NHA Schools Come Together for Family Fun at Cruisin’ Kids Fest
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National Heritage Academies (NHA®) hosted the Cruisin’ Kids Fest to give families a front-row seat to the Telegraph Cruise and the chance to connect with four schools ahead of the new year.
The family-friendly event feature car-themed activities to pair with one of Taylor’s summer traditions, the Telegraph Cruise. As vintage vehicles rolled by, kids made their own “engine oil,” built their own cars and tested them on ramps, took train rides around Taylor Preparatory High School, and more.
Admissions Representative Shelby Gregory said NHA wanted to provide something for every member of the family at the Cruisin’ Kids Fest.
Taylor Exemplar Academy Principal Zemen Marrugi (left) and Second-Grade Teacher Charniece Taplin (right) at the NHA Cruisin’ Kids Fest, which helped connect families with four NHA schools, including Taylor Exemplar.
“We used this opportunity to create a family environment because a cruise is more typically for the adults,” Gregory said. “So, we wanted to give the kids a place to come and hang out and have fun while everyone got to know our schools.”
While kids were designing their own dream cars and meeting characters such as Sonic, Stitch, Bluey, and Bingo, parents were connecting with school leaders and learning more about what NHA has to offer. Gregory said the event generated applications and one family already registered their student.
“Having these kind of family-focused activities and events that come at no cost to families has gone a long way to help us, too,” said Manager of Admissions Angela Liegghio.
One of the activities available for kids was a face-painting station. Other activities featured a car theme to pair with the Telegraph Cruise.
Representatives from Taylor Exemplar Academy, Taylor Preparatory High School, Quest Charter Academy, and Metro Charter Academy attended to meet with parents and students. Giving families a one-stop-shop where they could learn about each school helped them decide what is best for them and introduced them to what makes NHA schools stand out.
Liegghio said a lot of families will apply and register to more than one school, so offering this connection point helps them decide which school is best based on transportation, location, and other factors important to each individual family.
“Hosting these events really reinforces the whole concept of what NHA offers,” Liegghio said. “All of the things that make NHA’s educational experience, like Moral Focus™ and our curriculum, are on display, and they’re the same from school to school. So, it really reinforces that aspect, and it has helped us reduce the number of multiply applied and multiply registered families that we historically see.”
Kids could meet some of their favorite characters such as Sonic and Stitch while their parents could learn more about NHA schools in the area.
New families were welcomed into the Cruisin’ Kids Fest and including them creates a sense of community before the first day of school. Feeling that sense of family helps parents put their trust in NHA and each school.
“When we invite accepted parents to three events over the summer, they know our goal is to make these kids feel comfortable and confident before the first day of school,” Gregory said. “They feel better instead of sending their baby into a school they’ve never been to. NHA cares that our kids are comfortable and competent for the first day.”
Great work, Angela and Shelby! Looking forward to a great year, Taylor Exemplar, Taylor Prep, Metro, and Quest.
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA®) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find a charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.
The family-friendly event feature car-themed activities to pair with one of Taylor’s summer traditions, the Telegraph Cruise. As vintage vehicles rolled by, kids made their own “engine oil,” built their own cars and tested them on ramps, took train rides around Taylor Preparatory High School, and more.
Admissions Representative Shelby Gregory said NHA wanted to provide something for every member of the family at the Cruisin’ Kids Fest.
Taylor Exemplar Academy Principal Zemen Marrugi (left) and Second-Grade Teacher Charniece Taplin (right) at the NHA Cruisin’ Kids Fest, which helped connect families with four NHA schools, including Taylor Exemplar.
“We used this opportunity to create a family environment because a cruise is more typically for the adults,” Gregory said. “So, we wanted to give the kids a place to come and hang out and have fun while everyone got to know our schools.”
While kids were designing their own dream cars and meeting characters such as Sonic, Stitch, Bluey, and Bingo, parents were connecting with school leaders and learning more about what NHA has to offer. Gregory said the event generated applications and one family already registered their student.
“Having these kind of family-focused activities and events that come at no cost to families has gone a long way to help us, too,” said Manager of Admissions Angela Liegghio.
One of the activities available for kids was a face-painting station. Other activities featured a car theme to pair with the Telegraph Cruise.
Representatives from Taylor Exemplar Academy, Taylor Preparatory High School, Quest Charter Academy, and Metro Charter Academy attended to meet with parents and students. Giving families a one-stop-shop where they could learn about each school helped them decide what is best for them and introduced them to what makes NHA schools stand out.
Liegghio said a lot of families will apply and register to more than one school, so offering this connection point helps them decide which school is best based on transportation, location, and other factors important to each individual family.
“Hosting these events really reinforces the whole concept of what NHA offers,” Liegghio said. “All of the things that make NHA’s educational experience, like Moral Focus™ and our curriculum, are on display, and they’re the same from school to school. So, it really reinforces that aspect, and it has helped us reduce the number of multiply applied and multiply registered families that we historically see.”
Kids could meet some of their favorite characters such as Sonic and Stitch while their parents could learn more about NHA schools in the area.
New families were welcomed into the Cruisin’ Kids Fest and including them creates a sense of community before the first day of school. Feeling that sense of family helps parents put their trust in NHA and each school.
“When we invite accepted parents to three events over the summer, they know our goal is to make these kids feel comfortable and confident before the first day of school,” Gregory said. “They feel better instead of sending their baby into a school they’ve never been to. NHA cares that our kids are comfortable and competent for the first day.”
Great work, Angela and Shelby! Looking forward to a great year, Taylor Exemplar, Taylor Prep, Metro, and Quest.
NHA’s Cruisin’ Kids Fest helped generate more applications and Admissions Representative Shelby Gregory said one family already registered for their first day.
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA®) is a network of more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find a charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.