12.16.11Compete for the Cup of Global Knowledge! / January 21st / 5th Annual Global Bee International Quiz
CNN is seeking teams of up to 5 members (4 players and 1 alternate) to compete for the "Bill Williams Cup of Global Knowledge" in the categories of Geography, Current World Events, World Religions, International Sports, Customs, and World History. High School, College, Corporate and Civic teams are encouraged to participate. Teams can sign up by email to info@sistercities-nn.com or by phone to 757-926-1348. Team registrations are due by January 13th.
Click Here for Registration Form
Click Here for PDF Press Release
10.9.11A Panel Discussion on Germany and Her Role in the European Union
7:00 pm - Gaines Theater, Freeman Center, Christopher Newport University
Featuring the following guests and facilitated by Professor Mario D. Mazzarella:
- Dr. Hans-Ulrich von Schroeter—The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Col. Franz-Josef Paulus—German Army, NATO Command
- Dr. Brian M. Puaca—CNU Faculty
- Dr. George K. Zestos—CNU Faculty
Open To The Public -
FREE for students, faculty, SCNN & TGAS members
$5 donation suggested for non-members / non-students
Information at www.sistercities-nn.com / info@sistercities-nn.com / 757.926.1348
9.16.11Sister Cities of Newport News 1st Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser
Part of the proceeds will go directly to our Japanese Sister City of Neyagawa to benefit Earthquake/Tsunami Relief
Friday, September 16th - 9 AM Shotgun Start
Kiln Creek Golf Club / Newport News
- Register Your Team @ 757.926.1348 (credit cards accepted)
- Hole Sponsorships Available!
- Donations of gift certificates & other door prizes greatly appreciated
For more information or to volunteer contact Executive Director Kate Helwig @ 757-926-1348 or Email: info@sistercities-nn.com
3.16.2011Sister Cities International Breakfast Fundraiser
2.1.2011February 10, City Center, Newport News, 6 to 7:30 pm
James Conference Room / Fountain Plaza II
Waterworks Building, 700 Town Center Drive, Newport News 23606
Event is FREE
call 757-926-1348 to secure your seat!
Sponsored by
Sister Cities of Newport News, Inc.
Sistered since 1998 to the city of Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, P.R. of China
10.23.2010October 23, Newport News Japanese School Book Fair10:30 to 2:30 in the gymnasium of Peninsula Catholic High School
Used Japanese and English novels, comic books, magazines, movies, and music, as well as Japanese food! All the proceeds go straight to the Japanese School.
To see the flyer, please click here.
9.14.2010Sister Cities’4th annual Global Bee Join Sister Cities of Newport News (SCNN) on November 6, from 10 am to 1 pm at the Point Plaza Suites at City Center for the 4th Annual Global Bee International Quiz and your team might earn the coveted “Bill Williams Cup of Global Knowledge”!
For Registration Form, please click here.
To download General Rules of Play, categories and sample questions, click here.
To download the Press release, click here.
Menchville 2009 Winners – Faculty and Students Celebrate!: (L to R) Kelly Granger, Arram Dreyer, Max Heumer, Mike Mayhew, Brandon Guglielmo, Clair Nichting and Nico Doreste.
08.19.2010Sister Cities Delegations Report on Exchanges in Japan and China Sister Cities of Newport News is proud to welcome back our Youth Delegations from our sister cities of Neyagawa, Japan and Taizhou, China.
From June 20th to 29th a 15 member delegation was hosted in our Japanese sister city by NIEFA – the Neyagawa International Exchange and Friendship Association. The delegates stayed in homes with Japanese families. They toured the city, schools and local attractions as a group during the week, but gained new and different experiences with their host families each night and over the weekend.
From July 11th to 20th, an 11 member delegation visited Taizhou, China. For the first time in the history of the SisterCity relationship, the delegation included 6 youth delegates. Both the youth and adult delegates were hosted in the homes of Chinese families - another first!
The delegates will report on their trips to the SCNN Membership and general public on Thursday, August 19, at 7:00 pm in the James Room of Fountain Plaza II, located at 700 Town Center Drive, in City Center at Oyster Point. All are invited to attend. For more information or directions contact info@sistercities-nn.com or 757.926.1348.
07.22.2010From Newport News to Kyoto;
trans-Pacific journey takes delegate to "Sister" teahouse
Read the official press release here
07.06.2010Welcome Back Newport News Delegates!
Sister Cities is proud to welcome back from Neyagawa, Japan our recent Youth Delegation. The 15 member delegation was hosted in our Japanese sister city from June 20 to 29th by NIEFA – the Neyagawa International Exchange and Friendship Association. The delegates stayed in homes with Japanese families. They toured the city, schools and local attractions as a group during the week, but gained new and different experiences with their host families each night and over the weekend. The delegates will report on their trip for the SCNN membership and community in the coming month.
For more information contact info@sistercities-nn.com or 926-1348.
Statue of the City of Neyagawa's mascot, Hachikazuki Hime (The Princess Carrying a Bowl on her Head).
Legend has it that long ago, in Neya of the country of Kawachi, there was a wealthy man named Senetaka Fujiwara. He and his wife were blessed with but one child, a princess named Hatsuse. However, when the princess is 14 years old, her mother falls ill. In her final hours, she places a bowl filled with treasurers on her young daughter’s head to conceal the girl’s true beauty, that she might marry only an honorable man. The princesses’ father remarries and her stepmother sends her away. The distraught princess tries to drown herself in theYodo River, but the bowl prevents her from sinking. She is rescued by a prominent general, who has her work at his mansion as a bathhouse attendant. She wins the heart of his youngest son despite his own mother’s attempts to find another wife for him. As it happens, the bowl miraculously falls from the princesses’ head and her beauty radiates for all to see. In addition, the treasures her mother hid in the bowl pour forth validating her own family’s stature. The two are married and live happily ever after.
Prayer wall at Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto, Japan. People purchase tablets and write wishes and prayers on them.
Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan; home to a giant Buddha statue. The building itself is the largest wooden structure in the world.
Fredrick Cheeks, SCNN Board Member, with host in Neyagawa, Japan (June 2010)
Youth and adult delegates arriving at Norfolk International Airport upon returning from Neyagawa, Japan.
03.01.2010Forms and Information on the 2010 Sister Cities Young Artist Showcase
Forms and Information on the 2010 Sister Cities Young Artist Showcase online at:
http://sistercities-nn.com/youth_artist_competition.php
Last year, Sister Cities of Newport News’ local winner, Rafayel Stepanyan of Woodside High School, was selected as a top 10 finisher in Sister Cities International’s (SCI) Annual Young Artist Showcase. His art was displayed at the SCI conference in Belfast, Northern Irelandin July 2009. Rafayel’s piece and the other 9 international winners are now on touring the U.S.
01.06.2010Volunteer Appreciation Social
6pm-8pm
Das Waldcafe
12529 Warwick Blvd.
11.14.2009Menchville High School Teams Take Top Honors at Annual Global Bee
It was both the Menchville High School Faculty and Menchville High School Student Team #1 that came away with the highest scores in their divisions at Sister Cities of Newport News Annual Global Bee on Saturday, November 14, 2009. The competition for the Billy Williams Cup of Global Knowledge was intense as there were twenty three teams. The “Cup of Knowledge” went to the Menchville High School Faculty with a score of 89 out of 100. The Menchville faculty members were Kelly Granger, Mike Mayhew and Arram Dreyer.
New this year was an award for the High School team that finished with the highest score; and that award went to Menchville Team #1 comprised of Brandon Gugliemo, Max Huemer (team captain), Nico Doreste, and Claire Nichting. Their score of 71 out of 100 put them one-half of a point ahead of the runner-up Warwick High School Team #1.
PETA Team #1 came in second place overall with a score of 83.5. Twenty three organizational, college and high school teams competed this year; all answering the same sets of questions on topics such as geography, history, current world events and international sports. The Global Bee was comprised of two sessions, each with five sets of ten questions.
The remaining participating teams were: Sister Cities of Newport News, City of Newport News, Sister Cities of Hampton, Christopher Newport University, Coaches (representing various teams), Warwick High School Faculty, The Chesapeake, PETA Team #2, Thomas Nelson Community College Team #2, PETA Team #3, Menchville High School Team #2, Old Dominion University Team #2, The Crippenites, Thomas Nelson Community College Team #1, Walsingham Academy, Old Dominion University Team #1, Warwick High School Team #2, Woodside High School, and Denbigh High School Model UN.
Sister Cities of Newport News conducted their annual meeting at the event. Elections were held for three Board of Director vacancies. Elected to continue their positions on the Board were Terry Martin, John Calver and Howard Manly.
Menchville Winners – Faculty and Students Celebrate!: (L to R) Kelly Granger, Arram Dreyer, Max Heumer, Mike Mayhew, Brandon Guglielmo, Clair Nichting and Nico Doreste.
Menchville HS Faculty: (L to R) Kelly Granger, Mike Mayhew and Arram Dreyer
Menchville HS Winners - Team #1: (L to R) Max Huemer (team Captain), Brandon Guglielmo, Claire Nichting and Nico Doreste
Passing the Trophy – the 2008 winners (City of Newport News team) pass the trophy onto the 2009 winners: (L to R) Al Riatort, Chris Morello, Sofos Takis, Michael King, Jack Hollingsworth, Mike Mayhew, Kelly Granger and Arram Dreyer.
Peta Team #1: (L to R) Chris Holbein, Philip Schein, Hannah Schein and Matthew Wright
Menchville HS Team #1 (Seated) – Winners of the HS Division: (L to R) Brandon Guglielmo, Max Huemer (team captain), Nico Doreste and Claire Nichting
Warwick HS Team #1 – Runner up in the HS division (L to R) Laura Stephens, Kevin Lu, Patrick Devereau, and Ben Burnett
11.10.2009Remembering the Fall of the Berlin Wall Panel Discussion with German representatives from the Embassy & NATO Allied Command Transformation
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 — 7pm
Ferguson Center for the Arts
Music & Theater Hall, Christopher Newport University
Refreshments and meet the speakers after the discussion
Ticketed Event, call 757-926-1348
FREE for students, faculty and SCNN members
please call to reserve a ticket
$5, General Admission
Sponsored by
CNU History Department
SCNN Greifswald, Germany Committee, Sister City since 2007
Update: Pictures from the event.
11.01.2009Sister Cities of Newport News is Looking for Citizen Delegates in 2010 and 2011.Public: Want to travel to China, Japan or Germany? Sister Cities of Newport News is looking for youth delegates (8th grade through college) and adult delegates to travel in 2010 to our sister cities. Contact the Sister Cities of Newport News organization at 757-926-1348.
School: Want to travel to China, Japan? Sister Cities of Newport News is looking for youth delegates (8th grade through college) to travel in June and July 2010 to our sister cities. Contact your World Language teachers or stop by the office for an application.
Informational meetings:
Sunday, November 1, from 3 - 5PM
Thursday, November 5, from 7 - 9PM
Town Center Drive • Newport News, VA 23606
For information
call 926-1348
For Press Release, please click here.
For Citizen Diplomat Interest Form click here.
For Homestay Profile Form click here.
11.14.20093nd Annual GlobalBee International Quiz & Annual MeetingPoint Plaza Hotel — 950 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News 23601.
Join us as teams compete for the “The Williams Cup of Global Knowledge”.
For Registration Form, please click here.
To download General Rules of Play, categories and sample questions, click here.
9.15.2009SCNN’s 2009 Young Artist Competition 2009 Local Winner – Rafayel Stepanyan of Woodside High School
Art entitled, “Building Peace on Earth”
Selected as a top 10 finisher in Sister Cities International’s (SCI) Annual Young Artist Showcase / his art displayed at the SCI conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland in July 2009. Rafayel’s piece and the other 9 international winners will tour the U.S. for one year and the showcase will be in Newport News for the month of November.
8.11.2009Japanese Cultural Event Tuesday, August 11, 2009 ~ 7:00 - 9:00 PM
700 Town Center Drive, Newport News, VA 23606 (City Center at Oyster Point)
• Hands-On Activities & Games • Music & Videos
• Cultural Highlights & Demonstrations • Refreshments
FREE for Members ~ $5 for Non-Members (Memberships available at the door)
for information and to register in advance:
sherry.wolfson@nnk12.va.us / info@sistercities-nn.com / 926-1348
For press release please click here
6.24.2009Sister Cities of Newport News
International BreakfastKeynote speaker, Mayor Joe S. Frank
Award Winners:
- Neyagawa Committee Volunteer of the Year: Bobbi Hutchko
- Taizhou Committee Volunteer of the Year: Eric Chen
- Greifswald Committee Volunteers of the Year: Geoff and Marty Tennille
- 2009 Citizen Diplomat of the Year: Jan Miller
Bobbi Hutchko
2009 Citizen Diplomat of the Year: Jan Miller
5.16.2009Experience a Traditional Tea CeremonyMay 16 @ the Ennan Teahouse in Newport News Park / seatings on the top of each hour from 10 am to 3 pm
$5 Donation—FREE to current SCNN members!
RSVP required to 757-926-1348—space is limited, so sign up early!
The renovation of the tea house in the Newport News Park is finished and you are invited to experience a traditional tea ceremony in this authentic setting. A local group of Japanese ladies is hosting the event with SCNN as they want to share this beautiful tradition of drinking powdered green tea. It is hoped that we will be able to have weekly tea ceremony lessons at the site later this spring. The goal: to share this unique Japanese tradition and keep our treasured teahouse well maintained.
3.13.2009Newport News Sister Cities Seeks Delegates for Youth Visit to ChinaNewport News’ Sister City organization is looking for 10 to 12 local students to be Youth Diplomats as part of the city’s first youth exchange to its Chinese Sister City of Taizhou.
*Deadline Extended Until May 1st
For press release please click here
For application please click here
11.15.20082nd Annual GlobalBee International Quiz 
Point Plaza Hotel — 950 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News 23601
Join us as Teams Compete for the “The Williams Cup of Global Knowledge”
and a $25 Savings Bond for each member of the Top High School Team.
For Registration Form, please click here.
To download General Rules of Play, categories and sample questions, click here.
10.23.2008 – 11.2.2008Sister Cities of Newport News Seeks Delegates to Travel to Taizhou, ChinaSister Cities of Newport News celebrated the 10th anniversary of the sisterhood between Taizhou, Jiangsu, China and Newport News by sending a delegation of 15 "Citizen Diplomats" to China for a 10 day visit.
The delegates were selected based upon applications submitted to SCNN. Applicants were required to be members of the non-profit organization, and willing to pay for airfare and limited travel expenses of less than $1,900 per person as the delegation was hosted by Newport News' sister program in the City of Taizhou. They also agreed to participate in SCNN's Taizhou Committee which hosts incoming visitors from Taizhou and puts on programs in the local community about the sister cities program.
The delegation participated in cultural and informational exchanges in the city of Taizhou, attended a Sister Cities conference in Nanjing, and toured the cities of Wuxi and Shanghai.
7.1.2008 – 7.7.2008Newport News Sister Cities Delegates Travel to Japan 
Newport News Sister Cities formed a delegation of citizens to travel to Neyagawa, Japan, for seven days as part of the annual cultural-exchange program that has been ongoing for 25 years. continued click here
11.17.2007Announcing the Peninsula’s 1st Annual
GlobalBee International Quiz 10:00 am to 1:00 pm,
Point Plaza Hotel — 950 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News 23601
Join us as Teams Compete for the “Cup of Global Knowledge” and a $25 Savings Bond for each member of the Top High School Team.
For Registration Form, please click here.
To download General Rules of Play, categories and sample questions, click here.
10.5.2007A Recital of Traditional Japanese Dance
The recital was performed by representatives of the Neyagawa International Exchange and Friendship Association, featuring local performers from Woodside High School Center for Arts and Communication, Harmonious Voice for Christ Community Choir and the Praise Dance Company.
FREE and open to the public
7:00pm, Friday, October 5
Woodside High School
13450 Woodside Lane
Newport News, VA 23608
Opportunities are available now for you to become a Citizen Diplomat and join us to host the following delegation from our sister cities.
10.4.2007 Official Signing Ceremony with Greifswald Germany