The City of Overland Park is looking for FOUR STUDENTS to travel to our Sister City in Germany for a week-long Sister City Youth Program.

Our Sister City, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany, hosts an annual program to:

• Foster international relations among youths of many backgrounds;
• Expose students to diverse cultures and nationalities; and
• Maintain ties with its various sister cities.

Overland Park high school students are invited to apply and participate in a week-long educational session, focusing on dance, from approximately July 27 through Aug. 3, 2008.

Students will have the opportunity to perform dance routines such as dance theatre, break dance, acrobatic and hip-hop while in Germany. 

While in Bietigheim-Bissingen

Students will stay with a host family.

During the day, students will participate in a variety of activities that focus on the program’s topic, dance. Evenings are spent either with host families or participating in numerous educational and social events organized by the Bietigheim-Bissingen Mayor’s Office. 

The program often includes day trips to nearby cities and other points of interest relevant to the program topic. Students are always accompanied by adults.

How to Apply

Interested students should fill out an application and return it no later than 5 p.m., Friday, May 16, to DJ Curtis, c/o City of Overland Park, 8500 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS, 66212.

To qualify, students must:

• Be an Overland Park resident
• Be 15-18 years old; and
• Be a high school student.

Submitted applications will be reviewed by a committee of Overland Park city staff members, and eight semi-finalists will be chosen for an interview the week of May 19. After interviews, four finalists will be selected.

Note: Only applicants selected for interviews will be notified of their application progress. 

Costs

The City of Overland Park will pay for students to fly round trip to Germany for this study abroad session in Bietigheim-Bissingen.

The German host families will provide lodging and meals.

Participating students are responsible for any additional costs such as passport fees, souvenirs, snacks, transportation to KCI, etc.

Questions? 

Contact Sean Reilly, communications manager, at 913/ 895-6109.