A summer of hands-on community service has wrapped up for young volunteers with the APAPA Folsom Chapter, whose 2026 internship program once again partnered with the City of Folsom to put local youth to work improving parks, recreation facilities and the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary.
Throughout the summer, participants in the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association’s local internship program worked alongside the City of Folsom Parks and Recreation Department on a variety of projects aimed at maintaining and improving public spaces across the community.
Each Wednesday and Thursday morning, groups of approximately 10 to 20 youth interns headed into city parks and recreation areas to take on projects ranging from painting benches and replacing basketball nets to cleaning gazebo roofs and power-washing playground equipment.
The work continued a partnership between APAPA’s Folsom Chapter and the city that has provided young people with an opportunity to spend part of their summer giving back to the community while learning about civic involvement, public service and leadership.
This year, the program also expanded its work at the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary. Youth participants built owl houses, tagged trees and constructed climbing structures for the zoo’s goats. The projects combined volunteer service with the type of animal enrichment work that has become a recurring part of the local APAPA summer program.
The zoo component builds on previous years in which interns created handmade enrichment items designed to encourage animals to forage, explore and engage with their surroundings. The finished projects are then delivered to the zoo for use by staff and animals.
APAPA, which stands for the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization with chapters across the country. Its mission is to advance Asian American and Pacific Islander communities through increased civic engagement and leadership.
The Folsom Chapter’s internship program works in coordination with Folsom Parks and Recreation and has become an annual summer tradition in the city. Established locally in 2019, the program was created to inspire and empower culturally and ethnically diverse youth in the Folsom and Rancho Cordova areas to become more civically engaged while developing leadership skills and a greater understanding of community service.
Folsom City Councilmember YK Chalamcherla was instrumental in establishing the local chapter and has remained involved with the organization as a board member and participant.
In previous years, APAPA youth have tackled an extensive list of projects throughout Folsom’s parks and trail system. Their work has included landscape maintenance, trimming hazardous branches along Creekside, Lexington and Johnny Cash trails, replacing landscaping mulch at Folsom Kids Play Park and Econome Family Park, and repainting benches, gazebos, fire lanes, tennis courts and other public amenities.
The summer projects are performed under the supervision and guidance of city Parks and Recreation personnel, giving participants an opportunity to work directly with those responsible for maintaining Folsom’s parks and public facilities.
The program has traditionally drawn dozens of youth volunteers, along with parent volunteers who assist with the summer activities. Participants have ranged in age from approximately 12 to 19, allowing younger students to work alongside high school-age participants while contributing to projects they can see and use within their own community.
The service component is part of APAPA’s broader emphasis on encouraging young people to become involved in civic life. Rather than limiting that experience to meetings or classroom discussions, the Folsom program gives participants an opportunity to see firsthand how local government and community organizations work together and how volunteer service can make a visible difference in public spaces.
That work has previously earned formal recognition from the City of Folsom. In 2023, more than 30 youth involved in the program were honored during a Folsom Parks and Recreation Commission meeting at City Hall for their volunteerism and contributions throughout the city.
This year’s participants are also expected to be formally recognized by the City of Folsom at an upcoming City Council meeting. A date for that recognition will be announced.
With another summer program now completed, the projects left behind — from refreshed park amenities to new features at the zoo — provide a lasting reminder of the hours contributed by the young volunteers and the continuing partnership between APAPA Folsom and the City of Folsom.
Those interested in learning more about the APAPA Folsom Chapter and its programs can visit APAPA’s Folsom Chapter website.
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