Irvine schools honor community members

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation and the Irvine Unified Council PTA will host the annual Spirit of Community Awards to honor volunteers and leaders they consider outstanding.

The Foundation and PTA will present the awards from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center in Irvine.

“Our community is so special because we have volunteers and people who work hard,” foundation CEO Neda Eaton said. “The common theme they’ve shown is leadership. We want to make sure we thank them and give gratitude.”

While the PTA will recognize several Irvine school volunteers, the foundation will recognize Susan Mehrtens, Carol Choi and Dian Aviles for their service to the community.

During Mehrten’s participation in the foundation’s Innovative Teaching Awards Program committee, she helped award 175 grants to 280 teachers and counselors.

Choi helped create and sustain the foundation’s Program to Advance Cultural Education program. Aviles and her husband Hiram donate annually to the foundation’s golf, gala and Spirit of Community luncheon.