Jessica Culver has been working with GAVE since 2020. Currently, 100 students are part of the virtual exchange program she set up with a partner school in Brandenburg, Germany.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am Jessica Culver, a social studies teacher at Ozark High School in Arkansas, and I have been teaching for 20 years.
We are located in the Ozark mountains, and our town has approximately 3000 inhabitants. Every year we have around 100 students graduating from our high school.
Right now, I offer GAVE for 11th grade, and despite us being a small high school, we basically have the entire grade participating in the program.
How did you hear about GAVE, and what prompted you to implement a virtual exchange at your school?
Jens Rosner, the English teacher at our partner school, the Louise Henriette Gymnasium in Oranienburg, Germany, knew about GAVE. Our schools had both participated in a school election project in 2020 offered by the U.S. Embassy and wanted to keep in touch.
You work at a school that doesn't offer German - does this impact how you use GAVE in any way?
No, not because the German students know English and my students are impressed by how well they write and speak. We also had a German exchange student at our school last year who helped with the GAVE exchange and was able to share some cultural knowledge about Germany with my students.
What were your students' reactions when meeting German students from their partner school virtually?
They are so excited to meet people from halfway around the globe because many of our students do not have the opportunity to travel. They are very curious about how the German students live.
As 11th graders, they are getting familiar with the college application process and are pretty overwhelmed by the financial part. They were shocked to hear that in Germany, college is so affordable.
On the other hand, they were equally surprised to hear that sports don’t play such a big role at German high schools. Here, you are either on a team, a band member or a cheerleader – everybody is involved in sports at our school.
What are some of the GAVE activities your students love?
In 2021 we were among the winners of the “Our Sustainable Future” contest with our German partner school. We launched the project “Sustainability and Cooperation First,” which focused on the similarities and differences in sustainability between Germany and the United States.
This year we are writing letters to get to know each other a little better and work with Padlets discussing plastic pollution and sustainable foods.
Why would you recommend GAVE to other teachers?
I do GAVE because it lets students travel around the world without leaving the classroom, and it is a straightforward way to expose your students to a different culture.
It especially appeals to teenagers, getting to talk to other teenagers halfway around the globe. It is very eye-opening and fun and makes us appreciate a different culture, our differences and also our own community.
Thank you for your time!
Interview by Annette Baran
