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News and Updates
NEW: Changes and
updates for 2026
Houstonfest Scholarships
Scholarships at State
Houstonfest history
Teacher-to-teacher tips
Tips for Pair Discussion
Arrival at Kingwood High School
Lunch options
State promo video contest
Daily log of changes to
State-qualifier list
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!)
Contest
promo video #4 (2025 State-winning submission from
Cedar Ridge High School)
Photo gallery
Important Dates
Mon., Jan. 12, 2026, 4:00 p.m.: Application for
transportation grants from the Houston Saengerbund opens (if grants are approved
for 2026); link will be sent to teachers.
Fri., Jan. 16, 2026, 11:59 p.m.: Application for
transportation grants from the Houston Saengerbund closes (if grants are
approved for 2026).
Wed., Jan. 21, 2026, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration
spreadsheet due for regular price of $15/student (payment does not have
to be mailed until 1/28).
Wed., Jan. 28, 2026, 11:59
p.m.: Houstonfest registration spreadsheet
due
for late price of $20/student. Deadline to postmark Houstonfest payment.
Sat., Jan. 31, 2026, 9:00 a.m.: Submission of entries in the 7 virtual Houstonfest events due (get link to
Google Form from your teacher).
Tue., Feb. 3, 2026, 11:59 p.m.: Remote
judging of the 7 virtual Houstonfest events ends.
Wed., Feb. 4, 2026, 10:00 p.m.: Houstonfest changes (adds,
drops, substitutions) due. After this point, no more changes will be allowed.
Sat., Feb. 7, 2026:
Houstonfest,
Kingwood High School, Houston.
Fri., Feb. 13, 2026, 11:59 p.m.: State
online registration due for "early bird" price of $15/student (payment does not
have to be mailed until 2/21).
Wed., Feb. 18, 2026, 11:59 p.m.: State
online registration due
for
regular price of
$20/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 2/21).
Sat., Feb. 21, 2026, 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). Deadline to postmark your State payment.
Mon., Feb. 23, 2026, 8:00 p.m.:
Entries in
State promotional video
contest
due to State director.
Tue., Feb. 24, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: Remote
judging of the 7 virtual State events ends.
Sat., Feb. 28, 2026:
Texas State German Contest,
Texas State
University, San Marcos.
Sat., Mar. 7, 2026, 11:59 p.m.: Houstonfest
Scholarship applications due.
xxx., Mar. xx, 2026: Gail Cope
State Scholarship applications due.
between Sun., Mar. 1 and Thu., Apr. 30, 2026: submit
Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications.
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Schedule
Printer-friendly schedule -
Word
Printer-friendly schedule -
PDF
(fits on one page front-and-back)
Arrival instructions
Map of the Kingwood campus
(will be posted a few days before
contest)
Judging assignments -
PDF
Instructions for
judges of virtual events
Instructions for
judges of in-person events
(other than Pass auf! and proctors of
written tests)
| General Schedule
2025 (not yet updated for 2026) |
|
7:30-8:00 a.m. |
Judges who are not teachers
check in and pick up judging packets just inside the entrance and then
proceed to Room 2310 to wait for the judge orientation meeting to begin
while enjoying a complimentary breakfast of donuts, kolaches,
fruit, coffee, juice,
soda, and
water.
|
|
7:45-8:15 a.m. |
Teachers check in and pick up judging
packets just inside the entrance and then proceed to Room 2310 for
breakfast and the judge meeting. |
|
8:15-8:45 a.m. |
Important
judges' meeting in Room 2310. |
|
8:00-9:00 a.m. |
Students
should set up their art entries in the designated rooms and sign up for times to compete in
these events:
classical ensemble, contemporary music, directed dialogue, duet acting,
extemporaneous speaking, pair discussion, poetry memory, polka band, prose
memory, scavenger hunt, sight reading, and vocal solo. The sign-up lists will
be posted next to the doors of the rooms. |
|
9:00 a.m. |
Competition begins.
The first of two sessions for Timed Writing begins. Judging of art events
begins. Once you have set up your art entries in the proper rooms,
please leave the art area. The art rooms are off-limits to everyone but
the
judges as long as judging is taking place. |
|
9:30 a.m. |
Training for written-test proctors begins
in Room 4206. The second of two sessions for Timed Writing
begins. |
|
10:00-11:30 a.m. |
Advantaged Speaker Test: All contestants MUST
arrive by 10:00; this is the only opportunity of the day to take the
test, and there is no late admission. |
|
10:00 a.m. -
2:30 p.m. |
Written testing: 9 sessions beginning at 10:00, 10:30, 11:00,
11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00. You do NOT have to sign up for a time. |
|
12:00 noon (?) - 2:00 p.m. |
The three art rooms (2208, 2209, 2210) are open to all for browsing
(look but don't touch!!!) from the time that the last judges finish
judging through 2:00. |
|
12:30-1:00 p.m. |
Most contests end. Folk Dance ends at 1:20 and Novice Pass auf!
at 1:30. Varsity Pass auf! and written tests end at 2:30. |
|
|
Lunch at our on-campus vendors. |
|
1:00-1:30 p.m. |
Meet-and-greet with
German professors from the University of Houston
in Room 2106. Drop by and find out what the UH German
program has to offer! |
|
1:30-2:00 p.m. |
First opportunity to
retrieve art entries (not earlier, not later). The doors to the art rooms will be
locked from 2:00 until the end of the awards ceremony. Gather in the auditorium. |
|
2:00 p.m. |
Entertainment by the band
Das ist lustig and
folk dancers in
the auditorium. |
|
~4:00 p.m. |
Announcement of awards in the
auditorium. |
|
~5:00 p.m. |
Second opportunity to retrieve art entries: Immediately after the awards ceremony, the doors to the
art rooms will be unlocked to allow students to retrieve their art
entries as they depart. |
| Judging Assignments |
| Event |
Room |
Judges |
|
virtual:
Digital Logo Design |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Oral Presentation 4 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Oral Presentation Advant. |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Photo Essay |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Poetry Reading 1 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Poetry Reading 2 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Poetry Reading 3 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Poetry Reading 4 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Prose Reading 1 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Prose Reading 2 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Prose Reading 3 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Prose Reading 4 |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Research Paper |
online |
|
|
virtual:
Video Show |
online |
|
|
Advantaged
Speaker Test |
4109 |
|
|
Classical Ensemble,
Polka Band |
4113 |
|
|
Club Album |
2208 |
|
|
Contemporary Music |
4416 |
|
|
Crafts |
2210 |
|
|
Culture |
4302 |
|
|
Directed Dialogue 1 |
2113 |
|
|
Directed Dialogue 2 |
2112 |
|
|
Doll
Costume |
2210 |
|
|
Duet
Acting Lower |
2305 |
|
|
Duet
Acting Upper |
2304 |
|
|
Extemp.
Speaking facilitator |
2104 |
|
|
Extemp.
Speaking 3 |
2105 |
|
|
Extemp. Speaking
4 |
2103 |
|
|
Extemp. Speaking Advantaged |
2102 |
|
|
Folk Dance
(Einzeltanz), Folk Dance (Team) |
4310 |
|
|
Gingerbread House
(Non-Trad.) |
2210 |
|
|
Gingerbread House (Traditional) |
2210 |
|
|
Grammar |
4303 |
|
|
Listening Comprehension |
4206 |
|
|
Needlework |
2210 |
|
|
Original
Models |
2210 |
|
|
Pair
Discussion |
2111 |
|
|
Pass auf!
(Novice) |
2408 |
|
|
Pass
auf! (Varsity) |
2407 |
|
|
Photography |
2209 |
|
|
Poetry
Memory 1, 2 |
2204 |
|
|
Poetry
Memory 3, 4 |
2205 |
|
|
Poetry Memory
Advantaged, Prose Memory Advantaged |
2203 |
|
|
Poster
Design |
2209 |
|
|
Prose
Memory 1, 2 |
2207 |
|
|
Prose
Memory 3, 4 |
2307 |
|
|
Puppet
Show Lower, Upper |
2306 |
|
|
Reading Comprehension |
4304 |
|
|
Scavenger Hunt |
2409 |
|
|
Shirt
Design |
2208 |
|
|
Sight Reading 1 |
2109 |
|
|
Sight Reading 2 |
2110 |
|
|
Sight
Reading 3 |
2108 |
|
|
Sight
Reading 4 |
2107 |
|
|
Skit 1, 2 |
4210 |
|
|
Skit 3, 4 |
2206 |
|
|
Spelling |
4207 |
|
|
Timed
Writing |
4205 |
|
|
Vocabulary |
4305 |
|
|
Vocal Solo |
4413 |
|
|
Reserve Judges |
x, y, x
Reserve judges WILL BE ASSIGNED! You will either replace someone who
drops out before the day of competition or someone who doesn't show up
on that day, or if everyone shows up, you will have your pick of events
to be added to as a third judge. |
| |
|
Director (Tabulation: Library) |
Rustin Buck |
|
Host |
David Kniess |
|
Assistant to director |
|
|
Written testing coordinator (Library), also
judge check-in assistance |
Beverly Randall |
|
Written testing assistant (Library), also
judge check-in assistance |
|
|
Written testing runners (KPHS) |
|
|
Breakfast, refreshment cart, proctor/tab
lunch |
|
|
Parking lot (7:00-9:00) |
|
|
Folk dance monitor |
|
|
Art room monitors (~12:00-2:00) |
|
|
Data entry |
|
|
Tabulation room (intake and bagging) |
|
|
Awards set-up and distribution |
Rustin Buck, David Kniess, Kingwood students/parents, adult folk dancers |
|
Room
Finder
(This
list is a bit more user-friendly than the list above if you are looking
for a room number.) |
| Advantaged Speaker Test |
4109 |
|
Poetry Memory 4 |
2205 |
| Classical Ensemble |
4113 |
Poetry Memory Advant. |
2203 |
| Club Album |
2208 |
Polka Band |
4113 |
| Contemporary Music |
4416 |
Poster Design |
2209 |
| Crafts |
2210 |
Prose Memory 1 |
2207 |
| Culture |
4302 |
Prose Memory 2 |
2207 |
| Directed Dialogue 1 |
2113 |
Prose Memory 3 |
2307 |
| Directed Dialogue 2 |
2112 |
Prose Memory 4 |
2307 |
| Doll Costume |
2210 |
Prose Memory Advant. |
2203 |
| Duet Acting Lower |
2305 |
Puppet Show Lower |
2306 |
| Duet Acting Upper |
2304 |
Puppet Show Upper |
2306 |
| Ext. Speaking - get topic |
2104 |
Reading Comprehension |
4304 |
| Ext. Speaking 3 - judging |
2105 |
Scantron Room |
Library (upstairs) |
| Ext. Speaking 4 - judging |
2103 |
Scavenger Hunt |
2409 |
| Ext. Speaking Adv. - judging |
2102 |
Shirt Design |
2208 |
| Folk Dance (Einzeltanz)
Folk Dance (Team) |
4310 |
Sight Reading 1 |
2109 |
| Gingerbread House (Non-Trad.) |
2210 |
Sight Reading 2 |
2110 |
| Gingerbread House (Trad.) |
2210 |
Sight Reading 3 |
2108 |
| Grammar |
4303 |
Sight Reading 4 |
2107 |
| Listening Comprehension |
4206 |
Skit 1 |
4210 |
| Needlework |
2210 |
Skit 2 |
4210 |
| Original Models |
2210 |
Skit 3 |
2206 |
| Pair Discussion |
2111 |
Skit 4 |
2206 |
| Pass auf!
(Novice) |
2408 |
Spelling |
4207 |
| Pass auf!
(Varsity) |
2407 |
Tabulation Room |
Library (upstairs) |
| Photography |
2209 |
Timed Writing |
4205 |
| Poetry Memory 1 |
2204 |
UH
professors 1:00-1:30 |
2106 |
| Poetry Memory 2 |
2204 |
Vocabulary |
4305 |
| Poetry Memory 3 |
2205 |
Vocal Solo |
4413 |
|
Advantaged Speaker Test Schedule |
only at 10:00 (lasting until 11:30) |
|
Listening Comprehension Schedule |
Lower Level (1 & 2): 10:30, 11:30, 12:30,
1:30
Upper Level (3 & 4): 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00,
2:00 |
|
Spelling Schedule |
Lower Level (1 & 2): 10:00, 11:00, 12:00,
1:00, 2:00
Upper Level (3 & 4): 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 |
|
Timed Writing Schedule |
Levels 1 & 2: only at 9:00 and 9:30 |
|
Culture, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary |
all levels of each test given at 10:00, 10:30,
11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, 2:00 |
|
Group
Schedule |
|
Lower Puppets, Rm. 2306 |
Skit 2, Rm. 4210 |
Einzeltanz, Rm. 4310 |
|
9:00 |
|
11:00 |
|
9:00 |
|
|
9:20 |
|
11:15 |
|
9:10 |
|
|
9:40 |
|
11:30 |
|
9:20 |
|
|
10:00 |
|
11:55 |
|
9:45 |
|
|
10:20 |
|
12:10 |
|
9:55 |
|
|
10:40 |
|
12:40 |
|
10:05 |
|
|
|
|
|
10:20 |
|
|
Upper Puppets, Rm. 2306 |
Skit 3, Rm. 2206 |
10:30 |
|
|
11:40 |
|
9:00 |
|
10:40 |
|
|
12:00 |
|
9:20 |
|
10:50 |
|
|
12:20 |
|
9:45 |
|
|
|
|
12:40 |
|
|
|
Folk Dance, Rm. 4310 |
|
|
|
Skit 4, Rm. 2206 |
11:15 |
|
|
Skit 1, Rm. 4210 |
10:35 |
|
11:40 |
|
|
9:00 |
|
10:55 |
|
12:05 |
|
|
9:15 |
|
11:45 |
|
12:30 |
|
|
9:30 |
|
12:05 |
|
12:55 |
|
|
9:50 |
|
12:25 |
|
Novice Pass auf!
schedule
Varsity Pass auf!
schedule |
|
10:05 |
|
12:45 |
|
|
10:20 |
|
|
|
|
Note:
Students will choose their own times for the other group events:
classical ensemble, contemporary music, duet acting, pair discussion,
polka band, and scavenger hunt. |
Note:
Students in all drama events and folk dance MUST do everything possible to adhere to the
scheduled performance times. They should, in fact, arrive 10 minutes BEFORE
their scheduled time to get all props, etc. ready, so that when the previous
group finishes, they can march right in and get on with the show. The students
should structure the entire rest of their day around their scheduled drama
times.
If a
cast member is involved in a Pass auf! game when the drama event is
scheduled to start, they should leave the Pass auf! game and go to
the drama event. Pass auf! teams can continue to compete with fewer than
five members if necessary. |
When is the next Houstonfest?
Saturday,
February 7, 2026 Where
is Houstonfest?
Kingwood High School
2701 Kingwood Dr.
Kingwood, TX 77339
Link to Texas State German Contest
Texas
State German Contest on Facebook
Texas
State German Contest 40th Anniversary Facebook Group |