Lights on Afterschool

Lights On Afterschool is October 24, 2024!

LOA Student Artwork

Lights On Afterschool, the annual celebration of afterschool programs, is back for its 25th year! We're thrilled to unveil our 2024 poster design and invite you to join the nation's rally for afterschool.

With a few weeks until October 24, it's the perfect time to begin planning your event. Explore the Afterschool Alliance planning guide to learn about their planning tips.

Register Your Event

Every registered event will receive 10 free posters to help promote their celebration. 

Learn more about the poster artists 

This year’s poster was created by Elizabeth F. and Sophia P. from Houston Healthy Hip-Hop: RAD ART, an afterschool program in Houston, Texas. Elizabeth and Sophia’s artwork features youth engaged in various afterschool activities, from science experiments and break dancing to space exploration and painting, symbolizing the range of passions afterschool encompasses. A lightbulb appears in the middle of the poster to signify keeping the Lights On Afterschool.

At Houston Healthy Hip-Hop: RAD ART, students learn how to create masterpieces by applying different techniques while using modern-day art skills and technology. The RAD ART program is a vibrant component of the Houston Healthy Hip-Hop initiative, offering young participants a unique blend of creativity and expression. Launched in 2022 alongside other facets of the program, RAD ART has since blossomed into a cornerstone for aspiring artists within the community. Check out this blog for more details about the poster and the artists. 

Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families and communities. The effort has become a hallmark of the afterschool movement and generates media coverage across the country each year.

The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool to draw attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things—such as science, community service, robotics, Tae Kwon Do and poetry—and discover new skills. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs.