“Welcome GAPP Exchange Students.” This has been the message greeting German American Partnership Program (GAPP) exchange students who arrived in the Hamilton School District Oct. 17 and will stay until Nov. 2. Hamilton German Club members have been working feverishly to make arrangements involved with hosting 25 exchange students and two teacher-chaperones from the city of Reutlingen, Germany.
The GAPP exchange opportunity is again offered at
“The amount of work it takes to put together an exchange is unbelievable,” said Klein. “However, the friendships that are made are priceless, the language usage and learning that takes place is unteachable in a classroom, and the appreciation of travel and culture are indescribable.”
Two days after the exchange students arrived, Hamilton sophomore and German Club member Alyssa Grove said, “I have never been so happy! But, I am going to be really sad when we have to say good-bye.”
Hamilton families and students are hosting the German guests. This summer 21 Hamilton students traveled to Reutlingen for a three-week exchange at the Johannes-Kepler-Gymnasium, a college-preparatory secondary school. While in