At an all-class Arlington High School Homecoming celebration attended by hundreds of proud graduates in September 2017, the District 214 Education Foundation formally launched The Cardinal Fund.

The Cardinal Fund allows an opportunity to create a lasting legacy: one that will be a constant reminder of the years when another great high school -- District 214's first -- was an indelible part of the community. A school so impactful that the community contributions made by its teachers, staff, students and proud alumni will live in perpetuity. Forever.

The District 214 that Arlington graduates grew up in is not the District 214 that exists now. The District has grown and changed; our schools are nationally recognized, and ranked consistently as some of the best and most challenging in the state and the nation. Our students are leaving school prepared for 21st century futures.

But more than one in four of our students live in poverty. And so many more come from families who struggle to make ends meet.

Through The Cardinal Fund, the District 214 Education Foundation will cover costs critical to student futures: Advanced Placement tests that can position students for greater success and reduce the price of a postsecondary education; career credentials in areas like healthcare, manufacturing and IT that ensure students are poised for success.

These tests and credentials cost between $50 and $300. To many of our families, that price tag is overwhelming. The Cardinal Fund can have a direct, tangible impact on student lives, just as Arlington High School did for decades.

Join us in building a lasting legacy for our community.