Eighteen high school students and two of their English teachers arrived from Oldenberg, Germany. They are staying with host families during their three-week visit here, and they?Äôre touring towns and businesses in the area as well as sharing in a number of high school experiences with the EV-W students in the German program. (EV-W students will visit Germany this summer.)
The German American Partnership Program (GAPP) has been going on since 1988 when EV-W German teacher Don Kjar started it. The exchange is between EV-W and Graf Anton Guenther School in Germany, and the students visit every-other year. About 60 schools in Germany participate in the program.
Monday, the German students shared their food and culture with their host students and families and with the community. They head for Duluth this weekend, and will spend a few days in Chicago before returning to Germany at the end of this month.
Mechi Sandmann and Jenny Teerling are two of the 30 English students at the school in Germany, but the two who have accompanied students to Eden Valley several times now. Donna Orbeck is the EV-W German teacher.
GAPP is a wonderful cultural exchange, and a life-changing experience for everyone involved.
The 2015-16 GAPP students from Oldenburg, Germany, and from Eden Valley-Watkins High School. In front, from left: Malte Thoerner, John Unterberger, Hanna Gerdes, Miranda Scherer, Donna Orbeck, Carter Geislinger, Vincent Nijhof, Eryn Eken, Sarah Gaertner, Fenna Moehring; (second row) Olivia Labrenz, Maggie Schmaltz, Hedda Uden, Paige Thielen, Noelle Hesse, Annalena Herkenhoff, Lisa Holdvogt, Malin Blankenmeyer, Anna-Lena Bock; (third row) Cedric Galke, Zach Swenson, Helene Bischoff, Samantha Coulter, Nina Meyer, Sami Estes, Anna Bartholomaei, Mackenzie Field, Shelby Kuechle, Isabel Bley; (back row) Mechthild Sandmann, Kevin Kornetzki-Lucza, Blaine Fodstad, Soeren Schreich, Alex Marquedant, Geert Petrin, George Lemke, Corey Mathies, Leon Pfeiffer, Tessa Goebel, Jennifer Teerling. Submitted photo.