Irvine’s Chinese-American students often live in a homogeneous circle. PNF builds a platform for themed community activities across cultures; members co-organize two events a year.
Membership
This program is for Life Lab members. Every step is logged in the Human Skills record kept with our partner, the PNF Foundation, and in high school points toward a formal Congressional Award application (age 13.5+).
Want to talk to a course advisor now?
Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
Does this help Irvine students who only mix with Chinese-American peers?
That is the problem the program was built around. Many Irvine students live in a homogeneous social circle and only meet peers from other backgrounds at college or at work. The PNF Foundation builds a platform where members run themed activities with people from different cultural backgrounds in the community.
How many events does a member work on each year?
Two large community service events a year, one in spring and one in fall. Students take part in organizing and preparing the events rather than simply attending, which means working with participants from different backgrounds throughout the planning.
Does this fit an Irvine high school workload?
The two events fall in spring and in fall, and preparation is split across the team, so each student takes on a defined part. Irvine public high school students usually carry club and exam commitments at the same time, so it helps to settle roles at the start of the term.
Which grades is this for?
G5 through G12, and it is open to Life Lab members only. Younger children can start with the G1 to G3 exploratory workshops inside the membership and move into this program at G5. Every step a member takes is logged in the Human Skills record kept with the PNF Foundation.
How does this connect to a University of California application?
Organizing community service events becomes part of the growth report, and in high school the record points toward a formal Congressional Award application, which requires the student to be at least 13.5 years old. In a University of California personal insight essay, a concrete role and a problem solved reads stronger than general participation. How to present it is best planned with university planning.
