German in the UK

What does learning German mean to you? Different people value different things about acquiring a new language. In an essay-writing competition, Sixth Form pupils from three schools in Cardiff engaged with this question as they responded to the title 'What Learning German Means to Me'.

The competition was organised by the Cardiff-Stuttgart Association (CSA) and Deutsche Sprachgesellschaft. The CSA exists to promote links between the two twinned cities, and to foster awareness in Cardiff of the language and cultures of the German-speaking countries. Pupils from Howell’s School, Whitchurch High School, and Cardiff High School took part in the competition.

Looking for a personal quality in the entries, the judges chose Robert Vaughan of Howell’s School as the winner. Robert received a prize of £75 from the CSA, while each of the other competitors received a book donated by the German Embassy. The prizes were awarded by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff in his official residence. The competition was a valuable exercise for the pupils, and the CSA hopes to repeat it next year.