Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) today was joined by 15 of his colleagues in introducing a House Resolution supporting Lights On Afterschool, a national celebration of afterschool programs held on October 20, 2022.
Lights On Afterschool is a national celebration of afterschool, before-school, summer, and expanded learning opportunities programs, which highlights the critical importance of those high-quality programs to children, families, and their communities.
“Afterschool and other out of school learning opportunities allow our students learn beyond the classroom, develop key skills, and expand on their passions. Kids need experiential learning opportunities and deserve fun programming that contributes to their health and well-being — art, dance, movement, farming, and nature,” said Congressman Cicilline. “I’m proud to celebrate Lights on Afterschool and shine a light on the importance of these programs in Rhode Island and across the country. These organizations deserve and need our support.”
“Thousands of programs serving millions of students and families are coming together for Lights On Afterschool this year, to rally for the afterschool programs that keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and giving working families peace of mind that their children are safe, supervised, and learning after the school day ends,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “We are thrilled that the U.S. House of Representatives is recognizing this event. The afterschool community, and all the families that rely on afterschool programs, owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the bipartisan champions for out-of-school time programs in Congress and to the leadership of Rep. Cicilline. He is a powerful, tireless, and highly effective champion for afterschool and summer learning programs.”
Afterschool programs are one of the single most effective ways to keep children safe outside of school and on track for success. When young people are given the opportunity to succeed it strengthens both our communities and economy. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we saw afterschool programs rise to the moment and support our children by:
- innovating to provide virtual programming to keep children engaged;
- caring for children of essential workers;
- providing meals and learning supports;
- supporting the wellbeing of children and families; and
- helping students recover and accelerating learning.
In 2004, then-Mayor Cicilline created the Providence After-School Alliance. This public-private venture provides high-quality, affordable after school, summer, and out of school time learning opportunities for Providence’s children and youth.
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