From Pain to Victory: Jaden Brings Home Gold at APCYS 2024

Santo Nicholas School proudly celebrates the outstanding achievement of Gabriel Jaden Wijaya, who won the Gold Medal at the 13th Asia Pacific Conference of Young Social Scientists (APCYS 2024), held from 15–19 September 2024 at Bayou Lagoon Park Resort, Bukit Katil, Melaka, Malaysia. Representing Indonesia and Santo Nicholas School, Jaden competed against 72 students from 12 other countries—Guam, Mexico, Malaysia, Mongolia, Taiwan, Thailand, Italy, Bosnia, Iran, Nepal, and the Philippines—making this achievement exceptionally prestigious.

Jaden presented his research titled “Custom Insoles for a Better Life,” inspired by his personal struggle with flat feet and posture-related pain. Through his study, he demonstrated that custom insoles relieved his pain, aligned his body, improved his quality of life, and inspired others. What started as a personal challenge became a recognized scientific contribution.

His journey began in August 2023, progressing from regional to national competitions before reaching the international stage. Preparation was intense: Jaden attended mentorship sessions with national experts in Bandung and received almost-weekly guidance from his school mentor, Miss Shindy Chosisca. Traveling, learning from new mentors, collecting data, and presenting to international judges pushed him far beyond his comfort zone and shaped him into the confident young researcher he is today.

This achievement was also strengthened by real-world learning opportunities, and the school extends sincere thanks to WonderWalk for allowing Jaden and Miss Shindy to learn from Mr. Björn Andreas Benjamin Peikert, whose expertise enriched the project further.

Reflecting on Jaden’s growth, Miss Shindy shared, “I am beyond proud of Jaden’s transformation. I witnessed his perseverance, courage, and determination every step of the way. As Albert Einstein famously said, ‘Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work.’ Jaden has proven this to be true. His Gold Medal is the result of dedication, persistence, and stepping beyond comfort zones.”

Jaden’s accomplishment is a testament to resilience, discipline, and the power of perseverance. Santo Nicholas School celebrates this remarkable milestone and hopes his journey inspires all students to embrace challenges, pursue their passions, and strive for excellence.

Source: Redaksi