For almost 50 years, Nicolet has partnered with Passau's Gymnasium Leopoldinum to offer students at both schools an affordable immersion experience. The Leopoldinum is Passau's oldest college prep school. It was founded in 1612 and specializes in languages. All students are required to take three languages including English and Latin. The Leo also has exchanges with Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, France, and Spain.
The exchange takes place on even numbered years. Nicolet students travel to Germany in mid-June and stay 25 days. Our German partners come in late August and spend two weeks living with NHS families and attending classes.
Here is a sample itinerary for our trip to Germany:
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June 14
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Thu
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Air
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Depart Chicago for Frankfurt
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Activity
Depart NHS at 11:00, O'Hare at 3:40, Frankfurt at 7:20 June 15
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June 15
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Fri
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TRAIN
bus
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HEIDELBERG
Hotel Ibis Willy-Brandt-Platz 3, 69115
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Arrive Heidelberg 11:00, Short City Tour, Freetime
Castle Tour 4:00, Dinner 6:15, Philosopher’s Path,
Ice Cream, Check in
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June 16
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Sat
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TRAIN
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WÜRZBURG: Hostel
Fred Joseph Platz 2 97082
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9:46 Train to Würzburg, travel to hostel, Short City tour,
3:00 Residenz Tour, 6:30 dinner, evening activity
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June 17
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Sun
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TRAIN
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München CVJM/YMCA
Landwehrstr 13
Munich 80336
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Leave hostel at 8:35 Trip to Rothenburg: 9:41/City Tour/ Riemenschneider Altar /Torture Museum: 1:00 / Medieval walls /3:06 Depart for Munich---Dinner at 7:30, Evening Intro to Munich
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June 18
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Mon
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TRAIN
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München CVJM/YMCA
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City Tour/ Freetime 12:30-6:00? Biergarten dinner
English Garden in the evening-
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June 19
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Tue
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Train
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München CVJM/YMCA
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Day Trip to Garmisch/Partenkirchen: leave hostel at 9:00 Partnach Gorge/ Mountain hike/ Cable car/ Summer luge Return: 4:07 Dinner at Hostel, 6:00 N
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June 20
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Wed
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Train
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München Day Two
Afternoon to Passau
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Pinakothek Museum 10:00 /Freetime/ Leave for Passau
3:24 arrives at 5:36/Meet Guest Families
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June 21
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Thu
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Passau SD1
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School Welcome/Shadowing/Takoshis Castle/
Welcome Party
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June 22
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Fri
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Passau SD2
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Early Release
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June 23
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Sat
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Passau Family
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Open for Family Activities EM
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June 24
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Sun
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Passau Family
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Open for Family Activities EM
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June 25
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Mon
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Passau SD3
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Joint Field Trip---Regensburg?
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June 26
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Tue
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Passau SD4
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11:00 Reception with Bürgermeister
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June 27
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Wed
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Passau SD 5
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Normal Day
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June 28
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Thu
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Passau SD6
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Normal Day
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June 29
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Fri
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Passau SD7
Berchtesgaden
Hostel Struberberg 6,
83483 Bischofswiesen
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Short trip to Berchtesgaden---Salt MIne
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June 30
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Sat
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Berchtesgaden
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Berchtesgaden---or Salzburg
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July 1
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Sun
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Passau Family
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July 2
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Mon
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Passau SD8
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Bike Trip to Austria---Mostbauer
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July 3
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Tue
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Passau SD9
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Day Trip to Linz/Mauthausen Camp
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July 4
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Wed
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Passau SD10
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Farewell Party EM
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July 5
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Thu
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Train
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Berlin 1
Jugendgästehaus Hauptbahnhof
Lehrter Straße 68
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City Tour I: Unter den Linden/Bebelplatz EM/Reichstag 9:30
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July 6
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Fri
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Berlin 2
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City Tour II/Freetime/German Historical Museum/
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July 7
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Sat
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Berlin 3
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City Tour III/Freetime/ Final Dinner at Konyali 7:30
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July 8
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Sun
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Bus/Air
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Return Berlin to Chicago
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Arrive at NHS around 2:00 pm
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GAPP: An Investment in the Future:
GAPP is Profoundly Educational: Students will grow to understand European History from the Celts and Romans to the Middle Ages, the Reformation, Counter Reformation, the Enlightenment, the 2nd World War and Holocaust, the Cold War and the 21st century. As we tour students will learn about various architectural movements from Romanic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, and modern era.
GAPP Is Good for German: Students further develop speaking, reading and listening skills. This helps them in class, on college placement tests and the Advanced Placement Exam. Spending ten class days at our partner school allows students to gain a unique perspective into the German (and their own) school systems.
Students Gain an International Perspective: By interacting with German families and students, students learn to see things from a different perspective, to view their own country and culture more objectively.
Students Learn to Stand on Their Own: GAPP teaches kids how to integrate themselves into a different family and culture. This experience serves them well when they move onto college or into the workplace, situations which also require students to adapt to a different culture.
Students Forge Lifelong Friendships: Due to the intensity of the shared experiences, students build relationships that last with GAPPers from Nicolet and from the Leopoldinum.
GAPP Alumni Success Stories:
Steve White (00), Kyle Bantz (00), Scott Tucker (00), Nell Rose Steed (02) and Devon Kroeger (04) Emma Buechs (06) Lauren Boer (06) and Sandra Gurneau (12), Robert McCracken (14) and Maria Graziano (16), Anja DuPlessis, Octavia Grimes (18), Jack Drouin (22) went on to win Congress-Bundestag Scholarships. Sponsored by the US State Department and the German Congress, the CBYX program allows them to spend an entire year studying in Germany. Three others won and then turned down the scholarship. Steve and Emma both spoke at the Bundestag as representatives of their CBYX cadres.
Kirsten Schmidt (00), Lyndsy Ogier (02), Will Roller (04), Chip Nitschke (04), Tom Just (04), Emma Buechs(06), Lauren Boer(06), Michelle Leonard(06), Tara Nadolny(06), Sam Whaley (06), Rachel Steinhaus (06), Sam MacFarland (08) and Sally Klein (10) and Ava Crawford-Vukicevic went on to study at a German university as part of their university degree programs. Miranda Allison (10) studied in Rome and Paris.
Kirsten Schmidt, Steve White, Kyle Bantz, Nell Rose Steed, Devon Kroeger, Pako Major, Rachel Steinhaus, Luke and Emma Buechs, Adam Groose, Sara Lager, Michelle Leonard, Joe Nowak, Matt Dobbe, Robbie and Zach Karas, Seth Johnson, Ben Brown and Ava Crawford, Natalie Muenster and Martin Muenster have since returned to Germany to visit their German families and partners. Seven NHS parents have also visited their partner families in Passau.
Michelle Leonard (06) spent a year as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Austria in 2012.
Natalie Muenster (12), Steve White (02) Emma Buechs(06) and Rachel Steinhaus (06) completed practica in German companies .
Kirsten Schmidt (00) and Kris Laur (06) have gone on to teach English abroad, Kris in Korea and Kirsten in Cambodia with the Peace Corps. Kindia du Plessis (10) spent a year in Thailand as a missionary. Sally Klein (10) is currently teaching in Vietnam.
Tom Just (04) just completed a doctorate in International Relations at Florida International University and is currently teaching there.
Rachel Steinhaus (06) completed a master's degree in intercultural communications at the University of Fulda. She is currently working for
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