Member activity, rolling schedule.

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+).

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Frequently Asked Questions

My child gets nervous on stage. Is this high pressure?

The rules are designed to take the pressure off: the student picks the topic, speaks for three minutes, works without a script, receives no grade, and may stop at any time. Nobody has to arrive with a finished speech.

What do Irvine students talk about?

Students choose and prepare their own topic, and they may also raise discussion and suggestions about how the Irvine community develops. A topic like that requires reading up and forming a view before going on stage.

How is this different from TED Speaker?

Open Mic has no script, no grading, and an exit at any time; the point is getting comfortable speaking. TED Speaker asks for research, argument, story, and stage presence in a 6 to 8 minute talk before a live audience. Many students do one, then the other.

Which grades can join?

G6 through G12. The program is for Life Lab members only and runs on a rolling schedule, so a member can take the stage more than once in a school year.

Are the sessions held in person in Irvine?

Yes. Open Mic runs as an in-person session in Irvine, with only peers and parents in the room, no judges and no rankings. Every appearance is logged in the Human Skills record kept with our partner, the PNF Foundation, and members receive a growth report. In high school the record points toward a formal Congressional Award application, which requires the student to be at least 13.5 years old.