D214 Alumni, Parents Thank Teachers and Fund the Future

In debate practice at Wheeling High School, Rishi Ganti didn't realize his coach would have such a profound impact on his life.

Now a successful investor who holds three Harvard degrees, Ganti says retired teacher Don Tantillo's lessons live on: Interviewed live in 2017 on international TV, he was comfortable, he says, largely because of Tantillo's debate instruction as a teen.

"The thousands of hours we spent debating and working with Mr. Tantillo eventually became a skill that I recognized other adults didn't have and ultimately would never have," Ganti says. "Draw a line among the extraordinarily successful WHS graduates of a certain era, and you will find Mr. Tantillo at the center of nearly all of them."

Ganti is among those who paid homage to educators through the "Part of My Story" campaign, a fundraising and thank-you opportunity through the District 214 Education Foundation timed around Teacher Appreciation Week in early May.

The campaign allowed graduates, parents and others to honor a teacher, coach, administrator, aide or anyone else from their -- or their child's -- high school years who positively impacted and shaped the story of their life. The tributes were printed on postcards and delivered to educators current and retired.

The campaign directly supported the Foundation, a 501(c)(3) funding student success and innovation across District 214.

"It is so inspiring to see the tributes and truly understand the role that our District 214 educators play in the stories of our students," said Erin Brooks, executive director of the Foundation and assistant director of community engagement and outreach. "This campaign provides a chance to say thank you, while also empowering the futures of current students in school today."

The Foundation supports District 214 beyond the limitations of conventional funding for public education. For more about the Foundation and upcoming events, visit www.214foundation.org.