Amherst CHS Named USA Medallion School for Hosting a German Exchange Student

Amherst Central High School was named a USA Medallion School by the U.S. Dept. of State for its involvement in the The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX). This school year, Amherst Central High School is hosting a student from Germany as part of the CBYX Program. 

Liv Dettweiler, a sophomore, is from a small town in Germany near the border of France. She arrived in the U.S. in August and will attend school in Amherst through June. She said her school back home is a little smaller and has grades 5-12 in one building. Her school starts at 7:30 a.m. each day, but depending on the day, they are released at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. or 3 p.m.

She loves the opportunities that she has at Amherst to take various classes. She is taking digital photography and is very excited about the class. In contrast, her school only offers one art and one music course for students. There are few extracurricular clubs and all athletics are done through town leagues, not through school.

She became interested in applying to be an exchange student because she wanted to improve her English. She speaks three languages: German, French and English. She started learning English in sixth grade, French in third grade and Latin in eighth grade. She also watched many movies about life in the U.S. and was curious about American culture and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Halloween. She has done two exchanges at schools in France; one for a week and another for a week and a half.

A couple things that she likes is how kind her fellow students have been to her with compliments about her shoes or clothing and the recent snowfall in early December. At home in Germany only a little snow falls so she would like to experience a snowstorm while she’s here. She has been sending pictures daily to her family, especially of the snow.

By enrolling a U.S. Department of State-sponsored exchange student, Amherst CHS becomes Medallion Member School. These schools set themselves apart by demonstrating a commitment to academic and cultural enrichment for their students through international exchange. Exchange students introduce Amherst students to another culture and increase their international awareness without requiring them to travel.