Amazing afterschool events for Lights On Afterschool 2020

Adapted from a recent press release.

Youth-led virtual conversations. A webinar on re-imagining engineering, with girls leading the way. A fall festival with bicycle decorating and pumpkin bowling. Events focused on bridging the gap to the virtual world that include lessons about bridges and how they are constructed, and bridge-building by students.

The virtual events we've hosted this week for the 21st annual Lights On Afterschool were only a tiny selection of afterschool celebrations happening around the country. Here are some of the highlights from an unforgettable Lights On season!

Rogers, Arkansas: The Rogers Activity Center will host an outdoor fall festival open to the public on Oct. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests must wear a mask and will have their temperature taken upon arrival. Families are encouraged to bring their bicycles, which they can ride to booths that provide fun fall activities and games including bike decorating, pumpkin painting, pumpkin bowling, and more. Attendees will collect tickets at the booths, which they can exchange for a prize. A food truck will feed families.

Oakland, California: Bay Area Community Resources (BACR) is holding a virtual event to celebrate Lights On Afterschool on Oct. 15 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. There will be art projects, social and emotional learning (SEL) practice, and a community discussion. Students, families, the school community, and other BACR afterschool programs are invited.

Boynton Beach, Florida: On Oct. 22, Prime Time Palm Beach County, a 20-year local nonprofit that supported more than 200 afterschool programs and 30,000 children and youth in 2018-2019, will call attention to Lights On Afterschool through a dedicated webpage and social media awareness. Prime Time honors local afterschool professionals who are on the frontline every afternoon inspiring our children to be their best and supporting them to thrive socially and academically.

Georgia: The Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN) will celebrate Lights On Afterschool with a Town Hall on Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. Participants will virtually tour programs in action and hear from students, families, and staff live and through pre-recorded videos about how afterschool programs support learning and why it’s more important than ever to keep the lights on, both during and after school.

Hawaii: The Hawaii Afterschool Alliance will celebrate Lights On Afterschool with activities, a dance challenge, and a Town Hall. On Oct. 21 from noon to 1:30 p.m., there will be a statewide afterschool rally to showcase the power of afterschool in Hawaii and celebrate policymakers, business, philanthropy, and community leaders. Students will also participate in a Dance Challenge to the song “Light it Up - Remix” by Major Lazer. On Oct. 22, students and parents will post photos on social media using the hashtags: #LightsOnAfterschool, #LightbulbChallenge and #LightsOnHI.

Iowa: The Iowa Afterschool Alliance will hold a week of activities to celebrate Lights On Afterschool. On Oct. 19 at 10:00 AM there will be a webinar for program providers on supporting youth voices in afterschool. On Oct. 20, students will submit stories and photos that illustrate how their programs light up the community. These stories and photos will be posted on the Iowa Afterschool Alliance’s Facebook and Twitter pages. On Oct. 21, the Iowa Afterschool Alliance will host two virtual events: at 9 a.m. a webinar hosted with the ALCP titled “Reimagine Engineering with Girls Leading the Way” and at 4:00 PM a livestream STEM activity provided by LaunchPAD. On Thursday, Oct. 22, there will be a Legislative Roundtable conversation with policymakers, program providers, schools, businesses, families, youth and other stakeholders to discuss how afterschool programs have stepped up to serve youth and communities.

Cold Spring, Kentucky: Crossroads Elementary School will hold a three-day family scavenger hunt across the school’s boundary zone for Lights On Afterschool. It will start on Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. and last until Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Families are asked to take pictures during the scavenger hunt and submit them to be used in a movie, which will be sent to legislators and others. Throughout the month, students will participate in “Light up your yard,” a sign and flyer decorating event.

White Plains, New York: The After School Connection Program will host a Lights On Afterschool event the week of Oct. 19, starting with discussions on why afterschool programs are so important to students, their families and community. Youth will create art projects and posters supporting Lights On Afterschool, followed by a lighting of the fountain on Oct. 22. White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, a long-time supporter of Lights On Afterschool, will light the main water fountain in downtown White Plains, as well as downtown parking lots, in yellow to support Lights On Afterschool! After the lighting ceremony, students will gather at their program!