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Students from Westchester Country Day School and Northwest Guilford High School began touring Germany on June 17 and will continue through July 8.

Fourteen Westchester and six Northwest students will travel throughout Bavaria, including visiting Neuschwanstein, the inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle, and spend time in the German Alps.

The students are participating in the German American Partnership Program, an exchange sponsored by the Goethe Institute to promote relationships between America and Germany. The goal of the program is to provide students from both countries an intercultural experience by offering the chance to live with a host family and attend school in another country.

“By living with a host family, this trip is a chance for our students to get to know another culture by experiencing their daily life, as opposed to a typical guided tour of a country,” Allison Albert, Westchester Upper School English teacher, said. “These students will return with an appreciation of another part of the world. It is going to be amazing for them to see that teenagers in Germany like the same things they do — music, socializing with friends, Facebook,” she said.

“This is a great way to help our students to become global citizens by bonding with students their own age from another country. As their teacher, I can’t wait to see them mature and grow throughout this trip, as I know they will not be the same on their return.”

Albert will serve as a chaperone as well as Gisela Hood.

Greensboro-area high schools have participated in this program since 1994, when Hood, a former Northwest Guilford High School German teacher, formed a partnership with the Justus-von-Liebig Gymnasium school in Neusäß, Germany.

After expressed interest from Westchester parents and a desire from the school in Germany to revive the exchange, Hood, Northwest Guilford High School and Westchester Country Day School are renewing this relationship.

Hood teaches German to some Westchester students after school. Lisa Worthington teachers German at Northwest.

Albert said the students have been preparing for this trip since September.

To follow the students on their journey, visit their blog at www.westchestergerman exchange.shutterfly.com.

— Staff Reports