This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

The Germans Are Coming!

SPFHS German teacher organizes international exchange student program.

Scotch Plains and Fanwood aren’t known to be hot spots for international travel, but they are the locations of choice this fall for the dozen German high school students who are participating in a new, two-week international exchange program.

On October 25, a dozen 11th grade students and two English teachers from Johannes Kepler Gymnasium, an elite secondary school in Stuttgart, Germany, will arrive in our little hamlet. Once here, the German teenagers will be paired up with their volunteer American host “siblings,” who are 11th and 12th graders from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

During their stay, the German visitors will reside with and mirror the lives of their hosts. They’ll sit in on classes at the high school, participate in after-school activities, and live the life of a typical American teenager. All of the students speak English fairly well; language is not expected to be a barrier.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The program is being organized by Cranford resident Dorothy Orme, who has taught German for 20 years and recently joined the staff of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

“The German students will get to experience our culture and school system, and it will also give them a chance to improve their English,” Orme said. “Aside from their regular daily routine, we’re planning some special activities for them. There will be a welcoming dinner at St. Bart’s Church when they arrive and a farewell brunch or lunch at the high school. In between they’ll have a chance to experience our school, Halloween, and football games.”

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The idea for the program came about thanks to Orme and Sybille Hoffmann, one of the teachers from Germany who had been to the United States on a Fulbright grant, had applied for a job at SP-F High School, and was interested in establishing it as a “sister school.”

“I brought the program up in my 10th grade classes and there was a lot of enthusiasm,” Orme said. “They really loved the idea of having kids from another country live with them. So, I wrote a letter to the parents explaining the program and asking if anyone would be interested in hosting a German student.”

Jessica Yorkovich, 16, and her family invited one of the exchange students to live with them during the two-week visit.

"I’m a little nervous to have a German exchange student, but more excited," Yorkovich said. "I plan to show her a lot of the places around New Jersey (the mall and the beach), as well as New York City's Statue of Liberty, Times Square, and the Empire State Building.  Also, I think we will do activities such as bowling or just going somewhere and hanging out, which is the more normal daily American life.  I want to show her more of what the daily life is like here in the U.S. I have been e-mailing my exchange student. She is excited to be able to come to visit, but mostly we are getting to know each other so it isn’t so awkward when we meet."
 
Peggy Yorkovich, Jessica's mother, is also looking forward to the Germans' arrival.

"I am very excited about having a German student come stay with us," she said. "I think it will be a great experience for our whole family. It will be very interesting to find out about the differences and similarities in our lives. I hope it will help promote friendship and understanding of different cultures and lifestyles."

The students will return to Germany on November 7. In July 2010, Orme hopes to be able to replicate the program in Stuttgart. While she has not received approval from the school board just yet, she is starting to map out a two-week trip for her American host students to go to Germany and live with their German “siblings.” Since the German school calendar ends later than ours, the SP-F program participants will have a chance to immerse themselves in the German academic landscape as well as experience what life is like over 5,000 miles away. The trip will be fully funded by the individual students and their families.

"I honestly have no idea what life in Germany will be like," said Jessica Yorkevich. "I am curious to see how it compares to our daily life. I know it will be different, but I don’t know how different. I am also looking forward to seeing some of the interesting and different sites in Germany."  

“This kind of program is a great way for kids to have a first-hand experience with the culture,” Orme said. “By living here, the kids will find out how alike they are and that they’re not that different from each other. It could be a life-changing experience. The Germans can compare their education system with ours, and it’s a great opportunity for growth for everyone in so many areas. I know that these sort of programs can be so successful. I’ve been involved with another program similar to this one, and the kids really became fast friends and have formed lasting relationships. We began a little modestly with our fledgling project, but we’re certainly hoping it can become a tradition.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?