🏀 ICA Alumna Becky Apolinario '11 and Her Story of Confidence 🌟

Becky Apolinario, an ICA alumnae from the Class of 2011, is a testament to how confidence can be nurtured through the support of inspiring mentors. In a recent interview, she fondly recalls her time as a young student at ICA, learning from exceptional teachers who taught relevant material and recognized her potential. She says, “I've always been this very social person and I appreciate how my teachers leaned into that. They used my social tendencies to help me to learn. I didn't have a teacher like that until I went to ICA, and it made me feel more confident as student.” Becky vividly remembers her statistics teacher, Mrs. Provence, who played a pivotal role in shaping her career aspirations. She credits that class as the spark that ignited her interest in pursuing a career in public health.

Becky was also influenced by her time as a leader in the Filipino American Club. She describes her club moderator and former director of ICA’s Athletic Program, Carolyn “Coach” Sideco, as a role model who helped her embrace her cultural identity. “One of the things she instilled in us was to be proud of who we were and to be unapologetically ourselves," Becky recalls. "At our club meetings, she would ask us, ‘Who do you want to be as Filipina ladies in the city? What type of person do you want to be?’ I really appreciated Coach Sideco calling us out and reminding us to hold ourselves with respect wherever we went."

While Becky’s academic and leadership experiences shaped her aspirations, her involvement in athletics provided a crucial outlet for personal growth. Becky was an avid athlete, playing basketball and volleyball for four years and softball for two. She remembers the gym as a sanctuary where she and her teammates found comfort during stressful times. “Thinking about it now, I owe a lot to the Athletics Program,” she shares. “When we were stressed, our coaches would open the gym and just let us hang out and rest.” For Becky and her teammates, the ICA gym was more than just a place for practice—it was a safe haven where they could relax and just be high school students.

In 2011, as ICA Cristo Rey fully implemented the Corporate Work Study program, many students faced the challenge of balancing school, work, sports, and other responsibilities. She reflects on how those long, demanding days taught her resilience, conflict management, and leadership. “When I was varsity co-captain of the volleyball team, we really had to focus on work ethic. We asked ourselves, ‘How can we make sure we’re giving 100% to everything we do without burning ourselves out?’" Inspired by her time as a Spartan athlete, Becky later became a basketball and volleyball coach for middle schoolers, passing on her skills and wisdom to the next generation.

Becky's journey as an athlete shows up in her dedication to helping others—a commitment she has carried into her professional life. Becky shares: “I work as the Outreach Supervisor at the Institute on Aging, where I connect with the community to educate them about our services and resources, particularly for seniors and adults with disabilities." She oversees the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, a collaboration of nine non-profits that provide assistance with tasks like translating utility bills or completing applications for programs such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh. In her many roles, Becky also conducts training on accessibility, elder abuse prevention, and culturally competent practices to ensure their services are inclusive and responsive to the needs of San Francisco's diverse community.

Becky has a Bachelor's degree in Health Science and Psychology from Dominican University of California. She also holds two Master's degrees, a Master of Science in Behavioral Health and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of San Francisco.