Mount Vernon is emphasizing the importance of its after-school programs for kids with a celebration.

Treszure Stewart and Haditta Verez-Herrera are students who live in Mount Vernon. They say after-school programs through the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau are the highlights of their days.

Stewart has been a part of the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau for just a few weeks. Herrera has been a member for the last four years, since she was 6 years old.

"I went there to learn about the world outside of Mount Vernon and it has taught me that,” says Stewart.

The celebration on Thursday was called Lights on After School. The Mount Vernon Youth Bureau encouraged kids to join the programs.

Both Stewart and Verez-Herrera said they joined to learn, make connections and have a fun place to be after school.

“I’ve been with them since I was little and they’ve watched me grow so they know a lot about me and we have deep conversations,” says Verez-Herrera.

The Mount Vernon Youth Bureau said these after-school programs don’t just give kids a fun place to be after school. It also helps reduce their risk of being involved in crime, violence and drugs.

“The ramifications for that is not too good, it's jail time. What we try to do is preventative,” says Debbie Burrell-Butler, executive director of Youth Bureau.

The Mount Vernon Youth Bureau has 20 after-school programs and serves about 1,400 students. Burrell-Butler said these programs also help working families with after-school childcare.

But for Stewart, it’s more than that.

"This program has taught me a lot and it's been there for me mentally,” she says.