WENDELL FISH STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
NEWPORT BEACH, U.S.A. – OKAZAKI, JAPAN
What is this all about?
For the last 23 years, selected 8th grade students from Coronal del Mar Middle School and Ensign Intermediate School have had the opportunity to experience a reciprocal student exchange program with Newport Beach’s Sister City, Okazaki in Japan (“Wendell Fish Student Exchange Program”). This program is designed for current 8th graders to visit Okazaki in July and to live with a like peer and his/her family. The following October, the Japanese “buddies” will visit Newport Beach and stay with the families of the students who were selected to visit Okazaki in July. The length of their visit to
Newport Beach will also be approximately ten days.
Who is organizing the Exchange?
Here in Newport Beach, two organizations are involved: the Newport Beach Sister City Association (NBSCA) and the Rotary Club of Newport Balboa (Newport Balboa Rotary Club). The exchange was started 22 years ago by two Rotarians, Wendell Fish, from the Newport Balboa Rotary Club and Masao Kato of the Okazaki South Rotary Club.
For the last 20 years the exchange has been a co-production by the following entities: NBSCA, Newport Balboa Rotary Club, the OIA (Okazaki Sister City Association), Okazaki South Rotary Club and with great support by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and the Okazaki School District.
The NBSCA is in charge of organizing the trip to Japan as well as the stay in Japan. The Newport Balboa Rotary Club together with the NBSCA will select the students going to Japan. The selection process will conclude around the middle of March after holding interviews with each candidate.
How do I become involved as a Student? 
See the Information and Instructions tab for information on how to apply, your role as a Student Ambassdor, travel dates and costs. A total of 6 students are selected each year with an effort to select 3 from each school. The application process due dates and anticipated travel dates are posted during the month of February.
What about Chaperones..........?
Each year 2 chaperones will be selected to accompany the students for the duration of the trip, with exception of the time they are in care of their host family. This includes travel to and from Japan and the traveling and touring the students will make together to another city, such as Kyoto or Tokyo. This typically is a 2 or 3 day trip. At all times the Chaperones are available by phone. NBSCA and Newport Balboa Rotary has customarily selected teachers or adminstrators at Newport Harbor High School or Corona del Mar. However, this is not a requirement to selection.
The trip involves the usual duties of chaperoning students away from their home school sites. As the representative of the USA and the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, you should be prepared to present a mature example of Newport Beach, the American educational system, and the United States. You will be called upon to introduce your students and to make a short speech at six or seven various educational, business, civic, and social environmental settings. Your personal expression of dress should also demonstrate respect for their culture.
The students live with host families and your time spent at the home of your hosts, educators in the Japanese system, will be a delightful exchange of American and Japanese cultures that you will treasure forever. You will have the opportunity to serve as a host for one of the two (2) adult chaperones visiting from Okazaki, Japan when they visit Newport Beach during the month of October.
To make additional inquiries or complete an application refer to the Chaperone Application / Release tab.