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Governor Proclaims Oct. 18 Lights On Afterschool Day

Students in Tennessee are staying after school, and they are happy about it!

These students are participating in afterschool programs across the state, many in schools. These programs offer educational enrichment, exposure to the arts and physical activity.

At the request of the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Governor Bredesen proclaimed Oct. 18 Lights On Afterschool Day to celebrate these afterschool programs in Tennessee’s communities. This year marks the eighth annual national Lights On Afterschool celebration organized by the Afterschool Alliance.

In his proclamation the governor lauded Tennessee afterschool programs for their efforts to provide safe, challenging, engaging and fun learning experiences; to support working families; to build stronger communities; and to engage families, schools and diverse community partners.

Afterschool programs improve student performance, attendance and engagement with school, especially for those children at greatest risk for failure. Students who participate in afterschool programs learn social skills, including self-control and judgment. Parents of these students are more likely to participate within the schools.

Seventy-eight percent of Tennessee school-age children live in households where all parents are employed. Nearly a quarter of a million students are unsupervised after school; an equal number would like to participate in an afterschool program that provided educational support and enrichment activities in a nurturing environment.

Afterschool programs will be opening their doors to the community and hosting luncheons, presentations, student recitals, contests and other activities.

A list of Tennessee Lights On Afterschool participants is available online at www.afterschoolalliance.org/lights_on/find.cfm. More than one million people will take part in events across the nation in 2007.

The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth is an independent agency created by the Tennessee General Assembly. Its primary mission is to advocate for improvements in the quality of life for Tennessee children and families.

For more information, contact Linda O’Neal at (615) 741-2633 or Laura Ellis at (615) 253-6037. 

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NOTE to Editors: Graphics to accompany the story may be downloaded from http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/lights_on/logos.cfm.