Shepard brings back A Little Bit of Germany

By Kelly White

The celebration of German culture was back once again at Shepard High School with the return of A Little Bit of Germany.

“It’s nice to see everyone out celebrating something that they love,” Juleaya Smith, 16, of Alsip, said.

The food, music and fun festival took place on February 11 at the school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Avenue in Palos Heights, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year the event was proudly back in full swing and welcomed in students, faculty, alumni and local community members.

“I think A Little Bit of Germany is a great experience where people can get a taste of what the German culture is truly like,” Danielle Schabes, 18, of Worth, said. “I really enjoyed attending with my family and friends my freshman year, and I’m looking forward to it again this year for my last year at Shepard.”

Taking place annually, prior to the pandemic, since 2009, A Little Bit of Germany is a fundraising event benefiting the school’s German EF (Educational) Tour Trips and tied together German heritage, culture and cuisine.

The event is led by Shepard alum and German Instructor at the high school, Jennifer Fischer, who said she loves every minute of it, especially because she lived in Germany from 1993-1997 near Bamberg.

“I love to see everyone come together and have so much fun during so at A Little Bit of Germany,” Fischer said.

Fischer said the program is so successful due to the help of her students.

“It’s all about the community support of the German program,” Fischer said. “Former students and families come back to enjoy it. It’s a really fun event and something fun to do during February when things are pretty slow with the weather, etc.”

The cost to attend was $15 per adult and $5 per child with a hope to raise $3,500. A total of $3,900 was raised in 2020. All of the monies raised at the fundraising event went directly into stipend accounts for students who will be traveling to Germany, Austria and Switzerland with Fischer and Erin Quinlan, Shepard Culinary Arts Teacher and NHS sponsor, in the summer of 2024.

All 250 attendees enjoyed brats and sauerkraut from Jack & Pat’s Old Fashioned Butcher Shop in Chicago Ridge; rye bread and butter from the Breadsmith in Palos Heights; German potato salad, German Cider, coffee and water.

There was also soda, root beer, baked goods, raffles pretzels and T-shirts available for sale.

The 40 students who volunteered at the event from the district’s German Club and food classes worked in various food stations, ticket sales, and entertainment under the guidance of Quinlan, Dan Solski, Shepard Culinary Arts Teacher; and Rob Staudacher, Richards Culinary Arts Teacher.

Some alumni and parents even stepped in to lend a hand.

“A Little Bit of Germany is always a fun event,” Amber Wysocki, 17, of Crestwood, said. “I was really looking forward to it this year.”

Musical entertainment was provided by the band, Paloma, a well-known German band in the Chicagoland area that filled the air with German music for attendees to sing and dance along.

Fischer said her German class enrollment numbers have unfortunately dropped significantly since the pandemic, but she hopes this event will help to turn things around.

“I love to see people come together to celebrate German food and culture,” she said. “We also held this event to spread awareness that German is still being taught at Shepard.”