Seven Culver City students who participated in the city’s vaunted half-century-old Sister Cities cultural exchange program, came to Council Chambers last evening to thank the City Council for supporting them on their recent stay in Sister City Kaizuka, Japan.
What was striking about each of the seven creative presentations — by Chandler Gautier, Kayla Kline, Charles Gutworth, Sidney Hibbs, Tyler Porterfield, Sara Mullinax and Chad Altobelli — was that each early-teen student related intensely personal experiences.
The freshness of their youthful spirit would have matched the bubbles straddled atop the glass of orange juice you poured for breakfast this morning.
They were the personification of just-uncorked youthful exuberance.
Here is what one of them, Mr. Altobelli, had to say after he was introduced by Mr. Culver City, the community’s premier master of ceremonies, Mike Cohen:
“Thank you for letting me go to Japan and entrusting us to be representatives of Culver City.
“I really enjoyed the trip, and I am glad I volunteered to go. We were all very good and polite representatives. A good impression was made.
“The food was a delicious treat. Their culture was different in ways. But the people are very similar to Americans. Language wasn’t too much of a barrier because we could communicate on a basic level with simple sign language and simple words.
“Overall, it was a very fun experience that I would be willing to do again another day.”
