Great Heart Roosevelt is Making Space for the Future with New Addition

“We want to reignite the intellectual curiosity and inquiry of your child,” said Roosevelt Prep Headmaster Tony Cruz to families, faculty, and students assembled for the school’s “Meet the Teacher” night. The event doubled as a milestone celebration, marking the long-awaited opening of the new high school building, officially unveiled with a ribbon cutting and tours of the new space.

As a relatively new academy to the fast-growing city of Buckeye, Great Hearts Roosevelt is entering its fourth year. The campus is named after Quentin Roosevelt, the youngest son of the 26th President of the United States, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and First Lady, Edith Roosevelt. The upper school’s mascot, the Roosevelt Aces, is a nod to Quentin’s career as a pursuit pilot during World War I.

When they opened their doors as a K-8 school back in 2022, Cruz realized it would not be long before they would outgrow the main building as new high school grades were added each year. The eighth graders who began as the upperclassmen in the inaugural year are now entering their junior year of 11th grade. After many discussions with Great Hearts leadership, Cruz said they soon ‘started dreaming of a building that would house our new high school classes.’ That dream led to the groundbreaking of a new addition last year.

The new detached addition sets adjacent to the main existing building, creating a semi-private courtyard between the two structures. The new two-story structure complements the Neoclassical architecture of the main building, creating the appearance of grandeur when approach the campus, and adding a dedicated high school quad on the north side of the campus, complete with turf, benches, and shaded areas for students.

And the interior spaces do not disappoint either. The halls lined with lockers also feature a special built-in time-capsule corridor for the upcoming senior classes. New classrooms include a state-of-the-art science room, and dedicated music room. While the building offers many exciting new features, Cruz emphasized that its true value lies in what happens inside its walls. “It’s going to be just like every other school building,” he said. “But what’s inside of them will be great. Teachers that love and care about the content they’re teaching, teachers who love your students, care about the mission of Great Hearts… to cultivate in their hearts and their minds a pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.”

Cruz thanked numerous individuals and groups who helped make the building a reality, including Great Hearts leadership, the school’s faculty, Carhuff + Cueva Architects, LLC, GCON Construction Management, and Chermack Consulting Group during the planning and construction phase of the project. He also recognized the parents and families who have supported the academy since its early years. “Three years ago, I told you we’re going to build into the future and it’s going to take time to get there,” Cruz said. “You are the reason why we are here, and you are the reason why we are going to continue to do this work with excellence.”

Before ceremoniously cutting the oversized ribbon with oversized scissors and posing for multiple photo ops in front of the balloon adorned entrance, Cruz closed his speech with gratitude and excitement for the future. “This is just the first step in the continued growth we have here,” he said. “Thank you for trusting us with your children and being willing to partner with us in their future.”

Do you have a story or know of one that you would like to see featured at Great Hearts? Please contact jmoore@greatheartsamerica.org.

Submit a student application to a Great Hearts Academy by visiting: https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/enroll/.