ζ20ρRhBϊ{κΩ_εο The 20th Colorado State Japanese Speech Contest Place: University of Colorado at Boulder Date: Sunday, November 12, 2006 The Japanese Speech Contest, the only one held in Colorado, has grown steadily in terms of both the number of participants and the quality of their Japanese abilities. Students of Japanese of all ages and from across the state got together as individuals interested in learning more about Japan, and celebrated the twenty-year tradition of the event. The speech contest has provided students of Japanese a forum in which to test their current level of linguistic achievement and also aim for even greater standards of language and cultural proficiency. The speech contest now becomes virtually part of the Japanese language curriculum at schools in Colorado. This year students from the Dunn Elementary school performed an amusing skit about Momotaro. Two groups from the University of Colorado at Boulder presented noncompetitive creative skits. Speakers from the Colorado State University, the Pikes Peak Community College, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the U.S. Air Force Academy for the College II through College V levels presented speeches, many of which focused upon difficult but meaningful political and social issues relating to Japan and its place in the world community. Two adult presenters gave speeches about their working relationships with the Japanese community in both Japan and America. In addition to the presentations, Jessica Oppenheim, who had worked in Yamagata, Japan, for three years as a Coordinator for International Relations through the JET Program, entertained everyone with a demonstration of the Yamagata Hanagasa-ondo dance and invited audience members to participate. Also, the CU Japanese Ensemble performed two songs in Japanese using traditional instruments such as Shamisen and Koto. We would like to thank Junko Fujimoto of the University of Denver, Tadayoshi Imamura of TI Associates, and Takeko Sakakura of Smoky Hill High School for their services as judges. We were pleased Mr. Kenichi Kimiya, the Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Japan at Denver, attended and took the time to congratulate the participants for their hard work and excellent program. Support was also offered by the office of the Consulate General of Japan at Denver, the Japan Foundation, the Colorado Japanese Language Education Association, the Department of Foreign Languages & Literatures of the Colorado State University, Nishimoto Trading CO., Morrison & Foerster, LLP., Sushi Zanmai, and Sushi Tora, the Department of East Asian Languages & Civilizations and the Center for Asian Studies at University of Colorado at Boulder. Minori Murata Japanese Speech Contest Coordinator University of Colorado at Boulder This Yearfs Winners The following students are the winners in their respective categories. Please click the name of the winners to read their speech. College II 1st Prize: Caroline Hummer, Colorado State University 2nd Prize: Laura Hickerson, Colorado State University College III 1st Prize: Jonathan Bishop, Colorado State University 2nd Prize: Emily Bloedel, University of Colorado at Boulder 3rd Prize: Harrison Payton, Colorado State University College IV 1st Prize: Matthias Kreiger, Colorado State University 2nd Prize: Jason Dickens, Colorado State University Special Prizes: [College V] Chad Warner, US Air Force Academy [Adults] Daniel Bihn, independent new-energy consultant, Bihn Systems, LLC@@@@@ Hans Thompson, Program Coordinator, Consulate-General of Japan at Denver Skit Presentations Participation Acknowledgements: Best Performance: Zaki Phelan, Alice Wu, and Mariya Garland, Dunn Elementary School Most Funny: Mayumi Chang, Eve Grina, Lindsay Welsh, and Jeremy Williams, University of Colorado at Boulder Best Idea: Meagan Flannery and Patrick Mitchell, University of Colorado at Boulder |