What a Shy 6th Grader Taught His Mentor About Talent, Pressure, and Belonging

Jonny’s mentee is shy and reserved, often more comfortable behind a hood or facemask, even during group discussions or meals. 

The mask stayed on for nearly two years. Jonny never pushed, never asked him to take it off, never made it a thing. He just kept showing up, week after week, until one day over a birthday hotpot dinner, his mentee finally pulled it down and relaxed. 

Jonny has volunteered with Apex for five years. In the fall of 2021, he was matched with Jerry as Jerry entered 6th grade. This summer, Jerry wrapped up 10th grade.

This year, we are proud to name Jonny Yu as our High School Mentoring Program Volunteer of the Year, recognizing five years of steady, evolving mentorship with his mentee and half a decade of personal growth, advocacy, and learning.

Finding His Way to Apex

Jonny has called New York City home since 2017, after growing up between the U.S. and China. 

Jonny started his journey with Apex in 2021.  The pandemic and the murder of George Floyd pushed him to deeply reflect on the world we live in — how race, gender, and class play a role in the lives of himself and others. A friend on Apex’s Associate Board suggested he try volunteering, and it became a first step toward something bigger. 

“I didn’t really see volunteering as a finite task that had to be completed or accomplished,” he says. “I wanted to fundamentally change how I carried myself through the rest of my life.” Apex, he says, is where that journey started — not where it will end.

Transformative Mentorship: Two Years Behind a Mask

Over time, Jonny has watched Jerry open up — taking off his mask to relax over hotpot or occasionally speaking up in small-group settings. One moment stands out: when Jonny saw his mentee’s full face for the first time in nearly two years. 

Beyond those small breakthroughs, his mentee “is also very hands-on and artistic,” Jonny says, “so when I see him really engage naturally when he creates art, his talent gets to shine, and it warms my heart.”

Growing Alongside a Mentee

Mentoring a teenager, Jonny says, has meant watching someone transform before his eyes. 

“It has been fascinating to observe a young person transform from an innocent little kid into a mature human where the world around them gets bigger and more real,” he says, “where they go beyond the usual confines of home/school and begin to understand how they exist in a broader society.” 

Having moved frequently throughout his childhood, Jonny understands the fear of not fitting in.  He’s found meaning in creating an environment where his mentee doesn’t have to carry that same weight and anxiety.

Mentorship is a Two-Way Street

Jonny is constantly learning new things through mentorship. “Apex really allowed me to see how talent can manifest itself in so many more ways,” he says, “and that every person is truly unique with their own needs and desires.” 

Raised with a fixed mindset on where “smart” Asian kids end up, Apex quickly reshaped Jonny’s way of thinking. “It’s about how we can best support them on their journey, not about how they can achieve the same ‘result’ we are stereotyped into striving for.”

Advice to New Volunteers

Jonny’s advice to new volunteers is to see the role as more than just a task or a line on a resume. 

“If you have a mentee, listen and observe, assess what their actual/unique needs and talents are before thinking about how to support them,” he says. 

Jonny encouraged volunteers to look beyond Apex, set aside their own perspective, and learn as much as they can from other volunteers and staff. He urged them to build stronger ties with their own neighbors and community, and not to treat Apex as the only place they “give back,” since there’s a whole world beyond 195 Chrystie St.

A Mentor Who Always Answers the Call

Ellie Yeo, High School Mentoring Program Manager, has watched Jonny’s mentorship grow over the years. 

“Jonny has always stood out for his consistency and care in his mentoring relationship (in fact, the only feedback I’ve had to give him is to care a little less). 

“However, this year, HSMP staff witnessed that care expanded exponentially as our community and other immigrant communities faced new levels of immigration enforcement. To be honest, I was scared and uncertain, but when we didn’t know what to do or how to navigate this new normal, we called Jonny. His advocacy and mutual aid work outside of Apex contributed heavily to the safety of the Apex community. 

“Thank you, Jonny, not only for being a phenomenal mentor to Jerry, but for always picking up that call–it has truly been an inspiration to work with you these past few years.”

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