2nd Graders Create ABC's of Naperville Literacy Project

Print sells ABCs of Naperville for literacy projects.(News)
Article from:Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Article date:October 28, 2003Author:Hartman, Kari More results for:jeanine nicarico naperville abc

Byline: Kari Hartman Daily Herald Staff Writer

In the minds of second-graders, you'd think 'A' stands for apple, 'C' for cat.

Instead, the children say 'A' stands for art walk and 'C' for Centennial Beach.

At least that's the case in Naperville.

Second-graders in Naperville Unit District 203 and Indian Prairie Unit District 204 helped concoct the ideas for a new piece of artwork called Naperville ABC's. The prints will be sold starting next month and proceeds will benefit the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy.

"We were looking for something new and exciting to really catch the community's interest," said Harriet Treacy, a fund-raising committee member. "We think we found it."

Artist Laurie Allen of Dubuque, Iowa, used local schoolchildren's ideas to inspire the A to Z watercolor that colorfully describes some of Naperville's most important features. Allen has done similar prints for other areas, including Dubuque, Galena and Door County, Wis.

The Naperville prints will go on sale within the next few weeks at Anderson's Bookshop, Naper Settlement and Colbert Custom Framing. An 8 1/2 x 11-inch print will cost $15 and an 11 x 14-inch matted print will cost $20.

The prints feature prominent parts of the city, including Naper Settlement, the Riverwalk, Veterans Park, the Paddleboat Quarry and Edward Hospital.

"All the high-profile items everybody thinks of are listed and identified," said Ray Kinney, of Minuteman Press, who is donating the printing for the project. "It's a neat piece. It's cute that the kids came up with the ideas."

Kevin Colbert of Colbert Custom Framing is donating the matting for the project.

Proceeds will benefit the fund that provides literacy grants to Districts 203 and 204 and private schools in Naperville.

The fund was founded in honor of Jeanine Nicarico, a 10-year-old schoolgirl who was abducted from her home and murdered in 1983.

Committee members have planned various projects since the fund was created in 1996. Committee members hope the print will serve as an ongoing fund-raiser.

"It's so visual and shows so many great things about Naperville," Treacy said. "It's a wonderful way to capture Naperville in one piece of artwork."

2nd Graders Create Naperville ABC Poster

Prints of "Naperville ABCs," a poster by artist Laurie Allen that depicts a well-known landmark or site in Naperville for every letter of the alphabet, will go on sale in early November. The proceeds will benefit the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund.

A new poster featuring well-known landmarks and sites around Naperville will soon be for sale as a fund-raiser for the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund. "Naperville ABCs" is a watercolor print that depicts places in Naperville, one for each letter of the alphabet. Second-graders in Naperville School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 helped come up with the ideas to represent each letter.
"We thought it would be a nice match for the second-graders to come up with suggestions for the letters," said Harriet Treacy, a member of the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund. "Each class brainstormed different ideas for certain letters."

The ideas were submitted to Laurie Allen, an artist who has done similar ABC drawings for places such as Galena, Door County, Wis., and Dubuque, Iowa. Allen then toured Naperville in April to see the sites for herself.

"We think this is a wonderful representation of all the great things that happen in Naperville," Treacy said.

All proceeds will go toward the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund, which awards grants to teachers to promote literacy. The fund honors Jeanine Nicarico, a 10-year-old Naperville girl who was kidnapped and killed in 1983.

Barb Jansz, chairman of the fund, said the proceeds will ensure the fund continues on through the years.

"The community has been very generous in the past and we hope to make this an ongoing fund to continue to honor Jeanine in the future," Jansz said. "We are very excited about this project."

The alphabet print features Centennial Beach, the farmers market, Millennium Carillon and Naper Settlement, among other landmarks. Unmatted prints are 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and cost $15. Matted prints are 11 inches by 14 inches and cost $20. The prints should be available for purchase in early November.

"This is a great idea for Napervillians, for newcomers to the city and as gift for former residents," Jansz said.

She said Ray Kinney at Minuteman Press and Kevin Colbert of Colbert Custom Framing donated their services for the project. Jansz said 2,000 prints were made to start, and more prints can always be made. Each second-grade classroom in districts 203 and 204 will receive a poster-sized version of the print for their efforts.

"This is a great way for the community to give back and support teachers and literacy in the schools," Treacy said.

FYI

"Naperville ABCs" prints will be available in early November. The cost is $15 for an unmatted print or $20 for a matted print. Prints will be available at Anderson's Bookshop, Naper Settlement, Minuteman Press and Colbert Custom Framing. All proceeds benefit the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund.

[] Contact staff writer Britt Carson at bcarson@scn1.com or (630) 416-5269.