For 18 years, Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley have partnered with the College of DuPage photography department to snap some picture perfect moments.
For their final project, photography students from a visual storytelling class are each paired with a child from Easter Seals who have a disability. What comes after a few weeks of getting to know the child and their family is a photo exhibition displaying the everyday lives of children with special needs.
“It gets the students out in the community. It gets them into a real job; they’re really working for an important organization like Easter Seals. They’re making a difference,” said Terry Vitacco, a professor of Photography at COD. “The pictures are not just fun selfies, and just pretty pictures- they’re pictures that tell a story of meaning. So they’re capturing the important moments of a family’s life.”
A video component added another fun aspect to the project, which allowed parents to give their voice too.
“Just because you get the diagnosis doesn’t mean it’s a life sentence,” said a mother narrating a video project.
A showcase worth capturing that makes a difference to families for years to come.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.
