The Power of Choice: Hundreds of Students Head to Capitol for School Choice Week Celebration

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 400 students from schools across the state will march to the Pennsylvania Capitol next week in a celebratory show of support for school choice.

The event will be held Tuesday, Jan. 23 with the march beginning at 10:30 a.m. Holding signs and wearing yellow scarves, students, staff, parents, and supporters will march from the Whitaker Center (222 Market St.) to the State Capitol (501 North 3rd St.).

At 11 a.m., a rally on the Capitol steps will kick off, featuring student speakers, singers, and music. Following the rally, high school students will have the opportunity to share lunch together at the Capitol and meet their representatives.

Hosted by Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, the event is open to the press and the public. The Harrisburg Capitol Rally comes on the heels of a tumultuous year for Pennsylvania education, as a proposal for Lifeline Scholarships / PASS was discussed but ultimately vetoed in 2023.

"Pennsylvania's public charter schools are making a positive difference for students, educators, and the communities they serve. That's why Pennsylvania moms and dads value school choice. Now, we want even more families to know about the options available for their children's learning," said Dr. Anne Clark, CEO of Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools.

The Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on representing both brick-and-mortar and cyber schools throughout the Keystone State.

The Capitol Celebration is planned to coincide with the history-making celebration of National School Choice Week (Jan. 21-27, 2024), which will feature tens of thousands of school choice celebrations across all 50 states. More than 800 of these celebrations will take place in Pennsylvania. These include a school fair in Pittsburgh, spirit weeks and contests across Pennsylvania schools, and the Gulf Tower and Koppers Building in Pittsburgh lighting up in yellow and red to mark the Week.

The Pennsylvania State Capitol is located at 501 North 3rd Street in Harrisburg.

For more information, visit pacharters.org or schoolchoiceweek.com.

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