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Lights On Afterschool Event Planning Kit

Join the Afterschool Alliance and afterschool programs across the country in rallying for afterschool programs.  More than 7,500 communities, and 1 million Americans celebrate Lights On Afterschool every year! 

Our Event Planning Kit makes it easy for you to take part, and help show the important role afterschool programs play in our communities, and in our nation.   Lights On Afterschool events, like afterschool programs, come in all shapes and sizes, from stadium rallies and town parades to open houses and program tours.  Celebrate in a manner that works best for your program and community.

Use the navigation bar at the right to locate all your event planning resources, from media materials to blinking light bulb buttons. To get start, we recommend:

1. Ask yourself some key questions in our Who, What, When & Where to start thinking about the goal of your event and what it might look like. 

2. Look over the Timeline/Checklist  for an overall sense of your planning timeframe, how to manage your event and get the most out of it. 

3. Move on to our Event Ideas area to get your creative juices flowing. 

Lights On Afterschool was created to be used by you, to promote your program and efforts, so please feel free to use and adapt anything here to suit your needs.  Our goal is simply to make it easier for you to participate, so that as many communities as possible help tell the  afterschool story.  The more events we have, the stronger our collective voice.

Use Lights On Afterschool to:

• Get parents, community leaders and elected officials, kids, members of the press, potential funders, volunteers and others excited about afterschool.
• Showcase the achievements of your program and your students. Highlight your local partners and invite them to participate.
• Convey your message about afterschool - celebrate your afterschool accomplishments, and call for support to ensure that afterschool programs in your community and across the country thrive. Every child should have access to afterschool!