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."