my comeback year the year where I turn the cards around and forget the bad memories of 2013. Jakarta team went strong and went on a mission to beat East Java, we succeeded and became champions again beating them in the final at there home crowd in Surabaya. It was fantastic feeling and and I’m greatful of making J-City proud again. And in that year I was so pumped of the event that i participate such as Skylite (being the cast as Benjamin), Lalinju (being a part of OSIS Batrawala Dargasatya as the Ketua Bidang ll).

And I hope there are still many more stories awaits in the future.

Devina Alviananda

            

My name is Devina Alviananda. People usually call me Devina, Vina, or Depdep. I was born in Jakarta, on September 11, 1998. I am the first child to my dad, Ardadi, and my mother, Lusi. I have a younger sister who is 2 years younger than me, Tania. I am really close with my family.

            Since i was a baby, my parents took me to Bali. We moved there when I was old enough to board the plane. I grew up in Bali, so I always say that my hometown is Bali. My parents applied me to a nursery, it’s like a grade under kindergarden. The name was Doremi. I was so chubby and cheerful back then. A year later, I went to kindergarden at the same school. Kindergarden was a really fun time. I didn’t have to wake up early in the morning since the school started at 11 am.

 Then, I went to DES elementary school. It was in the same foundation as my nursery and kindergarden. Elementary school was the times when i felt proud the most. I got 1st rank every year in class, my teachers entrust me to join competitions on science and arts. I also got 20 very nice classmates. My school didn’t have many students that my class only had 21 students including me. Elementary school was one of the most precious times i might say, that colours a huge part of my memory.

I graduated from DES in the year 2011. Because of my father’s work, my family moved to Jakarta. It was really saddening, leaving Bali. Luckily, i got over that and moved on with life. I went to 19 Junior High School. Spent 3 years studying there. The first time i went to school, i was really shock. I had never seen bullies and stuff like that. There was no bullying in Bali. Seniors and juniors were all equal. Because of the cultural shock, I didn’t socialize too much in junior high school. It made me a little bit of an introvert.

In 2013, I went to SMA Labschool Kebayoran. I was so happy that i made it into Labschool. I experienced many new things here. MOS, not like the one I experienced in junior high school. This was different, we were told stuff about the school and the method of study so that we can adapt well. After MOS, we were divided into majors. There were science, social, and language. I originally chose science but my tests indicates that I suit in social major more. I was planning to transfer to science major but I was already comfortable with my class, X IIS 1. It took a pretty long time to get along with my classmates, but I did it eventually.

In grade 10 we went through so many activities together. Such as Pilar, Trip Observasi, Bintama, and Lapinsi. My favorite was trip observasi. We went to Cileungsing and stayed there for 5 days with local villagers. It was a really unforgettable experience. After a splendid year with X IIS 1, the class was reorganized. It was a little saddening because we were just getting close not long before final exams.

I am now in grade XI, in the class XI IIS 1. After 2 weeks of school, I and the team Adhigana Dhayapraba went to Poland for a cultural mission. It was super fun and unforgettable. I experienced new things and made new friends. We went to Poland for 3 weeks and when we’re back, tons of homeworks and tests were waiting to be finished before mid semester test. It’s making me a little bit stressed but i think it’s okay, i’ll get through it anyway.

Emily Sakina Azra

              My parents waited for a daughter in a long time. It took 3 sons for a daughter. Then, in 1998 their wish was granted. My mom felt the contraction at dawn, my family then took her straight to Lestari Hospital, a hospital near my home. They waited for hours, but I wasn’t born yet until noon. The doctor was doing the Friday Pray when my mom felt the final contractions. So the one who helped my birth was a midwife, even though my parents paid for the doctor.
             I was named after my dad's college teacher's daughter. He told me that Emily means fulfilled, which means my parents' wish for a daughter was granted or fulfilled. Then, my dad added Sakina Azra in my name. Sakina means peaceful and Azra is an acronym of my grandparents' name. 
             I have three older big brothers. The age distance between us is pretty far, but that doesn't make us distant. I talked about a lot of things with my brothers, such as music, games, books, and sometimes we talked about history and politics. We also like to share things like console games, computer, and novels. My brothers have been teaching me a lot of  things.

              I entered kindergarten at three years old. I spent three years in Ketilang Kindergarten because I wasn’t old enough to entered elementary school. I entered Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Pembangunan in 2004. I don’t really remember the time when I was in elementary school. I just remember that my dad told me, “knowledge is more precious than money”. My parents also told me to  respect other believers. Because of that, I always try to tolerate differences. I don't like intolerant people who think that they are always right.

           My big brother attended Labschool Kebayoran High School when I was in 6th grade, and because of that, I wanted to enter the Labschool Kebayoran Junior High School. I did the entrance test a couple months before National Exam. Unfortunately, I didn’t pass. I was really desperate at the time. I only did one entrance test besides Labschool, which was Madrasah Tsanawiyah Pembangunan. I didn’t really want to go there because I wanted to get more experiences in another surroundings. My last hope was to go to the public school. Then, the national exam came up. I did my best and the results announced one month after that. The results was delighting. Fortunately, with my score, I can go to 19 Junior High School, one of the best school in Jakarta. My brother also graduated from there.

              I learned a lot of things in 19 Junior High School. And for the second time in my life, I wanted to enter the Labschool Kebayoran Senior High again. I tried my best to study. I did the entrance test once again and this time, I passed. I feel satisfied that my effort was paid.

              I don’t regret  that I didn’t enter Labschool Kebayoran Junior High. Because somehow, I entered Labschool Kebayoran in another way. From that experience, I learned that the quote “There was a lot of path to Rome” is right.
             I feel grateful that I am a part of Tridasa Adhikari Atmamatra. Labschool had taught me a lot of things from the school programs like MOS, PILAR, LAMPION, TO, and BINTAMA. My favorite one is BINTAMA because I got a lot of new experiences there.

Adryan Dzaki Adhiwangsa

            My name is Adryan Dzaki Adhiwangsa. People usually call me Dzaki. I’m a male. I’m 16 years old. I was born in Permata Hijau Hospital, Jakarta on July 1^st 1998. I have a small family. My parents have two children and I’m the first one. My father’s name is Febri and my mother’s name is Erry. I have one sister. Her name is Sofi.

            My family and I live in Ciledug. We used to live in my grandmother’s house. Then, in 2002, when my sister just born, we moved to our new home until now, just next to my grandmother’s house. When I was 4, my parents send me to TK Az-Zahra, just less than 1 km from our house.

            I went to elementary school in 2004, when I was 6 years old. I spent my six years at An-Najah Islamic Elementary School, Jakarta. Those 6 years might be my favourite time in my whole life. A lot of play time, easy school subjects, very kind teachers, theres nothing I want more from those years at elementary school.

            I graduated from elementary school in 2010 with a good UASBN scores. There’s a lot of options for Junior High School around Jakarta. My parents gave me some options of Junior High School that I might wanted to choose. First of all, I tried to sign up for both 11 Junior High School and 19 Junior High School. But, because they both held their tests on the same time, my parents told me to sign up for 19 Junior High School.

            After several days waiting for the test result, it finally released. Unfortunately, I didn’t pass the test. Then, my parents choosed another school near our house, Al-Azhar 10 Islamic Junior High School. After I took the test, finally I got a school. My parents also proud of me because I get good scores in my test.

            I graduated from Al-Azhar 10 Islamic High School in 2013. Before im officially graduated, my parents wanted me to choose for senior high school around Jakarta. First of all, I choosed to take a test at Labschool Kebayoran Senior High School, without any preparations, and just hoping for the best. After waiting for several days, my test result released. I passed the test. A lot of my friends still looking for schools, and I just relaxing after the National Test because I already got my school.

            The school put me to the social majors. But we can choose to take a trial at science major. After 3 months taking the science major, I didn’t really enjoy it. Than I went to the social major and met new friends. Until the eleventh grade, I still studying in here and I really enjoying it.

           

           

            

Gary Abdurrazaq Tamin

My name is Gary Abdurrazaq Tamin, but everybody called me Gary.I'm6 years old now. I was born on 12th of September 1998 and at Pondok Indah Hospital, Jakarta. I have such a great family. My parents have three children, first is my brother, his name was Vito Muhammad Tamin, the second one is me and the last one is my little sister and her name is Cindy Kayla Hanifah Tamin. My father’s name is Yuri Andiko Tamin and my mother’s name is Dian Revita.

            I went to my kindergarden school when I was 4 years old. On that day, it was my first time wearing a school uniform. When I was 6 years old I went to my Elementary School. I spent six years at SD Taruna Bangsa Sentul City. And then my family and I have a vacation together for the first time and we went to our neighbour country and its Malaysia. I really have some fun together with my family on that holidays. And when I was 7 years old, I rode my two wheels bicycle for the first time.

            After I graduate from Taruna Bangsa in 2010, my parents suggest me to went to the Labschool Kebayoran Junior High School because my mother says that it was a good school and my brother was studying on that school too. But I failed on the test so my mother and I searched for another school. And then we found one school that looks good for me and it was Anissa Junior High School. I have a lot of new friends there. And when I was 11 years old, I played skateboard for the first time. And when I’m 12 years old, i have my first skateboarding competition but I didn’t win because I’m on the 7th place.

            There are a lot of exciting memories that i got from the Junior High School. But three years has already passed and now I’m going to search my Senior High School. My first option was Labschool Kebayoran because I want to be on that school so badly. But once again I failed on the test and it’s really breaks my heart. After that I tried another school test in Al-Azhar Pusat 3 Senior High School and finally I succeed, but I’m still felling so disappointed because I failed again on the Labschool Kebayoran test.

            I was already studying in Al-Azhar 3 Senior High School when suddenly the head master of the Labschool Kebayoran called me that I have another chance to be on that school. I was so glad and happy to hear that news. I immediately called my mother, tell the news that i was accepted in Labschool Kebayoran and my mother was so happy to and Immediately went to Labschool to buy the uniform and to cut my hair.

            On my first day at Labschool Kebayoran Senior High School I met a new friends and a new girl that I love the most. Days by days I passed with my friends here at Labschool Kebayoran and have such a great memories that I can’t forget. Me and my friends passed all the exhausting activity such as MOS, PILAR, TO, BINTAMA, LAPINSI, TPO, and LALINJU. And my score on every subject is not really bad and it’s increase each semester. I hope my score will always increase and my great memories still continue till the end. 

Imtinan Nadhim

I was born in Jakarta on the 4^th of November, 1998. I was given the name “Imtinan Nadhim Pinandita” by my father. He told me that the name is a mixture of Arabic and Sansekerta language that means “A great leader and a blessing from God the Almighty”. I have 2 older sisters. They are 5 and 3 years older than me. When we were still young, we had a lot of fight over many little problems.

            When I was 2 years old, my family went to Italy for a vacation. However, I had no memories of that vacation, because I was very young back then. I can only recall that vacation from the photos that we took in Italy.

            Years passed and I grew older. I went to playgroup and I began to learn how to interact with other people and making friends. In playgroup, I was known as one of the smallest boy because I don’t like to eat. My mother was very worried about me and she gave me a special milk that increases my eating appetite. Since then, I began to eat a very big amount of meal everyday.

            I graduated from the playgroup a year later. After that, I went to a kindergarten named “Tadika Puri”. I made a lot of friends there. My mother told me that I was the bravest and smartest boy in my class. My family went to Singapore shortly after I graduated from kindergarten.

            I remember the Singapore vacation a little bit because I was already five or six years old at that time. I was so amazed when I saw the Merlion statue and didn’t want to leave, simply because I want to look at it all the time. I went to the Night Safari, too. It is a very amazing zoo because I can see the animals’ activities and behavior at night. But, the part of the journey that I will not forget is when I was lost in a mall in Singapore. I couldn’t speak English and I just cried, hoping that my family will hear it and find me. Luckily, my father found me just in time, when I was about to leave the building.

            After that, I went to elementary school. In the first and second grade, I was the smartest kid and I always got the first ranking. In the third grade, I had my first accident. When I was riding my bicycle around my house, a car hit me. I fell from my bicycle and then I was taken to the nearest hospital. The damage from that crash wasn’t too bad, though. I stayed in the hospital for one night and then the wound healed in no time. Time flew and I graduated from my elementary school.

            Then, I went to Labschool Kebayoran Junior High School. I took the test quite easily because my mother told me to learn hard. My sister has already studied there for two years, and she helped me to adapt in Labschool. In the 7^th grade, I was known as one of the funniest. Unfortunately, in the 8^th grade my scores fell drastically because I was so busy with school activities, such as BIMENSI. BIMENSI is a Labschool project where you train with the Indonesian Marine Corps for 4 days in their headquarters. My parents were so mad at me. They made me took a lot of additional courses after school. Thankfully, the additional courses helped me  a lot. In the 9^th grade, my scores increases and I graduated with a good score.

            Unfortunately, I couldn’t pass the test for Labscool Kebayoran Senior High School. I was disappointed and sad, because it has been my dream since the 8^th grade. After that, my family helped me to search for a new school. I was accepted by the 70 Senior High School a month later. I was scared because the 70 Senior High is well known because of their bullying activities to the juniors. My sister tried to cheer me up by telling the positives of the 70 Senior High, because she just graduate from there a year before.

            A day after I completed my registration to the 70 Senior High, my father got a phone call from Mrs. Ulya Latifah, the headmaster of Labschool Kebayoran Senior High. I felt over the moon after I heard that news. The next day, my father and I went to Labschool to meet Mrs. Ulya. After she and my father talked for 5 minutes, my father came out and then he told me that I can enter the Labschool Kebayoran Senior High if I want it. I immediately told him that I want to enter Labschool and then we went to 70 Senior High to cancel my registration.

            I made new friends in the Senior High, and I found no difficulties to adapt because many of my friends from Junior High also studied here. In the 10^th grade, I successfully passed all of Labschools’ exhausting event, such as BINTAMA, TO, MOS, and PILAR. My scores were good, especially in the 2^nd semester. Hopefully, I can continue my wonderful journey in Labschool Kebayoran Senior High in the years to come.