[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 141 (Wednesday, October 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2012-E2013]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DALE E. KILDEE

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 8, 2003

  Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, this week more than 5,000 diverse 
communities across the country will rally for afterschool by 
participating in the fourth annual Lights On Afterschool! This national 
event will call attention to afterschool programs and the resources 
required to keep the lights on and the doors open for children who need 
a safe place to go during the hours immediately after the school day 
ends. Lights On Afterschool! is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, 
a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have 
access to afterschool programs by 2010.
  This year's Lights on Afterschool! celebration will be its largest 
yet. The Alliance estimates more than 600,000 individuals will 
acknowledge and celebrate the benefits of afterschool programs by 
participating in over 6,000 events which are taking place in a variety 
of settings. I am especially proud of all the activities taking place 
in my own district with events being sponsored by a wide variety of 
afterschool providers including the Flint Community Schools; the 
National Center for Community Education; Boys & Girls Clubs in Saginaw 
County, Longfellow, Bay County, and Saginaw County; Partners in 
Progress; the International Academy of Flint Partners in Progress; 
Carman Ainsworth Community Education Center; and the Saginaw YMCA. 
These organizations are wonderful examples of the depth and breadth of 
afterschool programming in this country.
  I have long been a supporter of the 21st Century Community Learning 
Centers Program, which provides federal support for local afterschool 
centers, in addition to other comprehensive afterschool initiatives. 
This is because these programs keep kids safe, help working families, 
and improve academic achievement. America's children are our most 
important resources and their health, safety, and quality of their 
education are all responsibilities we share. That is why we must ensure 
the availability of afterschool programs to all children, especially 
those who go to an empty house on any given day. The Urban Institute 
estimates that at least 7 million and as many as 15 million ``latchkey 
kids'' find themselves in this situation. An empty house should not be 
their only option.
  Youth today need safe, stimulating places to go after school. As 
documented by a 17-year study that followed 1,800 6th graders in 10 
Michigan schools through high school and college, students who 
participate in extracurricular activities have better grades, feel 
greater attachment to school, have lower truancy rates and reach higher 
levels of achievement in college. Other studies have shown that teens 
who do not participate in afterschool programs are nearly three times 
more likely to skip classes than teens who do participate. They are 
also three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs, and they 
are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual 
activity.
  Today's events across the country provide an opportunity to showcase 
the excellent afterschool programs that do exist and build support for 
their expansion. Last year I urged my colleagues to visit afterschool 
programs in their districts, and once again I do the same. Turn the 
lights on in your community and urge business and civic leaders to do 
the same! We owe it to America's children to do so!
  I thank the Afterschool Alliance for all their work, and I 
congratulate the many Lights On Afterschool! partners and programs who 
make this event a success, in particular 4-H Afterschool, the 21st 
Century Community Learning Centers, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 
Junior Achievement and the YMCA of the USA. In addition, 
congratulations to the supporters of this event including the National 
Presenting

[[Page E2013]]

Sponsor of Lights On Afterschool!, the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, with 
additional support from the C.S. Mott Foundation, Ewing Marion Kauffman 
Foundation and the Open Society Institute.

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