News and Updates
NEW:
Changes and updates for 2025
Arrival at Kingwood High School
Lunch options
Teacher-to-teacher tips
Tips for Pair Discussion
Houstonfest Scholarships
Scholarships at State
NEW:
Houstonfest history
Contest
promo video #1 (students from one school tell why they
love contest)
Contest promo
video #2 (one student tells why she loves contest)
Contest promo
video #3
(hilarious 2024 State-winning submission from our own Klein Oak High School!)
State promo video contest
Photo gallery
Daily log of changes to
State-qualifier list
Important Dates
on a rolling basis but no later than Wed., Apr. 30, 2025 for payment
during the 2024-2025 school year: submit
Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications.
Mon. Jan. 13, 2025, 4:00 p.m.: Application for
transportation grants from the Houston Saengerbund opens (IF THEY ARE OFFERED AT
ALL; if so, teachers will be sent a
link to a Google Form).
Tue., Jan. 21, 2025, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration
spreadsheet due for regular price of $12/student (payment does not have
to be mailed until 1/27).
Mon., Jan. 27, 2025, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration spreadsheet
due
for late price of $15/student. Deadline to postmark Houstonfest payment.
Sat., Feb. 1, 2025, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual Houstonfest events due (get link to
Google Form from your teacher).
Tue., Feb. 4, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: Remote
judging of the 7 virtual Houstonfest events ends.
Wed., Feb. 5, 2025, 10:00 p.m.: Houstonfest changes (adds,
drops, substitutions) due. After this point, no more changes will be allowed.
Sat., Feb. 8, 2025:
Houstonfest,
Kingwood High School, Houston.
Fri., Feb. 14, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: State
online registration due for "early bird" price of $12/student (payment does not
have to be mailed until 2/19).
Wed., Feb. 19, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: State
online registration due
for
regular price of
$15/student. Deadline to postmark your State payment.
Sat., Feb. 22, 2025, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual State events due (get
the link to a
Google Form from your teacher). 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).
Mon., Feb. 24, 2025, 8:00 p.m.:
Entries in
State promotional video
contest
due to State director.
Tue., Feb. 25, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: Remote
judging of the 7 virtual State events ends.
Sat., Mar. 1, 2025:
Texas State German Contest, Texas State
University, San Marcos.
Sat., Mar. 8, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: Houstonfest Scholarship applications due.
Sun., Mar. 16, 2025: Gail Cope
State Scholarship applications due.
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Rules:
Declamation Events
General
rules for all declamation events:
-
A student may not perform the
same poem or prose selection in both the Memory and Reading competitions the
same year.
-
A
student may not perform the same poem or prose selection that he/she has
performed in any previous year.
-
Failure to provide at least 2 copies of the piece (in the
Memory events) or the electronic copy of the piece (in the Reading events)
to the judges will result in a
10-point deduction from the cumulative score.
Poetry
Memory:
Entry
Limit: 3
entries per level, per school (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and Advantaged).
Length
and Time Limits:
Level
1: 16-24 lines OR 1-2 minutes
Level
2: 20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 minutes
Levels 3,
4, and Advantaged: 24-46 lines OR 2-3 minutes
The
selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in
German. It may not be a translation from a non-German speaking author, even if
it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g., Kishon. Poems may be edited to fit time or line limits. Poetry
Memory is dramatic interpretation, but without costumes and props. The
contestant may use one chair and may move during the presentation. At
least 2 copies of the selection must be presented to the judges at the contest.
Poetry Memory selections may not be used as Poetry Reading selections or vice
versa by the same person.
Download critique sheet.
Poetry
Reading:
Entry
Limit: 3
entries per level, per school (Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Length
and Time Limits:
Level
1: 16-24 lines OR 1-2 minutes
Level
2: 20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 minutes
Levels 3
and 4: 24-46 lines OR 2-3 minutes
This is a "virtual event."
You must submit your entry no later than 1 week before the contest. Specific
instructions for uploading the entry will be published on the contest website
and/or distributed to teachers each year.
The
selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in
German. It may not be a translation from a non-German-speaking author, even if
it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g.,
Kishon. Poems may be edited to fit the time or line limits. Poetry Reading is
judged on the basis of reading and not on any interpretation by the contestant,
other than the use of voice changes, eye contact, facial expressions, and some
use of hands. No props or costumes may be used. The contestant may not walk
around. Poetry Reading selections may not be used as Poetry Memory
selections or vice versa by the same person.
-
Record yourself reading the
selection (or have someone else record you). Don't forget to say the title and
author. You may do as many "takes" as you want until you're satisfied with the
result, but the submitted recording must be a single continuous unedited take,
not a spliced-together compilation of the best parts of multiple takes.
-
Upload the video of your
reading to YouTube or Vimeo.
-
Create a single Word
document or Google Doc with the full text of the
selection, including the title and author. To get the
text of your reading selection into the document, you can cut and paste it if
you have access to an electronic version of the piece or simply take a (clear!)
picture or pictures of the text if you are working from a hard copy and paste
the picture(s) into the document.
-
Include a title page with your name,
your school, the name and level of the event, e.g., "Poetry
Reading 2," and a hyperlink to your YouTube/Vimeo recording. If
you are concerned about privacy and want to password-protect your video,
include the password with the hyperlink in the document.
-
Convert this document to a
PDF file and upload it according to the instructions provided. Do NOT upload the
video itself; the judges will access your video via the link that you include in
the PDF.
Download
critique sheet.
Prose Memory:
Entry
Limit: 3
entries per level, per school (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and Advantaged).
Length
and Time Limits:
Level
1: 16-24 lines OR 1-2 minutes
Level
2: 20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 minutes
Levels 3,
4, and Advantaged: 24-46 lines OR 2-3 minutes
The
selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in
German. It may not be a translation from a non-German speaking author, even if
it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g., Kishon.
Selections may be edited to fit time or line limits. Prose
Memory is dramatic interpretation, but without costumes and props. The
contestant may use one chair and may move during the presentation. At
least 2 copies of the selection must be presented to the judges at the contest.
Prose Memory selections may not be used as Prose Reading selections or vice
versa by the same person.
Download
critique sheet.
Prose
Reading:
Entry
Limit: 3
entries per level, per school (Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Length
and Time Limits:
Level
1: 16-24 lines OR 1-2 minutes
Level
2: 20-32 lines OR 1.5-2.5 minutes
Levels 3
and 4: 24-46 lines OR 2-3 minutes
This is a "virtual event." You must submit your entry no later than
1 week before the contest. Specific
instructions for uploading the entry will be published on the contest website
and/or distributed to teachers each year.
The
selection must be by a German-speaking author, i.e., originally published in
German. It may not be a translation from a non-German-speaking author, even if
it has been published, but it may be by a non-German who writes in German, e.g.,
Kishon. Selections may be edited to fit the time or line limits. Prose Reading
is judged on the basis of reading and not on any interpretation by the
contestant, other than the use of voice changes, eye contact, facial
expressions, and some use of hands. No props or costumes may be used. The
contestant may not walk around. Prose Reading selections may not be
used as Prose Memory selections or vice versa by the same person.
-
Record yourself reading the
selection (or have someone else record you). Don't forget to say the title and
author. You may do as many "takes" as you want until you're satisfied with the
result, but the submitted recording must be a single continuous unedited take,
not a spliced-together compilation of the best parts of multiple takes.
-
Upload the video of your
reading to YouTube or Vimeo.
-
Create a single Word
document or Google Doc with the full text of the
selection, including the title and author. To get the
text of your reading selection into the document, you can cut and paste it if
you have access to an electronic version of the piece or simply take a (clear!)
picture or pictures of the text if you are working from a hard copy and paste
the picture(s) into the document.
-
Include a title page with your name,
your school, the name and level of the event, e.g., "Prose
Reading 2," and a hyperlink to your YouTube/Vimeo recording. If
you are concerned about privacy and want to password-protect your video,
include the password with the hyperlink in the document.
-
Convert this document to a
PDF file and upload it according to the instructions provided. Do NOT upload the
video itself; the judges will access your video via the link that you include in
the PDF.
Download
critique sheet.
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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 |