As the 2015-16 school year ended, six German representatives of Sister Cities (sistercities.org) visited a Catawba County elementary school to learn about US public education and STEM initiatives. Workforce Director, Wendy Johnson and STEM West Coordinator, Carol Moore of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) arranged this international opportunity. Working with an interpreter, the US educators and German guests shared similarities and differences in the educational systems. The guests presented a student paintings to the Principal of Balls Creek School, Rita Lail and the WPCOG.