Pennsylvania Programs Hold "Lights On Afterschool" Rallies October 18, 2012

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Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network

Oct 17, 2012, 02:38 ET

7,500 Rallies Nationwide Aim to Make Afterschool Programs Available to All

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) announced today that more than 200 programs across the state will sponsor Lights On Afterschool rallies on Thursday, October 18, 2012, involving nearly 15,000 participants. Speakers in Pennsylvania will call for expanding afterschool opportunities so that every child who needs a program has access to one, and discuss the harm that results from budget cuts and freezes to these programs. At most events, parents and supporters will sign petitions that urge lawmakers not to deny or divert funding for afterschool programs.

Participants in the Lights On Afterschool rallies include state legislators, mayors, school superintendents, as well as local business leaders, educators and other officials. The events will highlight three of the significant contributions that afterschool programs make to Pennsylvania communities: keeping kids safe and healthy, inspiring them to learn, and relieving working parents of worries about their children's activities during the afternoon hours.

The Pennsylvania rallies will be among more than 7,500 such events around the nation that day, the 13th annual Lights On Afterschool, organized by the Afterschool Alliance.

A complete list of Pennsylvania celebrations is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org/loaFindEvent.cfm

Some highlights include:

Allentown, Pa.
Roosevelt Elementary, part of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley's COMPASS Community Schools afterschool program, will kick off Book Blast, a yearlong series of school-wide family literacy events designed to help parents and children discover a love for reading at home by equipping them with vital reading strategies. At each monthly Book Blast event, readers will demonstrate a specific reading strategy to parents, and then parents will practice the new strategy with their children. As an added bonus, every child will take home a book! Roosevelt Elementary is located at 210 W. Susquehanna Street, Allentown.The event begins at 6:00 p.m.

Greensburg, Pa.
The Private Industry Council of Westmoreland/Fayette Inc. (PIC) will host events at 15 different afterschool program locations. Students will write their dreams, aspirations and wishes on slips of paper, which will be released by helium balloons at 5:00 p.m. Locations include Connellsville Junior High School, Lafayette School, Ben Franklin School, Uniontown Area High School, Menallen Elementary School, George J. Plava Elementary School, Masontown Elementary, Albert Gallatin North and South middle schools, Brownsville middle and high schools, and Bellmar Middle School in Belle Vernon. Events start at 4:30 p.m.

Grove City, Pa.
Grove City YMCA After-School will offer family participation in afterschool activities such as science/nature, math/reasoning, reading/language, drama/theater, music and movement, blocks and construction and arts and crafts. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. at 482 E. Main Street, Grove City.

Millheim, Pa.
St. John's Childhood Center will hold a "Fall Carnival and Extravaganza" open house where parents, families and the community can hear about exciting activities and learning happening at the Childhood Center. The carnival will include a haunted house, dress up booth, refreshments, paper airplane display, art booth and much more. This year's Lights On Afterschool event will be the kick off to St. Johns Childhood Center's Discovery Toys fundraiser. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at 101 Mill Street, Millheim.

Hanover, Pa.
YWCA Hanover will open its doors at four community sites where students will showcase their typical afterschool activities. Civic leaders and visiting adults will sit around a campfire while children and youth enlighten the community on what their afterschool program means to them. YWCA is located at 23 West Chestnut Street in Hanover, Pa.

Milton, Pa.
Milton School District TIES will host an open house that showcases arts and crafts, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities, aerobic exercise and more. The event also includes face painting, animal making, Zumba dancing and refreshments. The event will take place at Milton Middle School, 700 Mahoning Street and begins at 6:00 p.m.

Philadelphia, Pa.
Several hundred youth and community leaders will rally in the city's Thomas Paine Plaza as a kickoff to a 15-day celebration for out-of-school-time (OST). The rally will be a collaboration of municipal and afterschool agencies across the city, and it will feature five performances by youth, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) demonstrations, advocacy activities, information booths and remarks from Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. The city will also light up the PECO Building, the LOVE Park fountain and the Ben Franklin Bridge in honor of Lights On. Across the city, other Lights On events will be held to promote afterschool programs. On October 24th the city will continue to celebrate afterschool programs at a screening of Brooklyn Castle during the Philadelphia Film Society Fall Festival, the Prince Theater. On October 27th the Afterschool Matters Initiative Practitioner Fellowship Fall Roundtable will be held at the United Way Building; and the annual Regional OST Summit and Resource Fair will be held at the City Line Avenue Hilton on November 1st. For more information, contact Tyler Richendollar at 215-825-8215 or [email protected].

Pottstown, Pa.
Pottstown Middle School's Hollywood themed Lights On Afterschool event will roll out the red carpet and celebrate the stars of tomorrow. Guests will experience all the glitz and glam of a Hollywood "reel" premiere—parents, community members and partners will be on the A list while afterschool students will be the main attraction. The premiere will put a spotlight on afterschool students' work and achievements, with interactive stations. The event will take place at 600 North Franklin Street in Pottstown at 4:00 p.m.

Schnecksville, Pa.
Hundreds of afterschool youth in the Lehigh Carbon Community College SHINE 21st Century afterschool program serving seven Carbon and Schuylkill school districts and the Carbon County Technical Institute will gather together at the Panther Valley High School. Rosemary Porembo, Panther Valley School District Superintendent, will open the celebration. Donald Snyder, President of Lehigh Carbon Community College, will discuss the role of community colleges in afterschool programming. SHINE students will perform a musical "This Little Light of Mine," and provide presentations on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), focusing on high priority careers studied during the year. State Senator John Yudichak, a member of the Senate Education Committee, will speak about the importance of afterschool programs and their benefits. The event will showcase STEAM afterschool activities like creating a human Rube Goldberg Invention, a solar system, and visits from Ben Franklin, Washington Carver, Dr. Robert Goddard, Marie Curie and Galileo. Other highlights include a demonstration on alternative energy through hydrogen powered cars, premiere of student produced I-movies on math and technology, student dances to the Cha Cha Slide, and Middle School Career Academy students will unveil their "Car of the Future," to the Mission Impossible theme song. State Representative Doyle Heffley will present the state's proclamation designating October 18, 2012, Lights On Afterschool Day in Pennsylvania. Panther Valley High School is located at 912 Coal Region Way in Landsford. The event will begin at 5:00 p.m.