Community members are invited to lace up their running shoes and join the students and teachers of Center Academy Jacksonville in running the School Choice Challenge 5K & 10K. Racers, joggers and walkers take their marks at 8 a.m. at the school’s Mandarin Campus, located at 10679 Old St. Augustine Road. Race shirts and medals will be handed out to everyone who pre-registers.

Fourteen race wheelchairs will be provided by myTEAM TRIUMPH from Michigan for people who otherwise couldn’t participate in endurance sports. The myTEAM TRIUMPH members will connect runners who push the chairs with the riders.

The event is planned to coincide with National School Choice Week 2016, the nation’s largest-ever celebration of excellent options in education. Signature National School Choice Week yellow scarves will also be handed out to runners in celebration.

More than 200 runners are expected to attend the event to show solidarity surrounding the school choice options, and registration is open to the public.

“School Choice is important at Center Academy because it allows us to provide a unique educational environment to students who otherwise would fall through the cracks in a traditional setting,” said Stephanie Thompson, director at Center Academy’s Mandarin Campus.

“It is important to the community that all children have the education they deserve, and school choice allows that to happen in ways that were previously unavailable.”

Center Academy is a private independent school serving students in grades 4 – 12.

National School Choice Week (January 24 – 30, 2016) will be America’s largest-ever celebration of opportunity in education. Featuring more than 16,000 independently organized events across all 50 states, the Week shines a positive spotlight on effective education options for children. National School Choice Week is independent, nonpolitical, and nonpartisan, and embraces all types of educational choice – from traditional public schools to public charter schools, magnet schools, online learning, private schools, and homeschooling.

To pre-register for the race, visit www.UltimateRacingInc.com.

For more information, contact Stephanie Thompson at StephanieThompson@centeracademy.com.