German students enjoy time at BD

Students learn about life in America

This year was the third year Ben Davis has participated in the German American Partnership Program (GAPP). GAPP is a non-profit high school exchange program sponsored by the German Foreign Office and the U.S. Department of State.

More than 300,000 students and more than 800 schools have participated and it is still growing. GAPP provides students with an intercultural experience.

This year Ben Davis welcomed 10 German students. Their names are Johanna Bitter, Mirco HIppel, Simon Ruppel, Julia Rudek, Jan Homberg, Leon Heins, Katharina SaB, Holly Heine, Jana Helen Walter and Kathrin Hennemann.

“People were so friendly here. Some were weird, but everyone was really nice,” Rubek said.

Ben Davis is very different to the high schools in Germany. Many of the German students loved all the many opportunities and choices that Ben Davis has. Things like our band program, the yearbook program and Career Center do not exist in Germany. Another thing that they appreciated here at our school was the relationships that students have with their teachers. Walter explained that back in her own high school there is no such thing as a teacher-student relationship.

“The teachers here are very nice. My favorite classes are theater and mass media. I love the band here too,” she said.

The German students really loved being here and are sad that they are leaving.  Their last day at Ben Davis is today.

Although they miss their family and friends they wished they could stay longer and enjoy more of our school. Most of them that they will definitely come back if they had a chance.

“I miss my family but I don’t want to leave,” Rudek said.