Why Americans are Rallying for Afterschool Programs This Fall

(StatePoint) Afterschool programs help children and youth thrive in school and in life. They provide homework help, opportunities to get active, and access to healthy snacks and meals. They help children develop friendships, meet mentors, learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), explore college and careers, and engage in community service. Through these activities, and more, afterschool programs help youth build the skills they need to succeed.

A million people across the United States are celebrating afterschool programs this fall, and rallying for more resources for them, as part of Lights On Afterschool 2024. More than 8,000 Lights On Afterschool events are taking place in every part of the country. In California, students are displaying wiggle robots, paintings and block-builds they created. In Colorado, parents are jotting down their dreams for their children and putting them in a Dream Box. In Florida, students are sharing what they learned about the migration of monarch butterflies. In Indiana, students are showing the PSAs they created about how substance use has affected their lives.