Press Kit: Universal Afterschool Media Event
Resources
Media Alert
For Immediate Release
Date of Release: October 21, 2021
Contact Person: Amy Shollenberger, Action Circles
802-793-1114; amy@action-circles.com
Vermont’s Top Leaders to Announce Unprecedented Initiative to Turn the Lights On for Universal Afterschool
Celebrating Recent Successes and Announcing Plans to Achieve the Vision
October 28th is national Lights on Afterschool day. Launched in October 2000, Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their vital role in the lives of children, youth, families, and communities. On October 29th, Governor Phil Scott will announce important steps the State of Vermont is taking to “turn the lights on” for universal afterschool in Vermont.
At the event, Vermont Afterschool will also celebrate recent successes in expanding opportunities for children and youth made possible through federal funding secured by Senator Bernie Sanders in the American Rescue Plan Act. This fund enabled Vermont to establish the Summer Matters grant program to expand summer programs for 12,877 children and youth this past summer, as well as to increase access to afterschool programs this fall. The funding secured by Sanders is available through 2023.
WHERE/WHEN:
Vermont History Museum, Snelling Room, 109 State Street, Montpelier
October 29, 2021, Noon
WHO:
Governor Phil Scott (R-Vermont)
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont)
Vermont State Senator Andrew Perchlik (D/P-Washington)
Vermont State Representative Kelly Pajala (I-Windham-Bennington-Windsor)
Deputy Secretary Heather Bouchey, Vermont Agency of Education
Holly Morehouse, Executive Director, Vermont Afterschool
Vermont Youth
Afterschool/Summer Program Providers
WHAT:
A celebration of recent success and a recognition of Lights On Afterschool, with:
An announcement about next steps to expand afterschool and summer programming by Governor Scott
Remarks by Senator Sanders
Awards presented by Vermont youth
The unveiling of a makers’ piece titled Lighting Up Vermont, created by the Mint Makerspace in Rutland.
BACKGROUND:
In his 2020 State of the State address, Governor Phil Scott announced his ambition to move toward universal afterschool and summer programming for all Vermont youth and families and called on the Legislature to work with him to meet that goal. Subsequently, the Legislature created the Universal Afterschool Task Force, which met during 2021 and submitted its recommendations.
Understanding the needs of children in Vermont and across the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Bernie Sanders secured federal funding in the American Rescue Plan Act to make afterschool and summer programs available to all children and youth at little or no cost. As a result of his efforts, Vermont received $71 million in new funding, which is available for use over a three-year period. This funding is specifically designed to help Vermont children and youth cope with the social, emotional, educational, and financial impacts of the pandemic. Since the enactment of the legislation in March of this year, the State of Vermont and Vermont Afterschool, with support from Sanders’ office, partnered to stand up the Summer Matters grant program, which provided opportunities across the state for 12,877 Vermont youth during the summer of 2021, including 492 good-paying jobs for Vermont young people to work at these programs.