Riverwood Welcomes German Exchange Students

From Riverwood Int'l School: On Tuesday, October 30, Riverwood International Charter School welcomed ten students from Nuremberg, Germany as part of a cultural exchange program.

The students, ranging in age from 15-18, are participants in a Key Club program at the German-American Institute of Nuremberg. There, they study English language and learn about American culture, business, and education. They came to Atlanta as part of the Global Youth Ambassadors Program (GYAP), an Atlanta-based comprehensive education initiative that targets high school students to become competitive in the global economy through leadership training and international travel. In fact, their visit was indeed a true “exchange” -- three Riverwood students were in Germany this summer through the same program. While in Germany, the Riverwood group studied the language, explored the culture, and toured businesses while fostering transatlantic relationships. They met many of the students who subsequently came to visit Riverwood.

Each of the German students, who are in the United States for a total of nine days, spent a full day with a Riverwood student ambassador. They attended classes, lunch, and visited various departments at Riverwood, many of which are unique to Riverwood and the American school system. Noted German student Bianca Hoffmann, “Riverwood was very different from my school. People are friendlier and more open. You can talk to everybody and teachers are ‘chill’.” Added Jakub Venzke, “Here at Riverwood, there are a lot more opportunities for activities. I really liked the gym, the football field, and the weight training room. We don’t have any of that at our school in Nuremberg.” An unexpected bonus was having the group return to campus Friday night to attend the Riverwood Varsity Football game with their new friends. According to Dr. John Eaves, Founder and Director of GYAP, Riverwood was chosen to host the students because of its reputation as a school focused on international education. As Fulton County’s only International Charter Magnet and in celebration of its International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, Riverwood is committed to creating opportunities for students to learn about and experience the global community. Riverwood students America Betancourt, Chandler McCleskey, Haley Gruensfelder, Jada Sweeting, Julia Sibert, Lucy Howard, Malcom Stewart, LaBrauns Stinson, Ivan Tlaseca, and Zechiah Weekley served as ambassadors to the German students.

Image via Riverwood Int'l School