2018 Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest for NSW and NT Secondary School Students - Results
2018 Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony for winners in the 2018 Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest for NSW and NT Secondary School Students was held on 3 December at the Consul-General's official residence. It was an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the students together with their family, teachers, principals and other educationalists.
At the ceremony, Dr Hugh Clarke, Emeritus Professor at the University of Sydney, gave an interesting and stimulating speech about learning Japanese and IKIGAI which you can read here.
Mr David de Carvalho, CEO of NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA), also attended the event as the official representative of NSW Minister for Education, the Hon. Rob Stokes, MP.
A photo album of the event is available on our Facebook page.
2018 Results
The Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney would like to thank all students from across New South Wales and the Northern Territory who entered the 2018 Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest. We received many strong entries this year, which made it difficult for our judges to reach their decision. However, after much careful deliberation, we are proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest for New South Wales and Northern Territory Secondary School Students!
This year's topics were as follows:
Junior Division: Australian and Japanese culture (art, business, etiquette, fashion, social customs, sport etc.) differ in many ways. What aspect of Australian culture do you think should be more widely recognised and how would you promote a better understanding of it in Japan? What aspect of Japanese culture do you think should be more widely recognised and how would you promote a better understanding of it in Australia?
Senior Division: Japan and Australia have long histories of scientific research and development. Discuss some of the greatest innovations that have originated in Japan and Australia and how the two countries can work together to promote even greater scientific research and development in the future.
An awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in December 2018.
Thank you once again to all those who entered this year. We plan to hold the contest again in 2019 and we look forward to another strong contingent of entries.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 contest!
Junior Division (Years 7 & 8)
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR |
| First | Ms Annette Kim | Tara Anglican School for Girls | 8 |
| Outstanding | Ms Chloe Hoang | Pymble Ladies' College | 8 |
| Outstanding | Ms Sophie Yeeun Ku | Pymble Ladies' College | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Mr Will Bond | Cedars Christian College | 7 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Cecilia Elliott | Kambala | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Lily Frost | Central Coast Grammar School | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Caitlin Hill | Central Coast Grammar School | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Isabella Jennings | Kambala | 7 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Isabella Luchko | Regents Park Christian School | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Hannah McGlinchey | Kambala | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Vanessa Novak | Sydney Girls High School | 7 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Lisa Segal | Kambala | 8 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Iris Wu | Sydney Girls High School | 8 |
Listed in alphabetical order within each prize category
Senior Division (Years 9 - 12)
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | YEAR |
| First | Ms Vicky Feng | MLC School | 11 |
| Outstanding | Ms Alexandra Blyton | Darwin Middle School, NT | 9 |
| Outstanding | Ms Katrina Wu | St George Girls High School | 11 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Katrina Chang | Sydney Girls High School | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Natasha Dalima | Sydney Secondary College: Blackwattle Bay Campus | 12 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Solei Entwistle | Kambala | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Maddison Goodwin | St Columba's Catholic College | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Catherine Huang | North Sydney Girls High School | 10 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Jessica Ledger | Kambala | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Jennifer Lo | North Sydney Girls High School | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Sarah Ly | Bonnyrigg High School | 11 |
| Highly Commended | Mr Tyler Pockran | St Columba's Catholic College | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Aika Recongco | The Ponds High School | 9 |
| Highly Commended | Ms Lily Thomson | Central Coast Grammar School | 10 |
Listed in alphabetical order within each prize category
School of the Year 2018
Pymble Ladies' College
Special Northern Territory Prize
| Ms Alexandra Blyton | Darwin Middle School, NT | 9 |
Prizes
The first place winner in the Senior Division will receive a return economy class air ticket* to Japan, courtesy of Japan Airlines. In addition, the first place winner will be provided with a 7-day Japan Rail Pass (Ordinary Class) and 3 nights accommodation at Shiba Park Hotel in Tokyo (conditions apply, subject to availability), courtesy of JTB Australia Pty Ltd.
The first place winner in the Junior Division will receive $300 worth of books of the winner's own choice, from the Consulate-General of Japan**.
Outstanding Essays in both divisions will receive $50 worth of goods, courtesy of Tokyo Mart.
Each prize winner will also be awarded a certificate, plaque and other Japanese goods.
The School of the Year award will be given to the school with the highest percentage of top quality essays, as deemed by the judges. The school will receive $400 worth of books from the Consulate-General of Japan**.
Special Northern Territory Prize ***
The highest ranked essay from the Northern Territory will receive $100 worth of books of the winner’s own choice, courtesy of Books Kinokuniya.
Please note that no correspondence will be entered into in relation to the prize conditions. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable.
*The definition of ‘return economy class air ticket’ is an international flight between Sydney and Tokyo (Narita) only, including fuel surcharges. Ticket must be issued by 31st March 2019 and travel must be completed before 30th June 2019 or within 3 months from date of issue. Booking conditions apply, subject to availability. The cost of airport taxes and domestic airfares is the responsibility of the prize winner. Prizes and prize conditions are not negotiable, transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for other prizes. Previous first prize winners are ineligible to win the first prize in the same division, in the following year.
**Arranged with the cooperation of Books Kinokuniya.
***In the case of insufficient entries, the prize may not be awarded.
Sponsors
The Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney wishes to the thank the following sponsors for their generous support of the 2018 Australia-Japan Relations Essay Contest for NSW and NT Secondary School Students.
Major Sponsors
