S.B. schools 'fall' into after-school programs
Hold harvest-themed parties for Lights On Afterschool Day
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — The township school district celebrated National Lights on Afterschool Day with various fallthemed activities at each of the elementary and middle schools on Oct. 16.

South Brunswick Community Education, which is celebrating its 20th year of service in town, has participated in afterschool recognition since the program's inception in 2000. This year, each school held a fall festival to allow parents to spend time with their children, who normally remain at the school until about 6 p.m. each weekday once the regular school day has ended.

"Lights On lets [families] know that school is always open for the working parent," said Dana Kovacz, the site coordinator at Cambridge Elementary School. "I think it makes them feel more comfortable wanting to come to the after-school program."

At Cambridge, program leader Diane Romatowski decided that a Toys for Tots program would mark Lights On well, encouraging children to be mindful of less fortunate children in the world.

"Because of the economy, I think it'll be a tough Christmas for a lot of families, and this just gives children a special morning," she said.

Therefore, she asked that all of the 100 kindergarten through fifth-grade students who stay after school each day either bring in a toy or have their parents make a donation.

She said that in previous years, the group collected toiletries for soldiers in Iraq and soup for the food pantry, which is a nice contrast to the socially directed activities normally held during the program, such as playing outside, doing arts and crafts, cooking and sometimes just relaxing.

She said this is about "just being a kid, because kids don't get to be kids nowadays, unfortunately."

Jas-Lynn Singh and Olivia Gonzalez, both fourth-graders at Cambridge, were doing just that: being kids. Singh said, "You get to hang out with your friends," and Gonzalez said, "I like to play outside."

Over at Greenbrook Elementary School, students were creating fall wreaths and garland together, playing Pin the Nose on the Pumpkin, running a scarecrow relay and eating pumpkin pie.

"This gets families and parents to … stop in while they're here, instead of running in and picking up their children and leaving. They get to converse and talk to each other," said Amy Neal, site coordinator at Greenbrook. "This gives them a chance to see their children active in a program they are at every single day. They see how they fit in here and how they socialize."

Mikel Matticoli, a fourth-grader at the school, enjoys his socializing time, but also likes the structured format of having a snack, expending some energy with games and then doing his homework.

"The after-school program has a schedule that is always wanting us to have fun," he said. "I like being home, but I like being at after-school because I always have fun. … Having your family here, you can do activities together that sometimes you don't have time to do at home, and it's just time to be together."

At the other district schools, the fallthemed projects for Lights On included eating cultural breads, decorating pumpkins and playing with a piñata.

For more information about National Lights On Afterschool Day, visit www.afterschoolalliance. org.

Contact Jennifer Amato at

jamato@gmnews.com.