Project Citizen: KAMI BANGSA INDONESIA
SHOWCASE
Lhokseumawe - Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, 7 August 2010

This workshop was administrated by the Center for Civic Education Indonesia (CCEI)
Funded by SERASI - USAID

August 6, 2010 was the preparation day for the first Kami Bangsa Indonesia showcase in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh Regency. The invitations to the chief of Education, Youth and Sport Office of Aceh Utara Regency and other government officials were sent with the hope that they could attend and hear students` presentations which propose public policies to solve problems that they have in their community. All logistic needed for the showcase was prepared and the teachers were contacted to confirm their participation in the showcase.

The showcase was held on Saturday, August 7, 2010 at Wisma Mon Geudong, Lhokseumawe. It was opened by Drs. Kaoy from Program Section of Education, Youth and Sport Office of Aceh Utara Regency and attended by some invited guests, the principals and teachers from the schools which participated in the program. There were around 80 people in the showcase hall. The best seven schools which participated in the showcase were: SMP Iskandar Muda, SMPN 3 Syamtalira Aron, SMPN 1 Meurah Mulia, SMPN 1 Pirak Timu, SMPN 2 Seunuddon, SMPN 2 Lhoksukon, and SMPN 2 Baktiya.

Each team has 12 minutes to do the presentation and then followed by a question and answer session for 8 minutes. The students from the other schools were also welcomed to ask questions, gave comments and advices so that the students` skills in doing project and presentation improve in the future. Three members of evaluator team: Umar Mahdi, M.A from Jabal Ghafur University, Metro TV journalist and Acih Sari – CCEI Program Coordinator evaluated students` activities in doing the projects, the presentations, the portfolios and the documentation binders of the projects to choose the best teams.  

8 students from a school presented their project

The evaluator team enthusiastically gave “door prize” questions to the students and teachers during the presentations

Based on the criteria, SMPN 2 Baktiya selected to be the first best team, of this showcase, SMPN 1 Pirak Timu was the 2nd best team and SMPN 2 Lhoksukon was the 3rd best team. The other participated teams also got packages of souvenirs for all students, teachers and principals who came to the showcase.

The 1st best team from SMPN 2 Baktiya together with CCEI Program Coordinator

The 2nd best team from SMPN 1 Pirak Timu together with CCEI Program Coordinator

The 3rd best team from SMPN 2 Lhoksukon together with CCEI Program Coordinator and evaluators

As conclusion, all students, teachers and principals who participated and attended the showcase felt happy, exciting and realized that they can be active and participated in solving the problems in their community by doing the Kami Bangsa Indonesia program. The students who came from rural area have proved to themselves that they were able to speak in front of people and have great self esteem. A couple months ago, when CCEI informed the teachers about the showcase program, the teachers assumed that their students won`t be able to do the presentations and that they can`t speak in front of people. The showcase program has proved to the teachers that their students, as young generation, able to do anything with the support from them and adult people around them.