Building Hope Expands Partnership With Elevate Academy, Breaks Ground on New Campus in Post Falls, Idaho

Elevate Academy’s Flagship Campus Completes Renovation Thanks to Building Hope Partnership

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Building Hope, a non-profit foundation dedicated to creating high-quality K-12 charter school opportunities for students through its expertise in real estate, finance and operational services, today announced the groundbreaking of its partner school – Elevate Academy North in Post Falls, Idaho. The brand-new facility is expected to open for students in grades 6-12 in 2022. This is the second Elevate Academy project Building Hope has developed. The academy’s original campus is located in Caldwell, Idaho.

“We are excited to expand our partnership and support the work that Elevate Academy is doing in Idaho,” said Building Hope Real Estate President Dru Damico. “The academy’s innovative career technical model is an inspiring way to benefit at-risk students and build lasting community partnerships.”

On Aug. 23, Elevate Academy’s leadership team, families, community leaders and representatives from Building Hope gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Elevate North site, which is located on the southwest corner of Killdeer Avenue and Bogie Drive. When the school opens in August of 2022, it will serve 220 students in grades 6-10 and will grow with the students to include 11^th and 12^th grades. One hundred percent of the students that Elevate North will serve qualify for free and reduced lunch prices. The site plan includes a 25,000-square-foot academic building and approximately 15,000 square feet of technical space.

“We plan to build on the successful model that’s being used at our flagship campus and provide technical training for our students,” said Elevate North Principal Marita Diffenbaugh. “Our community partnerships have engaged local professionals and industry leaders and helped develop programs that benefit at-risk students.”

Diffenbaugh also said the school is basing technical opportunities for students directly off of community need. “We want students who plan to enter the workforce upon graduation to be set up for success,” she said.

With Building Hope’s help in securing loan financing, Elevate Academy opened its first Caldwell location in 2019, and just completed a renovation that added 1,300 square feet to its campus. The school’s incoming seniors for the 2021-2022 academic year will be its first graduating class. Elevate Academy serves more than 400 students and was designed by professionals in the areas of culinary arts, construction, welding/manufacturing, medical arts, criminal justice, firefighting, business/marketing, and graphic design. The school offers interest-based learning experiences and focuses on the wellness of the whole child by providing an onsite fitness center, mental health services, individual showers, a laundry room and barbershop.

“For the 2021-2022 academic year, student wellness is our top priority,” said Elevate Co-Founder and CEO Monica White. “We are implementing a year-long school social and emotional curriculum program that will be used at every grade level. We will also continue weekly visits with the Idaho Youth Ranch – an emotional therapy program that works with horses.”

Building Hope and Elevate Academy are also preparing to open campuses in Nampa and Idaho Falls in the next two years. Elevate Nampa is scheduled to open for students in the fall of 2022 and Elevate East in Idaho Falls is working toward a 2023 goal completion date.

Building Hope helps charter schools identify, finance and build facilities customized to schools’ needs. The organization also provides support services that allow school administrators to keep their focus on educating students. For more information about how Building Hope helps charter schools nationwide with facilities, financing, and operational services, visit www.buildinghope.org.

About Building Hope

Building Hope is a non-profit foundation created to support education and public charter schools. Since 2003, Building Hope’s purpose has been to identify and finance viable facilities so that all students have access to a quality K-12 education. Building Hope has grown the capacity of charter schools nationwide by providing facilities, financial, and operational services so that schools can focus on and devote more resources to educating students in underserved communities. Building Hope has supported 300 charter school projects and 150,000 students in 20 states and the District of Columbia, by providing more than $363 million in direct loans, credit enhancements, and equity investments to support $1.9 billion in school construction.

Contacts

Media Contacts

Elizabeth McKinnon

ShinePR for Building Hope

elizabeth@shinepr.com

Martha Holler

ShinePR for Building Hope

PR@buildinghope.org