For Russ Gregg, answering a call to serve wasn’t just about starting a school—it was about transforming a community. But the journey to founding Hope Academy was marked by years of internal struggle and a dramatic leap of faith that changed everything.
Moving to Phillips: An Unconventional Choice
In 1991, Gregg and his wife Phyllis made an unconventional decision. As followers of Christ called to be “the light of the world,” they asked themselves: what part of Minneapolis most needed the light of the gospel? The answer led them to the Phillips neighborhood—an area with the highest concentration of poverty in Minnesota and crime rates that made it a place “nobody wants to live in.” When Gregg told his father about their decision, his dad’s response was blunt: “Russ, you’re an idiot.”
Confronting the Education Crisis
But living in Phillips opened Gregg’s eyes to a devastating education crisis. Each morning, as he drove his own children 10 miles across town to their private Christian school, he passed his neighbors waiting for buses to what were arguably some of the worst schools in the country. The statistics were heartbreaking: less than half of local students would graduate high school, and those who did could only read at an eighth-grade level. Some schools in the area didn’t have a single student reading at grade level.
Eight Years of Wrestling
For eight years, Gregg admits he “disobeyed God,” driving past these students daily while praying, “Lord, would you please tell somebody to do something about this problem.” The turning point came during a Sunday sermon in September 1999 about heaven and eternity. The pastor challenged the congregation: “If this is really true, that for ages and ages we’re going to inherit all things, what should you do with the 70 years you’ve got here on the planet? I encourage you to venture something for God that’s a little bit crazy.”
The word “crazy” hit Gregg like lightning. A non-educator starting a school in the most challenging part of the city? That would be wild. The following Monday morning, he walked into his boss’s office and quit his job as development director, giving himself just 11 months to prepare for opening a school.
From 35 Students to 700: The Growth Story
In September 2000, Hope Academy opened with 35 students in grades K-2 and three teachers. Twenty-five years later, the school serves over 700 students in grades K-12, supported by more than 150 staff members.
The Revolutionary “Kingdom Flip” Model
What makes Hope Academy truly revolutionary is its “Kingdom Flip” funding model. While traditional Christian schools rely on parents to pay 90% of costs through tuition, Hope Academy flips this completely. Parents pay sliding-scale tuition based on their ability (accounting for just 10% of costs), while individual sponsors cover the remaining 90%. Over 500 sponsors have partnered with students, making top-quality, Christ-centered education accessible regardless of family income.
High Expectations for Every Student
Under Gregg’s leadership, students begin learning Latin in fourth grade and continue for five years. They read the Odyssey, the Iliad, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen. Algebraic concepts are introduced in third grade so all students can take algebra as eighth graders and calculus as seniors. The goal is ambitious but clear: students who arrive two or three grade levels behind graduate college-ready.
Building Community Through Deep Engagement
The school’s commitment extends far beyond academics. Every October, Hope Academy cancels classes for three days so all teachers can conduct home visits, reaching 350 families from 8 AM to 8 PM. Twice yearly, every parent is required to attend Saturday workshops and classroom observations. The results are striking: while only 15% of parents in local public schools participate in parent-teacher conferences, Hope Academy maintains a 97% attendance rate.
Expansion and Future Vision
In 2024, Hope Academy completed a massive expansion, purchasing and renovating a 150,000-square-foot former eye hospital next door through a $45 million “Hope Rising” campaign. This sets the stage for double enrollment over the next decade.
The Heart of the Mission: Joy Through Service
For Gregg, the mission remains deeply rooted in faith and joy. Drawing from Jesus’s teaching about banquets, he challenges other educators: “When you give a banquet, don’t invite your friends and neighbors and relatives who can pay you back. Go and invite the poor, the lame, the broken, the blind, those that would never in their wildest dreams imagine that there was a place at the table for them—and then you’ll have real joy.”
“Go for the joy,” Gregg often says, “and think about those in your city who would never dream there was a place at your school for them—and then make it possible.”
After 25 years, Hope Academy stands as proof that when faith meets action, even the most daunting challenges can become opportunities for transformation—not just for students, but for entire communities.
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