On Feb. 15, German students will be attending the annual German student competition, Staatskongress, at Ball State University. According to Mariam Aziz, vice president of the Indiana Association of Students of German (IASG) and junior, German students from all over Indiana participate in the event, which features both academic and cultural competitions.

Each year, the competition is based on a theme, which students must research and prepare for in advance in order to score points at the Staatskongress quiz bowl. According to the IASG website, this year’s theme is attractions in German speaking countries. By participating in events like the quiz bowl, academic competitions and cultural competitions at the event, students are able to score more points for their school. At the end of the event, the winning school is then determined by the average score of all of the school’s participants.

Aziz, who has been participating in the event as a representative from CHS in previous years before becoming the vice president, says she has enjoyed the event each year.

“I really enjoy representing Carmel there and I love meeting new people that learn German all over Indiana. It’s an opportunity that you get and you don’t always get it,” Aziz said. “I love participating in the competitions and having fun times with friends that learn German too.”

According to Angelika Becker, German teacher and world language department chairperson, besides being able to meet other students and spending time with their friends, students who attend Staatskongress also see firsthand the opportunities for continuing their study of German later in life. While on campus, the students will get to meet with college students and professors, who are helping out at the event.

“They meet other people, other German students from other schools (and) they get to be on a college campus for a day. They meet college students (and) college professors. It is just really an opportunity for them to see what they can do with the language later on,” Becker said.

As the event draws nearer, many students, including Aziz, are looking forward to the competitions and spending time with friends.

“This year, I am looking forward to having successful events. As a vice president, I am looking forward to the success of the events, of course, and providing the fun opportunity for the German students that participate in it. As a student, I would like to enjoy my time there and participate in as many events and competitions as I can. I (also) hope to learn more about Germany. The theme this year is attractions in German speaking countries, so I would love to learn more about that,” Aziz said.

For teachers, like Becker, the event’s competitions will be an opportunity for them to see how students at CHS compare to other schools academically.

After participating in Staatskongress for the past several years, Aziz says that she has always really enjoyed this event.

“Staatskongress is really fun and it has taught me a lot,” Aziz said. “It has helped me develop in German and I love it.”