The Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge will be lit up in blue and yellow today in recognition of the Lights on After School initiative. 

“Today is all about really highlighting the importance of before and after school care and the impact on children and youth and families and the community,” says Maureen Topp, Manager of Licensed Programs with BGC Cochrane.

Lights On After School has become a yearly tradition in the province, inspired by a similar movement in the USA.

Topp says out-of-school programming is extremely important in Cochrane. “Without these programs, the kid's only other option would be to go home on their own after school. So by coming to, for example, our out-of-school care program, community children are in the care of safe adults who create activities for them to do, so the learning doesn't just stop at school when they come to us at the end of the day."

“They're learning social skills, they're learning about healthy eating. They are given opportunities to participate in activities that they get to choose.”

“For years we have always considered those the critical hours of the day.”

The Lights on After School initiative is celebrated throughout Alberta with 14 communities participating including Calgary, Okotoks and Edmonton.