A diplomatic teenager, who devised a system to strengthen links between school children in Monmouth and Berlin, has been appointed a UK-German Youth Ambassador.
Rosie, in Year 11 at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls, came up with an idea for a project to help maintain relationships between the youth of Britain and Germany as part of her application.
The 15-year-old will now travel to Berlin on an all-expenses paid trip to meet fellow ambassadors and discuss how their individual projects will be implemented and sustained.
Rosie said: “My German teacher, Mrs Smail, suggested I should apply to become an ambassador. I really love German and I think it’s very important to learn about other people’s cultures.
“I think having friends from somewhere completely different to you is important because it helps you to see things from another point of view.
“The whole project is based around Brexit and how to keep positive relationships between Germany and Britain.”
Rosie’s project involves setting up an emailing system to enable Year 9 pupils at HMSG and a school in Berlin to converse with each other.
She added: “It will be a simple system for Year 9 pupils who have just started speaking German.
“It would give them a chance to practise the language, find out more about the German school system and find out what other people like.
“I think that being able to speak to someone in their own language shows you respect their country. People get very excited when you can speak even a couple of words in their language. It breaks down walls and you can get to know them much more if you’re speaking in their language.
“I’m really excited about going out there and talking to the other ambassadors about the idea.”
Rosie, who is also learning French and Spanish at HMSG, plans to take up Russian next year, too.
She believes that HMSG’s foreign school trips have been invaluable in helping her to improve her knowledge and language skills.
“I’m still in touch with my German exchange friend, Vyvi from Nuremberg, who I spent 10 days with in Year 10,” she added.
“It was such an interesting experience. I not only improved my German, but also learnt a lot about German history and how different it is to go to school there.”
Rosie will join her fellow ambassadors in Berlin between March 31 and April 2.
Mrs Smail, Head of Modern Foreign Languages at HMSG, said: “This is a wonderful achievement for both Rosie and the school – we’re very proud and excited for her.”
