A Central Texas-wide pep rally, including Austin ISD seniors, will be held on Texas College Signing Day for graduating students who have committed to attending college.

The event is inspired by the National Collegiate Athletic Association's National Signing Day. It reinforces the imperative that excellence in the classroom should be given as much pomp and circumstance as excellence in athletics.

What: A pep rally with admissions advisers and college mascots welcoming students and inspirational speakers and relay races for participating school districts, which include Austin, Bastrop, Del Valle, Elgin, Hays, Pflugerville and Round Rock ISDs.

Who: Speakers include AISD Superintendent Paul Cruz, Ph.D., Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Huston-Tillotson University President Larry Earvin and former UT and NFL quarterback Vince Young.

When: 10-11:30 a.m. Friday, May 1

Where: Huston-Tillotson University, Mary E. Branch Gymnasium, 900 Chicon St.

Background: GenTX College Signing Day represents the culmination of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's student outreach and college awareness activities over the course of a year. GenTX is a statewide movement to ensure students have the information and inspiration they need to graduate and enroll in post-secondary education.

AISD is encouraging all students and staff to wear a college T-shirt of their choice on friday. 

Cruz is still deciding on which college T-shirt to wear. Watch the video Austin High School's film crew produced, "What will Cruz choose?"

For more information, please visit http://e3alliance.org/2015/02/24/collegesigningday.

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AISD is the fifth largest school district in Texas, serving approximately 85,000 students at 129 schools. Follow AISD on Twitter at @AustinISD or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/austinisd.