DGN Junior Earns Trip to Germany

Stephen Shatzer is headed to Germany this summer for an expense-paid trip, on he earned as one of the best German students in the country. 

He's the only North High School student in history to be given the honor -- at least as far back as anyone can remember.

The students were selected by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). The trip is paid for by the Federal Republic of Germany. Shatzer will be in the country for three and a half weeks, staying with a host family for two to three weeks and then visiting Berlin. 

He was one of 23,000 students who competed for the trip. Students first took a standardized German test. Those with the highest scores were invited to the second round of the process, which included an interview and writing an essay in German. 

Shatzer, a Woodridge resident, said he took his siblings' experiences into account when choosing which language he would study in high school. 

"My brother and sister took Spanish," he said. "It wasn't their favorite language."

Instead, Shatzer decided to take German I in his freshman year. North High German teacher Gunde Burritt said Shatzer has a natural talent for the language.

"From the beginning he would do well," Burritt said. "He just basically picked everything up very quickly." 

Shatzer said he hopes to teach German at the high school or college level. 

Burritt said it was her and Shatzer's mission for him to be picked for the trip.

"I think he really deserves it," Burritt said. "He has a great personality. He's an athlete, he's into sports and music. He's someone you could easily place in a home-stay environment. I thought he was a great candidate." 

Downers Grove North is in the Northern Illinois region of the AATG --  a region that is very competitive, Burritt said. He was the only student chosen from the region, which consists of Chicago suburbs. 

"It's very coveted," Burritt said. "We haven't had [a student receive this] in a long time, if ever." 

Shatzer attended a similar immersion program last year, which he was also selected for through the AATG. He spent two weeks in Minnesota at a German immersion village. 

Burritt said he's taken that experience back to North, helping his peers.

"He's a great tutor," she said. "He explains things well. He doesn't need more guidance. I just tell him, 'Do this and that.' He knows how to really teach them and look at things at a different angle. He's reliable." 

Burritt said she's excited to see how Shatzer progresses in his German once he returns. She will be teaching his senior-year German class.

"I know he will come back much, much better," she said. "I don't even know what will be doing with him in class. He'll be my aide. My second teacher." 

Shatzer is also a member of the District 99 orchestra, which regularly travels to Germany. Burritt said Shatzer would be a great translator for the students if he went.