The interactive website, geared towards a middle-school audience, features linguistic and cultural information on Germany, the German language, and the world of soccer. Visitors to the site can find video clips introducing the 12 World Cup host cities as well as online games that let students demonstrate their knowledge of the country and the world’s most popular sport.

Launched by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), the California Language Teachers Association (CLTA) and the Goethe-Institut cultural center in San Francisco, "Step into German" is an excellent opportunity for students to discover German ahead of the biggest global sporting event of the year.

The site brings together a wealth of resources for German learners and soccer fans, from newsletters and online quizzes to contests - and the chance to win a grand prize trip to the World Cup.

Students who sign up for the "Step into German" newsletter are invited to participate in an online quiz contest with the highest-scoring students being invited to one of two "World Cup Festival" happenings in northern and southern California in May and June.

At this celebration of German and soccer, kids will be able to enjoy the acclaimed exhibit "Weltsprache Fußball - Planet Football," demonstrate their soccer skills, run obstacle courses, participate in juggling contests and win fabulous prizes. The top prize will be an all-expense paid trip to World Cup Germany.

"Step into German" uses the World Cup as a vehicle for younger students to discover Germany through "German Ambassadors" from high school programs all around California. They encourage middle-school students who have not been exposed to German to give the language a try.

The "German Ambassadors" visit soccer tournaments, give presentations at Middle Schools, and draw the attention of younger students to the World Cup and Germany.