Benjamin Franklin High School Honored as German Center of Excellence

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 18, 2024) – Benjamin Franklin High School is proud to announce that it was named a 2024 German Center of Excellence by the American Association of Teachers of German. This honor, which was given to only two schools in the nation, will be celebrated at a virtual presentation on Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. 

“The German program has been a cornerstone of our school since its inception,” said Rachel Becker ’99, the World Languages Department chair and one of the school’s two German teachers. “We strive to create an engaging and inclusive environment for our students. The growth of our program reflects not just increased enrollment but also a vibrant community of learners passionate about German language and culture.”

Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Becker has led the German program, infusing it with stability and opportunities for academic travel and cultural exchanges through the German-American Partnership Program, or GAPP, which has fostered international friendships.

Dr. Irene B. Ziegler, also a German faculty member at Benjamin Franklin High School, said: “It is incredibly rewarding for me to share my native language and culture with so many interested students here. The fact that we offer five levels of German, three of which carry dual enrollment credit, is amazing. And students are happy to engage beyond the classroom as well, participating in field trips and events, volunteering for Deutsches Haus, and traveling with the GAPP exchange program to Germany. We have worked hard for this recognition, and I am very proud of the German program at Franklin!”

Enrollment in the program has risen significantly in recent years, from six students in German III in the 2021-22 school year to 21 students in 2023-24. Dr. Ziegler’s arrival in 2023 allowed the school to reintroduce German IV after decades, and in March 2024, 35 BFHS German students were inducted into Delta Epsilon Phi, the German Honor Society, at the Deutsches Haus in a ceremony attended by the Honorary Consuls of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

“Thanks to the leadership of Frau Becker and Dr. Ziegler, the German program at our school is thriving and has the full backing of my administration,” said CEO Alex Jarrell. 

Current students echo this sentiment. “The German Program has greatly impacted my skills and knowledge concerning German language and culture,” said Lucy Riley ’26. “My learning journey has been achieved through the dedicated guidance of my teachers, Frau Ziegler and Frau Becker.”

Lia Nguyen ’26 added: “I genuinely would not have continued putting in effort to succeed if it had not been for Frau Becker and Frau Ziegler encouraging me to keep trying. As time passes, I realize more and more that German is really worth exploring and maintaining.”