Closing Day signifies the end of our mentoring program for the year, and is also the time of year when we officially bid adieu to our graduating seniors. This June, we brought more than 120 mentors, mentees and volunteers from both our Manhattan and Queens mentoring programs up to Nyack College in Nyack, NY to enjoy a day of bonding and activities. We were also fortunate enough to have additional volunteers join and help us from one of the prestige manufacturers of skincare and makeup industries, Estee Lauder Companies’s Asian American Group.
Nyack College offers a variety of facilities we took advantage of, including an auditorium, a spacious canteen with breathtaking views and an outdoor soccer field. The day began at Hilltop Auditorium with a brief recap of the past year at Apex. Then our graduating seniors gave heartwarming speeches reminiscing their time at Apex and paying tribute to their mentors.
Despite the intense sunlight that overtook the field, our mentees, mentors, volunteers, and staff members were able to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including water balloon toss and relay racing. The balloon toss was first: The mentees and mentors stood in two lines facing each other, tossing the water balloon back and forth to see which pair could throw it the farthest without popping the balloon. Then the mentoring pairs received a random card representing an animal, which they had to act out to find the rest of their pack or team for the day. Once the groups were formed, they had to come up with a team name, their own motto and a gesture that represented them. The groups then lined up to start the relay race, people spinning themselves and falling down, balancing ping pong balls and sitting down.
After our outdoor group activities, our youth spent the day playing a wide assortment of sport activities, making cards to give thanks to the staff and the program for the joyous and prosperous year, dressing up for their photoshoots, and playing board games with each other.
Mentors, thank you for guiding our mentees through another successful year here at our program. Mentees, thank you for allowing us to cultivate and help you blossom into young and mature adults. Volunteers, thank you for spending time with our mentees and helping out at our annual event. Also, thank you to Nyack College for allowing us to host our annual end of the year event at your spacious and welcoming campus. Check out photos from the day below, capturing the essence and beauty of our mentees and mentors! Special thanks to Estee Lauder Companies for sponsoring the event!
-Raymond and Harry, Apex interns & mentees
