Around Town: Newport Beach Historical Society to screen film about 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree

The Newport Beach Historical Society next week will screen a little-seen film about the 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree, which took place in Newport.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave., Corona del Mar.

Tickets are $15 in advance for adults and $5 for children 10 and older. Children younger than 10 are admitted free.

Guests will include Boy Scouts who were at the Jamboree.

Proceeds will benefit the historical society and the Orange County Boy Scout council.

For tickets and more information, visit eventbrite.com and search for “1953 Boy Scout Jamboree.”

Vanguard University receives accreditation from educational commission

Vanguard University in Costa Mesa has been granted reaffirmation of accreditation for eight years by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, according to a news release.

The private university, founded in 1920 and located in Costa Mesa since 1950, was credited for its “clearly articulated and aligned mission, vision and values in support of student success,” Vanguard officials noted.

“Every reaffirmation cycle represents a coordinated effort by all in our community to demonstrate our alignment with [the commission’s] standards, which assess the academic quality and educational effectiveness of institutions,” university President Michael J. Beals said in a statement.

California Connections Academy to hold info session

California Connections Academy @ Capistrano, a tuition-free online K-12 public school, will host a free information session in Costa Mesa on Tuesday.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. at Ayres Hotel and Suites, 325 Bristol St.

Costa Mesa High to host language program open house

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will present an open house Wednesday about its summer language development program.

The event will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Costa Mesa High School’s library, 2650 Fairview Road.

For more information, call (714) 424-8984.

Newport mayor will speak at CdM residents meeting

Newport Beach Mayor Kevin Muldoon will give a state-of-the-city update at the next Corona del Mar Residents Assn. board of directors meeting July 20.

The meeting will start at 7:30 a.m. in Room 5 of the Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave., Corona del Mar.

For more information, visit cdmra.org or call (949) 478-2454.

Project Hope Alliance to host ‘Houses for Change’ event

Project Hope Alliance, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that aids homeless children, will have its “Houses for Change” party from 1 to 4 p.m. July 22 at its offices at 1954 Placentia Ave., Suite 202.

Participants will decorate house-shaped cardboard boxes that will be used to collect change.

To RSVP, visit projecthopealliance.org.

Westmont Elementary launching arts academy

Westmont Elementary School in Huntington Beach will launch a visual and performing arts academy this fall, the first elementary campus in the Ocean View School District to offer a band program for fourth- and fifth-graders.

The program, designed by music teacher Kim Robles, is being aided by $50,000 from Buchanan Street Partners, a Newport Beach real estate investment management firm. The money will be used to purchase instruments and provide musical instruction and other arts offerings.

Junior League of O.C. wins award

The Junior League of Orange County, based in Newport Beach, was recently recognized at a conference in New York City.

It received the Colgate Community Impact Award and a $10,000 grant in recognition of the group’s long-standing commitment to youth.

Project Independence restores program with new funding

Project Independence, a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that aids people with developmental disabilities, recently received $10,000 from the Louis and Gladyce Foster Family Foundation.

The money will restore the Project Independence’s Access2Adventure Program, which provides supervised outings to events like baseball games, bowling and kayaking.

“We thank the foundation for their generosity and know the people we serve are excited about the return of a program that allows them to enjoy experiences that so many of us take for granted,” the nonprofit’s CEO and president, Debra Marsteller, said in a statement.

Ocean View district names new director

The Ocean View School District has named Nicole Baitx-Kennedy as director of child development programs, according to a news release.

Baitx-Kennedy will oversee expanded learning programs, including the Kids’ Club and preschool at Oak View Elementary School. She was previously the childcare program supervisor for the district and worked for the Orange Unified School District.

Unveiling delayed for agricultural workers memorial at OC Fair & Event Center

A public unveiling ceremony for the “Table of Dignity” agricultural workers memorial at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa has been delayed.

Fairgrounds officials said the ceremony, previously set for Aug. 4, is now scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 25.

The memorial, originally unveiled on Labor Day 2015, had to be rebuilt last year due to structural concerns.

O.C. Community Foundation awarded $30,000 grant from Bank of America

Bank of America has awarded a $30,000 grant to support the Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation’s Orange County Veterans Initiative and Accelerate Change Together Anaheim.

The grant will support veteran employment through the veterans initiative and investment in high school graduation, college enrollment, mentoring and job training through ACT Anaheim.