FOUR learners from Hillcrest High School (HHS) have secured an all-expenses-paid trip to Frankfurt, Germany, during the July holidays after they were announced as winners of the 2025 PASCH Competition. The competition, hosted by the Goethe-Institute, recognises outstanding students who study German as a Second Additional Language.

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The winners, Kim Eistetter, Esihle Buthelezi, Vanessa van der Westhuizen, and Carla Schwarz, will travel to Johannesburg for a three-day stay at the Goethe-Institut before departing for Germany. While in Frankfurt, they will participate in workshops with students from other PASCH schools worldwide, explore Germany’s cultural and societal diversity, and visit historic museums and tourist attractions.

Hillcrest High School principal, Denise Knight, expressed pride in the achievement. “We are honored that four of our learners were selected for this first-prize win, which reflects the high standards of our German department. We are grateful to the Goethe-Institut for this opportunity and confident that our learners will cherish the experience of travelling overseas, immersing themselves in German culture, and connecting with peers from across the globe.”

The competition required participants to submit written or artistic pieces incorporating German language elements. Entries could take the form of a comic, an illustrated story, a newspaper article, or similar creative work. Applicants between the ages of 15 and 17 were also required to have passed the German A1-Fit Examination with a score of “Gut” (Good) or “Sehr Gut” (Very Good), A2, or B1 levels.

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Several Grade 11 and 12 learners from HHS participated, with four additional students earning runner-up prizes. Kayla-Jade van Heerden, Julianna Blom, and Max Schwarz were awarded a German dictionary, a stationery set, and a hat for their outstanding entries.

The prize winners will be away from July 6 to July 26, making the most of this unique opportunity to develop their language skills and broaden their global perspective.

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