The Auckland Goethe Society Exams

2016 German Examinations Prize-giving
On September 22, the Fisher & Paykel Appliances auditorium at Auckland University was packed with students, parents, friends, families and teachers to attend the prize-giving celebrations of the 2016 Auckland Goethe Society German examinations. This year over 530 students from Years 7 to 13 participated in these competitive tests.  127 of them were invited to the speaking examinations held at the university in August 20, and 83 attended them.“It looks like the demand for German in schools is on the rise,” said Heike Papenthin, National Adviser for German in schools.

Student Elysha Negi (left) with her teacher Heike Zimmer and her younger sister. photo: Doris Evans

130 students more than last year attended this year’s exams, which is fantastic. “The students showed wonderful levels of proficiency in German, some of them outstanding,” added Anna Bauer, Acting Head of German at the University of Auckland. We're all hugely appreciative of the wonderful work being done by the teachers of German at the Auckland schools. 

The examinations would not be possible without a team of people willing to be involved, in particular Steffi Glowinski, Malin Messmer, Nicole Perry, Pia Schneider, Patrick Flamm, Janelle Wood, Heike Zimmer, Janet Welch, Michael Kandlbinder as well as committee members of the Auckland Goethe Society.

Special thanks goes to Gretchen Badenhorst, who coordinated the examinations. Gretchen has been the lead committee member organising the examinations and the prize-giving for the last four years.

Doris Evans