Aurora Speech Contest

The Aurora Japanese Language Scholarship Foundation (JLSF) is currently accepting applications for the year 2009 scholarships.

JLSF was established in 1998 to encourage teachers of the Japanese language as well as to generate international cultural exchange. These awards will enable the awardees to carry out a project of their choice in Japan. Each awardees will receive a $3,000 scholarship and roundtrip air tickets from the USA to Japan (coach class).

The project can be anything that would enhance the quality of the awardee's teaching. Applicants are encouraged to propose any projects they would like to carry out but are currently unable to because of the lack of funding. Types of projects awardees may choose are unlimited! For example, projects may include:
- Studying Japanese at a pre-existing program, such as the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, or the Hokkaido International Foundation
- Traveling around the country to gather authentic materials for teaching purposes, including taking photographs and making films;
- Visiting a school(s) in Japan to learn more about their education system;
- Volunteering at Japanese non-profit organizations to learn differences and similarities in how different cultures operate in a working environment; or,
- Experiencing Japanese New Year's with a host family and write up the experience on a web page.

After their Japan trip, scholarship awardees will be required to submit reports to the JLSF about their experiences in Japan.

Each awardee will also have the (optional) opportunity to attend the annual ATJ Conference to address the conference about their scholarship experience in Japan.