Talent Test · Church Youth
Church of God International Youth Department Teen Talent competition: 79 categories across art, Bible, creative writing, vocal and instrumental music, drama, dance and multimedia, for ages 13-19, judged on a Superior-to-Poor scale.
Sets up a teen arts competition for ages 13 to 19 with 79 ready-made categories: art, creative writing, Bible teaching and quizzing, vocal and instrumental music, drama, dance and multimedia, each judged on a five-point scale from Superior to Poor.
This template sets up a teen talent competition of the faith-youth kind: a state or regional gathering where teenagers enter work and performances in a wide spread of arts, and the strongest entries move on to a larger final. A coordinator opens an event that already carries the age band, all 79 categories, the solo and group entry types and the five-point judging scale, instead of building a catalogue of this size from a blank page. It suits an organiser who runs qualifying rounds at several levels and needs entries, judge sheets and results in one place.
There is a single age group, Teens, covering ages 13 to 19 within the competition year, open to both genders. The 79 categories are grouped into seven divisions: Art (11 categories, from Drawing and Sculpture to Textiles and Raw Photography), Creative Writing (five: Articles and Essays, News Writing, Plays and Skits, Poetry and Short Story), Bible (Individual and Team Bible Teaching for children and youth audiences, plus Individual and Team Bible Quizzing), Music, Drama, Dance and Multimedia. Music splits into vocal (solo, rap, small and large ensembles, choirs) and instrumental (piano, keyboard, organ, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, handbells, steel drums and ensembles). Drama covers skits, monologue, comedic performance, spoken word, mime, human video and pantomime, and Dance adds rhythmic, upbeat and contemporary dance in solo and group forms.
Of the 79 categories, 44 are individual entries with no time limit set, 29 are team entries (small and large groups, with the participant-count ranges set by the organiser’s own rules, for example two to six for a small skit and seven or more for a large one), and six are individual multimedia entries with a runtime ceiling: two minutes for short clips, 15 for a short film and 30 for a long film, in both animated and video forms. Every category is marked out of five.
Judging uses five bands: Superior (4.5 to 5), Excellent (3.5 to 4.4), Good (2.5 to 3.4), Fair (1.5 to 2.4) and Poor (1 to 1.4). Placings First, Second and Third earn 5, 3 and 1 bonus points for individuals and 10, 5 and 3 for teams, so a large group can tip an overall points table. These values are the template’s working example; a coordinator can change the grade bands, the bonus points or any category before the event opens.
Where this event comes from
The format follows the long-running denominational teen arts competitions of the United States, which stage a ladder of local, state or regional and national rounds, with the best finishers advancing to a larger final.
Where this event is run
Competitions of this shape are run by faith-based youth departments in the United States, usually yearly, with the winners of each qualifying round moving up a level. The category list, the age band and the five-band scale in this template reproduce one published 2026 category list and its general rules, so they are one working example rather than a universal standard. Organisers elsewhere can keep the structure and rename categories to match their own programme.
- United States
Key facts
- One age group, Teens (13-19), open to both genders, with all entries in English.
- 79 categories in seven divisions: Art, Creative Writing, Bible, Music, Drama, Dance and Multimedia.
- 44 individual categories with no time limit, 29 team categories and six multimedia entries with 2, 15 or 30 minute runtime ceilings.
- Five judging bands on a five-point scale: Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor.
- Bonus points for placings: 5, 3 and 1 for individuals, 10, 5 and 3 for teams.
- Every one of the 79 categories has its own competition page on etalenter.com, so organisers can read what each category involves before installing.
- Age groups
- 1
- Competition items
- 79
- Competitions
- 79
- Grade bands
- 5
- Rank awards
- 6
Age groups
Every candidate is placed into one of these groups by age, and competitions are run per group.
Teens (13-19)
Candidates aged 13 to 19 compete in this group
Competition items
The events themselves — each with the category it belongs to and how judges score it.
Ceramics and Glass
Drawing
Graphics
Mixed Media
Oil/Acrylic Painting
Raw Photography
Sculpture
Textiles - Woven
Textiles - Knitted/Crocheted
Textiles - Non-Woven/Surface Design
Wet Media Painting
Articles and Essays
News Writing
Plays and Skits (Writing)
Poetry
Short Story
Individual Bible Teaching - Children
Individual Bible Teaching - Youth
Team Bible Teaching - Children
Team Bible Teaching - Youth
Individual Bible Quizzing
Team Bible Quizzing
Vocal Solo
Rap Solo
Show all 79 items
Small Vocal Ensemble
Large Vocal Ensemble
Church Choir
State/Regional/National Choir
Piano
Keyboard
Organ
Strings Bowed
Strings Plucked
Woodwind
Brass
Percussion - Definite Pitch
Percussion - Indefinite Pitch
Small Instrumental Ensemble
Large Instrumental Ensemble
Handbell Ensemble
Steel Drums Ensemble
Small Group Contemporary Christian Performance
Large Group Contemporary Christian Performance
Solo Songwriting
Monologue
Christian Comedic Performance
Small Group Skit
Large Group Skit
Solo Spoken Word
Small Group Spoken Word
Large Group Spoken Word
Solo Mime
Small Group Mime
Large Group Mime
Solo Human Video
Small Group Human Video
Large Group Human Video
Solo Pantomime/Interpretive Movement
Small Group Pantomime/Interpretive Movement
Large Group Pantomime/Interpretive Movement
Solo Rhythmic Dance
Small Group Rhythmic Dance
Large Group Rhythmic Dance
Solo Upbeat Dance
Small Group Upbeat Dance
Large Group Upbeat Dance
Solo Contemporary Dance
Small Group Contemporary Dance
Large Group Contemporary Dance
Animated - Short Clips
Animated - Short Film
Animated - Long Film
Computer Graphics
Digital Photography
Multimedia Presentation - Non-Video
Video - Short Clips
Video - Short Film
Video - Long Film
Website Design
Competitions by group
The full schedule matrix, sectioned by age group then category — which item runs for whom, and for how long.
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teens (13-19) | |||||
| Art | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Ceramics and Glass | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Drawing | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Graphics | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Mixed Media | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Oil/Acrylic Painting | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Raw Photography | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Sculpture | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Textiles - Woven | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Textiles - Knitted/Crocheted | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Textiles - Non-Woven/Surface Design | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Wet Media Painting | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Creative Writing | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Articles and Essays | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| News Writing | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Plays and Skits (Writing) | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Poetry | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Short Story | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Bible | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Individual Bible Teaching - Children | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Individual Bible Teaching - Youth | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Team Bible Teaching - Children | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Team Bible Teaching - Youth | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Individual Bible Quizzing | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Team Bible Quizzing | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Music | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Vocal Solo | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Rap Solo | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Vocal Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Vocal Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Church Choir | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| State/Regional/National Choir | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Piano | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Keyboard | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Organ | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Strings Bowed | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Strings Plucked | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Woodwind | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Brass | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Percussion - Definite Pitch | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Percussion - Indefinite Pitch | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Instrumental Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Instrumental Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Handbell Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Steel Drums Ensemble | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Contemporary Christian Performance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Contemporary Christian Performance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Songwriting | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Drama | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Monologue | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Christian Comedic Performance | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Skit | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Skit | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Spoken Word | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Spoken Word | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Spoken Word | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Mime | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Mime | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Mime | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Human Video | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Human Video | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Human Video | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Pantomime/Interpretive Movement | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Pantomime/Interpretive Movement | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Pantomime/Interpretive Movement | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Dance | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Solo Rhythmic Dance | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Rhythmic Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Rhythmic Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Upbeat Dance | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Upbeat Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Upbeat Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Solo Contemporary Dance | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Small Group Contemporary Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Large Group Contemporary Dance | Team | — | English | 5 | — |
| Multimedia | |||||
| Item | Type | Gender | Language | Max score | Time limit |
| Animated - Short Clips | Individual | — | English | 5 | 2 min |
| Animated - Short Film | Individual | — | English | 5 | 15 min |
| Animated - Long Film | Individual | — | English | 5 | 30 min |
| Computer Graphics | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Digital Photography | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Multimedia Presentation - Non-Video | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
| Video - Short Clips | Individual | — | English | 5 | 2 min |
| Video - Short Film | Individual | — | English | 5 | 15 min |
| Video - Long Film | Individual | — | English | 5 | 30 min |
| Website Design | Individual | — | English | 5 | — |
Grades and ranks
How scores turn into grade bands, and how many points each placing is worth.
| Grade | For | Condition | Score | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | ||||
| Excellent | ||||
| Good | ||||
| Fair | ||||
| Poor |
| Rank | For | Points |
|---|---|---|
| First | Individual | 5 |
| Second | Individual | 3 |
| Third | Individual | 1 |
| First | Team | 10 |
| Second | Team | 5 |
| Third | Team | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Can I change this template after installing it?
Yes — installing it creates a fully configured, live event, not a locked package. Every age group, competition item, rule and scoring setting can be edited afterwards to match exactly what your event actually needs.
Do I need technical knowledge to set this up?
No. Installing a template does the setup work for you; you only need to review the details (dates, unit or house names) and open registration.
Want the fuller picture first? See our guide to judge scoring and tabulation software.
Install this template in eTalenter
Everything above is installed as a live, editable event in one step — age groups, items, rules and scoring. Start your own below.
Start a COG Teen Talent (International) event
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