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By Margaret Reist The kids play guitars - electric models that make the floor shake when they crank the amps up loud enough. The middle school students write their own music and lyrics and also play riffs from their favorite artists. And they have worked long and hard enough at making music to produce their own CD. On Thursday, they'll perform at Lefler Middle School, so the adults can show them off. The adults, in this case, believe in and promote programs like School of Rock - programs that meet after school and offer students opportunities to stay engaged and involved and happy. In fact, these adults believe in the programs so strongly they've organized a week's worth of events to celebrate them. School of Rock will be part of Lefler Lights On Rally, a celebration designed to highlight the importance of Lincoln's after-school programs. The rally, and other events planned throughout the week, are part of Lights On Afterschool, a project of the national Afterschool Alliance that began in 2000. According to the nonprofit organization's Web site, communities across the country held more than 7,500 Lights On Afterschool events last year. Lincoln has 19 Community Learning Centers that work with schools to develop after-school programs, and other agencies offer programs for kids as well. People like Lea Ann Johnson, co-coordinator of the Community Learning Centers, would like to see even more. "Our real goal is to raise awareness in the community and with policymakers and the business community," she said. "After-school programs need to be in our community and they need to be affordable for kids and families to take advantage of them." Lincoln has celebrated Lights On Afterschool since 2000, Johnson said. In the past, organizers have had one big celebration, gathering everyone in one place, like Haymarket Park. But this year, Johnson said, organizers wanted to plan events at the places those after-school programs meet, reaching out to neighborhoods and businesses. "We were really kind of preaching to the choir there," Johnson said of past celebrations. "All the people who came already believe (in after-school programs)." So this year, organizers got together with the Child and Youth Development Coalition to plan events throughout the week at schools and after-school programs. Thirty-five to 40 human services and family organizations are part of the coalition. At Lefler, where Matt Person directs after-school programs and clubs that serve about 110 kids, there's the more traditional after-school stuff such as flag football and soccer. But there's also a fashion design club, run by the owner of a downtown clothing store who helps students design their own clothes. There's a silk screening club and there's a cooking club. The latter will be baking something for the Lefler Lights On Rally and other clubs will be on hand to show people what's possible. "We want to showcase alternatives for kids to be involved, if they're not into cheerleading or sports," Johnson said. "There's other things to keep kids engaged and involved." School of Rock is one. It started because a bunch of kids were really interested in being in a band, Person said. Then a couple of twentysomethings who play in a band themselves agreed to work with the kids. They started at the beginning: teaching kids how to play guitars and sing, then how to write music, then how to market themselves and produce a CD. "It's pretty amazing," Person said. Another highlight of the week will be a Friday open house for all school principals and community-based agencies at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, Johnson said. Wendy Puriefoy, president of the Public Education Network, a national association based in Washington, will be on hand to promote "Give Kids Good Schools," a national campaign to guarantee quality education for all children. She'll also speak to a group of policymakers and business leaders at a luncheon following a reception, Johnson said. Reach Margaret Reist at 473-7226 or mreist@journalstar.com. |
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