JIM de BOOM -- Community & Clubs

The Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club had Mike Murphy, director of alternative

programs and student services for the Newport-Mesa Unified School

District, speak at a recent luncheon meeting, where he discussed the

mentor program, Helping One Student to Succeed (HOSTS).

Murphy himself volunteers an hour a week at the HOSTS program at Whittier

Elementary School. After hearing the talk, I became so inspired that I

signed up to be a mentor as well. I begin my HOSTS training at 3:15 p.m.

Tuesday.

The following account of the talk was featured in the April 6 edition of

Anchor Watch, the publication of the Newport-Balboa Rotary Club. It was

written by Anchor Watch scribe Roger McGonegal, reprinted here with his

permission:

Members of the Newport-Balboa Rotary Club met Wednesday night at Whittier

School to learn more about a new mentoring program. They were greeted by

the staff from Whittier school, including Sarah Markel, program director

of HOSTS; Pat Rothrock, assistant director; Sharon Blakely, principal;

Jan Marquardt, assistant principal; and Mike Murphy from the district

office.

Markel explained that HOSTS is the largest and oldest structured

mentoring program in the nation, founded in 1971, is active in 47 states

and trains more than 90,000 mentors each year.

The Whittier program began three months ago and serves 44 second-grade

students with 37 mentors from, among others, UCI, Hoag Hospital, the Los

Angeles Times, the Costa Mesa Police Department and Honor Society members

from Newport Harbor High School.

The mentor and student meet for one hour each week, working on reading

skills and following an individual tailored lesson plan. There is a

screening and testing process for students, and mentors receive

individual training as well. The sessions are conducted at the HOSTS

facility, which Rotarian Hunter Cook noted, has a feeling of fun and

learning.

The HOSTS program at Whittier is the result of a federal grant of

$500,000 for a three-year commitment. On Tuesday, after only three months

of running the program, it received an “exemplary” rating by visitors

from the HOSTS national headquarters. Such a high rating is usually

achieved after several years, McGonegal noted.

Mentors are needed. Interested persons can contact Sarah at (949)

515-6898.

EVENING OF FASHION: The Newport Beach Sister City Assn. is

sponsoring an evening of fashion from the South of France on Wednesday

from 6 to 9 p.m. at Faconnable Boutique at South Coast Plaza.

Champagne, hors d’oeuvres, music and prize drawings and a 15% savings on

all purchases made during the event can be had for an admission price of

$10 per person. Funds raised will be used to promote cultural and

economic interchange between Newport Beach and its sister cities, and to

sponsor student exchanges. Call (714) 966-1140 to RSVP for the event.

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK: Want to get more involved in your

community, make new friends, network, or to give something back to your

community? Try a service club.You are invited to attend a club meeting

this coming week. Many clubs will buy your first guest meal for you.

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m. -- The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at the Balboa

Bay Club.

6 p.m. -- The Costa Mesa Lions Club meets at the Costa Mesa Golf and

Country Club.

WEDNESDAY

7:15 a.m. -- The South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet at the Center

Club. The Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at the University Athletic

Club.

Noon -- The Exchange Club of Orange Coast meets at the Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club.

5:45 p.m. -- The Newport-Balboa Rotary Club meets at Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club for a craft talk.

THURSDAY

7:15 a.m. -- The Costa Mesa Orange Coast Breakfast Lions Club meets at

Mimi’s Cafe to hear from Jim Ballinger on “Science and Engineering Fair.”

Noon -- The Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Riverboat

Restaurant for Policeman of the Year. The Newport Beach-Corona del Mar

Kiwanis Club meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Mark

Schultheis speak on Measure A, the $110-million bond measure floated by

Newport-Mesa Unified School District to pay for district facilities

repairs. The Newport Irvine Rotary Club meets at the Irvine Marriott

Hotel to hear Rotarian Raj Desai speak on Project Deaf India.

* COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published every Saturday in the Daily Pilot. Send

your service club’s meeting information by fax to (949) 660-8667, e-mail

to o7 [email protected] , or by mail to 2082 S.E. Bristol, Suite 201,

Newport Beach 92660-1740.