Cumberland High School will join more than 7,500 communities and 1 million Americans around the nation in celebrating afterschool programs at the Lights On Afterschool rally on Thursday. This event is organized by the Afterschool Alliance and sponsored by the Virginia Partnership for Out-of-School Time and the 21st Century Community Leaning Centers.

The event will celebrate the achievements of afterschool students and draw attention to the need for more afterschool programs to serve the millions of children nationwide who are unsupervised and at risk each weekday afternoon. This program will emphasize the importance of afterschool programs and the resources needed to keep the lights on and the doors open.

The afterschool program at Cumberland High School provides homework assistance and tutoring in English, mathematics, science and history and classes in intramural recreational sports, photography, culinary arts and STEM opportunities to students in grades 9-12. The program is a collaboration of the school system, Southside Virginia Community College, Cumberland Woman’s Club and the Virginia Extension Office.

Parents, students, state and local administrators and legislators, school officials and community members are among the invited guests. Participants will see exhibits representing activities conducted during the afterschool hours, student-led demonstrations, and will be able to attend workshops on 3-D Printers, The Economics of a Degree, Finding a High-Paying and In-Demand Career, Yoga, Team Building Skills and Maker Fair. The program will start at 5:30 p.m. in the high school cafetorium. For more information, contact Ms. Peggy Miller at (804) 492-4212 or pmiller@cucps.k12.va.us.