Haenicke Institute for Global Education

Participants at a high school Chinese speech contest pose at WMU. — Chinese Speech Contest

Register for the Chinese Speech Contest See this Year's Winners

The Chinese Speech Contest at Western Michigan University offers a platform for Chinese language learners to showcase their achievements, connect with one another and participate in competitions featuring speeches, cultural knowledge and talent performances.

2026 WMU Chinese Speech Contest Schedule

12:50 p.m., Check-in
1:30-2 p.m., Knowledge Competition
2:10-4 p.m., Speech Contest
4:10-4:30 p.m., Talent Show

Forms of Competition

There are three categories: Speech Contest, Chinese Knowledge Competition and Talent Show. Each contestant can participate in any category or all three categories.

Speech Contest

Contestants will read a passage, or prepare a speech in mandarin, depending on the level they participate.

Middle School Level 1 and High School Level 1

Read designated work
Length: 1 to 1.5 minutes

Middle School Level 2, High School Level 2 and University Level

Prepared Speech: 我最喜欢的中国节日
Length: 2 to 4 minutes

High School Level 3 and 4

Prepared Speech: 次难忘的经历
Length: 3 to 5 minutes

Chinese Knowledge Competition

The competition will be conducted on Kahoot. Individual participant will compete for two rounds answering questions about Chinese language and culture.

Score composition: Round one (50%) + Round two (50%)

Chinese Talent Show

Contestants will submit a YouTube video link for preliminary round (video editing allowed). The video, with a length between 2-3 minutes, will demonstrate a talent in an area that highlights one aspect of Chinese culture, such as Chinese music, painting, calligraphy, martial arts, dance, Chinese yoyo, etc.

The top five talent show winners selected from the preliminary round will perform after the speech contest on March 21, and will be ranked by the votes of audience onsite.

Awards and Prizes

Excellent Performance Award

Top three contestants from speech contest and knowledge competition in each level, and top five from talent show will receive the award and gifts.

Outstanding Individual Award

Contestant with the highest total score (must participate in all three categories) in each level will win this award. The winners will receive a certificate and a gift.

Participation Award

All the rest of the contestants will receive a participation certificate and a gift.

Team Participation Award

The award and a gift will be presented to the class with the highest participation rate (the highest percentage of students participating relative to the total class enrollment).

Levels of Competition

The competition will be divided into seven levels to ensure equality. The rudiments and rules for dividing the participants are as follows:

Students from Hillside Middle School will be assigned to Middle School Level 1.
Students who are 6th to 8th grade and are learning Chinese at the Kalamazoo Chinese Academy, Northern Hills Middle School, and Greenville Middle School will be assigned to Middle school level 2.
High school students from Kalamazoo Central High School and Loy Norrix High School who have been learning Chinese for one year or less will be assigned to High School Level 1.
High school students from Kalamazoo Central High School and Loy Norrix High School who have been learning Chinese for less than two years will be assigned to High School Level 2.
Students who are in 9th and 10th grade at the Kalamazoo Chinese Academy, Forest Hill Northern High School, and Greenville High School will be assigned to High school level 3.
Students who are in 11th and 12th grade at the Kalamazoo Chinese Academy, Forest Hill Northern High School, and Greenville High School will be assigned to High school level 4.
Western Michigan University students will be assigned to University Level.

Event Accessibility

We are happy to provide reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. To request accommodation, please contact Asian Initiatives staff at @email at least five business days before the event.

Chinese Speech Contest at WMU Results

2025 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Middle school level - Sophia Smalligan
High school level - Sri Sang

Excellent Performance Award for Speech Contest

High school level 4:

First place - Harriet Ogilvie
Second place - Maxwell McGrath
Third Prize - Liam Watson

High school level 3:

First place - Winston Camp
Second place - Minhao Chen; Kaylee Milliron
Third Prize - Blake Gale

High school level 1:

First place - Sri Sang
Second place - Eleazar Hakizimana

Middle school level 2:

First place - Sophia Smalligan
Second place - Emilly Wang; Nia Peterson
Third place - Berniece VanBennekom; Isabella He; Linda Xiao

Excellent Performance Award for Knowledge Competition

High school level 4:

First place - Maxwell McGrath
Second place - Liam Watson
Third place - Harriet Ogilvie; Kaitlyn Konyndyk

High school level 3:

First place - Kiri Newton
Second place - Minhao Chen
Third place - Sofía Burdick; Yuna Park

High school level 1:

First place - Sri Sang

Middle school level 2:

First place - Sophia Smalligan
Second place - Emilly Wang; Nia Peterson
Third place - Berniece VanBennekom; Ronin Milliron

Excellent Performance Award for Talent Show

First place - Sri Sang
Second place - Sophia Smalligan
Third place - Rose Konrad

2024 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Middle school level 2 - Sophia Smalligan

Excellent Performance Award for Speech Contest

High school level 4:

First place - Ava Tuohy
Second place - Taylor Sowers
Third Prize - Violet Chamberlain

High school level 3:

First place - Eddie Wuerthele
Second place - Minhao Chen; Winston Camp
Third Prize - William Watson; Philip Chamberlain

High school level 2:

First place - Rayyan Sanusi
Second place - Aniya Foster

Middle school level 2:

First place - Emilly Wang; Kaylee Milliron
Second place - Yuna Park
Third place - Kiri Newton; Zoe VanTongeren

Excellent Performance Award for Knowledge Competition

College level:

First place - Ferris Harper

High school level 4:

First place - Ava Tuohy
Second place - Spencer Porter

High school level 3:

First place - Minhao Chen
Second place - Helen Jeon; Winston Camp
Third place - DeeDee Cairns; Eddie Wuerthele

High school level 2:

First place - Jackson Lam

Middle school level 2:

First place - Sophia Smalligan
Second place - Yuna Park
Third place - Kiri Newton

Excellent Performance Award for Talent Show

First place - Jessica Liu
Second place - Brooke Gordon; Sophia Smalligan
Third place - Lennox Crawford; Ferris Harper

2023 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Middle school level 2 - Sam Ogilvie
High School Level 3 - Maxwell McGrath; Harriet Ogilvie

Excellent Performance Award for Speech Contest

High school level 4:

First place - Haley Cook
Second place - Chole Ellis; Violet Chamberlain

High school level 3:

First place - Maxwell McGrath
Second place - Edward Wuerthele; Lucy Stegeman
Third Prize - Emma Simpson

High school level 2:

First place - Hannah Boothby

Middle school level 2:

First place - Minhao Chen
Second place - Yuna Park, Zoe VanTongeren
Third place - Kiri Newton, Helen Jeon

Excellent Performance Award for Knowledge Competition

High school level 4:

First place - Tess McGrath
Second place - Chloe Ellis, Haley Cook
Third place - Violet Chamberlain, Aaron Chrenk

High school level 3:

First place - Elizabeth Buth
Second place - Edward Wuethele; Maxwell McGrath
Third place - Gabriel Williams; Harriet Ogilvie; Lucy Stegeman

High school level 2:

First place - Hannah Boothby

Middle school level 2:

First place - Yuna Park
Second place - Minhao Chen, Kiri Newton
Third place - Matthew Langen, Winston Camp, Keaton Cook, Sofia Burdick

Excellent Performance Award for Talent Show

First place - Harriet Ogilvie
Second place - Victor Konrad; Giselle Wong
Third place - Brooke Gordon; Benjamin Pease

Team Participation Award

FHN CHIN 2750
FHN Chin 2100 (5th hour)

2022 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

High school level 3 - Celina Du
High school level 1 - Hannah Boothby
Middle school - Tristan Zhang

Excellent Performance Award for Speech Contest

High school level 4:

First place - Ava Hamilton
Second place - Camille Gerville-Reache

High school level 3:

First place - Kendall Crawford
Second place - Celina Du

High school level 2:

First place - Maxwell Lee
Second place - Spencer Jones

High school level 1:

First place - Hannah Boothby; Shalini Sunder
Second place - Aniya Foster
Third place - Lexsie Nguyen

Middle school:

First place - Tristan Zhang
Second place - Minhao Chen

Excellent Performance Award for Knowledge Competition

High school level 4:

First place - Tyler Mick
Second place - Annierae Lang

High school level 3:

First place - Celina Du
Second place - Tess McGrath; Chloe Ellis
Third place - Kendall Crawford; Reagan Finkler; Lucy Stegeman; Haley Cook; Jakob Glessner

High school level 2:

First place - Spencer Jones
Second place - Maxwell Lee

High school level 1:

First place - Dalea Campbell
Second place - Hannah Boothby

Middle school:

First place - Minhao Chen
Second place - Jacob Zhang

Excellent Performance Award for Talent Show

First place - Victor Konrad
Second place - Tristan Zhang; Celina Du
Third place - Annierae Lang; Jacob Zhang; Caius Hoffman

2021 Winners

High school level 4:

First place - William Rechner
Second place - Sophia McGrath
Third place - Averie Fitzjohn

High school level 3:

First place - Tess McGrath
Second place - Celina Du
Third place - Violet Chamberlain

High school level 2:

First place - Soo-Yeon Kim
Second place - Cameron Dancel
Third place - Lianara Garcia

High school level 1:

First place - Nicholas Plentis
Second place - Dryw Cate Starkey-Williams
Third place - Jane Marian Swartz

Midwest High School Chinese Speech Contest Results

2024 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Level 4:

First place - Kiri Werner, Highland Park Senior Highschool, MN
Second place - Ava Tuohy, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Third place - William Watson, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI

Excellent Chinese Learner Award

Heritage level:

First place - Minhao Chen, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Second place - Allison Lei, Minnetonka High School, MN
Third place - Qiqi Lai, George Westinghouse College Prep, IL

Level 3:

First place - Ayleen Jondrow-Qian, Canton High school, MI
Second place - Anna Gonzales, Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, MI

Level 2:

First place - Isaac Fandakly, Stoney Creek High School, MI
Second place - Vincent Pan, Whitney Magnet High School, IL
Third place - Gary Tan, Whitney M. Young, IL

Level 1:

First place - Chloe Lesselroth, Booker T. Washington High School, OK
Second place - Samanjas Atre, Canton High, MI
Third place - Xavier Castillo, Stoney Creek High School, MI

Excellent Performance Award

Max McGrath, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Tanay Shenoy, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Henry Mahler, East Lansing high school, MI
Hailey Jia, Walter Payton College Prep, IL
Ashley Mei, Walter Payton College Preparatory Highschool, IL
Sophia Wegner, , Stoney Creek High School, MI
Luca Popp, University high school, IL
Natalie Sapp, Stoney Creek High School, MI
Christian Kim, Whitney M. Young, IL
Timothy Minfield, Stoney Creek High School, MI
Jose Izquierdo, Stoney Creek High School, MI

Successful Participation Award

Christina Lee, Whitney M. Young, IL
Kajiha Reed, Noble Street - Gary Comer College Prep, IL
Kean Hui, Canton High School, MI
Lek Gjolaj, Stoney Creek High School, MI
Reuben Wagenius, Apollo High School, MN
Christian Granstrom, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Ethan Han, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI

2022 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Level 4:

First place - Richael Saka, St. Francis Desales High School, OH
Second place - Alexander Kuplicki, University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, MI
Third place - John Lee, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI

Excellent Chinese Learner Award

Heritage level:

First place - Theeya Chen, Upper Saint Clair High school, PA
Second place - Matthew Zhao, Troy High School, MI
Third place - Carissa Schultz, North Shore Country Day School, IL

Level 3:

First place - Skye Flowers, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, IL
Second place - James Sohigian, Loyola Academy, IL
Third place - Will Manning, Upper Saint Clair High school, PA

Level 2:

First place - Reuben Wagenius, Apollo High School, KY
Second place - Zakia Pruitt, Lindblom HS, IL

Level 1:

First place - Sophia Payne, Whitney M Young Magnet Highschool, IL
Second place - Lucile Carter, Whitney Young Magnet High School, IL
Third place - Faith Lee, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI

Excellent Performance Award

Abigail Neton, Barrington High School, IL
Gabriella Liang, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, IL
Ava Hamilton, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Libby Kurt, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Celina Du, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Boshi Dong, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Ashton Kearns, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Justin Bailey, St. John’s Jesuit High School, OH
Nathan Allen, St. John’s Jesuit High School, OH
Aidan Richardson, University High School, IL
Reese Copenhaver, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Zinaida Kirsopp, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA

Successful Participation Award

Anna Lao, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Sophia Wegner, Stoney Creek High School, MI
Soo-yeon Kim, Troy High School, MI
Charles Rollman, St. John’s Jesuit High School, OH
Judy Wang, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Jenny Wang, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Colin Liang, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA
Sherry Ren, Upper Saint Clair High School, PA

2021 Winners

Outstanding Individual Award

Level 4:

First place - William Rechner, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Second place - Axel Hinz, Whitney Young High School, IL
Third place - Sophia McGrath, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI

Excellent Chinese Learner Award

Heritage level:

First place - Leeland Zhang, Hinsdale Central High School, IL
Second place - Celina Du, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Third place - Nancy Zhao, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, IL

Level 3:

First place - Tess McGrath, Forest Hills Northern High School, MI
Second place - Soo-yeon Kim, Troy High School, MI
Third place - Nathan Leong, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, IL

Level 1:

First place - Serena Chan, William Fremd High School, IL
Second place - Ellie Trost-Rekich, William Fremd High School, IL
Third place - Gauri Menon, James B. Conant Highschool, IL

Excellent Performance Award

High school heritage level - Gabrielle Yuan, Columbus School for Girls, OH
High school level 1 - Ngozi Ndukwe, Arbor Preparatory High School, MI
High school level 1 - Lillianah Olatunji, Wayne Memorial High School, MI

About the Haenicke Institute for Global Education

Your journey at Western Michigan University is a global one. Through transformative events, immersive classes and Experience-Driven Learning, the Haenicke Institute for Global Education connects Kalamazoo to the world—and the world to Kalamazoo. We assist more than 2,000 international students and alumni at home and abroad with admissions, immigration support, student success and post-graduation job training. We host 80+ study abroad programs and bring students, faculty and staff to 30 countries, on average, each year. From fostering academic opportunities to showcasing cultural events and providing K-12 outreach, the Haenicke Institute promotes learning that transcends borders and takes you wherever you want to go.