German Students Enjoy a Smorgasborg of Minnesota Life

From the Mall of America to a northern Minnesota resort to the Gophers-Iowa football game, they took in a lot.

What would seem common occurrences for the citizens of Minnesota, were very special to 11 German high school students who spent three weeks in the state, almost all of it centered around Edina and Edina High School.

It is the sixth time there has been an exchange program between German and Edina students as part of the German American Partnership (GAP).

“We had over 60 students apply to come to the U.S.” said Dr. Horst Kosel, an educator from Wurzen, Germany, which is just outside Leipzig. Kosel served as the chaperone for the 11 students.

Dan Baron, a German and European history teacher at Edina High School, has been involved in the program since 1998.

“This is the fourth exchange in which Horst and I have worked together,” Baron said. “We had 11 Edina kids go to Germany in late June and early July.”

The students from Germany range in ages from 16 to 18.

Isabella Schmidt, 17, and who plans to attend a police training school after graduating from high school (or gymnasium as they are called in Germany), said there were many activities to take in but “I really enjoyed the high school football game, Halloween and the rock concert we attended.”

Max Berger, 16, first came to the U.S. in 2000 when he was five and this trip was his fifth to the states.

“I really enjoyed the Minnesota-Iowa football game.”

Asked how well he understood American football he said it helped that Edina varsity football coach Reed Boltmann was in attendance to explain the specifics of American football.

His host was the Ken Haeg family whose son Danny stayed with Max and his family when the Edina students were in Germany last summer.

Elisa Richter, 17, also liked American football.

“I was very impressed by how many of the students showed up to support their school’s team.”

Lonni Skrentner who is an Edina School Board member and a retired Edina High School teacher, spoke to the visitors on Oct. 24.

“I familiarized them with the American model of the local school district and local school board which is noticeably different than the educational model in most of Europe.”

She also gave them an overview of funding from the State of Minnesota as well as the federal government.

“They were quite interested in budgets and how they are established.

“I found them to be very fluent in English, inquisitive and a lot of fun to be with.”

The Germans were treated early to an American Thanksgiving celebration on Friday the 4th, the day before the left to return home.