The Frankston Susono Friendship Association held its annual Japanese Speech Contest at Monash Peninsula Campus on Friday 6th September. The Association is a group of volunteer citizens who administer Frankston’s sister city relationship with Susono, Shizuoka in Japan on behalf of the Frankston City Council. FSFA have worked to promote Japanese culture, the study of Japanese language plus student and cultural exchanges since the sister city relationship was established in February 1982.
The Association
invited students from local primary and secondary schools to this year’s
contest and 54 entries were received. Contestants were required to recite a
short self-introduction followed by a set piece based on the folktale story of Omusubi Kororin (The Rolling
Riceball) and were judged by a panel of Japanese speakers. Contestants competed
in Lower Primary, Upper Primary, Japanese Environment (Primary), Junior
Secondary, Intermediate Secondary, Japanese Environment (Secondary) and Senior
Secondary divisions.
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| Perpetual trophies and individual trophies for the 7 divisions |
FSFA Chairperson
Julie D’Arcy welcomed all contestants, their parents and teachers before
explaining the work undertaken by the Association and the importance of the
annual contest in promoting the teaching of Japanese language in our local
schools.
The evening’s
program started with the 3 primary divisions and 25 excited and nervous contestants
presenting before the judging panel. Individual trophies were awarded to the
top three students in each division, with the top contestant in each division
also awarded a perpetual trophy which is displayed at their school for the next
12 months.
Results:
Lower
Primary (Prep to Year 3):
1st Acacia C (Dromana Primary School)
2nd Charlie J (Derinya Primary School)
3rd Annie B (Overport Primary School)
Upper
Primary (Years 4 to 6):
1st Ojas P (Overport Primary School)
2nd Luciana D (Dromana Primary School)
3rd Matilda H (Dromana Primary School)
Japanese
Environment (Primary):
1st Hannah F (Overport Primary School)
2nd Taidgh F (Overport Primary School)
3rd Kai D (Overport Primary School)
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| Primary Division Winners Ojas, Acacia and Hannah with Therese and Julie |
The secondary schools
followed with students presenting a more detailed self-introduction and set
piece or Japanese themed topic in each of the 4 divisions. At the conclusion of
these speeches Committee member and winner of last year’s Senior Division
Jorden Lancaster commented on the impressive standard of all contestants and
recognized the enormous challenge of memorizing and presenting a speech in the
Japanese language, especially given that the senior division students are
required to write, memorize and present a 3-to-5-minute speech on a topic of
their choice.
Results:
Junior
(Years 7 & 8):
1st Lucas P (Nazareth College)
2nd Annabelle E (Nazareth College)
3rd Santhana R (Hillcrest Christian
College)
Intermediate
(Years 9 & 10):
1st Lakeesha H (Hillcrest Christian
College)
2nd Sohan N (Nossal High School)
3rd Charlie R (Nossal High School)
Japanese
Environment (Secondary):
1st Riku K (Frankston High School)
2nd Kohane T (Frankston High School)
3rd Sara A (Hillcrest Christian College)
Senior
(Years 11 & 12):
1st Ayaan K (Nossal High School)
2nd Katokakala L (Frankston High School)
3rd Flynn R (Frankston High School)
Secondary Division Winners Riku, Ayaan, Lucas and Lakeesha
A special thank
you to our panel of judges for assisting at this year’s contest; the teachers
for their hours of hard work preparing their students; and the parents and
families for their attendance, encouragement and support. Finally, our
appreciation to Monash Peninsula Campus for making such a wonderful venue
available to our Association and the hard-working members of the FSFA Committee
for organising and running another successful Japanese Speech Contest.
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| Gifts for our wonderful judges presented by the Senior Division Winners |
