Schools and Students to Unite at Jan. 24 Celebration for 'Missouri School Choice Week'

500+ to attend celebration of all school types

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Public, private, and online school students will unite at the Missouri Capitol next week for a joy-filled celebration of their common goal: putting kids' educational needs first. "The Impact of Options - Celebrating All Missouri Schools" will take place Wednesday, Jan. 24 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Capitol Rotunda.

The upbeat celebration will feature student dance, band, and choir performances from private and charter students hailing from Kansas City, St. Louis, Lee's Summit, and St. Joseph. After showcasing their skills, students and their families will have a chance to share their school choice stories with legislators.

More than 500 participants are expected to attend the high-energy celebration. The event is timed to coincide with National School School Choice Week 2024, a week of festivities to celebrate learning and spread gratitude for K-12 education options.

While recent years featured multiple smaller events in Missouri during School Choice Week, this year's celebration is a larger, unified effort by a group of education organizations, including Children's Education Alliance of Missouri, Missouri Charter Public Schools Association, Show Me KC Schools, Outreach Christian Education, ActivateSTL, Quality Schools Coalition, and Public School Options.

Organizers hope that the inclusive celebration helps parents feel supported in exploring their learning options, and students feeling proud of their school choice, whatever it may be.

"Bringing together a diverse group of schools and students from across the state for this celebration is exactly what school choice week is about.  The event will celebrate the choices families have made in Missouri to find the right fit for their children. And more than that, the day is a firsthand civics lesson for students who will meet their elected representatives and get a look at how laws are made," said Peter Franzen, associate executive director of Children's Education Alliance of Missouri.

In addition to this event, nearly 400 events and activities will take place in Missouri to celebrate School Choice Week, including a homeschool expo in St. Louis and school spirit weeks across the state. To mark the Week, Gov. Mike Parson recently issued a proclamation officially recognizing Jan. 21-27, 2024 as "Missouri School Choice Week."

The Missouri State Capitol is located at 201 W. Capitol Ave.

This celebration is open to the press and the public.

National School Choice Week (NSCW) informs, inspires, and empowers parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and homeschooling. Every January, tens of thousands of schools, organizations, and individuals plan unique events and activities to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options in their communities. The Week is a project of the nonpartisan, nonpolitical National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

SOURCE National School Choice Week