“As a mentee, it’s nice to have someone who can guide me through my teenage years. I would go to my parents, but they don’t speak that much English and they also didn’t go to college. Having a mentor who’s already gone through it and can understand my struggles right now is very helpful. We’ve talked about college prep and what colleges to choose.” – Kah Soon, high school mentee and SAT Prep student
You can help even more youth like Kah Soon. Many people believe Asian American children are naturally successful and assume they do not need additional resources to succeed. Because of this, they are often ignored in their classrooms and their individual needs are not addressed.
In reality, these students need support. Many are the only English speakers in their families, and their parents are often unable to help due to language barriers or long work hours. Over 80% of our youth receive free or reduced lunch at school and their families need financial assistance. Asian students represent 14% of NYC public schools, but less than 1% of any city or foundation funds go to services to assist them.
At Apex for Youth, our volunteers and staff address this issue by providing the care and guidance our students need to fill their lives with possibilities. This year Apex will provide nearly 8,000 hours in mentoring, educational and athletic services to youth. We are here for them.
This holiday season, can you make a gift to our youth by donating or fundraising for our campaign? Our goal is to raise $25,000 to introduce 50 new mentees into our Mentoring Program in the upcoming year. With your support, we can grow the Apex family and serve even more youth in the community.