German exchange students leave Valley

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Neighbors | Submitted.Some of the Ohio hosts (from left to right) Brittany Bailing, Boardman; Taylor Hanigosky, Boardman; Ceanna Ingram, Austintown; Rachel Jones, Austintown; April Arquilla, Austintown; Collin Bartley, Austintown; Lindsay Pauline, Austintown; Allison Henline, Austintown; and Kevin Homistek, Austintown are prepared to meet their German partners. .

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Neighbors | Submitted.After 11 days, an acquaintance developed into friendship. Taylor Hanigosky, Boardman and her German partner Danielle Saat say goodbye. .

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Neighbors | Submitted.At the Rotary Club of Austintown, the students and teachers signed a book which will be given in their name to one of the Austintown elementary schools..Pictured are (front row, eft to right) Dr. Volker Manz from Germany; Sieglinde Warren, Exchange Coordinator from Poland; Deanna Spirko, President, Rotary Club of Austintown; Hubertus Luke, from Germany (row two, from left to right) Helen Sprengel, Germany; Allison Henline, Fitch and Helen’s host; Luis Lichtenberg, Germany and Kevin Homistek, Luis’ host.

“Everyone was so friendly to me.”

“The people were all so nice and friendly.”

“We were always welcome.”

Those are just a few of the reactions of 12 German high school students and two of their teachers as they said good-bye to Boardman, Fitch and Poland high schools and their host families after an 11-day Thanksgiving visit to the United States.

The group from the Gesamtschule in Hennef, Germany, was the seventh from that school to make the Thanksgiving season exchange. Arrangements for the exchange were made by Volker Manz and Hubertus Luke in Germany and Sieglinde Warren in Poland, with the cooperation of Boardman and Fitch High School staff, students, teachers and administrators. The exchange began the Saturday before Thanksgiving and ended with the students leaving for Germany on Nov. 30.

During their time in the U.S., in addition to attending classes with their American hosts, the Germans experienced a number of unique activities exposing them to American culture.

A number of students attended the CATS production at Boardman High School. Many students saw the movie, “High School Musical,” and were now able to experience an actual high school musical. The students and families participated in a potluck dinner on their last evening in Ohio, as well as the traditional Thanksgiving activities enjoyed by American families.

Several students and their hosts shared their experiences the Rotary Club of Austintown.

A highlight of the visit was a trip to Washington D.C. where the students saw a piece of the Berlin Wall, which for some of the German students was a first. Boardman and Fitch students who hosted the Germans will travel to Hennef in June for a 10-day visit. While there, the students will live in the homes of those they hosted. Friendships will be renewed and the Americans will be exposed to German culture and customs.