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Angela Ondikeleuw is like any other regular teenager. But the 17-year-old, who was born and bred in the easternmost province of Papua, is in the process of fulfilling a life-long dream.

Ever since she could remember, she has watched Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony on TV every Aug. 17 broadcast live from Jakarta.

And she has always dreamed of becoming a member of the national flag-raising team known as Paskibraka. Her dream is now becoming a reality.

Marching in perfect formation and dressed in bold red shawls and crisp white uniforms, the flag-raising team is one of the highlights of the annual ceremony.

For the boys and girls who are chosen, performing at the State Palace on Independence Day is considered an honor.

The rigorous selection process begins months ahead of the event. In July, Angela found out that she had been picked to represent her home province of Papua for this year’s Paskibraka team.

The news filled her with happiness and pride. Angela had always dreamed of living in the capital one day and the chance to be in Jakarta arrived much sooner than she had hoped.

“I never thought I would be able to set foot in Jakarta before I graduated from school,” she said.

Not everything has been fun, games and carefree sightseeing, however. Performing at the Independence Day ceremony is a serious and solemn duty.

Team members are responsible for carrying and raising a national relic — a flag that was displayed on Independence Day in 1945.

Angela, along with 65 other teenagers — one boy and one girl each from the 33 provinces — have been hard at work since July 23, gathering at the Sport and Youth Park in Cibubur, East Jakarta, to undergo training from the military and National Police.

“To be a Paskibraka [member] means to continue the fight of our national heroes,” said Teddy Minahasa, the team’s head coach.

Teddy said that members are chosen based on their marching skills and civic knowledge.

If it all sounds militaristic, it is in fact the case. The young team members are trained and groomed to be pitch-perfect.

They are expected to follow orders precisely and live up to a high standard of discipline. “If it’s not given as an instruction, we need to ask for permission,” Angela said.

This even goes for activities such as sitting or resting.

For Suzzy Dwijen, 16, from Bengkulu, the training is part of the honor. “We knew what we were going to face when we got here,” she said. “This includes getting our hair cut.”

For female Paskibraka members, this means cutting their hair short enough so it doesn’t touch the backs of their collars. Boys’ heads are completely shaved.

During one haircutting session, the girls awaited their turn, shooting the barber worried looks while asking their female coaches for assurance. “Smile. Short hair or not, you look better when you smile,” said Amirudin, a deputy coach.

A healthy appearance is important for team members. Men must be at least 170 centimeters tall, women 165.

Amirudin added that the teenagers are also made to face tough challenges so that they are mentally and physically strong enough to perform at the ceremony.

On the big day, the team will wake up at 3 a.m. to begin their final preparations.

For Angela, the rehearsals at Cibubur have been tough, but not as tough as the training she had to endure during the rigorous selection process back in Papua.

“I had to run with four kilos of sand in my backpack,” Angela said.

At Cibubur, push-ups are the preferred form of physical punishment and can be meted out for every mistake a team member makes.

On Wednesday, less than a week before the big day at the palace, it was training as usual for the team, despite the fact that this was the first day of Ramadan, the holy fasting month.

Divided into two teams, they marched in lockstep formation around the large field at the park and practiced displaying and running flags up a tall flagpole.

The field where they practice their routine is similar to the actual space in front of the State Palace where the ceremony will be held.

Their training schedule, however, has been slightly altered to suit the religious needs of the 55 Muslims in the Paskibraka team.

“We only practice marching from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and later at 5 in the afternoon until fast-breaking time,” Amirudin said. Usually, the team practices from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a two-hour break in between.

Amirudin added that this is the first time in a decade that Independence Day falls during Ramadan. “Last time it happened was in 1996 and we followed the same procedure of reducing physical rehearsals,” he said.

Being away from their friends and families during the holy month is a tough sacrifice that all the team members have had to accept. “Last night we were all crying because we missed our families,” Suzzy said.

“Usually, at this time, we spend time with our family and go to the mosque to pray together.”

Adding to the strain is the fact that team members are not allowed any contact with their friends and families during the training period.

The members of the Paskibraka team are also given a month-long dispensation from school.

“When I got back to school, I was pretty shocked with how far I was left behind,” said Mukhlis Gumilar, a Paskibraka member in 2009.

Despite this, however, he believes that the privilege is worth fighting for. “It’s the pride,” Mukhlis said. “And fame. When you are selected, people will know you and it sometimes helps to get you where you wanted to go.”

Being a member of the Paskibraka is looked upon favorably by admissions departments at schools and universities.

“If you’re a Paskibraka member, chances are it’s easier to attend the police or military academy, even your favorite university,” Mukhlis said. He himself has been accepted at the highly-regarded Padjajaran University in Bandung, West Java.

The academic advantage is also what motivates Angela. “I want to be a policewoman,” she said.

“I heard it’s good to join the flag-raising team because you get to learn the basic stuff and it may be easier for me to pass the test to attend the academy.”

However, as Aug. 17 approaches, the team has more immediate issues to worry about, such as their exact positions during the ceremony.

For now, every member is trained to be able to perform in every position. It is not until 7 a.m. on the big day that they will know exactly where they will be assigned.

For boys, one of the coveted positions is to be a flag raiser because of the direct contact with the historic national flag.

It is different for the girls. “I think it’s every girl’s dream to be the tray carrier,” Suzzy said, referring to team members who are tasked with bringing the flags to the president at the VIP podium.

“But even if I don’t get chosen [to be a tray carrier], I am happy enough to be a Paskibraka member,” Suzzy said. “I still can give a kiss to the relic flag, and that’s an honor.”