MONTGOMERY — Troy University and Montgomery’s Valiant Cross Academy announced a new partnership on Tuesday that will allow the school’s eighth and ninth grades to be located on the University’s Montgomery Campus.

Through the partnership, which was announced during a ceremony at TROY’s Rosa Parks Museum, Valiant Cross, an all-male private academy currently serving sixth and seventh grades, will lease space in Building 136 on the Montgomery Campus to house their eighth and ninth grades beginning in August. The partnership also clears the way for collaboration to pursue public and private grants to enhance educational opportunities for both TROY and Valiant Cross, as well as providing academic opportunities for students in the University’s College of Education.

“It was the great Alabamian Helen Keller who said ‘Alone I can do so little, but together we can do so much.’ We have found that to be very true at Troy University, and we believe that through working together this partnership will be a home run,” said Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor. “This partnership is the right thing to do and it is the right time to do it. I see this as not only an opportunity for Troy University to be of service but also for a tremendous opportunity for the young men who will be served and our TROY students as we seek to prepare professionals to teach at this level. We want good students at Troy University, and I can tell through the eyes of these young men from Valiant Cross that they are committed to being scholars.”

Sen. Gerald Dial, President Pro-Tem of Troy University’s Board of Trustees, said great facilities can have an impact on the educational success of students.

“Our goal in creating this partnership is centered on the success of students, both students from Valiant Cross and our students at TROY,” Dial said. “Enabling the success of all of our students is what we are about at Troy University. This is a great day and this partnership will serve as an example to other universities to show how they can reach out to make a difference in the lives of all Alabamians.”

Eddie Welch, chairman of the Board of Directors of Valiant Cross Academy, said the partnership provide endless opportunities that will benefit both Valiant Cross and Troy University.

“As we come here today, we are truly talking about a partnership between Valiant Cross Academy and Troy University,” Welch said. “This represents far more than a lease agreement. This is truly an alliance that I believe will outlive all of us and be fruitful for many, many years to come. I want to thank the leadership of Troy University for their vision and their willingness to work to make this happen, and I encourage our scholars to fully embrace all the opportunities that this partnership will provide.”

Anthony Brock, head of schools for Valiant Cross, called the announcement an historic day in the life of the school.

“This is an awesome opportunity for Valiant Cross to enable these young men the opportunity to be on a college campus during their high school years,” Brock said. “We want this to be the norm for our scholars – to have the opportunity to know what it is like to be on a college campus and to take advantage of all the opportunities that TROY is making possible to us through this partnership. Our scholars are excited about it. We are looking at opportunities for dual enrollment down the line and there are so many opportunities provided through TROY like the Rosa Parks Museum, the Davis Theatre, the Confucius Institute, and the University’s College of Education. It is an historic day in the life of Valiant Cross Academy.”

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange commended the leadership of the two institutions for helping to make a difference in the city.

“I am so pleased and proud to be a part of knowing these scholars, of being able to participate in their programs and to be able to call these scholars my friends,” Strange said. “I want to thank the leadership of Troy University and Valiant Cross Academy. This has truly exceeded my expectations, and it is having an impact the lives of these young men and ultimately is helping Montgomery to be the best that it can be.”