Enrollment for Summer Fun Program to Open Next Month

Hawaii County’s 2020 Summer Fun Program and the 2020 Ike Kai summer enrichment program is slated to begin on June 15.

The Parks and Recreation Department announced today that the program would be a minimum of five weeks, tentatively ending on July 17. There is no charge for these programs.

The Ike Kai summer enrichment program will consist of six separate one-week long programs. The mission of the program is to bring learning to life by using both Western and traditional Hawaiian cultural knowledge.

“Its purpose is to focus on the health of the coastal ecosystem through education and outreach,” Parks and Rec officials explained. “Its core principle is the promotion of Mālama Honua – taking care of the land and the ocean by strengthening the community’s skills.”

The program also promotes ocean safety and awareness.

The Ike Kai and Summer Fun programs will run from 8 a.m. to noon Monday to Friday and include a snack and take home-lunch. Enrollment is open to children who have completed third, fourth, fifth or sixth grade this past school year.

The Summer Fun program will be hosted at 13 park facilities around the island. The Ike Kai program will be hosted at Richardson Ocean Center in Keaukaha.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both programs will be significantly modified to address the health and safety of participants and staff. Modifications include screening each morning prior to entry, a mandatory face mask/cover policy, physical distancing during program activities and enhanced sanitization procedures.

Enrollment for Summer Fun and Ike Kai programs begin on June 3 at 7:45 a.m. and closes on June 4 at 4:30 p.m. Enrollment will be accepted from parents/guardians via electronic submission at www.hawaiicounty.gov/summer-fun or by calling the Recreation Division at 808-961-8740 during business hours, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Information left on voicemail will not be accepted.

Parks and Rec officials strongly encourage online enrollment as there is limited staff available to take phone calls and process enrollments. No walk-in enrollment applications will be accepted, participants are limited to enrolling at one site and each enrollment application allows for up to four children from the same household.

Participants for both programs will be chosen randomly as space is limited. Selected participants will be contacted by Recreation staff by June 10, at which time an appointment for submitting completed registration forms will be arranged. All other enrollees will be placed on a waitlist should a program site determine it is able to expand or if prior selected participants exit the program.

The Summer Fun program may be extended through July 31, at some or all the sites should resources become available. Participants will be notified when a determination is made for their specific program site.

The following is a list of this year’s proposed Summer Fun program sites:

• Andrews Gym/Waiākea Waena Park
• Pana‘ewa Covered Courts / Pana‘ewa Park
• Kawananakoa Center / Hualani Park
• Pi‘ihonua Gym / Gilbert Carvalho Park
• Pāpa‘ikou Gym / Frank M. Santos Park
• Honoka‘a Gym / Honoka‘a Park
• Waimea District Park
• Ikuo Hisaoka Gym / Kamehameha Park
• Kekuaokalani Gym / Kailua Park
• Nā‘ālehu Community Center / Nā‘ālehu Park
• Rep. Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium & Shelter (Ka‘ū District Gym)
• Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility / Pāhoa District Park
• Herbert Shipman Park / Kea‘au Armory

For more information contact the Recreation Division at 808-961-8740 or via email at [email protected]