Written in Partnership with Amir Bakian
Celebrity actress, musician, and choreographer Jennifer Lopez, growing up in the Bronx, was fortunate enough to participate in a variety of after-school programs, including dance classes. In these after-school dance programs, she honed her passion for dance and performance, which paved the way for her successful career as a dancer, singer, and actress.
After school programs play a crucial role in shaping the talents of young people and allowing them to explore coding, drama, language, music, STEAM, you name it, so that they can discover their passion. Unfortunately, many schools struggle to find, develop and manage dynamic programming.
Recognizing this struggle, co-founders of HOKALI, CTO Tomas Bisi and CEO Ignacio Viau have developed an innovative all-in-one platform tailored to meet the unique needs of schools in the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas.
The challenge
Schools often grapple with the arduous task of finding qualified instructors and reliable academies to conduct after-school programs. The sheer diversity of activities and the need for coordination among different providers adds another layer of complexity. This consumes valuable administrative resources and poses a logistical nightmare for schools aiming to provide comprehensive extracurricular opportunities for their students.
The all-in-one solution
“To address these challenges, Tomas and Ignacio developed HOKALI, initially launched for schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and recently growing also into LA.” Their platform is a centralized hub where schools can seamlessly connect with qualified instructors and reputable academies. HOKALI allows after school program administrators and school leaders to streamline the process of organizing and managing after-school programs.
Tomas notes, ”We are a one stop solution for everything that goes with an after school program. What used to take months, they can have it in a few clicks with us and have a full program running with many multi activities in just a couple of minutes.“
Key features
Their platform revolutionizes the instructor selection process by offering schools a curated selection of qualified and vetted professionals with detailed profiles, reviews, and ratings. Ignacio shares, “We request CPR/First Aid Training, Concussion Training Certification, and Childcare Training Certification. We have one-on-one meetings with them. We provide class management tips and suggestions. We talk about some precautions that they need to take in every class. We recheck everything, and we coordinate with a supervisor if they need it.”
Also, they partner with several academies to ensure schools have access to a wide range of activities, from robotics workshops to sports programs, to meet the children’s varied interests.
Ignacio notes, “Most of our sports instructors are real athletes. One of our instructors was training for the NBA. And we have students who are part of the University of San Francisco or the soccer team, and they coach through HOKALI.“
The platform’s integrated scheduling and coordination features simplify the planning and management of after-school programs and provide a centralized system that eliminates all the complexities of dealing with multiple activity providers.
The HOKALI platform also helps make communication a priority, and it fosters successful collaboration among schools, instructors, and academies, ensuring everyone remains well-informed and that schedules, expectations, and any special requirements are all aligned and shared.
How the HOKALI platform works
- School Registration: Schools can easily register on the platform, providing information about their specific needs, student demographics, and scheduling preferences.
- Instructor and Academy Onboarding: Qualified instructors and reputable academies can join the platform by showcasing their expertise, certifications, and past experiences. A thorough onboarding process ensures that schools have access to a pool of professionals committed to delivering high-quality programs.
- Activity Customization: Schools can customize their after-school programs based on the diverse activities offered by HOKALI’s partner academies. Whether it’s coding classes, martial arts, debate, creative writing or chess, schools can tailor programs to meet the unique interests of their students.
- Efficient Management Tools: The platform includes user-friendly management tools that enable schools to organize, schedule, and coordinate activities efficiently. Real-time updates and notifications ensure that everyone involved is informed and prepared.
Benefits for children
Their all-in-one after-school program platform not only simplifies organizational challenges for schools but brings a multitude of benefits directly to the children involved. By offering a diverse range of activities tailored to individual interests, the founders of HOKALI aim to foster holistic development, build confidence and self-esteem and promote creativity and innovation. Children also develop essential social skills through teamwork in group projects, sports, and interactive workshops. Moreover, their platform encourages healthy lifestyles, contributes to physical well-being, and instills essential skills like time management and responsibility. Ultimately, Tomas and Ignacio are committed to unlocking the full potential of every child, providing enriching after-school experiences beyond the traditional classroom setting.
Benefits for parents
The benefits aren’t only for the schools and the children; they extend to the parents as well. By offering a centralized hub for after-school activities, HOKALI saves parents time and provides convenience in navigating their busy schedules. All the activities take place at the children’s school which eliminates the need for multiple pick-ups/drop-offs in the middle of the day and provides parents the peace of mind that their child is in a safe and familiar setting. With integrated scheduling and transparent communication, coordinating various activities becomes effortless. The platform also has a community engagement and networking piece that fosters connections among parents. And HOKALI offers cost-effective choices and handles the logistics, which reduces the administrative burden on parents and allows them to focus on family life and work commitments.
Tomas and Ignacio’s HOKALI is reshaping after-school programming for schools, parents, and San Francisco Bay Area children. By providing a streamlined solution, they empower schools to offer enriching extracurricular experiences for children. Those experiences are about fostering children’s passions and talents and steering them toward a bright future.
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