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WHEREAS, Lights on Afterschool is a nationwide event to highlight the importance of afterschool programs and the long-term benefits these programs have on the educational and social development of children across the country; and
WHEREAS, one in four children in the United States, over 15 million, are left alone and unsupervised after school with few opportunities for structured educational or social experiences; and
WHEREAS, Lights on Afterschool, a project of the Afterschool Alliance, began in October 2000 with events in over 1,200 communities nationwide and has grown exponentially ever since, with 7,500 events expected this year drawing in more than a million participants; and
WHEREAS, Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST) is organizing local Lights on Afterschool events to raise awareness of the need for quality afterschool programming in our communities; and
WHEREAS, on Tuesday, October 25th from 4:00 to 7:00pm afterschool programming providers across the region will gather at the Carnegie Science Center for an activity fair showcasing the wide variety of educational and social opportunities available, culminating in a light up ceremony at the Fred Rogers statue on the North Shore at 7:00pm.
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize Lights on Afterschool and Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time for their work to create and publicize high-quality afterschool programming; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare the October 25th, 2011 "Lights on Afterschool Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.