Community and Clubs: Making friends, learning about other cultures
The Newport Beach Sister City Assn. recently kicked off the 32nd annual Wendall Fish Okazaki Student Exchange.
Each July, seven graduates from Ensign Intermediate and Corona del Mar Middle schools attend classes and live with host families in Okazaki, Japan. The following fall, the seven Newport Beach students host Okazaki students in Newport.
The 2016 delegation included students Kelly White, Audrey Tumbarello, Zoe Johansson, Jaden Golden, Jack Blackman, Morgan Morgan and Wesley Lachman, as well as teacher chaperones Jennifer Brundage and Jackie Vorona. In addition to their time in Okazaki, the delegation traveled to Tokyo and Kyoto. For the sixth year, Sister City member Connie Skibba is organizing all aspects of the exchange program.
In late September, the Okazaki students will arrive here to experience school and family life with the Newport Beach students. The exchange students will attend a middle school assembly, where they will perform traditional Japanese dances and songs. They will also enjoy a day at Disneyland, a Halloween party with pumpkin carving and burgers served by Newport Beach firefighters, and other activities.
The Okazaki exchange is co-sponsored by Newport Beach Sister City Assn. and the Rotary Club of Newport Balboa. Each year, these organizations jointly present a fundraiser to support the program. This year’s fundraiser, the Taste of Japan, will be held at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Oasis Senior Center in Newport Beach.
Visit nbsca.org for details about the fundraiser and the exchange.
Sister City student attends leadership summit
From July 13 to 16, Jack Woodworth, a student at Newport Harbor High School, represented Newport Beach at Sister Cities International’s youth leadership summit in Washington, D.C.
Sister Cities International serves as the membership organization for individual sister city organizations across the United States. The summit’s goal was to introduce participants to leadership activities and diplomatic affairs.
Jack was one of 115 student representatives from around the world. He enjoyed a taste of college life while staying in the George Washington University dormitories.
“Thank you to the Newport Beach Sister City Association for allowing me to represent our city,” he said. “It was great to be part of the youth leadership conference and go to a different city while still feeling connected with people there.”
The student representatives acted as flag bearers at the Parade of Flags, held during the conference’s opening ceremony. They visited museums, the White House and the U.S. Capitol. They enjoyed a reception at the residence of the Japanese ambassador to the United States, Kenichiro Sasae.
On the final day, they attended breakfast at the main conference, where they heard from the foreign diplomatic corps panel with the ambassadors of Malta, Serbia and Armenia.
Ensenada twice welcomes Newport Sister City
Newport Beach appointed Melanie Woodworth chairwoman of its Sister City relationship with Baja, Mexico. Ensenada has twice welcomed Woodworth and her husband, Victor, this year.
In April, the Woodworths enjoyed their first visit for the finish of the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race. They attended a dinner hosted by 93-year-old Don Carlos Avila and his wife to celebrate Ensenada’s 64th year of organizing the race.
They presented the mayor of Ensenada with dozens of gift baskets donated by Sister City members for the Día del Niño (day of the children). On this day, Mexico honors children with their favorite foods, games, music, and gifts.
Ensenada invited the Woodworths to celebrate its 134th birthday on May 15. The Woodworths enjoyed the weekend in Ensenada’s city center and dined at Finca Altazona and Laja, world renowned restaurants in the Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada’s fast-emerging wine country.
Student Exchange with Antibes, France?
Plans are underway for a student exchange with Newport’s sister city in France, Antibes. The Sister City group is seeking a member to lead that exchange program, as well as members with computer and website expertise.
“Sister City organizations promote peace through people-to-people relationships,” said Liddy Paulsen, Newport Sister City president. “We as members act as citizen diplomats. The relationships we establish with our sister cities help our businesses, government and other cities to make contact with dignitaries in our sister cities. We in turn learn more about other cultures and make new friends along the way.”
Membership benefits include first consideration for trips to the organization’s sister cities, invitations to events for dignitaries visiting Newport Beach, and invitations to parties, dinners and cultural events held to commemorate international holidays.
Of course, there is also the opportunity to make new friends and lifetime memories. Adults interested in Sister City membership should visit nbsca.org.
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