Amber Chih Makes IUSD History!

Amber Chih (front left) with her fellow CAC members

Congratulations to Northwood High School student Amber Chih on her historic appointment by the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) Board of Education as the first student representative to serve on Irvine’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC) for Special Education.

The CAC is an advisory body that supports students with disabilities and their families by providing input on special education programs and services across the district. Traditionally composed of parents, educators, and community members, the committee will now include a student voice for the first time in its history.

Having lived with Tourette syndrome since early childhood, Amber has made disability advocacy a central part of her work both in and beyond the classroom. She is the founder of A Thousand Words, a student-led initiative dedicated to increasing awareness of invisible disabilities through storytelling, education, and community engagement. Through this initiative, she has organized disability awareness programs throughout Irvine, spoken with students across the community, and collaborated with educators, disability organizations, and researchers to foster greater understanding and inclusion.

Most recently, Amber has been working with the Stanford Center for Neurodiversity and Human Potential’s Network for K-12 Neurodiversity Education and Advocacy on the documentary What I Wish My Teacher Knew. The film explores the experiences of students with invisible disabilities and seeks to help educators better understand and support neurodiverse learners.

Amber’s appointment is a meaningful milestone for Irvine Unified, ensuring that students with disabilities have a direct voice in the conversations and decisions that shape their educational experiences. We congratulate Amber on this well-deserved achievement and look forward to the perspective and leadership she will bring to the CAC.