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Lights On Afterschool 2018 registration is now open!

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Lights On Afterschool 2018 registration is now open!

By Faith Savaiano Posted: Aug 09, 2018

We are excited to announce that registration for Lights On Afterschool 2018 is officially open!

Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide celebration of everything afterschool programs do for students, families and communities across the country. It is an event not only for recognizing the extraordinary value of these programs, but also for putting a spotlight on the need for more funding—for every child who gets to participate in an afterschool program, there are two waiting to get in.

There’s no time like the present to start planning your Lights On Afterschool event, and we’ve got all of the tools and resources to help you do so. Browse our suggested themes, get inspired exploring our events database, or start getting organized by visiting our Event Planning Toolkit!

And early bird registrants will definitely see some perks. Register your event today to start getting our emails full of expert advice and free resources, and—some would say more importantly—the sooner you register, the sooner you’re eligible for one of fantastic giveaway prizes!

Last year’s Lights On Afterschool celebrations saw 8,000 events with 1 million participants from all across the Unites States (and one event in Japan!). Check out some of the highlights from last year:

Register your Lights On Afterschool 2018 event today!

Lights On Afterschool

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...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

Lights On Afterschool

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,...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

Lights On Afterschool

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...

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

Easy Lights On Afterschool event ideas!

The 2022 celebration of Lights On Afterschool is next week! Registration is still open, and we’ve got a few easy ways to celebrate.   Let us know you are taking part in Lights On Afterschool by October 20 and you’ll be entered to win a free registration to the 2023 Beyond...

BY: Tierra Easter      10/14/22

Join the Lightbulb Challenge!

Lights On Afterschool is in just two weeks! If you’re looking for a fun, easy way to celebrate, take part in the Lightbulb Challenge! All you need to do is gather and take a photo. Let us know you are taking part in Lights On Afterschool by October 13 and you’ll be...

BY: Tierra Easter      10/07/22

Uplift youth voices during Lights On Afterschool!

We are just three weeks away from Lights On Afterschool! Here is your weekly to do list: Distribute a media alert telling reporters about your event. Facing uncertainty about an element of your event? Review our case studies for expert advice from afterschool...

BY: Tierra Easter      09/30/22

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

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

Showcase your students' leadership skills!

We’re only five weeks away from Lights On Afterschool 2022! Here's this week's checklist: Call to confirm any VIP guests to make sure they're still able to attend your event. Arrange transportation and other logistics for dignitaries and guest...

BY: Tierra Easter      09/16/22

Shine a light on health and well-being during Lights On Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool is the perfect opportunity to focus on whole-child development. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 59 percent of parents are more worried about their child’s emotional well-being today than they were before the pandemic. Parents recognize that...

BY: Tierra Easter      09/09/22

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 Lights On Afterschool 2020 revealed about the afterschool field

7 ways afterschool shined We’re tired. Challenged. Worried.  Our finances are strained, our staff face too many uncertainties. Yet our field continues to innovate, evolve, and serve kids, families, and communities. Why? Because people are counting on you, and you care for them...

BY: Jodi Grant      10/30/20

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

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

Webinar recap: Celebrating afterschool programs and staff

Lights On Afterschool is five weeks away, and it has never been more important to celebrate the impact of afterschool programs. Nationwide, programs are gearing up for the 22nd Lights On Afterschool celebration. On September 9, the Afterschool Alliance’s Tiyana Glenn hosted “Lights On...

BY: Maria Rizo      09/20/21

What Lights On Afterschool 2020 revealed about the afterschool field

7 ways afterschool shined We’re tired. Challenged. Worried.  Our finances are strained, our staff face too many uncertainties. Yet our field continues to innovate, evolve, and serve kids, families, and communities. Why? Because people are counting on you, and you care for them...

BY: Jodi Grant      10/30/20

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

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

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: Forging futures

As we head into the 22nd year of Lights On Afterschool, the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs, I have mixed feelings. Should we be celebrating? After all, this isn’t the school year we hoped to have. Many of our programs, youth, and families are in crisis. But, I am an...

BY: Jodi Grant      10/26/21

Meeting the moment: How afterschool programs kept the lights on through the COVID crisis

By Mark Cowsert, Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships for the Missouri AfterSchool Network. This article was originally published on Kids Win Missouri on October 21, 2020. The blog is reposted with the author's permission.   Mid-March, 2020 seemed like any other late winter,...

BY: Guest Blogger      11/05/20

What Lights On Afterschool 2020 revealed about the afterschool field

7 ways afterschool shined We’re tired. Challenged. Worried.  Our finances are strained, our staff face too many uncertainties. Yet our field continues to innovate, evolve, and serve kids, families, and communities. Why? Because people are counting on you, and you care for them...

BY: Jodi Grant      10/30/20