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.