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Society Activities
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The Verein is happy to report another successful 6-week summer exchange program between middle school students in Esslingen Sheboygan,
which took place this year from July 24th to September 5th. Five girls and two boys from the Esslingen Gymnasien (secondary schools)
and their families hosted the American students for three weeks, participating in several group activities and day trips followed by
family time for the last week and a half.
In addition to meeting for ice cream and an evening welcome party, the group had lunch with Mayor Dr. Raab at the Schwanen followed by a
brief tour of Esslingen. The group also took a day trip to Tübingen and spent a day in Ulm climbing the Münster, learning about Stolpersteine,
touring the Fischerviertel and strolling alone the Danube. During three mornings while their German hosts were still busy in school, the American
students participated in "crash course" German lessons taught by a local teacher, where they learned some basic vocabulary and phrases as well as
how to navigate the public transportation in Germany.
On August 13th the fourteen students and their chaperones flew together to Wisconsin where their Sheboygan families greeted them with open arms,
and the fun group activities continued. Ice cream and mini-golf is always a great way to regroup the day after arrival, and the next day Sheboygan
mayor Mike Vandersteen and his international committee hosted a welcome party for the students and their families. In the following week the group
spent a mostly rainy day at Six Flags and a much nicer day touring Chicago on the Hop-On Hop-Off bus, and visited the Wade House and an alpaca
farm. Their time in America ended with a farewell party at the home of one of the Sheboygan host families and then the final "Auf Wiedersehen!"
at the Chicago airport as the German students and their chaperone returned home.
The goals of our 6-week summer exchange are to build lasting friendships, to provide a close look into everyday life in another country and culture,
and encourage international understanding. The American students get a taste of living in another language, and the German students are able to
strengthen their English language skills. This being our sixth year of the exchange, a total of 74 students from both sister cities have been able
to participate in this important program.
Information and program details for the upcoming Short-Stay Exchange 2016 will be provided by the VES to the 7th grade classes at each of the four Gymnasien at the beginning of this school year.
(eah)
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The 6-week middle school exchange between students in Sheboygan, WI (USA) and Esslingen,
Germany took place this summer from July 19th to August 29th. This was the fifth year of the exchange.
Three girls and three boys in the 7th grade from the four Esslingen high schools and their families hosted
their American partners for three weeks in Esslingen and then flew with their partners and chaperones to Wisconsin
to spend three weeks with host families in the Sheboygan area.
Day trip to Heidelberg
The Verein VES and its counterpart People to People International - Sheboygan Chapter once again provided an interesting
and varied program for all participants. Some of the activities included a lunch with Mayor Dr. Raab, a day trip to Heidelberg,
visits to the Mercedes Museum and the Ludwigsburg Castle as well as a Get-Together party in Aichelberg to welcome the Sheboygan students.
Reception for the Sheboygan and Esslingen summer exchange students with Esslingen mayor Dr. Raab
At the beginning of August both groups flew together from Stuttgart to Chicago, then were driven to Sheboygan. Activities in the U.S.
included a cookout with Sheboygan mayor Vandersteen, a day trip to Chicago, and a visit to Six Flags Great America, an amusement and water park.
Day trip to Chicago
The goals of this exchange are to build new friendships, strengthen the students' language skills, independence,
and self-confidence and to provide an in-depth look into daily life in another culture in the interest of encouraging
international understanding. Since 2010 a total of 60 students from both sister cities have taken part in this exchange.
Information and program details for the upcoming sixth Short-Stay Exchange 2015 were provided to the 7th grade classes at
the beginning of this school year by the VES. www.verein-es.de (fjk/eah)
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Welcoming the Sheboygan exchange students at the Stuttgart airport
The fourth short-stay exchange for 7th grade students in Esslingen and Sheboygan is underway,
having begun on 18th July with the arrival of the four girls, two boys, and their chaperone
from Sheboygan, Wisconsin (USA). They were received by their Esslingen host families and will
stay with them until 7th August. The VES has offered a fun-filled program again this year,
as will the People to People Sheboygan chapter during the group's three-week adventure in the
U.S.. So far the students and their chaperones have met and had lunch at the Palmscher Bau
with Esslingen mayor Dr. Markus Raab, had a tour of Esslingen, a welcome party, and day
trips to Tübingen/Bebenhausen and Munich.
Reception for the Sheboygan and Esslingen summer exchange students with Esslingen mayor Dr. Raab
On 7th August the two groups of students will fly together to Wisconsin, and after an
18-hour trip will arrive in Sheboygan. The Esslingen students will return on 29th August.
The goal of this exchange is to form new long term friendships, to improve the language skills,
independence, and self-confidence of the students, and to encourage their interest in each other's
cultural environment in the interest and spirit of international relations and understanding.
The VES will present information and the schedule for the upcoming 2014 short-stay exchange to
seventh grade classes at the beginning of the next school year. (rjk/eah)
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| Three-week Student Exchange 2013 |
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Our fourth Short-Stay Exchange between 7th grade students in Esslingen and in Sheboygan will take place this summer. We have six pairs this year, and they, along with their chaperones, are all looking forward to an interesting and enjoyable experience.
Esslingen students with chaperone Mrs. Elizabeth Hejl
Sheboygan students with chaperone Mrs. Judy Slawny
The Americans will arrive and be greeted by their German host families on July 18th. The program for the following three weeks will include a reception with a representative from the city of Esslingen, a city tour through the old part of the town, a crash course in the German language, a welcome party, and trips to Tübingen and perhaps Munich.
On August 7th both groups will fly together to Sheboygan. While in Sheboygan they'll have a welcome picnic, a reception with Mayor Vandersteen, and take day-trips to Chicago, Six Flags Amusement Park, and the Wade House. The Esslingen group flies back on August 29th. (eah)
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| Three weeks' Summer Short-Stay Exchange 2012 |
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After the third successful presentation rallye at the four Esslingen high schools (7th class) last autumn
as well as the official conclusion of the application and selection procedure at the end of January, this year's
Short-Stay Exchange partners between the two Sister Cities present themselves:
Esslingen Exchange Group
(L to R, B to F): Klvana (Chaperone), Viktoria, Natalie, Carla, Laura, Marie, Marietta, Marina, Luis, Yannik, Paul
Sheboygan Exchange Group
(L to R, B to F): Courtney, Carlie, Caroline, Katy, Liz, Ashlea, Henry, Alec, Sawyer, Rachel
Our American friends will be arriving in Esslingen on 13th July. Both groups will be returning
to Sheboygan together on 3rd August. The Esslingen group will be returning home again on 24th August.
Both groups will be accompanied by a chaperone respectively during the journey and stay. Both clubs,
VES and the PTP Sheboygan Chapter, and the exchange families will once again be offering an interesting
programme during the stay. (rjk)
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On 14th July, Esslingen was once again paid a visit from its sister city Sheboygan in connection
with the three weeks students` exchange programme: two girls and one boy from 7th Grade Middle
School and their chaperone, the President of the People-to-People Sheboygan Chapter, Judy Slawny.
Apart from staying with their host families and a brief visit to the appropriate Esslingen High
Schools just before the end of the school term, the Esslingen-Sheboygan Club (VES) once more put
up an interesting programme. Two special highlights were the welcoming reception by the City of
Esslingen at the New City Hall and the Get-Together-Party organized by the VES for the American
guests and its club members. In addition, the group had day trips to Heidelberg and Ludwigsburg
and visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
On 4th August both student exchange groups and their chaperones, the Esslingen group being
accompanied by the President of the VES, Pauline Hejl, departed for Sheboygan. Not only did they
experience magnificent weather but also a very interesting programme with day trips to Chicago,
to the Six Flags Water Park, a visit to the Historic Stagecoach Inn Wade House and the experience
of a baseball game. They were also officially greeted by Mayor Bob Ryan in the City Hall and
visited the Stephanie Weill Center in Sheboygan. A wonderful picnic on the lake with boating and
swimming was a real highlight. The Esslingen student group returned home on 25th August.
This so-called "Short Stay Exchange" has been organized for the second time under the leadership
of the VES together with its pendant the People-to-People Area Chapter Sheboygan. The basic idea
of this exchange is to establish new friendships at an early stage and to enforce enduring
connections among young people and their families between our sister cities. In this way a
further essential contribution is made towards international understanding. (rjk)
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| VES Members participate in the "4th of July Parade" in Sheboygan |
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An official delegation from Esslingen, led by Mayor Dr. Markus Raab, visited Sheboygan to attend the celebrations on July 4, 2011.
The delegation was accompanied by a small group of members of the "Verein Esslingen-Sheboygan" (VES).
The trip began with three interesting days in the City of Chicago. During their stay in a very nice hotel which was centrally situated,
the group had many opportunities to enjoy the sights of that magnificent city.
The group then arrived in Sheboygan on July 3 and were accommodated in Blue Harbor Hotel - beautifully situated directly on Lake Michigan.
In addition to the "4th of July Parade" with the splendid fireworks display over the lake in the evening, the group had interesting
tours of the Sheboygan Police Department, the Fire Department and also the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
There were also many opportunities to meet the citizens of Sheboygan, not only during and after the parade, but also, for example,
at the picnic on the lake and at the "German Evening" with the Sheboygan Concordia Choir.
The City of Esslingen has invited to a reciprocal visit to Esslingen next year. Perhaps then there will be the opportunity
to greet friends from Sheboygan once more.
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On July 19, 2010, Esslingen once again welcomed a small group from its Sister City Sheboygan:
for a period of three weeks, five 7th grade students and their chaperone Mrs Kris Hancock stayed
in our beautiful city. They were heartily welcomed at Stuttgart Airport by their Esslingen exchange
students and their families as well as by two board members of the VES, Pauline Hejl and Ralf Klvana.
The strain of the long journey could be clearly seen, but fortunately everything went well on the journey
and so everyone was feeling very happy about the successful start of this three weeks' exchange.
Apart from staying with their host families and a brief visit to their exchange students' Esslingen High Schools,
the VES put up an interesting programme.
Two special highlights from this were the welcoming reception by the Esslingen Mayor Dr. Raab at the New City Hall
on July 21 and the Get-Together-Party on July 28, organized by the VES for our guests and the club members, taking
place at St. Joseph's Parish Hall.
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Arrival at Stuttgart Airport: Welcome of the Sheboygan exchange students and their
chaperone (all dressed in pink T-Shirts) by the Esslingen exchange students
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On August 8, both student exchange groups and their chaparones departed for Sheboygan, where our exchange students
stayed with their American host families until August 29. While they were in Sheboygan they visited the Kohler Design Center,
Six Flags Great America, Gurnee Mills Outlet Mall and downtown Chicago. "There is no skyline in Germany like Chicago",
Esslingen chaperone Melanie Knauer said. They also attended a Milwaukee Brewers game and tailgated beforehand.
This new kind of student exchange, the so-called "Short-Stay-Exchange", was established in 2009 by the VES in Esslingen
and the People-to-People Area Chapter in Sheboygan. The basic idea is to establish new friendships at an early stage in
life and to enforce long-lasting connections among young people and their families between our Sister Cities.
In this way a further essential contribution as well as visible sign is made with a view to the understanding of nations.
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| 40th Anniversary of the Student Exchange between Esslingen and Sheboygan |
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This year Esslingen and Sheboygan will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the student exchange,
which began in 1970 and has continued almost without interruption up to the present day, enabling about
170 students to participate in this exchange programme.
In May 2010 Esslingen will be visited by a large delegation from Sheboygan to celebrate this event.
The delegation will consist of about 60 persons, including members of the Mayor's International Committee
under the leadership of Mayor Bob Ryan, who himself was an exchange student in 1979/80. Representatives of
the People to People Sheboygan Chapter will also be in the delegation and last but not least, former exchange
students.
The delegation will be staying in Esslingen for the duration of 4 days, and will have an interesting programme,
the highlight of which will be a Celebration Evening on Thursday, 20th May 2010. The Esslingen City Administration
will be assisted by the VES and other Esslingen clubs to make the visit a memorable one.
The former Esslingen and Sheboygan exchange students have been informed of the celebration, but unfortunately it
has not been possible to contact everyone. Those former students who have not yet been informed are asked to contact
the People to People Sheboygan Chapter, the Referat für Städtepartnerschaften or VES.
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| Concordia Sheboygan visits Esslingen |
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More than 40 singers from the Concordia choir from our American
Sister City Sheboygan where guests in Esslingen am Neckar from
September 26th to September 29th 2008. The choir that was founded by German
immigrants is one of the oldest choirs in Wisconsin and is still celebrating
its German heritage in song.
Many of our members hosted guests and actively participated
in organizing and planning the activities during the stay, together with the
Sister City department of the town of Esslingen.
Friendly camaraderie and a lovely concert in the evangelic parish hall
in Mettingen contributed to our far traveled guests feeling at home with us in Esslingen.
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On July 10, 2008 the first ComeToGether Grillparty of the Verein zur Förderung der
partnerschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischen Esslingen und Sheboygan/WI (VES), which was newly founded
in August 2007, took place in the Oberen Beutau in the garden of members Ralf and Martina Klvana.
The weather was excellent and a total of thirty invited guests were in a good mood and enjoyed
getting to know each other better and having interesting conversations. Members of the board were
present, headed by the chairperson Pauline Hejl, as well as numerous members with their youngsters.
The American exchange students Sarah, Charlotte, Tim and T.J., who stayed in Esslingen from February
to the beginning of August, came with their host families.
Also present were the new Esslingen exchange students, Enija, Lukas and Philipp, who will be in
Sheboygan until December. They and their parents took advantage of talking to the Esslingen and
Sheboygan exchange students.
Everyone agreed that the first Grillparty was a great success and that this event must become
a fixed issue in the Society's calendar.
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