Birthday for two

Marisa O’Neil

They couldn’t have planned it better if they’d tried.

When organizers scheduled an event at Victoria Elementary School

for Costa Mesa’s 50th birthday, they didn’t realize they would have

twice the reason to celebrate. As luck would have it, Friday was also

the mayor’s birthday.

“They sent me an e-mail telling me they wanted to have it that

day,” Costa Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan, 44, said. “I said, ‘Wow, what a

coincidence. That’s my birthday, too.’”

Students, the mayor and school officials gathered in the Victoria

Elementary quad on Friday morning for the tandem celebration. Monahan

introduced the city’s new flag, which flew on the school’s flagpole

for the celebration, and asked the children to sing a spirited “Happy

Birthday” to Costa Mesa.

After the song, the school’s principal, Judy Laakso, surprised

Monahan with a felt hat shaped like a birthday cake, complete with

candles. She placed it on his head, and the students serenaded him

with “Mayor Monahan Had a Birthday,” sung to the tune of “Old

MacDonald Had a Farm.”

“It was cool,” 10-year-old Carlos Castillo said. “I’ve never been

to a birthday party for a city. Or for a mayor.”

Laakso also presented the mayor with two cards made by students --

one for him, one for the city -- and a birthday cake.

“I liked it when he blowed out the candles,” 9-year-old Emily

Lutzke said. “I’ve never been that close to a mayor before.”

During the event, Laakso told her students that the organizers

picked their school as host because they were so well behaved.

“We haven’t had a lot of attention,” Helena Secrest, 10, said.

“It’s a big honor for the mayor to pick our school.”

But no birthday party would be complete without presents. Students

didn’t forget about their hometown.

“I would pick up trash or plant trees,” Emily said of her gift

choice for Costa Mesa.

Monahan, on the other hand, received a Victoria Elementary School

shirt and a goody bag, but 10-year-old Kimberly Garcia had grander

thoughts.

“I’d get a big present,” she said. “If I had, like, $10,000, I’d

give the mayor a car.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.