Friday, 02 November 2012 10:42

WICHITA – Holy Savior Catholic Academy participated in a nationwide celebration of after school programs on Thursday, Oct. 18.
More than 75 students, parents, and staff members joined Holy Savior supporters and community leaders as part of the annual Lights On Afterschool Celebration at the Mid-America All-Indian Center and the Keeper of the Plains Plaza in downtown Wichita. Lights On Afterschool is an event held each year to call attention to the importance of after school programs for children, families and communities.
Holy Savior’s event, one of several hundred rallies held nationwide, included comments from students, a student program focused on the importance of reading and a city proclamation read by Wichita City Council member Lavonta Williams declaring the day “Holy Savior Lights On Afterschool Day,” and a special lighting of the fire pots at the Keeper of the Plains. The firepots were lit in keeping with the “Lights On” event theme.
Lights On is a project of the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit group dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to quality, affordable after school programs. According to Lights On, one in four youths nationwide is left unsupervised at home after school.
Holy Savior’s after school program is funded through a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant in collaboration with Catholic Charities of Wichita. Holy Savior students receive tutoring and are given the opportunity to take field trips designed to provide a more complete educational experience.
Partners for the Holy Savior Lights On event were Catholic Charities of Wichita; 21st Century Community Learning Center; the City of Wichita; the Mid-America All-Indian Center; Arts Partners; Fidelity Bank; T-Mobile; the Afterschool Alliance; Wichita State University; and Cargill.