[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Japanese-competition.jpg” caption=”Shizuka Aparcero and Joey Lauw-Kalata Soehardjojo won awards at the 25th annual Ontario Japanese Speech Competition on March 10. Photo courtesy of Shizuka Aparcero.”]Two McMaster students won awards at the 25th annual Ontario Japanese Speech Contest at the University of Toronto on March 10.

Joey Lauw-Kalata Soehardjojo, a second-year commerce student, and Shizuka Aparcero, a fourth-year health studies student, were among six McMaster students who participated in the competition.

“I'm honoured and delighted to receive such a high prize,” said Lauw-Kalata Soehardjojo, who received an award from the Consul General of Japan. “I'm proud to represent McMaster.”

The participants wrote, memorized and delivered a speech in Japanese on a topic of their choice.

“It was a great experience,” said Aparcero. “I really enjoyed it.”
She received an award from the Gujo Hachiman Tourism Association.

McMaster offers a language minor in Japanese Studies.

More than 50 students learning Japanese at universities and language schools across Ontario participate in the competition each year.

They present speeches in four categories: beginners', intermediate, advanced and open. First prize winners move onto the National Japanese Speech Contest.