CCWI Rainbow Homework Club Celebrates 10th Anniversary at Annual Lights On Afterschool Event

WHITESBORO – Children, parents, teachers, and business and community leaders will come tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 24, to the “Lights On Afterschool” event from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Community Center in Whitesboro to celebrate the achievements of afterschool students, and draw attention to the need for more afterschool programs to serve the millions of children nationwide who are unsupervised and at risk each weekday afternoon. This gathering is one of more than 8,000 such events across the nation emphasizing the importance of keeping the lights on and the doors open after school. Bernie, Blanks, Sr., president of the Concerned Citizens of Whitesboro, whose nonprofit organization recently celebrated 30 years of community service to residents living in Whitesboro and the community at-large, will speak about the benefits of afterschool programs, and encourage lawmakers, businesses and others to support afterschool funding.
Students, along with their parents, have written messages to the Mayor of Middle Township, Mayor Michael Clark, about how important the CCWI Rainbow Homework Club is to them. Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, “Lights On Afterschool” has been celebrated annually since 2000. “In celebration of CCWI’s 10th year of providing afterschool academic assistance via the CCWI Rainbow Homework Club, I am happy to join them and more than one million Americans who take part in the only nationwide rally for afterschool programs,” said Mayor Clark.
Recent data from “America After 3PM,” the research series on afterschool programs commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance, shows a vast unmet demand for afterschool programs nationwide. In New Jersey, 231,279 children participate in an afterschool program, yet 422,067 would be enrolled if a program were available. Further, 87 percent of New Jersey’s parents are satisfied with their child’s afterschool program, and 78 percent agree that afterschool programs give working parents peace of mind. More work needs to be done to meet the great need for afterschool programs that keep New Jersey’s kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families.
In March, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report on the state of afterschool programs in rural America. Drawing on data from “America After 3PM,” the report found widespread support for afterschool, with 85 percent of parents saying they are satisfied with their child’s program. However, for every child in a program, three are waiting to become available.
That’s 3.1 million children in rural communities who still wait to access the benefits of an afterschool program.
Dr. David Salvo, Superintendent of Schools, Middle Township, believes that “‘Lights On Afterschool’ celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend the CCWI Rainbow Homework Club afterschool program. It is a powerful reminder that afterschool programs offer a range of support to children and families. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough afterschool programs, and too many kids are home alone in the afternoons or on the streets where they can be exposed to crime or at-risk. We must open more programs and make sure lawmakers invest more in afterschool.”
“We are all very proud of our afterschool students,” said Pamela Schute, Co-Teacher Coordinator from Middle Township School District. “There’s no reason that learning should stop at 3 p.m., particularly if the alternative is unsupervised time in front of a television set, or any of the dangerous or unhealthy behaviors that can ensnare children in the afternoons,” commented Rosie Jefferson, CCWI Rainbow Homework Club Program Manager.
The CCWI Rainbow Homework Club opened officially in 2008 with private funding. It now serves a solid 80 children during the school year providing homework assistance, mentoring, tutoring, and classes in fitness and nutrition as well as STEMM. This year during our “Lights On Afterschool” event, we will recognize two local businesses for their support: Burmac Management for providing meals to our homework club twice a month, and Shoprite/Nancy Reece for helping provide gifts to our homework students during the Christmas Holidays.
“Lights On Afterschool” is organized by the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children have access to quality afterschool programs. More information on the Afterschool Alliance, “Lights On Afterschool” and “America After 3PM” is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.