Finally, an autumn festival again! With more guests than before the pandemic, Steinmühle School and Boarding School celebrated their traditional event last Saturday. Thanks to the excellent organization by Frank Wemme, the head of the lower secondary school, everything ran smoothly and according to plan for the students at their booths and during their performances in the classrooms. Visitors were thrilled by all the activities. Alumni were amazed at how much “their Steinmühle” has changed for the better over the past few years.

The Steinmühle has expanded to include several new buildings, giving it a uniform and modern look. The grounds have become more spacious, which meant that the large number of visitors was spread out across the site. There had been some concern beforehand about the weather for the Fall Festival, but those concerns proved unfounded. The autumn sun shone brightly from the sky—as if it knew just how important this festival is to the Steinmühle community.

Since good food and drinks are naturally part of a successful and convivial celebration, this aspect was in the capable hands of the boarding school. From coffee and cake to grilled meats and the wine bar, there was a delicious and comprehensive selection of food and drink available. This was complemented by the popular Aroma ice cream truck on the grounds, which—as in previous years—drew long lines of people. The proceeds from the sales are regularly donated.

Shortly after the opening remarks by Principal Bernd Holly, who welcomed the guests alongside Boarding School Director Anke Muszynski and Nils Schwandt, the stage program got underway. The 6th-grade choir entertained the audience with musical theater songs, followed by the musical theater elective class. Next, the 5th-grade band, the StoneMill House Band, and the Jazz Ensemble took the stage. Starting at 8:00 p.m., DJ Veit kept the party going in the tent.

More than three dozen booths and activities were spread across the grounds and in some classrooms, and it’s very difficult to single out any particular ones here. Once again, the “Chemikum mobil” with its elective research class in front of the Bremerhaus was a crowd-pleaser. The experiment with the “exploding” colorful balls just never loses its appeal! The “Chicken Run” on the sports field at the Hessenhaus was a big hit. The goal here was to raise funds for Tanzania, organized and carried out by the elementary school and its team of teachers. Neighboring activities also focused on movement, speed, and agility. The Steinmühle Riding Club also invited visitors to go pony riding.

One of the longest lines on the grounds was for the “Ghost Train Reloaded” run by Class 7b at the Hessenhaus. The chance to get a real scare—this idea clearly appealed to many guests, both young and old.

While other activities offered games, fun, and brain teasers, there were also booths that are closely tied to the Steinmühle School. The Friends of the School Association, chaired by Jasmine Weidenbach, provided information about its important work and invited Fall Festival guests who are not yet members to join. Membership is open at any time, by the way! An information booth for prospective students in the new 1st and 5th grades was set up right at the entrance, under the first awning. Principal Björn Gemmer and his team were on hand to answer questions and had organized tours of the Centrum 5&6 building.

In the main building, visitors were able to learn about the vital topic of “CPR.” There, anesthesiologist Markus Spies answered questions, provided instructions on the resuscitation process, and let guests try their hand at it themselves using a mannequin. “It’s so easy to help—anyone can do it,” he emphasized, reinforcing the campaign’s goal of preventing sudden cardiac death.

With this in mind, the “Students Save Lives” campaign (www.schuelerrettenleben.de) was launched by the Professional Association of German Anesthesiologists (Berufsverband Deutscher Anästhesisten e.V.). For several years now, the school has offered an annual summer course on this topic—under professional guidance. Eighth-grade students are taught CPR. The Steinmühle School is thus playing a pioneering role in Marburg in this area.