Johnstown, PA (Oct. 20, 2023) – The Learning Lamp will join out-of-school-time (OST) providers across the nation next week in celebrating the 24th annual Lights On Afterschool event on October 26, 2023.
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 Learning Lamp launched its first afterschool program in 2006. Today, the organization operates 14 before- and after-school programs and child care centers offering out-of-school-time wraparound care in four counties.
To celebrate the national Lights On Afterschool event with its students, The Learning Lamp will introduce a hands-on lesson in circuits and electricity into its afterschool settings. Students will use circuitry kits and other recycled materials to build their own flashlight prototypes—a fitting STEM activity to spotlight the kind of learning opportunities that exist in OST programs after the school day ends. To share that message with the larger community, The Learning Lamp teamed up with the Johnstown Area Heritage Association to light up Johnstown’s Stone Bridge in blue and yellow (the colors of the 2023 Lights On logo) on the night of October 26 to draw attention to the work of afterschool programs across the Cambria-Somerset region.
In addition to operating its own OST programs, The Learning Lamp is represented in the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network’s (PSAYDN) 2023-2024 Afterschool Ambassador cohort. The group, which is made up of 20 afterschool professionals from across the Commonwealth, aims to work together to share knowledge and advocate for high-quality OST programs statewide.
“The program provides monthly workshops where ambassadors like myself can learn about a variety of topics from how to effectively engage with policymakers to ideas for implementing STEM activities in OST programs,” said Amanda Peretin, science teacher and coordinator of The Learning Lamp To Go, a portable classroom of extraordinary and supersized STEM activities for during—and after—the school day.
At the culmination of the program in spring 2024, ambassadors will participate in PSAYDN’s Advocacy Day at the state capital, where OST leaders and the youth who benefit from those programs will gather to highlight the great work being done throughout the state. For more information about The Learning Lamp OST programs, visit thelearninglamp.org.
The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high-quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2022, The Learning Lamp served 34,813 youth/adults from 61 public school districts and 70 other schools and organizations in 22 Pennsylvania counties.
Our programs include: child care and preschool, after-school programs, tutoring, SAT prep, school staffing, alternative education programs for at-risk students, online learning, credit recovery, drug and alcohol prevention programs, and grant writing and project consulting for schools.
@thelearninglamp:Ready to make a positive impact in the classroom? Ignite Education Solutions is hiring a part-time Substitute Personal Care Aide to work in the Greater Johnstown Area School District. Benefits include training and development opportunities and more! When school is off, you're off! Candidates must have a high school diploma and the ability to pass clearances. Apply online today at http://tiny.cc/4v3avz
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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.
