WASHINGTON, Oct. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Afterschool
Alliance, the National League of Cities and the National Summer
Learning Association, a coalition of afterschool supporters, joined
with Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE: CCO) this week to launch a
campaign across more than 1,000 digital billboards nationwide
encouraging city leaders and other stakeholders to turn the
Lights On Afterschool.
In its 20th year, Lights On Afterschool is the
only national rally for afterschool programs. Throughout October,
and leading up to Oct. 24, the
official anniversary of Lights On Afterschool, the coalition
expects to involve more than one million people at more than 8,000
events across the country and at U.S. military bases worldwide. The
groups are sending the message on this anniversary that demand for
afterschool programs remains high and millions of students are
without the programs they need.
In fact, the America After 3PM
household survey of more than 30,000 families, commissioned by the
Afterschool Alliance, found that participation in afterschool
programs has increased to 10.2 million students nationwide – but
the unmet demand is great. For every child in an afterschool
program today, two more are waiting to get in. Unmet demand is
especially high in rural communities and communities of
concentrated poverty. One in five students in the United States is unsupervised after the
school day ends.
The 20th anniversary of Lights On Afterschool
serves as a reminder that a powerful body of evidence demonstrates
improvements in attendance, behavior, academic achievement and more
among children who participate in afterschool programs. Researchers
have also found afterschool programs encourage increased parental
involvement – an important building block for student success.
Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On
Afterschool includes open houses, science fairs, fun runs,
student showcases, academic contests, community service activities,
sports competitions, and other events at schools, 4-Hs, Boys &
Girls Clubs, YMCAs, parks, museums, community centers, state
capitols and other places. Events showcase the skills students gain
and the talents they develop in their afterschool programs.
Afterschool programs provide homework help; mentors; healthy snacks
and meals; computer programming; opportunities to think critically,
collaborate and communicate with peers and adults; job and college
readiness; sports and fitness activities; robotics; art, dance and
music; and continuous opportunities for hands-on, team-based
learning.
Clear Channel Outdoor is supporting the 20th
anniversary campaign by donating some of its most prominent
billboard space to illuminate Lights On Afterschool. This
includes some of its digital billboards in New York City's Time Square, where the
messages displayed will complement the additional awareness and
visibility provided when the iconic Empire State Building is lit in
yellow and blue for the October 24
anniversary. Afterschool supporters also will be lighting up local
landmarks and buildings across the country that evening to show
their support for afterschool programs.
To further support this nationwide effort, the
afterschool-themed messages will also appear on Clear Channel
Outdoor's digital billboards in Los
Angeles and at Boston's
South Station and will culminate in a symbolic "Lights On"
moment when more than 1,000 digital billboards freeze on one image
on October 24 at 7 p.m.
"Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to
learn, and help give working parents peace of mind that their
children are safe and learning during the sometimes-perilous hours
after the school day ends and before parents get home from work –
and Clear Channel Outdoor's support helps us illustrate the need
for more resources so that, sometime soon, every child will have
access to an afterschool program" said Afterschool Alliance
Executive Director Jodi Grant.
"The National League of Cities is proud to uplift Lights On
Afterschool again this year," said Clarence E. Anthony, National League of Cities
(NLC) CEO and executive director. "As Lights On Afterschool
celebrates its 20th anniversary, NLC is also celebrating
nearly 20 years of working with cities, towns and villages to
advance afterschool learning opportunities. Local leaders have long
been champions of afterschool programming – they see the positive
impact these programs have on families and communities every day."
This year, NLC is partnering with the Afterschool Alliance to
encourage mayors to light up their city halls in honor of Lights
On Afterschool.
"We understand the importance and economic value of providing
all children with quality learning opportunities after school
ends," said Aaron Philip Dworkin,
CEO of the National Summer Learning Association. "That's why we are
proud to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Lights On
Afterschool at our annual summer learning conference in
Atlanta later this month.
Together, we can keep all kids safe, healthy and engaged beyond the
school day."
On October 16, a new report from
the more than 5,000 sheriffs, police chiefs, and prosecutors of the
organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids will spotlight abundant,
powerful research documenting positive outcomes for children and
teens who participate in high-quality afterschool programs. The
report, being released in conjunction with Lights On
Afterschool, identifies the hours that are the "prime time for
juvenile crime" and why afterschool programs are one of the
nation's best crime prevention strategies.
Along with Clear Channel Outdoor, Nickelodeon and KIND are
generous sponsors of Lights On Afterschool this year.
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and
advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth
have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is
available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
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SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor; Afterschool Alliance