by David N. Cicilline

This Oct. 12, more than one million Americans will participate in ?Lights On Afterschool,? the nation?s 7th annual celebration of afterschool programs.

Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool has been embraced by thousands of communities nationwide. Residents, community leaders, parents, grandparents and youth come together to showcase what is happening after school and remind city leaders of how important these afterschool programs are to families.

For city leaders, Lights On Afterschool provides a wonderful opportunity to reconfirm support for afterschool programs. It is encouraged that cities organize and/or attend a celebration and issue a proclamation declaring it Lights On Afterschool day.

In Providence, R.I., Lights On Afterschool has served as a platform to recognize and inspire afterschool workers and galvanize public support for afterschool initiatives.

In 2005, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched the city?s new Out-of-School-Time (OST) initiative on Lights On Afterschool day. In Evansville, Ind., Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel welcomed several thousand youth, families and other members of the community to kick off a rally for Lights On Afterschool in Bosse Field stadium. And mayors from Charlotte, N.C., to Englewood, Colo., issued proclamations in support of Lights On Afterschool.

Across the nation, Lights On Afterschool was celebrated at 7,500 events, spanning all 50 states and military bases abroad. More than 1,800 newspapers and stations in every major television market covered the activity.

Lights On Afterschool not only recognizes the great benefits of afterschool programs, it also brings to light the great need for more. A sobering study by the Afterschool Alliance shows that more than 25 percent (14.3 million) of America?s youth are alone after school ? when juvenile crime triples and youth often fall prey to using alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.

In cities today, afterschool programs are one of the best things that can keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. And as studies show, investing in afterschool saves taxpayer dollars. A study by Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., found that every dollar invested in afterschool programs saves taxpayers $3.

It?s been proven that youth in afterschool programs are less likely to smoke, drink, use drugs or become teen parents. They also attend school more often, achieve higher levels of education and have the opportunity to gain the skills ? such as leadership, communication and team building ? needed in the 21st century work force.

Details: NLC encourages cities involved in a Lights On Afterschool event to contact Bela Shah at shah@nlc.org. City activities will be highlighted by NLC in future issues of Nation?s Cities Weekly.

To learn more about Lights On Afterschool, download sample proclamation language or find a Lights On Afterschool event in a community, visit www.afterschoolalliance.org.

To learn more about NLC?s programs to help city leaders support afterschool programs, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Bela Shah at (202) 626-3057 or shah@nlc.org.

David N. Cicilline is mayor of Providence, R.I.