German-American student project presented at Mannlich Gymnasium
To the surprise of residents and passersby, a wooden installation has recently appeared on the gable side of the Christian von Mannlich Gymnasium on Hildebrandtstraße. It is a Wooden Wave – a participatory installation made of wooden slats, on which messages are left and wishes and hopes are expressed. It is unique and thematically connected to its location. The idea for this installation was given by the Saarland sculptor Martin Steinert. His Wooden Clouds exist and have existed in Saarland, but also in Augsburg, Berlin, Dakar, Essen, Havana, Liège, Munich, Paris, Prague, Ramallah, St. Petersburg, and Tirana.
In 2026, it will be the 30th anniversary of the first delegation visit from the Saarpfalz district to Henrico County, Virginia. This gave the impetus for the district partnership in 1997. Students from the Christian von Mannlich Gymnasium and Mills E. Godwin High School created a visible symbol for this anniversary as part of this year's student exchange program. They engaged with the values of peace, freedom, and democracy in a creative, collaborative process and actively shaped all phases – from planning to model building to implementation. During the work, the characteristic wave shape emerged, giving the installation its name. The project started three years ago. Online meetings with the partner school were followed by discussions with the school administration and the Saarpfalz district's property management about the location.
Headmaster Dirk Kleemann said at the presentation: “A project like the Wooden Cloud–Wooden Wave is something extraordinary, something you rarely experience at a school.
It is important to focus on what unites us with our friends from Virginia – not on what divides us. Established connections that have existed for several decades must be preserved and nurtured. And the unifying element is clearly visible in this project.” Together with his colleagues Uta Linke and Anne Kany, art teacher Andreas Dorn
asked students to participate after school. An impressive 50 students responded enthusiastically. Initially, scale models of the twelve segments were made using small wooden sticks and hot glue as the basis for later assembly. For safety reasons, Steinert mounted the segments on the wall himself. Caretaker Martin Marx was always there to provide advice and support.
“As art teachers, we had the fantastic opportunity to collaborate with an artist who was willing to incorporate the students' ideas into his design. We created ‘art on the building’ and, with the widely visible artwork, a kind of landmark for the city of Homburg,” explained Andreas Dorn. English and politics teacher Stephan Leonhardt, who has led the Henrico exchanges since 2000, had established contacts with the local art teacher Catherine Bare at Mills E. Godwin High School during the 2025 student exchange, which allowed for the creation of a WoodenWave in Henrico as the second part of the project during the reciprocal visit at the end of September this year. “In hindsight, one can say about all the exchanges that there were and are committed counties on both sides and hospitable hosts. And with Joseph Ungerleider – the only German teacher at Godwin High School – a colleague who does an excellent job. At the end of the project, an evaluation will be carried out with the support of the German-American Institute,” Leonhardt informed. “The partnership makes it possible to get to know each other better and to develop mutual appreciation and friendship on an international level. This is especially important regarding the differing perspectives of the participants. When we talk, learn, and work together, we create understanding for each other. Our project shows that a strong partnership is possible. I look forward to the future,” Ungerleider thanked the students and the hosts. This was also emphasized by Xenia Martel, Emma Virginia Tucker, Leon Schröder, and William Mac Kusterer in their student statements.
Helen Patton, granddaughter of General George S. Patton and founder of the Patton Foundation, as well as project sponsor, is moved by the intercultural exchange: “The wave is a symbol of friendship across the ocean, connecting growth and the movement of new ideas. There are no boundaries to driving innovation forward. By transforming and blending individual pieces, we can show how well they come together and complement each other. What has been created reminds us that progress arises from the combination of creativity and adaptability.” The students left their messages on the wooden slats. Regarding this, Martin Steinert explains: “What I initially did not consider or could not have foreseen was that the project would relatively quickly become a peace project through these messages. When people are asked about their wishes and messages, they simply write down very essential things. And almost always, it has been about peace, freedom, and friendly coexistence with neighbors,” he clarifies concerning the more than 40 Wooden Cloud projects worldwide.
Christine Streichert-Clivot, Minister of Education and Culture, took on the patronage: "The Wooden Wave stands for what schools can achieve: bringing young people together across borders, making shared values tangible, and promoting democratic dialogue. The fact that students from Saarland and Virginia created this symbol of friendship together is a strong sign of understanding, openness, and the value of international partnerships. Such encounters have a lasting impact on young people and show how peace and cohesion can grow on a small scale." For District Administrator Frank John, the project is a cultural bridge: "May the Wooden Wave, according to forecasts, also last the next 20 years until the 50th anniversary of the partnership. The project sparks exciting curiosity in everyone involved in the next exchange in Henrico."
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Photos: Dr. Jutta Schwan
Caption 20260619_AllParticipantsWW_IMG_6486©drjuttaschwan:
The German-American student group with all participants in front of the Wooden Wave
Caption 20260619_SculptorMartinSteinert_WWintheBackground_IMG_6476©drjuttaschwan:
Sculptor Martin Steinert with the Wooden Wave in the background
Caption 20260619_DieWWanderGiebelseite1_IMG_6487©drjuttaschwan.jpg
The Wooden Wave on the gable side of the school building, Hiltebrandtstraße
20260619_TheWWanderGableSide2-Detail_IMG_6489©drjuttaschwan
Partial view of the Wooden Wave on the gable side of the school building, Hiltebrandtstraße
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