School News & Updates

At just 16 years old, GESM student Mio Motschmann has become the youngest Philippine‑licensed student pilot. A week fews ago, he marked a major milestone in his aviation journey by completing his first solo flight on a Cessna 152. While this was his first solo on a Cessna, Mio is no stranger to flying solo. At age 14, he soloed a Pipistrel Light Sport Aircraft in Texas, USA; at 15, he flew a glider in Oregon, USA, and an ultralight aircraft in Pampanga, Philippines. His impre

Our student-athletes had an action-packed couple of weekends competing in basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics. Highlights include a MISAA win for our Division 1 Boys Basketball team on February 28, and the Division 1 Boys Volleyball team’s first MISAA victory. Our Girls Volleyball team made their season tournament debut at the BSM Volleyball Tournament, while the U15 mixed volleyball team took the court for the first time on March 7. Gymnasts impressed at the BSM Gymnastic

by Kathe Ysabelle F. & Kohwoon S. (Gr. 11) Last Saturday, March 7 GESM participated in the 2026 National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) led by the Philippine Reclamation Authority and the City of Parañaque, hosting our booth at the Ultimate Power Catch Up ni Juana. During the event, the GESM collaboration group of secondary level, showcased wonderful performances. The first to perform was the Popband group, members of which are Grade 9E students Pablo J., Robin B., Lincoln

by Santosh Kumar Grade 6 students recently explored the imaginative world of collage artist Hannah Höch, discovering how everyday images can be transformed into meaningful stories. Drawing inspiration from Höch’s innovative style, each student created a unique collage using cutouts from old magazines. Their artworks beautifully showcased creativity, storytelling, and a deep understanding of composition. It was wonderful to see how confidently students experimented with color,

by Merry Zoe S. & Mateo A. (Gr. 11) Last Thursday, our film Off-Grid  had its special screening for the younger grades, and it was an unforgettable experience! Though we only showcased about 50% of the completed film, we were happy to share our work with everyone. To add to the fun, we also showed some bloopers that brought some smiles to the audience. Off-Grid  tells the story of four distant friends who stumble upon an online post about a hidden treasure deep in a forest tr

submitted by Coach Ferdie Reyes Students from the German European School Manila (GESM) continued their strong run at the second leg of the Manila International School Athletics Association (MISAA) Chess Tournament, held on March 7, 2026. Following their encouraging results in the first leg earlier in the season, GESM’s young chess players once again demonstrated focus, strategy, and determination at the board. In the Under-8 category (32 players), Mark N. (1E) delivered a sol

by Jeffrey Troyer On Saturday February 28 th , GESM’s Basketball team continued their Manila International School Athletics Association (MISAA) season campaign with another game at the Beacon School. The strong and deep opponent this time was Chinese International School Manila.  Battling through nearly four quarters with  nip and tuck close scoring, the boys held the lead for much of the game before falling behind by a point in the final minute. Not to be deterred, they must

Written by Grisela Marti on behalf of the Science Teachers at GESM Between 1901 and 2025, the Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry and Physics in Memory of Alfred Nobel were awarded to 635 men, while only 24 women received this prestigious recognition. These numbers illustrate a vast gender gap in laureates, particularly in chemistry and physics, where fewer than ten percent of all winners have been female. Marie Curie became the first women to receive a Nobel Pr

On February 12, GESM celebrated love, music, and community at our Valentine’s Day Concert! Organized by Grade 11 students, the event welcomed parents, teachers, students, and friends for an afternoon of dance and live music performances. Highlights included performances by our Grade 9, 11, and 12 rock bands, the Collaboration Period Performing Arts Group, GCSE Music students, and a special class performance by Grade 5D/6D. Guests also enjoyed food and drinks while soaking up

submitted by Florian Simmelbauer On Saturday, February 14, GESM’s Division 2 and Division 3 football teams fell short of winning the championships but competed with determination and performed strongly in the Manila International Schools’ Athletic Association (MISAA) tournament. The Division 3 (U‑11) team reached the finals but were defeated 8‑0 by The Beacon School, earning 2nd place overall and silver medals. The Division 2 (U‑14) squad lost 3‑1 in the semi-finals to Everes

by Jeffrey Troyer On Saturday February 7 th , GESM’s Basketball team kicked off their Manila International School Athletics Association season with a game at Held at the Beacon School court, eleven eager players started off in fine fashion by getting an early lead of 16-11 at the end of the first quarter. But a deep and strong SSM squad surged back to take a 7-point lead into the third quarter.  However, the GESM boys would not give up!  They fought back to secure a narrow th

by Julien Ferrandon, Academic Director, GESM On 22 January 2026, the Eurocampus community came together to celebrate the anniversary of the Élysée Treaty, signed 63 years ago. This landmark agreement laid the foundations for lasting friendship, reconciliation, and cooperation between France and Germany, and continues to shape their partnership today. This year’s celebration was especially meaningful. Throughout the day, students from both schools took part in a rich programme

On January 22, as part of celebrations for the Élysée Treaty anniversary, students from Grades 6 and up of the German European School Manila (GESM) and the Lycée Français de Manille (LFM) came together for a Franco-German Sports Day, marking the occasion through friendly competition and teamwork. The sports teachers organized mixed teams, forming four groups with students from both schools. Matches were played in four rounds of 10 minutes each, giving everyone multiple opport

Submitted by Vincent Mortillero We are proud to share that one of our Grade 7 students, Alessandro Puno, has been shortlisted for the Junior Scholars Essay Contest, an international competition organized by the Lumiere Education that received more than 1,000 essay submissions from 53 countries worldwide. This recognition highlights Alessandro’s ability to present original ideas, construct clear and compelling arguments, and support them with strong evidence. Being shortliste

Submitted by Florian Simmelbauer On January 17, the football teams of the German European School Manila (GESM) celebrated two impressive victories at the MISAA tournament. Both the Division 3 and Division 2 teams delivered excellent performances and were rewarded with well-deserved wins. The GESM Division 3 team secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory against Beacon International School in an exciting and competitive match. Showing determination until the final whistle, the team ea

by Demi Üngör Over the past few weeks, our MUN students prepared for their first-ever MUN simulation. The topic, “Should single-use plastic be banned globally?”, helped students learn how countries can work together to solve global problems. This mini simulation was an important step in preparing for our first MUN conference in March. For many students, it was their first time speaking in a formal debate and representing a country. The session was led by Diego (Gr. 11 – Secre

GESM’s Christmas Bazaar 2025 took place on Saturday, December 13, and it was a day filled with fun and community spirit! The event featured lively performances throughout the day, offering plenty for everyone to explore. Stands brimmed with fun games, colorful knickknacks for sale, baked goods, drinks, BBQ, books, and much more. One of the highlights was the opportunity for parents and students to meet the beneficiaries of Children of the Dump Manila, who entertained the crow

In the weeks leading to December, the GESM community united in a heartwarming effort to prepare nearly 150 wrapped shoeboxes for our partner charity, Children of the Dump Manila. This annual Shoebox Project saw students, parents, teachers, and community partners come together to collect toys, books, school supplies, and other donations. Each item was carefully packed into shoeboxes and wrapped in festive Christmas paper. Tuesday, December 9 marked a special moment as we deliv

by Volker Schlieske As a recognized German school abroad and a key intermediary organization in the Philippines, GESM has been an integral part of Germany’s foreign cultural and educational policy for many years, working closely with partner institutions such as the Goethe-Institut. This collaboration is built not only on tradition – for example, through the annual German Teachers’ Conferences in Manila, which we organize together with the Goethe-Institut, DAAD, and the Germa

by Esther Wittstock From December 1 to 4, the GESM secondary students set off on this year’s retreat. A total of 122 students from Grades 5 to 12, accompanied by 19 teachers, took part in the four-day adventure. Our destination was the Caliraya Resort Club, which we reached after a three-hour bus ride followed by a short boat trip across the lake to the resort. We were incredibly fortunate to enjoy three full days of sunshine and warm weather, creating the perfect setting for

by Grisela Ruiz Marti On November 26, a small group of students from Grades 10 to 12 had the opportunity to attend the first AlterCOP in the Philippines, invited by students from the International School Manila. The pioneering event brought together young minds and experts to discuss pressing issues on climate change and climate justice. The program featured lectures from several distinguished speakers, including representatives from the Oscar M. Lopez Center, who provided a

The MISAA (Manila International Schools Athletic Association) football games have kicked off, and the GESM football teams have made a strong impression over the last two weekends. Division 1 (U11) Success The Division 1 (U11) team has shown remarkable skill, winning both of their matches decisively. Their scores of 9:0 and 3:0 highlight their dominance on the field and set a positive tone for the season ahead. Division 2 (U14) Battle In contrast, the Division 2 (U14) team fac

by Jeffrey Troyer Recently, GESM’s Model United Nations Club continued the tradition of appointing acting leadership roles to ensure the continuation of conference selection, in-school simulations and so much more. This also ensures that the outgoing leadership in Grade 12 can focus on their final year of IB. With that, we are proud to announce that Diego B. (Grade 11) and Mohammad S. (Grade 9E) will be assuming the roles of Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General resp

Empowering Learning Through New Lab Equipment by Grisela Ruiz Martí and Sebastian Schaffer The science lab buzzed with excitement as students experienced their first use of a brand-new set of student microscopes in the past weeks. Students eagerly examined slides, discovering the intricate details of plant and human cells up close for the very first time. The latest addition of a teacher’s microscope with camera allows now for more effective demonstrations, ensuring that less