In collaboration with the McKenzie Special School District and the Afterschool Alliance, the TEAMS Institute has chosen to hold the event to shed light on the growing problem of funding being cut for afterschool programs around the country. Tight budgets are forcing many programs to cut back or even close their doors, leaving the 14.3 million children without afterschool care either home alone or out on the streets where they can be exposed to crime or engage in dangerous behaviors.
“We know that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn, and relieve working parents of worries about how their children spend their afternoons,” said Evelyn Parker, TEAMS Institute Program Board Co-Chair. “The Lights On Afterschool program celebrates the remarkable work being done by students who attend the TEAMS Institute afterschool program.”
Open to children between the ages of six and eighteen, students who attend the TEAMS Institute participate in classes concerning Technology, Engineering, the Arts, Medicine and Science (TEAMS).
Children attending the Institute have learned valuable life skills that help them in all aspects of their lives. They gain the confidence they need to excel socially and academically. The children who attend the Institute are performing better in the classroom and are learning how to give back to their community.
“The TEAMS Institute afterschool program permits students who need extra attention and assistance to keep up with their peers by having the opportunity to receive this help. The program also provides a place for students to safely remain until they are united with their working parents or guardians. I fully endorse the TEAMS Institute in McKenzie,” stated Walter Winchester, the Mayor of McKenzie and a frequent TEAMS Institute volunteer.
Being held at 135 Bells Store Road, the events planned for the Lights On Afterschool rally include a tour of the Institute, games, music and a question and answer period with local leaders and state representatives.
Funding for the Institute is provided by the State of Tennessee’s 21st Century Learning Center, a group that awards grants to organizations that provide academic enrichment activities designed to help students meet state and local standards. The TEAMS Institute, which was founded in 2008, was recently awarded a three-year grant from the 21st Century Learning Center to continue providing life-changing opportunities for the youth of Carroll County.
To learn more about the Lights On Afterschool rally or the TEAMS Institute, visit teamsinstitute.org or call the center at 731.352.3377.
