Duluth organization celebrates after school programming success

SUMMARY

• On October 23rd, the Duluth Area Family YMCA at Bentleyville hosted the Lights on Afterschool rally, celebrating the achievements of the YMCA’s afterschool programs, and also to shine the light on the need for additional programs needed nationwide to serve the millions of children left unsupervised and at risk of potentially dangerous or harmful activities each day after school. The rally occurs nationwide, with more than one million Americans taking part in what is the only rally for afterschool programs.

• Local supporters for the rally, as well as the YMCA’s area afterschool programs, include Duluth Public Schools, Duluth Edison Charter Schools, Head of the Lakes United Way, the City of Duluth Parks and Rec, and Gary New Duluth Alliance. 

• There is still an unmet demand for afterschool programs in Minnesota that organizers of the event hoped to highlight. About 15 percent of the state’s children participate in afterschool programs, yet about 20 percent would be enrolled if programs were available. The good news is 95 percent of Minnesota’s parents say they are satisfied with their child’s afterschool programs.

INSIGHT

What the information from Duluth shows is that when afterschool programs are made available for kids, both kids and parents tend to appreciate them. Lights on Afterschool is a great nationwide cause that shows just how many families benefit from afterschool programs, and how many more could benefit if such programs were made more widely available and accessible, particularly to people with lower incomes.

Congratulations to Duluth area schools and to all schools and organizations across the country that have made high-quality afterschool programs a focal point of their work!