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.

Sweepstakes and Other Awards

Besides the awards given in the various contests, we award a number of comprehensive prizes.

Sweepstakes:  Schools receive sweepstakes points for each event in which they place in the top 10 (see table below). Schools are classified as "Large Schools" or "Small Schools" based on how many students are enrolled in German classes at the school. For 2025, schools with 85 or more students in German classes are in the Large category (that is 10 of our 18 registered schools) and schools with 84 or fewer students in German classes are in the Small category (that is 8 of our 18 registered schools). The cut-off point is subject to change every year, and the decision is made at the State level considering the size of all German programs entering all three regional contests, but for this year, the decision was made to keep the same boundary in place that we had in 2024. In 2025, trophies will be awarded to the top 5 schools in the Large School division and the top 5 schools in the Small School division.

The Klein aber fein trophy goes to the school with the highest ratio of sweepstakes points to number of students entered among those schools entering between 5 and 15 students.

Money prizes of $200 go to the "rookie school" with the highest number of sweepstakes points and to the "rookie teacher" whose school earns the highest number of sweepstakes points. A "rookie school" is defined as a school that has not entered Houstonfest in the previous five years, and a "rookie teacher" is defined as a teacher who has never entered students in Houstonfest before the current year.

Houstonfest uses the same system of awarding sweepstakes points that is used at the Texas State German Contest. The sweepstakes system was thoroughly revised beginning with the 2012 contests, with minor tweaks since then. Sweepstakes points are awarded for first through tenth place in each event, which means that even students who place tenth are contributing sweepstakes points to their school's cause. The table below shows how sweepstakes points are awarded.