Afterschool Is Key To Kids’ Success (NAPSA)—Millions of Ameri- can parents are searching for afterschool care for their children. Nationwide, as many as 15 million “latchkey” children have no adult supervision after schools close each afternoon. The Afterschool Alliance is working to solve that problem by making afterschool programs available to all children and families by the year 2010. Enriching educational afterschool programs keep kids safe, improve academic achievement and help working families. One initiative—the Afterschool Ambassador program, sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund—uses community leaders (or “ambassadors”) to promote afterschool programs. The Ambassadors serve one-year terms that involve leading the programs, organizing public events, communicating with policy makers and building community support for afterschool. “Our Ambassadors are afterschool trailblazers,” says Afterschool Alliance Executive Director, Judy Y. Samelson. “They demonstrate in their daily work the wonderful services that afterschool provides—keeping kids safe, giving them academic help and enrichment opportunities.” Americans rally for afterschool programs at “Lights On After- school!” events October9. Each Ambassador plans a major event for “Lights On After- school!,” the Afterschool Alliance’s annual celebration to be held on October 9 this year, when pro- grams across the country turn their lights on and rally community support for afterschool. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is the National Presenting Sponsor for “Lights On Afterschool!,” and each of the retailer’s more than 1,000 department stores in the U.S. provides an “Afterschool Community Zone” where parents can find information about afterschool programsin the area. For more information, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org.
