These are difficult times and it has been a long process bringing these to you but JSANZ takes the greatest pleasure in finally announcing the JSANZ Japanese Firsts Award winners. There are seven winners over five categories. Not all of the 10 categories received nominations but there were many nominations for the five winning categories. If you missed out this time please try again next year as we would love to see all deserving Japanese stakeholders, teachers, and students recognised. Each winner will receive a print version of their poster to display in their classroom and office. Congratulations. Your awards are very well-deserved.

Five Manawatu secondary schools attended a Bunkasai (cultural festival) on July 7 2021, hosted by the Japanese programme at Massey University, Manawatu Campus. The event was attended by approximately 85 students, teachers, volunteers and Massey and IPU NZ Tertiary Institute staff.

As activities, students took part in a manga drawing contest, trivia quiz, origami contest and a formal Speech Contest (see below). They were also invited to dress in yukata (summer kimono), practise calligraphy, play kendama (a skill game) and take part in a tea ceremony. By good fortune the event coincided exactly with the Tanabata Festival, and students had the opportunity to tie their wishes to branches of sasa bamboo.

Artwork from the students was on display throughout the day

The Bunkasai allowed students to experience aspects of Japanese culture for the first time and enjoy the progress they have made learning Japanese with counterparts from other schools. It is hoped that the time on a university campus and learning more about Japanese at tertiary level from Massey and IPU staff will also encourage students to continue Japanese beyond school.

Speech Contest winners:

Category 1 (Year 11): Jake Cook, Awatapu College

Category 2 (Year 12): Anna Skiffington, St Peter’s College

Category 3 (Year 13): Floor Schalk, Awatapu College

Judges: Mr Toshi Yamauchi and Dr Penny Shino, Massey University.

Only 4 days to go.

Make your submissions now

Are you studying or teaching Japanese at a New Zealand university? Then, here is good news for you: JSANZ Japanese Firsts deadline is now extended for 10 days until 30 June 2021!Thank you to those lecturers and students who have sent in submissions. If you haven’t, you still have time to send us your submissions ヽ(^o^)丿！For more details, please see: https://jsanz.org/1015-2/ (a nomination form can be found here too)

Please make sure you have nominated yourself or others in any of the 10 categories of the competition. The competition deadline is coming up. It is a wonderful way to gain recognition for hard work and excellence in the fields of Japanese teaching and learning. The process is very simple. Just look for the previous post about JSANZ Japanese Firsts and you will find the entry form.

先生方、

いつもお世話になっております。大変お忙しい時期かと存じます。

さて、今年もJSANZ Tertiary Japanese Language Speech Contestを開催する運びとなりました。本年も、昨年同様の内容で、同時期に行うのがいいのではないかという声が一番多くありましたので、ガイドラインもほぼ昨年同様となっております。（Wordとpdfを両方添付してあります）

5 July:                Application opens

12 September:  Application closes 

25 October:       Notification of winners 

コロナの状況はまだまだ読めず、また日本が現在大変な状況にあることから、本年度も賞品は国内旅行バウチャーということになりました。ビジネス界が困難な状況にあるにもかかわらず、スポンサーである二水会の皆様からの引き続きのご支援には、心より感謝申し上げます。

ガイドラインを添付致しましたので、内容について何かご質問などありましたら、コミッティーまでご連絡いただければと存じます。昨年は難しい状況の中、多くの学生さんからご参加いただきました。学生さんと先生方に深く感謝申し上げます。今年もたくさんの作品をお待ちしております！よろしくお願いいたします。

JSANZ スピーチコンテストコミッティー一同