On Sept. 28, 2023, new faces were seen walking the halls. This was because several students from Germany got the chance to experience life at Stoughton High School.
The students had the opportunity to come to Stoughton through the German-American Partnership Program (GAPP). GAPP is sponsored by the Goethe Institut, the German government, and the U.S. Department of State. They pair American and German students together.
Many students from SHS were paired with students from Greven, Germany, during the late months of 2022, and then traveled to Germany in June 2023. They stayed with their German hosts from June 11-22, then traveled to Berlin and Munich
as an SHS group until July 1.
German teacher, Brianna VanEyck, is the GAPP coordinator at SHS. With the help of Andrea Oelke, a Spanish teacher, she coordinated this event.
As the coordinator, VanEyck gets to experience a lot of unique opportunities, but a couple of things stand out to her.
“One [of my] favorite part[s] was during our trip in the summer, [I got] to see my students experience all of the aspects of Germany that I love,” VanEyck said. “Another favorite part is at the very end of the trip because I get to see the whole experience come full circle. […] Everyone shares pictures and memories, and it gets to be very emotional. It is very clear to see how close the students had gotten to each other, and ultimately, the biggest point of GAPP is to create those relationships.”
The Germans arrived in the U.S. and spent a few days in Chicago before coming to Stoughton. Once here, they participated in many activities to get to know
the town. They also went on trips to Madison, Milwaukee, and Dubuque,
to spend time at a German Heritage Walking tour, Discovery World Museum, and the Mississippi River Museum.
Lotta Hagemann, Annika Essmeier, and Marwin Krumbeck were a few of the students from Germany who had the opportunity to come to SHS. They have all traveled out of Germany, but this was their first time in the U.S. Hagemann, who is 16 years old and in 11th grade, was paired with senior Lily Tuttle. Although they may not be in corresponding grade levels, the German students attended the classes of their exchange partners regardless.
Hagemann’s time in Stoughton was short, but she became very fond of our small town.
“It’s so pretty. I like it a lot. It’s prettier than Chicago,” Hagemann said.
Essmeier is 15 and in the 11th grade. She partnered with senior Lexi Tinsman.
Essemeier said that SHS is very different than school in Germany, as there is less pressure to get good grades and more relaxed work time. She’s also a big fan of the stores and fast food locations.
“Culver’s and Taco Bell are the best,” Essemeier said.
Essmeier’s favorite experience in Stoughton was the Senior Night football game.
“All the different shouts you do from this school are so fun. I couldn’t stop laughing at the banana one, but the whole experience of the game, from the entrance of the players to watching the cheerleaders and the dance team, was just fantastic. […] It will definitely stay in my
memory,” Essemeier said.
Tinsman’s favorite part during her time with Essmeier this month was being able to share all of her favorite things.
“I’ve shown her places like Culver’s and Screaming Acres. We have also visited Madison and many local stores and restaurants like Fosdal’s,” Tinsman said.
Krumbeck is 16 years old and in 10th grade. He partnered with junior Andy Quam.
“Chicago was a thing that I will remember for
my whole life, it’s just a beautiful city with things we don’t have in Germany. All [of] the towers and the views are just amazing,” Krumbeck said. “[Stoughton is] a little town, but I like it. The people are nice and you have very cute shops.”
The Germans left Stoughton on the morning of Oct. 13. Although there were mixed thoughts about Chicago, Stoughton was loved by every German who stayed here. Thanks to GAPP, both the German and American students have many new experiences and friendships that they will remember for a lifetime.