2008 Lights On New Mexico Summary

In New Mexico this year, the months of September, October, and November were delegated to Afterschool events held by over 50 programs, attracting over 7,000 youth, all of which were connected to the New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network through the New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community. The New Mexico State Fair began the events this year, gathering over 2,500 attendees alone.

Speakers for this event included; Congressional Delegates, the Afterschool Ambassador (Flo Trujillo), Afterschool Providers, as well as Miss New Mexico. In Farmington, the events included tailgates with pumpkin carving, face painting, and a spooky luau. In Taos they held a Family Festival with guests Smokey the Bear, the Scarecrow, and the Mad Scientist. In Albuquerque a Fall Harvest Festival was held; Congressional Delegates Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall along with Senator Eric Griego attended this event. In Ruidoso they incorporated this year’s theme, “Go Green with Culture”, and had a plastic bag recycling campaign.

More than 14 million school age children, or 25% of the youth population, are on their own after school. Among them are more than 40,000 kindergarteners. Only 6.5 million K-12 children, or 11% of the youth population, participate in after school programs. An additional 15 million would participate if a quality after school program were available in their community.

The New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community would like to thank the following programs and cities for their participation in the New Mexico Lights On Afterschool event:

• 21^st Century
• 21^st Century in association with Kirtland Elementary, Kirtland
• Albuquerque Community Learning Centers Project, Albuquerque
• Apple Tree Educational Center, Truth or Consequences
• Agua Fria Afterschool Program, Santa Fe
• Boys and Girls Club of Acoma Pueblo, Pueblo of Acoma
• Boys and Girls Club (OYD) of Dine Nation, Shiprock
• Boys and Girls Club of Roswell, Roswell
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Otero County, Alamogordo
• Boys and Girls Club of Bloomfield, Bloomfield
• Boys and Girls Club Teen Center of Aztec, Aztec
• Carinos Charter School, St. Espanola
• Carlsbad Public Library, Carlsbad
• Discovery Afterschool Program, Taos
• EcoServants, Ruidoso
• Evangel Christian Academy, Albuquerque
• Farmington Parks at Rec, Farmington
• Farmington Public Library, Farmington (10 events)
• Farmington Public Library Youth Services, Farmington
• Hilltop Boys and Girls Club of Farmington, Farmington
• Holloman Youth and Teen Center, Holloman
• Kirtland Elementary, Kirtland
• Kids Zone Early Learning Center, Tijeras
• Kirtland KAFB Youth Program, Kirtland
• Kirtland Youth Association, Kirtland
• McCormick Elementary School, Farmington
• Mosaic Academy, Aztec
• New Mexico Forum for Youth in Community, Albuquerque
• Office of Youth Development /Boys and Girls Clubs Dine Nation, Nageezi
• Pajarito Community School Afterschool, Albuquerque
• Power Library, Farmington
• Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Taos
• Sandia Base, Albuquerque
• Santa Clara Pueblo Community Library, Espanola
• Santa Fe Public School District, Santa Fe (10 events)
• Shiprock Branch Library, Shiprock
• Torreon Day School, Cuba
• Vista Grande Public Library, Santa Fe
• Weed and Seed, Las Cruces

A special thanks to Kaylie Austin from Farmington who won the “Go Green with Culture” poster contest.

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