Name: Yuni Amaral, S.Pd
Pandhega Jaya Alumna, Batch 4
One word that describes my feelings while studying at SMA Kristen Pandhega Jaya is “grateful.” I am truly grateful to be part of the big family of Pandhega Jaya Christian High School and proud to be one of its alumni. Why am I grateful? Because I have experienced many life changes that were also felt by those around me, including my close family and relatives.
When I was a child, I was nicknamed “putri malu” (shy princess) because I lacked confidence, didn’t know my potential or life purpose, and wasn’t open with others, not even with my own family. It can be said that my self-image back then was very poor before going through a transformation at Pandhega. However, the Lord Jesus was very good to me, leading me to this school. I was healed and transformed through the Father’s Heart session and the Self-Image session at the beginning of my time at Pandhega Jaya Christian High School. Those two sessions were precious moments where I decided to forgive the people who had hurt me. I learned to accept myself just as the Lord Jesus accepts me as I am and loves me unconditionally. So, I can say that my journey at Pandhega Jaya was a moment of personal and family restoration. Change happened—I became more confident in speaking in public, more open, and braver in expressing my feelings, especially with my family.
I am grateful because, during my time at Pandhega Jaya Christian High School, there was a mentoring process where I was shaped and transformed into a person with strong life principles, a deeper knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and a clearer understanding of my life purpose. I was also trained to be a leader, one of the platforms for students to learn leadership was through a small group called Click. In each Click group, consisting of 8–10 people, there was one Click Captain and one mentor. When I first entered the dormitory, I was entrusted with the role of Click Captain. This was a challenge for me because I had to lead a group with diverse individuals of various personalities, including upperclassmen. However, this became a valuable experience as I learned to step out of my comfort zone, become a courageous leader, and take responsibility.
Pandhega Jaya Christian High School helped me discover and develop my talents through extracurricular activities, organizations, and various committees. In my opinion, these activities were essential for developing my soft skills at that time. Another interesting activity I participated in was being a tutor for a tutoring program for children from toddlers to junior high school students around Pandhega every Saturday and Sunday. There were also social service activities where we visited local families, provided basic necessities, and prayed for the families we visited. Additionally, we engaged in activities outside of Pandhega Jaya Christian High School, such as visiting prisons and landfill. These activities were incredibly meaningful and served as valuable lessons in compassion and caring for others. That is why I believe that everything I learned at Pandhega Jaya will be useful in my life, even throughout my university years.
After graduating from Pandhega Jaya Christian High School, I had the opportunity to study at Petra Christian University, majoring in Primary School Teacher Education, with a 50% tuition scholarship from Petra Christian University and 50% from the Pandhega Jaya Foundation. Praise the Lord, in 2024, I graduated with a GPA of 3.60 and earned the Cum Laude distinction.
My hope for Pandhega Jaya Christian High School is that it will fulfill the vision and mission that God has entrusted to it so that it can have a meaningful impact on education in East Nusa Tenggara. I hope Pandhega Jaya Christian High School will become more widely known, especially by those who share a heart for education, particularly in East Nusa Tenggara. I pray that it will continue to grow, that God will provide for all its needs, and that every student who studies at Pandhega Jaya Christian High School will become a leader with character and a positive influence in East Nusa Tenggara.