German exchange student bridges cultures on Eden Prairie High School stage

When Mia Fischer departed her hometown of Korschenbroich, Germany, this summer to become an exchange student at Eden Prairie High School (EPHS), she was hoping to have the typical “American” high school experience, with football games, cheerleaders, and school dances.

Now an EPHS junior, Fischer said that, at first, both the City of Eden Prairie and the high school seemed large and challenging to navigate. However, just three months into her stay, she already feels at home.

“I always dreamed about the American high schools that you see on television,” she said. “EPHS is way bigger than I had imagined but high school in general is like I imagined it would be. I am really happy to be here.”

Fischer has also found herself at the heart of another American high school tradition: drama club.

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The club seemed like a natural fit since she participated in musical productions back in Germany and has done traditional German dance for 12 years. She arrived in the summer before the school year started to join the annual Trajectories production, which rehearses in August and is performed in September.

That made a huge difference in her feeling at home in Eden Prairie. “I found friends in the first three weeks, when we still had summer break,” she said. “That was really good, because then I also had friends in class who I could hang out with and have lunch with.”

Fischer has now gone from being the new girl in a foreign country to an enthusiastic and involved member of the drama club.

In addition to performing in Trajectories, Fischer is currently in the ensemble in “Matilda,” EPHS Drama’s fall musical, which has been running for two weekends. Final shows are at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 14, plus a 1 p.m. matinee and a 7 p.m. performance on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the high school. Tickets, priced at $10 for adults and $8 for students and senior citizens, are available at the show or online at GoFan.co.

One of Fischer’s drama club friends is also part of her host family in Eden Prairie. Joelle Conlee, a junior at EPHS, has been heavily involved in the district’s theater program since auditioning for a middle school production of “High School Musical.”

Conlee said she enjoys sharing drama activities with Fischer. In fact, Fischer’s interest in drama is one of the reasons the Conlees invited her to live with them, she said.

Conlee, who is also in “Matilda,” playing Lavender in the little kids’ ensemble, spoke highly of the musical performance. “We have a really high quality cast this year, and it really shows in the reflection of our character development and the quality of our show.”

Echoing Fischer’s praise of the warm, friendly drama community at the high school, Conlee encouraged other students to check it out. “It’s a really awesome, welcoming community,” she said. “There’s always someone there who’s happy to see you and wants to be your friend.”

Once Fischer returns home to Korschenbroich after this school year, she will still have three years of high school to complete. She said she hopes to apply some of the fun things she has already learned in Eden Prairie to her German school’s theater program.

In addition to being in Drama Club, Fischer has already taken a theater production class at EPHS and will also take a theater arts and acting class. She said she hopes it will help her with her potential goal of one day becoming a drama teacher herself.