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Host a rally for Lights On Afterschool

By Lucy Maddox Posted: Sep 03, 2026

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, create a collective call-to-action for greater investment in afterschool, and attract media attention that helps broaden your reach. There are so many ways to make your rally exciting and impactful, from making homemade signs to inviting policymakers.

We love this idea for Lights On Afterschool: as recently featured in our America After 3PM special report on STEM, the Gary Comer Youth Center on Chicago's South Side offers comprehensive afterschool programming for young people. GCYC also hosts the Best Buy Teen Tech Center, a free drop-in space for teens ages 13–18. In the summer of 2026, it anchored a tech pre-apprenticeship for 30 young people, covering data science, AI, cybersecurity, and quantum computing, with partners including United Airlines, Xchange Chicago, Best Buy, Girl Security, and UChicago Data Science for All.

Whether you host a STEM game night, a drop-in session on computer science, or a rally for increased investment in STEM in afterschool, we recommend inviting partners, like local STEM businesses and community-based organizations, to join the party. It gives businesses a chance to engage with their community and helps young people visualize how STEM can drive their future careers!

Need more ideas for how to celebrate? Browse our Event Ideas Database for hundreds of past events, searchable by theme and planning time.

Join us next Wednesday, September 9, at 2 p.m. ET for the Lights On Afterschool 101 webinar! Hear about past events and how they came together, including a red-carpet movie premiere in Brooklyn and a week-long series of activities in Shreveport!

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Have some fun this Lights On Afterschool — host a carnival!

We’re 4 weeks away from the 27th annual celebration of Lights On Afterschool!  There's never been a better time for afterschool programs to take some time to show off to their communities all the amazing work they do every day. A recent settlement between Meta and 47 states...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      09/24/26

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 and encourage families to come to the party and see what their children are doing after...

BY: Lucy Maddox      09/10/26

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, create a collective call-to-action for greater investment in afterschool, and attract media...

BY: Lucy Maddox      09/03/26

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 it's your first year celebrating and you're not sure where to start, or it's your 27th...

BY: Lucy Maddox      08/20/26

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BY: Shaun Gray      07/27/26

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BY: Shaun Gray      03/02/26

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BY: Lucy Maddox      10/23/25

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BY: Shaun Gray      07/27/26

The 2026 Lights On Afterschool Poster Contest is open

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BY: Shaun Gray      03/02/26

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BY: Ursula Helminski      10/24/25

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BY: Maria Rizo      09/25/25

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BY: Shaun Gray      09/04/25

Host a rally for Lights On Afterschool

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BY: Lucy Maddox      09/03/26

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

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

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/21/25

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BY: Guest Blogger      10/16/25