Fundraising effort for new Uvalde elementary school nears $60M goal
Hope disrupts.
That's a point of view that guides Ashley Chohlis, superintendent of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, as she leads her community in the aftermath of losing 19 elementary students and two teachers in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.
"My biggest goal was to disrupt the trajectory of what happens in communities that have mass tragedies," Chohlis said, explaining that the aftermath usually brings mental health issues. "Bringing hope to this community is very important to me."
A physical manifestation of hope is coming together in Uvalde two years after Fort Worth philanthropic organizations jump-started a fundraising effort to build a new elementary school for the small city six hours away. Now, the group is $5 million from its goal after raising $55 million in the past 23 months.
"We are near the finish line," said former state Sen. Beverly Powell, who assembled a coalition of Fort Worth philanthropic organizations to build a new school for Uvalde.
Powell knew she had to help after hearing about the shooting. She wasn't sure of how until her husband asked. She thought about it — and it clicked.
"I know how to build schools," said Powell, a former Burleson ISD school board member.
She turned to Fort Worth-based architect Chris Huckabee, whose firm is a national leader in designing schools. He was all in — and offered his company's services pro bono . He brought together a team that had the best expertise in trauma-informed architecture .
"This has been the most difficult project we've ever worked on," Huckabee said. "But I give you my word: It's been a project designed for a community that needed healing."
Tim Miller, executive director of the Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation, notices the hope in Uvalde residents when he talks about the new school and the support of Fort Worth, North Texas and beyond.
"It brightens their day, and that's always a good thing because they have memories every single day of the trauma that they suffered back in May of 2022," Miller said.
Construction is underway on the new elementary school and is expected to be completed in fall 2025. And, Huckabee said, work is ahead of schedule.
Outside of conversations, Miller knows Uvalde sees hope as residents drive by and see a new campus going up, he said.
The new school was designed to embrace the nature surrounding Uvalde and the city's culture as well as remembrances of the lives lost at Robb Elementary. Murals will be featured throughout the school, Powell said. One will reflect the area's honey farm industry and include 19 little bees following two big bees.
Although money is coming from across Texas and the nation, the school is Uvalde through and through, Miller said. During the design process, the families of the victims and survivors were involved and so was the broader Uvalde community.
"It's a design by Uvaldeans and built by Texans, and we appreciate everybody's support in helping us get across the finish line with this last remaining $5 million," he said.
The elementary school will be Uvalde's first new campus in seven decades. Most of the school district's buildings are between 70 and 100 years old, Chohlis said.
Typically, new school buildings in Texas require school districts to hold an election on bond funding so voters can decide. Uvalde, though, is too small and lacks the debt capacity needed to support a bond, according to officials.
The new school will meet the needs of 21st century students, the superintendent said. More than that, Chohlis expects the Uvalde community will see how their children learn in a different way in a new space.
Hope allows things to happen.
