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Bay City’s sister-city educators from Ansbach outline 2026 student exchanges and fundraisers
Summary
Teachers and educators from Ansbach, Germany, and Bay City presented plans to expand the long-standing sister-city educational exchange, including student travel in 2026 and fundraising events such as a German dinner and trivia night.
Educators from Ansbach, Germany, and members of Bay City’s sister-city educational cohort briefed commissioners Wednesday on exchange activities and plans for 2026.
Kathy Dardis, who identified herself as an assistant principal at the Bay Area Career Center and a member of the sister-city educational cohort, said the exchange has included multiple educator and student visits in recent years and that this week Bay City is hosting four teachers from Ansbach to learn about career and technical education programs at the Bay Area Career Center, Delta College and Saginaw Valley State University.
Ansbach teachers Andreas Bott, Thomas Zink, Stephanie Pund and principal Susanne Britz each described subjects they teach and said they are seeking curricular connections between Ansbach and Bay City schools. Bott said the partnership aims to "close some cultural gaps and to find new friendships" between pupils.
Susan Elder, Bay City Central High School’s German teacher, and Lisa Forrest, a retired teacher and sister-city committee member, described community and school support for exchanges. The presenters said plans for 2026 include a July student trip to Ansbach and a September visit from Ansbach students to Bay City as part of a 65th anniversary series of exchange events.
Fundraising events tied to the cohort’s work include an annual German dinner prepared by culinary students at the career center and a January trivia night; committee members said those events raise money and provide cultural education. Presenters credited the Bay Area Career Center, Bay City Public Schools, Dunk Club (a local German-American organization), Delta College and SVSU for support.
Commissioners and staff thanked the educators for the presentation and welcomed the visiting teachers to Bay City.
