• March 11, 2019

    USC students earn top honors at Japanese contest

    Poster Contest winners Three Upper St. Clair High School students placed first in the annual High School Japanese Speech Contest on March 1, 2019, at the University of Pittsburgh. Earning first place finishes were senior Michaela Kauffelt, poster; sophomore Caroline Knizner, beginner speech; and senior Marty Bryant, intermediate speech.

    Also finishing in the top three in their respective categories were senior Kathleen Knizner, second place in intermediate speech; and sophomore Stephanie Lu, third place for her poster.

    More than 100 high school Japanese language learners of all levels from the tri-state area compete in the regional speech and poster competition. Students participate in one of four speech levels according to their level of instruction.

    In addition to those who placed, the following Upper St. Clair students participated in the Japanese contest: Sara Edkins, Xavier Hlavsa, Kymahni Vidale, David Wang entered the poster category and Hunter Bench; and Madelyn Lebedda competed in the beginner speech category.

    “All of our Upper St. Clair High School students worked very hard to prepare for this event, and they did a wonderful job,” Chie Ramsey, USCHS world language teacher, said.

    The event is a contest for high school Japanese language learners in the western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia region to learn how to deliver a memorized speech at a language level appropriate for their level of learning. The poster contest is for students to study a topic on Japan and demonstrate their ability to share what they have learned through the presentation of a poster.

    The competition is hosted by the Asian Studies Center, the University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania. For more information, contact the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania at 412-856-8608 or email jasp@us-japan.org.