By The Network for Educational Opportunity (NEO) announced today its inaugural School Choice Celebration to be held during National School Choice Week. NEO's celebration will take place at the Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon Street East in Laconia, NH on Saturday, February 1st beginning at 12:30 p.m. NEO staff are holding this first-ever event to kick off their second year of K-12 scholarship operations, and to celebrate the awarding of more than $125,000 in education tax credit scholarships for the 2013-2014 school year.
Free and open to the public, the NEO School Choice Celebration will feature interactive musical experience "Wayne from Maine" and balloon-meister White Marriot. The celebration will also highlight the need to expand access to educational options for all children.
Organizers expect close to 250 people to attend the event: children, parents, community leaders, and other education choice stakeholders. NEO staff will make a presentation on scholarships and school choice at 12:30 p.m. and will repeat this presentation following the concert. NEO's close-knit community - as well as new families seeking information - are strongly encouraged to attend for scholarship access updates, including information on how to apply.
Under the NH Education Tax Credit law passed in 2012, families may be eligible for financial need-based scholarships from NEO to pay tuition for education options. This has created a flurry of interest from families in need and levels the playing field, giving children whose parents are of modest means the opportunity to attend a school they would otherwise be unable to afford. The need-based scholarships empower families to choose an educational setting that is the best fit for their child. Options NEO can assist with run the gamut of public schools outside a student's zoned district, first-time or continued attendance at specialized private schools, as well as financial support for home schooling materials and experiences.
"All of us at NEO are thrilled to have the opportunity to empower NH families to overcome barriers to choosing a school or educational setting that is the best fit for their child. We're proud to have awarded scholarships to more than 100 children in 2013 and we look forward to celebrating school choice with parents and the community," said NEO Executive Director Kate Baker.
By participating in National School Choice Week 2014, which runs January 26th to February 1st, NEO joins hundreds of organizations, thousands of groups, and millions of Americans in raising awareness concerning the need to empower parents with the ability to choose the best educational environments for their children.
Network for Educational Opportunity
Kate Baker, 603-785-0174
kate@networkforeducation.org
www.networkforeducation.org
