Polk County Schools will hold its Polk Cares 4 Kids fundraising celebration on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, from 5-10 p.m. at Tryon International.
The event will be held on the third floor of the International Pavilion, with proceeds supporting academic, arts and athletic programs across the district.
Polk County Schools provides many extracurricular and enrichment opportunities without charging students participation or transportation fees. Those experiences include academic competition teams, arts programming and athletics, all of which carry significant costs for equipment, supplies, meals and travel.
A school activity bus can cost nearly $4 per mile to operate for an away event, while an academic team such as Bridge Building can require about $8,000 annually to remain viable. Team meals for away events can cost $600 to $700.
As local funds are increasingly needed for core operations, PC4K is intended to provide a more sustainable source of support for programs that have little or no dedicated funding.
The fundraiser helps support opportunities including Bridge Building, Lego Robotics, gifted programs, STEM, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, fine and performing arts and 12 athletic programs.
The most recent Polk Cares 4 Kids event raised more than $62,000 for student programs.
Additional information about tickets, sponsorships and other ways to support the 2027 event will be announced as the fundraiser approaches.
