Celebrating Lights On Afterschool!

Governor Tate Reeves has declared October 20 as Lights on Afterschool Day, celebrating the importance of high quality afterschool and summer programs. We are proud to join afterschool programs across the nation in bringing awareness to the many ways programs like Operation Shoestring’s Project Rise supports students!

Operation Shoestring serves as the hosting organization for the Mississippi Statewide Afterschool network, an initiative that connects Mississippi afterschool and summer program providers, parents, and policymakers with resources to improve the quality of and access to afterschool and summer programming for school-age children and youth. As a statewide afterschool network, MSAN also hosts conversations for afterschool providers centered on topics like accessing resources and how best to utilize funding sources. 

Afterschool provides a space for kids to explore their passions. In a typical afterschool week, our students are absorbed in art projects or diving into specific STEAM topics alongside their academics and homework tutorials. These afternoons at Operation Shoestring only last a few hours each day, but the impact of what happens in those precious hours can last a lifetime. 

We’re glad to be part of an initiative that helps children feel loved and be able thrive all across Mississippi! When the life of one child in our state is improved, then all of our lives are richer for it.  We all rise together.