In addition to German exchange students from the GAPP (German American Partnership Program), North hosted German exchange students from the Albert Einstein Gymnasium Big Band (AEG). The students arrived in Chicago on Oct. 23 to meet their host families and engage in numerous activities and performances throughout their stay.
Students from the AEG Big Band stayed in singles, pairs or groups of three, spread across 12 of North’s Jazz Workshop students’ families. Besides playing music, the ten-day exchange included many activities, such as trips to Six Flags, Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm and Fermilab. They also walked around Chicago and Downtown St. Charles, enjoyed a group bonfire, trick-or-treated and attended North’s Football playoff game.
The exchange students had guest speakers who gave them jazz lectures, providing mentorship on top of performance.
Over the course of the trip, the AEG Big Band participated in a total of eight different performances. They played at various locations, ranging from North’s auditorium to the football field, to other high schools, colleges and professional venues. Not only did they experience making music together in traditional performances, but they also got to play with North’s marching band at a playoff football game.
“I noticed when I went to my first football game on Friday night, it’s not only a football game. It’s a really big family. There are the cheerleaders, the marching band, the parents, all that stuff around, and everybody is together,” said one of the AEG Big Band directors, Oliver Dermann.
Jim Stombres, former and original North band director, started the exchange many years ago while working at Naperville North High School. He went to Germany in 1993, where he began the relationship. The last time North students visited the AEG Big Band in Germany was two years ago, during Spring Break of 2024.
“What the students are getting to experience is very unique, and they’ll have lifelong friends in the past,” said Stombres.
Exchange students also got to spend time with and get to know their host families, with lots of time built into the itinerary for this purpose.
“So my favorite part was just talking and sitting with my host family and my host exchange student,” said Leo Kaatze, AEG exchange student. Kim Elbers, another exchange student, had a similar experience, saying her favorite part was, “all the nights and evenings we spent together with our host families or with the group, just talking. That was incredible, and we loved spending time with them.”
The AEG Big Band also documented their entire trip on their Instagram platform, posting a reel for each day they spent in the United States.
The experience was enjoyed by countless people, with many of them looking forward to future exchanges. People can support the AEG Big Band through their Crowdfunding link.
“It makes me happy. It’s one of the great joys of my life to see this exchange continue,” said Stombres.
Hanspeter Schöpflin • Nov 12, 2025 at 4:32 pm
Thank you so much for this wonderful report and the nice pictures. We appreciate it
Hanspeter from Böblingen/Germany