Don Bosco Gymnasium

Hidden within Essen, the Don Bosco Gymnasium holds a story as compelling as its namesake. Established in 1966 by the Salesian order, Don Bosco Gymnasium isn’t just a school. It’s a living testament to the philosophy of St. John Bosco. He believed in nurturing young minds. The school initially served as a boarding school, a tradition it maintained until the 1990s. Beyond academics, Don Bosco Gymnasium fostered a spirit of global citizenship. In 1981, the school launched “Action Tools for Haiti,” a self-help project. This initiative provides ongoing support to Salesian institutions and projects in Haiti. For many years, Don Bosco Gymnasium was an all-boys school. This changed in the 1999/2000 school year when girls were admitted to grades 5 and 11. Don Bosco Gymnasium also faced a dark chapter in its history. In 2022, a 16-year-old student was apprehended for plotting a right-wing extremist attack. The planned attack, modeled after the atrocities committed by Anders Breivik, was thankfully thwarted. Today, Don Bosco Gymnasium thrives with over 750 students and a dedicated faculty of around 60 teachers, led by Jens Bette. It stands as a beacon of learning, community, and resilience in the heart of Essen.