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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Chris Gradwohl, 11, practices his skateboard skills during one of the Northwest YMCA's summer camps.
School's out, camp's in
YMCA offers activities for the young and restless
By Michele Leung
There's more to summer camp these days than just arts and crafts. The Northwest YMCA for years has been a staple of summertime activities, and the programs have changed to keep up with hip kids.
"Our camp programs have evolved to meet the sophisticated interests of today's children," said Katie Bondelie, summer camp program director at the Northwest branch.
Sports-oriented children may test their skills at basketball, tennis, hockey, rollerblading, ice skating, equestrian and golf. If those day camps don't satisfy their fancy, special interest programs such as performing arts, cooking, chess, science and invention, magic, laser tag and virtual reality may do the trick. There also are overnight camps at Big Basin that give kids the obligatory summer experience of singing campfire songs and sleeping outdoors.
The camps cater to children, ages 10 to 15. This year, the Northwest Y is serving 250 kids who come from Cupertino, Sunnyvale, and as far away as Morgan Hill and La Honda. "This is my eighth year. I live for summer camp." said Bondelie. Camps run until Aug. 22.
According to the Northwest staff, the skateboarding camp is by far the most popular program this summer. "We had two two-week sessions that filled up a month after the brochure came out, so we had to add another one in July," said Bondelie. "I would run the skateboarding camp all summer if I could."
The back parking lot of the YMCA has been converted into a skate park, and the students, mostly boys, are flying high over the ramps and refining their ollies. Honing one's skateboarding skills takes plenty of time and patience.
Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and skaters do nothing but practice and take occasional field trips to local skate parks. "It's a long day," said camper Josh Romero.
Amateur and professional skateboarders are on hand to teach the kids one-on-one. Camper's skill levels range from beginner to advanced. But the helmet-toting pupils are eager to receive more than just pointers on perfecting a kick flip.
"If the kids have a good attitude, sometimes they get new boards from the teachers who get them from their sponsors," said skateboard camp director Nader Hekmati.
After just a few days, the students say they have noticed an improvement in their arsenal of flips. The camp experience climaxes on the last day when students will get a chance to show off and compete for awards.
They have come to camp for a variety of reasons. Chris Gradwohl just wants to learn something new, while Romero, much too young to drive, wants to travel in style. "And I do it for the claps," he said.
According to the YMCA staff, nearly one-third of campers receive aid from Noah's New York Bagels, which has been a partner with the YMCA for the past five years. Noah's provides funds for kids who want to attend day camp but can't afford to.
Nine Noah's shops in the San Jose area, including the Cupertino and Sunnyvale branches, are involved in this promotion to benefit the YMCA of Santa Clara Valley. The bagel shops invite customers to donate money through July 19, and all the proceeds go to sending children to camp. Last year's campaign raised $7,000, an amount the YMCA staff want to match.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
