AFTERSCHOOL SNACK

Lights On Afterschool

Afterschool Challenge

STEM

News Roundup

Archives:

Select:
Lights On Afterschool
Afterschool Alliance

The 2015 Lights On Afterschool poster has arrived!

READ FULL STORY

The 2015 Lights On Afterschool poster has arrived!

By Rachel Clark Posted: Aug 04, 2015
Read more about the winning artists in the Afterschool Storybook!

This spring, afterschool artists from zip codes across the country showed off their creativity by submitting impressive designs for the 2015 Lights On Afterschool poster contest. After reviewing thousands of creations with a round of staff voting and online feedback, we’re excited to unveil the winner: a team of artists from the Hicksville Boys & Girls Club in New York!

These talented artists were inspired by the incredible range of activities offered by their afterschool program, where they’re able to work on assignments for challenging Advanced Placement courses, take fun field trips to Long Island’s beautiful beaches, and explore everything from the arts to sports to science.

The winning artwork will be printed on 50,000 posters and sent to all registered Lights On Afterschool events to help get the word out about the celebration. Register your event now to receive 10 free posters!

15-year-old Zainab Ansari and 11-year-old Berlyn Tirbaniesingh, who led the effort to create the winning design, said that their goal was to showcase the many different opportunities they have accessed through their afterschool program, and we think it does a wonderful job of highlighting the diversity of the afterschool field. Whether your program offers STEM, athletics, the arts or anything in between, this design is the perfect way to promote your event and let your community know how much afterschool can do for local kids!

Zainab and Berlyn were joined by Blake Blakewell (11), Jasmin Campos (15), Jonathan Campos (12), Tyler Delgado (14), Danny Joyce (12), Sean Joyce (14), Ryan Khan (12), Raghav Khurrana (15), Ryan Kingdon (14), Samantha Melish (15), Andres Rivera (16), Cassandra Russo (17), Christopher Russo (13), Kimberly Russo (11), Andrew Scarpaci (14), Jordan Schroeder (13), Brianna Squilace (12), and Kobe Thomas (13)—a great example of how afterschool programs encourage teamwork to achieve impressive results!

The talented winners will be celebrating their victory with a Torani syrup party—how will you be celebrating Lights On Afterschool on October 22? Be sure to register your event and let us know, and we’ll make sure the Club’s poster design lands on your doorstep soon!

Lights On Afterschool

Celebrate your students' talents during Lights On Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool is the perfect opportunity to put the young people in your afterschool program center stage. Hosting a talent showcase is a great way to get students excited to participate...

Lights On Afterschool

Host a rally for Lights On Afterschool

We’re 7 weeks out from the 27th annual Lights On Afterschool! One of the most powerful ways to celebrate Lights On Afterschool is by hosting a rally. These events bring communities together,...

Lights On Afterschool

Top tools for planning your Lights On Afterschool celebration

We’ve got 9 weeks to go until Lights On Afterschool! Register your event today, to make sure you'll have your 10 free posters well before October 22. Need a spark of inspiration? Whether...

Lights On Afterschool

It's here: The Lights On Afterschool 2026 poster!

Lights On Afterschool returns October 22, and we’re excited to unveil the artwork for the 2026 Lights On Afterschool poster.  Sarah R., a 7th grader at South Asian Youth Action...

Lights On Afterschool

The 2026 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest is open

The Lights On Afterschool poster contest is officially open, and this year, we’re looking for any artwork that represents the spirit of afterschool programs. This includes murals,...

Lights On Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool 2025, all across South Dakota

For Lights On Afterschool, I was able to spend a whole week in South Dakota as the guest of afterschool network director Billy Mawhiney. I was asked to share a little bit about my whirlwind...

The 2026 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest is open

The Lights On Afterschool poster contest is officially open, and this year, we’re looking for any artwork that represents the spirit of afterschool programs. This includes murals, paintings, graphics on social media, and anything else that celebrates afterschool. Be creative! We...

BY: Shaun Gray      03/02/26

Lights On Afterschool 2025, all across South Dakota

For Lights On Afterschool, I was able to spend a whole week in South Dakota as the guest of afterschool network director Billy Mawhiney. I was asked to share a little bit about my whirlwind experience on both sides of the Missouri river. Day 1: Sioux Falls On the first day, we visited...

BY: Jillian Luchner      11/06/25

ACT Now and the YMCA celebrate Lights On Afterschool in Chicago

On October 23, I had the opportunity to attend ACT Now’s Lights On Afterschool event in Chicago! Hosted in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, the event began with breakfast and mingling before the 100 or so guests were ushered into the event space for an informative and...

BY: Lucy Maddox      10/31/25

The stars of Lights On Afterschool 2025

From coast to coast, youth, families, professionals, and fans of afterschool turned out in spades for Lights On Afterschool. Despite–and maybe in the face of–much uncertainty around federal funding and policies, plus a government shutdown, the country shined bright for the 26th annual...

BY: Ursula Helminski      10/24/25

Today's the big day!

Happy Lights On Afterschool day! In Alabama, students and families are mixing pre-Halloween thrills with science skills at a spooky science lab with hands-on experiments, eerie activities, and hair-raising fun. In California, families will enjoy a Dia de los Muertos celebration to honor culture,...

BY: Lucy Maddox      10/23/25

Boston’s South Station, New Orleans’ Superdome, New York’s Niagara Falls among landmarks that will be lit in yellow and blue for Lights On Afterschool this week

This month, as more than a million people across the country rally for Lights On Afterschool, cities and towns will light landmarks in yellow and blue to show support for afterschool programs. Now in its 26th year, Lights On Afterschool is the only national rally for afterschool programs, which...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/22/25

Lights On Afterschool events across the country will spotlight the fun, hands-on STEM learning opportunities afterschool programs provide

From programming robots to launching rocket parachutes, students in every part of the country are exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at Lights On Afterschool events this month. Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool is the only national rally for...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/21/25

Digital billboard from coast to coast will shine a light on how afterschool programs help students reach their potential

Afterschool champions led by the Afterschool Alliance, the National League of Cities and the National Summer Learning Association are joining Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO) for a large national visibility campaign across nearly 2,000 digital billboards as part of the 2025 national...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/20/25

Superstar USHER to serve as honorary chair for Lights On Afterschool

R&B superstar USHER is lending his voice to the call for more afterschool programs by serving as Honorary Chair of Lights On Afterschool for the second consecutive year. Organized by the Afterschool Alliance and now in its 26th year, Lights On Afterschool is the nation’s only national...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/17/25

Let’s celebrate Lights On literacy in 2025

By Meredith Scott Lynn, Founder and CEO of WRiTE BRAiN WORLD. Hello, afterschool angels and expanders of learning! Here’s the dealio we all know to be true: when learning is fun, disguised, inspiring, colorful, and rela Janerl Lampson, the principal of Expanded Learning in...

BY: Guest Blogger      10/02/25

The 2026 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest is open

The Lights On Afterschool poster contest is officially open, and this year, we’re looking for any artwork that represents the spirit of afterschool programs. This includes murals, paintings, graphics on social media, and anything else that celebrates afterschool. Be creative! We...

BY: Shaun Gray      03/02/26

The stars of Lights On Afterschool 2025

From coast to coast, youth, families, professionals, and fans of afterschool turned out in spades for Lights On Afterschool. Despite–and maybe in the face of–much uncertainty around federal funding and policies, plus a government shutdown, the country shined bright for the 26th annual...

BY: Ursula Helminski      10/24/25

Meet the Arya, the winner of the 2025 Lights On Afterschool poster contest

Lights On Afterschool season is officially underway, and you may have already spotted this year’s ! We sat down with the talented artist behind the design, 12-year-old Arya Bhatt of East Brunswick, New Jersey, to hear about her afterschool experience and the inspiration behind her artwork....

BY: Maria Rizo      09/25/25

Celebrate Lights On Afterschool with a Lights On Afterschool swag kit!

Looking for swag to celebrate Lights On Afterschool? We’ve partnered with S&S Worldwide to offer afterschool programs that have registered for Lights On Afterschool this week, an opportunity to win one of five S&S Lights On Afterschool Easy Packs! A Turnkey Kit for 50 Participants:...

BY: Shaun Gray      09/04/25

Chatting with the Lights On poster contest winners

Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash Sophia and Elizabeth are youth participants at RAD ART, a key component of the Houston Healthy Hip-Hop initiative in Houston, Texas. Led by Ms. Harper, the afterschool program director, RAD ART offers a unique blend of artistic exploration and personal...

BY: Shaun Gray      08/22/24

Meet the winner of our Lights On Afterschool poster contest

This year’s poster was created by Elizabeth F. and Sophia P. from Houston Healthy Hip-Hop: RAD ART, an afterschool program in Houston, Texas. Elizabeth and Sophia’s artwork features youth engaged in various afterschool activities, from science experiments and break dancing to space...

BY: Shaun Gray      08/15/24

The stars of Lights On Afterschool 2025

From coast to coast, youth, families, professionals, and fans of afterschool turned out in spades for Lights On Afterschool. Despite–and maybe in the face of–much uncertainty around federal funding and policies, plus a government shutdown, the country shined bright for the 26th annual...

BY: Ursula Helminski      10/24/25

Lights On Afterschool events across the country will spotlight the fun, hands-on STEM learning opportunities afterschool programs provide

From programming robots to launching rocket parachutes, students in every part of the country are exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) at Lights On Afterschool events this month. Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool is the only national rally for...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/21/25

Connect STEM learning to career pathways this Lights On Afterschool

By Abigail Darlington, Director of Communications at STEM Next Lights On Afterschool is the perfect moment to celebrate and uplift the role afterschool programs play in sparking interest in STEM and connecting youth to future careers. At STEM Next Opportunity Fund, we are celebrating Lights...

BY: Guest Blogger      10/16/25

Celebrate Lights On with the 4-H STEM Challenge

By Annia Quiroz, Integrated Marketing Manager at National 4-H Council. Looking for a great way to engage kids in STEM during this year’s Lights On Afterschool? The National 4-H Council's 2024 4-H STEM Challenge, Food for Thought, might be the kit for you and your participants. STEM...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/27/24

Make math magic

By Laurie Posner for Mizzen Education. Just in time for fall and Lights On Afterschool, Mizzen Education and Learn Fresh have teamed up to bring you exhilarating, free content specially designed for afterschool programs to help build math skills. The fun begins with NBA Math Hoops! Invented...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/18/24

The stars of Lights On Afterschool 2025

From coast to coast, youth, families, professionals, and fans of afterschool turned out in spades for Lights On Afterschool. Despite–and maybe in the face of–much uncertainty around federal funding and policies, plus a government shutdown, the country shined bright for the 26th annual...

BY: Ursula Helminski      10/24/25

Boston’s South Station, New Orleans’ Superdome, New York’s Niagara Falls among landmarks that will be lit in yellow and blue for Lights On Afterschool this week

This month, as more than a million people across the country rally for Lights On Afterschool, cities and towns will light landmarks in yellow and blue to show support for afterschool programs. Now in its 26th year, Lights On Afterschool is the only national rally for afterschool programs, which...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/22/25

Celebrating Lights On Afterschool with SHADES of Development in Knoxville, Tennessee

I spent Lights On Afterschool in Knoxville, Tennessee, with SHADES of Development! We kicked off the day at a Grab and Go breakfast hosted by United Way and sponsored by the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB). This was the first year SHADES partnered with KUB for Lights On (KUB reached out, seeing it...

BY: Lucy Maddox      11/12/24

It’s Lights On Afterschool season!

It's on! Lights On Afterschool is back for its 25th year—please join us in the nation's only celebration of afterschool and out-of-school time programs! With 10 weeks until October 24, now is the perfect time to register and begin planning your event. Explore our planning guide to...

BY: Lucy Maddox      08/16/24