NEIGHBORS

At the National American Legion’s High School Oratorical Contest on Jan.

20, Corona del Mar High School senior Sean Fenton walked away with first

prize. Newport Harbor High freshman Jayson Barker took first runner-up,

and Newport Harbor High freshman Brett Robinson took second runner-up.

Fenton will go onto the American Legion finals in Indianapolis in April.

... Corona del Mar social studies teacher Ros Bregozzo, who has

encouraged his students to participate in the American Legion programs

for more than 10 years, received a special award. ... Orange Coast

College’s honors list swells with the names of local students. Dozens

from both Costa Mesa and Newport Beach earned the distinction, including

Dan C. Taylor, Rositza M. Marinova, Larry W. Sawka, Nancy K. Abrams, and

Rie Uchida. ... The Orange County Tourism Council presented its top

Service Excellence Awards to tourism industry employees in a ceremony at

the Doubletree Hotel in Costa Mesa last Tuesday. Sandy Orrill, group

sales manager for the Orange County Performing Arts Center, and Shelly

Somerset, a server and bartender at Birraporetti’s, were among those

honored. ... The ladies of Virginia Castle, auxiliary of Assistance

League of Newport-Mesa, collaborated to make Christmas stockings for the

needy for the second year in a row. Among those helping with the effort

were Mrs. Quentin Wall, Mrs. Frank Listi, Mrs. Bill Floyd, Mrs. Jerry

Palajian, Cathryn Frills, Melina Luthin and Mrs. Dennis O’Hern.