PRINTER'S NO. 1326
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
216
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY YUDICHAK, AUMENT, SABATINA, GREENLEAF, KITCHEN,
FONTANA, ARGALL, TEPLITZ, DINNIMAN, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE,
SCAVELLO, RAFFERTY, VULAKOVICH, BAKER, MENSCH, FARNESE,
BROWNE, HUGHES AND HAYWOOD, OCTOBER 19, 2015
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 19, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating October 22, 2015, as "Lights on Afterschool Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, More than 28 million children in the United States
have parents who work outside the home and over 15 million
children are left unsupervised after the school bell rings; and
WHEREAS, Almost 1.3 million children who are 6 to 17 years of
age in Pennsylvania have both parents in the work force or, in
single parent families, the sole parent in the work force; and
WHEREAS, Eighteen percent of the Commonwealth's school-age
children, responsible for taking care of themselves outside
school, spend an average of 8.99 hours per week unsupervised
after school; and
WHEREAS, Out-of-school hours represent the single biggest
block of time for children and youth and a key time during the
development of children into adolescents and adolescents into
adults; and
WHEREAS, Afterschool programs provide safe, challenging,
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engaging and fun learning experiences to help children and youth
develop academic, cultural, emotional, physical and social
skills; and
WHEREAS, Afterschool programs support working families by
ensuring that their children are safe and productive during out-
of-school hours; and
WHEREAS, Afterschool programs offer a fun and supportive
educational environment for Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) that help foster this Commonwealth's economic
competitiveness; and
WHEREAS, A recent national survey reported that 52% of
parents cite cost as a barrier to enrolling their children in
afterschool programs; and
WHEREAS, Research illustrates that high-quality programming
improves student achievement, reduces crime by and against
children and youth and promotes positive social development; and
WHEREAS, Afterschool programs build stronger communities by
involving parents, business leaders and student and adult
volunteers in the lives of our young people, thereby promoting
positive relationships among children, youth, families and
adults; and
WHEREAS, 811,954 children in Pennsylvania would participate
in an afterschool program if one were available to them; and
WHEREAS, "Lights on Afterschool," in its 16th year of
national celebration of afterschool programs, promotes the
critical importance of quality afterschool programs in the lives
of children, their families and their communities; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate October 22, 2015, as
"Lights on Afterschool Day" in Pennsylvania.
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