Bluejacket Education Foundation

At Future Fest 2024, BJEF was proud to announce Christine (Bartz) Miller, 1967 graduate of CHS, as the winner of the inaugural Distinguished Bluejacket Award. From her decades of work in the Cambridge-Isanti school district to her many volunteer endeavors over the years, Miller has made an indelible mark on our community.

After a remarkable 30 year teaching career and roles as director of teaching and learning and assistant superintendent in Cambridge-Isanti schools, Miller decided to “retire for good” volunteering her time to bring good to the community. She has served on the boards of several local foundations over the years, as well as volunteering with Christ the King Catholic Church. In 2005, Miller put her considerable grant writing skills to work, securing funding to bring the Reach Out and Read program to Allina Health Cambridge and Isanti Clinics. The program focuses on building a literacy foundation for children by providing free books at every well-child visit and has handed out more than 65,000 books in the community – and counting. In 2018, Miller was named to Minnesota’s “50 over 50” list, by AARP Minnesota and Pollen, in recognition of her community service leadership.

For decades, Bluejackets have used their Cambridge-Isanti Schools education and experience to do amazing things in their careers and their communities. That’s why BJEF has created the Distinguished Bluejacket Award, to honor our alumni and their remarkable accomplishments.

If you know someone who has distinguished themselves through remarkable career/work, community service or personal accomplishments and you believe they should be considered for this award, click here to complete a nomination for the Distinguished Bluejacket award.

Nominees who meet the selection criteria will be contacted by BJEF and asked to fill out additional information about their accomplishments in order to complete the nomination and application process.

• Nominee must be a graduate of Cambridge-Isanti High School or Cambridge High School
• Has distinguished themselves through remarkable career/work, community service, or personal accomplishments
• Has demonstrated one or more of the Bluejacket Way character traits in the pursuit of their achievements
• Must be in good standing in their community, past and present
• Nominees are not required to currently reside in the Cambridge-Isanti area
• Award may be given posthumously

Make a Nomination

Donate Online: When you give to the Bluejacket Education Foundation endowment fund, your gift establishes an enduring legacy that will benefit the students of Cambridge-Isanti for years to come. Give now! If your employer makes matching donations for their employees, be sure to inquire on the process before making your gift. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated!

Mail a Check: To make donations and payments more secure and to streamline processes, the Initiative Foundation partners with Bremer Bank. Please write the check to Initiative Foundation-BJEF, note the purpose of your contribution on the memo line, and mail to this address:

Initiative Foundation – 446122
Attn: BJEF
P.O. Box 64182
St. Paul, MN 55164-0182

While the mailing address may be in St. Paul, the Initiative Foundation continues to maintain its headquarters in the heart of Central Minnesota at 405 First St. SE, Little Falls, MN 56345.

Give a Planned Gift: If you would like to contribute another type of gift, please contact a member of the Bluejacket Education Foundation advisory team or call the Initiative Foundation at (320) 632-9255. An Initiative Foundation staff member will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process.

Save the date for Future Fest 2025: Friday, April 25, 2025 at the Braham Event Center.

Watch the Facebook page for more information, sponsorship opportunities and individual ticket sales.

Making a charitable bequest in your will is often the easiest way to make a significant gift and leave a lasting legacy. Gifts large and small are important. It is simpler than you might think to make a meaningful difference to future generations of Cambridge-Isanti students!

If you would like to leave Bluejacket Education Foundation in your will, make another type of planned gift, or contribute an appreciated asset, please call the Initiative Foundation at (320) 632-9255 and a staff member will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. In partnership with the Bluejacket Education Foundation, the Initiative Foundation owns and manages financial contributions for the Bluejacket Education Foundation.

Contact us learn more about joining the advisory team or volunteering.

PTOs and PTAs enrich the educational experience with a single-school focus by supporting students, teachers, and the school community through a variety of collaborative efforts. They do this by fostering communication; organizing and fundraising for near-term events and activities; and by supporting teachers and staff through teacher-appreciation activities. Education foundations have a longer-term and district-wide focus. Led by local volunteers, education foundations engage community volunteers to raise larger donations that are then permanently invested. Earnings from these investments are used to award classroom grants and support the school district for generations. While a PTO or PTA typically consist of parents and teachers, an education foundation can be supported by any community member interested in fulfilling the foundation’s mission.

The education foundation operates separately from the school district. It is a Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation, a regional community foundation headquartered in Little Falls. The Initiative Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that serves all of Central Minnesota. The education foundation is guided by an agreement and championed by an advisory team made up of community volunteers. Education foundation members can be parents, grandparents, school staff members, teachers, and anyone connected to the community.

This fund is one of several education funds held and managed by the Initiative Foundation to benefit local public school initiatives. This fund is part of a family of funds endowed to the Initiative Foundation through an originating document (agreement) and includes donor-advised funds, community funds, scholarship funds, and more. The fund serves local students now and into the future, and is rooted in an agreement that allows local volunteer advisors to make classroom-enriching granting decisions while the Initiative Foundation carries out the fiduciary responsibilities of managing a charitable endowment. As part of the Initiative Foundation’s family of funds, the education foundation and its advisory team benefit from a professional fundraising team that can help with larger and more complex gifts. Financial specialists at the Initiative Foundation ensure compliance with all rules, laws and regulations, and oversee the completion of an annual independent audit to elevate community trust and transparency. The Initiative Foundation’s investment and audit committee works with an experienced third-party professional to invest the endowment for long-term growth.

An endowment is an investment in tomorrow. Once established, only the earned interest and growth is used to award grants. The core investment and any subsequent donations are not spent but rather invested for growth. Advisory team members work diligently to raise funds to increase the endowment’s value and work with potential donors to help them understand how those funds will be used. Advisory team members believe an endowment is an excellent way to offer ever-increasing support to the school district for generations to come.