February 2019 –
The German American Cultural Foundation (GAC-F) empowers students to learn the German language and excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Therefor the GAC-F invests $100,000 yearly in a full-time German instructor position at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School.
Learning the German language opens up a lot of career opportunities in Georgia. Over 400 German companies alone with 819 branches have chosen Georgia for their businesses and employ more than 22,000 employees. Around 350 German companies are located in the greater Atlanta area. Nearly one-third of German companies based in Georgia have manufacturing operations. The number of German companies keeps on growing, and with this growth comes the demand for educated German speaking young academics and engineers. Unfortunately, only a few schools, mostly in the northern part of Atlanta and Gainesville, are offering German language programs. Presently, no public school in the south of Atlanta is offering its students the possibility to learn the German language.
The GAC-F feels, that understanding each other and learning each other’s language is a strong foundation for successful business in the future. After all, true understanding only happens if tomorrow’s executives are exposed to each other’s way of life, background and thinking. Especially the current political environment has made German business leaders in small or mid-size companies or even in global corporations aware how important a solid relationship between countries, cultures and people is. We need to invest into young leaders today to make sure we will have open minded global business and political leaders tomorrow. Our members certainly understand how important cultural diversity is. For the international business community this is an important key stone to the success of their companies. A strong transatlantic relationship, on both political and economic level, is a key component to our business success, both, in Europe and the United States.
Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School are situated in the southwest area of Atlanta. The most recent neighborhood demographics reflect a median income of $30,484 per year with 49% of residents below $25,000. The ethnic makeup is 95.3 Black and 4.7% Hispanic. The area is on the federal poverty level. The income stats are reflective of a Title 1 standing, therefore at both high schools 100% of the scholars receive free or reduced lunch.
Many of the students come from homes where they face numerous challenges to include being displaced resulting in students either residing in homeless shelters or doubling up with family or friends. Unfortunately, the neighborhood of both high schools has a violent crime rate and a high property crime rate. The area around Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership is considered a food desert due to the fact that the nearest grocery store is over five miles away.
Both high schools still maintain an attendance average of over 90%. Although many of the students face dire socioeconomic challenges, both high schools still have one of the highest graduation rates and attendance rates in the Atlanta Public School System.
Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy and Daniel McLaughlin Therrell High School offer the full International Baccalaureate Continuum (IB Program) from Grade 9 to 12 enriched by a world language program (French and Spanish). In 2020 with the next school year the German language program will be added. At both high schools a career-related program builds on prior learning in the IB Middle Years Program and incorporates elements of the IB Diploma Program, while providing the student with real world career options.
German Teachers who are interesting to support this wonderful new project are welcome to apply. Link: German Teacher job