More Than Tourists: Andrew High School Students Gain Global Perspective

Frankfurt, Budingen, the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, and reunification are just a few of the sites and events on the 17-day itinerary for Victor J. Andrew High School students and their teachers visiting Germany earlier this month.

However, the exchange goes far beyond sightseeing. Students are immersed in the German culture; they live with host families, attend school, and take part in everyday life. VJA students also attended regular classes and talked about life in the United States.

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Victor J. Andrew High School visited the city of Büdingen , Tinly Park's sister city. Students did a lot of exploring, wandering the medieval streets of Büdingen, day trips to Frankfurt, Marburg, and Mainz, and spent two nights in Berlin learning about the history of the Berlin Wall, the Cold War, and Germany's reunification. Along the way, they practiced their German, tried new foods, navigated unfamiliar places, and developed confidence and independence.

Andrew High School German teacher Erika Lupacchino said, “One of the greatest strengths of this exchange is that students experience Germany not as tourists, but as temporary members of German families. They attend classes, share meals with their host families, participate in daily activities, and gain a firsthand understanding of German culture and life.”

The trip to Germany is the second half of the exchange, with their German counterparts having visited VJA and the United States this past fall. The German students made presentations on various topics of German life and culture to all language students and visited Chicago and its attractions.

“The most memorable part of the trip wasn't any particular place or activity. The thing we are most proud of is how our students conducted themselves throughout the trip. They represented Victor J. Andrew High School, Tinley Park, and their families with maturity, kindness, and curiosity. They embraced new experiences, stepped outside of their comfort zones, and built meaningful connections with people from another culture. We could not have asked for better ambassadors for our school and community,” Lupacchino added.