Great Hearts Gala Raises More Than $1.2M for Arizona Teachers

The 9th annual Great Hearts Gala raised $1,272,567.18 for Arizona teachers through the Teacher Excellence Fund. Presented by Smead Capital Management, the Alice in Wonderland-themed evening welcomed more than 450 guests to Hangar One in Scottsdale for a whimsical celebration of teacher excellence.

The goal of the Teacher Excellence Fund is to reward and retain outstanding teachers throughout the Arizona network of schools through significant bonus compensation every December at the Headmaster’s discretion based on teaching performance. This year’s Teacher Excellence Fund distributions will be included in the upcoming December 18 payroll, ensuring that the generosity displayed at the Gala directly benefits Great Hearts educators.

The evening began with a cocktail hour and VIP lounge, where guests could browse and bid on silent auction items, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and be entertained by a roaming illusionist, before guests were welcomed in to the main dining room for a seated, professionally catered dinner and programming.

While the event highlighted the excellence of our teachers and demonstrated the strength of the partnership between our families and academies, the evening’s program also showcased our scholars with a student recitation of Mr. Flood’s Party by Edwin Arlington Robinson from our 2026 Great Hearts Bard winner, fifth grader Cora Patient from Great Hearts Roosevelt.

Superintendent Brandon Crowe introduced fourth grade teacher Elise Trujillo from Archway Glendale as the 2026 Exceptional Teaching Award recipient, recognizing her outstanding dedication and impact within the charter network’s classrooms. Her presence at the Gala reminded the attendees of the daily impact our teachers have on the lives of thousands of scholars across Arizona.

After the presentations were made and dinner plates were cleared, the evening became “curiouser and curiouser” as the time came to raise additional funds for the Teacher Excellence Fund. The live auction was a whirlwind of raised paddles and some friendly competition, all for the generous purpose of raising funds for our teachers. This was in addition to the online silent auction that had begun a week ahead of the event, and the popular Diamond Raffle, where guests purchased tickets for a chance to win a 1.8 carat brilliant-cut diamond, donated by Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers.

All efforts resulted in a huge success for the Teacher Excellence Fund. This achievement is evidence of the extraordinary commitment our families and community partners have to those who teach and inspire our students each day. This year’s Gala was made possible through the generosity of our sponsors: Smead Capital Management, Great Clips, UMB Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Lerner & Rowe Gives Back, Fennemore, Baird, Casas Bonitas, Elevate Parking, Norcon Industries, Coffin & Trout Fine Jewelers, Chermack Consulting Group, GCON, Carhuff & Cueva Architects, Coldwater Ventures, Lindsay Quigley Sapanaro Insurance Team, Sapanaro Development, Fester & Chapman, Overwatch Security Group, Near-Cal Corp, Athletic Applications, Marsh Agency, Renovation Orthopaedics, Margaret T. Morris Foundation, Biltmore Pro Print, BMS CAT of Arizona, ER2, PNC Bank, Rose Law Group, The Plant Stand of Arizona, Squire Patton Boggs, and the many in-kind donors whose generous contributions helped bring this extraordinary evening to life.

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