Great news from this year’s practical high school graduation exam in track and field: Benjamin Schul (center) set a new school record in the high jump with a leap of 1.85 meters. “He jumped higher than most of us—and he’s not even a track and field athlete,” reported Marcel Kalb, head of school sports. Hats off to you, Benjamin. That sets a new standard for Steinmühle!
Some enjoy competing, while others see it more as an opportunity to try out a sport. The Federal Youth Games and the Steinmühle Sports Day were perfect for all of this. As is tradition, most of the activities took place at the Georg Gassmann Stadium. The facilities and weather provided ideal conditions, making the sporting events an active and enjoyable break from the school routine. Both individual and team sports were on the agenda, and medals and certificates were awarded. School athletic director Marcel Kalb was able to count on reliable support from the faculty for the organization and execution of the events and shared various photos. — Thank you very much for these snapshots!
From June 6 to June 9, a delegation from Steinmühlen traveled to the MINT Campus 2024 in Louisenlund: Maya Fischer (Grade 7), Anna-Lena Griesler (Grade 8), Jonathan Kurz (11th grade), and Fabian Sotonica (12th grade) set off on the long journey to the Baltic Sea with their chaperones, Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf and Dr. Sven Freibert, where they had the opportunity to enjoy a fantastic program combined with a pleasant atmosphere.
After the project booths were set up for the upcoming fair, the official program kicked off on Friday morning with a keynote talk by Dr. Caroline Rodenbeck from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) on the KATRIN experiment and neutrino mass—a complex topic presented in a clear and accessible way. This was followed by the main event—the fair, where everyone had the opportunity to present their current projects to a jury and the public. The event was divided into three categories: Math/Computer Science/Engineering; Biology/Environmental Sciences; and Physics/Chemistry. The wide range of topics provided ample opportunity for interesting discussions.
Shortly after the fair ended, an evening program began with a pub quiz, where participants had to answer questions from various categories in small groups at their tables. This was a pleasant way to get to know each other better. Afterward, we had time until midnight to chat with other participants outside the “school” setting, which created a relaxed atmosphere.
Workshops and Relaxation
On Saturday, the event began with workshops on various topics, followed by another keynote talk by Prof. Dr. Mira Pöhlker from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research on the topic of aerosols, and the event concluded with the awards ceremony. In the Biology/Environmental Sciences category, Fabian Sotonica won the prize for his “Boat” project. Maya Fischer and Anna-Lena Griesler received the prize in the Physics/Chemistry category. These were truly great achievements that we were all delighted to celebrate!
Last but not least, even the audience voted for Maya & Anna-Lena, so they can call themselves the “Winners of the Hearts.”
After a brief wrap-up with snacks, the plan was to go sailing as an optional extra activity, but that literally fell through. Unfortunately, due to the weather, this part of the program had to be canceled. Nevertheless, we were able to relax with a few games and snacks and bring our stay at Louisenlund to a close. Over the course of these just under four days, a truly wonderful sense of community developed, and we’re all glad we were there! After saying our goodbyes the next morning, we set off on our journey back to Marburg.
Anna-Lena Griesler & Maya Fischer
On June 6, the junior election for the European Parliament took place at the Steinmühle under bright sunshine. Subject teacher Eva Katharina Rink reports:
It’s no wonder that, with such beautiful election weather, voter turnout was a gratifying 83 percent. But we also have our hardworking election volunteers to thank for this, as well as those who were willing to help out with the junior elections:
Baris Cem Tutu, Jonathan Eckardt, Jan Templer, and Anton Neßler enjoyed their work as election volunteers so much that the junior elections were even completed earlier than originally scheduled. The four young men from Dr. Claudia Röder’s Political Science elective class stood out for their dedication, organizational skills, knowledge, and sense of humor.
Fun While Voting
So the two accompanying teachers, Jessica Schumann and Eva Katharina Rink, didn’t get bored either. On the contrary—the atmosphere at the junior election at Steinmühle was warm, cheerful, and lively. That’s what makes voting fun!
However, the following students should also be mentioned:
Ben Luis Peters, Jannis David Bastian, Fabian Gutmann, and Andreas Fabian Wöhr also wanted to serve as junior election workers, and some of them—including Ben Luis Peters—had already demonstrated their commitment to democracy and their diverse skills during the previous junior elections in the fall of 2023, held in conjunction with the Hessian state legislative elections. Constantin Mensing also served as an election worker during the junior election for the state legislative election and left a very positive impression.
A thank you for your hard work
Eva Katharina Rink, the English and social studies teacher who was primarily responsible for organizing and conducting the junior elections, would like to take this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to the people mentioned above. Without you, these junior elections would not have been possible—you’re the best! 😊
The results of the junior elections at Steinmühle were also outstanding, especially when compared to the overall results of all participating schools in Germany. At Steinmühle, in fact, a clear victory for the democratic parties is emerging. Although the AfD also gained ground here (4.9 percent), it lags significantly behind the other parties. A nationwide trend is also evident at Steinmühle: The Greens are the losers of this election and have lost many votes compared to previous junior elections at Steinmühle (18.2 percent), but they are still the third-strongest party and thus well ahead of the FDP (10.5 percent).
The results for the CDU, which emerged as the leading party at Steinmühle, are also noteworthy (23.8 percent) and the SPD, which, with 19.2 percent, is clearly the second-strongest party and can certainly be described as the winner of the election, as it has made significant gains at Steinmühle compared to previous junior elections.
To Promote Democracy
The result for the Volt party is also noteworthy, as it is tied with the AfD (4.9 percent).
With 3.8 percent of the vote, Die Linke is considered the loser at Steinmühle, and Sahra Wagenknecht’s party (BSW) also managed to secure only 3.1 percent of the vote. It thus trails Die Linke by a narrow margin.
Other parties received a total of 11.5 percent. The exact results can be found in the chart on the right. This result is typically high for our school. This year’s junior elections were, of course, particularly exciting, as 16- and 17-year-olds were also allowed to vote for the first time in the “real” European elections.
The Junior Election (www.juniorwahl.de) is viewed as a project to promote democracy, and given the enthusiasm shown by the Steinmühlen students on Election Day, one can definitely agree with this assessment.
The organizers of the junior elections at Steinmühle hope that the rest of the student body and faculty share this view, and that the enthusiasm and commitment to our wonderful and exciting democracy at our school will continue to grow in the years to come.
Congratulations on their podium finish: Marc Weber (RuS Steinmühle Marburg) and Jonas Gelsen (RC Nassovia Höchst) won the silver medal in the doubles event at the final World Cup before the Olympic Games in Poznan, Poland! In a thrilling race, the German duo demonstrated their outstanding skills against a world-class field.
In the race, Marc and his rowing partner clocked a time of 6:27.72 minutes, securing second place behind the Irish team, which took first place with a time of 6:25.28 minutes. The New Zealand team followed closely behind with a time of 6:28.41.
Winning the silver medal is a major achievement for “our” two guys and gives them a huge boost of motivation for the upcoming Olympic Games. The duo is officially competing this season under the name “Lottozweier,” as Lotto Hessen is so convinced of the athletes’ rowing abilities that the company has joined their ranks of supporters as part of a sponsorship agreement.
Tenth-graders visit an exhibition about Marburg’s sister city, Moshi, with their teacher, María Ramos
On June 12, María Ramos and the students from Steinmühle—who had spent eight weeks in Tanzania earlier this year—visited the photo exhibition on Moshi at Galerie Haspelstraße eins.
Seeing these familiar images stirred up emotions that led to comments such as “Recognition, familiarity, nostalgia—that’s just Tanzania.” Viewing the exhibits gave them an opportunity to reflect on their own experiences.
The students talk about the projects they took part in at the One World School Kilimanjaro. They had been staying there—at Steinmühle’s partner school—during their time there. Now they’re experts on German-Tanzanian history, with a focus on colonization.
Every project should culminate in a creative product. Whether skulls made of clay or African masks, or fossil reproductions—everything should also serve as inspiration for other schools, for the Tanzanian audience and listeners of these presentations—but also for German politicians such as Deputy Foreign Minister Katja Keul, who was currently paying an official visit to Tanzania.
During a reflection session held in conjunction with the exhibition, the students shared what they had brought back to Germany from Tanzania in their “suitcases”:
“You learn to be grateful, even though the experience was also wonderful.”
“I’ve discovered something new about myself—just how adaptable I am.”
“I now have a realistic picture of Africa that isn’t portrayed in the media.”
“We have too many things; material possessions aren’t that important.”
“Spending the day without media wasn’t bad at all; on the contrary, we talked so much with each other.”
“It was an adjustment, a challenge, but the experience was worth it.”
These were the words of our participants, all of whom grew a little through this experience.
We look forward to welcoming new generations of students who would also like to have this experience so they can return with “a suitcase full of memories.” Future 10th graders interested in a trip to Tanzania should contact María Ramos or Principal Björn Gemmer.
(María Ramos)
On a regular basis, exceptionally talented students from schools in Hesse present their research findings on specific topics at the Center for Chemistry’s (ZFC) MINT Inventor Lab. This year, our plusMINT student Clara Steiner was among the group of 16 students who were selected from a total of 237 applicants. Clara, a student at the plus-MINT Steinmühle Boarding School and already a college student majoring in mathematics, spent a week working on the production and analysis of photocatalytically active titanium dioxide layers. According to her, the experience gave her “insights into real research.”
For Clara, the journey to this year’s venue for the 35th Inventors’ Lab wasn’t very far: It took place in cooperation between ZFC and Philipps University in the departments of chemistry and physics on the Lahnberge in Marburg. Four groups of four each focused on different research topics, and Clara was especially looking forward to getting to know her three teammates so she could work with them as a team.
Titanium Dioxide: The All-Purpose Solution of the Future?
The quartet began their presentation of the research project to a predominantly virtual audience with a question: What do sunscreen, wall paint, and solar panels have in common? The answer led to the substance that was the subject of their joint study: titanium dioxide, TiO₂.
The goal was to determine whether this substance might be the “jack-of-all-trades” of the future: a versatile material that is thermally stable, has high coloring and opacity, is lightfast, and is practically insoluble in water. Of these, photocatalysis is arguably the most important property—that is, the ability to trigger chemical reactions through light. All of this explains the use of titanium dioxide in the aforementioned areas. Titanium dioxide is produced by electrolysis, is inexpensive, and is the most important white pigment. The young researchers examined the substance under a scanning electron microscope and focused on the production and analysis of photocatalytically active titanium dioxide layers. Thanks to its properties, the material could potentially contribute to the development of more efficient methods of energy conversion. However, according to Clara and her colleagues, a great deal of research is still needed before that can happen.
“Directly relevant to science”
The event was broadcast on multiple screens. Not only did the team from Steinmühle, led by supervisor Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf, follow the presentations, but Minister of Culture Armin Schwarz also joined virtually. He praised the participants’ outstanding achievements and described the topics covered in the Inventors’ Lab as “directly relevant to the state’s scientific and economic development.” The minister provided feedback to one of the four groups. The feedback for Clara and her team came from Michael Schmidt (Elkamet Kunststofftechnik). He emphasized that the presentation had excellently illustrated the wide range of applications for titanium dioxide and had also shown just how much fun and enjoyment the group had while conducting their research.
In addition to the technical presentations, the scientific event also offered plenty of entertainment. It wasn’t just the pedal boat ride on the Lahn River—which participants enjoyed during their free time at the research retreat—that was well received. In keeping with the overall theme, during the live broadcast, hosts Joelina Gärtner and Pablo del Rio—both MINTIES themselves—welcomed chemist and science slammer Arne Nisters from TU Darmstadt.
Opening remarks were delivered by Prof. Dr. Sabine Pankuweit, Vice President for Equal Opportunity and Career Development at Philipps University of Marburg; Dr. Thomas Schneidermeier from the event organizer, the Center for Chemistry (ZFC); and Julia Woth from the State Energy Agency (LEA) of Hesse. Videos and Reels were also used to explain how MINTIES work at the ZFC and what they hope to achieve.
Goal: STEM Assessment Competence
ZFC Board Member Dr. Thomas Schneidermeier emphasized how important it is to equip young people with STEM critical thinking skills so they can contextualize media headlines in the context of new technologies. For him and ZFC Project Manager Magdalena Schmitt, it is important to collaborate with schools, universities, companies, associations, foundations, and ministries on STEM projects for students, linking traditional classroom content with career fields in the STEM sector in everyday life. In this way, the ZFC association aims to help ensure a sufficient supply of STEM professionals.
A spectacular performance: Our girls in Competition Class III won the regional round of the “Youth Trains for the Olympics” competition, thereby qualifying for the state finals.
At the regional tournament, the team recorded three wins against Taunusschule, Gesamtschule Schlitzerland, and FvSS Wetzlar, along with two ties against IGS Busecker Tal and Gymnasium Oberursel, which won the state championship two years ago.
As always, Coach Lothar Potthoff’s team played with great dedication and shone thanks to a cohesive team effort.
The Hesse regional competition will take place on June 19 in Frankfurt. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!
Congratulations to our trio of researchers—Luis Gerloni, Fabian Sotonica, and Clara Steiner from the plus-MINT boarding school Steinmühle—on winning the special prize for “Original Work in the Field of Geosciences” at the national “Jugend forscht” competition in Heilbronn! We’ll be posting a report about your unforgettable four days and all the experiences you had on our website soon!
Looking back on the past six months, certain events stand out in particular.
“Bringing joy to the stage—that’s the goal of this event,” announced organizer Frank Wemme before the start of “Bands On Stage.” The performers more than lived up to this self-imposed standard that evening. The Steinmühle hosted what was arguably one of the highest-quality music events in recent memory. The photos speak for themselves.
It was a mix of participants of various ages, including performers who presented different musical genres, as well as bands whose performances had more differences than similarities. And yet, acoustically, the evening felt like a cohesive whole. Everything fell into place; nothing was left to chance. Perhaps this is exactly what joy looks like when rehearsal isn’t perceived as a burden or a source of stress. When students have been musically active for quite some time—in some cases, in the same band lineup—it suggests that personal passion is at play here. Performing were Anna Steinfeldt & Svea Turba, Larry & the Loud Tree Frogs, the 5th and 6th-grade club band, the Jazz Ensemble, and the StoneMill House Band. Students from grades 5 through 13 brought a diverse program of pop, rock, and jazz to the stage.
They could have made it easier on themselves, since the participants didn’t exactly choose easy songs. For example, they performed “Shine Bright Like a Diamond,” followed by “Smoke on the Water” for a change of pace, as well as Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect,” which gave the audience goosebumps, much like “Stay,” also by Rihanna. It was the instrumental and vocal skills, but it was also the selection of songs that made this evening such a success. “Besame mucho,” “Feeling Good,” “Killing Me Softly,” “Rocket Man”—all these pieces simply sound top-notch when the music and vocals are truly on point. It was a major challenge that the performers took on—and they rose to it! The audience rewarded every performance with well-deserved applause throughout, and Tobias Karlein from the school administration team was also thrilled. Guys and girls, you could even perform this program for an outside audience!
The musical performances that evening were visually enhanced by our reliable “Sound & Light” team, consisting of Christian and Jonathan.
Do you have questions about the school?
School Administration & Management
Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20
Do you have questions about the boarding school?
Boarding School Administration & Management
Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0
Do you have questions about the school?
School Administration & Management
Björn Gemmer & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-20
Do you have questions about the boarding school?
Boarding School Administration & Management
Anke Muszynski & Dirk Konnertz
Phone: 06421 408-0
