State of the Schools Breakfast raises about $8,000

Estancia High School rolled out the red carpet Wednesday for guests of the second annual State of the Schools Breakfast, organized by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and the Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation.

District employees, parents and dignitaries from Newport Beach and Costa Mesa strode along the walkway into the school’s gym for breakfast even before the sun came out.

Local organizations, such as the Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club and Mesa Water District, were also in attendance.

Around 270 RSVPs were returned for the sold-out fundraiser, district Interim Communications Specialist Matthew Jennings said. Guests were asked to make a $32 donation, $1 for each school in the district.

Last year’s breakfast, held at the Corona del Mar High School gymnasium, accommodated just over 200 guests. At that time, the district hoped to make the breakfast an annual event.

As of now, the district and the foundation plan to continue the breakfast by moving the event to a different Newport-Mesa high school each year.

“We want to give each high school the chance to host and also show the community what their school is all about,” foundation board member and the event’s chairperson Lynne Ramsey said.

As of Wednesday morning, Ramsey estimated around $8,000 would be raised from the event, before deducting the costs for breakfast.

Similar to last year’s event, proceeds will go toward the foundation’s grant program. Newport-Mesa teachers may write requests for grants of up to $1,000 annually. The requests are submitted to the foundation in October and given to teachers around February.

Funds from these grants help provide classroom supplies such as reading materials, iPads, science kits and musical instruments, Ramsey said.

New at this year’s event were over 40 ASB students, from all six of Newport-Mesa’s high schools, present to help greet attendees and serve breakfast.

The students helped decorate tables with eucalyptus plant centerpieces, football helmets, tennis rackets, baseball gloves and small frames with photos of Estancia students at sports games and pep rallies.

Estancia graduate Abigail Garcia helped kick off the breakfast by singing the national anthem.

In 2014, Garcia was one of six recipients of the district’s Superintendent Character Trait Awards.

“I’m honored to be able to come back as an alum for this event,” Garcia said. “I grew up in Costa Mesa and I’m glad I could be a part of something that will benefit this community, even if I’m just here to sing a song.”

As attendees dined on fruit and pastries, Supt. Fred Navarro presented a video that highlighted Newport-Mesa’s recent improvements and new program additions. This included the district’s signature academies, their drug prevention and intervention program Navig8 and two dual immersion programs, one in Spanish at Whittier Elementary School and another in Mandarin at College Park Elementary School.

“Our hope is that you all walk away with something that you didn’t know before about our district,” he told guests that morning.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Estancia ASB President Madison Letterman.

She was joined on stage with other Newport-Mesa’s ASB students.

“Being at Estancia has been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” she said to attendees. “I’ve been able to do volleyball, basketball, drama and ASB while also taking rigorous classes. I learned to put myself out there.”

The district and the foundation plan to host next year’s State of the Schools Breakfast at Newport Harbor High School.

“This is only the second [breakfast] we’ve had, but it’s amazing to see the support of the community grow,” Ramsey said. “We’re hoping to make this breakfast the place to be every September.”