MCM to participate in national celebration for Afterschool programs

On Tuesday, Oct. 18, the Mississippi Children’s Museum (MCM) will join the 23rd annual Lights On Afterschool celebration, a nationwide series of rallies for afterschool organized by the Afterschool Alliance.

The Lights On Afterschool rally, to be held at the Mississippi Children’s Museum, will feature projects from current after school students, as well as a parent/adult session entitled “World of Worry: Shedding Light on Anxiety and Children” presented by Dr. Gabrielle Banks with the Center for the Advancement of Youth. Dinner will be served to all guests beginning at 5:30 p.m. Before and after the rally, afterschool students will participate in a series of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) demonstrations representative of their daily afterschool curriculum.

What: Mississippi Children’s Museum’s Lights On Afterschool Rally
When: 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 18
Where: Mississippi Children’s Museum, 2145 Museum Blvd. Jackson, MS 39202

Millions of Americans have participated in Lights On Afterschool events over the years, and thousands of events are in the works this year.

The events give youth a chance to showcase the skills they learn and talents they develop at their afterschool programs, and to send the message that millions more children and youth need quality afterschool programs. (A growing list of events is available here.) The Afterschool Alliance organizes Lights On Afterschool to underscore the need to invest in afterschool programs, which provide homework help; mentors; healthy snacks and meals; computer programming; opportunities to think critically, collaborate and communicate with peers and adults; job and college readiness; sports and fitness activities; robotics; art, dance and music; and continuous opportunities for hands-on, team-based learning.

MCM’s Launch into Learning afterschool program began in 2020 due to community need for a safe environment for virtual learning during the pandemic. MCM’s staff is committed to providing families with quality childcare during the critical after-school hours. Launch into Learning serves over 100 children each afternoon, providing them with academic enrichment, mentoring and character building, STEAM programming, healthy snacks, and more!

MCM’s Director of Education, Monique Ealey, is one of only 17 afterschool leaders named this year to serve as an Afterschool Ambassador, chosen by the Afterschool Alliance – a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs. To arrange interviews, contact Monique Ealey at 601-709-8970 or monique@mcm.ms.