After the end of World War II, much of Europe was reeling from the devastation wrought by the hostilities. Aside from the physical damage done to cities across the continent, there was a rift between different nations around the globe that was in desperate need of repair. The governments of the United States and Germany sought to bridge the gap between their countries' cultures by creating the German American Partnership Program (GAPP).

GAPP, which was officially founded in 1972, allows opportunities for schools in the United States to partner with schools in Germany. The partnered schools facilitate student exchanges; American students spend a couple weeks staying with their German counterparts, and vice versa. While studying abroad, the students have an opportunity to attend classes at their hosts' school, take field trips to historically significant sites and embrace a new culture.

Penn Manor School District applied to become a member of the program in 2005, and it was matched with two German schools: Gymnasium Philippinum in Marburg and Lahntalschule Lahnau, which is located in the nearby town of Lahnau. Penn Manor German teacher Nadine Smith took over the facilitation of the exchanges in 2006, and has coordinated biennial trips ever since.

"Any tourist can go to a country, book a hotel and see the sites," Smith said. "but my students get off a plane and get to know people they've never met. I don't think you can ever understand another culture until you've lived in someone's home, met grandma and see what kind of toothpaste they use."

In fall 2022, Penn Manor hosted a group of German exchange students. Prior to their arrival, Smith and her students fundraised to take their guests on trips to the state Capitol in Harrisburg; Washington, D.C.; Hersheypark; and several local Amish attractions. Smith works closely with her counterpart in Germany, English and Latin teacher Marco Otto.

In June, Smith and her students in the GAPP program visited their German counterparts, whom they had hosted in the fall. The students spent just over two weeks in Germany, and their time was split between their two partner schools and a trip to the Alps, where Smith is from. The group also visited Buchenwald Memorial in Weimar, a Holocaust memorial located on a site that was liberated by American soldiers in April 1944. "American students learn about the Holocaust in history class, but it becomes real when they step into a site like that," Smith said. "That's the whole idea behind the trip. No matter how many books you read, you won't get that understanding."

This year, Smith was faced with a few challenges while planning for the trip: The costs of transportation, housing and museum entry fees have recently seen a sharp increase, and Smith became worried that she would need to cancel the exchange. She contacted the Penn Manor Education Foundation, which offered her a small grant to cover the trip's increased expenses. As a German-born citizen, Smith was able to save on certain costs due to her knowledge of the country and ability to help her group navigate, but she would have been unable to offer the trip without the foundation's assistance. "These kids start saving for this trip when they're in eighth grade. I knew I couldn't cancel it now," Smith said. "We are so blessed to receive this support for the exchange."