Lights On Afterschool Showcases MetLife Innovators

“The Science Club for Girls and the C.E.L.L.S. program (Career Exploration, Leadership, and Life Skills) event was attended by a large number of science club student participants.  Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Revell was there along with Vice-Mayor of the City of Cambridge Henrietta Davis and the Cambridge Public School District Deputy Superintendent Carolyn Turk.  They all spoke highly about the program and what it was doing for young girls.  The community relations manager for Draper Labs was at the event representing several of the female engineers at Draper Labs that serve as mentors for the science clubs.  Check out a picture from the event from the programs Executive Director Connie Chow’s http://scienceclubforgirls.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/were-one-of-six-afterschool-innovator-award-winner/.“

“The Cypress Hills East NY Beacon must be open just about 24 hrs and their efforts to empower their kids is so compelling.  We were lucky to be able to see the huge range of activities they offer. Middle school kids choose to get matched up with seniors, solve community problems or be counselors in training to help younger kids. The kids are such an impressive bunch. The award ceremony was small, but Brooklyn cable came and there was a good representation of city offices. After the award presentation to student participants, we took a tour and saw kids getting high school/career counseling, doing read a-louds with younger students, lifting weights, painting pumpkins with seniors and we got a taste of food made by kids!”

This year’s round of MetLife Afterschool Innovator awardees and their great Lights On Afterschool events truly displayed the powerful potential of afterschool programs to change young people’s lives and encourage a brighter, stronger and more innovative future for our nation’s youth!