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Energy Superheroes to celebrate Lights On Afterschool!

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Energy Superheroes to celebrate Lights On Afterschool!

By Shaun Gray Posted: Sep 06, 2022

We’re thrilled to share that Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers are joining in the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs, Lights On Afterschool! Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers are real-life women with superpowers and careers that are leading the energy transition. Many of these women help to power local communities and even afterschool locations! These women are featured in the award-winning multicultural nonfiction children’s book series, Everyday Superheroes. This book series published by WiseInk, shares relatable role models and their stories working in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) careers.

On October 20, 2022, Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers will be joining Lights On celebrations to help “Flip the Switch.” These women will be sparking excitement about energy careers, signing and giving away books (Everyday Superheroes: Women in Energy Careers), and building wind turbines. A big thank you to Energy Superhero partners for donating books and wind turbine kits including: FirstLight Power, KidWind, Oklahoma Gas & Electric, Pattern Energy, Siemens Energy, and Women’s Energy Network Boston.

You can find Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers at these four Lights On locations:  

  • Boston, MA, Afterschool location TBD
  • Chattanooga, TN, Girls Inc. 
  • Houston, TX, Afterschool location TBD
  • Oklahoma City, OK, Memorial Park Boys and Girls Club Location

Energy is an important part of STEM learning and afterschool programs are a natural space to provide engaging, hands-on STEM learning opportunities. The latest America After 3PM special report, STEM Learning On The Rise, But Barriers and Inequities Exist, highlights that 73 percent of parents with children in afterschool programs report that their child has access to STEM learning in their program. Take a look at our STEM Learning activities including some in energy for ways to engage STEM in your Lights On Afterschool event.

Don’t miss out and make sure your Lights On Afterschool event is registered! A raffle will be providing donated copies of the Everyday Superheroes books to five afterschool programs—register your program by September 15 to be entered to win! Join us on October 20, 2022 to energize the STEM Superheroes in your programs!

Lights On Afterschool

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

For 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...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

Lights On Afterschool

Host a rally for Lights On Afterschool this year

Organizing a rally is a fantastic way to bring your community together and actively demonstrate the importance of afterschool programs. These powerful celebrations foster enthusiasm and meaningful...

Lights On Afterschool

Easy event idea: Host an open house for Lights On Afterschool

Hosting an open house is a great way to shine a light on your community’s afterschool and summer programs. It’s also an opportunity to engage with students, families, teachers, school...

Lights On Afterschool

Top planning tools for Lights On Afterschool 2023

We’re just nine weeks away from the 24th celebration of Lights On Afterschool! If you’re searching for event ideas or unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Discover our top...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

What we saw during Lights On 2022: Part 2

Welcome to part two of "What we saw during Lights On 2022." As we head into the new year, we wanted to share some of the first-hand accounts from our staff members who were able to visit afterschool programs during this year's Lights On. You can read part one on our...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      12/16/22

What we saw during Lights On 2022: Part 1

Welcome to part one of "What we saw during Lights On 2022." As we head into the new year, we wanted to share some of the first-hand accounts from our staff members who were able to visit afterschool programs during this year's Lights On. You can read part two on the blog. Mark...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      12/15/22

Cheer, soccer, dance performances, and more at Lights On Afterschool in Oakland, CA

The 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool kick-off celebration in Oakland, CA on October 13 was a fantastic, fun, and youth-filled event. Co-hosts of the event include the Afterschool Alliance, Bay Area Community Resources, the California Department of Education, the California AfterSchool Network,...

BY: Shaun Gray      12/08/22

Spotlight on STEM at YMCA Houston's 21st CCLC Lights On celebration

This Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance partnered with Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers from the award-winning multicultural nonfiction children’s book series, Everyday Superheroes to bring STEM learning to four different local Lights On celebrations. One of those celebrations...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/28/22

Youth Voice front and center at VOX Atlanta Lights On Afterschool celebration

On October 20, youth from VOX Teen Communications in Atlanta, Georgia came together for a Lights On Afterschool celebration showcasing the power of youth voice. This youth-planned, -led, and -organized event aimed to show VOX as a high-quality afterschool program space, while highlighting the...

BY: Tierra Easter      11/08/22

Afterschool across the country: 2,000+ billboards lit for Lights On Afterschool

Each year during Lights On Afterschool, we ask participants to find ways to “light up” their communities. This can range from the physical lighting of landmarks, such as the Empire State Building, or the World’s Only Corn Palace, to performance art that help to shine a light on...

BY: Tierra Easter      11/04/22

Communities from Alaska to Florida lit up landmarks for afterschool

Last Thursday, communities across the country rallied for the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool celebration. This year, the nation shined their lights for the essential programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give working parents peace of mind that their children are safe and...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/28/22

Inspiring celebrations of afterschool during Lights On 2022

In Alaska, students balanced spiders on webs they created with marshmallows and toothpicks, and enjoyed Polynesian dance. In California, they conducted “Will It Float?” exercises. In Florida, they created elephant toothpaste from dish soap, hydrogen peroxide and yeast; in Indiana,...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/21/22

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...

BY: Ursula Helminski      10/20/22

Guest blog: A fun-tastic partnership begins!

By Nora Minichino, founder and president of Farrell Public Relations. Page Turner Adventures and the Afterschool Alliance, leading champions of children’s education, have partnered together to spotlight the need for more afterschool programs for kids. Kicking off this fun-tastic...

BY: Guest Blogger      10/17/22

Communities from Alaska to Florida lit up landmarks for afterschool

Last Thursday, communities across the country rallied for the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool celebration. This year, the nation shined their lights for the essential programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and give working parents peace of mind that their children are safe and...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/28/22

Inspiring celebrations of afterschool during Lights On 2022

In Alaska, students balanced spiders on webs they created with marshmallows and toothpicks, and enjoyed Polynesian dance. In California, they conducted “Will It Float?” exercises. In Florida, they created elephant toothpaste from dish soap, hydrogen peroxide and yeast; in Indiana,...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      10/21/22

Light up your community during Lights On Afterschool!

Just four weeks until the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool! Lights On Afterschool showcases the important role afterschool programs play in supporting students, families, and communities. Shining a light on afterschool programs helps build awareness of the critical need for more...

BY: Tierra Easter      09/23/22

Planning tools for your Lights On Afterschool celebration

We’re nine weeks out from the 23rd celebration of Lights On Afterschool! If you’re in search of event ideas or unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover our top planning tools to help you organize your event! Register your Lights On event by September...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/19/22

Lights On Afterschool 2021 in images

That’s a wrap! The 22nd annual Lights On Afterschool celebrated the important role afterschool programs and staff play in the lives of youth and their communities. This year, we celebrated at more than 5,000 events nationwide, proclaimed Lights On Afterschool Day thanks to 42 governors, and...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/09/21

How the lights shined for afterschool in 2021

Creative. Resilient. Dedicated. Innovative. The afterschool field showed its true colors throughout this pandemic, and those traits were celebrated and shone bright this Lights On Afterschool. Here’s a recap of just some of the ways our field, and our nation, recognized the afterschool...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      11/01/21

Happy Lights On Afterschool 2021!

Happy Lights On Afterschool! Today is the big day, and the nation is lighting up landmarks, throwing celebrations, and coming together to shine a light on afterschool programs and staff. We want to say thank you to the afterschool field for celebrating 22 years of Lights On Afterschool and helping...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/28/21

Light up your community for Lights On Afterschool!

Lights On Afterschool is all about shining a light on afterschool programs, and the impact they have on students, parents, and communities. This year, why not shine a light—literally—on the work that your program is doing to forge bright futures and help youth recover? Lighting plans...

BY: Tierra Easter      10/04/21

It's here! Announcing the Lights On Afterschool 2021 poster

This year, the Afterschool Alliance commemorates 22 years of Lights On Afterschool with a poster that embodies the spirit of afterschool programs. The Lights On Afterschool 2021 poster focuses on all that afterschool programs do to help youth recover and forge successful futures. It was...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/20/21

What we saw during Lights On 2022: Part 1

Welcome to part one of "What we saw during Lights On 2022." As we head into the new year, we wanted to share some of the first-hand accounts from our staff members who were able to visit afterschool programs during this year's Lights On. You can read part two on the blog. Mark...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      12/15/22

Spotlight on STEM at YMCA Houston's 21st CCLC Lights On celebration

This Lights On Afterschool, the Afterschool Alliance partnered with Energy Superheroes and Trailblazers from the award-winning multicultural nonfiction children’s book series, Everyday Superheroes to bring STEM learning to four different local Lights On celebrations. One of those celebrations...

BY: Maria Rizo      11/28/22

5 ways to share your students' entrepreneurial mindsets during Lights On

By Scott Mann, VentureLab, Jessie Jones and Kelly Biggar of Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), and Liz Nusken, Ohio Afterschool Network (OAN). Photo courtesy of Youth Panel on Entrepreneurship Education. Afterschool programs play a vital role in helping young people explore and develop...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/26/22

Energy Superheroes to celebrate Lights On Afterschool!

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

BY: Shaun Gray      09/06/22

Planning tools for your Lights On Afterschool celebration

We’re nine weeks out from the 23rd celebration of Lights On Afterschool! If you’re in search of event ideas or unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover our top planning tools to help you organize your event! Register your Lights On event by September...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/19/22

4-H partners with Lights On Afterschool to ignite STEM learning

Lights On Afterschool is a great opportunity to showcase your program, and an especially fun time to build excitement about science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) learning!   Afterschool and summer learning programs are a great spaces to showcase engaging, hands-on STEM...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/26/21

Announcing the winner of the 2022 Lights On Afterschool poster contest

The time has come to reveal the official Lights On Afterschool 2022 ! Afterschool Alliance is thrilled to announce the winner of the 2022 Lights On Afterschool poster contest: LEAP afterschool program at PS100x in the Bronx, New York! The winning artwork will be printed on 50,000 posters and sent...

BY: Maria Rizo      07/01/22

Calling all afterschool artists! Design the Lights On poster and win $500!

The Lights On Afterschool poster contest is officially open, and this year we’re changing our theme to reflect how youth see themselves and their futures because of their afterschool program!  We’ve been through a lot over the past few years. Afterschool programs have...

BY: Shaun Gray      03/01/22

Join us for virtual Lights On events: Celebrating youth voice

We are counting down the weeks until Lights On Afterschool, the nation’s largest rally for afterschool programs. In a typical year, 1 million people join together at more than 8,000 events nationwide to celebrate the impact and value of afterschool. This year, programs rose to the moment...

BY: Maria Rizo      10/07/21

It's here! Announcing the Lights On Afterschool 2021 poster

This year, the Afterschool Alliance commemorates 22 years of Lights On Afterschool with a poster that embodies the spirit of afterschool programs. The Lights On Afterschool 2021 poster focuses on all that afterschool programs do to help youth recover and forge successful futures. It was...

BY: Tierra Easter      08/20/21