August at Apex was about coming together, celebrating summer, and preparing for the school year ahead. Every connection and experience this month showed us how support, guidance from trusted adults, and a strong community help our youth grow, build confidence, and prepare for what’s ahead.
Alumni reconnected over food and laughter at our alumni food crawl in Jackson Heights, while our staff retreat gave us time to recharge, reflect, and dream big. Our interns through the J.T. Tai internship program concluded the summer with inspiring presentations from 14 diverse placements. At the same time, athletics kept the energy high with events like We Run As One and Hoops Over Hate tournaments, building skills, confidence, and community through basketball. The month wrapped up with Sunset Park Field Day, where more than 650 youth and families joined for games, resources, and connection — a true reminder of how our youth thrive when we come together as a community.
Spotlight ng Programa:
Alumni Food Crawl
From Bangladeshi samosas to Nepali momos and Colombian arepas, our Jackson Heights food crawl highlights food as one of Apex’s love languages. Sharing meals becomes a way to foster a sense of belonging, strengthen peer connections, and practice social skills. For youth transitioning from high school to college, these shared experiences lay the foundation for a supportive alumni network, creating meaningful relationships and community engagement that foster long-term growth and resilience.
Sunset Park Field Day
This summer, Apex for Youth’s Mga Programang Pang-elementarya team hosted one of its largest community events yet, Sunset Park Field Day, bringing together more than 650 youth and families, eight community partners, and 40+ volunteers for an afternoon of games, arts and crafts, prizes, and bookbags filled with school supplies. This event aimed to connect families to local resources, foster stronger community partnerships, and ensure that youth in Sunset Park have the necessary support to start the school year off strong.
Magbasa pa dito!
Athletics: We Run As One & Hoops Over Hate
This summer, Apex’s athletics programs continued to grow, bringing youth together through sports and community. We Run as One reached a record 34 teams from 4th-12 graders and expanded to Sunset Park with its first annual tournament of eight teams. Hoops Over Hate, launched in 2021 in response to anti-Asian hate, has become an annual 3×3 basketball tournament fostering unity and resilience across communities. This was the first year we provided an elementary clinic for youth seeking to build foundational skills and improve in both Queens and Brooklyn.
J.T. Tai Presentations
Every summer, our high school and college interns from the J.T. Tai Internship Program share their final presentations on their experiences and learnings from their summer placements! Over the course of 6–8 weeks, interns gain paid, real-world experience in careers and industries they’re curious about, ranging across 14 different fields. Through this program, students not only explore career paths that align with their interests but also discover strengths they didn’t know they had, see new possibilities for their future, and develop skills that apply across sectors.
Read more about their professional development dito!
Apex Staff Retreat
Every August, Apex staff gather for a three-day retreat. This year’s themes: Celebrate, carry forward, and collaborate. As we enter a new fiscal year, our teams reflected on both our individual north stars and Apex’s shared North Star: We left feeling energized and excited for the year ahead and looking forward to continuing to serve our youth and families.
Help Us Spread the Word: Virtual RWA Enrollment
We’re now enrolling 1st–2nd grade students for Virtual RWA, our fun, small-group reading program that helps children build confidence and a love for reading. Each week, kids join volunteers online on Saturday mornings to engage in read-alouds, creative activities, and games. If you know families in Sunset Park or Flushing that would be interested in gathering with their peers for the love of reading, please share this opportunity!
Looking Ahead: What’s Next in September?
Apex FitFam Yoga for Apex
Come practice yoga with the Associate Board, taught by Apex volunteer, Dana Lee. All the proceeds from this donation-based class will be donated to Apex! Class size is limited, so sign up early!
WHO: Volunteers
Lokasyon: Sky Ting
Date: Sunday, September 21st
Time: 2-3 p.m.
RSVP Dito!
Apex Board Game Night
The First Board Game Night of the Academic Year! Bring your favorite board games and hang out with your fellow volunteers and friends of Apex. We will also have games available to play, like Avalon, Codenames, and Mahjong!
WHO: Volunteers
Lokasyon: 195 Chrystie Street, 2nd Floor (Apex Office)
Date: Thursday, October 2nd
Time: 7-9 p.m.
RSVP Dito!
Join Apex Staff
Sumali sa Apex sa isang kapana-panabik na panahon ng paglago! Kasalukuyan kaming kumukuha ng mga sumusunod na posisyon:
Associate Director of Research and Evaluation
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