The secondary school student exchange is an annual exchange between the students in Hamilton county Ohio schools and Munich schools. The exchange is approximately two weeks long. Students attend school with their host student and participate in many travel and cultural activities. High school students from Cincinnati travel to Munich in June, and Munich students come to Cincinnati earlier in the year. Cincinnati students do not have to speak German as most German high school students are fluent in English.
Students stay with the families of their host student.
This results in an increased understanding of the educational and cultural differences, the sharing of information and perspective, and building partnerships between these students and their host families. Students say that they establish life-long friendships and benefit greatly from these educational, travel and cultural experiences which help them with their own school activities when they return. The Hamilton County Educational Service Center provides partial funding for the Hamilton county teachers. There is no language requirement for the teacher to speak to German, as the Munich teachers are fluent in English. Munich teachers visit Cincinnati in April and Cincinnati teachers travel to Munich in June.