Clear Channel Outdoor Digital Billboards Display Art by Afterschool Student From Coast to Coast This Month for Lights On Afterschool

Evelyn Daniel, a 10th-grader at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, worked on the billboard as part of Usher's New Look programming at the Michigan Central Boys & Girls Club Spark Lab, which gives youth high-production, real-world work experience with industry experts. Communications and design professionals provided guidance and support to Evelyn throughout the project, and Clear Channel shared feedback and considerations for the billboard format. "My favorite thing about my afterschool program is being able to help people with a skill I acquired and learned to love from a young age," Evelyn said. "I'm an artist at heart, and in making the design for the billboard, I learned how to plan ahead and how to stick to a plan to make a project come together."

Some 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events will take place on or around October 22 to shine a spotlight on the many ways afterschool programs support students and their families, and to call attention to the need for more afterschool resources. The latest America After 3PM data show vast unmet need for afterschool programs. The parents of 29.6 million U.S. children want afterschool programs for their children—but just 7 million are enrolled. Afterschool programs help children and youth reach their potential by keeping them safe and engaged after the school day ends, providing hands-on learning in a place that builds a sense of confidence and belonging, and offering alternatives to screen time. A large and powerful body of evidence demonstrates that students who take part in afterschool do better in school, attain higher levels of education, and gain skills that last a lifetime, such as problem solving, teamwork, and communication. 

Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool includes events hosted by schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, 4-H clubs, cities, parks, museums, community centers, and many others. Longtime afterschool advocate USHER is Honorary Chair of Lights On Afterschool. Communities from coast to coast are holding special lightings of buildings, bridges, and parks, with mayors and governors declaring October 22 Lights On Afterschool Day.  

Clear Channel Outdoor is supporting Lights On Afterschool by donating some of its most prominent spaces to display afterschool messages on digital billboards in 25 markets around the country throughout October. On October 22, Clear Channel will feature Evelyn's artwork on two jumbo billboards in New York City's Times Square and will illuminate Boston's South Station. The National League of Cities and the National Summer Learning Association will champion the campaign. 

"We're thrilled to bring two incredible partners, Clear Channel Outdoor and Usher's New Look, together to showcase the power of afterschool programs for this year's Lights On Afterschool," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "Evelyn's work creating the 'Powered by Afterschool' billboards, with guidance from communications and design pros, demonstrates firsthand the kind of real-world learning, career exploration, mentorship, and growth that afterschool programs offer young people. At Usher's New Look, collaborations between industry leaders and youth are happening every day, giving youth practical experience while exploring possible pathways ahead. We are delighted that Clear Channel Outdoor is not only helping to elevate the need for afterschool programs but also investing in giving a young person such a tremendous opportunity."

"Every year, Lights On Afterschool gives us an opportunity to use the power of out-of-home to shine a light on the importance of afterschool programs," said Dan Levi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Clear Channel Outdoor. "This year, we're putting the spotlight on the youth themselves, bringing student-designed creative from Usher's New Look to billboards nationwide. Seeing their ideas displayed across the country is a meaningful way to celebrate what young people are creating through afterschool programs and remind communities why these opportunities matter."

For more on Evelyn's story, and the impact of afterschool, visit ThisIsAfterschool.org.

The Afterschool Alliance is working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality, affordable afterschool and summer learning programs. Learn more at www.afterschoolalliance.org.

SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor