Once again this year, a girls’ team from Steinmühle competed in the district school soccer tournament at Georg-Gassmann Stadium for a spot in the regional tournament. At the initiative of Coach Lothar Potthoff (a big thank you for your dedication!), the girls were prepared for the tournament through several training sessions over the past few weeks. Their strong team spirit was evident throughout the tournament, and the team led by the former principal of Ebsdorfergrund Comprehensive School held its own very well on the field as well. Unfortunately, the team lacked the necessary assertiveness up front—not least, according to Lothar Potthoff, because a key player had to withdraw at the last minute due to illness. As a result, after three matches, the team recorded one draw (0–0 against the Europaschule Gladenbach) and two narrow losses (0–1 against the Elisabethschule and 0–2 against the Alfred-Wegener-Schule Kirchhain).

International group of students staged the “Ring Parable” from *Nathan the Wise*

German teacher Dr. Claudia Röder staged the “Ring Parable” from *Nathan the Wise* with 11th-grade students in the advanced math track who are taking German as either a basic or advanced course. This was a challenge in many ways, as the group consists of Syrian, Chinese, Afghan, and German students. Even on its own, the play—which is set in Jerusalem during the Crusades and focuses on humanism and the Enlightenment’s ideals of tolerance—is not easy to perform. Performing in a language other than one’s native tongue presents an additional significant hurdle.

To tackle this as effectively as possible and foster the process of understanding, the international students first read the work in their own native languages. Lessing’s final work, featuring the protagonist Nathan, focuses on exemplary behavior regardless of the situation or religion of those involved—a topic that is both timely and emotional. The actors authentically captured the guidelines—namely, prose language with a style similar to that of modern speech. They also made targeted use of body language as required. The result was a successful and authentically staged production, reported teacher Dr. Claudia Röder. We say: Hats off to this achievement!

Steinmühle aims to provide a new framework for career guidance. “We will place greater emphasis on this area for students from 8th grade through high school,” says Dr. Claudia Röder, the future coordinator of school-based internships.

In 8th grade, the social internship provides students’ first introduction to the world outside of school. It concludes with the writing of a reflective report. As part of a three-week career orientation program, students then work on developing an awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. Contacting the employment office, writing a resume, and preparing a job application are also on the agenda—after all, the goal is to secure a placement for the workplace internship in 9th grade. When the time comes, this phase also concludes with a report written by the students.

In 10th grade, students have the opportunity to discover their own strengths through a three-month internship. Often, choosing a specific advanced course isn’t that easy—but that’s set to change.

Once students reach 11th grade, they receive a Career Choice Passport. This is where they are supposed to document everything that qualifies them—whether inside or outside of school.

 

Social Skills Are Important

“It’s not just the hard criteria that qualify a person; it’s also the soft skills—the social skills,” says Dr. Claudia Röder. This context also encompasses the topics of self-assessment, self-reflection, and peer assessment.

In addition to the tutoring sessions, which play an important and central role, a three-hour test is also offered. This test assesses students’ talents and interests and identifies potential career paths that are a good fit for each individual.

Steinmühle also wants to encourage students to take advantage of the regular career counseling sessions offered at school. During Qualification Phase 1, the Rotary Club’s career fair in the school’s forum is another great opportunity to talk with representatives from various professions and ask specific questions. The college exploration days, which also take place during Qualification Phase 1, make university majors and processes more tangible.

The internship in Qualification Phase 2 concludes with the completion of a business research paper, which, according to Dr. Claudia Röder, allows students to become familiar with a selected topic but also requires them to engage deeply with it.

Steffen Ullwer, a member of the accompanying team, reports on the 8th-grade ski trip to Mayrhofen:

After a long, relaxing bus ride with 69 eighth-graders and ten chaperones, we loaded all the suitcases, backpacks, and students into the gondolas of the Mayrhofner Bergbahn and were taken up to an altitude of just over 1,800 meters. Once there, we were greeted by a breathtaking view, the Gschößwandhaus (our lodging), and a few thrilling experiences.

The students’ first task was to come up with a room assignment plan that would allow them to live together as harmoniously as possible in a confined space—in rustic rooms with up to 15 beds. They managed this fairly quickly, and throughout the week, the social challenge of living together harmoniously was generally handled well, even though the murder mystery game sowed some seeds of mistrust.

The next morning, the students and their homeroom teachers faced their next challenge: skiing! A good third of the students had never been on skis before and quickly learned, in just a few days, how to safely ski down a blue run. The more advanced students refined their technique while exploring the expansive ski area. Some of the homeroom teachers found themselves pushed to the limits of the students’ learning speed and risk tolerance, and were repeatedly amazed by how quickly the students picked things up.

If only it were always like that in math!

A bit of theory in the evening, soccer in the snow, a trip into town, a night hike, an après-ski disco with a campfire, and lots of group games rounded out the sports program, ensuring plenty of variety and plenty of time for socializing. The widespread bout of illness after the trip was just a minor setback—and perhaps the last challenging experience—but it couldn’t dampen the overall excellent atmosphere or the satisfaction with the trip.

With three teams and a total of nine students, Steinmühle was represented this year at the regional “Jugend forscht” competition in Lollar—and with great success. The young researchers had to present their projects to a jury at a booth they had designed themselves.
All participating teams gave compelling presentations and won prizes:

A group of girls from the 11th grade did well in the “Jugend forscht” competition:

Second place in the biology category
went to Lena Noelle Joußen (16), Flûte Seifart (16), and Janina Seip (17) from the 11th grade (advisor: Dr. Dietmar von der Ahe) for their project on:
A Scientific Breakthrough? Could the Larva of the Greater Wax Moth (Galleria mellonella) Be the Solution to the Plastic Problem?

The results of the “Schüler experimentieren” competition were as follows:

1. First place in the chemistry category
   for Morten Köhler (12), Benjamin Schul (13), and Joshua Wieder (12) from class 7a (Advisor: Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf) with the topic:
   Chew Your Way to Health—How Chewing Gum Affects the pH Level in Saliva
2. First Place in Chemistry
   for Mats Böhmer (10), Marvin Preis (11), and Joel Rucker (10) from Class 5b (Advisor: Dr. Jutta Töhl-Borsdorf)
   Topic: Help, acid in juices. Titration of juices

In addition, Steinmühlewon the“Jugend forscht” school prize , worth 1,000 €, even though it has only been participating in the competition since last year. The jury particularly praised the participation of very young students and the exceptionally high quality of the projects and presentations.

Steinmühle is delighted that three students (Flûte Seifart, Morten Köhler, and Joshua Wieder) have participated for the second year in a row.
All of the projects were created as part of the elective courses (Gufi Lab, WU Research).

Click on the links below to download the project posters as PDF files:

Chew Your Way to Good Health – How Chewing Gum Affects the pH Level in Saliva
Help! Acid in juices. Titration of juices