COMMUNITY & CLUBS:The Aussies are coming

Four Australian students from Hoppers Crossing Secondary College are scheduled to arrive in Costa Mesa next Saturday, Jan. 13 as they begin a three-week exchange with students and families in Estancia High School. The four students — Bree Tresidder, Emmanuel Jose, Jessica Green and Elise Elmer — will be hosted the first week by the four Estancia students — Meagan Kunert, Ernesto Velez Sanchez, Jennifer Corona and Taylor Carpenter — who were Youth Ambassadors to Wyndham in July and visited Hoppers Crossing Secondary College during their stay, according to Sue Smith, Costa Mesa Sister City co-program coordinator.

Each Australian student will spend a week with three different host families moving to a new “home” each weekend. They will shadow their host student’s academic class schedule during the school day, plus they will get to attend a pep assembly, tour the area on a yellow school bus, and attend the Winter Formal Dance at Knott’s Berry Farm as guests of Estancia High School. In addition, the visiting students may accompany their hosts to after-school sports, drama and related activities.

The adult exchange has been taking place since 1999 and was expanded in 2005 to include students. The Adult and Youth Ambassadors help to fulfill the objectives of strengthening the educational component of the sister-city agreement between the Costa Mesa and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District with their counterparts in Wyndham, Victoria, Australia, noted David Brees, co-program coordinator with Smith.

The education exchange is designed to promote greater understanding and appreciation for educational and cultural differences while broadening horizons and opening doors of interest that have the potential to affect the participants for life.

The Hoppers Crossing students will learn about what it is like to be an American high school student and they will participate in cultural, civic and social activities. Activities include presentations to the Costa Mesa City Council, the school board, the Lions Club and the Estancia High School staff. Also planned are visits to neighboring schools, a tour of the Civic Center, a day at Disneyland, a Mighty Ducks hockey game, and field trips to special Los Angeles sights, including Hollywood. But there will also be time on weekends and evenings for host families to entertain their guests.

For more information about the exchange program, contact Smith at sluesmith@cs.com.

NEWPORT BEACH SISTER CITY ANNUAL MEETING

The Newport Beach Sister City committee will hold its annual meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Newport Beach Mayor Steve Rosansky will be the keynote speaker. Samantha Smith will provide musical entertainment. Dinner is $35 per person and reservations can be made by calling Connie Skibba by Jan. 12 at (949) 650-0594.

WORTH REPEATING … From the Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council … “Never be satisfied with what you achieve, because it all pales in comparison with what you are capable of doing in the future.”

— Rabbi Nochem Kaplan

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

How are you giving back to your community? Help your community and the world through a service club! For many, service club membership is an extension of our religious beliefs.

You are invited to attend a service club meeting this coming week to learn more about opportunity for service. Most clubs will buy your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

TUESDAY

At 7:30 a.m. the 40-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns to hear Jane Glen Haas, Orange County Register reporter and executive director of Women’s Sage.

Noon: The 20-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Marriott Suites.

At 6 p.m. the Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club will meet at the Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club for a business meeting.

WEDNESDAY

At 7:30 a.m.: The 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant at Redhill Avenue and Bristol Street.

Noon: The 27-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia Corinthian yacht Club for a business meeting.

At 6 p.m.: The 55-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Norm Crisp discuss Fly Fishing techniques. For more information, www.newportbalboa.org

THURSDAY

At 7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Café.

Noon: The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Nancy Clark, a criminal justice consultant, discuss what we need to do to rehabilitate men and women who are being released from prison. For more information, members.cox. net/nhexchangeclub/index.htm.

The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn, off the 405 Freeway on Bristol Street, to hear young author Kent Healy, who with his brother Kyle, wrote “Cool Stuff they should teach in School.” Kent will talk about how to “Cruise into the real world with styyyle!” The 45-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Dave Grant from Orange Coast College discuss Magellan’s voyage around the world. The 85-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson to hear Martyn Hooper of National Federation of Independent Business. For more information, www.nirotary.org.