TheBuzz
TheBuzz
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The jump in unemployment and under-employment following Sept. 11 did not have a chilling effect on private summer programs for children. This summer looks hot
for children’s programsThe City and County of Honolulu offers school-day-length summer care for as low as $25 per child for seven weeks, but higher-end programs did not lose clientele due to the economic downturn.
"We were kind of expecting that," said Bobby Stivers, vice president of programs and training at the YMCA of Honolulu. "I think one of the basic things is that parents are still needing some child care service for their kids during the summer and want good excursions for the children. They may be willing to pay a little more and sacrifice at other ends."
Both "the Y" and Kamaaina Kids have seen increased enrollment in summer children's programs.
For 2001 some 2,294 children were enrolled in various programs at the YMCA. So far this year, 3,118 children were enrolled and officials expect more.
"If you'd asked us this last week, we would have told you we're hurting, but the trend is that parents wait until the last minute," Stivers said.
Since the YMCA offers more than one program, enrollment figures may reflect some duplications of children in more than one program, Stivers said.
The YMCA's core summer day camp program, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, costs around $700 for an average of seven weeks, depending upon the program site.
Registration for the less costly "Summer Time" program skyrocketed from 78 last year to 220 as of June 4. That 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. program offers no swimming and fewer excursions and costs around $420, depending upon the site.
The jump in enrollment has YMCA officials hiring extra personnel. "We're still in the recruiting and hiring stage as well as training," Stivers said. It targets its hiring efforts on college campuses where students may be looking for temporary work.
At Kamaaina Kids the core summer day camp program ranges from $665 to $840 for seven weeks depending upon whether the child attends for a whole day or a half day. A separate three-week program covers July 29 to Aug. 16.
A year-over-year comparison for Kamaaina Kids is a bit more difficult, according to founder Ray Sanborn because "every year we change our programs to do something new and exciting."
This year in addition to its core summer day camp, Kamaaina Kids offered a "super-sized" package including additional time at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Bishop Museum, an "ecosystem adventure" and a sailing program at $1,175 for seven weeks.
A separate Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park program grew in enrollment from a dozen kids last year to 60 for the first two weeks of this summer; it drops to 40 for the remainder of the program but is still more than double last summer's figure.
"It's kind of a higher-end program and it's really taking off," Sanborn said.
Windward Oahu bucked the trend, showing a decline in summer enrollment. "Kaneohe has three sites," Sanborn said, "versus other (areas) where sites are strategically placed."
During the school year Kamaaina Kids got a preview of the drop in the decreased number of Windward public school students in the A-Plus after-school programs it runs for the state Department of Education.
Increased marketing efforts may be the reason for increased enrollment elsewhere, according to those involved.
"There seems to be a lot more organizations that ran advertising for summer programs than we've ever seen in the past," said Stivers, who also noticed a higher number of churches advertising summer activities.
Kamaaina Kids' marketing capitalized on what Sanborn calls, "strategic partnerships" with Pizza Hut, Xcel Wetsuits Hawaii, Nextel Communications and Ground Transport Inc.
Some 150,000 Kamaaina Kids flyers which mentioned the water park and the rest of the super-size package were distributed on Pizza Hut delivery boxes.
"Kids see Hawaiian Waters and get excited," Sanborn said. Posters for the summer program were also displayed at Pizza Hut locations.
Other cross-promotion involved Kamaaina Kids' colorful multi-page brochure prominently featuring the other partnerships.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com