Prep talk: Verdugo Hills point guard creates nonprofit to empower fellow Armenian students
In addition to helping Verdugo Hills win the City Section Division III championship last season as a starting point guard, Alexander Kasumyan has been busy off the court as the founder of NAYI (Network of Young Innovators), which focuses on empowering ambitious Armenian youth in business, entrepreneurship and innovation.
He launched the organization in 2025 and held a job fair. Chapters have sprung up at Glendale College and Yerevan, Armenia. It hosts speaker panels and other gatherings to network, learn from professionals, and secure internship opportunities.
“I was looking for a group myself,” he said. “I didn’t find anything. I opened an Instagram account, told a few friends about it and it grew from there.”
Because he is under 18, his older brother is on the papers running the organization. But he’s the one making late-night Zoom calls to talk to volunteers and host webinars.
“During my basketball career, I was captain every year,” Kasumyan said. “I learned leadership and handling things under pressure.”
He is now trying to get young people to explore their professional dreams at the workplace.
