Who the Fund Benefits

The Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy, under the Naperville Education Foundation, sports grants to individual educators, or entire schools, in an effort to promote a deeper understanding and teaching of literacy, to enrich instructional programs, to provide opportunities to link literacy between the home and the school, and to lay foundations that will develop life-long readers. The Fund was established in 1996 by friends and family of the Nicaricos, faculty members at River Woods Elementary School and other staff members of Naperville Community Unit School District 203.

Mission Statement

It shall be the mission of the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy to honor the memory of Jeanine by acquiring and distributing resources that promote a deeper understanding of literacy and provide enriched literacy opportunities for the learners within the Naperville community.

Fund Goals

• Promote the development of literacy for learners of all ages
• Provide resources for literacy programs and staff development opportunities for educators
• Encourage and support educators to:
• Clarify their personal belief system about literacy and learning that is reflected in their practice
• Develop a deeper understanding of reading and writing processes
• Acquire the understanding to create a climate that lays a foundation to develop life-long readers, writers, and learners
• Provide opportunities that link literacy between the home and school

Accomplishments of the Fund

Since the spring of 1996, the Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy has awarded over 100 grants totaling more than $100,000 to both private and public schools in Naperville School Districts 203 and 204. The grants have benefited all ages, from newborns to senior citizens.

In the News

The Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy Steering Committee