School Choice Fair at Houston Zoo to Mark National School Choice Week 2022

300+ to attend regional school fair featuring free application help, raffle giveaways, and more

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Jan 15, 2022, 06:30 ET

HOUSTON, Jan. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Not far from chimpanzees and Amazon Milk Frogs, several hundred families and educators will unite to celebrate school choice at the Houston Zoo on Saturday, Jan. 22. The free fair will feature schools of all types— traditional public, charter, private, virtual, and home education— and give Houston families the opportunity to talk with school representatives, ask questions about their options, and receive one-on-one help with school applications.

The outdoor fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the zoo's Masihara Pavilion and will include face painting, a bounce house, an opportunity to interact with zoo animals, a DJ, a photobooth, snacks, and other family-friendly entertainment.

The first 300 people in attendance at the fair will receive free admission to the zoo. While the event is free, RSVPs are required. Families can register at https://bit.ly/3q1R4gH.

This event is planned to coincide with the celebration of National School Choice Week Jan. 23-29, 2022, which will feature more than 26,000 school choice events across all 50 states. As part of the celebration, Jan. 22 will be "School Fair Saturday," and will feature large school fairs in more than a dozen U.S. cities, simultaneously with the Houston event.

"The last two years have been incredibly disruptive for families," said Colleen Dippel, CEO of Families Empowered. "At Families Empowered, we have been laser-focused on helping families find schools that work for them. We are thrilled to be able to partner with the Houston Zoo and National School Choice Week to bring families and schools together so that kids enroll in schools that will be the best fit for them moving forward."

The Houston Zoo is located at 6200 Hermann Park Dr. Families unable to attend in person are invited to use applyhouston.org to find schools and access application links.

This event is organized by Families Empowered, which brings families information so they can choose the education that works best for them.

National School Choice Week shines a spotlight on effective K-12 education options for children, focusing equally on traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and home education options. Every January, participants plan tens of thousands of celebrations –– such as school fairs and open houses–– to raise awareness about school choice across all 50 states. School Choice Week also develops resources and guides to K-12 education for families. As a not-for-profit effort, the Week is nonpolitical and nonpartisan and does not advocate for legislation. For more information visit schoolchoiceweek.com.

SOURCE National School Choice Week