Choose Respect Montgomery, which is dedicated to educating students and parents, and raising awareness, about teen dating violence, will host its annual “RespectFest” from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, March 27, at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center. The free festival is open to middle and high school students, parents and youth-serving providers.
RespectFest will be a fun, interactive festival with games, activities, yoga, self-defense workshops, performances, a resource fair, free food and raffle prizes.
Students can earn Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for attending.
The Wheaton Community Recreation Center is located at 11701 Georgia Ave. in Wheaton. However, parking can big limited for big events, so attendees have the option of parking at Einstein High School at 11135 Newport Mill Rd. in Kensington and taking a free shuttle to the event. There also will be free buses from Seneca Valley High School in Germantown (leaving at 12:30 p.m.) and Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville (leaving at 12:45 p.m.) going to the festival.
RespectFest will open with opening comments from Debbie Feinstein, chair of the RespectFest committee, and Hana O’Looney, the student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education.
Among the activities will be 30-minute self-defense classes beginning at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Booths will be open focusing on dating violence, consent, bystander intervention and technology abuse.
A schedule of events and more information on RespectFest are available at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fjc/chooserespect/RespectFest.html.
