Rocks become 'special and unique' at Naperville's Brookdale Elementary

Rocks might not seem like snowflakes or butterflies - each one special and unique.

But at Brookdale Elementary School in Naperville, they certainly are.

That's because all 611 students and 64 teachers at the school in Indian Prairie Unit District 204 spent part of Thursday painting rocks and personalizing them to line a new landscaped walkway leading to the building.

"We Are All Special and Unique" was the name of the project that got students in kindergarten through fifth grade involved in making a new decoration for their school out of something that's normally overlooked.

And as the day went on, the new walkway got more colorful, more vibrant, more rocky, more imprinted with the stamp of those who work and learn at Brookdale.

With nearly 700 stones now painted by students and staff members, they're ready to be sprayed with a protective coating to preserve their designs for future students to see.