Two high school students from Papua, Franciscus Sakfiris Pahabolisage and Stincek Laramiapa, expressed pride and excitement at being chosen as members of the Pasukan Pengibar Bendera Pusaka (Paskibraka) for Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebrations. They had the honor of raising the national flag at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta alongside President Prabowo Subianto. Franciscus, representing Papua Pegunungan Province, and a student at SMA Negeri 1 Wamena, shared his gratitude for the opportunity to participate in such a prestigious event. He highlighted the challenging selection process, especially in terms of physical training, which pushed him out of his comfort zone. Stincek, representing Papua Tengah Province from SMA Negeri 1 Nabire, expressed her commitment to delivering her best performance and making the country proud. Both students emphasized the importance of teamwork, unity, and camaraderie among the Paskibraka members from all 38 provinces. Despite feeling nervous about performing in front of the President, they were filled with excitement and joy for the experience. Their dedication and hard work paid off as they earned their place in the national flag-raising troop, representing their provinces with pride and honor.