Great Hearts Academies will host the return of its Great Hearts Gala.

Multi-platinum country star Riley Green will be the headlining performer at the gala, which represents the largest fundraiser for the Teacher Excellence Fund, giving Great Hearts the opportunity to reward hardworking statewide teachers. Last year’s gala raised more than $700,000 in bonus compensation to 735 teachers.

The event starts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Earnhardt Lexus Showroom, 800 E. Camelback Road, in Phoenix.

With hits like “There Was This Girl” and “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” Green is a chart-topping singer-songwriter. The Alabama native’s latest single “Different ‘Round Here” (featuring Luke Combs), is climbing through the radio charts as he tours North America as part of the Luke Combs World Tour, in addition to his headlining dates.

The theme for this year’s event is “How the West was One” and proceeds will support the Teacher Excellence Fund, which provides bonus compensation every December to reward and retain the best Great Hearts teachers across Arizona.

“Every year we strive to outperform the previous year’s gala and we could not do this without the support of our partners and sponsors,” Brandon Crowe, Great Hearts Arizona superintendent, shared in a statement. “Last year was a record-breaking year of fundraising for the Teacher Excellence Fund, which was established to thank our teachers for their devotion to, and passion for, serving Great Hearts scholars.”

The Gala is made possible thanks to the sponsors Liberty Buick, Liberty GMC, Casas Bonitas, Earnhardt Lexus, Coffin & Trout Fine Jewellers, American Family Insurance, HUB International, Arizona Bank & Trust, Copa Health, Norcon Industries, The Jenkins Family, Polaris, SPS+ Architects, and AmPhil.

Sponsorship packages begin at $7,500 and are available to both families and corporations. Visit greatheartsgala.org to donate, sponsor or volunteer at the Gala. Contact Haley Kucharo at 602-438-7045 x490 or Haley.Kucharo@GreatHearts.org.

Great Hearts is a nonprofit network of K-12 academies with campuses in Anthem, Buckeye, Chandler, Gilbert, Peoria and Scottsdale.

A look at the 2022 Great Hearts Gala.

(Photo courtesy of Great Hearts Academies)