Clear Channel Outdoor Supporting the
25th Annual Lights On Afterschool with Coast-to-Coast
Digital Billboard Campaign in October
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Afterschool champions led by the Afterschool
Alliance and Usher's New Look are joining Clear Channel Outdoor
(NYSE: CCO) for a broad-based visibility campaign across nearly
2,000 digital billboards as part of the 2024 national Lights On
Afterschool rally. The ads recognize the remarkable work
afterschool programs are doing to help young people find their
spark through hands-on learning, caring mentors, homework help,
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities,
computer programming, robotics, healthy snacks and meals, job and
college readiness, the arts, other fields, and more.
Now in its 25th year, Lights On Afterschool is
the only national rally for afterschool programs. Throughout
October, programs across the country are holding events at schools,
4-Hs, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, museums, public parks,
community centers, and other venues to celebrate the critical
support these programs provide to youth and families. The events
send the message that demand for afterschool programs is high, too
many youth are without programs, and the end of federal pandemic
relief funding will force many programs to close or cut
services.
Nearly 25 million children would enroll in an afterschool
program, if a program were available to them, according to a 2022
survey of approximately 1,500 parents commissioned by the
Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research. That is the
highest number ever recorded. Unmet demand for afterschool programs
is significantly higher among Latino and Black children (at 60% and
54% respectively) than among children overall (49%). Cost is the
top barrier to enroll, cited by 57% of parents as a reason for not
enrolling their child. Ninety percent of parents rate the quality
of the program their child attends as excellent or very good.
"My afterschool experience at the Boys & Girls Clubs in
Chattanooga, Tennessee is where I
found my spark for music – a passion that became my career," USHER
said. "That experience is where I was motivated to start Usher's
New Look, an afterschool program that has been empowering youth for
the past 25 years. Every child should have a place that sparks
their interests and helps them find their passions and purpose. As
this year's Honorary Chair of Lights On Afterschool, I hope
my voice can help amplify the need to close the gap for the 25
million youth who still need afterschool services."
Lights On Afterschool serves as a reminder that
a large body of evidence demonstrates improvements in grades,
school attendance, behavior, and more among children who
participate in afterschool programs. Researchers have also found
that students in afterschool programs are more engaged in school
and excited about learning and develop critical work and life
skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and
communications.
Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On
Afterschool will include some 8,000 events that showcase the
skills students gain and the talents they develop in their
afterschool programs.
Clear Channel Outdoor is supporting Lights On Afterschool
by donating some of its most prominent space to display afterschool
messages on digital billboards, transit shelters, and poster spaces
in 25 markets around the country throughout the month of October.
On October 24th, the
official Lights On Afterschool day, Clear Channel will
feature afterschool messages on two digital spectacular screens in
New York City's Times Square and
will bathe Boston's South Street
Station in blue and yellow in honor of Lights On
Afterschool. Supporters also will be lighting up local
landmarks and buildings across the country to show their support
for afterschool programs.
"Afterschool programs nationwide are tremendously grateful to
Clear Channel Outdoor for its tremendous support and for spreading
the word about the power of afterschool programs," said Afterschool
Alliance Executive Director Jodi
Grant. "Lights On Afterschool celebrates the work
these programs do to keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and
give working parents peace of mind that their children are safe and
supervised after the school day ends. We are truly thrilled that
Clear Channel Outdoor is helping make this event a success again
this year."
"We're proud to team up with our partners to celebrate the
25th Lights On Afterschool and underscore the
transformational power of afterschool programs in the lives of
kids, families, and communities across America," said Dan
Levi, EVP & CMO, Clear Channel Outdoor. "As millions of
students continue to miss out on afterschool opportunities, we're
honored to feature USHER in this year's digital billboard campaign
as he lends his voice to encourage kids to find their 'spark' and
to ignite a nationwide call for greater access to quality
afterschool programs."
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and
advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth
have access to quality afterschool programs. More information is
available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
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SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor