BERLIN — Two Crestview students are helping a German brother and sister improve their English language skills while experiencing the culture of each other’s countries.
When Jonah Fischer, 15, and his father, Tillman, visited Crestview from Berlin, Germany in 2010, he befriended Ethan Sparagowski, now a Crestview High freshman.
After hearing stories about his two weeks of fishing, swimming and visiting classes at Davidson Middle School, Jonah’s little sister, Marlene, wanted to experience some of the same southern friendship.
Last fall, the 9-year-old, known as “Lilli” to friends and family, started exchanging letters with Baker School fifth-grader Jordyn Barnes.
“Having American friends in Crestview has helped the children learn English better,” their mother, elementary school teacher Sabine Fischer, said. “They learn things from their friends that we don’t teach in the school.”
During a recent walk along Berlin’s Spree River with their parents, Jonah and Lilli stopped near the iconic Reichstag building to send greetings to Ethan and Jordyn.
Lilli hopes to greet her Crestview friend in person one day.
“Perhaps we can visit during Lilli’s Easter holidays,” Tillman Fischer said. “For now, she looks forward to each of Jordyn’s letters and is thinking of things to write to her about.”
In her first letter to Lilli, Jordyn enclosed a crocheted bracelet that Lilli proudly wears on her arm.
While her family is on its annual summer trip in their motor home to visit friends in Greece, Lilli said she would gather many topics for her next letter to Jordyn.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: German students forge friendships in Crestview