On Saturday, March 13, 2021, JASH together with the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston co-hosted the 2021 Texas State Japanese Language Speech Competition.
32 high school and university students, representing the winners of the Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio regional speech contests, gathered on Zoom to demonstrate their Japanese language proficiency through the reciting of poetry and the presentation of original haiku and speeches.
The event, which was shared via livestream on the JASH YouTube channel, featured a creative display of student determination, devotion, and tenacity as language learners. We congratulate all contestants.
Special recognition was given to the top three contestants in each competition division. Winners from each division were gifted with official Tokyo Olympic commemorative tote bags and towels along with prizes generously donated by our sponsors.
Winners of the POETRY DIVISION will receive a Hobonichi Techo along with a Kinokuniya gift certificate courtesy of the Japan Business Association of Houston (JBAH).
Winners of the HAIKU DIVISION received snacks, stationary and more courtesy of the Japanese Teachers Association of Texas (JTAT).
Winners of the H.S. FREE SPEECH AURORA DIVISION received scholarships from the Japanese Association of Greater Houston (JAGH): $500 for 1st Place, $300 for 2nd Place and $200 for 3rd Place.
Winners of the COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY FREE SPEECH DIVISION received scholarships from JASH: $600 for 1st Place, $400 for 2nd Place and $200 for 3rd Place.
POETRY DIVISION WINNERS
| 1st Place | Narah MONREAL Churchill H.S. San Antonio Region |
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| 2nd Place | Vivan LIANG Lake Highlands H.S. Dallas Region |
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| 3rd Place | Lauren TIPPIN Boerne Samuel V Champion H.S. San Antonio Region |
HAIKU DIVISION WINNERS
| 1st Place | Sarah VU William P. Clements H.S. Houston Region |
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| 2nd Place | Sidney UY TESY Johnson H.S. San Antonio Region |
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| 3rd Place | Chaitanya GHATTY Liberal Arts and Sciences Academy Austin Region |
H.S. FREE SPEECH AUORA DIVISION WINNERS
| 1st Place | Elianna MOORE "My Own Path" Johnson H.S. San Antonio Region |
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| 2nd Place | Leeza MUSHTAQ "Cherry Blossoms of the Heart" Johnson H.S. San Antonio Region |
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| 3rd Place | Hayagreev JAYARAM "The Importance of Positivity" Bellaire H.S. Houston Region |
FREE SPEECH COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY DIVISION WINNERS
| 1st Place | Matthew HO "Cooking is the Heart's Medicine" Baylor University Dallas Region |
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| 2nd Place | Yanyu ZHONG "Face My Own Fear" Rice University Houston Region |
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| 3rd Place | Rolani PANNULLO "Invasive Species of Guam: Brown Tree Snakes" Texas Christian University Dallas Region |
