(StatePoint) A large, powerful body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades, school attendance and behavior among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school and excited about learning, and they develop work and life skills such as problem solving, teamwork and communications.
That’s why a million people in every corner of the country – including students, families, community and business leaders – are joining together this fall for Lights On Afterschool, an annual rally for the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, provide alternatives to screen time, and give working families peace of mind that their children are supervised and learning after the school day ends. Superstar and eight-time Grammy Award winner USHER is honorary chair of Lights On Afterschool this year.
The 27th annual rally for afterschool featured 8,000 events at schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, Ys, 4-Hs, parks, museums, community centers and other gathering places across the country. Events included everything from a kickball game with the local police department to a hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) project with students building extraterrestrial worlds. The purpose? To showcase the ways afterschool programs support students, families, communities and workforce readiness.
Advocates say afterschool programs urgently need more support, and that one of the largest state consumer protection settlements in history provides a chance to bolster them.
“Three in four kids whose parents want afterschool programs for them are being left behind,” says Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “The $17 billion in Meta settlement funds provide an opportunity to change that, so we’re urging states to use social media settlements to make afterschool and summer learning programs available to more youth. And we’re urging governments at all levels, philanthropic organizations and businesses to invest in quality afterschool programs.”
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. To learn more about the organization and Lights On Afterschool, visit aftershoolalliance.org.
“Every child deserves access to a quality afterschool program. That’s why we need more funding to make these essential programs available to all,” says Grant.
Photo Credit: South Carolina Afterschool Alliance
