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News and Updates

 

Houstonfest Scholarships: Winners Announced

 

Scholarships at State

 

NEW: Houstonfest history

 

Changes and updates for 2024

 

Contest promo video #1 (students from one school tell why they love contest)

 

Contest promo video #2 (one student tells why she loves contest)

 

State promo video contest

 

Teacher-to-teacher tips

 

Tips for Pair Discussion

 

Arrival at Kingwood High School

 

Lunch options
 

Photo gallery

 

Daily log of changes to State-qualifier list

 

Important Dates

 

Mon. Jan. 8, 2024, 4:00 p.m.: Application for transportation grants from Houston Saengerbund opens (teachers will be sent a link to a Google Form).

 

Thur., Jan. 18, 2024, 11:59 p.m. (extended by 2 days, previous deadline 1/16):  Houstonfest registration spreadsheet due for regular price of $12/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 1/22).

 

Mon., Jan. 22, 2024, 11:59 p.m.Houstonfest registration spreadsheet due for late price of $15/student. Deadline to postmark Houstonfest payment.

 

Sat., Jan. 27, 2024, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual Houstonfest events due (get link to Google Form from your teacher - it was sent to them on Wed., Jan. 24).

 

Tue., Jan. 30, 2024, 11:59 p.m.: Remote judging of the 7 virtual Houstonfest events ends.

 

Wed., Jan. 31, 2024, 9:30 p.m.Houstonfest changes (adds, drops, substitutions) due. After this point, no more changes will be allowed.

 

Sat., Feb. 3, 2024 Houstonfest, Heights High School, Houston.

 

Fri., Feb. 9, 2024, 11:59 p.m.State online registration due for "early bird" price of $12/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/14).

 

Wed., Feb. 14, 2024, 11:59 p.m.State online registration due for regular price of $15/student. Deadline to postmark your State payment.

 

Sat., Feb. 17, 2024, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual State events due (get the link to a Google Form from your teacher; it was emailed to them on 2/7 by the State director). Also, Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship and Sandra Dieckman GTHS Memorial Scholarship applications due (to submit the application, get the link to a Google Form from your teacher; it was emailed to them on 2/10 by the State director).

 

Mon., Feb. 19, 2024, 8:00 p.m.: Entries in State promotional video contest due to State director.

 

Tue., Feb. 20, 2024, 11:59 p.m.: Remote judging of the 7 virtual State events ends.

 

Sat., Feb. 24, 2024 Texas State German Contest, Texas State University, San Marcos.

 

Sat., Mar. 2, 2024, 11:59 p.m.Houstonfest Scholarship applications due.

 

Sun., Mar. 10, 2024Gail Cope State Scholarship applications due.

 

rolling basis but no later than Tue., Apr. 30, for payment this school year: submit Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications.

Houstonfest Registration

February 3, 2024

REGISTRATION FOR 2024 IS NOW CLOSED.

  • We use online Google Sheets to register for Houstonfest. As soon as you know for sure that you will be entering Houstonfest (or even suspect that you might), email Rustin Buck to request a link to a Google Sheet registration spreadsheet that will be unique for your school. Please do not wait until the last minute to request a link. You may request the link at any time even if you don't intend to fill out the form right away, so that you'll have it when you do get ready to fill it out.

  • As you complete the Google Sheet, PLEASE USE Lastname, Firstname FORMAT FOR ENTERING STUDENT NAMES.

  • When you deem your Google registration form substantially complete, email Rustin Buck to let him know. However, you may continue making updates (drops, adds, changes) in the Google Sheet on a rolling basis up to Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at 9:00 p.m. After that point, your editing access will be changed to "view only" and your registration will be finalized.

  • The only thing you need to send by regular mail is your payment check. You may wish to enclose a print-out of the first page of the registration form, but there is no need to enclose all the pages.

  • Send the regular fee of $12 per student if your registration form is completed by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 Thursday, January 18, 2024. (But your payment check doesn't have to be in the mail by then -- see two bullets down.)

  • Send the late fee of $15 per student if your registration form is completed during the period from Wednesday, January 17 Friday, January 19, to Monday, January 22, 2024. Late registration will not be accepted after 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 22, 2024.

  • Regardless of whether you complete your online registration by the regular or the late deadline, your payment check should be postmarked by Monday, January 22, 2024.

  • Teachers must collect and submit this Consent and Release of Liability form for each student who participates in any virtual event at Houstonfest (and State). (Technically, this applies only to students entering one of the seven virtual events, but if for simplicity's sake you decide to collect them from all your students, that's certainly fine.) The forms of all students participating from each school must be scanned or otherwise consolidated into ONE PDF document and submitted before the date of the regional contest using this Google Form. The initial submission will also be good for the State contest (no need to resubmit for State).

  • If you need an invoice, email director Rustin Buck to request one.

  • Make your check payable to "Houstonfest" or "Texas State German Contests, Inc. dba Houstonfest," depending on how your school district has us set up in its vendor system. For a personal check, "Houstonfest" is sufficient.

  • Mail payment to:

Houstonfest

2507 Slippery Rock Dr.

Sugar Land, TX  77498-1909

  • Incentives for new schools to participate:  We will waive the registration fee for up to 5 students from any school that has not attended Houstonfest in the last 5 years, and these schools will pay the regular price of $12 for any students beyond the first 5, even if they enter during the "late" registration period. Teachers who are brand new to Houstonfest may also request to be excused from judging for the first year so that they can move freely around the contest and see how things work. Contact director Rustin Buck to take advantage of these offers; the registration spreadsheet is not set up to reflect them.

  • No registration fees will be refunded for any reason.

When is the next Houstonfest?

 

Saturday,

February 8, 2025

 

Where is Houstonfest?

 

Kingwood High School

2701 Kingwood Dr.

Kingwood, TX 77339

(new location in 2025!)

 

Link to Texas State German Contest

 

Texas State German Contest on Facebook

 

Texas State German Contest 40th Anniversary Facebook Group