CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 675 students from across Illinois will gather at the Merle Reskin Theater on Wednesday, Jan. 28 with a simple message: they love their schools and they are grateful for school choice. The event, which includes student speakers, dance performances, STEM projects and Trades presentations, is timed to coincide with National School Choice Week.

At the event, students will share personal stories about how school choice has shaped their lives. Over the past decade, the Prairie State has significantly expanded K–12 education options, broadening access to public, public charter, magnet, private, online, home, and non-traditional learning environments.

Organized by the Brown House Experience in collaboration with National School Choice Awareness Foundation, the event will be held from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at the Merle Reskin Theater (60 E. Balbo Dr., Chicago, IL 60604) and is open to families, educators, and community members.

"Students thrive when families can choose among many learning environments," said Tia Brown, Executive Director of the Brown House Experience. "Our Student Innovation Showcase celebrates students citywide as they present innovative projects in STEM, Arts, and Trades, showcasing the cutting-edge learning happening at their schools."

National School Choice Week runs Jan. 25–31 and includes 28,000 events across America. The goal of the week is to raise awareness about the various education options available to families, empower parents to find the learning environment that best suits their child's needs, and help them feel confident in navigating those choices.

For more information, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/events/student-innovation-showcase.

The National School Choice Awareness Foundation (NSCAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We show parents how K–12 school choice can change their children's lives, and then guide them through the process of finding schools that best meet their children's needs. Our three charitable programs––National School Choice Week, Navigate School Choice, and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares––raise equal awareness of the public, charter, magnet, private, online, home, and nontraditional education options available for families. We are nonpolitical and do not advocate for or against legislation at any level of government.

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SOURCE National School Choice Week