Epic Charter Schools is inviting Oklahoma families to trade their computer screens for a splash of color this Friday, hosting a Color Run at Mitch Park in Edmond from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 25. Participants can choose between a 5K or a 1-mile run/walk, and organizers are asking everyone to show up in a white t-shirt so it can soak up the bursts of color along the course.
The event is being organized by Epic Charter Schools, a tuition-free virtual charter school system founded in Oklahoma in 2011 that now serves roughly 30,000 students across all 77 counties in the state, according to KOKH. The school blends online coursework with one-on-one instruction from Oklahoma-certified teachers, letting students progress at their own pace, and it also operates blended learning centers where students can attend in-person sessions. Epic is authorized to operate statewide under the oversight of the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, which regulates virtual charter schools across the state.
Beyond the run itself, the station's report notes the day will include face painting, yard games like cornhole, chess, checkers and nine-square, and vendor booths staffed by Epic. Local food trucks will be on-site, and families are welcome to spread out picnic blankets and cheer on friends and family from the sidelines. It's designed as much for spectators as for runners, giving the geographically scattered virtual-school community a chance to gather in person.
A Statewide Virtual School With a Local Footprint
Although most of its instruction happens online, Epic maintains physical hubs to support that statewide reach, with regional administrative offices in Oklahoma City at 50 Penn Place and in Tulsa on South 103rd East Avenue. The Mitch Park Color Run fits into a broader pattern of in-person gatherings the school organizes for its dispersed student body, including an annual Fall Coat Drive that supplies winter clothing to Oklahoma students.
Edmond itself has been investing in amenities at the park that hosts the event. The city expanded its municipal electric vehicle charging network to 34 public charging ports powered by wind energy, with some of those stations located at Mitch Park, giving EV-driving families a practical reason to plug in while their kids run the course.
Academic and Career Programs Behind the School Year
Epic has also touted a run of institutional milestones heading into this school year. The network paid off a $30 million line of credit ahead of schedule, a move it says saved nearly $200,000 in interest expenses, and it recently expanded its enrollment eligibility to accept adult learners up to age 30 who are seeking to complete high school. On the academic side, five students from Epic's senior class were named National Merit Scholarship Finalists for 2026, and the school's student-run Epic News Network earned multiple Oklahoma Scholastic Media Awards and qualified for the 2026 Adobe Certified Professional U.S. National Championship.
For upperclassmen looking beyond graduation, Epic offers its Next Step postsecondary pathways, giving 11th and 12th graders tuition-free access to college coursework, internships and career training programs. The school also says it administered reading curriculum and student evaluation frameworks for the 2025–2026 school year in compliance with Oklahoma's Strong Readers Act, the state law requiring public schools and charters to track elementary reading proficiency and offer early interventions.
Families interested in the Color Run or general enrollment can reach Epic Charter Schools by phone at 405-749-4550 or by email at [email protected].
