MARY MURPHY, RECEIVES THE 2008 CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG SCHOLARSHIP

     The Congress-Bundestag Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State and was begun in 1983 through a mutual agreement with the German Bundestag (Parliament) in order to celebrate the 300th anniversary of German settlements in the U.S. Since that time both governments have renewed funding each year. The program is designed to improve cultural understanding as well as to promote language acquisition.

     Terry Mitchell Strohm, CHS German teacher states “Mary has shown much interest in German. Besides being one of my most academically motivated and conscientious students in German 2 this year, in March she was inducted as a member of Delta Epsilon Phi, which is the National Honor Society for students of German. Mary is a hard working, dedicated and motivated student who takes the initiative for her own education. She learns because she values and appreciates the opportunity to learn. Mary, needless to say, is a valuable participant in my class and I always look forward to her contributions. She is accepting and non-judgmental and seems to be very open minded.”

     Mary, of West Chicago, has been involved in various community service projects through Key Club as well as being an active participant in International Club. Mary volunteers to play piano at elementary school musicals. She currently works at Ace Hardware. After high school Mary plans to go to college. She is considering majoring in performing arts, music or medicine.

     Upon her arrival in Germany Mary, and the other scholarship recipients, will attend a one month language orientation class. From there she will travel to her permanent host family and end the school year by traveling to Berlin. In Berlin she will meet with the German Bundestag. The students will also attend programs in Washington D.C. Strohm states “Mary has all the knowledge to do well next year. It will be tough not only academically but personally. I have the utmost faith that she will do wonderfully.” Mary will return to CHS in the fall of 2009 as a full fledge senior.