MEET MARTHA CONWAY OF NAPERVILLE
A fifth-grade teacher at Patterson Elementary School has been using a lot of chalk over the Quarantine -- putting funny and hope filled messages around her south Naperville neighborhood; plus, also leaving encouraging notes and math challenges in her students’ driveways. Martha Conway also chalked encouraging messages on the back of her fence which faces 103rd Street in Naperville. The fence project’s goal was to remind the community "Hope is Not Cancelled"; as well as boldly shout, "I miss my students"!
The “Stay at Home Order” has hit Martha personally and professionally. Her son Patrick (22) graduated from Butler University, and Daniel (18) graduated from Neuqua Valley High School this year.
“I decided from day one we were not going to let this crisis crush, squash, cancel, postpone the joy we had for our kids and their accomplishments, so we have been celebrating their traditional senior spring activities in different ways,” Martha says. “I recreated Hinkle Fieldhouse in my driveway, and we had a socially distanced graduation for my Butler grad. I had the Butler Bulldog and Neuqua Wildcat painted into our lawn, celebrated prom in tuxedo t-shirts and a fancy dinner, and we had our own Senior Awards Night.”
Additionally, to honor the Neuqua Grads – she chalked “Honk for Neuqua Seniors” on her fence, and has thoroughly enjoyed the sounds of summer for this well deserving group of kids that are seemingly resilient in the wake of missing once in a lifetime moments, such as prom, senior spectacular, senior lunch, baccalaureate, graduation.
“I love hearing the honks -- it's spreading happiness which we all need right now!” - Kristen Kucharski
