City Helps Celebrate National Promotional Campaign for Afterschool Programs
Councilmember Donna Frye Attends 'Gallery Night' Event Highlighting Artwork From San Diego's '6 to 6' Program Participants

SAN DIEGO - Sixth District Councilmember Donna Frye joined together with other City representatives, community leaders, parents and students at the Mission Valley Library to officially kick off the fifth annual Lights On Afterschool! Day to promote the importance of afterschool programs that keep kids safe, help working families and improve academic achievement.

The San Diego Lights On Afterschool! event, dubbed Gallery Night, features artwork from '6 to 6' sites operated by YMCA Youth & Family Services and Social Advocates for Youth, Inc. Funded by the City of San Diego along with state and federal grants, San Diego's "6 to 6" program currently operates at 178 school campuses serving 20,000 children and their families. Studies show that kids who participate in after school programs earn better grades, miss less school, and have improved classroom behavior.

The San Diego event is part of a nationwide event organized by the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to afterschool programs by 2010 and includes rallies at more than 5,000 afterschool programs across the country. Earlier this month, Governor and Chair of the Afterschool Alliance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, kicked off the nationwide Lights On Afterschool! celebration in Los Angeles with the help of 4,000 area youth who showcased a host of afterschool activities in the area.

"Lights On Afterschool! is an excellent example of how communities can provide meaningful activities for our children in a safe and secure environment during the hours when parents are working," said Councilmember Frye. "San Diego's nationally recognized '6 to 6' program is a wonderful way to provide kids with enriching educational activities and provide peace of mind for hard working parents. I am honored to be a citizen in a City that makes such a strong commitment to the well-being and safety of its children."

Lights On Afterschool! is a national campaign to recognize the importance of quality afterschool programs for children, their families and their communities. San Diego's "6 to 6" Program has been providing safe and supervised education, enrichment, and recreation activities for children ages five to 12 in the City since 1998.

Lights On Afterschool! is supported by the YMCA of the USA, After-School All-Stars, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 4-H Afterschool, Junior Achievement, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Harmonium, Inc. and Social Advocates for Youth, Inc.

San Diego's "6 to 6" Program is overseen by the City of San Diego's Community and Economic Development Department, in partnership with area school districts. The program is committed to opening community schools before and after normal school hours to provide a safe place where elementary and middle school-aged children and youth can receive academic assistance and tutoring, and participate in recreational activities such as arts, crafts, and sports while their parents are at work.

For more information about San Diego's "6 to 6" Program contact the City's Community and Economic Development Department at (619) 236-6312 or visit the City's web site at www.sandiego.gov/cpci.

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With an emphasis on the City's urban core neighborhoods and low and moderate income residents, the Community and Economic Development Department strives to improve the quality of life and ensure a healthy economy in San Diego through job development, business development, neighborhood revitalization, public improvements, redevelopment, social services, and revenue enhancement.