Anniversary party at the Bethel-Gymnasium: 100 years of educational history!

Anniversary party at the Bethel-Gymnasium: 100 years of educational history!

There was a colorful celebration with many smiling faces at the Bethel-Gymnasium in Bielefeld. After 25 years, a school festival was held here again to celebrate the institution's 75th anniversary. The motto “100 Years” runs through the entire festival week, which took place from July 5th to 9th and offered many exciting activities. Students set up stands on large parts of the school grounds that provided entertainment and a good mood. There was a lot of preparation in advance with throwing booths, photo boxes and theater games so that there was something for everyone, as the Westfalen-blatt reports.

The program was diverse and ranged from a ceremony to a alumni meeting and concerts. A special highlight was the celebratory service on Sunday, July 6th, in the Zion Church and the “Symphonic Pop Concert,” which took place in Forum E of the high school. Both events were a complete success and contributed to the festive atmosphere. Admission was free everywhere, which boosted visitor numbers even further, according to the [Diakonie Bethel] press release.

The history of Bethel High School

The Bethel high school has an eventful history that dates back to 1922, when it was founded as an advanced school as part of the reform of the higher education system in the Weimar Republic. Initially the facility was a public secondary school for boys, which was soon expanded to include a girls' boarding school. Over time, the school adapted its structures and offerings to social changes, especially during the merger of the secondary schools to form the grammar school in the late 1960s.

Soon the focus was no longer just on holistic education with traditional values, but also on preparation for a pluralistic, global society. Over the last few decades, the Bethel high school has become a European school with a special focus on intercultural projects, exchange and language programs as well as internships abroad. The educational horizon has come a long way from the beginnings of the German school system in the Empire to our modern society, as various historical reports show, including Worldviews.

A look into the future

The Bethel-Gymnasium is not only proud of its past, but also uses it to continue to develop and respond to the challenges of our time. The festival week created a strong sense of community and shows that education does not only take place in the classroom, but also in encounters and interactions with one another. With a good hand for the future, Bethel High School will certainly play a central role in the region's education in the coming years.