Hope. Freedom. Peace. Happiness. Child power.
These words floated around Locust Walk yesterday on the three mammoth 12-by-5-foot "Paint for Children" canvases funded by the Wharton Indian Students Association. The purpose of the canvases was simple -- paint spontaneously as you walked by on the way to class to benefit the United Nations Children's Fund.
By 3 p.m., the canvases were almost completely covered with childlike imagery, compliments of Penn students.
"I painted something pretty meaningful," WISA President and Wharton and Engineering junior Kunal Bahl said. "'We R with U' -- that sums up everything we are trying to do. We are students at Penn doing everything we can to contribute to this noble cause."
It was estimated that there were over 60 students who stopped to paint a small design or elaborate creation on the canvases.
Wharton junior and WISA Community Service Coordinator Natasha Mittal was responsible for this elaborate presentation of community art.
"I spontaneously thought of it," Mittal said. "I was in a painting class, so why not?"
According to Mittal, the group was trying to think of an innovative way to attract students to community service.
"This is more fun for people," Mittal said. "Usually when they think of community service, they think of waking up early or having to give a huge amount of time or money. This isn't like that."
The student enthusiasm shown throughout the day for the project far exceeded the group's expectations.
"Everyone says that they can't paint, but it's addictive -- once you start you can't stop," Bahl said.
Throughout the day, WISA members and Wharton sophomores Shubhra Saxena, Sucmitra Sastri and Sameera Chilakapti helped the "Paint for Children Project" progress by encouraging passersby who were not late for class to stop and contribute their artistic talents or thoughts.
Since the painting was made with children in mind, WISA members decided to donate the canvases to UNICEF.
Once the paint dries, Mittal and other members of WISA will take the artwork to a location that is yet to be determined by UNICEF.
UNICEF is a nonprofit organization that believes "everyone has a responsibility to see that children are safe. ... Caring environments fortify children against harm in the same way that proper nutrition and good health care fortify them against disease," according to the group's Web site.
