Keeping ‘Lights on Afterschool’ in Glen Cove

Last week, the Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club and the Youth Bureau hosted its “Lights on Afterschool” event to showcase the importance of its afterschool programs. The event is a nationwide project of the Afterschool Alliance, the only organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of afterschool programs. It advocates for investing more in afterschool alternatives to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs.

The Boys and Girls Club celebrated the event on Oct. 26, while the Youth Bureau held its event on Nov. 27.

“The kids are able to come to a safe location, have their homework done, enjoy a snack, participate in some sort of recreational program,” said Sandra Potter, the youth program coordinator. “It’s to let the community know that these organizations do exist and to make sure that you can take advantage of them.”

At the Youth Bureau, the kids decorated pumpkins, made snacks and played games. At the B&GC, they showed off their favorite afterschool clubs and activities.

“They always let you do fun things and they have snacks,” said Sophia Petrizzo, 8, about the Youth Bureau, who trying to convince her friend, Lia DiMaggio, 8, to start coming to the bureau.

Danielle Galiano said the Youth Bureau helps her son Dylan with his homework. “He’s ADHD and it’s difficult for me to even get him to do his homework, and here they get him to do his homework,” she said. “He also really appreciates the computer lab here, that’s the main reason why he likes to come here.”

Both organizations work with the various schedules of families to make sure their children have a safe and fun place to go after school.