Thursday, November 6, 2025
The capitol square in Madison was the place to be on October 20, as more than 400 children, staff and families from Madison School & Community Recreation's Afterschool programs paraded in celebration of the 26th annual Lights on Afterschool. Students were from Hawthorne, Henderson, Lake View, Lincoln, Lindbergh, Lori Mann Carey, Midvale, Orchard Ridge, Sandburg and Schenk Elementary Schools, and the Meadowood Neighborhood Center.
The Lights on Afterschool celebration was started in 2000 by the Afterschool Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all children have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. They advocate for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Program (CCLC) centers like those run by MSCR. CCLC program grants, federally funded and administered in Wisconsin by the Department of Public Instruction, are competitive. Programs are selected based primarily on their ability to meet the needs of students and families with significant economic need. Madison-area programs located in elementary schools, secondary schools, and other accessible facilities provide students with high-quality opportunities for tutoring and mentoring, homework support, service opportunities, and music, arts, sports, and cultural activities.
State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly helped kick off Lights on Afterschool events in Wisconsin with a visit to the Goodman Community Center's CCLC program. Deputy State Superintendent Tom McCarthy also celebrated on October 20 and supported Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Joe Gothard, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and Attorney General Josh Kaul in giving brief remarks highlighting the important role afterschool programs play in the lives of children, families, and communities. At one CCL site, students showed their support, creativity, and commitment by constructing a remarkable Rube Goldberg machine to symbolically turn on a light. Watch the machine in action here!
Youth, families, professionals, and fans of afterschool programs turned out across the nation to celebrate Lights on Aftershool 2025. Clear Channel Outdoor ran “Reaching Potential: This is Afterschool” PSAs on billboards and bus shelters, in airports, and across two giant screens in Times Square. Afterschool champion and superstar Usher, Honorary Chair of Lights On Afterschool, posted a video message to share his personal experience in afterschool programs.
To learn more about the vital role these programs play in student development and community well-being throughout Wisconsin, check out the DPI’s interactive map and data story or watch an Introduction to Wisconsin 21st Community Learning Centers.