Deutschfest 2006

345 students from 16 Oklahoma schools competed with 1040 entries in multiple levels of 14 categories as Oklahoma State University hosted Deutschfest 2006, Monday, April 24. From the opening assembly to the awards presentation, enthusiasm and high hopes prevailed in this annual competition for students of German. Over eighty trophies were awarded to recognize the first, second and third place winners in each category. Gail Gates, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs extended a warm welcome to the competitors, their teachers and their guests. The guests included a group of exchange students from Germany and their teacher currently visiting Bishop McGuiness High School in Oklahoma City.

In addition to Bishop McGuiness (Ursula Bolding), other participating schools (and their German teachers) were Prue High School (Tricia Meadows), Altus High School (Michelle Berck), Monroney Junior High (Julian Hibbard), Bixby High School (Mary Ann Segner), Wilson Middle School (Marja Willis), MidWest City High School (Jerald Loveless), Carl Albert High School (Ursula Brannon), Union High School (Rosemary Holt and Chris Guckian), Booker T. Washington High School (Jeff Mosburg), Sapulpa High School, (Ray Markley) Tulsa Memorial High School (Max Horton), Jenks High School (Michael Pride), Choctaw High School (Theresa Little), Hilldale High School, (Eva Galluzzi) and C.W.Nimitz Middle School (Angela Novak).

Dr. David Nagle and Sabine Lewis of OSU’s Distance Learning Academy German Online program coordinated the event. They were supported by OSU German faculty Dr. John te Velde and Dr. Karin Schestokat, OSU student volunteers Carla Beckmann, Josh Varner, Erika Wright, Kendall Prabhu, Richard Grote, Brandon McVey, Emily Herbel, Jill Motley, Heidi Goertz, Michael Haugtvedt, Heather Beem, Akeem Prosser, Joyce Lucca, Justin Stein, Catherine Gray, Christy Miller, Chance Graves, Nathan Putnam, Jennifer Busby, Catherine Mers, and Jeremiah Brown . Stillwater High School teacher Julie Moomaw and her Austrian exchange student Jasmin Mermaran helped with the judging as did Dr. Joe Sullivan, OU German Professor, Mary McIlhany of Tulsa, Dr. Bryan Kirby of Oklahoma Baptist University, and several of the teachers. The College of Arts and Sciences Outreach office provided administrative assistance and generously helped with the fee for use of rooms in the Student Union.

Oklahoma State University is planning to host next year’s Deutschfest, April 2, 2007. With the earlier date it is anticipated that even more schools will be able to participate.