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Who: Kama‘aina Kids, Hotels and Conventions Division
Where: National Medical Association (NMA) Honolulu, Hawaii
When: August 5-8, 2007
What: Camp NMA-Zing 2007, Convention Child Care

About: This summer, Kama`aina Kids provided a huge convention child care program in their home state, Hawaii, nicknamed “The Aloha State.” Called Camp NMA-Zing 2007, Kama‘aina Kids provided services for 520 kids (ages 3-18 years old) in Honolulu, Hawaii.

• Provided 65 staff including Program Director, coordinators and group leaders from Hawaii and 2 from Colorado.
• Excursions included: Visits to Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Sea Life Park, Polynesian Cultural Center, Paradise Cove, Magic of Polynesia Show, “Cirques Hawaii Show”, Science Adventure Center, Pacific Aviation Museum, Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center, Honolulu Zoo, Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, Hanai Bear, Cirque Hawaii, USS Arizona Memorial, Hawaiian Waters Mini-Golf and Camp Mokuleia.
• Activities included: NMA Project Sun, Mad Science Hawaii workshop, “Who Wants to Be An Astronaut?” and “The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands” programs, karaoke, dancing, team building, swimming, sports, archery, shopping and much more!
• The camp finale included the Magic of Polynesia Show for children ages 3-8, the Medical Mystery Festival for ages 9-11 and a pre-teen/teen dance for campers ages 12 and up.

Kathy Hew, VP Hotel and Convention Division says, “We showed the campers and families our Aloha State and provided a safe and aloha-filled program for the National Medical Association! Another NMA-zing performance by our Honolulu and Colorado staff!”

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Kama‘aina Kids provides convention care at Camp NMA-zing in Dallas, Texas for the 2006 NMA Convention!

Who: Kama‘aina Kids, Hotels and Conventions Division
Where: National Medical Association (NMA) Dallas, Texas
When: August 6-9, 2006
What: Camp NMA-Zing 2006, Convention Child Care

About: Yee-haw! This summer, Kama`aina Kids traveled to the “Lone Star State” to round up the kids at this years National Medical Association’s Camp NMA-Zing 2006! The Hawaii based nonprofit childcare organization; Kama‘aina Kids provided services for 220 kids (ages 3-18 years old) in Dallas, Texas.

• Provided 31 staff including Program Director, coordinators and group leaders from Hawaii, 5 from Georgia, 3 from California, 3 from Texas, and 1 from Colorado.
• Excursions included: Visits to Six Flags over Texas, Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas Heritage Village, Sixth Floor Museum, The Main Event, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Museums of Nature, Science, and African American.
• Activities included: teaching from Audrey McClure (African Folk Tales), New Arts Six (Ethnic Folk Music), Drama Teach (Interactive Role-play), TECO (Educational Skits), and Melody Bell (Griot Storyteller).
• Camp finale included a program performance for parents by children ages 6-11, and a pre-teen/teen dance for campers ages 12 and up.

“Another incredible performance by our Honolulu, Georgia, California, Texas and Colorado staff! Despite the heat and dry weather conditions in Dallas our staff provided a safe and fun-filled program for the National Medical Association!” explains Kathy Hew, VP Hotel and Convention Division.

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About: A truly amazing achievement, Kama‘aina Kids provided childcare for # 438 kids (ages 3-18 years old) in the heart of New York City.

• Provided 41 staff including Program Director, coordinators and group leaders from Hawaii, #8 from California, and #6 from Washington State, 2 from Colorado, 6 from Georgia, 1 from New York.
• Activities included: Visits to the American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Television and Radio, Sony Wonder Tech Lab, Madame Tusseau’s Wax Museum, Intrepid Air Space Museum, Heritage Tour of Harlem, Circle Line Harbor Cruise, Central Park Zoo, Build-A-Bear Workshop and Toys R Us.

“This was the most outstanding performance by our Honolulu, Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta & Denver staff who provided a safe, fun-filled program in New York!” explains Kathy Hew, VP Hotel and Convention Division.

“Cash for Trash - Opala for Kala” is also the agency’s biggest annual fundraiser. Nearly $70,000 was raised by Kama‘aina Kids keiki and staff, who asked for donations from friends, family and corporate sponsors to honor their efforts in Earth Month activities. The money collected during the fundraiser goes toward scholarships, educational supplies and facility upgrades at Kama‘aina Kids programs statewide.

On O‘ahu Lt. Governor Duke Aiona honored the keiki, families and staff of Kama‘aina Kids who participated in the statewide community service projects and fundraising during the month of April in an awards presentation at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. Hawaiian Waters, the event’s major sponsor donated 1,200 free tickets, as a thank you to participating keiki on O‘ahu who were able to collect at least $25 each in donations. The April 23rd celebration event included the awards ceremony, live entertainment by Henry Kapono, Honolulu Dance Studio, the Innovative Magic of Kaulana, and others.

On Maui the keiki, families and staff enjoyed their celebration day at the Maui Ocean Center in Ma‘alaea, Maui. As a thank you to participating keiki, Maui Ocean Center donated 250 free tickets, good for April 24 and April 30 admission, to Kama‘aina Kids on Maui who were able to collect at least $25 each in donations. The Pacific Whale Foundation also generously gave free ocean tours to Kama‘aina Kids participating in Maui.

On the Big Island, in Hilo and Kona, the schools participated in the statewide litter cleanup and thanks to generous donations made by families, friends and community businesses the keiki and staff increased their donations from last year. A special thanks goes out to the children and staff at Kalanianeole School for collecting over 100% of their goal.
For more information or to make a donation: call (808) 262-4538, or send donations
to Kama‘aina Kids, 156 Hamakua Drive Ste C, Kailua, HI 96734

Ray Sanborn, President of Kama‘aina Kids explains, “I am extremely proud of our children, their families, and our great staff who made this event so successful!”

Community sponsors and supporters for Kama‘aina Kids “Cash for Trash - Opala for Kala” include Alii Flooring, Aloha Petroleum, Castle Medical Center, Charitable Ventures, City and County of Honolulu, Costco, Cutty-Cookin’ with Cutty, Diamond Bakery, Fun Factory, Grace Pacific Corp., Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant, Halau Napunahele Onapua, Hardware Hawaii, Hawaii Parent Magazine, Hawaiian Waters, HEMIC, Henry Kapono, Honolulu Dance Studio, Hyatt Resorts, Hyper Squad Dance Co., JW Marriot Ihilani, Innovative Magic of Kaulana, Lakeshore, KSSK, Longs Drugs Store, Maui Ocean Center, McDonald’s, Na Pu‘ukani, Paradise Yellow Pages, Protect the Planet, Roberts Hawaii, Sassy G, Star-Bulletin/MidWeek, State Termite & Pest, The Pacific Whale Foundation, Waikiki Beach Marriott, and Wal-Mart.

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Kama‘aina Kids Opens New Preschool!
Alewa Heights Preschool for kids 2 to 5 years old,
Registration starts Sept. 27th
Who: Kama‘aina Kids, Hawaii's Enrichment and Education Professionals
Where: Alewa Heights Preschool
Located at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church, 1052 Ilima Drive
When: Onsite registration starts Monday, September 27th
What: Preschool for kids 2 to 5 years old
About: Kama‘aina Kids Preschools

• All 12 Preschool locations take children 2 to 5 years old. Space is available and new enrollments are welcome.
• Four locations offer an Infant/Toddler program for children under 2 years —
  Ewa at CFS, Honolulu, Mililani Tech Park and Pearl City.
• Other O‘ahu-based Preschools include Aikahi, Alewa Heights (open in Oct.), Enchanted Lake, Moanalua, Salt Lake, St. Mark’s (Kapahulu district) and Waipahu.
  On Maui is Ala Lani Preschool in Kahului.
• All our preschools are Hawai‘I – licensed, your assurance that our sites meet
  all childcare industry standards for safety, programming and staffing.
• Five Preschools are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC); Enchanted Lake, Ewa at CFS, Honolulu, Mililani Tech Park and Pearl City with more accreditations on the way.
• All sites are open year-round from 6am–6pm, Monday through Friday.
• Trained, certified staff provide a learning center-based curriculum, ensuring a child’s emotional, social, physical and cognitive growth in a safe, nurturing and educational environment.

Kama‘aina Kids Fall Festival!
Fall Intersession Day Camp for kids K-6 grade,
Registration deadline is Sept. 20th
Who: Kama‘aina Kids, Hawaii's Enrichment and Education Professionals
Where: 7-Locations island wide! Laniakea YWCA (Richards St.), Waialae, Mililani, Waimalu, Hahaione, Salt Lake, and Kaleiopuu
When: September 27 – October 8th, 6am – 6pm
Registration Deadline is Monday, September 20th
What: Fall Intersession 2004 theme is "Fall Festival!"
For kids K-6th grade
About: Fall Intersession 2004, Fall Festival!

• Celebrate the beginning of a new season with our fun and dynamic programs!
  Our day camps continue to enrich young lives, with cornerstone beliefs that help
  develop each child a sense of self, community and environment.
• Go on a hayride and pick your own pumpkin! Or explore Hawaii’s heritage at the Bishop Museum. Throw in a trip to the beach and our first annual “Fall Festival,”
  and it all adds up to an excellent beginning to your child’s school year
• Excursions and activities include pumpkin patch picking, hayrides, the beach,
  Bishop Museum, the “Fall Festival” event and much more.
• Kama‘aina Kids day camp programs are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), your assurance that we’ve met the highest quality standards
  set by the child care industry for safety, programming and staffing.
• Kama‘aina Kids day camps are safe, fun and exciting with trained and
  certified staff who are CPR and Red Cross First Aid certified

Kama‘aina Kids serves over 400 children at NMA Convention in San Diego!
Who: Kama‘aina Kids, Hotels and Conventions Division
Where: National Medical Association, NMA
San Diego, California
When: August 1-4, 2004
What: Camp NMA-zing 2004, Convention Child Care
About:

• Truly amazing, Kama`aina Kids provided child care for over 400, 3 to 18-year-olds.
• Provided 49 staff including Program Director, coordinators and group leaders.
• Activities included: San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, San Diego Harbor Cruise, SeaWorld, Knott’s Soak City and San Diego Padres game at Petco Park

Kama`aina Kids Scholarship Fund
Scholarship Fund set up in the name of Samuel Kalua Alapai.
A large donation has been awarded to Kama`aina Kids Scholarship Fund from Dottie Alapai, wife of Sam Alapai. The intent of the award is to further the education of young children and to support working parents who need help with tuition costs. Sam, a father of 6, a grandfather of 15 and a great grandfather of 2 had a very special place in his heart for children and the security of their future. This fund is set up in memory of his kindness and to honor his efforts and support of children.

Awards are for partial tuition support and can be made only to currently enrolled Kama`aina Kids preschool children. For further information you may call the Kama`aina Kids Corporate office in Kailua. The phone number is 262-4538.

Kama‘aina Kids voted #1 child care provider
Star-Bulletin readers voted Kama‘aina Kids Hawai‘i’s #1 childcare provider for the second year in a row. Kama`aina Kids was also voted “Hawaii’s Best 2004”, a private, non-profit, multi-service organization and a leader in Hawaii’s child care industry.

The organization provides ongoing education and enrichment services statewide at 11 Preschools, 54 school-age After School Programs, including 43 A Plus sites, Intersession programs, Holiday Care, environmental education and day camps. Last year Kama’aina Kids served over 30,000 children and families with dedication, safety and innovation. For more information please call us at (808) 262-4538 or call toll-free from the neighbor islands at (888) 345-4374 or visit us at KamaainaKids.com.

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past news...

Kama’aina Kids rockets into space!
This spring, March 22-April 2, Kama’aina Kids is launching a new Ed-venture program for kids! For kids, grades K-6, 2004 is their first Space Ed-venture day camp that includes building your own rocket and launching it. The Space Camp rocket challenge will see who’s rocket goes the fastest. The program will explore space via a visit to a planetarium and other solar system learning activities. Space Camp will explore all the recent news of Mars and learn how to recognize some of the major objects and constellations in the sky. Hawaii is one of the best astronomical observing spots on earth. The big island of Hawaii contains some of the world’s largest observatories. Spring Space Camp will also be including activities like day trips to Camp Timberline located 1,600 feet up in the beautiful Waianae mountains and excursions to the historical Bishop Museum. There will be hiking and beach walks and to top it off there is a surfing program that will teach kids how to stay on a surfboard. This is an exciting year for space exploration and Kama’aina Kids will be part of it.

Registration deadline is March 8th. For more information please call us at (808) 262-4538.

"

Mark Nishiyama, VP, wins fellowship
Mark Nishiyama, Kama‘aina Kids co-founder and vice president of the School Age Division, was named one of 31 Pacific Century Fellows for 2003. The program began with a two-day retreat Sept. 12-13. Fellows will meet periodically to examine issues such as crime, education, health care, the military and the economy. The Pacific Century Fellows Program is a project of the Fund for the Pacific Century. (9/5/03)

Ala Wai, newest A+ site
Ala Wai School, in Honolulu’s Moiliili district, is our newest A+ site, with 160 kids enrolled. Lance Mineshima is site coordinator. A Before Care program will also be offered. (9/03)

Kama‘aina Kids voted #1 in child care
Honolulu Star-Bulletin readers voted Kama‘aina Kids the state’s best childcare provider in a subscriber survey conducted mid-April through May. Official results of the survey appeared in "Hawai‘i’s Best," a June 27 Star-Bulletin special issue. (6/03)

Ko Olina Beach Club, newest hotel site
The Ko Olina Beach Club opened its keiki club in June to become our tenth and newest hotel program. Donna Kasso is site coordinator. (6/03)

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Earth Month “Cash for Trash - Opala for Kala” Fundraiser
To honor Earth Month 2003, Kama‘aina Kids plans a month-long environmental curriculum at all sites, a School Age litter clean up on April 22 and a recycling project at Preschool sites.

Students will study how recycling helps our ‘aina, protects the environment and saves money and energy.

For more information on recycling and "taking care of garbage" from our partners at the City and County of Honolulu, go to www.opala.org.

Kama‘aina Kids keiki will ask for donations from the community to honor their Earth Month participation. Donations, which are 100% tax deductible, go toward much needed scholarships, educational supplies and facility improvements at our sites.

Hawaiian Waters Celebration
Saturday, April 26, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park provides a celebration for participants and their families, including musical entertainment, a recycled materials art display and an educational expo featuring environmental organizations. Sorry, this event is not open to the public, but is for Kama‘aina Kids keiki and their families only. This special arrangement by Hawaiian Waters' is their way of saying thank you to keiki who care about the ‘aina and about helping other children enjoy Kama‘aina Kids programs.

Currently enrolled Kama‘aina Kids keiki raising at least $25 in donations get free admission to the water park. Their families may buy discount tickets for $15 each. Each child attending the water park celebration must be accompanied by an adult.

Prizes for keiki getting most donations
Prizes will be awarded for various "age of participant" and "most donations collected" categories.
o Grand Prize is a two night stay at Sheraton’s Molokai Village for a family of five, including airfare. Luxurious Earth-friendly canvas-roofed bungalows are powered by photovoltaic cells and are off the grid, but on the beach.

WE NEED YOUR KOKUA! Please support our Earth Month clean up and recycling event. Send your donations to: Kama‘aina Kids, 156 Hamakua Dr., Suite C, Kailua, HI 96734-2834. For more information please call 262-4538.

Here is some recycle music to get you in the mood.
Recycle Hawaii • Reduce, Reuse Recycle © 2003 Kama`aina Kids all rights reserved. Please note, these are MP3 files.

Governor honors Kama‘aina Kids
for last year’s Lei of Aloha project
On Sept. 10 Gov. Ben Cayetano honored Hawaii schoolchildren, including a number from Kama‘aina Kids, for exemplifying the best in American character, as he signed a state proclamation celebrating American Character Week (Sept. 6 – 17).

Kama‘aina Kids students were recognized for making and sending 3,000 colorful, paper flower lei to children in schools affected by the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania.

Fourteen Voyager Charter School children and two children from Kapunahala Elementary represented Kama‘aina Kids at the ceremony and accepted T-shirts emblazoned with the American flag. The T-shirts were donated by Nora Kelly of Queens, New York and sent to Cayetano’s office.

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Sept. 10, 2002
40 Busloads of Kama‘aina Kids To Fill Aloha Stadium Wednesday For 9/11 "Aloha 9/11" Spell Out Commemoration
On Wednesday 40 busloads of keiki from Kama‘aina Kids programs will fill Aloha Stadium’s turf with a giant human lei formation spelling out "Aloha 9/11." This good will gesture to send aloha to children affected by the 9/11 tragedies follows up last October’s Lei of Aloha project. Kama‘aina Kids keiki made and sent 3,000 colorful paper flower lei to children in schools near 9/11 crash sites in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, PA.

"‘Aloha 9/11’ has gone from our keiki wanting to send their aloha to kids on the East Coast, to a huge outpouring of community participation from corporate sponsors," said Ray Sanborn, president of Kama‘aina Kids, a Hawaii-based, private, nonprofit child care provider.

At 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday the event begins when Ground Transport buses begin delivering children to Aloha Stadium. Water donated by Safeway will be handed out to children as they arrive and snacks donated by Nabisco, FritoLay and HFM will be given to children at the event’s conclusion.

At 4 p.m. Tom Bingham, University of Hawaii marching band director, will begin directing assembly of the human lei. Children will be positioned on the field to spell out a giant "Aloha 9/11." "While I’m accustomed to working with a more mature audience," said Bingham, "I’m excited to be working with Kama‘aina Kids. Building a formation with young children is a first for me."

Once the children are in place Sanborn will give a short welcome speech. A showing of the Lei of Aloha video on the stadium’s video screen will follow. Kama‘aina Kids staff will then lead the assembled children in an aloha dance accompanied by The Mana‘o Company’s "Aloha" song, the same music children listened to while constructing the paper flower lei sent to East Coast schoolchildren last year. By 5:30 p.m. children will begin boarding buses to return to their schools.

The event will be closed to the public for safety and security reasons.

To continue the relationship between Kama‘aina Kids and East Coast schoolchildren, 4,000 photographs of the giant human lei, donated by Kodak Premium Processing, will be sent to children at four schools with which Kama‘aina Kids has an ongoing relationship. They are Public School 130 in New York City, Hoffman-Boston Elementary School in Arlington, VA, and two schools in Pennsylvania, Northstar East Elementary School in Stoystown and Shanksville-Stonycreek Elementary School in Shanksville.

Participating sponsors currently helping to make the "Aloha 9/11" human lei photo op possible include Kama‘aina Kids, Ground Transport, Pizza Hut Hawaii, Kodak Premium Processing, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, Aloha Stadium, Meadow Gold, HFM, FritoLay, Nabisco, Safeway and FastSigns.

Kama‘aina Kids, a Hawaii-based, private, non-profit, multi-service organization, is a leader in Hawaii’s child care industry and serves over 19,000 children and families each year with dedication, safety and innovation.

Summer 02
Kama'aina Kids would like to thank all of those who participated in our first ever Coloring Contest presented by Pizza Hut Hawaii. The winners stood out amongst over 150 contest entries statewide from ages 5 through 12. The entries were randomly selected and voted on anonymously for Originality, Use of Color and Creativity.
Enjoy your summer! Have fun and stay safe. See Winners ->

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Oct 30, 2001
HVCB Shower East Coast Children with "Lei of Aloha"

Even though the Hawaiian Islands are a long way from the East Coast, people in Hawaii were shocked and saddened by the events of September 11th. As proud and patriotic Americans their hearts and sympathies go out to the victims and their families. Hawaii’s keiki (children in Hawaiian) would like to express their Aloha to the children of New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania who go to school near the crash sites.

The Lei of Aloha program started with an idea. Ms. Piilani Schneider, a private citizen of Hawaii, thought Hawaii’s keiki could share their Aloha with children of New York by sewing leis and mailing it to them. Ms. Schneider called Gail Chew, V.P. of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) who put her in touch with Kathy Hew, V.P. of Kama`aina Kids a multi service non-profit childcare organization. The HVCB adopted the idea and has spearheaded the Lei of Aloha program and will hand deliver the leis to four East Coast Elementary Schools.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2001 two thousand five hundred colorful paper flower leis were made by the keiki of Kama`aina Kids. This childcare organization orchestrated the massive lei making effort through 25 after school programs and donations by local vendors. Hawaii’s local television media were available to capture the kindhearted event and reported on the story of goodwill.

The HVCB along with Kama`aina Kids and Ms. Piilani Schneider will be representing the keiki of Hawaii on a trip to the East Coast on November 4-8, 2001. Their presentation of Lei of Aloha will include; an explanation of their visit, the meaning of the Aloha Spirit and the tradition of "lei giving", Hawaiian music and hula, A video presentation and message from the keiki of Hawaii, and the teaching of the song "Aloha". The presentation will be made to 4 elementary schools that were strongly impacted by the tragic events on September 11th. On hand will be the elementary school kids, teachers, faculty and invited family members. The Lei of Aloha presentations will be made as scheduled below: "HVCB Shower East Coast Children with "Lei of Aloha"

The Lei of Aloha Presentation Schedule
Nov. 5th, at Public School 130 in New York, New York
3 presentations (9:00am., 10:00am. and 1:30pm)
Hawaii’s Governor Ben Cayetano along with Mrs. Cayetano
will be making a special appearance and presentation at 1:30pm.
Nov. 6th, 10:00am. At Hoffman-Boston Elem. in Arlington, Virginia
Nov. 7th, 10:00am. at Northstar East Elem. in Stoytown, PA
Nov. 7th, 1:30pm. at Shanksville-Stonycreek Elem. in Shanksville, PA

The Lei of Aloha program is made possible by the HVCB and contributions by Kama`aina Kids, Mapuana Gallery, Conrad Enterprises, Cutty TV, Expedex, Island Printing, Office Max, Pepsi, Premium, Russair, Spicers, Wal-Mart, and the caring work of the keiki of Hawaii.

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