Since 2007, De Pere and its sister city Åmål, Sweden, have emphasized creating partnerships and sharing ideas in the realm of youth programs. Here are some highlights:

Exchange Students

De Pere Sisters Cities partnered with AFS International Intercultural Programs (www.afs.org) to facilitate a high school student exchange between the two cities

Åmål students to De Pere

  • Tobias at De Pere High School 2007-2008 (Hosted by Janssen Family)

City of Åmål then developed a scholarship for students to come to De Pere on AFS and the exchanges continued:

  • Mathilda at De Pere High School 2015-2016 (Hosted by Fullerton Family)
  • Emilia at De Pere High School 2016-2017 (Hosted by Jewett Family)
  • Julia at De Pere High School 2017-2018 (Hosted by Osborne Family)
  • Emelie at De Pere High School 2019 (Hosted by Smith Family)
  • Olivia at De Pere High School 2022-2023 (Hosted by Sternig and Vidani Families)

De Pere student to Åmål

  • Brooke studied at Karlbergsgymnasiet School in Åmål 2017-2018

Pen Pals

Elementary classes (5th & 6th graders from De Pere Foxview and Westwood schools) have been exchanging letters as pen pals since approximately 2010. Each year we have added classes to participate. A great opportunity to share connections with different ages in the community.

St. Norbert College

  • Professor Robert Pyne and Professor Robert Osgood have exchanged classroom communications about immigration and refugees
  • Professor Osgood organized a 3 week course for St. Norbert students in Sweden in May of 2019

De Pere High School

Fall of 2020 Zoom Connections with English Classes in Åmål-

 The pandemic did not stop the De Pere- Åmål classroom connections. English classes of Lynn Nordin participated in election discussions via zoom with Robert Pyne, Kim Thompson and a De Pere High School Student and St. Norbert College Student. This led to further exchanges and a zoom presentation by student Brett Byczek about life as an American high school student.

Spring 2021 Zoom Connections with History Classes

Randy Soquet, educator at De Pere High School and Henrik Olsson, educator at Karlbergsgymnasiet in Åmål- connected their classes via zoom every other week to exchange cultural information including legal systems, graduation, school festivities.
This continued into the fall of 2021 with Randy Soquet starting an International Sister Cities Club at De Pere High School to be able to meet at 7 am given the time differences with Sweden. 

Fall 2021- Sister Cities Club 

Randy Soquet, educator at De Pere High School started the Sisters Cities Club so that the zoom connections could continue with Henrik Olsson, educator at Karlbergsgymnasiet. The time difference between De Pere and Sweden necessitates the meeting at 7am for De Pere students to connect with the Swedish Students. 

July 2022 - Classes recognized with International Award

Zoom Connections with De Pere's Sister Cities Club and Åmål, Sweden's Karlbergsgymnasiet classes recognized with a Sisters Cities International Award. The classroom connections were nominated to the Sisters Cities International Board who recognizes connections between sister cities. De Pere and Åmål- and the respective educators, Randy Soquet and Henrik Olsson won the national recognition in the area of Youth and Education for cities with populations of 25,000 to 100,000. An award is on display at De Pere High School.