The Douglas County School System recently participated in the 25th Annual "Lights on 
Afterschool" rally, celebrating the invaluable contributions made by afterschool programs nationwide.
These programs play an important role in supporting children's well-being, assisting working families and inspiring learning. In honor of the influential program, students showcased their diverse skills and talents through art displays, walks and runs, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills-building and demonstrations.
Mitzi Teal, Executive Director of Communities in Schools, is proud of the initiative’s positive impact on students.
“After School Programs are a service that supports our families and helps our students during out-of-school time. Programs provide a vast array of activities to help extend learning, provide enrichment, and homework assistance.”
After launching in 2000, the "Lights On Afterschool" initiative garnered widespread support, with celebrations in 1,200 communities across the nation. The program expanded to 3,600 celebrations the following year. Today, more than 8,000 "Lights On Afterschool" rallies are held annually, attracting one million Americans and media coverage worldwide.
The Afterschool Alliance salutes the many "Lights On Afterschool" partners and programs who make the event a success, including the After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 4-H Afterschool, Junior Achievement, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Young Rembrandts and the YMCA of the USA.
If you’re interested in enrolling your student in their designated afterschool program, please contact the school principal for more details and assistance with the enrollment process.
