MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Students from Middle Tennessee State University earned top honors at this year’s Tennessee Japanese Video Skit and Presentation Contest, with awards recently presented during the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival.

Five students received recognition in the regional competition, which draws participants from across Tennessee. The contest challenges students to apply their Japanese language skills in creative, real-world ways.

A team comprised of art education major Gia Head of Nashville, Japanese majors Sunnie Ishii of Hohenwald and Jared Stacey of Lebanon, and Grace Widener of Chattanooga, a double major in art and Japanese, earned first place in the Level 1 group video skit category. Benjamin Sneed, a Japanese major from Nolensville, placed third in the Level 2 recorded presentation category.

In the Level 1 category, students produced short skits centered on Japanese culture and society. MTSU’s winning group created “Video Game Isekai,” a story in which characters must experience elements of Japanese culture to return to their world.

Watch the video:

Level 2 participants delivered presentations based on the theme “Japan and I,” reflecting on personal connections to the language and culture.

Watch the video:

Sneed, who also placed in last year’s competition, said that experience helped motivate him to compete again.

“I won second place in the contest last year with my team,” Sneed said, adding that support from his family and professors made competing again this year meaningful.

For the others, it was their first time participating.

“I was surprised that we even placed, let alone got first place,” Widener said. “It felt great to see people enjoy what we created.”

For Ishii, the experience carried personal weight. A Japanese major, she said her decision to study the language is tied to her heritage. She is a quarter Japanese and wanted to reconnect with that part of her identity.

“I have always felt disconnected from that side of me and my Japanese side of the family,” Ishii said. “This felt special because it came from something we genuinely enjoy doing.”

Awards were presented on April 11 from the festival’s main stage by Shinji Watanabe, Japan’s consul general in Nashville, adding significance to the moment. Ryoko Poarch, a Japanese language lecturer in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures at MTSU who served as master of ceremonies, said the event gives students a chance to apply what they learn beyond the classroom.

“It helps students build confidence, encourages creativity and fosters a sense of accomplishment,” Poarch said.

The festival also gave MTSU a chance to connect with the broader community. The university’s Japanese program — in collaboration with other Japanese language programs from universities across Tennessee — and the Japan Outreach Initiative coordinator hosted a booth that drew interest from families, K-12 students and adults curious about learning the language.

That interest reflects growing demand for language learning beyond the classroom and highlights the role universities can play in meeting it. From degree programs to potential community and online offerings, events like the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival open the door for new connections and future students.

“Experiences like this help students see how their studies connect to broader personal and professional goals,” Poarch said.

For MTSU, the impact goes beyond a single competition. Students gain real-world experience, build confidence and represent the university in the community, while programs in Japanese and other world languages create pathways that connect culture, communication and career opportunities.

— Mike Davis (Michael.Davis2@mtsu.edu)