The Aurora Speech Contest was held according to the following schedule:

Friday, May 21, 2004	Participants arrive in Los Angeles Welcome Dinner (5PM-7PM) at the Yamaha Music School, Irvine CA.
Saturday, May 22	Speech Contest (1PM-4PM) at Hitachi Chemical Research Center Lecture Hall (University of California, Irvine) Goodwill Party (5PM-7PM) at the Cross Cultural Center (University of California, Irvine)
Sunday, May 23	Free time, Participants depart from LA

Press Release

The Inaugural U.S. High School Japanese Language Speech Contest was held on May 22 (Saturday), 2004 on the campus of the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in the Hitachi Chemical Research Center. The conference was organized by the Aurora Foundation (Japanese Language Scholarship Foundation, Dr. Akiko Agishi Founder & President ), with support from the National Council of Japanese Language Teachers, Consulate General of Japan Los Angeles, and The Japan Foundation Los Angeles Office.

The 11 contestants who participated were selected from among the top finishers of regional Japanese language speech contests held around the U.S.from April 2003 until March 2004. Contestants who traveled to Southern California for the contest from far away were housed with Japanese families residing in Orange Country.

The evening before the contest (Friday, May 21) a Welcome Party was held at the Yamaha Music Center in Irvine, in which contestants, host families, contest volunteers, and others participated. The Welcome Party included introductions of the contestants, interaction and friendly exchange among participants, as well several piano and electric piano performances by
students of the Yamaha Music Center.

The top place finishers were decided by a panel of 6 judges (headed by Dr. Hiroko Kataoka, California State University, Long Beach), who listened to each contestant present his or her speech within 5 minutes, and then followed this up with a brief question-answer session (interview). The first place finisher was Steven Kummins of The Woodlands High School
(Texas). Mr. Kummins received a trophy from the Consulate General of Japan Los Angeles and a scholarship of $500 from the Aurora Foundation. Mr. Kummins represented the U.S. in Tokyo on July 26, 2004 at the 9th International High School Japanese Language Speech Contest. Second place went to Rachel Staum of Clarkstown South High School (New York), who received a trophy and a $300 scholarship from the Aurora Foundation. Third place went to David McNeill of Crescenta Valley High School (California), who received a plaque and $200 from the Aurora Foundation.

Upon completion of the contest, a Goodwill Party was held at the Cross Cultural Center at UCI. Participants enjoyed several Japanese cultural events led by UCI student volunteers including Japanese drums (taiko), kimono dressing, Japanese card playing (karuta), as well as a sushi making demonstration by the 2003 Aurora Challenge Grant recipient Nicola Gilbert.

Dear Aurora Foundation,

I would sincerely like to thank you for the opportunity to participate in
this year's first national Japanese speech contest. I had such an
incredible experience and enjoyed every minute of the sunny weather in
California. Thank you so much for setting up such wonderful events and host
families.

Thank you again for the memorable experience!

Sincerely,
Beth VanderWielen

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Thank you so much for organizing this event and making it an success! I
really enjoyed everything from interacting with the other contestants to the
afterparty and talking with the host families. This experience has marked an
important day in my life, not only was it my birthday but it has made me
certain that I want to learn more about the Japanese culture and I am
determined to study animation in Japan in the future. Please give my thanks
to the fellow staff members, and I hope to meet you all again in the near
future!!

Sincerely,
Carolyn Jao