WEST NEWBURY – Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to share that 12 Pentucket students are participating in the German American Partnership Program (GAPP).
The German American Partnership Program (GAPP), supported by the U.S. State Department and the German Federal Foreign Office, allows students from the U.S. and Germany to visit a secondary school in the other country. More than 750 U.S. schools and 400,000 American and German students have participated in the program since its establishment in 1972. It is the largest bilateral exchange program between the U.S. and another country.
In October 2023, 12 German students visited Pentucket and stayed with host families. During their visit, shadowed students learning German at the high school and explored Massachusetts destinations such as Boston, Plum Island, and Newburyport.
Now, it is Pentucket’s turn to explore German culture.
Twelve Pentucket students are visiting Rheine, Germany from June 14-26, where they will stay with host families and attend the Emsland Gymnasium School.
They will learn the German education system and culture firsthand. They also will visit cultural and historical landmarks such as the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, the city of Münster, and Steinfurt Castle in Steinfurt.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Pentucket participated in the GAPP for approximately 30 years. From 2021-2022, students participated in a virtual exchange program, the German American Virtual Exchange (GAVE).
The Pentucket Regional School District is hopeful they will continue to be able to participate in the GAPP in the future.
“We are so excited to bring this important tradition back to Pentucket,” said Superintendent Bartholomew. “GAPP is a great opportunity for students. They will hear different perspectives and discover different cultural norms, growing as independent thinkers and developing new skills that increase their chance at success in life.”
