A million people are expected to be taking part in Lights On Afterschool events around the country this week. This is the 13th year for the program of the Afterschool Alliance…which works to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs.

The Chadron Public Schools has afterschool programs…Just For Kids at Chadron Primary, CIA – Chadron Intermediate Afterschool and Chadron Middle School After School.

School district After School Program Director Lorna Eliason says the Primary and Middle schools are celebrating Lights On Afterschool today, while the Intermediate School got a jump on things last Thursday with an afternoon of family engineering activities.

Eliason says those activities included building a cantilever structure at the Domino Diving Board, designing shoes for specific activities and conditions at Happy Feet, and Mining for Chocolate, where students designed a process for mining chocolate chip cookies to get the most chocolate chips out while causing the least amount of damage to the cookie.

Eliason says afterschool programs are intended to not only keep kids safe and help working families, but also to inspire academic success by giving children the opportunity to discover hidden talents as they grow academically and socially.

Eliason also says that while afterschool programs in virtually all districts need financial support…especially in the face cuts in government funding…they also need people, with parents, older students, and anyone with time and a commitment to helping children succeed all invited to lend a hand.