The Gala Takes Us Over The Rainbow

Step into your ruby slippers and follow the yellow brick road on A Journey to the Emerald City at the 5th Annual Great Hearts Gala.  This year’s event is expected to draw over 600 attendees on Saturday, September 24, 2022.  Attendees will include Great Hearts parents, local business, and community leaders.  The Gala is an annual event to help support the Teacher Excellence Fund that has been set up to reward and retain outstanding teachers throughout the Arizona network of schools.  This year’s Gala has been generously sponsored by Casas Bonitas.

Great Hearts Development Officer Haley Kucharo said the night will come with a few surprises.  “The evening promises to be a wonderful celebration, with music, dancing, hosted cocktail hour, a delicious dinner, and an incredible program featuring students, teachers, and alumni from around Great Hearts. You don’t want to miss an outstanding performance from our amazing faculty choir and a special recitation from our 2022 Bard Competition winner, Isaac Mendez.” Said Kucharo

The event looked a little different last year due to health and safety restrictions.  The team at Great Hearts pulled together their talents and hosted an online ‘Telethon’ in place of the traditional Gala and raised over $600,000, which was distributed to our faculty as bonus compensation last December.  Kucharo is grateful that we get to be together in person this year at the award-winning venue, Chateau Luxe, but wants to remind supporters that you don’t have to attend the Gala to participate.

Tune in on Saturday, September 24th at 7pm to watch the evening unfold on the Great Hearts YouTube channel or Facebook page. Anytime during the event, you can text ‘GREATHEARTS’ to 61094 to donate. The silent auction is now open for bidding and also available for supporters who are not in attendance. Check out the unique variety of silent auction items including a Flagstaff Weekend Getaway, resort stays, sporting event and concert tickets, Headmaster for a Day opportunity, home goods and décor, beautiful artwork, and much more.

Live auction experiences are available for bidding exclusively at the Gala, or by proxy (contact Haley Kucharo to bid by proxy).  You can preview the exciting live auction items such as a Private Chef experience with Chef Michael DeMaria, Phoenix Suns Suite for 16, and golf with the CEO.

The Diamond Raffle is a crowd favorite that will be returning this year. Only 200 tickets will be sold for a chance to win this 1.5+ carat, brilliant-cut diamond valued at $14,000, generously donated by Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers.  Raffle tickets can be pre-purchased this year at a discounted price that will not be available the night-of the event but you must be present at the Gala to win this special prize.

Tickets for the Gala are still available at https://aesaz.co/ELP/GHGALA2020/Tickets.  Don’t miss out on this magical evening as we Journey to the Emerald City.  The Hosted Cocktail Hour begins at 5:30pm, followed by dinner, program, auction, raffle, and music and dancing under the stars on the patio.

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