Events & Celebrations-Archiv

The Christmas Party Is Back—A Successful Comeback

Art, Music & Theater, Events & Celebrations, Life at Boarding School, News

Anyone who has been following Steinmühle for some time is likely familiar with the boarding school’s Christmas party. It’s a highlight every year, and after the pandemic years, it was once again held as the classic celebration. And although the last few Christmas parties—held as part of a cozy Christmas market in the boarding school courtyard—were a complete success, the students who have been living at the boarding school for some time were especially looking forward to this long-awaited comeback. As soon as the decision was made to revive the old traditions, outfits were planned and potential program items were developed. And so, weeks of rehearsals and anticipation were behind us, culminating last weekend in a successful Christmas party.

A sense of eager anticipation, a relaxed atmosphere, and a touch of nervousness—the curtain was closed, and the young people and guests in the audience waited, filled with curiosity, for the evening to begin. Soft Christmas music playing in the background set the stage for what was to come. Then the first notes of Etude Op. 8, No. 12 rang out on the piano, played by Mingzhou. “It was very impressive,” student Fabian said afterward. From that moment on, it was clear that the program would live up to every expectation. After a welcome speech by the boarding school administration, high school seniors Sarah and Fabian guided the audience through the program, which had something for everyone. In addition to a Christmas-themed tour of the Steinmühle, which transported the audience’s thoughts to a snow-covered landscape and thus set the mood for the celebration, some of the young people had prepared their own poems and poetry slams, which they performed. They gave the audience the chance to experience the many facets of the beautiful—and sometimes somewhat stressful—Christmas season. In addition, well-known fairy tales were reimagined in a humorous play and woven into a completely new and exciting story. Who could have guessed that a protest against wolves would suddenly break out while Hans and Little Hans were stomping through the forest together with Snow White? Time and again, hearty laughter could be heard from the audience as the dwarfs and the little goat ran through the hall shouting loudly. Andersen’s fairy tale “The Little Match Girl” was also adapted and given a completely new interpretation. With the help of a shadow puppet show, the guests were invited to follow the girl on her very personal journey to the stone mill.

A good Christmas party always includes a little music, and there was no shortage of it at the Steinmühle. Many musical performances and acts enlivened the evening and gave it a very special atmosphere. A small mini-orchestra sang about being home for Christmas, while another group performed a song by the Japanese duo Yoasobi, and of course, a dance performance was also part of the program.

After the successful performances, the assistant boarding school director—who was clearly thrilled with the program—invited everyone involved back onto the stage, where they were greeted with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. All the young people who had worked together to put on the evening’s performance were also thrilled. For Luisa and Janna, the stage show was the highlight of the evening.

Afterward, the guests made their way to the festively decorated dining hall, which was brightly lit by strings of lights and the glow of candles. A cozy atmosphere filled the room as the kitchen served a multi-course feast. The meal was accompanied by a quiz that included funny anecdotes from Steinmühle, among other things, and everyone eagerly joined in. In addition, the boarding school council had organized a Secret Santa exchange beforehand, so a small gift-giving ceremony could take place in keeping with the Christmas spirit.

Everyone was in high spirits at the party that followed as well. “The students were clearly having a great time,” said Sandrine, a teacher for whom this was also her first Christmas party, looking back. “And so were we as a team. It was just really wonderful.” Photos were taken, and above all, everyone danced happily.

The American author Edna Ferber once said, “Christmas is not a season. It’s a feeling.” And that contemplative and festive feeling of Christmas was everywhere at our boarding school celebration.

We would like to thank all the young people at the boarding school, the entire teaching staff, everyone who pitched in, the kitchen staff, and, of course, all our guests for a successful return of the Steinmühle Christmas party, and we are already looking forward to welcoming you back to the Steinmühle next year!

21. December 2023

A Milestone Just Before Its 75th Anniversary: Steinmühle School and Boarding School Now Operate Under One Roof

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Steinmühle next year, the school and boarding school have set a milestone: Starting January 1, 2024, both institutions will operate under one roof. To this end, Steinmühle gGmbH—a wholly owned subsidiary of the Steinmühle Marburg School Association (Schulverein Steinmühle Marburg e.V.)—will take over the business operations of Landschulheim Steinmühle GmbH & Co. KG. Dirk Konnertz, who has been managing the school association’s affairs since 2013, will also serve as managing director of the newly founded company.

The Steinmühlen Campus is large: It encompasses far more than just the buildings housing the high school, the international high school, the bilingual elementary school, the daycare center, the Forum, and two sports halls. The gGmbH will become the owner of all the land, the additional school and residential buildings, as well as the cafeteria, riding stable, and hydroelectric power plant.

A Win-Win Outcome After Fair Negotiations

For a year, boarding school director Olaf Bien and school director Dirk Konnertz had been negotiating the planned move in order to work out all the details by mutual agreement. “We deliberately took this time for fair negotiations in order to ultimately reach a win-win solution,” Dirk Konnertz recalls. Both sides are proud of the outcome and this historic step, which was taken shortly before the 75th anniversary of this long-established educational institution.

While the anniversary celebrations are scheduled for June 2024, the parties have already toasted the signing of the current agreement: Following a two-hour notarized presentation of the agreement’s contents by Notary Dr. Anton Schmölz, the parties signed the document. The occasion was celebrated with the second and third generations of the Buurman founding family, the board of the school association—Egon Vaupel and Gerhard Müller—senior staff members of the boarding school, and the school administration team led by Principal Björn Gemmer: “The school and the boarding school have always been in agreement regarding their educational goals, which has always allowed us to work well together at the operational level—that is, when it came to the students,” Gemmer recalls, adding: “I have great respect for the Buurman family for selling their family business to secure a positive future for Steinmühle. Emotionally, that certainly wasn’t easy.”

Further development of a modern and internationally oriented educational institution

The creation of the systemic conditions needed to implement our shared educational philosophy even more effectively through meaningful programs and offerings at Steinmühlenweg coincides with a shift in the image of German boarding schools. Located in the heart of Germany and the heart of Hesse, just outside the university city of Marburg and not far from the metropolis of Frankfurt, Steinmühle is one of the talent-oriented, modern, and internationally oriented institutions that, with their exceptionally diverse academic offerings, enable both specialization and personal development in equal measure, and at the end of students’ academic careers send young, cosmopolitan individuals out into society.

Managing Director Dirk Konnertz: “This development—made possible by our dedicated employees—can now advance even further and be secured thanks to the steps we have taken. The transformation of our Steinmühle into a sustainable educational institution for future generations now has a promising foundation.”

The culmination of twelve months of fair negotiations was the signing of the agreement last Friday. Front row, from left: Dr. Anton Schmölz, Dirk Konnertz, Olaf Bien, Dr. Randolf Boetzkes. Back row, from left: Anke Saß, Johanna Buurman-Rogalla, Frerich Buurman, Christiane Buurman, Gerrit Buurman, Gisela Buurman, Friedhelm Faecks, Gerhard Müller, Erwin Löber, Egon Vaupel.

13. December 2023

A Successful Fall Festival 2023

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News

Once again this year, the Fall Festival—organized jointly by the school and the boarding school—was a highlight for many students, families, and alumni. For weeks, everyone had been working hard to plan the event and make the day unforgettable for everyone involved. From face painting and a haunted house to the evening festivities in the festival tent, there was something for everyone.

Preparations for the event began days in advance, with the boarding school students pitching in as well. The schoolyard gradually transformed into the festival grounds that visitors from previous years are likely already familiar with. Benches and booths were set up in the courtyard, and the stage was erected for the choir and band performances. This year, the school helped the boarding school with baking cakes, resulting once again in a varied buffet. As a result, the dorms smelled of delicious pastries for days on end, with one baking sheet after another being slid into the oven. Of course, a little tasting was a must. But who can resist fresh cinnamon rolls?

On the big day itself, the anticipation kept building. After the tables in the courtyard were decorated with the help of the Mühle residential group, the time had finally come, and the guests arrived, curious to explore the grounds and marvel at the program that had been put together. The Hessenhaus and the Biohaus worked hard to support the bake sale, and the students from the main building helped the kitchen with the barbecue, while the Westfalenhaus and Bremerhaus collected dishes all day long—because a celebration this big can only be a success if everyone pitches in together. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the students and the teaching staff for their active support!

The fall festival was marked by the presence of many familiar faces, all of whom were warmly welcomed. Time and again, people would say, “Back when I was at boarding school…” Alumni, current students, and faculty members happily exchanged stories about boarding school life, shared their experiences, and reminisced about shared memories. Once again, it became clear that the boarding school community extends beyond one’s time as a student and that Steinmühle often plays a formative role in the lives of young people.

We’re already looking forward to the next Fall Festival in 2024!

8. November 2023

Attendance at the Fall Festival Was Exceptionally High: Athletic Challenges, Lots of Fun, and Carefree Hours

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, Life at Boarding School, News, Sports & Health

The day of the year when the Steinmühle, as a school and boarding school, attracts the most visitors to its grounds is the Fall Festival. A great many people came last Saturday to meet up, chat, and have fun. It seems there’s no longer any need for a Plan B in case of bad weather, because the sun always shines reliably—and that was the case this time, too.

The planning on campus—with its dozens of booths—the timing, and the coordination—all of that goes by one name: Frank Wemme. The head of the lower secondary school, nicknamed “Mister Herbstfest,” made sure, as always, that everything ran smoothly. Accompanied by plenty of music, the 6th-grade brass band, led by Stephan Reissig, welcomed the large crowd gathered on the school grounds—some standing around the stage, others sitting on benches and applauding. They’ve only been practicing their instruments for a year—which was hard to believe. Principal Björn Gemmer welcomed the guests, many of whom had come as entire families and even brought their grandparents along. They also enjoyed the rhythmic performances by the musical theater band, which played under the direction of Anna Prokop.

During the tour of the Steinmühle grounds, numerous activities stood out that had been well-received in the past and were therefore repeated. One example is the haunted house: Once again this year, people eager to experience it lined up! All the activities were spread out across the entire grounds—from the boarding school area with pony rides, to the Forum with its disco and karaoke, all the way to the boathouse, where coach Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger was waiting.

Pedal away for a smoothie

A few new features caught the visitors’ attention. Among them was a booth where “fortune tellers” offered interested visitors a glimpse into their future. Another great attraction was the smoothie bike, where visitors could make their own fruity fitness drink by pedaling. The bike was on loan from the Marburg Food Bank, which its chairwoman, Rita Vaupel—wife of school association chair Egon Vaupel—had made available to the Steinmühle for the fall festival.

Overall, many booths were focused on collecting donations. For example, the sports challenge on the soccer field—located in the back area of the campus—was also a charity event. The Steinmühle Friends Association, chaired by Jasmine Weidenbach, recruited new members at its beautifully decorated booth right at the entrance to the schoolyard. Not far from there, Executive Director Dirk Konnertz, Upper School Director Cornelia Oestreicher-Gold, and Dirk Lange—speaking on behalf of the entire school administration team—provided information about the various academic programs offered at Steinmühle.

It’s well known that the culinary aspect is a key part of the Steinmühle Fall Festival. For this reason, the selection of cakes, hearty dishes, and various beverages was once again extensive and delicious.

The Steinmühlen high school graduating classes of 1993, 1998, 2008, and 2013 had received a special invitation. Each class gathered in the tent for a group photo and, like many other alumni, raised a glass to “the good old days.”

6. October 2023

5th Grade Orientation: Steinmühle Welcomes New 5th Graders

Events & Celebrations, News

The Start of the School Year at Steinmühle High School: On Tuesday morning, September 5, 86 new students celebrated the start of their school year at Steinmühle High School.

The forum on the Steinmühle grounds quickly filled up. The young students brought their families along, filling every seat and standing space in the hall. The new students were welcomed by the 6th-grade students and the musical theater band, led by Frank Wemme, who also serves as the head of the lower secondary school at Steinmühle. A colorful program of songs featuring excerpts from last school year’s musical “Alles wird gut, sowieso” immediately invited the newcomers to sing along. Whether it was international hits like “Mamma Mia” (ABBA) or German-language classics like “Millionen Lichter” (Christina Stürmer)—the sixth-grade classes got everyone excited as they kicked off the new school year. After a round of enthusiastic applause for the stage performance, Principal Björn Gemmer welcomed the students and parents in a brief address.

After that, we moved right on to dividing the students into classes 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5i. The latter class is the continuation class of the Bilingual Elementary School and marks the beginning of the international high school track. As the Bilingual Elementary School has “grown,” there is already an international high school class, 6i.

Class teachers Lisa Braun, Nina Kvashko, Jennifer Bernhart, and Nina Merzenich began by assigning students to their classes. In pairs, the new students were called up to the stage to join their respective teachers.

While the students then made their way to their classrooms, the parents had the opportunity to chat with other families during a small get-together. Meanwhile, the Steinmühle staff and many family members took photos of the orientation, ensuring that the first day of school at Steinmühle High School will remain unforgettable.

Another lasting memory for new Steinmühlen students is always the welcome gift from the Friends of Steinmühlen Association, presented by its chairwoman, Jasmine Weidenbach, in the form of a Steinmühlen T-shirt.

27. September 2023

First-Grade Orientation: Welcome, dear first graders!

Bilingual Elementary School, Events & Celebrations, News

First day of school under bright sunshine: On Tuesday, September 5, 16 new elementary school students gathered at Steinmühle to celebrate their start at the Bilingual Elementary School.

Of course, the girls and boys had plenty of support with them. Whether parents, older or younger siblings, or grandparents—the Steinmühle Forum filled up quickly. The new students were first welcomed by Janine Küster (principal of the Bilingual Elementary School) and her deputy, Lori Herrmann: “Today, you are entrusting us with the most precious thing you have. We truly appreciate this trust,” said Küster and Herrmann, who delivered the welcome remarks in both German and English.

But before the students were assigned to their classes, they were treated to a colorful program put on by the existing Flex classes. Songs were performed in German and English, in true Bilingual Elementary School style. Whether it was Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” or “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from the musical *Mary Poppins*, the elementary school students thrilled their new classmates with energetic musical performances. Then it was time for the long-awaited part of the program: With the students assigned to the existing Flex classes led by Maria Bick and Dr. Sebastian Verbeek (Flex a) as well as Katrin Weißenborn and Maria Gloerfeld (Flex b), the 16 students officially began their school year. After being called by name, each student was allowed to go up on stage and join their respective teacher duo. Accompanied by processional music, they then headed straight to their classrooms for their first lesson.

Meanwhile, Janine Küster and Lori Herrmann gave the parents a brief glimpse into daily life at the Bilingual Elementary School through a slide show, offering them a preview of what their own children can expect in the coming weeks and months.

Of course, the entire event was captured in photos, so that not only the school backpack and the school goodie bag will be remembered, but also the first day of school at Steinmühle, with all its little details.

27. September 2023

A cozy get-together, but also a time to say goodbye: The faculty’s annual summer party is a roller coaster of emotions

Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, News

The stress is melting away; after a long school year, summer vacation is just around the corner. The evening sun bathes the schoolyard in a warm, atmospheric light. The smell of the barbecue fills the air, and glasses clink. For the Steinmühle School Association, the annual summer festival on the last Thursday before summer vacation is a top priority.

To ensure that all colleagues can enjoy a wonderful evening, no expense or effort is spared, and a feast is served. Saying goodbye to colleagues is the only downside to this festive evening. “It would be even better without them,” you hear here and there. But everyone knows full well that part of this celebration is also recognizing the contributions of the employees who, for various reasons, will soon no longer be part of the Steinmühlen team.

Many former teachers are here tonight. Every year, quite a few of them take the opportunity to spend a few hours with the colleagues they worked with during their school days. Tonight, many of them are also here for Bernd Holly, who is retiring. The farewell ceremonies for the principal have been taking place at the Loop since early July, and he admits in his usual laid-back manner, “I’m done.”

Among the other colleagues leaving Steinmühle is Bella Gnodte. She will be working at blista in the future. “A creative, dedicated, and well-liked colleague”—Steinmühle regrets her departure. Victoria Kaster will also be teaching at a different elementary school in the future, which her colleagues find very unfortunate. Janine Küster, the principal of the Steinmühle Bilingual Elementary School, highlights Victoria Kaster’s “warm, loving nature” and describes her as someone “who took on every challenge.” “You were a true pillar of our elementary school,” adds Dr. Rainer Nietzke on behalf of the works council. “It’s really hard to see you go.”

Mathematics and physics teacher Julia Bernzen, née Riemenschneider, is moving to Hamburg in the far north for family reasons. She joined Steinmühle as a student teacher in the spring of 2016 and was offered a permanent contract. “You were always there whenever help was needed,” her colleagues recall of the popular teacher, who was equally well-regarded in conversations with parents, students, and her team. Julia Bernzen served as head of the mathematics department for some time and taught the subject at both the bilingual elementary school and the upper secondary level. Her colleagues concluded: “It was always a pleasure to work with you.”

After these tributes, a musical interlude seemed like the perfect choice. Ulrike Wilmsmeyer, Frank Wemme, Kristina Sokoli, Daniel Sans, and Anna Prokop sang a farewell canon.

Next up was Eberhard Wieth, a math and computer science teacher. Like Bernd Holly, he, too, is leaving Steinmühle to retire. Among other things, Principal Björn Gemmer highlighted his dedication to the StoneApp, which Eberhard Wieth had initiated as a “student package” in his computer science classes. Characteristic descriptions of the departing teacher included terms like “the cheerful bear,” but there were also memories of how it all began for Eberhard Wieth at Steinmühle. “I was your mentor,” recalled Constanze Oestreicher-Gold, head of the upper school, with a smile.

Actor David Bennent celebrated with the Steinmühle

Between speeches, performances, and a buffet prepared by the boarding school kitchen, school director Dirk Konnertz welcomed a very special guest: David Bennent. The professional actor, who rose to fame for his role in the film “The Tin Drum,” was at Steinmühle for the second time as an instructor for a workshop led by Ines Vielhaben and celebrated with the Steinmühle faculty.

Once again, there was music afterward. Kristina Sokoli, Anna Prokop, Daniel Sans, and Frank Wemme used their voices and instruments to express their appreciation for their departing colleagues and musically conveyed the message, “We will miss you.” As a new member of the school administration, Tobias Karlein then passed the baton back to Bernd Holly: “Over the past six months, you’ve been a role model to me in every way, and we’ve almost become friends.”

The outgoing principal admitted, “It’s difficult when you’re constantly getting standing ovations.” Saying goodbye had not been easy for him. Tenor Felix Müller, a Steinmühle high school graduate this summer and future student at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, began singing “Time to Say Goodbye.” The fact that Steinmühle not only wins awards for achievements in the natural sciences, math competitions, athletic successes, or reading skills, but also produces graduates who gain admission to a leading university for music, theater, and the visual arts, demonstrates once again just how well-rounded the school is.

31. August 2023

RuS Summer Festival: Inclusive Water Sports Center Steinmühle Opens

Events & Celebrations, News, Rowing, Social Engagement, Sports & Health

Hessian Television conducted interviews and filmed our inclusive eight

Shortly before the start of summer break, we marked our partnership between Steinmühle and the German Institute for the Blind (blista) with the official opening of the inclusive Steinmühle Water Sports Center: At our club’s summer festival, a team of visually impaired and sighted athletes rowed in the “Blind Date” eight to the applause of all visitors, while a team from Hessischer Rundfunk broadcast the event live on the “Hessenschau” program.

Hessenschaureporter Robert Hübner and his team arrived at the boathouse early this Monday, before the start of summer break, to get everything ready: Interviews with Olympic eight-man champion Filip Adamski, para-rower Moritz Hagen, and Martin “Stromi” Strohmenger, the successful coach and rowing instructor at Steinmühle. blista and Steinmühle have been working together on inclusive initiatives for a long time, and now this collaboration is visible to the outside world as well. Across from the Steinmühle boathouse, a sign on the dock points to the inclusive water sports center. People with other physical disabilities are also welcome there, as long as their condition allows them to row.

Active Inclusion

At the summer festival, para-rower Moritz Hagen impressively demonstrated how visual impairment and rowing can go hand in hand. “It’s really about body control,” he told the reporter, adding that he was happy to be actively integrated as an athlete with a disability.

Moritz Hagen has been training intensively for about a year alongside Björn Eckert, another visually impaired rower. Both are highly ambitious.

Several prominent figures from the rowing world attended the event at the Steinmühlen Boathouse, where RuS Chairman Aron Stürmer and outgoing principal Bernd Holly led the program. In addition to Olympic champion Adamski, the event was also attended by the former world champion in the double sculls, Stephan Krüger, Steinmühle’s current rising star Marc Weber, and Lucas Schäfer—a native of Gisselberg, 2016 Olympian, and holder of the 6,000-meter ergometer world record, which was set at Steinmühle—were also in attendance. Steinmühle students Maxim Dyck, Maurits Juhre, and Lennart Holly were also in attendance. The athletes now row in the Bundesliga. We were also delighted that public figures attended our event, including First District Deputy Maria Zachow and Cappeler Mayor Peter Hesse.

Significant investments

“We see ourselves as part of the city’s community,” explained Egon Vaupel, chairman of the Steinmühle School Association, in his speech, referring equally to Steinmühle, rowing at Steinmühle, and the founding of the inclusive water sports center. Vaupel described Claus Duncker, the former CEO of blista and current treasurer of RuS Steinmühle, as “one of the driving forces behind this sustainable partnership.” The Steinmühle School Association alone has invested half a million euros in the project to date. The project, including its infrastructure and personnel resources, can currently be used equally by both institutions. Steinmühle maintains a cooperative relationship with blista and its new CEO, Patrick Temmesfeld.

Michael Neirich coordinates

When it comes to rowing, Steinmühle is looking to the future with optimism. The boarding school and the school have provided the team with more top rowers, as well as some who have (re)discovered rowing. Steinmühle physical education teacher Michael Neirich has taken on the role of coordinating the rowing program.

In light of these structures, RuS President Aron Stürmer, Vice President and Steinmühle School Principal Björn Gemmer, and School Director Dirk Konnertz look back on the summer festival with satisfaction and are optimistic about the future of rowing at Steinmühle. The sport is and will remain an important part of the school and boarding school.

Link to the Hessenschau report:

https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/hessenschau/inklusives-wassersportzentrum-eroeffnet/hr-fernsehen/Y3JpZDovL2hyLW9ubGluZS8yMDc0MTQ

31. August 2023

Abitur 2023: Time flies when you’re having fun

Contests & Awards, Events & Celebrations, Former Students & Alumni, News

2023 High School Graduation Ceremonies: First Use of the Renovated Gymnasium

A proud graduating class is leaving Steinmühle: proud of having the highest Abitur score in the school’s history, proud of their sense of community, proud of their classmate who has just received a “fresh” acceptance to the Mozarteum in Salzburg, proud of a classmate’s Social Award for so much volunteer work that one wonders when she even had time for school. The graduates can also be proud that they were the first class in a long time to celebrate the evening on their own grounds—namely, in the renovated gym. But this graduating class has a very special bond with Principal Bernd Holly. Both they and he are leaving Steinmühle for good. The young people are heading out into the world, while Bernd Holly is retiring. Such is the passage of time.

What is time? Björn Gemmer, the remaining member of the school’s former co-principal team, made this the topic of his speech at the high school graduation ceremony. To the surprise and delight of the audience, he began his speech with the first verse and the chorus of Udo Jürgens’ 44-year-old song “1000 Jahre sind ein Tag” (1,000 Years Are a Day), ultimately noting how well such an old song—in terms of its message—still fits into today’s world, but also to the graduates’ school careers.

The principal praised his colleagues for sparking the students’ curiosity as early as the lower and middle grades about a wide variety of topics—many of which, across different subjects, often centered on the theme of time, whether it was the time project in 6th grade or, later on, the classification of historical periods in history or art classes.

According to philosophical theories, the secret to one’s individual perception of time lies in the answer to the question of how fulfilling a period of time is—and the answer as to why those nine years had simply flown by so quickly was quickly found: “Because they were so fulfilling.”

As part of the morning program—which included speeches by students Paul Martin and Linda Hübl, interspersed with musical performances—certificates were handed out following the tutorials, accompanied by brief remarks from the tutors, and awards were presented. What a celebration!

Of course, these results—and the individual achievements that each person defined for themselves—had to be celebrated. On this hot summer day, the evening was celebrated as airily as possible in the renovated gym: doors open for a light breeze, the buffet set up outside in the pavilion—with a delicious selection of food that left everyone in awe. What a fantastic kitchen team—the boarding school staff! The relaxed program, which included the graduates’ tributes to all the tutors, provided opportunities for breaks in between—for conversations at tables and in small groups around the grounds—and for taking a deep breath, especially when some of the speeches and the appreciation expressed in them truly touched the heart.

It is virtually impossible to give all the speakers, those presenting awards, and the honorees the attention they deserve in a single article. However, it’s safe to say that the graduation ceremony took place in a fitting setting. This marked a successful first attempt at holding this important day in the renovated sports hall instead of in a tent or an expensively rented venue. School Director Dirk Konnertz said, “We are planning a suitable usage concept for this hall that will also make other events possible.”

31. August 2023

Very positive response to Spanish Day

Events & Celebrations, Languages & International Affairs, News

To make up for the canceled Spanish exchange program, Spanish teachers Mar Montenegro, Laura Cubillas, and María Ramos celebrated a Spanish Day with the students in classes 9a, 9b, and 9c who are learning Spanish. As part of the event, the group went on a scavenger hunt in Spanish through the Marburg Art Museum.

During this event, the students were to learn from a Colombian art historian about Colombia’s regional art and its development over the past few centuries, and to engage directly with the museum’s artworks that had particularly caught their attention that day. At the end of the field trip, the group had a picnic in the old botanical garden.
María Ramos summed up the day on a positive note: “The students’ feedback was so positive that we are considering making this field trip a regular part of the department’s curriculum.”

22. August 2023