Pleasant Valley High School recently welcomed 11 students and three chaperones from Germany through the German American Partnership Program, an exchange program that lasted two weeks.

GAPP, a nonprofit high school exchange program sponsored by the German Foreign Office and the U.S. Department of State, integrates students into the everyday life of host families and into the classroom activities.Students stayed with host families within the school district and attended classes at PVHS.The German students shared some of their impressions. Most agreed their favorites were a trip to Dorney Park and New York City. Caroline Kueker, 16, loved the food and the time spent with new friends. Raphael Hoerner, 17, said his favorite thing was football. He got to watch a lot of it on television, attended a PV Bears football game and was thrilled to practice with the PV team. Louisa Schneider also enjoyed the Bears football game and loved driving a four-wheeler.One difference is that American teenagers can drive at 16, while the Germans have to wait until 18.Another difference noted by Leon Buermeyer, 15, is, "They can play better basketball than me because basketball is an American sport."Several agreed with Hoerner who said, "Sports is more important than education to the American student."Marvin Jung, 17, said that the German high schools do not have sports at school. They do that in their free time or in a sport club.Jung was amazed at how the Pleasant Valley students thought of the German students as celebrities."They were like: 'OMG, you are a German! That's so amazing! I want to take a picture with you.'" he said.More educationLinda Wilhelm, 15, thought the German students have more education.Hoerner said, "The school (here) teaches their students in most classes by using presentations from a computer and the kids don't do much. The things they learn are easier and they learn it more slowly."Annalena Held, 17 observed that the systems are totally different."American high school is much easier. Education is not that important like it is in Germany. There is a different relationship between teachers and students."Miranda Ford, the PVHS German teacher, GHS Advisor, GAPP Coordinator, says she's not surprised by the Germans' view of our education system."The Germans have a much more rigorous system of education than we do, and seem far more intrinsically motivated to perform well in school. Mr. Becker, their teacher/chaperone stayed with me for these two weeks and I had many discussions with him about their system of education in Germany. He mentioned that America is still 'the land of opportunity' where everyone can generally get a job despite a lack of education," said Ford."The same is not true in Germany. It is a small country, and each student is competing with the next to get whatever job they seek. You snooze, you lose, basically, and the students know this and work their hardest to outperform their peers."All the students commented on how well they were treated by their host families."I never met so friendly a people," Kueker said. "For example, on my first school day, my host mum gave me a hug and said, 'You are my daughter for two weeks.'""Yes, all the people were very friendly. The students in school were very excited to meet us. Everyone wanted to have pictures with us and wanted to know as much as they can about us," said Cleo Uloettschen, 17.Ford believes the visit was a huge success for the German contingent and PVHS student body."I think it's not only important but critical for students learning another language and culture to have an opportunity to engage with people from that culture. There is no better way to learn a language than immersing oneself in the culture, and 56 minutes a day in a classroom setting just doesn't cut it.""Students need to experience the culture in the eyes of native speakers from their own age group, and that is exactly what this program serves to accomplish," she says.