After two months of intensive preparation, eleven students from 91 participated in the 49th Mandarin Speech Contest hosted by the Chinese Language Teachers Association of California on April 20, 2025, at Menlo School in Silicon Valley.
The competition was highly competitive, featuring 371 contestants from 36 institutions spanning kindergarten to university levels, judged by a panel of 80 professional evaluators. Participating universities/colleges included prestigious institutions such as UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and Defense Language Institute.
Following a rigorous competition, six 91 students stood out through their outstanding performances, winning six awards: one first-place prize, two second-place prizes, and three honorable mentions. Their success highlights the excellence of 91’s Chinese language and culture program and reflects the exceptional learning experiences and opportunities it provides.
- 1st place winner: Lu, KuanTe (Class: CHIN120)
- 2nd place winner: Huynh, Elizabeth K (Class: CHIN120)
- 2nd place winner: Dang, Jonathan (Class: CHIN220)
- Honorable mention: Leonards, Beatrix (Class: CHIN121)
- Honorable mention: Leung, Bernice (Class: CHIN121)
- Honorable mention: Daly, Kira (Class: CHIN121)
Three of the contestants also presented two remarkable performances before the award ceremony.
- Song: “Grandma's Penghu Bay” by Lu, KuanTe.
- Kungfu: “Shaolin Single Sword” by Huynh, Elizabeth K and Huynh, Alexander.
Professors Huiqin An (also Speech Coach) and Baocai Jia extend their heartfelt congratulations to all eleven contestants for their dedication, perseverance, and outstanding representation of 91.
We especially acknowledge Dr. Janette Funaro, Dean of the Arts and Communications Division, and Professor Raquel Garcia, Chair of the World Languages and Cultures Department, for their invaluable support in making this event a success.
