By Press Release Submitted to OnMilwaukee.com Published May 04, 2015 at 10:46 AM Photography: Bobby Tanzilo

The DSSV (German Language and School Society of Wisconsin) held its 60th annual Awards Ceremony at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 3 at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee. The event recognized outstanding achievements in the DSSV’s Essay Contest and the 2014 National German Exam, which is administered by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG).

This year, the DSSV presented more than $11,000 in scholarships to promising high school learners of German from across Wisconsin. Also, Sabrina Black, a senior at Wauwatosa West, received a Senior Study Trip Award, a five-week paid journey to Germany in June. Only seven Senior Study Awards were conferred across the country for 2015. The top essay was submitted by Stormi Buczak, a senior at the Milwaukee School of Languages, and she had a perfect score on the National German Exam as well.

"I say German is the language of the future," said Michael Koch, PhD, one of the German instructors at Carroll University in Waukesha, "because the future lies in sophisticated engineering, renewable sources of energy, advanced manufacturing, cutting-edge architecture, reliable public transportation and other green concepts. These are all areas where our country could learn a lot from Germany. Also, these high schoolers are learning to be globally competent in an increasingly interconnected world."

Wisconsin’s German learners posted excellent marks on the AATG’s National German Exam. 82 high school German learners in Wisconsin earned Gold Certificates, which means they were in the top 10 percent in the USA. 23 of these Gold Certificates were earned by pupils at MPS’ Milwaukee School of Languages. The number of pupils taking the 2014 National German Exam in Wisconsin jumped more than 10 percent over 2013.

The Deutscher Sprach- und Schulverein (DSSV) was established in 1956, and its primary goal is to promote and stimulate interest in and understanding of the German language and culture. The DSSV has awarded more than $275,000 in cash and prizes to deserving learners of German over the decades.