News and Updates

Special Rules and Procedures for the 2021 Remote Contest

Houstonfest Scholarships

Scholarships at State

Teacher-to-Teacher Tips

Tips for Pair Discussion

Photo Gallery 2014

Arrival at Heights High School

Lunch options

Plays will be performed at Houstonfest

Daily log of changes to state-qualifier list

Important Dates

Sat., Jan. 16, 2021:  Regular deadline to submit registration spreadsheet in order to pay regular price of $10/student (payment does not have to be mailed until 1/25).

Mon., Jan. 25, 2021:  Final deadline to submit registration spreadsheet for late price of $12/student and deadline to postmark payment.

Mon., Feb. 1, 2021:  Proof sheet of entries sent to teachers for final verification and changes.

Wed., Feb. 3, 2021, 8:00 p.m.:  Deadline to submit changes (adds, drops, substitutions). After this point, no more additions or substitutions will be allowed.

Sat., Feb. 6, 2021:  Houstonfest (100% remote): some events conducted "live" (online) that day, all others submitted digitally by 9:00 a.m.

Sat., Feb. 13, 2021:  Houstonfest online awards ceremony, time TBA.

Wed., Feb. 17, 2021:  State online registration due by 11:59 p.m. for "early bird" price of $10/student (payment does not have to be mailed yet). Also, deadline to apply for the Mary El-Beheri Memorial Scholarship and to submit entries for promotional video contest to State director Jennifer Christianson.

Mon., Feb. 22, 2021:  State online registration due by 11:59 p.m. at regular price of $12/student.

Sat., Feb. 27, 2021:  Texas State German Contest (100% remote): some events conducted "live" (online) that day, all others submitted digitally by 9:00 a.m.

Sat., Mar. 6, 2021:  State online awards ceremony, time TBA. Also, Houstonfest Scholarship applications due.

Fri., Mar. 12, 2021:  Gail Cope Scholarship applications due.

Fri., April 30, 2021:  Gail Cope Teacher Grant applications due.

Plays at Houstonfest

The Play contest will not be offered in 2021, but this page remains here for future use.

The official rules say that plays are performed only at State, unless there are more than three entries, in which case a competition may be held at the regional level.  At Houstonfest, however, it is a general policy that we will always perform plays at Houstonfest, regardless of how many are entered.  (There are usually more than three plays entered in Houstonfest anyway.)  Performing the plays at Houstonfest gives the students valuable practice in preparation for State (and also a looming deadline to get them in gear!).

Don't worry if your play is not in tip-top shape by Houstonfest or if you can perform only a portion of what you plan to perform at State.  Just put the best product on stage that you can for Houstonfest.

If, when registration closes, there are five or fewer plays entered, schools who have entered will be contacted by the director and given the option to perform and compete for a trophy and sweepstakes points at Houstonfest or NOT to perform and to receive an automatic bid to State (but of course receiving no sweepstakes points or trophy at the Houstonfest level).  Schools are definitely encouraged to perform, but only if they can make a good-faith effort; the judges will have the latitude to find that an attempted performance is so lacking in merit that it does not deserve sweepstakes points or a trophy (but may still advance to State) -- for instance, if the performance lasts only a few minutes or if most or all of the actors are reading their lines from a script.

If six or more plays are entered, all entering schools will need to perform at Houstonfest.