Lights on After School

To ensure strong communities, our students must graduate from high school prepared for post-secondary education or the workforce. This preparation starts early, with access to affordable, high-quality child-care and early learning opportunities so that children enter school ready to learn. Elementary and secondary school students must have access to a challenging, well-rounded curriculum and wraparound supports, such as afterschool and summer learning programs. Quality education-based programs is an important strategy for improving lives and community conditions. Educational programs make up 43% of United Way of the Lakeshore funded programs, serving over 43,000 families around the Lakeshore. 

A nationwide survey on the concerns of working mothers showed their number one concern is the safety of their children, especially in the after school hours. Providing quality supervised programming after school will go a long way in reducing the level of high-risk behavior among youth in our county. Providing resources for children will help ensure that no child is left behind academically in Muskegon County.

 

 

Barriers to access after-school programs range from transportation, volunteer capacity, lack of consistency in programming, competition from other programs, and/or costs associated with programming. 

 

After-school programs keep kids safe, helps working families, and improve academic achievement. 1 in 5 children is unsupervised after school. Lights On Afterschool programs help provide a wide range of opportunities for our student’s growth. Many programs include opportunities for physical activity, homework assistance, snacks/meals, STEM (science, technology, engineering, & math) learning, music or art, literacy activities, workforce development, and family-building activities. United Way of the Lakeshore and community partners recognize that providing a range of engaging learning opportunities in high-quality after-school programs can play a critical role in improving young people’s chances of success both in school and in life. Businesses and, agencies, and other funders also see recognize the importance of after-school options for the growth and development of our children.  

 

For decades, Lights On Afterschool, a United Way of the Lakeshore initiative, has served five sites, to combat the high rates of poverty by providing continuous opportunities in a safe environment. Students are served in our Lights On Afterschool program at Montague, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights (Pathfinders), Orchard View, and Whitehall. Before the pandemic, each site operated at least 3 days a week, from the end of the school day until about 6:30 p.m. Other United Way funded after-school programs includes Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, & Big Brothers Big Sisters.