Policy Maker Proclamation

Proclamations are an easy way for elected officials to celebrate Lights On Afterschool, and can be made by your mayor, governor, local officials, or even by your community or organization.  Proclamations provide elected officials with a great way to declare their support for afterschool programs; while they don’t hold policy makers to any specific commitments, like increasing funding for programs, proclamations are a useful way to engage policy makers, whoare usually amenable to signing them.  Invite the signer to present the proclamation at your event. 

Don't be shy about asking for a proclamation in support of Lights On Afterschool.  Hundreds of mayors, nearly every governor, and the U.S. House and Senate issue Lights On Afterschool proclamations each year.

More than mayors and governors can issue proclamations. A school board, a park and recreation department, your own governing board or your partners may also issue a proclamation for Lights On Afterschool! Just ask them. You can use this as an opportunity to tell them about the success of your program - and to thank them for their support. Below is sample language for a proclamation that any official or organization can adopt to endorse Lights On Afterschool and affirm that afterschool is key to kids' success.  Check out this proclamation issued for a Lights On Afterschool event.

Keeping the Lights On After School: A Proclamation

WHEREAS, the citizens of [Name of State or Town] stand firmly committed to quality afterschool programs and opportunities because they:

• Provide safe, challenging, engaging and fun learning experiences to help children and youth develop their social, emotional, physical, cultural and academic skills.

• Support working families by ensuring their children are safe and productive after the regular school day ends.

• Build stronger communities by involving our students, parents, business leaders and adult volunteers in the lives of our young people, thereby promoting positive relationships among children, youth, families and adults.

• Engage families, schools and diverse community partners in advancing the welfare of our children.

WHEREAS, [Name of Program] has provided significant leadership in the area of community involvement in the education and well-being of our youth, grounded in the principle that quality afterschool programs are key to helping our children become successful adults. 

WHEREAS, Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs on October XX promotes the critical importance of quality afterschool programs in the lives of children, their families and their communities. 

WHEREAS, more than 28 million children in the U.S. have parents who work outside the home, and 15.1 million children have no place to go after school. 

WHEREAS, many afterschool programs across the country are facing funding shortfalls so severe that they are being forced to close their doors and turn off their lights.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that I, [Name of Governor/Mayor] do hereby proclaim October XX, 20XX, as "Lights On Afterschool Day"; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this [governor/mayor] enthusiastically endorses Lights On Afterschool and commits our[state/community] to engage in innovative afterschool programs and activities that ensure the lights stay on and the doors stay open for all children after school.