Chase County Schools gets two German exchange students

Chase County High School has two exchange students for the 2023-2024 school year. They are both from Germany. Fabian Arelin, 16, is from Leipzig, and Kiara Nau, 16, is from Heidelberg. Both students arrived in the Imperial area less than two weeks ago.
Fabian Arelin will be staying with the Mitch and Sara Stretesky family, with Isaac, 16, and Caroline, 12, and family dog Ritz, in Imperial. Their arrangement with their exchange student was through the Rotary Club. With that program Fabian will be staying with the Stretesky family until November, and then another local family will house him for the next trimester, Sara Stretesky said.
“I am looking forward to starting school next week and I have already met with the football players where I hope to be on the team. I will be registered as a 12th grade student but I will not be graduating with the class of 2024”, he said.
“My academic interests include chemistry, and my athletic interests include basketball, football, and I have trained in Judo and Kung Fu. Both of my parents are medical doctors specializing in Neurology,” he said.
Kiara Nau will be staying with the Greg and Brandi Dannatt family, with Makenzlee, 6, and Nikalynn, 3 and family dog Gunner, in Imperial. The arrangement with their exchange student was through a non-profit organization called Green Heart. With that program Kiara will be staying with the Dannett family through the entire school year, Brandi Dannatt said.
“I will be registered as a sophomore next week and I hope to be a part of the cheerleading squad,” Kiara said. “I have been to two practices already. I like outdoors sports like track and field events, volleyball and cheerleading.”
“The student exchange program is as much about learning cultural differences as academic learning,” she said. “My father is an engineer with Bosch and my mother is a chemistry teacher.” “Both Fabian and I came to Imperial in time to attend the Chase County Fair. The mechanical rides had a familiarity to what we have seen in Germany, but the different livestock events were a new experience,” she said.
Chase County High School has not had exchange students for a number of years,” said Brandi Dannatt, a first- grade teacher with Chase County Schools. Her grandparents had exchange students when they were,her age, and they stayed in contact with one another for many years, she said.
There is a process involved when pursuing the exchange student program, Sara Stretesky said. There is a background check, classes and interviews to try to assure everyone and the households involved are a fit, she said.
The laws from the student’s home country apply to them here, Brandi Dannatt said. In Germany, students cannot drive cars until they are 18, so Kiara won’t be driving a car while she is here. Also, in America, Kiara is 16 and will not be drinking beer, but in Germany it is legal and commonplace for 16-year-olds to be served beer anywhere, she said.