End-of-School Year Newsletter
As another school year ends and summer begins, we are thrilled to celebrate with our students and congratulate them on their accomplishments! We thank our sponsors and funders especially DYCD, families, and NIA staff for another successful school year. This June, we celebrated with end-of-year performances, the NYC Dance Parade, NIA Dance Festival, and the highly anticipated Annual Luna Park Day field trip. Stay tuned for more on these joyous events and details on our upcoming summer offerings.
DANCE PARADE
On May 18th, NIA once again participated in the annual NYC Dance Parade for the 5th year in a row. With 13 programs in attendance, NIA was able to showcase a variety of dance forms. MS 443 and IS 281 were invited once again to the main stage finale where they each put on a stellar show in Tompkins Square. The event featured decorated NIA floats and a lively atmosphere, with an abundance of kids enthusiastically dancing and waving to the crowd. In attendance was NIA/MS 443, NIA/PS 216, NIA/PS 176, NIA/PS 295, NIA/PS 247, NIA/PS 134, NIA/PS 186, NIA/PS 244, NIA/PS 627, NIA/PS/IS 121, NIA/PS 104, NIA/PS 939, and NIA/IS 281. We would like to thank Dance Parade organizers for putting together such a fantastic event that celebrates the diversity and creativity of New York City's dance community. Civil rights and civil liberties lawyer, Norman Siegel, attended as the Grand Marshall of the parade (pictured with NIA President Michael Bové). Thank you Kevin Richtback and program supervisors for coordinating such a wonderful event! NIA is proud to have been a part of this and we look forward to many more years of spreading joy through dance with our community.
DANCE FESTIVAL
Dance season continued when NIA/IS 281 hosted our annual NIA Dance Festival. The event featured performances from 13 dance troupes from NIA/PS 216, NIA/IS 192, NIA/PS 179, NIA/IS 228, NIA/PS 176, NIA/PS 247, and NIA/PS 281. The audience filled with family, friends and supporters had a fantastic time, enjoying delicious goodies between performances and dancing the night away at the after-party. One highlight of the evening was a choreographed dance by IS 281's dance teacher, Julie Rubin, in which all schools participated at the end of the night. NIA’s Leadership team, including Director of Program Operations Vera Ekht and Program Supervisor Kevin Richtback were in attendance, joined by NYC Dance Parade leader Greg Miller. A huge thank you to our hosts at IS 281 for organizing such a memorable event!
SENIOR PROM Series 2024
NIA’s coveted Intergenerational Senior Prom series, a beloved tradition celebrating the senior citizens in our community, kicked off on June 13th with events in both Coney Island and Dyker Heights. Nearly 1150 seniors and their student chaperones have gathered for an evening of music, dinner, and dancing. Chaperoned by IS 259 and NIA after-school participants from NIA/IS 95, NIA/IS 227, NIA/PS 247 Beacon, NIA/PS 104, and NIA/IS 281, the students helped guests to their seats and engaged with the seniors throughout the evening. We are grateful for the support of Councilman Justin Brannan, State Senator Andrew Gounardes, State Senator Iwen Chu, and Borough President Antonio Reynoso in bringing these intergenerational events to guests from Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Sunset Park, and Coney Island.
END-OF-YEAR PROGRAMS
As we welcome the start of the summer season, we also bid farewell to our 2024 NIA programs. It's been a wonderful journey filled with learning, growth, and fun for our students. NIA/PS 176 hosted a "Cool For The Summer Party", where students enjoyed a day of games, music, and summer-themed activities. The event was a hit and brought smiles to the faces of everyone who attended. Meanwhile, at NIA/PS 52R, students put on a spectacular production of "Beauty and the Beast". The hard work and dedication of the students and staff shone through in every performance, making it a truly remarkable experience for all. NIA/IS 281 had their first annual NIA Awards Night, where students were given awards and graduation certificates to highlight their work from the year, and they also had a Carnival! NIA/PS 247 also celebrated by hosting a "Final Day of NIA Celebration”. Families were invited to join in the fun, with snacks, games, and other festivities available for everyone to enjoy. It was a fantastic way to wrap up the school year and celebrate the achievements of our students. Thank you to everyone who made this year a success and we can't wait to see what next year brings.
LUNA PARK DAY
Our annual Luna Park Day was once again a fun day for all! To celebrate the end of school and programs, and as a kickoff to summer, NIA hosted over 1,000 students and 33 NIA programs for a day at the iconic park in Coney Island, all to themselves. Everyone had the best time, playing fun carnival games, riding all of the rides, and enjoying good weather with good friends.
NIA ALUM LAUNCHES STEAM-BASed NON-PROFIT
NIA Alum Marcus Jun along with two other Bronxville High School juniors, Mason Lo, and Gamunu Withana have created a nonprofit organization, Novelty Innovations, to increase students’ interests in STEAM. Their program aims to share thousands of STEAM kits with students across NYC, including nearly 5,000 kits for NIA’s summer programs. We are very excited for this upcoming partnership and cannot wait to see our participants explore their STEAM kits. Read more about the initiative in this article, featured on The Patch
NIA ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN
NIA is excited to continue with our upcoming 43rd anniversary and Annual Giving campaign! NIA’s Anniversary was celebrated with “NIA Day” events and activities that honored our communities and recognized the impact of our organization. From our beginnings as a neighborhood organization, to our multifaceted work today, NIA has always been dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of everyone we meet. Please consider supporting our mission of building strong children, strong families, and strong communities by donating today!
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
With funding provided by the NYC Civic Engagement Commission and The People’s Money grant, a participatory budget initiative, NIA was able to host several exciting field trips for program participants this year. The Staten Island Children’s Museum was one such destination, with NIA hosting 700 participants and parents from 11 different sites. NIA also brought more than 750 participants and parents from 18 sites to spend the day at the New York Aquarium, and also to the Liberty Science Center, where over 950 students and parents from 20 different sites were in attendance. A special thank you to NIA’s Director of Education, Corinne Colosimo, for organizing each trip and related program lessons.
Staten Island Children’s Museum
NIA hosted 700 participants and parents from 11 different sites.
New York Aquarium
NIA hosted more than 750 participants and parents from 18 different sites.
Liberty Science Center
NIA hosted more than 950 students and parents from 20 different sites.
NIA SOCIAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE
FAMILY SERVICES
NEW HIRES & PROMOTIONS
Leonard Campbell
Cornerstone Program Director
Leonard has been with NIA since 2021 as the Program Director at IS 303. He has and remains to be a valued member of our community and we are excited for him to be the new director of our Cornerstone program in Coney Island.
Travis Davis
Mutli-Site Supervisor
Travis Davis has been with NIA since 2018, starting as assistant director, then moving to be the Program Director for PS 179. He is a valued member of our community and we are so excited for him to be our newest Multi-Site Program Supervisor.
Bianca Naco
Assistant Director of Program Operations
Bianca has been working with NIA for 10 years now. When she first arrived, she started the NIA after school programs at PS/IS 104 and has done an amazing job growing and improving the program with each year that she was the Program Director. Bianca has now been promoted to Assistant to Director of Program Operations.
Loubna Aly
IS 30 Program Director
Lou has been with NIA since 2018 and was formerly the program director at PS 134 for the last year. She has since been promoted and is now the program director at IS 30! We are so excited for her upcoming responsibilities and leadership at IS 30.
Shuwen Li
Marketing and Design Specialist
Shuwen Li is the latest addition to the Communications and Development team at NIA. She graduated from Baruch College with a BFA in Graphic Communication and double minors in Communications and Marketing. She has worked at a non-profit for 7 years as an educational specialist serving the Chinese-American community in Manhattan's Chinatown before transitioning into the e-commerce industry working in marketing and design. Shuwen is excited to contribute her skills and experience to NIA's mission and foster connections within the community.
Ericka Rambert
Community Engagement Coordinator
Ericka Rambert has joined the NIA team as their new Community Liaison for the Coney Island Community. With an extensive background in the nonprofit world she is looking forward to using her skills and connections to help NIA expand. She previously worked for the Isaiah Whitehead Foundation, a non-profit that was started in honor of her son and is committed to enhancing the lives of children in disadvantaged and marginalized communities. She is very excited to start working with NIA to achieve similar goals and expand their reach.
Upcoming Events
Don’t miss out on FREE NIA events this summer!
