Cardinal Fund will build legacy for Arlington High School
When hundreds of proud Arlington High School graduates gathered from across the country for an all-class reunion in their former high school last fall, a 1984 graduate asked what will Arlington's legacy be when no Arlington graduates remain.
"What kind of lasting legacy do we have available to us that will extend long beyond any of our own lifetimes … that we can continue to provide to the students of our community?" he said.
The Cardinal Fund, named for Arlington's mascot, was launched at that event to ensure that legacy, with a goal of funding Advanced Placement exams and industry credentials for current Northwest Suburban High School District 214 students who cannot afford them.
Those gathered in the Grace Gymnasium agreed this fund will maintain the long-standing ideals, spirit and tradition that were, and are, Arlington. Further, it will support students across every district school today, enabling a continued legacy of success.
Arlington High School was District 214's first school. Since it closed in 1984 amid declining enrollment, District 214 has grown and changed. Today, one in four students live in poverty. Many more come from families who struggle to make ends meet. At the same time, the district is encouraging more students to pursue early college credits and career credentials; to discover their future and their passion before leaving high school.
When District 214 broadened its Education Foundation in 2014, administrators challenged the foundation to significantly support schools and students beyond the limitations of conventional funding for public education.
Shortly after, Erin Brooks, the foundation's executive director, spoke to counselors about students' greatest needs. Many mentioned that the cost of Advanced Placement exams and industry credentials can be crippling for many families. And yet, both increase the possibility of future success.
Advanced Placement testing can translate into early college credits, significantly increasing students' chances to succeed at the college level and saving students thousands of dollars. Yet every year, there are hundreds of students who find it difficult or impossible to pay the $100 AP testing fee.
Industry and career credentials in areas like manufacturing, information technology and health care can range from $20 to $300, and show employers that students have mastered a baseline of knowledge in the field, making them more marketable during the job search.
"This is an area of need that exists in every one of our schools, and the impact of contributions to this cause is tremendous," Brooks said.
The foundation has provided about $30,000 in AP test funding in the last two years - all money raised by individual, alumni and corporate donors - empowering hundreds of thousands of dollars in early college credit.
Still, that figure doesn't begin to fulfill the true need. The foundation this year plans to allocate more to the cause, while also fundraising for the Cardinal Fund, with a goal of endowing the fund at $500,000 or more by the year 2020.
"This fund continues the legacy of success that started with Arlington High School, and it is impacting students at every school in our district," Brooks said.
To learn more about the Cardinal Fund, visit 214foundation.org/cardinal-fund.