Celebrate Lights On Afterschool with these last-minute ideas

The time has come: we are officially two weeks out from Lights On Afterschool day! Did you think it was too late to join in the celebration? Well, think again! Whether you want to partake in the Lightbulb Challenge or light up a local landmark, here are some ways to get involved in Lights On Afterschool (even at the last minute)!

1. The Lightbulb Challenge! We're hosting a social media challenge to recreate our Lights On logo! Just strike the pose, snap a photo, and post it on social media with a message of support for afterschool and the handle of the person you're challenging to participate. Be sure to tag #LightbulbChallenge and #LightsOnAfterschool so we can share your post!
    
2. Celebrate with NASA. Join NASA’s First Women Virtual Classroom Connections! On Wednesday, October 16 at 4 p.m. ET, NASA and STEM Next Opportunity Fund will be hosting a virtual event featuring Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA’s first female launch director. During the event, NASA will host a live Q&A with Charlie to answer all of your space and STEM-related career questions. Organize a watch party in your afterschool program and help celebrate STEM in afterschool. Register now to claim your spot.
    
3. Chow down on healthy food. Lights On Afterschool provides a great opportunity to teach kids about nutrition and healthy eating while they enjoy a meal. Visit our Health & Well-Being theme page for more information on keeping kids nourished—at a Lights On Afterschool event or all year round.
    
4. Light up a landmark. Request a special Lights On Afterschool lighting of a statue, fountain, or park in your community; host a lantern lighting where students design, decorate, and release lanterns into the evening sky; or grab a projector and a lightbulb design and light up the side of your own building! (Be sure to share pictures on social media at #LightsOnAfterschool and #LightUpALandmark!)
    
5. Get creative with lightbulbs. Each year, thousands of our printable lightbulbs are decorated across the country. These colorful designs can be hung in hallways, displayed on bulletin boards to keep the Lights On in the coming weeks, or even mailed directly to your local Congressional district office as a bright reminder to your representative that afterschool matters. You can also use our Lights On Afterschool activity pages, word searches, and more to engage participants at your event.
    
6. Wow them with STEM. There are many ways to incorporate STEM learning into your Lights On event. The 4-H STEM Challenge is ideal for youth ages 8-14 years to spark an interest in STEM and inspire real-world actions. This year's kit will provide fundamental knowledge on food security, how people are impacted locally and globally, and how youth can co-create more food secure communities.
    
7. You should also check out the STEM activities designed just for afterschool practitioners on Mizzen Education, a free digital learning platform. Mizzen features fun, enriching, high-quality STEM and STEAM activities for every grade level.
    
8. Crack open some books. There are endless ways to promote reading and literacy at your Lights On Afterschool event. Some book-themed event ideas include reading parties or literary celebrations.
    
9. Go green. No matter the theme of your Lights On Afterschool event, you can promote sustainable and environmentally friendly practices by going paperless, recycling materials, or mapping your carbon footprint.
    
10. Get moving! You can teach your event participants the importance of physical exercise by hosting a relay race or dance party or issuing a physical activity challenge, where everyone logs a certain amount of physical activity over the course of the week.
     
11. Get active on social media: Tell the world why you’re keeping the Lights On Afterschool, or why you love your afterschool staff! We’ve provided the templates in our social media toolkit; all you need to do is customize and post! Lastly, follow the #LightsOnAfterschool hashtag to see how other afterschool programs are celebrating!
     
12. Get inspired. If you’re still searching for the perfect idea for your Lights On Afterschool event, investigate what others are doing this year or what successful events have done in the past. Remember, Lights On Afterschool events do not need to be huge or expensive to be effective, so feel free to celebrate in a way that best fits your community. There are endless ways to celebrate afterschool!

Even if you’re not hosting an event of your own, you can still join one million people to celebrate Lights On Afterschool. Find an event to attend in your community, ask Members of Congress to help keep the Lights On Afterschool, or join in the Lights On Afterschool Lightbulb Challenge!