Immersion Excursion

Our Euro-Travelers got some publicity in the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune today, complete with a a photo! "Frau" Bobbette Timmermann, Carter's German teacher, contributed a nice story summarizing their immersion excursion this summer. Enjoy... Someday Carter might get his own photos and "story" uploaded for you!


Students participate in German immersion program


WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A group of 14 Assumption High School German students experienced an unforgettable month during an educational and cultural German immersion program in Landshut, Germany. As part of the German-American Partnership Program (GAPP), these students stayed at the homes of the German students who had visited them in Wisconsin Rapids during April 2014.

Assumption German students attended classes June 15 to July 9 at the Hans-Leinberger Gymnasium (university prep high school), toured local industries (BMW and the Wittmann Brewery), visited an elementary school and took field trips to sites of historical, cultural and religious significance, such as Regensburg, the Bavarian Forest, Dachau, Berchtesgaden, and Füssen among others. The group also attended Mass at the famous Rococo Wieskirche at which two of the trip participants were honored with the request to serve Mass that day.

Besides gaining first-hand knowledge of a typical German school day and German family life, Assumption students also gave presentations about the city of Wisconsin Rapids, the American school system, hunting, Wisconsin sites, products of Wisconsin, as well as peoples of Wisconsin (e.g. German immigrants, Native Americans, Amish and Hmong) in our state. Eating new foods, dealing with the highs and lows of public transportation, and learning a different way of school and home life had a positive impact on both the students and families involved in the exchange.

The GAPP exchange between Assumption High School and the Hans-Leinberger Gymnasium has existed since 1994. Assumption students receive academic credit for their international experience. In April 2016, Assumption will host another group of students and their teachers from Landshut.

This summer’s participants were Carter Austin, Leah Becker, Shania Beenken, Ashley Bohn, Nathaniel Clark, Tyler Erdmann, Maria Gudelis, Jasmine Hunn, Trevor Newton, Mason Oertli, Megan Pawelski, Ashley Rustad, Hannah Stetz and McKenna Tiernan. Chaperones were AHS German teacher Bobbette Leu-Timmermann and Gerald Osowski.

Contributed by Bobbette Timmermann, Assumption Catholic Schools, Wisconsin Rapids.