Far Rockaway/Arverne Nonprofit Coalition

For Youth, By Youth: The Far Rockaway Youth Summit

The Far Rockaway Youth Summit is the Far Rockaway/Arverne Nonprofit Coalition’s signature community-wide event, bringing together hundreds of Rockaway youth and featuring educational workshops; a resource fair highlighting local programs and services; programming for parents; youth performances; a keynote address; raffle prizes; food; music; and so much more.

The Youth Summit is an event that families look forward to every year. It combats the perception that Rockaway has nothing to offer young people by showcasing locally available opportunities for youth and their families.

The Far Rockaway/Arverne Nonprofit Coalition understands that in order to improve the community for youth, it is critical to partner with youth in the process. Since its inception, the Youth Summit has been planned by the Youth Planning Committee (YPC), a group of youth leaders from the programs of participating Coalition members. Through the YPC, youth become empowered to improve their community and to use their voice for positive change. 

VIDEO: Far Rockaway Youth Summit

How It All Began

The Youth Summit originated in 2012, and the unique, youth-led event has continued to grow ever since. It remains a vital source of positivity for the Rockaway community.

The first ever Far Rockaway Youth Summit was held on Saturday May 5, 2012 at the Far Rockaway Educational Campus. The goals of the Summit were to spark a Rockaway youth revolution and to shed light on free programs. Check out some video footage of the 2012 event.

The second annual Youth Summit, held Saturday May 4, 2013 at the Far Rockaway Educational Campus, was another success. Held less than a year after Hurricane Sandy, it demonstrated the resilience of the community. Check out the event's coverage on NY1 here and here. 

The third annual Far Rockaway Youth Summit took place on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at Goldie Maple Academy. In addition to its commitment to youth leadership, the event—with the tag line "A-Train to Success"—emphasized the themes of dreaming big, achieving success, and empowerment. Check out the NY1 coverage here.

The fourth annual Youth Summit returned to the Far Rockaway Educational Campus on Saturday, May 16, 2015. The event—with the tag line “It’s the Far Rock Life for Us!”—brought together more than 150 Rockaway youth and parents and focused on empowerment. Event features included the return of Youth Empowerment Speaker Shaun Derik, youth performances, DJ G-Money, workshops for parents, and more.