This afternoon, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) released the results of their annual National German Exam.

Of the 20,000 high school students across the country who took the exam, 680 students were from Wisconsin. Of that group, 74 placed in the top 10 percent nationwide – 22 of which from MPS' Milwaukee School of Languages.

Their high-marked performance earned the Gold Certificate on the exam, as well as qualified them for a paid four-week summer study trip to Germany, funded by the AATG and the German Pädagogischen Austauschdienst (PAD).

This year's winner of the trip to Germany was Hannah Doyle, a junior at Brookfield Academy. The trip begins in June, when she will spend two weeks living with a host family in Bavaria and two weeks traveling and visiting significant historical and cultural landmarks throughout the country.

Doyle was selected for the honor by Michael Koch, an instructor of German at Carroll University and chair of Wisconsin's testing committee, and board members from the German Language and School Society (DSSV), who conducted interviews with the eligible students in order to pick the best nominee.

Last year, two Wisconsin high school students earned study trips to Germany.

"The enthusiasm the students display when they return is inspiring," Koch said in a press release, "and sometimes it is eye-opening when they point to aspects of German culture I have come to take for granted, such as the prevalence of recycling or the efficiency of public transportation."

In addition to Doyle's study trip, Kenosha Unified School District German teacher Jammie Orth won this year's Klett-Langenscheidt Teacher’s Award for Excellence at the AATG/DSSV awards ceremony this past Sunday. DSSV also distributed more than $8,000 in scholarships  to outstanding high school German students this year.