High School Group Video Division Application
Application Period is NOW - 11:59 PM EDT October 24th
*You may not be able to access the application form if you use an account from high school. Please sign out from Google Chrome and sign in again with your private account to fill out the form.
High School Group Video Division Application Form (available soon)
On this page, you see:
- High School Group Video Division Eligibility
- High School Group Video Division 2025 Schedule
- Video Content
- How to Enter the Contest
- Presentation Format and Scoring
High School Group Video Division Eligibility
- Group of high school students enrolled in a U.S. high school or a heritage school.
- The group must be under the guidance of a Japanese language teacher affiliated with the AATJ.
- The number of high school students who narrate the video in Japanese must be between two and five.
- The narrator's first language must not be Japanese.
- There can be no more than two groups from each high school.
High School Group Video Division 2025 Schedule
Please submit your group video by 11:59PM EDT Friday, October 24th. The submitted videos will be pre-screened by the judges. The top three videos will be posted online from November 2nd through 8th and become available for public votes. The results of the public voting will be announced on November 9th. Please see High School Group Video Division Application for more details.
Video Content
Under the guidance of an instructor, students will create a video on the assigned presentation topic, "A place(s) that hold(s) special meaning for us (私たちにとって特別な意味のあるところ)." Please identify something -- it could be a person, a place, a cultural tradition, or even an idea or ethical value -- and explain why it is particularly significant to you. .
The length of the video should be between 2 minutes 45 seconds and 3 minutes. The video may include still photos and graphics. Editing is encouraged, such as including background music. Group videos may also include the name of the school. Promotional content for your school is also acceptable, as long as it is consistent with the theme.
How to Enter the Contest
The entry submission period is NOW- 11:59 PM EDT October 24th. After uploading the video to YouTube in the "unlisted" setting, the instructor must fill out the application form along with parental consent forms for all members of the production team. (The information on the application form should include basic information as well as an explanation in English of the intent of the video that the students have put together).
Presentation Format and Scoring
The submitted videos will be pre-screened by the judges in terms of the richness of the content, originality, message, and richness and accuracy of the use of Japanese. The top three videos will be posted online from November 2nd through 8th and become available for public votes. The results of the public voting will be announced on November 9th.
The high school Japanese program represented by the top group will receive a trophy and $300. The programs represented by the second and the third group will receive $200 and $100 respectively.