Afterschool Alliance

Weekly Media Roundup - October 19

by Molly Tomlinson

Santa Fe Springs Students Celebrate After-School Program (Whittier Daily News, California)
Afterschool students from Jersey Elementary School in Whittier kicked off Lights On Afterschool by showing off their afterschool program on Oct. 17 to State Sen. Ron Calderon. After touring the program, Calderon promised to do his best to continue “to fight for grant money to fund these types of programs,” the Whittier Daily News reports.

Lights on AfterschoolFocuses on ‘Latch-Key’ Kids in Conroe (The Courier of Montgomery County, Texas)
The City of Conroe Afterschool Recreation Program and 4-H Afterschool will show families the importance of afterschool programs and what cost-effective solutions are available at a Lights On Afterschool open house at the Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center on Oct. 20. Scott Perry, supervisor at the Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center, called the afterschool program, “one of the best-kept secrets.”

After-School Programs Backed (The Free Lance-Star, Virginia)
King George YMCA Youth Director Rebecca Miller in Fredericksburg is opening her afterschool program’s doors to the community for Lights On Afterschool on Oct. 20 to prove that afterschool is more than “babysitting.” Miller said that she wants parents and policy makers to see the science projects, math games and other activities kids work on during the program.

Baker Hosting 12th Lights on Afterschool Event Thursday (Baton Rouge Advocate, Louisiana)
The Baton Rouge area is celebrating Lights On Afterschool on Oct. 20 with a rally, battle of the bands and talent show to bring “attention to the fact that Louisiana lacks adequate afterschool services for thousands of children who leave school at 3 p.m. and are unsupervised,” Program Director of the YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge Center for Family Empowerment Deborah W. Jones told The Advocate. She emphasized that it’s important to raise awareness about afterschool on the local level because with federal and state funding cuts, “locally, we’re going to have to start supporting these services.”