German exchange scheme is 25 years old
STUDENTS and staff at Market Bosworth’s Dixie Grammar School have been celebrating the 25th year of their Exchange Programme with their German partner school.
A total of 25 German students and staff from the school in Jaderberg visited the school in September as part of their annual trip.
Poignantly, one of the German teachers, Manfred Krusch, who was responsible for the very first exchange 25 years ago, will be visiting the UK for the last time as he looks to retire at the end of the German school year.
Dixie was also delighted to welcome back former exchange student Lena Freytag who took part in the exchange 17 years ago.
To mark the celebration, the entire school were invited to see early pictures of the exchange and stories of friendships made through the programme, as well as providing 350 celebratory cakes for every student in the school and visiting students, with a further giant cake to feed all 52 members of staff and overseas guests.
Dixie Grammar also presented the German school with a special commemorative plaque to be displayed back home.
The Jade Gymnasium, of Jaderberg, kindly presented all participants with a celebratory t-shirt and the visit culminated in the traditional Germany vs England football match, with a successful English win.
The relationship between the two schools was born through a friendship between Isobel Willmott and a girl from the Bremen area, who had been working as an au pair in Market Bosworth.
When her husband, Richard Willmott, became headmaster of the Dixie Grammar School, Isobel got in touch with her old friend.
Ever since, German and English students have taken it in turns each year to make the journey to each other’s country and spend a week living with their family, going into school and visiting the area’s attractions.
Mrs Jenny Field, Head of German, said, “This remarkable milestone is testament to the strength of foreign languages at Dixie.
“German is such an important language and I am delighted that our students realise this.
“It is their positive attitude, along with all the support we receive from generous parents, our own dedicated staff and the excellent team at the Jade Gymnasium, which have made this wonderful exchange so successful. Here’s to the next 25 years!”