Metro Center for Urban Education

Adolescent Post-Secondary Education Exchange Program

Program Description

With funding support from the Deutsche Bank Foundation, the Adolescent Post-Secondary Education Exchange (APEX) program provides college preparation mentoring services to first-generation, immigrant high school students. APEX Scholars are New York City high school juniors and seniors from three of our partner high schools: Louis D. Brandeis High School, Bronx International High School, and Manhattan Theatre Lab High School.

Louis D. Brandeis High School

Louis D. Brandeis, as the largest of our partnership schools, has a student population of over 2000 students, many of who are of immigrant origin and/or first generation. With a past history of poor performance and disorder, which has since then changed significantly, Brandeis provides a curriculum based heavily in building English language skills and prompting its students for graduation. Various departments, programs and after-school activities are available for the student body.

145 West 84th Street
New York, New York 10024
Ms. Arleen Liquori
Asst. Principal
aliquor@schools.nyc.gov
(917) 441 - 5700

Bronx International High School

Bronx International High School is a smaller public school for new immigrants to New York City. The main focus for Bronx Int'l is to have students maximize their English skills while studying heavily in all subject areas. This goal is accomplished by the school's small class sizes, individual attention from teachers, hands-on activities and the various internships, sports, advisory classes and field trips provided to the student body.

1100 Boston Road
Bronx, New York 10456
Mr. Joaquin Vega
Principal
jvega4@schools.nyc.gov

Manhattan Theater Lab High School

Students at Manhattan Theater Lab High School have the culture of a highly selective performing arts school without the paperwork or the pressure of auditions for admittance into the school. As a performing arts school, all students take acting, dancing, music and stage design during their freshman year and thereafter, then focus primarily in a specialized area of Theater. While academics are still in the working stages, students are enthusiastic and pay special attention to their interests.

122 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York 10023
Ms. Evelyn Collins
Principal
ecollin5@schools.nyc.gov
(212) 362 - 2075

Students who participate in APEX meet the following criteria:

a) Students must be either recent or first-generation immigrants

b) Students must be recommended by either a school administrator, instructor, or counselor.

c) Students (parents) must fill out and application packet and sign a participant contract.

Mentors are either undergraduate or graduate students at New York University. Each mentor spends time on-site at the high schools and on campus at NYU. Mentors are all fingerprinted and go through an orientation process as well as ongoing training.

Mentors

  • spend a minimum of 2 hours weekly on site to meet with respective students
  • plan and participate in Saturday sessions at NYU for mentees and their families
  • provide workshops around "everything you need to go to college", SAT preparation as well as the "college application process".
  • log activities with students on an ongoing basic.