German Blue School Honored by Minister

Media Release by the Ministry of Culture, Education and Opportunities, Hessen County, Germany, about the first Blue School worldwide, the Wolfgang-Ernst-Gymnasium in Büdingen, Germany:

The commitment of the Wolfgang-Ernst-Gymnasium in Büdingen was recognized.

The high school, which is celebrating its 425th anniversary this year, promotes water rescue, democratic education, and fire and disaster protection.

Armin Schwarz, Education Minister of Hessen county, visited the Wolfgang-Ernst-Gymnasium in Büdingen today as part of his “WERTvoll” (VALUEful) tour and praised the volunteer work of the school community. The school, with approximately 1,100 students, is celebrating its 425th anniversary this year. The school places a special emphasis on values education, and volunteer work is firmly rooted in its identity.

Education Minister Armin Schwarz: “Volunteering doesn’t begin after you finish school. It begins when someone doesn’t just watch an activity but participates, and when someone takes on a task even though it would be easier to leave it to others. The Wolfgang-Ernst-Gymnasium provides numerous opportunities for this, and its commitment extends beyond the school walls. My sincere thanks go to the entire school community and especially to the students.”

Headmaster Oliver Eissing: “It is a special honor for the entire school community to welcome State Minister Armin Schwarz to our school in our 425th anniversary year. We are delighted by his interest in the Wolfgang-Ernst-Gymnasium and our diverse programs and networks, especially in the area of volunteer work.”

Engagement in water rescue, democracy education and fire protection

The students’ involvement is diverse. Since the 2022/2023 school year, they have been receiving first aid training, as well as theoretical and practical lifesaving instruction, in cooperation with the Gelnhausen branch of the German Lifesaving Association (DLRG). Furthermore, the school collaborates with the Büdingen Alliance for Democracy and Diversity through its democracy workshop and is involved in the Blue Community Büdingen, promoting the sustainable use of water. In the future, the school plans to offer an elective course on “Firefighting, Disaster Relief, and Civil Protection,” in which volunteer emergency responders will provide weekly support for the lessons.

Full Press Release (German) or Google English

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