MONROE — This year marks the 35-year anniversary of Monroe High School’s German Exchange program. 

It was initially started in 1988 when Monroe teacher Karen Fowdy, now retired, established a partner school through the Council on International Education Exchange. This partnership with the Eschenbach Gymnasium created lasting bonds between the schools, families, and communities. The connection lasted for 14 years until personnel changes in the Eschenbach Gymnasium caused Monroe to seek a new partnership. 

Since the German state of Hessen and Wisconsin are sister states, MHS looked there to find a new school, and quickly determined that the Adolf-Reichwein Schule was a great fit. This school is located in the city of Neu Anspach, just north of Frankfurt. 

This October, 17 German students and two of their teachers (Herr Opper, Teacher of Latin, and Herr Cojocar, Sports Teacher) had a chance to tour the Capitol Building in Madison, the Mississippi River museum in Dubuque, experience hayrides and pumpkin carvings, rode the Wisconsin Ducks in Wis. Dells, as well as participated in regular MHS school days. 

MHS had some donations from the Monroe community to put together gift bags for their visitors from Germany, including cheese samplers and Monroe gear.

Monroe students are excited to pay a return visit in March 2024 to the exchange school (Adolf-Reichwein Schule) they learned so much about, and to reconnect with their German friends they made during this visit.