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The 25th annual Lights On Afterschool, organized again this year by the Afterschool Alliance, is set for Thursday. A million people will join some 8,000 events in every corner of the country to show their support for the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give working families peace of mind. Events will include student showcases and performances, art displays, walks and runs, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills-building and demonstrations, open houses, debates and discussions, visits from public officials, and more as programs showcase the skills students hone and the talents they develop at their afterschool programs.
Superstar Usher is Honorary Chair of Lights On Afterschool this year.
A representative sample of Lights On Afterschool events around the country is here. To find more events, see this map.
From Niagara Falls to Honolulu, buildings and bridges, courthouses and capitols, and other landmarks will be lit up for afterschool this week.
This year, Lights On Afterschool comes as funding for programs across the nation, provided from federal pandemic relief, winds down. These funds have helped afterschool programs meet rising costs and provide support for millions of youth. The unmet need for programs is enormous. Today in the United States, for every child in an afterschool program, four more are waiting to get in. Nearly 25 million children not in an afterschool program would be enrolled, if a program were available to them, according to a 2022 survey of approximately 1,500 parents commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research. In recent years, Congress has failed to significantly increase funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the chief federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs.
Capital One and Clear Channel Outdoor are generous sponsors of Lights On Afterschool this year.
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.
