SINGAPORE – Every Friday, Sarah Khalisah frequents the pool at Woodlands ActiveSG swimming complex, where she participates actively in a swimming class.

The six-year-old enjoys swimming breaststroke – her favourite stroke – and recently savoured the high diving spectacle at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) through the TV screen in July.

But it didn’t quite compare to the joy she felt cheering the athletes on in-person.

As part of Little Team Nila – a new initiative by national agency Sport Singapore aiming to introduce sport volunteerism to children aged five to 12 in pre-schools and primary schools – Sarah was given the opportunity to rally on elite aquatic athletes from all over the world at the July 11-Aug 3 WCH.

“We must be quiet (before they enter the water). Because if we don’t keep quiet before they dive, they cannot do nicely. (But after that) we can cheer and cheer,” said Sarah, who has been making herself heard during the ongoing diving events at the OCBC Aquatic Centre.

She also participated in the Trash to Treasure initiative where some 100,000 cans were recycled and transformed into 5,000 medals for the athletes at the WCH.

She, along with her classmates from PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots@Marsiling, readily contributed over 300 metal cans, exceeding their quota of 200, according to their teacher Ina Nurshiqah.

She said: “It was pretty easy because we invited the families of the children to drop off any of the cans they have at home.

“Recycling is a big part of our centre’s movement. When they asked what are these metal cans going to turn into, we introduced them to the medals and the WCH organisers also came down (and) brought a medal to let the children hold and touch.”

The 32-year-old added that the cheering experience ties in with their holistic education.

“They get to be in involved in bigger things other than just the...