Celebrating Lights On Afterschool with SHADES of Development in Knoxville, Tennessee

I spent Lights On Afterschool in Knoxville, Tennessee, with SHADES of Development! We kicked off the day at a Grab and Go breakfast hosted by United Way and sponsored by the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB). This was the first year SHADES partnered with KUB for Lights On (KUB reached out, seeing it as a natural partnership as they literally keep the lights on in Knoxville).

SHADES of Development runs 14 programs in Knoxville, and many of the program leaders stopped by to pick up breakfast bags packed with muffins, water, juice, bagels, cream cheese, and bananas. Sindy Dawkins-Schade, an Afterschool Ambassador and the Executive Director and Founder of SHADES of Development, and I delivered some bags to more rural locations in Knoxville.

All 14 programs have participated in a month-long scavenger hunt competition for Lights On Afterschool. The scavenger hunt is being hosted on an online platform called Goose Chase and allows each program to submit completed tasks for points. Some tasks have included interviewing a parent, sharing a book with a friend, taking a photo with the Knoxville County proclamation, talking to an elected official about afterschool, and answering trivia questions about the Afterschool Alliance and Lights On Afterschool. The hunt wraps up on November 6, and the first program to reach 2,932 points wins. It’s been a very competitive race thus far!

I also attended a Lights On event at Fort Sanders Educational Development Center, one of SHADES’ program sites. This 21st CCLC afterschool pre-K program serves 53 students, a blend of kids with special needs and typically developing peers. The event began with a short student performance where the kids sang a few songs, followed by Halloween-themed stations with activities like pumpkin painting and hammering, potion making, and even creating bubbles with liquid nitrogen! All of the kids and staff were dressed up in Halloween costumes and had a wonderful time.

Sindy had a heartwarming moment when she bumped into a parent whose child had participated in her program 13 years ago, at its inception. Now a grandmother, this woman was there to support her grandchild alongside her daughter, who is now a mother herself. The event brought together three generations of SHADES members in one place, serving as a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of the program and the strong community it has fostered over the years.

We wrapped up the day with dinner at Calhoun’s, which had a stunning view of the river and the Henley Street Bridge, beautifully lit up in blue and yellow for Lights On Afterschool. Overall, it was a packed, fun-filled day, and I’m incredibly grateful to Sindy and the SHADES team for making it all happen and for letting me tag along!