Wichita's Most Innovative Education Options on Display at National School Choice Week Field Trip

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Jan 18, 2024, 09:00 ET

WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As celebrations of educational choice take place nationwide, more than 500 Wichita students and parents who have chosen microschools, homeschool co-ops, and other non-traditional learning environments will join the National School Choice Week festivities with a field trip to the Exploration Place on Friday, Jan. 26.

The field trip will take place from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at the science center. Hosted by Wichita Innovative Schools and Educators, the trip will give students the opportunity to represent why they love their unique school choice to community members and the media. Students and their families can explore science and technology through hands-on models and activities at the museum, plus socialize and share lunch with others who have made a non-traditional learning choice.

Wichita represents one of the nation's hubs of innovative, alternative options, including microschools. Microschools are creative learning environments where students learn and socialize in small group settings under adult supervision. The microschool movement has burgeoned since the pandemic; today, more than one million students participate in microschooling nationwide.

Groups participating in the Wichita field trip include Freedom Preparatory, Greengate Children's School, Wildflower Community School, Kreative Kids Faith Academy, Guiding Light Academy, Charity Christian School, Light Academy, Apollos Schole.

The field trip is planned to coincide with the celebration of National School Choice Week (Jan. 21-27, 2024), which will feature tens of thousands of school choice celebrations across all 50 states. Nationwide, celebrations range from capitol rallies to student showcases. In addition to this meetup, more than 200 celebrations are scheduled to take place in Kansas during the Week.

"This trip is a great way to give our students a learning experience they may not otherwise have," said Candace Fish. "The event will show how many non-traditional learning environments we have in the area and showcase to local media the innovative options available to families."

A microschool established in 2022, Freedom Preparatory's vision is to create an environment where students love learning and find joy in school.

The Exploration Place is located at 300 N. McLean Blvd.

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