Students from across Kansas met at the Open Language Resource Center at KU, for the annual Schülerkongress, which is a state German competition that is hosted by the Kansas Associate of Teachers of German, and the Department of Slavic, German, and Eurasian Studies. This year’s them was “Auf den Spuren der Zeit: Burgen und Schlösser weit und breit”, which is a celebration of German castles and its history.
Students who participated were able to demonstrate their German skills in poetry, prose, a culture quiz, scavenger hunts, and contests such as poster, video, and sticker design. They interacted with native speakers, competed for awards, and earned Kongresseuro (fake money that is used during the competition), which they spent on German-themed items donated by BMW, Volkswagen, and the Goethe Institute.
From beginner-friendly activities to advanced literary performances, The Schülerkongress provided an interactive experience for students to deepen their appreciation of the German language and culture while having fun.
Several students earned top honors for their outstanding performances across various categories, showcasing their hard work and dedication to learning German. Zipora Morgan, competing at Level 4, took 3rd place in the Culture Quiz. At Level 3, Alex Jeffries won the Sticker Design competition and placed 3rd in the Culture Quiz, while Farrlynn Denny earned an Honorable Mention for Sticker Design. Eli Replogle was recognized with a Distinguished Award for Prose and also placed 3rd in the Culture Quiz. In Level 2, Dawson Wilber received a Distinguished Award for Poetry and took 1st place in the Culture Quiz, with Dylan Weigel following closely behind in 2nd. For Level 1, Amelia Moses impressed with 1st place in the Culture Quiz and 2nd place in the Breakout Room competition, joined by Luke Weber and Landyn Martin, who also earned 1st place in the Culture Quiz. Giavanna Ferrizzi placed 2nd in the Breakout Room, while Kieran Dillon and Jacoby Brown (an 8th grader) both earned Distinguished Awards for their poetry performances. These achievements highlight the passion and talent of Kansas students as they embraced the challenges and excitement of this year’s Schülerkongress.
