We’ve gotten a TON of awesome Lights On Afterschool poster entries so far! (Shout-out to Albuquerque Public Schools YDI/Marmon After-School Program for the amazing banner!) One of these posters could be the winner—OR it could still be out there somewhere! Send us your entry by June 1!

We’ve gotten some great submissions for this year’s Lights On Afterschool poster, but we think there’s even more afterschool talent out there—and we want to see it!  That’s why we’re extending the poster deadline to June 1, 2013. 

And to help afterschool artists explore their creative side, our friends at Discount School Supply are offering $500 art supplies to this year’s poster contest winner! 

Win $500 in Art Supplies from Discount School Supply!

Enter to win $500 in Colorations Art Supplies from our valued partner, Discount School Supply!  DSS salutes all the creative artists who participate in Lights on Afterschool and contribute their imagination and drive to the vital cause of increasing the peace in their communities.  

We are Discount School Supply, where arts, crafts and creativity cost you LESS.  You are the movers and shakers who change the world, one child at a time.  Thank you for your business and for your inspiration.   Anna Reyner, Director of Training, Discount School Supply. For free art ideas visit our Art & Creativity Blog at annareyner.wordpress.com

Receive a free copy of our Recreation or Arts & Crafts catalog by calling 800# 627-2829, or visiting our website at www.discountschoolsupply.com.

This past weekend, the question “Can the Arts save students?” was front and center on the cover of the Washington Post Magazine.  The Latino Arts Strings and Mariachi Juvenil program in Milwaukee, WI—one of the recipients of the 2012 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards and a program featured in our MetLife Foundation issue brief, “Arts Enrichment in Afterschool”—is a prime example of an arts program that can make a positive impact in students’ lives. The program contributed the below guest blog to share the Lights On Afterschool event in October they hosted to celebrate their award. 

With more than 200 people in the audience, students, parents and representatives from the MetLife Foundation and the Afterschool Alliance spoke from their hearts about what afterschool programs mean to them.  I was especially proud of our students, Mariana Tellez and Manuel Landin.  Mariana shared with the crowd that the strings program has given her a voice: “Not a speaking voice, metaphorically the music I play has a voice.  I would not have discovered this way of expressing myself without my violin.” She stated that without the Strings Program, she would never have had the opportunity of playing an instrument.  And Manuel explained to the audience that before he began at the program, he was very shy and nervous about speaking before large groups.  After participating in the program, he has more confidence in himself, a direct result of learning to perform in front of an audience.  He is no longer shy to speak in public.  One of our parents, Blanca Rodriguez, also spoke about why the strings program is important to her family.  She shared that she is grateful for a safe, caring place for her children to go after school.  If it weren’t for the strings program, her children would not have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument.

The program ended with our strings program performing several traditional mariachi songs.  After the award ceremony, there was food and a dance for all who came.

Our students are truly amazing, and I am so happy that we could shine a spotlight on their talents through Lights On Afterschool!  Our students prove to us daily that music has the ability to transform lives.  Afterschool programs like ours are just one way to make certain all of our youth are able to benefit from all music has to offer.

The 2013 Lights On Afterschool poster contest is now officially underway!  Afterschool program participants are encouraged to submit artwork that celebrates afterschool programs and conveys the importance of keeping the lights on afterschool.  The winning poster design will be printed on tens of thousands of posters sent to Lights On Afterschool celebrations across the country, not to mention that the winning artist will be featured on our website, blog and Afterschool Storybook!  This contest is a great opportunity for an afterschool program to gain national recognition for the great enrichment opportunities it offers, since the young artist’s program will be credited on the poster, too! 

The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2013.  Click here for contest details and submission guidelines.  Keep in mind that the winning artwork will be scanned to become a digital image, so avoid using textures or raised materials.  We love bright colors that jump off the poster, so materials that won’t smear or rub off—like markers, paint and pens—often work better than crayons, watercolors or chalk (or why not try your hand at some digital art?).

The artwork or design should generally promote or convey afterschool or Lights On Afterschool.  Abstract or realistic drawings are welcome. Some examples of ideas might be:

• Portray or convey Lights On Afterschool celebrations (for an examples of events, see our event summary from 2011 and photo gallery; some examples: the Empire State Building or Mount Rushmore lighting up for Lights On Afterschool, children performing, communities celebrating, children learning, singing, acting, etc.)
• A design around the theme “keeping the lights on after school.”
• If a light bulb is included in the design, think about using the energy efficient light bulb.
• Think about promoting afterschool by portraying the kinds of things that happen in afterschool programs or by demonstrating the benefits of afterschool.

We’re already excited about the 14^th annual Lights On Afterschool on Oct. 17, 2013, and can’t wait to see what our afterschool artists come up with to help us celebrate!

Check out all of our entries in this slideshow:

More than 2,000 of you voted for your favorite Lights On Afterschool photo on Facebook. Together with Bright House Networks, we’re proud to announce our four winners: 

Grand Prize, $2,000:

The Village Early Learning Center, Brandon FL

$1,000 prize winners:

Harlem Children Zone at Booker T Washington, New York NY

Lincoln Elementary’s HOST Program, Plant City FL

Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club, Bridgeville DE

 

This guest blog was contributed by the Kid Power Inc., VeggieTime program, one of the recipients of the 2012 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Awards and a program featured in our latest MetLife Foundation issue brief, “Afterschool: A Key to Successful Parent Engagement.”  The VeggieTime program hosted a Lights On Afterschool event in October to celebrate their award. 

The Lights on Afterschool event showcased the impact of VeggieTime, a Kid Power program where youth study nutrition and the environment, build and maintain schoolyard gardens, and use produce in both cooking classes and as fundraising for service learning projects.  VeggieTime encourages family involvement through its gardening and cooking activities, helping both parents and youth make healthy choices for themselves and for their communities.  Currently, Kid Power and its VeggieTime participants maintain more than 50 garden beds throughout the city!

The youth investment and youth voice was clearly on display at the Lights On Afterschool event, as students blended Super Smoothies made with kale and berries, discussed the aspects of their business plan for fundraising with vegetables, advocated for nutrition issues and baked kale chips.  Guests bounced from station to station as students shared recipes, experiences and healthy living tips.

Program Director and resident emcee Grant Elliott hosted the presentation hour.  While final touches were put on the dinner of vegetable pizzas (using Kid Power garden veggies!) provided by FUEL Pizza, guests were treated to a variety of speakers discussing the importance of VeggieTime:

Now through Nov. 14, vote for your favorite Lights On Afterschool photo on Facebook.

We’ve teamed up with Bright House Networks to shine a spotlight on the afterschool programs that keep our kids safe, inspire learning and help working families everywhere.

The three top photos will win $1,000 for the afterschool programs of their choice, and the top photo from Bright House Networks service area will win $2,000! Vote now!

READY, SET, SHINE!

A record-breaking 9,300 Lights On Afterschool events celebrating afterschool programs and young people were held around the country this month.  In addition to recognizing the value and impact of afterschool programs on young people and their communities, Lights On Afterschool continued this year to be an opportunity to reach policy makers.  Friends of afterschool, including parents and children, sent and made more than 600 emails and phone calls to Members of Congress last week. They also signed an online petition in support of afterschool, and now more than 10,900 individuals have signed on to urge that funding for afterschool programs should not be denied or diverted. Lights On Afterschool events also registered voters and raised awareness about the role elected officials play in supporting afterschool program opportunities for young people. 

“In 2001, I wrote legislation that led to the first major national investment in afterschool programs.  Children who regularly attend these programs have better grades and behavior in school; lower incidences of drug use and pregnancy; and are less likely to be either the perpetrators or victims of crime. Lights On Afterschool highlights the importance of high-quality afterschool programs in the lives of children, their families, and their communities.”