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Bay City educators, students describe Ansbach sister-city exchanges; fundraiser planned April 30
Summary
A group of Bay City educators and students presented the history and recent student/teacher exchanges with Ansbach, Germany, described educational collaborations and announced a German dinner fundraiser to support upcoming travel.
A delegation of Bay City educators and students appeared before the Bay City City Commission on March 17 to describe the city’s sister-city relationship with Ansbach, Germany, and to preview upcoming exchanges and a community fundraiser.
Kathy Dardis, who identified herself as an assistant principal at the Bay-Area Career & Technical Education Center, described the sister-city link with Ansbach as longstanding and youth-focused. "My name is Kathy Dardis. I am 1 of the print, assistant principals at the Bay AreaAC ISD Career Center," she said while introducing the group and the program’s goals.
Susan Elder, German teacher at Bay City Central High School and Handy Middle School, told commissioners the relationship traces to 1960 and emphasized the program’s educational and cultural exchanges: virtual exchanges during the COVID years led to the first in-person student exchange in 2022, and larger exchanges occurred in 2024. Educators and students described classroom collaborations with German counterparts, teacher professional-development exchanges and cultural activities including tours and joint projects between marketing programs.
Students who traveled to Ansbach described personal benefits from the exchanges, citing ongoing friendships and cross-cultural learning. Presenters noted local businesses and institutions — including Michigan Sugar, McLaren and DoubleTree — hosted visiting students in Bay City. The group asked the commission and community to support continued exchanges and announced a fundraiser: a German dinner on April 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Bay-Area Career & Technical Education Center; tickets will be available in advance and at the event for dine-in and takeout.
Commissioners thanked the presenters and several commissioners shared personal appreciation for the exchange program’s impact on students. The presentation was descriptive and informational; no formal action was taken by the commission on the sister-city program at the meeting.
