“Lights On Afterschool” puts a spotlight on Eagle Zone

Second grader Ellery Maiers picked up another square of bright tissue paper and pasted it onto a plastic jar. It was a late Thursday afternoon in October, and the Cedar Ridge student had just come in from a lively time on the playground. “It’s always nice to have some fresh air after learning,” she said with a smile. Ellery had been learning all day in the classroom, but now, Eagle Zone, Eden Prairie Schools’ after-school program, was in full swing. Today was “Lights On Afterschool,” a special day to celebrate the importance and impact that after-school programs have on students, and everyone had the opportunity to make a special craft: lanterns made from plastic jars, colorful tissue paper and battery-powered tea lights. It was just one way Eagle Zone was engaging students in meaningful programming after the school day was over.

“Eagle Zone really is an extension of our school communities,” said Shayla Schonning, youth programs supervisor at Prairie View and Forest Hills. “Our staff build strong relationships with students and families and are often the same friendly faces our kiddos see during the school day. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive space that celebrates our students’ diversity and helps everyone feel like they belong.”

Another thing Ellery loved about Eagle Zone was spending time with the friends she had as a preschooler, but who were no longer in her second-grade classroom. She pulled a few of them together for a quick photo, and they talked about how many years they’d known each other. (For a second-grader, four years was already a very long time!) They ran off quickly to chat and play.

“We can provide an outlet [for students] to be themselves,” said Eagle Zone program lead Jenna Goetze, “and have a place for parents to feel safe sending their kids.” This was Goetze’s third year doing a craft for “Lights On Afterschool,” a nationwide project run by the Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit that works to ensure great afterschool programs are accessible to all children. In Eagle Zone, before- and after-school programming turns afternoons into opportunities for learning, connection and fun.

It’s that particular approach that helps support students when they go back to their classrooms the next morning. “Programs like Eagle Zone give students a space to build skills that directly support their success during the school day. When they feel supported and connected after school, it shows in their focus, behavior and engagement in the classroom,” Schonning said. All around the Cedar Ridge cafeteria, students were practicing taking turns, playing respectfully, cleaning up after themselves and more — the same types of tasks they’d encounter in school.

According to the Afterschool Alliance, more than seven million children are alone and unsupervised after school. Programs like Eagle Zone provide a structured way to keep kids learning and building social skills while also providing a safe and fun space for them to develop. Eden Prairie Schools is one of the only districts in the metro area that does not have a waiting list for its before- and after-school programming, allowing Eden Prairie students and families quick and flexible access. According to Goetze, this is one of Eagle Zone’s biggest priorities. “If we can’t serve the families who need us, we’re not helping our community.”