Our casts perform for people of all ages all across the globe, yet the most receptive audiences may be some of the youngest — elementary, middle, or high school students who have yet to make their mark on the world. Their ears are eager to listen, their eyes glimmer with hope, and their hands are ready to work to make the world a better place. The youth of Donaueschingen, Germany, were no exception.
OUR CAST STRIVES TO BE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS FOR STUDENTS
In Donaueschingen, cast members hosted a workshop, seen in the video below, at Kaufmännische und Hauswirtschaftliche Schulen Donaueschingen, a local vocational school for grades 10-12. They discussed how to be a better leader and what it means to live in a diverse community.
“Our school programming focuses on the importance of respecting others’ opinions and ideas, to appreciate the diversity in our community and ways we can make a difference,” says Ellen Enebo, Up with People’s curriculum manager, and a former cast member.
Visiting with students like those in Donaueschingen plays a significant role in our mission to encourage positive change in the world. Each week, our cast members dedicate a portion of their time to building relationships with students. Cast members meet with students, share stories about their culture, and teach them about global understanding. It’s all part of the Up with People curriculum — programming that focuses on interpersonal communication, leadership and group development, global citizenship, and cultural awareness.
It is that same cultural awareness that the school’s principal (or headmaster, as they call it in Germany) Frank Liebetanz wants for his students. “We want to build bridges of understanding and set no boundaries,” he says.
Over the past few months, Up with People’s cast members have lived with, visited with, learned from, and taught people from all walks of life. Their knowledge of the world around them grows exponentially at each destination along the world tour. The cast members are now looking forward to the next two stops in Germany before visiting the Netherlands and Rome, where they will end the tour with a performance for Pope Francis at the Vatican.
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