Sending a note? Elgin student artists make it easy

The artwork of talented District Unit 300 students is now featured on all-occasion note cards in a special fundraiser for the District 300 foundation.

For $15 a box, the notecards are an ideal gift for loved ones and colleagues this holiday season. A box contains 16 notecards each specially designed by District 300 students.

The District Foundation for Educational Excellence presents the 16 winning artists:

• Jacobs High School: Hannah Ayers created “Triptych”; Stephanie Carlson created “Walk to Remember”; Monique Marchwiany created “Cherries”; Hallie Morrison created “Untitled”; Alana Rung created “Chinese Lanterns”; Stephanie Sanders created “Elite”; Liv Schaffer created “Ballet Shoes”; Kristen Schlosser created “Bird”; Artur Szmanda created “A Twig of the Elements”; and Nancy Valladares created “What the Past Says.”

• Dundee-Crown High School: Danielle Becker created “Happy It's Your Birthday”; Kimberly Farquhar created “2 Sides of Me”; Griffin Thorne created “Waiting Room” and Cara Zissman created “The Gratefulness of Blue.”

• Carpentersville Middle School: Laura Vazquez created “Circles” and Megan Matoian created “Live, Love, Laugh.”

To see some of the students' designs, visit www.d300foundation.org/alloccasioncards.html.

Place your order now by calling foundation assistant Mary Gross at (847) 426-1300, or by downloading and filling out the order form at d300foundation.org. Forms may be mailed to the Foundation, 300 Cleveland Ave., Carpentersville IL 60110. Or, District 300 staff members may send the forms by interoffice mail to the foundation's attention at the Administration Center.

Beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 23, orders will be available for pickup either at the customer's school office or at the District 300 Administration Center reception desk during business hours, as specified by the customer when ordering.

Foundation Trustees Diane Magerko and Patti Douglas worked with District 300 art educators and their students to select artwork for the Foundation Note Card Sale. The committee worked with Diamond Graphics in Algonquin to make this project come to life.

The cards will raise funds for the foundation's grant program, in which local educators apply for and are awarded funds to enhance and extend learning opportunities in all Dist. 300 schools. Since the Dist. 300 foundation was founded in 2002, it has awarded several hundred thousand dollars in local education grants -– all made possible by private donations and special fundraisers.