2013 Japanese Speech Contest & Japan Academic Challenge
(3/30)

On March 30th, the Japanese Speech Contest for current Japanese language students at the secondary level or higher and the Japan Academic Challenge (a Japan-related quiz competition) for teams of high school students was held at Georgia State University.

Co-organized by the Japan-America Society of Georgia, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia (JCCG), the Georgia Association of Teachers of Japanese, and the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, this year’s competition had students and high school teams not only from Georgia but also from North and South Carolina, including some new entries. Thirty-five students participated in the Japanese Speech Contest and 20 high school teams (56 students total) competed in the Japan Academic Challenge.

Winners in every division were awarded a Certificate of Achievement along with Japanese-themed gifts. The winner of the Benron Division of the Japanese Speech Contest was presented with a Roundtrip Ticket to Japan by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia.

The winners of this year's competition were as follows:

Japan Academic Challenge

Level I: 1st - Milton High School, Team A    2nd - Roswell High School    3rd - Milton High School, Team B
Level II: 1st - Dodge County High School    2nd – Riverwood International Charter School    3rd - Hardaway High School
Level III: 1st - Riverwood International Charter School    2nd - Roswell High School, Team B    3rd - Roswell High School, Team A
Level IV: 1st - Roswell High School    2nd – Columbus High School    3rd – Riverwood International Charter School

Japanese Speech Contest

Benron Division (Presentation of an Original Speech)

• First Place - Seung Eun Lee (Georgia Institute of Technology): The Feeling of Nature in Ghibli Anime: Comparing East and West*


• Second Place - Hena Jang (University of Georgia): Childhood


• Third Place - Xiaoxuan Liu (Agnes Scott College): Japanese to Me*


• Gambatta Prize - Kalon Davis (Clemson University): Games and I*


• Gambatta Prize - Danielle Hein (Clemson University): What is Truth– John 18:38*

Ansho Bumon (Presentation of Literature or Poetry)

• First Place - Yue Cheng (Emory University): Sayonara


• Second Place - Joshua Sims (Western Carolina University): Sayonara


• Third Place - Alexa Van Demark (Emory University): Hana


• Gambatta Prize - Ashley George (Kennesaw State University): Ampan-man’s March


• Gambatta Prize - Justice Echols (Spelman College): Hana


• Gambatta Prize - Tianlun Yang (Clemson University): Hana

Open Division (Open Presentation, High School to Graduate School Level)

• First Place - Wanyin Yu (Georgia Institute of Technology): My Determination*


• Second Place - Nie Jiayi (Emory University): GIFT (song lyrics by Mr. Children)


• Third Place - Sun Shine (Emory University): Hana ni Nare (song lyrics by Flumpool)


• Gambatta Prize - Domenique Gibson (Spelman College): My Japanese Cultural Experience


• Gambatta Prize - Nicolas Brown (Hardaway High School): Self and City Introduction

*This is a translation of the original title. To view this article in Japanese including the original speech titles please visit the Japanese page here.