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DPS Hosts Education And Enrollment Expo

DETROIT (WWJ) - Lots of fun going on in Hart Plaza Saturday for the Detroit Public Schools Education and Enrollment Expo. The idea is to get DPS students and parents excited about the back to school season.

WWJ's Chrystal Knight reports that about 10,000 parents and their children were all enjoying free school supplies, immunizations, and lots of food and fun.

Numberous Detroit public schools set up booths to encourage enrollment for students ... that's the goal of DPS Expo.

Gospel recording artist Vickie Winans served as Grand Marshall for the Hart Plaza event - which also featured a parade.

Six Four is a mentor and motivational speaker for DPS students, "You see the smiling faces, these children are happy and the reality of it is, when they go home they must have a solid base, if we don't have a solid parent base in the city  then maybe these dollars will end up being for nothing, I hope not," said Ford.

DPS spokesman Steve Wasko spoke with WWJ about the event.

"With all the opportunities that were created for an added time for students to be in the classroom, with extended day programs, and extended year programs, and summer school for half of our students across the entire district, for families to not take advantage of every opportunity for the child to be in the classroom it's just something that we are really going to be pushing back against this year," said Wasko.

Suzie Ford has children who attend Detroit Public Schools, she says the enrollment problem stems from a lack of proper parenting. "I don't think there are enough parents participating in their kids' education. ... there should be more parent participation," said Ford.

The bell rings for the first day of school on Sept. 6th.

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