"Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it" — Mental Health Theme Weekend at the Boarding School - Steinmühle

“Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it” — Mental Health Theme Weekend at the Boarding School

Life at Boarding School, Sports & Health

It’s raining. The Steinmühle is shrouded in a gray haze; it’s wet and cold. The sun rarely peeks out from behind the clouds. That makes it all the more important to take good care of your well-being during this gloomy time of year.

And that is exactly what the educational team and the Steinmühlen student body did during the mental health-themed weekend. These themed weekends take place regularly at the boarding school and are becoming increasingly popular among the boarding school community. In preparation, the educational team conducts extensive research on the respective topics and develops a customized program for Steinmühle. Creative, athletic, and playful activities are designed to help students develop an awareness of their mental well-being. The methods they learn can provide support during stressful everyday situations or challenging life phases. The theme of this weekend was “happiness.”

“Happiness is the only thing that doubles when you share it.”
Albert Schweitzer, physician and philosopher (1875–1965)

“What is happiness?” “Am I happy?” “How can I become happy?” “What can I do to feel happier?” These are big questions that certainly cannot be fully answered in a single weekend and that often require a personal approach. But the educational team did everything they could to provide the students with valuable insights and strategies for everyday life. To this end, the boarding school invited two experts whose workshops made the weekend exciting and varied.

“Communication That Brings Happiness” by Elke Behrendt

“Hi everyone, I’m Elke.” With her approachable manner and her strong, positive presence, Elke Behrendt made an immediate good impression and left people eager to learn more. Elke Behrendt is an independent skills trainer who provides high-quality coaching. She supports companies and individuals very successfully and with a great deal of passion. “With my authenticity, passion, empathy, and experience, I champion the ‘opportunities’ that arise amid constantly changing social and economic conditions. Breaking new ground and encouraging others to do the same is what drives me.”

Elke Behrendt also wants to encourage the students at Steinmühlen: “Being happy is a conscious decision you can make.” With this simple statement, the trainer highlights that a happier life is possible through one’s own positive efforts. In her workshops, she gave the students some amazing tips on how to create a more positive overall situation simply through communication.

“Healthy Snacks That Make You Happy”

Sunday kicked off with a session led by nutritionist Stephanie Hartlieb. She led a workshop in which she first discussed the topic of nutrition and explained which foods can lead to greater well-being and which can lead to less. Theory was followed by practice, and the students made their own healthy snacks that could hold their own against chips and chocolate. Everyone was amazed at how quickly and easily delicious snacks could be prepared.

In addition to the workshops, there were other activities on the topic of happiness, which were well received. In the end, everyone agreed: It was a successful themed weekend that will linger in some people’s minds for a long time to come.

31. January 2023

Plus-MINT Math Camp at the Steinmühle

Life at Boarding School, News, STEM, Talent Development

From January 16–19, the Math Camp took place in Marburg as part of the plus-MINT talent development program. Steinmühle, as the host and organizer, offered the 20 students from the plus-MINT boarding schools Birklehof, Louisenlund, Schulpforte, and St. Afra a very varied program.

Workshops in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Philipps University of Marburg

During her workshop at the University of Marburg, Prof. Dr. Agricola discussed the “mathematics of voting.”

The workshop led by Prof. Dr. Oliver Goertsche at the University of Marburg focused on geometry, topology, and spherical triangles. According to Prof. Dr. Goertsche, this material is covered in the fourth semester of the mathematics program and proved quite challenging for the participants of the plus-MINT Camp.

“The workshop was impressive; I’m a big fan of theoretical mathematics, and the content really challenged me,” says Luis, who has been a plus-MINT student at Steinmühle since the summer of 2022.

“I felt the same way—the lectures by the university professors really got my brain working. It’s motivating, and I really enjoy pushing myself to my limits,” agrees Fabian, a student at Steinmühlen.

Dr. Karl-Heinz Muth and Steinmühlen student Clara Steiner offered a completely different perspective on mathematics with their presentation titled “Entertainment Math: You Didn’t See That Coming!”

Field Trip to the Mathematikum in Giessen

During their field trip to the Mathematikum in neighboring Giessen, the students got hands-on. The Mathematikum is the world’s first interactive mathematics museum. About 200 exhibits offer visitors a new perspective on mathematics and invite them to participate. “The Mathematikum was actually closed for renovations, but it made an exception for the plus-MINT students and opened exclusively for us,” says Björn Gemmer, principal of Steinmühle School.

“We were able to try out all the stations; some were very easy, while others were really challenging. You couldn’t tell just by looking at them beforehand, and we were sometimes surprised by the complexity of exhibits that seemed simple at first glance,” Fabian says.

Participation in the “Bolyai” International Mathematics Team Competition

“The ability to work together is a core value in our lives”—this is the motto of the “Bolyai” math team competition, in which the plus-MINT students participated as part of the math camp at Steinmühle. The challenge was to work as a team to solve challenging math problems within a set time limit.

The students from Louisenlund and Schulpforte secured a spot in the top 10 thanks to their team effort.

Mathematical City Scavenger Hunt Through Marburg’s Upper Town

Marburg offers visitors several impressive sights: St. Elizabeth’s Church, the Old University, the Landgrave’s Castle, and the Old Town—known in Marburg as the “Oberstadt”—located below it.

The plus-MINT students got to know the Upper Town, with its picturesque alleys, colorful half-timbered houses, and hidden squares, during a math-themed city scavenger hunt. Together, they completed various tasks and immersed themselves in Marburg’s fascinating history.

We wrapped up the evening with a group dinner and a get-together in the tea room

The three-course candlelit dinner and the get-together provided a lovely conclusion to our time together and gave us yet another opportunity to catch up. “It was really nice to see the other plus-MINT students again and talk about our experiences at the boarding schools,” says Clara, a student from Steinmühle.

“We felt very comfortable and welcome at the Steinmühle, and interacting with the other plus-MINT students was very inspiring,” say Johanna and Paula from St. Afra.

“Yes, I completely agree, and spending the night in the gym added a touch of adventure to the whole thing! I’m already looking forward to the next plus-MINT Camp and can’t wait to see where we’ll get to go,” says Aaron from St. Afra.

PlusMINT – What’s Next? Selection Days at Birklehof in Early April 2023

It’s that time of year again in April, and the new plus-MINT candidates will have the opportunity to showcase their talents during the selection days at the Birklehof.

“We deliberately take plenty of time to get to know the students. We conduct research, experiment, and build things together. Afterward, the selection committee decides whether to admit them to the program,” explains Sven Meier, plus-MINT project manager.

In addition to interest and aptitude, the evaluation criteria include extracurricular involvement in STEM fields, personality and social skills, as well as a willingness to actively participate in the plus-MINT program.

For more information, visit: www.plus-mint.de

Steinmühle is already looking forward to welcoming the new plus-MINT students—and, of course, to the next plus-MINT camp!