Greeted at

the door of the Capitol by state Rep. Kathy Cox, a former Sandy Creek

teacher, the local students and their German exchange guests were arranging

a group photo on the rotunda steps when word came that the governor would

join the group.

Since 1994

Sandy Creek has maintained a partnership with Lessing-Gymnasium, a college

prep school in Braunschweig, Germany. Every second year, the partner schools

exchange about 20 students.

For three weeks,

the selected students live with their host families, attend school, share

information about culture and language, sightsee and get to know each

other.

The educational

benefits aren't confined to Sandy Creek. the German students talk to classes

at Burch Elementary and Flat Rock Middle School as well.

"And we

were able to share them with Starr's Mill, too," notes William Bryan,

Sandy Creek German teacher and exchange coordinator. "Starr's Mill

doesn't have an exchange program, at least not yet, so Donna Cates got

busy down there and arranged to have the Germans visit for a day."

Cates, a biology

teacher formerly working at Sandy Creek, can witness to the benefits of

an exchange. She encouraged her son David, a senior and student of German

at Starr's Mill, to join the Sandy Creek group.

"The exchange

experience was wonderful, not only for David, but for our entire family.

David's exchange partner, Frederike, was a delightful person and we enjoyed

her visit," says Cates.

"David's

language proficiency improved tremendously, but more than that, his interest

in continuing to learn the German language has increased. He plans now

to take German in college. It is a great program."

"This

program is an educational exchange, not a tour," explains Bryan,

"and you can't buy it off the shelf you have to make it yourself."

Students, whole

families, school administrators, coordinating teachers, all have to raise

funds, plan the activities, make travel arrangements and prepare to host

strangers for three weeks.

But, this time,

the guests hardly seemed strangers, Bryan says. The difference: e-mail.

"E-mail

has completely revolutionized programs like this," says Bryan. "Basically

everyone involved in the exchange now has e-mail, and the kids had been

e-chatting for weeks before the Germans ever got off the plane. And they'll

keep it up, too, because it's so easy. The level of enthusiasm seems to

have tripled."

There is a

lot to be enthusiastic about. The Germans, in three weeks, have experienced

a big slice of American life and an extra helping of Southern hospitality.

They have:

Sampled a

huge potluck dinner.

Attended a

cookout.

Tried their

hand at softball.

Been feted

at several parties.

Visited Zoo

Atlanta, CNN, and World of Coca-Cola.

Toured Savannah's

historic downtown and waterfront.

Explored Sapelo

Island, seeing estuarine ecology first hand, examining marine life forms

in the laboratory.

Shopped, shopped,

shopped.

Sandy Creek's

students can look forward to similar treatment when they visit Braunschweig

in June. Features will include a visit to Berlin, a three-day excursion

to the unspoiled North Sea island of Juist, tours of the Volkswagen works,

and more.

"It almost

becomes a competition, who can offer the best program to their guests,"

Bryan admits. "Once the parents get involved, pride and sense of

hospitality takes over and the events just happen. The bottom line is,

parents really want this experience for their kids."

The next Sandy

Creek German Exchange is slated for the 2002-2003 school year.

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