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Time to celebrate! Today is Lights On Afterschool!

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Time to celebrate! Today is Lights On Afterschool!

Today’s the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool! Students are speaking with NASA astronauts and STEM Energy Superheroes, building wind turbines, running speak-out stations, putting on performances, and so much more at more than 5,000 events nationwide. In all, more than 1 million people will gather to celebrate afterschool programs and all they do to keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. This year is especially poignant as we reflect on the important ways programs support students’ learning and well-being, and give young people opportunities to connect, explore, lead, and dream. Yet, for every child in a program, 4 more are waiting to get in. 

More than 5,000 programs are opening their doors to the community to share the power of afterschool experiences. A few highlights (for more, search local events or see a compilation of sample events around the country): 

  • Professional soccer player Amobi Okugo, rap talent Paris Nights, Destiny Arts African Dance Group, cheer squads, and step troupes kicked off Lights On Afterschool with Bay Area Resources’ afterschool program at Martin Luther King Junior Elementary School in Oakland, CA on October 13. Our Afterschool Alliance team, the superintendent, school and state education leaders, and afterschool partners and leaders were on hand to celebrate with hundreds of youth and families. 

  • NASA teamed up with Million Girls Moonshot and the Alliance to host a series of special in-person events at NASA centers around the country, plus a national virtual activity, featuring actor Keke Palmer of Disney’s Lightyear and International Space Station astronaut Jessica Watkins. Hundreds of programs are tuning into the virtual activity during their Lights On Afterschool events. Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew youth are moderating events. (Programs can stream the virtual activity anytime at the NASA STEM Youtube channel.)

  • LEAP afterschool program, which created the winning artwork for the 2022 Lights On poster, put on a theatrical performance based on the artwork concept, a mural designed and painted by students on the wall of their school building, PS 100x in Bronx, NY.

  • Energy Superheroes – women leaders in STEM – are visiting elementary and middle school youth at programs in four states to talk about their careers and build wind turbines. These Superheroes are profiled in the Everyday STEM Hero book series. The book series authors and energy company sponsors have donated hundreds of copies of the books to afterschool programs around the country. 

  • Teens are leading Lights On. At VOX ATL in Atlanta, GA, teens are putting on an event to share the findings of their 2022 teen survey, why programs matter, and leading speak-out stations. In Rhode Island, Youth in Action will celebrate 25 years of empowering young change makers. At the youth-led program, students can earn credit for their afterschool learning. At Abundance Farms in Northampton, MA, teens are sharing what they’re learning as stewards of the farm, how their social identities relate and intersect with our food system and community, and practices in reflection, awareness, and growth.

  • Mizzen, the free app loaded with lessons for afterschool providers, curated a set of engaging activities for afterschool programs to consider running during their Lights On Afterschool celebrations, from mindfulness to hands-on STEM to getting active.

Afterschool billboards with the tag, Freedom to Explore, are running all month in 25 markets nationwide thanks to Clear Channel Outdoor, in addition to a special run on jumbo screens in Times Square on Lights On Afterschool day.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will share a message during Think Together’s virtual Lights On Afterschool celebration.

From Alabama to Alaska, landmarks are lighting up in honor of afterschool – including NYC’s iconic Empire State Building - and governors and mayors across the nation will issue proclamations in support of afterschool. Lightings of memorials, brides, skyscrapers, stadiums include the Superdome in New Orleans, LA; the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field in Florida; Frederick Douglass Bridge in Washington, DC; the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in Flint, MI; the Salt Palace in Utah; and Denali State Bank in Fairbanks, AK, where for the first time a giant Lights On logo will be projected onto the building. 

All across social media, #LightsOnAfterschool afterschool supporters and friends are posting photos on social media as part of the Lightbulb Challenge.

We hope you are celebrating, too! Be sure to post your #LightsOnAfterschool message, and save the date for the 24th Lights On Afterschool on October 26, 2023!

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

Celebrating Lights On Afterschool in North Carolina — with Usher!

In honor of Lights On Afterschool, I had the opportunity to celebrate by attending a two-day event hosted by Usher and Usher’s New Look Foundation in Charlotte, N.C. Usher and his foundation, Usher’s New Look, created a social impact tour where afterschool programs in selected tour...

BY: Tiyana Glenn      10/31/24

Top 10 highlights from Lights On Afterschool 2024

Yesterday, the 25th annual Lights On Afterschool was celebrated by afterschool programs and supporters nationwide. From Alaska to Florida, afterschool programs were hosting student art displays, STEM festivals, traditional cooking classes, scavenger hunts, student officer elections, and much...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/25/24

Join the Lights On Afterschool Lightbulb Challenge!

Photo courtesy of BOOST Collaborative. The 2024 celebration of Lights On Afterschool is next week! Still, it’s not too late to get involved and show your support for afterschool programs across the country. Even if you aren’t hosting your own event this year, there are still plenty...

BY: Lucy Maddox      10/17/24

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...

BY: Lucy Maddox      10/10/24

Passing the microphone: Ways to amplify youth voice during Lights On Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool is the perfect time to pass the microphone to the young people in your community and let them share their thoughts and experiences with a larger audience. From the planning to the execution, youth can be involved in all aspects of your Lights On event. There are plenty of...

BY: Lucy Maddox      10/03/24

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

Transform your afterschool program into a fun-filled carnival for Lights On

For the sheer variety of activities, there’s nothing like a carnival to showcase all the ways your program supports kids and families in your community. Attendees of your celebration have numerous opportunities to explore everything on offer through booths or stations with different games,...

BY: Lucy Maddox      09/19/24

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

Shine a spotlight on your students during Lights On Afterschool

Put the young people in your afterschool program center stage during your Lights On Afterschool celebration. Hosting a talent showcase is a great way to get students excited about participating in your event and to encourage families to come to the party and see what their children are doing...

BY: Lucy Maddox      09/12/24

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

Lights, learning, and lunchboxes – An innovative partnership during Lights On

By Meredith Bush, Senior Manager of Education Business Development at Center of Science and Industry (COSI), and Stephen White, Chief Strategy Officer, Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development at Center of Science and Industry (COSI). Afterschool Alliance teamed up...

BY: Guest Blogger      11/09/23

Lights On Afterschool STEM extravaganza

With Lights On Afterschool season upon us and as the new STEM Hub Manager here at the Afterschool Alliance, I was eager to participate in an event elevating the value of STEM learning for youth at a young age. I was delighted to learn about and attend the inaugural STEM Extravaganza in Columbia,...

BY: Leslie Brooks      11/02/23

Energy Superheroes join Lights On Afterschool events in Charlottesville, Denver, Houston – and Mons, Belgium

We’re thrilled to share that Energy Superheroes are joining in the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs, Lights On Afterschool! Energy Superheroes are real-life women with superpowers and careers that are leading the energy transition. Many of these women help to power...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/24/23

NASA is celebrating Lights On Afterschool - and you’re invited!

This Lights On Afterschool, get wrapped up in learning about Paula Cain, who went from fashion designer to space blanket technician at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.  NASA invites programs and youth to join a special virtual Lights On Afterschool event with Thermal Blanket...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/02/23

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 2024 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. To make things even more exciting, we’re looking to gather new or already existing materials. If your program has pre-made artwork...

BY: Shaun Gray      04/09/24

Bring out student creativity during Lights On Afterschool

This Lights On Afterschool, host an art day! Lights On Afterschool is the perfect time to let students express their thoughts on afterschool through art. Events can be as big as a mural painting around a unique theme that resonates with your students and as simple as decorating a lightbulb with all...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/28/23

Meet the winner of the Lights On Afterschool 2023 poster contest

This year's Lights On Afterschool poster was created by Lydia Ireland, a seventh-grade student from Folks Middle School Art Club. Lydia’s drawing features afterschool imagery, including a ballet slipper, a football, a theater mask, a chess piece, and a computer mouse – all radiating...

BY: Shaun Gray      08/21/23

The 2023 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. To make things even more exciting, we’re looking to gather new or already existing materials. If your program has...

BY: Shaun Gray      05/18/23

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 2024 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. To make things even more exciting, we’re looking to gather new or already existing materials. If your program has pre-made artwork...

BY: Shaun Gray      04/09/24

Energy Superheroes join Lights On Afterschool events in Charlottesville, Denver, Houston – and Mons, Belgium

We’re thrilled to share that Energy Superheroes are joining in the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs, Lights On Afterschool! Energy Superheroes are real-life women with superpowers and careers that are leading the energy transition. Many of these women help to power...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/24/23