OMAHA, Neb. —

Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. and community members rallied at the University of Nebraska Omaha to advocate for more funding and programming for Nebraska youth through after-school activities.

The event, put on by Collective for Youth as part of the national Lights on After School initiative, aimed to encourage families to recognize the importance of these programs and to urge lawmakers to provide more support. More than 1,000 students and parents gathered with community leaders to advocate for after-school programs.

"These programs are engaging," Collective for Youth Executive Director Megan Addison. "They're full of enrichment activities where kids learn new things every day and have opportunities to interact with caring adults and learn things that they've not experienced

See Full Page