Remember when this area was just fields? The Gymnasium Eckhorst rose from those fields. It started as a small vision in 1983. Bargteheide needed another gymnasium. The Stormarner Kreistag agreed.
Gymnasium Eckhorst began modestly. Seven classes were housed in pavilions. These pavilions belonged to the existing Kreisgymnasium. That school is now the Kopernikus-Gymnasium. 189 students and 13 teachers started this new chapter.
A year later, Gymnasium Eckhorst got its own building. It was located on the edge of Bargteheide. A sports hall was added soon after. This gave the students space to play.
But the Gymnasium Eckhorst faced challenges early on. In 1988, there was talk of closing it. The plan was to use the site for the Anne-Frank-Schule. Luckily, this never happened. The Gymnasium Eckhorst persevered. The first Abitur exams were held in 1990.
The school continued to grow and evolve. A shared teacher’s room was built in 2005. It also included a props cellar and physics area. More improvements came in 2014. The fourth construction phase was completed. This added a music wing, a cafeteria, and a learning center.
Today, the Gymnasium Eckhorst is a thriving school. Around 800 students attend. They are taught by about 70 teachers. It has become a vital part of Bargteheide.
The Gymnasium Eckhorst offers a wide range of subjects. Students can study English, Latin, French, Spanish, and Italian. There are also exchange programs. Students can travel to France, Italy, and Brazil. They can also do internships abroad. The school helps students earn language diplomas like Cambridge, DELF, and DELE.
Media education is important here. The Learning and Media Center opened in 2013. Students learn from specialists. They work on media projects. They even get Juleica training.
The Gymnasium Eckhorst participates in “Jugend debattiert”. This is a debating competition. Students from seventh to eleventh grade take part. They prepare in class or in groups. Winners can compete at the state and national levels.
Climate protection is also a focus. Since 2007, there have been five climate projects. These projects have evolved into the “Klimawächter” initiatives.
Radio Eckhorst Bargteheide was created in 2009. It was supported by the school association. The radio station allows for media-focused teaching. Later, the school got professional broadcasting equipment. This allowed it to become an outside studio. It partnered with the Offener Kanal Schleswig-Holstein. In 2013, REBTV was added. This is a school TV station. Students create their own radio and TV shows. They are guided by teachers and journalists.
The Gymnasium Eckhorst has partnerships with schools in other countries. These include schools in France, Italy, Argentina, and Spain.
The Gymnasium Eckhorst is recognized for its innovation. It is a model school for digital learning. It has been a Europaschule since 2018.
David Kross, the actor, is one of its famous alumni.
The Schulverein and Bildungsstiftung support the school. They fund educational activities and projects.
The Gymnasium Eckhorst has come a long way. From humble beginnings, it has become a modern, dynamic school. It continues to serve the students of Bargteheide well.