English in the City
On Tuesday morning (5th March, 2024), several unfamiliar faces streamed into the auditorium of the Gutenberggymnasium. The occasion was the first-ever hosting of the „English in the City“ foreign language competition for the best English students from the ninth grades of Erfurt’s high schools and comprehensive schools in our school.
Fittingly for the regional focus, the organizing team consisting of English teachers from Erfurt had immersed the auditorium in the Irish colors. After a welcome by Mr Starke and a musical start by our school band “Dienstberyt”, which played their amazing “Gutenberg Song”, the participants navigated through the various parts of the competition. Whether Listening, Reading, Spelling, or Regional Studies – in a flurry, the completed test papers fluttered into the jury room and were immediately evaluated by the accompanying teachers. Thus, after the individual part, initial trends became apparent, but the paired conversation rounds ultimately determined who came out on top in the end and could take home one of the special sponsored prizes. Before the award ceremony, there was an opportunity to listen to a lecture by the Irish language assistant and answer more quiz questions about Ireland. Finally, the placements were announced. As the chosen ones from the 9 participating schools, all were already deemed winners beforehand, so there were corresponding presents for everyone.
With an excellent result, Raphael Nolte from the Edith-Stein-Schule narrowly outperformed the joint runners-up, a student of class 9c from Gutenberg and Haia from Königin-Luise Gymnasium. Congratulations, or “Comhghairdeachas”, as it is said in Irish, on this outstanding achievement.
Anja Heimel
