Milwaukee area students are being recognized by the American Association of Teachers of German for its students' outstanding performance on the annual National German Exam.

Rufus King High School had four juniors and 13 seniors winning the Gold Certificate, placing at or above the 90th percentile nationwide. The Milwaukee School of Languages had five juniors and six seniors at that level.

Students earning a Gold Certificate are eligible for a four-week Study Trip to Germany granted by the AATG and the PAD, an office of the German Foreign Ministry.

This year’s nominees for the trip are Molly Hetzel, a junior from Greenfield High School, Jeffrey Benes, a junior at Wayland Academy, Hannah Doyle, a junior at Brookfield Academy, and William Jen, a senior from Nicolet High School.

Other area schools boasting students earning the Gold Certificate include Wauwatosa East (five sophomores, one junior, two seniors), Wauwatosa West, (two sophomores, three juniors, two seniors), Marquette High School (two sophomores, three seniors), Arrowhead (three juniors, one senior), Brookfield East (four seniors), Nicolet (one junior), and Mukwonago (three sophomores, one junior, one senior).