MEDIA ALERT

October 5, 2012

CONTACT:  Letitia Slack, United 4 Children

314-531-1412, ext. 58

United 4 Children’s

Youth Development Provider Network (YDPN) to Hold

Lights On Afterschool Rally October 18, 2012

7,500 Rallies Nationwide Aim to Make Afterschool Programs Available to All

The Youth Development Provider Network (YDPN) will sponsor a Lights On Afterschool kickoff rally on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 8:30am. The kickoff will be one of more than 7,500 such events around the nation that day.  

The Lights On Afterschool kickoff will include a balloon launch at the Gateway Elementary School field where one balloon will be launched for every ten students participating in afterschool programs throughout the region. The event will highlight three of the significant contributions that afterschool programs make to the St. Louis Metropolitan area:  keeping kids safe and healthy, inspiring them to learn, and relieving working parents of worries about their children's activities during the afternoon hours. Hundreds of parents, supporters, and community members are expected to attend. 

Balloons will be released all over the city and county on this day as individual sites host their own balloon launch during the afterschool time at 4:30pm.

What:  Lights On Kickoff Rally

When:  8:30am

Where:  Gateway Elementary School Field,

1200 North Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63106

Who: Mayor Francis Slay, United 4 Children Executive Staff, St. Louis Public Schools representatives, local officials, business leaders and supporters of afterschool

More information on Lights On Afterschool is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org