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On August 16, 2024 Chavez Huerta Preparatory Academy (CHPA) invited the community to a special ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of their new addition, funded by a BEST Grant from Colorado Department of Education. This event celebrated the next step in the ambitious plan to modernization and expand the Chavez Huerta Preparatory Academy, removing portables and giving their students 21st century learning environments catered to the unique culture and neighborhood of Pueblo’s west side community.
Ersilia Cruz Middle School students have been temporarily utilizing the two-story facility that was built for CHPA and completed in July 2022. That facility will transition into an elementary school now that the permanent Ersilia Cruz Middle School addition to Dolores Huerta Preparatory High (DHPH) is complete. After 13.5 months in construction, this addition will allow for greater connectivity between Ersilia Cruz Middle School and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High and include small group learning areas, a new gym and was able to include renovations to the existing DHPH campus.
“Having been involved in both the new transitional school and this new addition to the high school and middle school, I am proud to see CHPA’s vision for this campus come to life,” said Chris Sparks, Project Manager for Nunn Construction.
“This is more than just a building; it’s a place where future leaders will be inspired, where creativity will be nurtured, and where this community will grow stronger together. This achievement is a testament to the dedication, collaboration, and hard work of everyone involved.”
Community Backed Commitment to Modern Facilities
CHPA is committed to enhancing the educational experience for all their students. The BEST Grant has enabled CHPA to work with Wember as Owner’s Representative, CRP Architects, and Nunn Construction to continue their mission to expand their facilities, providing more resources and opportunities for their students to thrive. The Colorado Department of Education’s BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today) Grant Program helps secures funding for schools that need updates or new construction, and often provides much needed funding for schools, especially in rural areas, that may not have access to other forms of funding for modernizing and improving their educational facilities. This makes BEST Grant funding an integral part of improving K-12 schools throughout Colorado. For CHPA’s BEST Grant funded addition & renovation, the Nunn team worked hand-in-hand with CRP on a fast-track early procurement package to accelerate the start of construction allowing the school to meet the schedule requirements for the funding.
“We are grateful for the support of the Pueblo community, our faculty and staff, and the BEST Grant, which has allowed us to make significant improvements to our schools,” said Fred Segura, Executive Director of CHPA. “This new addition will benefit our students, staff, and the entire community.”
“We look forward to showcasing our new facilities and celebrating this achievement with our community,” added Segura. “This is a testament to our commitment to providing the best possible education for our students.”
About Chavez Huerta Preparatory Academy
Chavez Huerta K-12 Preparatory Academy was formed by a diverse group of community members committed to the preparation of Pueblo’s students for success as young scholars, citizens of the world, and leaders of character regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds. With the ambitious mission to prepare each student for success in college, CHPA provides a rigorous college preparatory program in a supportive and challenging learning environment and is the only Pueblo school to provide a seamless K-12 education built on virtues of integrity.
Their schools include Cesar Chavez Academy, Ersilia Cruz Middle School and Dolores Huerta Preparatory High and the entire K-12 campus works to infuse honor, excellence, respect, service, compassion, self-discipline, tolerance, determination, and innovation into daily instruction, athletics, and community service. CHPA administrators, faculty, and staff are committed to improving practices, engaging students, connecting with parents/guardians and expanding their knowledge of education. With a profound sense of hope and optimism for the future of their community’s young people, CHPA focuses on developing critical thinkers, effective communicators and confident leaders. They are “Building a Legacy of Success” and aim for excellence in all they do.
