Wunderbar Deutschland: First Germany Exchange at SHP a Success

SHP has just launched its first ever exchange program with Schiller Gymnasium in Pforzheim, Germany. This initiative recently brought German students to SHP, creating a unique cross-cultural experience for everyone involved.
The exchange has been a lively addition to SHP’s community life, with students from Schiller attending a range of classes and clubs. This includes the Y period Exchange Group where they made traditional German food in the Hearth every Thursday. The four German students – Eva, Zoe, Cristoffe, and Karl-Lukas – taught those interested how to make spaetzle, a dish similar to mac and cheese, and kaiserschmarrn, a delicious cross between scrambled eggs and pancakes. Ms. Krista Hinton, ASC Teacher and the Director of Global Exchange, expressed the following: “What I really want to happen every time we have kids visiting [is] for the exchange students to be able to share something meaningful from home, and I think the most comfortable way for students to do that is to share food. Food just really connects people to their sense of home.”
The impetus for the Schiller-Sacred Heart exchange came from Frauka Janssen, a former Sacred Heart Preparatory mother. In 2016, Janssen founded an organization in Germany known as GoldenHearts, whose mission is to provide aid to the refugee community, especially women and children. The problem of displacement is especially relevant in Germany, as the country has recently experienced an immigration influx. Currently, Germany is the largest refugee hosting country in the European Union and the third largest in the world. Through a variety of programs, such as a bike riding initiative, small German classes, and childcare, GoldenHearts is making a large impact on the lives of displaced individuals.
At the moment, Janssen’s wonderful program is running in 12 locations across the country, in cities such as Pforzheim, Mülacker, and Ulm. While visiting, Sacred Heart students were able to log 12 service hours at GoldenHearts by aiding displaced women and children from across the world. Hinton admitted that “for a few years, [she’s] been wanting to establish an exchange with a school that has more going on, where we have some sort of shared goal, or something more we can accomplish. And the way to really do that is to tie in some sort of service element, connecting with a local organization, to just get a taste of something else and find out what issues are important to that community.” The exchange was certainly a success, and SHP students reported feeling “inspired by the experience.” They described how “connecting with [their] German counterparts gave [them] new perspectives on both global issues and [their] own personal lives,” and how they would “highly recommend this program or one similar [to it].”
Participating in one of the school’s many exchange programs can have a variety of positive outcomes, both for the individual and the community. For one, Ms. Hinton noticed students gained “a lot of self awareness and independence” from the experience. She explained, “It’s different than going on a trip with family, [because] you’re in someone’s home that feels nothing like yours, and you have to navigate intimate spaces, like kitchens, grandma’s house, and classrooms that have different norms. This unique opportunity pushes students beyond the comfort of familiar environments and allows them to view the world — and themselves — in new ways.” Additionally, she found that students became “much more sensitive [people] and better [observers]; upon [their] return home, so many students are like ‘wow, I never knew that about my family,’ or ‘I never really understood it,’ or, ‘our school has these certain traditions and values that I’m seeing in a different light,’” ultimately exemplifying the newfound perspective and matured views that participants return with. However, it is essential to acknowledge that “sometimes it’s hard, like sometimes people come back and they’re like, ‘wow, I don’t know if I like some of the values that are in my community.’ Or, sometimes they come back grasping really tightly to one or two things that they missed.”
Looking ahead, Hinton hopes “to continue the Sacred Heart-Schiller program, and it seems like the school in Germany wants to continue as well.” She reflects that eight students – four Americans with four German partners — “is a good number, and having a little cohort is a positive experience for everybody. You get to know that crew of people and share a really meaningful experience.” The Sacred Heart network has more than 150 schools in 40 countries across the world, and Prep’s robust exchange program works actively with about 20 other schools. Although Schiller Gymnasium is not technically part of the Sacred Heart network, students were nonetheless able to be involved in the Schiller community for three weeks, ultimately having a fantastic time. One participant recounted how she’d “never done anything like this before; the chance to be in a foreign country immersed in a completely different culture was both challenging and exciting. I came back with a better understanding of who I am and my place in the world, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!”
Currently, this specific program is only available to sophomores, but that shouldn’t deter anyone from signing up for one of the Prep’s various other exchanges. A student interest meeting for the summer of 2025 and the 2025-2026 academic year will be held on October 3 during Y period. Applications for certain programs will be due on October 21, and any following due dates or information will be published on the Exchange Schoology Group. As always, Hinton is available for more details about the upcoming opportunities.