By Taylor Wouters ’15 | Staff Writer

Guten Tag Germany.

Alex Rogers ’15 was awarded a study abroad trip this summer for her superior score on the National German Exam.

The result of the exams were used to select the nationwide winners of a four-week study abroad trip to Germany, according to the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG).

“They made a new format this year,” said Rogers. “It (the test) was on the computer this year and was kind of hard.”

To apply for the trip students must score above the 90th percentile on the exam, Rogers said. If a score was high enough, they would move on to the next round of applications.

“You had to fill out this application which was all these questions, then you had to write a letter to a host family in German,” Rogers said.

Rogers has been speaking German since her mom signed her up for an after school program when she was in first grade, Rogers said.

“It was taught by teachers who were from Germany, so we didn’t learn German how you do in school, I learned it how you learned English,” said Rogers.

While taking German in high school, German teacher Lisa Richman said Rogers has learned to push herself with vocabulary.

“I think you can get pretty comfortable with the words you know and how you express things,” said Richman. “One thing I noticed with her that I think makes her German so strong is she is always looking for new ways (to express herself), or she might use a phrase she has used regularly and add to it with more description.”

During her first year of high school, Rogers enrolled in German III, Richman said. Throughout her numerous courses, Rogers has been one of the strongest students.

“She has done a lot on her own,” said Richman. “She has a fantastic ear for sound, her accent is very good, and in my classes she has always been one of the strongest kids.”

This summer Rogers will use her advanced knowledge of German on her second trip to Germany, Rogers said. Her trip will be from the end of June until the end of July.

“I was there (Germany) in sixth grade, but it was only for a week,” said Rogers. “So I haven’t been there for a while.”

While there the first time, Rogers said she got to learn more about the culture and activities of Germans.

“I think I ate french fries every single day for lunch,” said Rogers. “It was cool because they do a lot of things outside that Americans don’t really do, so that was kind of cool.”

Staying with a host family is another factor of the trip Rogers said she looks forward to.

“You have a host brother or sister that is the same age as you,” said Rogers. “I think that will be fun.”

Richman said she would like Rogers to experience all of the things she has read and learned about in class while she is abroad.

“All the things that she has studied and learned about and read about, (she hopes) that they will become real,” said Richman. “We have been learning something that’s just in a book, or something you learn for school, and to just see it come real.”

Winning the trip has excited her parents just as much as it has her, Rogers said. She will get to experience things she has learned about for a long time.

“She should meet so many different people,” said Richman. “They will get to meet her which is just as wonderful for the Germans as it is for Alex herself.”