LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL ALBERTA

 A PROJECT OF THE SCHOOL AGE CARE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

Lights On After School Alberta is a province-wide event celebrating after-school programs and their role in keeping kids safe, inspiring them to learn, and helping working families.

The effort is becoming a hallmark of the afterschool movement and allows programs and communities to celebrate annually. Inspired by the Lights on national movement in the United States of America.

Lights On After School is an advocacy initiative that helps shine a light on the importance and effect of afterschool care programs in Alberta and to help programs develop connections with parents, schools, other advocates, groups, and businesses in our communities to highlight and expand the importance of after-school programs. 

This year the School Age Cared Directors Association (SACDA) is asking programs across the province to participate by either hosting their own event or having community stakeholders show their support by keeping their homes or businesses lights on until midnight from April 21th - 27th, 2025.

We hope for this year to be our biggest event chain yet and help influence positive change and awareness of the importance of Afterschool programs during those critical hours.

CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW FOR SHARABLE INFO SHEET

Municipalities Celebrating:

• Beaumont – Proclamation Support

• Brooks – Proclamation Support

• Calgary – Reconciliation Bridge, Arts Commons, Olympic Plaza: Lights on April 25 & Proclamation Support

• Coaldale – Proclamation Support

• Camrose – Proclamation Support

• Edmonton – High-Level Bridge: Lights on April 25

• Grand Prairie – Sundial: Lights on April 25

• High River – Town Hall: Lights on April 25 & Proclamation Support

• Lethbridge – City Hall: Lights on April 21

• Medicine Hat – Saamis Tepee: Lights on April 25

• Red Deer – City Hall: Lights on April 25 & Proclamation Support

PLAN YOUR LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL ALBERTA EVENT! 

Events come in all shapes and sizes. Celebrations might include an open house, breakfast summit for local leaders, student performance, candlelight vigil, or as simple as an open house. Pick something that works for your community and program.

HOST A LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL ALBERTA EVENT!

Tell us how you plan to celebrate! When you register your event as an official Lights On Afterschool Alberta celebration, SACDA will help highlight your program in years to come! Please register your event so that we can show the growth of the LOASA movement across the province.

WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE

As you start planning how you'll celebrate Lights On Afterschool Alberta event, use these questions to help figure out your event logistics. Once you’ve got the basics, the rest is a piece of cake!

PRINT & EMAIL INVITES

However you send your invitations, be sure to personalize with information about your program—where it’s located, how many children served, activities provided, etc.

EVENT THEMES & IDEAS

Whether operating remotely or working with groups of students in person, you can celebrate Lights On!

Check out some of these amazing ideas from Afterschool Alliance!

LAST MINUTE EVENT IDEAS

If you have trouble coming up with an idea for your event, check out these last-minute ideas!

ENGAGE POLICYMAKERS

The opportunity to see and hear the impact that afterschool can have on a child’s life is invaluable. Use the sample language to invite policymakers to attend your Lights On Afterschool event and see for themselves.

LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL ALBERTA MATERIALS

Use these materials to educate the public and brand your LIGHTS ON movement!

Municipalities from across Alberta are proclaiming LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL ALBERTA DAY- Help us ensure your municipality is celebrating too!