On Saturday, January 21, Families Empowered brought schools from across Houston together with hundreds of families for a fun-filled event at the Houston Zoo to kick off School Choice Week. Families Empowered is a non-profit organization that works with families across Houston to ensure that they understand and can navigate all the school options available to them. Families braved the rain, waiting in line well before the event in brightly colored rain ponchos and yellow scarves to ensure their place at the fair. Although tickets were limited, no family was turned away. Inside the fair, school booths were stacked three deep, ensuring families had access to lots of options and information in addition to games, raffles, a vibrant DJ, and free admission to the Zoo.
This was the second time Families Empowered hosted the School Fair at the Houston Zoo, welcoming families for informative fun and opportunities to enjoy and experience the animal encounters and exhibits as well. At the core of this work is a deep passion for providing all families with quality information about the schools available to them so that they can make the best choice for their children. The event brought that passion to life and continues to grow year over year.
One in five of the families served at Families Empowered enrolled in a new school and 93% reported being more satisfied. Among the families served, 66% have a household income of less than $50,000 annually.
Families were able to meet with a wide variety of schools and service providers. Staff and volunteers from Families Empowered greeted guests outside the Zoo and provided them with tickets, wristbands, and tote bags. Throughout the Zoo, volunteers guided families back to the fair, where guests received bright yellow scarves and jumped in the bounce house before entering the fair. School tables were stacked three deep in the space, each with pamphlets of information for families and prizes for kids. The DJ provided upbeat music for guests while children enjoyed face painting and raffle games.
While the event took place Saturday, families who may have missed it can still reach out to Families Empowered online through chat on the website or call 713-589-8767 for free support in English and Spanish.
