European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday october 21, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 9educationgermany funds Exchange can study language explore culture Heidelberg Germany the German government will pay More than $5 million during the next two years for an extensive German american language and cultural Exchange program for . Service members. The program will provide German language classes for soldiers airmen and their family members and expand the current German american a Ikon Takt Friendship program by linking cities in former East and West Germany. It. Gen. Paul g. Cerjan Deputy commander of the . Army Europe and or. Barthold c. Witte director of cultural affairs for the German foreign office have signed an agreement implementing the two part program. The German government is funding the program through 1993 with 9 million Marks about $5.45 million. Starting in november Usa eur and the association of International Kontak clubs will begin Pilot projects to link Kontak organizations in various states in Western Germany with those in Eastern Germany. The initial sister City partnerships will be Between Frankfurt am main and Leipzig Amberg and ols Nitz Stollberg Mainz and Erfurt and Baum older and Kin Delbruck Sommerla. Cross cultural seminars in Western Germany designed to increase understanding of each others culture language and society will also be open to easterners. Under the agreement about 5,000 air Force and army personnel family members and civilian employees will receive German language instruction. A the program is intended to Foster i country German american relations build Cross cultural ties and promote Long term positive attitudes a Usa eur statement said. The German foreign office has directed the Goethe Institute to a further the appreciation and study of German language and culture the Goethe Institute has been commissioned to develop courses and train instructors for the program which will be provided by big Bend Community College at local education centers. The program is scheduled to Start in january at army and air Force education centers. Schoolchildren at 32 department of defense dependents schools will also Benefit from enhanced language instruction programs. About 3.2 h elementary and Middle school students will participate in the Pilot program each year. To implement the program Twenty four teacher positions will be created in elementary schools and eight positions in Middle schools. District superintendents will decide this fall which schools will receive the new positions. All in a Days work 5&s Dave Casey Amie Sketoe seems to have had an awfully Long Day As the final moments tick away in her last period business lab class. The 16-year-old is in her Junior year at Frankfurt High school in Germany. American German students share libraries a and laughs by Peggy Davidson Kaiserslautern Bureau Baum older Germany a sue Maldonado 15, is researching old German medical cures and remedies for her Baum older High school English class. Dagmar Orlian is helping. The catch is that All the research is being done in the Library at Dagmar a German school the Birkenfeld gymnasium. Dagmar finds books related to sues subject and translates As she reads. Next semester the roles will be reversed As sue helps Dagmar prepare a research paper using the american schools Library. Sue and her classmates Are researching a variety of topics such As fairy tales Beer making German writers immigrants and Fasching roughly the German equivalent of Mardi gras. In previous years students from the two schools had met and socialized said Gerti Willems the uth Grade teacher from Birkenfeld. A i think its a Good idea to put them the students on a project together a Willems said. Willemsz american counterpart Pat Jorgensen said the Exchange program gave her loth Grade students a Chance to meet German teens on a deeper level than the Short social meetings of the past. Jorgensen said the faculties of the two schools gather several times each year and that is where she and Willems initially met. Jorgensenn a students were apprehensive about work ing with the German students. Difficulties with the language feelings that the German students were laughing or staring at them and simply fear of the unknown were some of the issues raised by the americans. A the first one is frightening Quot said Jorgensen talking about the initial meeting Between the faculties. Even teachers worried a will i have anything to say will they understand will my German be grammatical a the students nodded in agreement As their fears were put into words. To break the ice at a meeting Jorgensen had each american student sit with his or her German partner and asked each pair to find three things they had in common. The answers ran the Gamut from liking italian food to disliking school and from liking movies sports and music to disliking the topics they were researching. Within a half hour after gathering at the German Library the student pairs were Busy Reading talking and occasionally laughing As they began their research. Quot we re both trying a sue said. A the language Barrier is hard but we re both trying to get past sue admitted that she was curious about German schools and despite her initial nervousness looked Forward to working with Dagmar. Quot i was really nervous i was reluctant to meet my partner a she said but added with a laugh a she was As nervous As i spiralling costs of College reach Quot saturation Point Quot by the los Angeles times Washington a american students arc becoming More careful shoppers in choosing and paying for their College educations. After a decade of soaring tuition costs Counselor say that students and parents Are approaching the entire College selection process with a tar sterner Eye on finances. More students Are considering state universities and Are applying for Merit based scholarships. A we Are seeing a trend of staying in state and going to slate institutions especially those families who can t qualify for a full financial Aid package a said Regina Manley a coordinator of activities for College bound students in the Chicago Public schools. Frank Burtnett the executive director of the National association of College admission Counselor agreed. A a spiralling College costs have reached a saturation Point in the eyes of Many people Quot he said. The financing problem intensified during the 1980s, when College administrators found themselves facing a shrinking Market As a result of the birth dearth of the late 1960s and Early 1970s, coupled with a potentially Sharp decline in revenues. Instead of reducing tuition prices Many colleges sought to compete for More students by improving their services a hiring better faculty members increasing the maintenance of grounds and buildings and expanding student support services consultant Arthur la aunt Man said. As a result the 1980s saw an explosion in tuition and other charges at the nations colleges often several times the Economy a Overall rate of inflation. In 1980, for example the average Cost for undergraduate tuition room and Board at the nation s Public colleges was $2,422 for private schools it was $6,570. By 1989, those figures had risen to $5,366 and $15,365, respectively. At the most exclusive private universities in the nation the Price of tuition room and Board has soared to More than $20, 1 h. Meanwhile Congress facing a tight budget at the Federal level has Cut Back sharply on Federal Grants forcing Many More students who traditionally have Ben fitted from Federal scholarships to rely on student Loans instead. The change has been significant. In 1982, for exam be students at 42 of the nation s leading Black colleges and amassed some $27 million in student Loans. By 1988, that number had almost doubled to $52 million. A people looking for financial assistance Are no longer the needy poor Quot Burt Nett of the admission Counselor group noted. These Days he said a needy As it relates to higher education can be Middle class the students themselves Are very aware of financial pressures. Sonja Benkovich 20, a student at the University of Virginia put in More than 60 hours a week this past summer at two different jobs trying to raise $5,000. In the past Benkovich has received part time jobs through her school s financial Aid office. But budget cuts affecting the institution have Benkovich wondering if she will be Able to gel a similar Job during the upcoming academic year. E
