Wednesday, June 17, 2026. There’s no sign of music, dancing, or applause yet this early in the morning. Around 7:30 a.m., the parking lot at the Bürgerhalle begins to fill up. Most of the 16 tour buses are already lined up and ready to go. Backpacks are slung over shoulders, lunchboxes disappear into bags, people look for their meeting spots, compare bus numbers, and 1,600 rolls are distributed evenly among the buses. Some students still look sleepy, while others can barely contain their excitement. Nearly 1,000 people from the school community set off together for Norderney—for a hiking day unlike any the Gronau Comprehensive School has ever experienced.
The number alone makes it clear just how extraordinary this field trip is. It’s not just one class or one grade level setting out—it’s the entire school: students from lower and upper secondary school, teachers, staff, and chaperones. An entire school community, spread out across 16 buses, on its way to an island.
By the time they reach the ferry terminal in Norddeich, at the very latest, the scene becomes one that many are likely to remember. Hundreds of students get off the bus, get their bearings, and finally board the ferry. For many, even the crossing itself is an experience. For some, it’s their first time on a ferry; they watch the seagulls or look for the best spot at the railing. No one has any idea yet just how lively the atmosphere will be on this very ship that evening.
"I've never been on a ferry before. That alone was really cool." – Mika Kentrup, Class 5c
While many students are exploring the ship, Ursula Steuer experiences a special moment: On the bridge, she strikes up a conversation with the captain and gets a behind-the-scenes look at the crossing. It’s a quiet moment in the middle of a day otherwise filled with activity, voices, and anticipation.
Once we arrive on Norderney, the school spreads out across the island. That’s exactly part of what makes this day so special. There isn’t just one way to do it, nor is there a single program that everyone follows at the same time. Some classes walk through town, while others head for the beach or through the dunes. Some eat fries together, others find a spot by the sea, and still others just set off on their own to explore the island in their own way.
Time and again, familiar faces cross paths. Students from different grade levels run into each other, and teachers suddenly find themselves crossing paths with their students not in the hallways, but among the dunes and beach chairs. A hiking day thus often turns into a day of little encounters.
There’s a lot going on at Nordstrand. Q2 students have organized activities there: volleyball, kite flying, and sandcastle building. Yellow safety vests indicate where the action is. Balls fly through the air, kites soar into the gray sky, and castles, shapes, and designs take form in the sand. In some spots, people are building intently; in others, they’re cheering loudly. A few meters away, a soccer game is underway—one in which it no longer matters which class anyone actually belongs to.
“I thought it was great that we were constantly meeting people from other grade levels. It made our school feel even more like a community.”—Joris Funke, Q1
The weather doesn’t always make things easy for the school community. Rain showers keep sweeping across the island, and the wind remains a constant companion. But that’s just how it is on Norderney today. Rain jackets are zipped up, hoods are pulled up, and bags are held tighter. Then we press on. The mood doesn’t waver. Perhaps that’s because the day isn’t defined by everything being perfect.
Not everyone was immediately convinced before the trip. A single day at the North Sea, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night—is it worth it? That question was often heard beforehand. On the island, it gets a different answer.
“At first I thought: Drive all that way—and then just for one day? But in the end, it was really great.”—Noel Citgez, Class 10b
Perhaps that is precisely what makes this day so special. It’s not about checking off as many items on the schedule as possible. It’s about spending time outside the usual routine. It’s about conversations that don’t happen in class. It’s about laughing together in the rain, the wind on your face, a ferry full of students, little competitions in the sand, and that moment when school suddenly takes place in a completely different setting.
“Of course, we see the students every day in class. But on a day like this, you get to see a different side of them: how they interact with one another, take on responsibility, and support each other. And honestly—it’s just fun to experience school this way for a change.”—Ms. Denise Hilgenberg, teacher
The fact that the trip was Ursula Steuer’s idea isn’t constantly emphasized. And yet it’s an integral part of this day. As her time as principal came to an end, she didn’t want a day centered solely on her, but rather a shared experience for as many people as possible. That’s exactly what’s happening on Norderney: no official farewell, no stage, no long speeches—just an entire school out and about together.
“It was important to me that we, as a school community, come together once again. Seeing how many wonderful moments we shared that day really touched me.” – Principal Ursula Steuer
As the ferry sets course for the mainland again that evening, there’s little sign of tiredness at first. The return trip is loud, lively—almost like a party. Music is playing, students are singing and dancing, and bursts of applause break out again and again. Teachers stand among them; some are filming, others are simply laughing along. And Ursula Steuer isn’t on the sidelines of this scene—she’s right in the middle of it.
These pictures, in particular, say a lot about the day. In the morning, nearly 1,000 people are still standing in groups by the buses, waiting to depart. In the evening, they dance together on a ferry. In between, there’s rain, wind, the beach, the town, fries, kites, sandcastles, conversations, laughter, and many little moments that no schedule can predict.
Back in Norddeich, the buses are waiting once again. The festive mood carries the school community along a bit further on the ride home. In some buses, the singing and storytelling continue; in others, the first students have long since drifted off to sleep. Eventually, things quiet down. Little by little, the buses roll back into the Bürgerhalle in Gronau. By the time the last bus arrives shortly after half past twelve, the school community has had an exceptionally long day. The music from the ferry has long since fallen silent. Something else remains.
Perhaps that is precisely why this day remains in so many people’s memories. Because amid the ferry, the beach, the wind, the bus ride, and countless little encounters, it became clear once again what school is, beyond just lessons: a community.
And because, for a moment on that day, school wasn’t just school.
s been dedicated to the Gronau Comprehensive School since its founding. At the end of this school year, Principal Ursula Steuer will retire. Ursula Steuer has been the principal of the Gronau Comprehensive School since its founding in 2014 and has shaped its development from the very beginning together with the teaching staff, the employees, the students, and their families. During this time, the school has grown step by step—leading up to its first graduating class in 2023.
The group trip to Norderney was her idea. The fact that this trip now marks the end of her time at Gronau Comprehensive School gives this day special significance. At the same time, the trip symbolizes what has always been important to Ursula Steuer over the past years: school as a place of shared learning, but also as a place of encounter, togetherness, and a vibrant sense of community.
More impressions: (more photos coming soon)
