Amid strong competition among young innovators across Indonesia, Thursina International Islamic Boarding School (IIBS) continues to strengthen its commitment to nurturing future leaders who combine strong character with broad perspectives. This commitment was reflected in an outstanding national achievement by three Grade 11 students from the “Si Gatot” Team — Faiz Muhammad, Arkan Galih, and Afif Hibrizi — who secured 3rd Place at the national-level Petra Civil Expo (PCE) 2026 Bridge Competition.
The national bridge design and construction competition was organized by Petra Christian University, Surabaya, under the theme “Empowering Sustainable Infrastructure Through Engineering Excellence.” For Thursina IIBS, the achievement represents more than a competition result. It reflects the school’s commitment to equipping students with a global perspective, critical thinking skills, and the capabilities needed to thrive as responsible global citizens.
The Petra Civil Expo is known for its rigorous judging criteria, challenging participants to demonstrate their skills in aesthetic design, material efficiency, and precise calculations of bridge load capacity. From the preliminary elimination round, the Si Gatot Team had already demonstrated strong performance by ranking first nationally. Their structural blueprint and planning impressed the judges, highlighting how science education and the STEM-based curriculum at Thursina are designed to develop students who can think critically, solve complex problems, and compete at a high level.
However, the team’s resilience was truly tested during the final construction stage. The bridge assembly process did not go entirely as planned. With the competition clock ticking, the Si Gatot Team faced a critical technical issue that required them to dismantle part of their partially completed structure and rebuild it from the beginning.
Despite the pressure and limited time, the three students refused to lose focus. They remained calm, worked together, and concentrated on completing the best structure they could. Their ability to stay composed under pressure demonstrated not only their technical skills but also the teamwork, adaptability, and resilience they had developed throughout their preparation.
The team’s mentor, Ustadz Helmi Pakas Rivai, M.Pd., expressed his appreciation for the students’ resilience throughout the challenging final stage.
“The achievement earned by Faiz, Arkan, and Afif is the result of a long learning process, perseverance, and the courage to reflect on and learn from their previous experiences,” said Ustadz Helmi in an official statement following the competition.
He also highlighted that the students’ performance had been shaped by their previous competition experiences, including a 6th-place finish at the Bridge Construction Competition organized by Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and their participation in a competition at Universitas Muhammadiyah Jember. According to him, these experiences played an important role in building the students’ resilience and preparing them for broader opportunities and international exposure in the future.
Echoing their mentor’s remarks, a representative of the Si Gatot Team admitted that the critical moments during the competition briefly affected their confidence.
“We were initially worried because a crucial part of the bridge had to be completely dismantled during the competition. However, we chose to trust one another, stay focused, and give our best effort until the very last moment,” said Faiz Muhammad on behalf of the team.
The achievement at Petra Civil Expo 2026 serves as another valuable milestone in the students’ journey. Beyond the podium finish, the experience has strengthened their ability to work under pressure, respond to unexpected challenges, and turn setbacks into opportunities to improve — qualities that will continue to support them in their future academic and professional journeys.
