Pam Ranieri, Director of Children’s Programming at the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse
1. What led you to Director of Children’s Programming at the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse (JCC)?
I started working in an early childhood program in a for-profit center for about 10 years. I came to the realization that the for-profit world of childcare wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel like the values for raising children were the top priority. I found the Jewish Community Center, and loved the idea of a non for profit and putting it all back into the community and the kids.
2. Can you share with the audience JCC’s mission and what services they provide?
The JCC mission statement is that it’s a place where everyone belongs. In the children’s programming, we start caring for children as young as six weeks old. Our early childhood program has kids up to their Pre-K year. In our school age programming, we serve children in grades K-6. What we are most known for is our excellence in summer camp. Our program serves roughly 500 children each summer from infants through age 15. Many children grow up at the JCC and this serves as their first place of employment. There are other departments within the JCC that provide programming for adults and seniors, including a meal program five days a week, as well as a fitness club and outdoor seasonal pool.
3. What does the children’s programming entail?
Our summer camp program will be starting soon for early childhood and school aged kids. We offer a variety of camps to accommodate all kids. We have the basic camp, where they follow a structured schedule with art, nature, drama, sports, swimming, and more. We also have specialty camps, including activities like horseback riding, rocketry, fishing, circus, etc. We have a teen travel camp called SyraCruisin,’ where we bus them to the different activities and even to volunteer opportunities.
4. As a professional of providing educational and entertaining activities for kids of all ages, what can you recommend to parents for when their kids are at home for summer vacation?
Expose them to other kids in some sort of group setting so they can learn what give and take means.
Amy Bisnett, Associate Director of Children’s Programming at the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse
1. What led you to Associate Director of Children’s Programming at the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse (JCC)?
I started working at the Jewish Community Center when I was 16 in the after-school program and never left. I went to college at Le Moyne for education, special education, and psychology, while continuing to work and move up at the JCC. I was the Director of School Age Programming when I took a three-year break to start my own family. As my children got older, the JCC was the only place I considered sending them. I came back to the JCC on the early childhood side and then easily transitioned with Pam to what we now call ‘Children’s Programming.’
2. Can you share with the audience JCC’s mission and what services they provide?
The JCC really is a place where everyone belongs, and is a great socialization from infants all the way up to seniors in their prime.
3. What does the children’s programming entail?
A couple years ago, when Pam and I became directors together, we refocused the program. We placed the school age program, early childhood program, and summer program all under us to make them more cohesive. The early childhood program starts at infants-Pre-K. There are 11 classrooms. The school year program provides before and after school services, including holidays and school breaks. We try to cater to every type of child and learner to make it a fun recreational camp, but also educational. We also have an inclusion aspect to our summer camp. It is called Camp Yachad, meaning all together, children together with different strengths.
4. As a professional of providing educational and entertaining activities for kids of all ages, what can you recommend to parents for when their kids are at home for summer vacation?
Socialization is key right now with COVID. We’re seeing that infants and toddlers are even lacking in those social skills. So, just getting them out and experiencing new things.
