The State Capitol was crowded with over 300 students from various after-school programs across Hawai’i, on Wednesday, who gathered to celebrate the importance of after-school programming during the “Lights on After School” rally.

Members of the Hawai’i Afterschool Alliance and After-School All-Stars collaborated to creat the event, with support from KPMG.

At the event, First Lady Dawn Ige shared her support for those in attendance, alongside Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland, Senator Michelle Kidani, and Representatives Tom Brower and Takashi Ohno.

“It is such an honor to have our students, families and schools joining us today, as we celebrate nationwide after-school programs and their important role in the lives of children and communities,” said Dawn Dunbar, President and Chief Executive Officer of After-School All-Stars Hawai’i. “It is also refreshing to have KPMG employees take time out of their workday to be a part of the efforts to bring awareness to the benefits of quality after-school programming for Hawai’i’s youth and its impact on future workforce development.”

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After-School All-Stars has been in the works since it was founded in 1990 by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The nonprofit organizations work towards providing free, quality, and comprehensive after-school programs that keep children safe and able to reach success.

In 2009, the Hawai’i chapter of the organization was founded, and since has served 2,000 at-risk youth each year in 10 middle schools on the Big Island and Oahu.