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!)

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 Sat., Mar. 1 and Thu., Apr. 30, 2026: submit Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications.

Scholarships at State

Gail Cope Scholarships

Retired German teacher Gail Cope (formerly of W.T. White High School in Dallas) generously funds scholarships for the top winners at the Texas State German Contest. Scholarship winners are determined by the number of sweepstakes points the students earn for their schools by winning first- through fifth-place awards. At least five scholarships are awarded with the top scholarship worth at least $550.

Each school is allowed to nominate one student per year for this scholarship, but the selected student can fill out the Google Form application rather than the teacher having to fill it out. The application process is quite simple, and schools are encouraged to take advantage of this wonderful program.

For more information, visit the Gail Cope Scholarships page of the State website.

Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship

A scholarship of at least $1000 is given annually in memory of founding State director Mary El-Beheri (1938-2012).

• The scholarship goes only to a current senior who has attended State at least three years (including the current year) and intends to continue his/her study of German after high school.

• Each school is allowed to submit up to three nominees.

• Applications are submitted the week after the regional contests, i.e., the application process occurs BEFORE State and not afterwards.

• The winner is determined partially by the number of sweepstakes points that the applicants have earned in their best three years of attending State. Applicants will indicate what they won at all previous State contests on the application, and their results at the current year's State contest will be added to the mix in the tab room before the winner is determined. However, other aspects of the applicants' German-learning "careers," which they will detail in the applications, will also play a substantial role. 

• The winner is announced at the State awards ceremony.

• Payment is made directly to the institution where the winner enrolls to study.

See the State website for the rules and application form.

Sandra Dieckman GTHS Memorial Scholarship

A scholarship of $1000 is given annually by the German-Texan Heritage Society (GTHS) in memory of Sandra "Sandie" Dieckman (1968-2023), a beloved German teacher at several schools across the state, a TSGC steering committee member, and a GTHS board member.

• The scholarship goes only to a current senior who has attended State at least three years (including the current year) and who has submitted a Research Paper at least once in their contest career to Houstonfest, Sprachfest, or Winterfest (regardless of whether it advanced to State).

• Each school is allowed to submit up to three nominees.

• Applications are submitted the week after the regional contests, i.e., the application process occurs BEFORE State and not afterwards.

• For 2024 and 2025 (might change in future years), the application is combined with the Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship application, although there are some questions in the application that apply uniquely either to the MEB Scholarship or the SD Scholarship. Students may submit one application to apply for both scholarships (if they meet the criteria for both) or for the one or the other scholarship.

• The winner is announced at the State awards ceremony.

• Payment is made directly to the institution where the winner enrolls to study.

See the State website for the rules and application form.

Mary El-Beheri German Heritage Essay Award

for Winning Research Papers at State

The winners of first through fifth place in the research paper contest at the Texas State German Contest receive scholarships funded by the German-Texan Heritage Society (GTHS) and the Texas State German Contest. Amounts are $500 for first, $250 for second, $125 for third, $100 for fourth, and $75 for fifth. Click here for more information. The first- through third-place papers are also published in the GTHS Journal.

Visit the GTHS website for more information about the benefits of membership or to join.  Teachers are encouraged to join, but teacher membership is not a requirement for students to win a scholarship.

Texas German Society

While this contest is not directly related to Houstonfest, we are pleased to help the Texas German Society publicize their annual essay contest, which awards scholarships of $1500, $1000, and $750. Although the deadline to apply for the 2025 scholarships passed on March 10, 2025, the 2025 application is linked here for reference as it is likely that the program will continue in future years:

Application Guidelines and Application Form in Word

Same application on TGS website but as a non-fillable PDF

Houston Saengerbund

While this contest is also not directly related to Houstonfest, we are pleased to help the Houston Saengerbund publicize their annual contest, which awards several (in past years, two or three) almost "full-ride" scholarships for the summer study trips to Germany organized by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). The competition is open to students in the entire state of Texas. Recipients receive airfare between New York and Germany, a three-week stay in Germany (mostly living in a host family and attending school but with a travel component to a couple other cities), and the AATG application fee covered - a value of around $5000! Recipients must pay their own airfare between Texas and New York. The deadline to apply for the 2026 scholarships is November 1, 2025. Read about other conditions (particularly the age limits), the application process, and the study program itself here:

Houston Saengerbund German Language Scholarship Competition