America's Afterschool Storybook
This week, Lights On Afterschool will showcase the dynamic, powerful role that afterschool programs play in communities, and the many ways they improve life for young people across the country. With the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal afterschool initiative marking its 10th anniversary, the Afterschool Alliance is launching a special tribute for Lights On Afterschool this year: America's Afterschool Storybook. It gives afterschool alumni and students, parents, program staff, volunteers and business leaders a way to share personal stories about the impact afterschool programs have had on their lives.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative (21st CCLC) is the chief federal funding stream for afterschool programs. Over the last decade, it has helped make afterschool programs available to millions of children nationwide. For the anniversary, the Afterschool Alliance is inviting people to share their afterschool stories in the online Storybook.

Several dozen stories were selected for the launch. Many more people will share their own stories about how their lives have been touched and enriched by afterschool programs at Lights On Afterschool events this week, and afterward.

"The story of afterschool is as diverse and inspiring as afterschool programs themselves," Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant said. "Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families, but they also do much more. They change lives, open up new worlds, and encourage youth to try things they've never tried before."

"Whether they help children demystify math, discover a passion for acting or develop a future career path, the stories we are sharing in America's Afterschool Storybook are stories of hope, possibility and achievement," Grant continued. "We hope and expect that many more people will add stories and share the ways that afterschool programs have transformed their lives. We invite people to make America's Afterschool Storybook a part of their Lights On Afterschool events by reading the stories that are there, and adding their own."

In addition to individuals, the Storybook features stories of communities that have been transformed by 21st CCLC grants, from the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota to South Carolina's Richland One School District.

Online Rally

This year Lights On Afterschool includes a new feature, an online rally that gives those with a busy schedule a way to participate - no matter where they are.

Celebrity Chefs Tyler Florence and Joey Altman, along with Time Magazine columnist Joel Stein, are "attending" the event along with afterschool leaders and supporters from around the country.

Attendees do not have to physically go anywhere. To add your name to the list of attendees, r.s.v.p. on the Afterschool Alliance Facebook page. (Note: To attend the event you will need to set up a Facebook profile, if you do not already have one.)

Senate Supports Lights On Afterschool

The United States Senate has passed a resolution designating October 16 as Lights On Afterschool Day again this year. This designation was made possible when the Senate approved a resolution introduced by Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and John Ensign (R-NV), co-chairs of the Senate Afterschool Caucus.

Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), who co-chairs the House Afterschool Caucus, introduced a similar resolution in the House of Representatives. Because the House was tied up with legislation addressing the economy, it did not take action before the recess.

Military Base Events

Lights On Afterschool events this year range from a carnival in Anaheim to a citywide celebration in Seattle, from a neighborhood walk in Chicago to a recognition ceremony at a Children's Museum in Massachusetts. The Empire State Building will be lit in yellow for the event, and military families are holding celebrations in the United States and worldwide.

Afterschool students at these bases are inviting parents, peers and community members to come to Lights On Afterschool events to learn more about the fun, engaging, educational activities that their afterschool programs provide. "We are proud to have military bases across the country and around the world participating," Grant said. "The participation of families and educators in the military truly makes Lights On Afterschool a worldwide event."

Lights On Afterschool events being held on military bases this year include:

* An open house and fashion show at the Beale Air Force Base Youth Center in California. Students will showcase and model clothing they have made, along with vintage clothing that reflects different periods of fashion throughout the 20th Century. After the fashion show, guests will have the opportunity to see what activities the Center offers.

* A Lights On Afterschool Fair at the Helemano Sas youth center at the Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. More than 70 children will enjoy games, rides and other activities.

* A progressive dinner and open house showcasing youth programs at Mons APO in Belgium, hosted by SHAPE School-Age Services. Local military commanders will be guest speakers, and the 250 participants will include students, school principals, coaches, members of the military community, and parents.

* An open house at the Bitburg School Age Program in Germany. Activities will include blast ball, insect war, flag tag and skip-bo. There will be an exhibit of children's art work and photography as well as fit factor and arts-and-crafts booths. Children in the cooking club will prepare a meal for the event.

There is still time to register your Lights On Afterschool event on the Afterschool Alliance's website. The website also features tips and resources to help plan successful events.

Afterschool Threat Averted in California
On October 1, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that could have resulted in state legislators getting the authority to substantially reduce afterschool funding, or eliminate the state's afterschool funding stream altogether.

Assembly Bill 1526 would have put a measure on the November ballot to let voters give the state legislature the authority to determine the afterschool appropriation each year, rather than honoring the appropriation level set by Proposition 49.

In vetoing the legislation, Governor Schwarzenegger said, "As the primary architect of Proposition 49, I have seen first-hand the countless benefits of afterschool programs. In 2002, the voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 49 to significantly expand access to afterschool programs and this bill would contradict the will of the voters. The voters supported the $550 million continuous appropriation that provides California's elementary and middle school children with a stable resource for tutoring, homework assistance, and educational enrichment activities, such as music, arts, and physical fitness, while providing working parents with peace of mind that their children are in a safe and nurturing environment. For this reason, I am unable to sign this bill."

Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant thanked the Governor for his bold action on behalf of California's children, "If passed, this legislation could have been devastating to California's families and communities. At a time when working parents are struggling to pay for food, transportation and housing, AB 1526 would have pulled the rug out from under them and left tens of thousands of kids without the afterschool programs they need while their parents are at work each afternoon."

California has been the nation's leader in funding afterschool programs. Grant said the California threat underscores that, even with strong public support, afterschool advocates must be vigilant in order to protect and expand funding during these difficult economic times.

The California Afterschool Network reports that Governor Schwarzenegger also vetoed Senate Bill 1674, sponsored by Senator Tom Torlakson. It would have clarified that After School Education and Safety (ASES) program grantees may operate on weekends with their base grants and must accommodate some administrative costs of subcontractors.

To explain his veto, which disappointed afterschool advocates, the Governor said, "While providing students with educationally enriching activities during weekend hours is a worthy goal, this bill takes the program beyond the original scope of the ASES program. Afterschool programs are intended to provide students with access to quality tutoring, homework assistance, and educational enrichment during non-school hours, when they are most at-risk of being involved in dangerous activities - during after school hours."

Become a "Fan" of the Afterschool Alliance!
Just in time for Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance is launching a new campaign to reach thousands more supporters through the social networking site, Facebook. Not only can Facebook users become "fans" of the Afterschool Alliance through its new fan page, they also can join the virtual rally for Lights On Afterschool taking place on Facebook on October 16th.

Afterschool students and supporters who are Facebook users can encourage their networks of friends to sign on as well. It's free and only takes a minute! The Afterschool Alliance welcomes photos of program activities and Lights On Afterschool events, as well as video and comments.

Facebook users can sign onto the Afterschool for All group through the Alliance's page. The Afterschool Alliance's Facebook page is a new and exciting tool to connect with the afterschool community online and share ideas, thoughts and events.

Afterschool for All
Afterschool for All welcomes news from advocates who are using the campaign to bring together unexpected partners for afterschool. Recently, the Kansas Enrichment Network (KEN) hosted a successful community outreach activity for its state campaign, Afterschool for All Kansas, to build awareness among local college students.

Marcia Dvorak, Director of the Kansas Enrichment Network, organized a petition drive in a popular cafeteria at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park. "Successes came from venturing away from the booth, clipboards in hand, to the tables and work stations," she said. "Little resistance was found among this population. Most of the students had been associated with a program, some had worked in an afterschool environment, and almost all quickly agreed with the need to provide safe places for younger youth."

Help bring Afterschool for All to your local college campus. Download this sample Afterschool for All petition and invite students to show their support for afterschool. Afterschool for All totals more than 21,000 partners this month. View the list of Afterschool for All partners and access helpful partner tips and tools.

Do you have a great idea to spread the word for afterschool using Afterschool for All? Share ideas with Marie Coichy at mcoichy@afterschoolalliance.org or 646/943-8662.

Funding News
The Afterschool Alliance's website has resources for afterschool providers, including tips for initiating relationships with funders and businesses, and for identifying funding opportunities.

GRANTS/AWARDS AVAILABLE

Grants for Gardening The National Gardener's Association and Gardener's Supply Co. are offering 2008 Healthy Sprouts Awards for school-based and youth garden programs that teach about nutrition and hunger. Twenty gift certificates will be awarded - five for $500 and 15 for $200. The application deadline is October 15. For more information, click here.

Superstar Awards The Superstar Foundation is offering awards to social service professionals whose work has had a significant impact on achieving social change. Categories include afterschool and out-of-school youth services, family services and youth development. Awards are $2,000 each. The application deadline is October 31. For more information, click here.

Prizes for Environmental Action The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, administered by Discovery Communications, the National Science Teachers Association, and the Siemens Foundation are seeking applications from teams of two or three students who are working with a teacher or mentor to research, develop and complete environmental projects that benefit the community. Each student from the winning team will receive a $5,000 savings bond and the opportunity to appear on the television network, Planet Green. The application deadline is March 15. For more information, click here.

Grants for At-Risk Youth The Educational Foundation of America is offering grants for afterschool programs that work with at-risk youth on literacy, computer skills, human rights, science and the environment. Grants also are available for professional and community education, the development of innovative new curriculum, and assisting individuals with learning disabilities. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information, click here.

Arkansas
Students from rural Grapevine, who commute for more than an hour each way to school in Sheridan, are doing much more than watching the scenery on the bus. The Aspirnaut Initiative, run by Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, is giving students laptops and iPods to use for enrichment and extra instruction during their commutes. Students are taking online classes in math, science and Advanced Placement courses. In many cases, the students could not participate in afterschool programs because their long commutes did not allow it, reports Education Week. Lawmakers are considering expanding the program for the 2009/10 school year to reach 2,000 more students.

California
The Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department is proceeding with plans to lay off 140 temporary workers and reduce hours for hundreds more, including city afterschool employees. The job cuts began in September, after the busy summer season. "This was not an easy decision... these employees are the lifeblood of the city," Jon Kirk Mukri, general manager of the Parks and Recreation Department, told the Los Angeles Times, adding that he worries that cuts may be even greater next year.

California
Retired grandparents are going back to work in a new afterschool program in Tulare, called Grandma's House. Flora Gibson-Johnson, a new grandmother and retired principal, spent a year designing the program which will provide one-on-one help to elementary school students who are under-performing in school. Students must be referred by parents or teachers in order to participate in the program, which is supported by the school district, police department and mayors office, reports the Visalia Times-Delta.

New York
NBA superstar turned health and nutrition advocate Shaquille O'Neal joined New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to announce new healthy food standards for meals served through city agencies, including afterschool programs. The standards are the first in any major city to cover all foods purchased or served. The standards require the phase-out of deep frying, two servings of fruits and vegetables at every lunch or dinner, and more fiber in meals.

Wisconsin
Milwaukee teens are saving $150 - $300 through free drivers education classes, thanks to a new scholarship program from COA Youth & Family Centers and Milwaukee Public Schools. The program provides free driving lessons to students who regularly attend afterschool programs, perform 25 hours of community service, and maintain at least a 2.3 grade point average. The program began on a small scale five years ago, and is expected to serve approximately 780 teens this year, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Multimedia Contest for Youth
Citizens for Global Solutions is accepting submissions for its Multimedia Contest 2008 through November 10th. The contest calls for flash animation, spoken word or digital video that will inspire, amuse and activate individuals who believe a better world is possible. Teachers and afterschool providers are encouraged to promote the activity with their students. The winner will receive $2,000.

The multimedia theme must be a global issue and can include the Darfur crisis, world hunger, poverty, environmental issues, nuclear weapons and the arms trade, and more. To register for the contest, and for more information, click here.

Mark Your Calendars...
October 16, 2008 The Afterschool Alliance will sponsor the 9th annual Lights On Afterschool. The Empire State Building in New York City will be lit up in honor of Lights On Afterschool. This year's celebration will mark the 10th anniversary of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal afterschool initiative. To host a Lights On Afterschool event at your program or in your community, and for more information, click here.

October 17, 2008 The Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance will host the 2008 statewide afterschool conference in Providence, Rhode Island. The event will take place at the Providence Marriott and will include a keynote speech and book signing by Erin Gruwell, author of "The Freedom Writers Diary." The event also will feature workshops and student performances. For more information and to register, click here.

November 5 - 6, 2008 The Best Out-of-School Time Conference will host a High School Summit in San Diego, California. The conference will focus on high school afterschool programming. Proposals for sessions are now being accepted. For more information, click here.

November 14 - 15, 2008 The New Jersey School-Age Care Coalition will sponsor the annual state afterschool conference, "Outdoors in the Garden State," in Princeton, New Jersey. The focus of the conference will be creating linkages between children and youth in afterschool programs and nature and the outdoors. There will be 70 workshops, one-third of which will focus on nature and the outdoors. For more information, click here.

February 11 - 14, 2008 Foundations Inc. will host Beyond School Hours XII National Conference: The Winter Institute, in Burlingame, California. For more information, click here.

*** And mark your calendars now for the Afterschool for All Challenge to be held April 27 and 28, 2009, in Washington, D.C.! ***