A Million People Rally Today to Keep the Lights On After School

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On the heels of a major new study that found that, despite rapid growth in afterschool participation, one in five children in the United States is unsupervised in the afternoons, students, parents, educators, community leaders, policy makers, business leaders and others are rallying for afterschool programs today as part of the 15^th annual Lights On Afterschool. The only nationwide rally for afterschool programs includes 8,000 events in every corner of the country, and at U.S. military bases worldwide. Lights On Afterschool is organized by the Afterschool Alliance.

Based on a household survey of more than 30,000 U.S. families, the new America After 3PM study found huge unmet demand for afterschool programs; the parents of 19.4 million students said they would enroll their child, if an afterschool program were available. In response, a million people are coming together today to celebrate and support the quality afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families.

At today's events, students, their families and guests are conducting science experiments, providing community service, performing original music and dance, joining sports tournaments, creating computer animation, planting community gardens, learning about the environment, and sending the message that millions more children need quality afterschool programs. The Empire State Building will be lit up in yellow this evening for the eighth year in row. Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia issued proclamations or letters declaring today Lights On Afterschool Day, and the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution supporting Lights On Afterschool.

"Lights On Afterschool events give children and youth a chance to showcase the skills they learn and talents they develop at their afterschool programs, and to send the message that millions more students need quality afterschool programs," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "Our many partners, including Bright House Networks, the Empire State Building, Mozilla, Healthy Kids Out of School, the Maker Education Initiative, Nickelodeon, the Association of Science-Technology Centers, the Alliance for Excellent Education, and dozens of others are helping us spotlight the fun, educational, hands-on learning activities that quality afterschool programs offer children each afternoon. We need much more support from government at all levels, business, philanthropy and other sectors if we are to make afterschool programs available to all students."

Among the Lights On Afterschool events set for today:

• Students from eight afterschool programs in Anchorage, Alaska are exploring the Anchorage Museum and its Imaginarium Science Center.
• Third and fourth grade students at the HSCSD #1 Program in Hot Springs, Arkansas are conducing experiments that involve science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
• More than 30 afterschool programs in Oakland, California are hosting open houses that emphasize health and wellness; many will feature student performances, poetry readings, talent showcases, cultural dances, sports competitions and more.
• Gwinnett County Parks and Recreation and Live Healthy Gwinnett, in partnership with JM Tull Y, Kidsplosion, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Gwinnett Public Library, Gwinnett 4–H and Health and Human Services, is hosting "A Walk Among the Stars Lights On Afterschool" in Lawrenceville Georgia. 
• A partnership of Young Audiences of Louisiana, NORDC and the City of New Orleans are hosting a mega carnival featuring spacewalks, rock climbing and other family-friendly activities.
• Voices for Ohio's Children is hosting a Lights On Afterschool rally at the statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
• The Irving Recreation Center in Norman, Oklahoma is hosting "Try It Week" for Lights On Afterschool with ballet, jazz dance, flamenco dancing and creative basketball dribbling.
• Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is hosting a celebration at the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History with student performances, hands-on learning opportunities for youth, and more.
• The Greater Houston Lights On Afterschool Alliance is hosting a celebration of afterschool accomplishments at City Hall.

Mozilla and the Afterschool Alliance teamed up to create the Lights On Afterschool Webmaker Challenge – a simple, fun activity to help afterschool programs develop students' digital literacy skills.

Bright House Networks is sponsoring a Lights On Afterschool Facebook Photo Contest through which afterschool programs can win up to $2,000.

Find a Lights On Afterschool event here.

The America After 3PM study is funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Noyce Foundation, with additional support from the Heinz Endowments, The Robert Bowne Foundation and the Samueli Foundation.

The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs.  More information is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

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SOURCE Afterschool Alliance