Phen Cheng（Front row, third left）and the ICS teaching staff
Volunteers United · Legacy Endures
Editor’s Note:
As the South Coast Chinese Cultural Association and Irvine Chinese School near their 50th anniversary, a special editorial team is collecting reflections from former presidents and principals to preserve this half-century journey.
Cultural Express launches the “Brilliant Fifty” series, featuring selected essays that illuminate the people and stories that shaped our community.
Some memories never fade. As the years pass, those memories become precious treasures; they stay in your mind, warm your heart and nourish your soul.
A Bond Remembered · A Journey Honored
I have held Irvine Chinese School and its people, parents and students in my thoughts for over four decades – not just with fond memories, but also deep gratitude, respect, and enduring friendship.
We are celebrating a remarkable milestone: the fiftieth anniversary of the Irvine Chinese School. It's amazing to think back at the incredible and challenging journey to reach where we are now.
Today the Irvine Chinese School is held in the South Coast Chinese Culture Center, located at 9 Truman Street in Irvine.
This modern, well-equipped school sits on the attractive campus of the Chinese Culture Center, built twenty years ago with funds donated by supporters in the Chinese community.
This article is written as a tribute to all the people (staff, parents, and supporters) whose tremendous contributions helped to build a solid foundation for the Irvine Chinese School over four decades ago.
Former IC School Principal Phen Cheng（third from the left）with predecessor and successor
Humble Beginnings · Steady Growth
The Irvine Chinese School was first held at College Park Elementary School (1976 – 1977), Rancho San Joaquin Middle School (1978 - 1982) and University High School campus (1983 – 2005), before the completion of the South Coast Chinese Culture Center in Irvine.
Every Sunday morning, families with various backgrounds and origins came from all over Orange County to immerse their children in Chinese culture and the Mandarin language.
These parents believed that it was vitally important to give their children the opportunity to learn Chinese. For these determined parents, sacrificing their precious Sunday morning was a small price to pay.
Teaching With Heart · Learning With Joy
On a fall Sunday morning in 1981, driven by my enthusiasm for teaching Chinese and a desire to contribute to my community, I stepped into a classroom at Rancho San Joaquin Middle School.
My first assignment in the Chinese School was teaching Chinese to five to six-year-old students.
At first, learning Chinese was not appealing to them. However, after learning to trust me, finding playmates and developing friendships, the children actually enjoyed our school activities.
They became engaged in active learning. I also became their favorite grown-up friend; even my students' younger siblings loved staying in my classroom.
It did not take long for me to develop a close bond with many of my students, as well as with their parents and school staff.
This close bond was not limited to me; I soon realized that many people who were actively involved in this little community felt the same way.
Our bond was an invisible force that unified us and helped us to overcome our challenges and achieve our goals. When I came to the Chinese School every Sunday, I could feel a sense of enthusiasm and uplifting energy in the air!
Rising Recognition · Growing Reputation
As my involvement deepened, so did my responsibilities. It was a humbling and yet exhilarating experience when I was asked to be the school principal in 1984.
Running a part-time school with four hundred twenty students was not a trivial task.
However, under the guidance of the Chinese School founder Mitzi Fu, prior principal Terry Lee, and with the help of many talented and able parents, I and the school principals who followed me were able to run the school with confidence.
Two memorable events occurred during my year of service.
First, our Chinese School students participated in the Chinese Poetry Recitation Competition sponsored by the Chinese School Association of Southern California. Our students won the competition with flying colors.
Second, we participated in a special traditional ceremony; a tribute to honor the great educator Confucius for his birthday (aka Teacher’s Day).
Both events were held in Los Angeles for the first time. These were educational, eye-opening experiences for our students and me.
As time passed, the reputation of our Chinese School continued to grow. By the 1980's, the Irvine Chinese School had become known as an elite Chinese school in Southern California.
Volunteerism played a key role in the Chinese school's success. Indeed, it was the backbone of our school.
From classroom parents to traffic controllers, from costume makers to stage designers and countless other roles, the school relied on dedicated parent support to maintain school order and accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.
Parents from myriads of professions and trades and homemakers volunteered actively for every aspect of tasks in the school.
With a shoestring budget and lack of ready-made products for the Chinese New Year celebration performance and other school related activities, everything was ‘made from scratch’ by our talented volunteers.
They willingly gave up their own time, space, and sometimes resources for the school. Their reward was seeing their beautiful work worn and presented by students joyfully dancing on the stage.
These dedicated volunteers continued to support the Chinese school tirelessly for many years. Parents saw their hard work paying off as their youngsters matured and thrived in this nurturing environment.
In the meantime, strong bonds developed among many parents, planting the seeds of lifelong friendships.
Former Irvine Chinese School Principal Phen Cheng（Far left）with past and current principals
Preserving Heritage · Inspiring Tomorrow
Irvine Chinese School now has half a century of history. It has become a vibrant community whose mission extends beyond teaching and promoting Chinese language and culture.
By promoting a better understanding of Chinese culture, Irvine Chinese School offers enlightenment and understanding to our volatile and diversified society.
Irvine Chinese School has benefited from the dedicated efforts of many parents and individuals. These people are our school's unsung heroes!
They believed in the school's mission of transmitting Chinese language and culture to new generations, and they willingly offered their time and talents to help it succeed. Their unwavering dedication has made this awesome school what it is today.
Irvine Chinese School exemplifies the unity, diligence, and friendship of a very special Chinese community. It has been my great honor to have served with these wonderful people over four decades ago.
I offer my deepest respect, gratitude, and admiration to those individuals who volunteered so willingly while I was a teacher and principal. I cannot thank them enough! Memories of their hard work and accomplishments will remain forever in my mind and heart.
I believe Irvine Chinese School will continue to grow and thrive for the next fifty years. The spirit of the school is strong! All the best to you all! (Brilliant Fifty V)