Great Hearts Gala Raises Nearly $600k for Teacher Development

PHOENIX, Ariz.—September 26, 2017—Great Hearts Academies recently held its second annual fundraising Gala supporting teacher training and development across its network of 23 academies in Arizona.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with this magnificent event. Our teachers bring our classrooms and curriculum to life, and we use the monies raised to provide them continuing development and support, not only strengthening the entire Great Hearts network of schools, but properly honoring and cultivating these individuals who dedicate their lives to this work,” said Dan Scoggin, Great Hearts’ Co-Founder and Chief Advancement Officer. “We are so thankful for our many sponsors and the more than 600 attendees for their support of this event and Great Hearts Academies.”

Keynote speaker Geoffrey Canada, one of America’s most respected voices on education, addressed guests at the main event.  Canada founded the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), which The New York Times Magazine called “one of the most ambitious social experiments of our time.” In October 2005, Canada was named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by US News and World Report. In 2010, Canada was prominently featured in the Davis Guggenheim documentary Waiting for “Superman.”

 Following his keynote, he then had Great Hearts students and teachers join him on stage for a question and answer session about the state of education today. There was great energy in the room as attendees enjoyed the exchange and had a chance to hear first-hand from some of the wonderful students and teachers representing Great Hearts.

The audience also enjoyed a recitation from Great Hearts Archway Glendale 5^th grader, Rebecca Perkes. She channeled William Shakespeare with her recitation of “Once More unto the Breach” from Henry V. Perkes was the Winner of the 2017 Great Hearts Bard Competition.

The success of the event is truly due to the more than 50 sponsors who gave so generously,” said event co-chairs Keri and Todd Noel. “We are also grateful for the support of so many Great Hearts parents and families who stepped up to the plate in a huge way, raising a remarkable amount of money at our second Gala in support of our amazing teachers.”

About Great Hearts:
Great Hearts is a non-profit network of public charter schools dedicated to improving education nationwide through classical preparatory K-12 academies. As the largest provider of classical education campuses in the country, Great Hearts academies serve more than 15,000 students at 28 tuition-free public schools in greater Phoenix, Ariz. and San Antonio and Irving, Tex., with waitlists that typically exceed enrollment.  Great Hearts provides a robust liberal arts curriculum incorporating advanced math and science, a focus on the arts and foreign language, and a range of extra-curricular activities and athletics. Learn more at www.greatheartsamerica.org.

Contact:
Bill Odell
Communications Director, Great Hearts
bodell@greatheartsaz.org  or (602) 889-5034