100 years ago, in a township not so far away, a district was born. Founded in 1914, District 214 has been inspiring students and teachers alike for a century.
The District has come a long way since its inception; District 214 is the second largest high school district in Illinois, now educating 12,000 students each year across six high schools. But this wasn’t always the case. The first school that opened its doors, the now-closed Arlington High School, graduated its first class of 101 students in 1923.
In celebration of such a momentous event, schools in the District banded together in an effort to book various events showcasing the talent, diversity and history of its student body.
The celebration kicked off at the board meeting on Feb. 5, where former principals, superintendents and Board members were recognized for all that they have done to further the learning of their students. Videos highlighting major milestones in District history were also shown.
At the meeting, current Superintendent David Schuler addressed the crowd.
“It’s such an awesome experience to know we’re able to reflect back with pride on the past 100 years and look forward to even greater successes in the next century,” Schuler said.
However, the celebration was just getting started. Last Friday’s four-hour event was all about the arts, showcasing culinary prowess, music and speech performances. The event celebrated the combined talent of all schools, with activities such as drama, orchestra, jazz band, Orchesis and speech taking the stage. In addition, centennial-themed artwork created by District 214 students was on display. “It’s incredible the amount of work, on behalf of staff and students, went into making each event possible,” Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Outreach Erin Brooks said.
On Feb. 7, the District hosted a “Centennial Classic,” an event where each school’s varsity girls and boys basketball team competed against their District counterparts. The free event, hosted at the Forest View Educational Center, entertained fans with almost 12 hours of non-stop basketball.
At the same time, students could walk around and view the historical room, a place where each school’s accolades were shown. Photographs of famous alumni, memorabilia, yearbooks and trophies were all on display. There were also interactive videos that helped educate students and community memebers on the illustrious history of their school.
The District also ran a social media contest on Twitter that set each school against the others in an effort to discover which one has the most school spirit. The premise was simple: whichever school Tweeted and retweeted their unique hashtag the most would win.
The winning school will receive a prize: 1,500 coupons for junior-sized burritos from Grande Jakes, a local Mexican restaurant. The contest ended on Feb. 7, and Elk Grove High School won.
“We’ve been very pleased with student response to our Twitter spirit contest, which has drawn more than 100,000 tweets and retweets using each school’s assigned spirit hashtag,” Brooks said.
But above all, the success of the event was dependent on the countless members who have made it all happen.
“What has really impressed me is the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff and students,” Brooks said. “I’m inspired every day to innovate and create, and I’m supported by collaborative colleagues who are ready to step in wherever needed to get the job done.”