MÄTTHI MEETS SENTINELS
Student exchange with Spangdahlem High School – An exciting encounter
Recently, we, the English LK 2 of the MSS11 at St. Matthias-Schule, had the opportunity to take part in a student exchange with Spangdahlem High School. This experience not only gave us an exciting insight into American school life but also allowed us to make many valuable memories with our exchange partners.
Our visit to Spangdahlem
We received a warm welcome when we visited Spangdahlem High School. The modern school was fairly impressive. There were some differences to our own school e.g. with the technical equipment as well as with the room layout of the school. Beforehand the American students had received notes with our interests and a brief introduction so that they could choose an ideal partner. After we were assigned to a partner we took part in the school lessons. The lunch break was particularly interesting, during which we were able to try out different food options available on base – from savory to sweet dishes and snacks, something for every taste. At the end of the day, we came together again to talk about our first impressions. At around 3 p.m. we headed back to our school with lots of new impressions and anticipation of the return visit.
Visit from the American students to our school
Two weeks later we welcomed our exchange partners to our school. As before we were assigned to our partners and we started with a short tour of our school. The English lessons in particular provided a great opportunity for intercultural exchange: after we had chosen pizza for our late lunch, we played games. With classics such as categories knowledge about the German culture was tested. We had a lot of fun in such a large group and were able to get to know each other even better. After the lessons, we rounded off the visit with a leisurely pizza lunch. We said goodbye at around 2:30 p.m. – with many wonderful memories of this special experience.
The exchange with Spangdahlem High School was an enriching experience for all of us. Not only were we able to discover differences and similarities between our school systems and cultures but we also made new friends.
We would like to thank the Host Nation Council Spangdahlem e.V. for their financial support!
(Vanessa Akinchev, MSS 11)
Volunteer Day and other exciting insights at Spangdahlem Air Base
The exchange program between Spangdahlem High School and the Bitburg schools. St.-Willibrord-Gymnasium and St. Matthias-Schule is in full swing. Two students report about their “Volunteer Day”.
On March 24, 2025, we once again had the opportunity to spend an exciting day at Spangdahlem Air Base. This excursion was a real highlight of our exchange and we will remember it for a long time to come.
Our day began with a visit to the Post Station. Here we were given an insight into the logistical processes and the importance of communication for the soldiers and their families. We were even able to get actively involved as volunteers. It was impressive to see how efficiently the processes run to make life easier for the people at Spangdahlem Air Base.
After we were allowed to visit the control rooms for air surveillance. An absolute highlight was the visit to the air surveillance tower. From where we had a breathtaking view of the runway and the entire site. The best part was undoubtedly when we were able to watch five jets take off – an experience we won’t forget!
After a short break, we made our way to see the military working dogs. Here we were able to witness an impressive training. It was fascinating to see how the dogs are prepared for their missions and what an important role they play in the security of Spangdahlem Air Base.
To round off the day, we ate pizza together with the American students and tried various American sweets. This meal together was not only delicious, but also a great opportunity to continue exchanging ideas and making new friends.
This day at Spangdahlem Air Base not only gave us an exciting insight into an American military base but also strengthened the ties between our schools.
We would like to thank our hosts for this great experience and the Host Nation Council spangdahlem e.V. for their financial support.
(Laurin Schneider and Silas Neises – St. Willibrord-Gymnasium)
