Haddonfield Child Care

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Lights On Afterschool!

EVENT CELEBRATES AFTERSCHOOL IN HADDONFIELD, AND FOR ALL

Hundreds of children, parents, business and community leaders came together on October 22, 2009 at Lights On Afterschool rallies at the Haddonfield public schools to draw attention to the need for afterschool programs to serve the millions of children unsupervised and at risk each weekday afternoon in the United States. The gatherings were part of 7,500 such events across the nation emphasizing the importance of keeping the lights on and the doors open for afterschool programs.

Haddonfield Lights On Afterschool participants saw students conduct games and display their work, while Mayor Letitia Colombi, school officials, business leaders, parents and students discussed the importance of afterschool programs.

“Lights On Afterschool celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend our afterschool programs,” Christine Horwitz, President of the Haddonfield Child Care Board of Trustees told participants. “It is a powerful reminder that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their children spend their afternoons.

Unfortunately, we don’t have enough afterschool programs in this country, and too many kids are home alone in the afternoons or out on the streets where they can be exposed to crime or engage in dangerous behaviors. I am grateful that we have a high quality program here in Haddonfield, and I personally committed to doing all I can to ensure that, in the very near future, every child who needs an afterschool program has one. Afterschool is key to children's success.” Horwitz, whose son attended HCC and went on to work part-time for the program, credits the afterschool program for giving her the sense of security she needed as a working mother.

Activities at the Haddonfield Child Care rallies included student art and displays and slide shows of programs in action. The highlight of the day was a life-size chess game played by Haddonfield Central and Middle School principals Roger Bowley and Noah Tennant, with students from the two schools acting as chess pieces. Mayor Tish Colombi and Commissioner Ed Borden joined the students as game participants, while Superintendent of Schools Alan Fegley, faculty, parents, and other community leaders looked on.

“We are all very proud of our afterschool students,” says Denise Sellers, Executive Director of Haddonfield Child Care. “There's no reason that learning should stop at 3 pm, 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. These events show that afterschool can be fun and enriching at the same time. Like many other afterschool programs around the nation, ours is supported entirely by parent tuitions. However, afterschool in general is woefully underfunded today, and all who care about afterschool need to show their support for full funding for the 21st Century initiative and other programs which assist families and programs in keeping afterschool viable and affordable for all who need it.” Sellers was named by the Afterschool Alliance this summer to be one of just 19 Afterschool Ambassadors from across the nation this year.

Children in attendance at the event received blinking light bulb pins and green wristbands to wear, courtesy of the Afterschool Alliance, as visible reminders of the importance of having a high quality afterschool program in the community.