Lights On Afterschool Celebrations Reach Military Kids

Lights On is an annual celebration of the afterschool programs that provide enrichment for kids across the US, even those military families living overseas. Celebrating the programming, staff, and families is marked annually with localized celebrations. In 2023, the SHAPE school age center, operated by the United States Army Garrison and Army Child & Youth Services, celebrated with STEM Superheroes! Award-winning author and STEM educator Erin Twamley visited the afterschool location to help bring engaging STEM activities and energy literacy to military families stationed in Belgium. Over 60 military-affiliated families participated in this celebration, building robots, learning about reading readiness and exploring the careers of Energy Superheroes.

Twamley’s participation in this annual event is a testament to her commitment to bringing STEM education to diverse communities. While superhero events unfolded simultaneously in Charlottesville, Virginia, Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas, Twamley’s presence in Belgium added an international dimension to this important celebration.

This year’s Flipping the Switch celebrations were supported by Apex Clean Energy, Group14Engineering, RePowering Schools, GROW, the Colorado Dream Foundation, and the Afterschool Alliance. This diverse collaboration of partners highlights the profound impact of afterschool programs on children’s lives, transcending borders.