GAPP stands for the German-American Partnership Program and was established in 1972. Their mission includes the following: establish long-lasting interest in the partner country and deepen relations between Germany and the U.S.; promote the study of the German language at high schools in the U.S.; expand students’ and teachers’ knowledge of the partner country; provide intercultural encounters for all participants; facilitate the acquisition and improvement of proficiency in the target language; and provide continuing education for exchange coordinators. The program is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, and any additional funding is provided by the U.S. Department of State, Joachim Herz Stiftung, and Max Kade Foundation, Inc.
GAPP is the largest bilateral exchange program between the U.S. and another country and provides students from the United States and Germany with the chance to experience the once-in-a lifetime experience of living in a different country. They offer many different programs, but their most popular one is the Short-Term Exchange Program. This program is designed for teachers and schools to organize student exchange groups. GAPP does not plan the exchange, but they do help with navigating the framework and providing financial assistance to make the trip possible.
Any school can apply to do a trip to Germany or the United States, whether or not the school has an English or German language program. There is a group of German students who will be visiting Hamburg Area High School through the German-American Partnership Program. They will arrive on Sunday, March 17, 2024. The goal is to make them feel welcome and to teach them about the United States of America.
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