Kylie Roman is paid for her work at the Midland YMCA. But she gets a bonus, too – the smiles of dozens of kids makes the job especially rewarding, Roman told Midland Times.
“Seeing them smile, and seeing them grow in stages of life,” she responded when asked her favorite part of her job as youth coordinator.
Roman, 31, has worked with kids for more than a decade in daycare settings and other environments. She joined the YMCA two years ago.
The facility offers an annual after-school program, which it has provided for years, but has added an all-day program for kids from 4-12 years old.
“Because we are working with our community as they have gone virtual learning the first four to eight weeks of school,” Roman said.
There are two options. All-day care is available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The YMCA also offers after-school care from 2:30-5:30 p.m., also for kids 4-12.
Older children are provided free rides to the Y and a safe place to hang out, Roman said.
The all-day program will offer a pair of distance learning sessions in coordination with the Midland Independent School District, which opens for the school year on Wednesday, Aug. 19, with virtual learning for at least the first four weeks.
Roman said in addition to the educational portions of the day, kids will have science lessons, arts and crafts, play games, go outside, swim, PE and take Bible lessons.
Breakfast and a snack will be provided as well. Kids are asked to bring their own nut-free lunch.
There is a $30 registration fee and the monthly cost for all-day sessions is $515 for families with YMCA memberships, $688 for nonmembers.
For the after-school program, the monthly cost is $227 for families with YMCA memberships and $341 monthly for non-members.
Scholarships are available and other forms of payment are accepted as well depending on the family’s status.
Last year, 380 students took part in the after-school program, Roman said. Those numbers are down significantly this year, she said. There are about 100 kids in the full-day program and 80 in the after-school program.
There is no deadline to register, Roman said.
She said there are several reasons numbers are down this summer, and the COVID-19 pandemic has kept many families from bringing their kids to the YMCA. Other families have struggled as parents have lost jobs during the economic downturn. Others have moved away, she said.
“It’s tough trying to adjust to everything,” Roman said.
Her three children are taking part in the program, and she hopes more will join them at the YMCA. Once they join in, they will find many reasons to smile.