Orange County Community Connections
--- DECEMBER 2019 ---
Connecting with our Inspire Community, one event at a time!
Community Connections in Orange County
Welcome to the Orange County Community Connections Monthly Newsletter. Here you will find information about the special gatherings we have planned for December.
You can find all our events in the Field Trip and Events (FTE) Inspire page where you will sign-up and RSVP for each event. Some of the field trips may have a cost. The price will listed in the FTE. All new events open for registration on Mondays at 8:00 am.
We look forward to facilitating connections, inspiring community, and enhancing the Adventure of Learning!
***** DECEMBER EVENTS *****
----- OC TEEN EVENTS-----
Dec. 6th - HS/MS Ice Skating
Westminster Rinks
13071 Springdale St, Westminster, CA 92683
$11 per teen skater
What a perfect time of year to enjoy some frosty fun with friends, while ice skating in December. Remember to dress warmly in your Best Ugliest Holiday sweater for our contest.
3 winning categories are most tacky, most holiday spirit, and silliest sweater. Who will win a prize?
Optional giving opportunity: Bring a new pair of socks to donate to those in need this Winter season.
Dec. 12th - HS/MS Holiday Lights Cruise
7:00-8:15 pm
Newport Landing
309 Palm Street #A
Newport Beach, 92661
$14 for Student and $19 for one Chaperone
Come enjoy the Newport Beach Holiday Lights as we cruise together in Newport Harbor.
White Elephant exchange ($5 or less - feel free to wrap a joke gift) will liven up the waterways as we bring a wrapped secret gift and choose numbers that will determine when we have our turn.
Sometimes stealing ensues as we take the gift we want. You never know what can happen in this festive thieving generous game of give and take.
Food is available for purchase for $5-10. Remember to dress warmly!
Also, come with your camera/phone and be prepared to enter the “Best lights” photo contest -
Best three photos win. Teens in teams are the judges. Short teaching on N.B. history will be shared.
OC Teens
Erin McStay
Email: emcstay@inspireschools.org
Phone: 949.228.2501
-- SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY AREA --
Dec. 3rd - 1K FUN Run & Gingerbread House Competition
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Oso Viejo Park
24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92692
$5 per Student
Bring your creative skills (and candy) to compete in a friendly, but fierce, Gingerbread House making competition filled with frosting, gingerbread, and fun! But first, get your bodies warmed up by chasing the Gingerbread Man with a healthy 1K fun run, dressed as your favorite fictional character (optional) and earn a fun run finisher medal! Additional prizes will be given to the most creative gingerbread houses and costumes!
Dec. 10th - [3rd - 6th grade] Ocean Institute: Living Systems Laboratory
9:30 am - 11:30 am
The Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629
$15 per Scientist (geared for 3rd - 6th graders)
Lurking below the Ocean’s surface, there’s a whole new world waiting to be discovered! This interactive field trip fosters exploration, critical thinking, and a life-changing learning opportunity! Come explore the relationships between biotic and abiotic components of the marine ecosystem and see the ocean in a new dimension! The hands-on lab allows learners to dissect a fish, learn water chemistry, discover aquarium science, and study the oceanic food chain.
Space is limited so we kindly ask parents to limit the number of chaperones on this trip to allow students to fill this space.
Dec. 10th - [7th - 12th graders] Ocean Institute: Coastal Citizen Science Investigations
9:30 am - 11:30 am
The Ocean Institute
24200 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629
$20 per Scientist (geared for 7th - 12th graders)
Students become Citizen Scientists promoting a healthy coastal environment through engaging, hands-on boat-lab activities. They will complete several projects, record data, and use methods and protocols to monitor the health of the ocean and its inhabitants. Students board the R/V Sea Explorer and collect samples in the ocean with our research team. Students will learn about Benthic trawl, Marine Debris Trawl, Secchi Disk, and Harmful Algal Blooms
Come join this research team in learning how to study and care for our Ocean!
Space is limited so we kindly ask parents to limit the number of chaperones on this trip and allow students fill this space.
Daniel Lindburg
Email: daniel.lindburg@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714-791-9352
Jami Lewis
Email: jami.lewis@inspireschools.org
Phone: 562-397-1705
----- North Orange County Area -----
North OC Community Coordinators and CC Crew
Dec. 4th - The Science of Gingerbread @ Discovery Science Center
10am-12pm (Tickets are good till 5pm)
2500 N Main St.
Santa Ana, 92705
Come and explore the Science of Gingerbread at the Discovery Cube! Spend the day with Inspire teachers and friends participating in over 100 hands-on activities. Investigate exhibits like the science of hockey, Boeing rocket launch, and Dinoquest! We will meet out in front of the building at 10 am to receive tickets. All ages welcome!
$11 for students and $14 for adults (kids under 3 are free)
Dec. 11th - Holiday Vendor Fair
10am-12pm
6550 Fairmont Blvd.
Yorba Linda, 92886
Come enjoy a vendor fair with some great Inspire vendors: Usborne, The Baran Method: Writing for Success, A Tree of Knowledge Educational Services, Inc., Constitution Quest Game, Safety and Consulting, The Madden House, Money Munchkins, and more. Inspire Enrichment department will be available so funds can be used to buy great products before Winter Break! Students can also engage in holiday activities like building a Gingerbread House!
Sarah Lucey
Email: slucey@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714.318.4371
Allison Gaddis
Community Coordinator, North Orange County area
Email: allisong@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714.501.8161
-------- Garden Grove Area --------
Dec. 3rd - Gingerbread Extravaganza
10 a.m.- 12 noon
Living Springs Church
9851 Bixby Ave, Garden Grove
SHOP***PLAY***GIVING***Day!
SHOP: Vendor Fair- Usborne books, Madden House and Classical Historian vendors will be on hand for shopping. Enrichment Specialists will be available to process your orders.
PLAY: Gingerbread/Winter STEM Challenges and cookie decorating
GIVE: Bring canned food/pantry items to help stock the food pantry for Living Springs.
Garden Grove area Community Coordinators
Dec. 10th - Science of Gingerbread
Discovery Science Cube
2500 N. Main Street, Santa Ana Parking is $6.00 per vehicle (cash only) Children- $11.00 Adults-$14.00 One chaperone per 2 children will be included Come visit the Discovery Science Cube and explore the Science of Gingerbread! We will send out entry forms for any Inspire Students that would like to create a Gingerbread House for display- it will be due to the Cube by 12/3/19. We will meet to enter the Cube and then have time to roam around and see all the interactive exhibits offered.
Anita LeMonnier
Email: anita@inspireschools.org
Phone: 562.505.3953
Michelle Eschenburg
Email: meschenburg@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714.458.1704
-------- Irvine Area --------
Irvine Area Community Coordinators
Dec. 4th - Gingerbread Extravaganza
10 am – 12 pm
Irvine Regional Park
1 Irvine Park Rd.
Orange, CA 92869
Come join us for Gingerbread Extravaganza! Bring your gingerbread house creation with you and get your creative on! Our theme this year is “Once Upon A Time”. Do you have a favorite book? Do you dream of houses in Whoville or the open prairies of Minnesota, the plains of Kansas or the magical land of Narnia? Use your favorite book as inspiration to build an amazing gingerbread house. Prizes will be awarded for 1. The most original design 2. Student’s choice 3. Most outstanding presentation of the “Once Upon A Time” theme.
~ A book is a dream you hold in your hands. —Neil Gaiman
We will also have grade-level groups as we make popcorn strings, vote on gingerbread houses, create your own house with friends and Minute to Win It Games for all.
Plan on sporting your “best duds” for our first annual Ugly Sweater Contest! Be prepared to strut your stuff in our Ugly Sweater Contest and everyone invited to participate. Awards will be given!!
**Donation opportunity: Please bring a new unwrapped toy to donate**
Dec. 11th - Makerspace @ Student Entrepreneurial Fair
10am – 12pm
Tewinkle Park
970 Arlington Drive
Costa Mesa 92626
Join Irvine Community Connections at the Student Entrepreneurial Fair on Wednesday, December 11th as we support our larger Inspire community. This event showcases student-made items of all kinds. Bring your friends and family to come to shop the different booths and stop by our Makerspace tables for your student to get involved and create.
Kirsten Ayulo
Email: kirsten.ayulo@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714-299-4448
Maricka Parker
Email: maricka@inspireschools.org
Phone: 714.408.6185
Reminders
- Parents - CC Events are not drop-off nor are the CC staff responsible for supervising students at these events. Parents are responsible for providing supervision of their children for every Community Connection activity, event and field trip.
- Nut Aware - Please be aware we may have students with allergies - please bring nut-free snacks and food with you.
- Sick Children - We know no one wants to miss our gatherings, but keeping ill students at home protects everyone, including those with fragile immune systems. Thank you for not spreading germs.
Gina Garland, M.Ed
Email: ggarland@inspireschools.org
Phone: 626.488.9388