Press Kit: Universal Afterschool Media Event

Resources

• Watch the event recording

• Press release

• Universal Afterschool Framework

• Summer Matters Handout

• Event photos

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.