SLANT Spotlight On: Otis Brown 2nd Grade

Team:  2nd Grade, Otis Brown Elementary, Irving ISD
City:  Irving
Participants:  130

Otis Brown Elementary second grade students researched the need for food for kids at their school and found out about the North Texas Food Bank fire that occurred this summer.  Students were very concerned and decided to do something about it.  They wrote scripts, directed and filmed commercials for the school to promote the Cans for Kids food drive.  The children organized the drive, making fliers and posters to promote the drive.  They also counted and collected the cans and graphed the results, reporting the results to the school on the school television channel.

The children challenged the whole school to bring in cans and finally collected more than 1,000 cans for the North Texas Food Bank.  “The kids loved it and learned a lot about persuasion, graphing and service,” said teacher Michelle West.

Congrats to the Hill Middle School Law & Government Club!

On Saturday, December 10th, the Law & Government Club attended the YMCA 2011 District 5 Youth In Government Conference at The Jack Singley Academy in Irving.  Nine students represented Robert T. Hill Middle School as ambassadors.

We are proud to announce that one student, Nicholas, received an award for participating in a debate on new legislation needed to instigate laws toward punishment offenses.  Over all they each did a wonderful job representing Hill, Student Government Club & Thriving Minds After School!  We are looking forward to a wonderful trip to Austin in the spring for the state conference.  

We're "Gaga" Over This Year's Barneys New York Holiday Windows!

For the past few years, Barneys New York has invited students in the Thriving Minds After School program to create art for inclusion in their holiday window display.  This year Barneys teamed up with Lady Gaga to create a holiday initiative called GAGA'S WORKSHOP.

Students from Hill Middle School produced these creative Lady Gaga portraits currently on display at Barneys New York at NorthPark Center.  Be sure to stop by and check them out next time you're there!

SLANT Spotlight On: Girls On The Run, North Richland Hills

Team: Girls on the Run, North Richland Hills

City: North Richland Hills

Participants: 20

The girls are currently working on several projects:  posting notes to raise the self-image of girls at their school, holding a food drive and delivering baskets to residents of a local retirement center.

They will make announcements at school to collect food for a community program called Christmas Providers.  The girls will tally up the food from each homeroom, box it up each day until collection day on Dec. 5, and then announce the winning class in the food drive.  They are also going to create and deliver Thanksgiving baskets for the residents of Horizon Bay.  In addition, they have been making their school a better place by placing anonymous, encouraging post-it notes in public places in their school.  The girls want to encourage their peers as well as senior citizens and others in their community.

Read more about the great SLANT projects currently underway in this month's issue of The Compass!

A Thriving Minds Success Story

At Big Thought, our mission is to make imagination a part of everyday learning, and we do this daily for thousands of Dallas kids through the Thriving Minds After-School program. Giving kids opportunities to imagine possibilities and discover untapped talents is at the heart of this mission.

Prior to coming to the Thriving Minds After-School program at John Ireland Elementary, third-grader Mariyana Hill had never considered herself a dancer. Though the after-school program offered classes, she had never taken formal dance lessons. So when the Thriving Minds site manager asked who would be interested in attending a summer dance camp, Mariyana surprised herself by raising her hand, and soon found herself among hundreds of kids vying for a coveted spot at the Debbie Allen Dance Institute.

Held at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing & Visual Arts in June, the two-week program was created by famed dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen to introduce participants to a range of dance of styles, including ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, African and tap. Despite her lack of experience, Mariyana snagged a spot at the camp.

“I was feeling scared, like I wouldn’t be able to pass,” she says of the tryouts. “But it was fun. We practiced the dances, and I pretended like it was my parents in the audience, so I was able to do it.”

Even more surprised was Mariyana’s mother, who had never considered this as an option for her child. But soon, she’d tapped into local resources to get Mariyana ballet and tap shoes and tights. Properly outfitted, Mariyana spent the next two weeks happily learning the difference between a plié and kick ball change.

The best part of the camp, says Mariyana was learning hip-hop dance, and getting to meet other kids from Thriving Minds after-school programs from around the city who had also been accepted into the program.

During the institute’s final performance, Mariyana was excited to perform for her parents. “My sister and uncle were there, too,” she says. “Afterwards they gave me flowers.”

The program, says her mother, has sparked a passion in her daughter that wasn’t there before.

On the first day of the after-school program in August, Mariyana ran up to the Thriving Minds site manager and asked with a big smile, “Mr. Spiller, can I please go to the Debbie Allen Dance Institute again this year?”

Her passion sparked, Mariyana is now continuing her dance lessons through the after-school program and even dreams of one-day attending Booker T. Washington. Imagine that….

Thriving Minds After School Photo Update

Here's a snapshot of what our Thriving Minds After School students have been up to the past few weeks:

On October 20, students from Marsh Middle School's LCC Club, part of the Thriving Minds After School program, participated in Dallas After School Network's Lights on Afterschool rally and presented the colors.  One of the students showed tremendous skill with the ROTC rifle as can be viewed in this video.

Learn more about DASN's iDo campaign at whocaresabouttomorrow.org

Marsh Middle School recently hosted a pumpkin contest. Not only were the students dressed in Halloween attire but their pumpkins, too!  First, second and third place prizes went to the most creative and decorative pumpkin. 

Donald Elementary organized a cheer squad to perform for their America Scores soccer program.  The students cheered on their fellow classmates and encouraged team spirit from the families who attended.

Stockard Students are Wild About Zoo Careers

The Thriving Minds After School program at Stockard Middle School is taking part in a pilot program with the Dallas Zoo that introduces participants to a variety of zoological careers. Once a week, a zoo educator visits the campus to discuss with students available career options—everything from veterinary medicine and horticulture to graphic design and construction. In addition, students get an up-close look at a variety of animals, including an armadillo, hedgehog and snake. Both Big Thought and the Dallas Zoo hope to expand the program to more Thriving Minds campuses soon.

Dallas Cowboy Gerald Sensabaugh Volunteers at Junkins Elementary

Dallas Cowboy free safety Gerald Sensabaugh volunteered in the Read Out program yesterday afternoon at Junkins Elementary.  He read Fishing in the Air and talked to students about how fishing has helped him as an athlete on and off the field.  Our community is fortunate to have professional athletes who truly care about giving back!

SLANT 2011-2012 Kicks Off at H.O.P.E. Farm

The 2011-2012 SLANT: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas program kicked off with a bang at H.O.P.E. Farm in Fort Worth on Saturday, September 17.  Twenty-five boys from H.O.P.E. Farm and nearly 100 volunteers grabbed paint brushes, hammers, shovels and more to implement the service-learning project they designed.  With a goal to inspire a healthier, more active lifestyle, the youth spent the morning installing exercise equipment, landscaping, cleaning up trash and painting murals.  In addition to H.O.P.E. Farm, they also worked on projects at a nearby community center.

SLANT is designed to inspire youth to take up the challenge of improving their neighborhoods and communities in unique and creative ways.  Daryl Johnston, former Dallas Cowboys fullback and current FOX Sports analyst, continues to serve as the chair for the program and Bank of America has returned as the program sponsor.

Thank you to all of the partners who helped make this project a success:  Bank of America, H.O.P.E. Farm, Cooper Institute, Chicken Express-Fort Worth, Sherwin-Williams, Chameleon Chamber Group, City of Fort Worth, Kelsey Patterson, Willie Amos and Big Thought!

Get involved!  Register your team now at myslant.org.

Making An Impact

Earlier this summer, we learned that a teenager in Bedford, New Hampshire was planning a creative dance project to benefit Big Thought.  Emma Benson, who has been involved in theater and the arts for most of her life, decided to spend her summer on what she calls The Glory Project - an inspiring endeavor to raise money to support creativity and the arts in schools.

In an article in the Bedford Journal, Emma says, "It’s been a little hard for me because people haven’t taken me very seriously. I’m 15 years old, but I really put my mind to this to make it happen. When you really put your mind to it, you can really have an impact."  And Emma and her friends did have an impact - they raised nearly $500 through The Glory Project!

Increase your impact by donating to Big Thought on Get Up and Give North Texas Giving Day.  On September 15, your gift will go even further toward supporting Big Thought and the agencies we work with, allowing us to continue to provide creative instruction and hands-on learning to inspire kids to invest in their own education.  From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on September 15, any credit card donations of $25 or more made through DonorBridge will be matched.

Thank you to Emma and to all of you who believe like we do that 100% of kids deserve the opportunity to think creatively, achieve academically, make healthy choices and become productive, forward-thinking and engaged citizens!  

Photo Friday: Summer Favorites

With the first week of a new school year coming to an end, we thought we'd reflect on some of the great things that happened this summer.  Thanks to our dedicated staff, volunteers, partners and teachers, we were able to provide quality summer programming for thousands of children and teens.  Through summer camp for elementary and middle school students (including Fair Park Live!, a day of interactive career exploration for middle schoolers), Creative Solutions and DallasKidsRead, these students were challenged to think creatively, achieve academically, make healthy choices and become productive, forward-thinking and engaged citizens.     Thank you to everyone who played a part in making summer 2011 a success!

Film Friday featuring The Art of the Community - A collaboration with West Dallas Community Centers

This video gave me goosebumps and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.

It was touching to hear how the collaboration between two organizations - Big Thought and the West Dallas Community Centers (WDCC) is changing the way children learn and transforming lives. One of the goals of the collaboration was to help build the capacity of the WDCC to serve as a cultural art center within West Dallas. Through this collaboration all 600 children attending the WDCC are now exposed to arts, dance, writing and music. Together, we are impacting a community, helping children grow up balanced and letting kids know that they can be anything they want to be.

Visit www.bigthought.org/thrivingminds to find out how you can join us in helping children imagine, create and succeed.

Photo Friday: Movers and Shakers at the Harry Stone Rec Center

Summer camp at Harry Stone Recreation Center had kids moving in the right direction.  The camp is focused on providing youth with health and wellness resources including exercise, dance and sports classes.  The class I observed, Dance Xxplosion, was taught by Victoria Davis.  The class is a combination of elementary and middle school boys and girls.  They have spent the past month learning a variety of dances including hip-hop and modern line dance.  Among the favorites were the Cupid Shuffle, a dance to the Jackson 5’s “ABC”, and a choreographed routine to “Poker Face.” 

Here's what students had to say about their camp experience:

“I do what they love to do.  They dance.  I teach dance because I want invest in their future,” said Victoria Davis, Dance Xxplosion teacher.  Davis is a teacher with Dallas ISD and has been teaching dance for 18 years.

“Dance is something most kids express their emotions through.  That’s why I dance.  I can get out my anger or show my excitement for something,” said Hunter Rascon, 15, North Mesquite High School.  “ You know, people can learn to dance, some people are born to dance, but I think most people live to dance.”

“I like the class because we’re free.  We get to move around and express ourselves,” said Shaquayla Fleming, 13, Seagoville Middle School.

“It’s fun.  I like hip-hop because of the rhythm,” said Sha’Ron Manning, 11, W.E. Greiner Middle School and Exploratory Arts Academy.

Junior Docents at the African American Museum

This post is by guest blogger Tasha Speed, Museum Education & Public Programs, African American Museum

The Junior Docents at the African American Museum had a blast this summer supporting “Discovering Nature and Art,” the Museum’s summer enrichment camp held from June 6-July 15 for 70 elementary-age campers. Docents assisted campers with creative learning activities, exciting fieldtrips and much more. The docents also helped with Dallas ISD’s Thriving Minds Summer Camp, which brought nearly 2,000 middle school students to Fair Park, offering guided tours of the Museum and its collections. But it wasn’t all work and no play, docents were treated to a special performance of Dallas Summer Musical’s Guys and Dolls.

The African American Museum launched the Junior Docent program in March to give high school students hands-on experience as museum curators. Twenty-five students from Dallas-area schools participated, and went through training that taught them about the history, philosophy and practices of museum work. All the docents received a stipend for their work this summer.

For additional information about the Junior Docent Program visit our website at www.aamdallas.org.

Photo Friday: Creative Solutions

Last week, Big Thought's Creative Solutions program ended its seven-week summer program with an original play Super Solutions. The play - a comedy that featuring five super heroes who step in to guide teens to take the right path in life - was written, choreographed and performed by the nearly 50 teens in the program with the support of a team of teaching artists.

The incredible team of adults who worked with the teens included Camille Haley, Will Richey, Alejandro Perez, Marques Phillips, Allison Caldwell, Mario Garcia, Tom Gelo, Jeffrey Moffitt, James Justinic, Aneesha Kudtarkar, Jonathan Tyler, Catherine Hopkins and Lisa Schmidt! 

A huge shout out to the following:

• SMU Meadows School of the Arts for hosting the program at their campus for five years!
• Olive Garden for catering the opening performance luncheon for 100 people and providing "Lasagna Fridays" to the 50 teens for five years!
• Embrey Family Foundation, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and National Endowment for the Arts for supporting Big Thought's Creative Solutions program
• The Dallas County Juvenile Department for partnering with Big Thought for 18 years so that together we can show the at-risk teens that where they have been does not determine who they can become. 

Photo Friday: DallasKidsRead 2011

Dallas Kids Read 2011, presented by AT&T, took place yesterday at the J. Erik Jonsson Dallas Central Library.

Prior to opening the doors to the public, 1,300 Thriving Minds Summer Camp students spent the morning and afternoon interacting with award-winning children's authors and illustrators.  Students learned first-hand about the process behind taking a children's book from an idea to the bookstore shelves.  Along the way they asked lots of questions, collected autographs from their new idols, took home books for their home libraries, and smiled their way from school to library and back again.  The event served as a perfect ending to four weeks of summer learning, where children read, wrote and drew alongside teachers and artists at 17 Dallas ISD campuses.

Thank you to AT&T and to the other individuals and organizations who supported this event - American Airlines, Chef Doug Brown and Univision - as well as our partners at the Dallas Public Library, The City of Dallas and Dallas ISD!

Welcome to Ancient Egypt!

Today I had the opportunity to visit Choices Leadership Academy and attend their end-of-summer camp performance.  Over the past four weeks, 42 middle school students were immersed in the world of ancient Egypt.  They learned about the country's geography, history and culture through core academic studies in math, English, science and history.

Their culminating performance, called Journey Down the Nile, encompassed original music, dramatic performances and visual art on topics like the rulers and gods of ancient Egypt.

As part of the visual art component of the program, students created a giant, three-dimensional map of the Nile River and designed and hand painted the Egyptian themed shirts you'll see them wearing in the photo slideshow below.

Perhaps most enjoyable was the final scene - So You Think You Can Egyptian Dance, where students performed songs they had written about the lives of King Tut and Cleopatra.

Thanks to these talented students and their instructors for their thoroughly educational and entertaining performance!

Callie's Fair Park Live! Wrap Up

This summer, more than 1,800 Dallas ISD middle school students have been participating in the Thriving Minds Summer Camp at Fair Park. The mix of academic learning and exploration with the museums and institutions at Fair Park is re-thinking how students can learn during the summer.

On Thursday, July 21, the Tower Building was bustling with the energy of Fair Park Live! presented by Ernst & Young. Students walked the floor of a special kind of tradeshow to learn about careers and the importance of education. Along the way they interacted with professionals from 50 organizations on project-related tasks from industries including accounting, engineering, nuclear science, dentistry, airline transportation, law enforcement and publishing… just to name a few.

Many presenters met with students in small groups, which allowed them to receive individual attention, ask lots of questions, and learn by doing. Some of the flashiest displays that I saw included:
• Designing magazine covers with D Magazine
• Launching rockets and operating robots with Lockheed Martin
• Tinkering with lighting and sound equipment on a full technical stage from Alford Media
• Racing to put on a protective hazmat suit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
• Learning geography and what it means to soar with American Airlines

Big Thought thanks Ernst & Young for their sponsorship and support of our first ever career event for middle school students, as well as everyone who made Fair Park Live! a vibrant and meaningful success.  Thank you also to our partners at UNT and to all of the professionals who shared their time and talents with these students.

Summer Camp News From the Field: Trinity River Audubon Center

Intern Callie here again! On Tuesday I got to travel out to the Trinity River Audubon Center about ten minutes from downtown Dallas. It is remarkable how driving just ten minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city can lead you to this lush forestland full of different plants, lakes and animals! The Center sits on 120 acres and has been open since 2008. Fun Fact: it is the first LEED-certified green building supported by the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department.

The middle school students participating in Big Thought’s programs got to visit the Center this week to do an Eco-Investigation. On Tuesday, the students from summer camp at Hill and Storey Middle Schools piled off buses for a day of fun. There were more than 275 of them who all broke in to small groups of 20 and rotated through various stations.

Despite the scorching heat, the kids all seemed to really enjoy the activities. They got to do a guided river-walk around the premise, examine microorganisms from the lake, formulate their own chemical reactions, learn about the Trinity River from a model complete with flowing water, and lots more! The hands-on aspect of the activities engaged the kids and the enthusiasm of the Audubon staff resonated with the students and made for a fun-filled day. It reminded me of how great field trips used to be!

To see more photos of the kids in action, visit the Trinity River Audubon Center's blog. 

Summer Camp at the South Dallas Cultural Center

Here's a peek into the programming at the South Dallas Cultural Center. Kids of all ages are experiencing programs focused on the visual, media, literary and performing arts. This program is supported by Thriving Minds.

So much great programming happens at this facility under the leadership of Vicki Meeks. If you haven't had the chance to visit go soon! In fact, visit the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7-9 pm for an Evening of Spoken Word Open Mic hosted by Michael Guinn, Fort Worth National Poetry Slam champion.

Oak Cliff Cultural Center's Camp Celebration

Hi, I’m Callie Williams and I have the privilege of interning in the marketing department here at Big Thought. I grew up here in Dallas and am currently a junior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in marketing. My days here at Big Thought have been filled sitting in on meetings, drafting press releases, and making name badges, just to name a few things. I am learning so much about the working world!

To kick off Fourth of July weekend, last Friday, I got to take a break from making copies to attend a special performance done by students who had been in Big Thought summer camp all of June. On July 1, the Oak Cliff Cultural Center hosted an end-of-camp performance and celebration event for the families of the middle school students who had been participating in a four-week Thriving Minds summer camp program. From the yarn “God’s Eyes” in the front window, to the paper cutouts that served as the backdrop for their stage, the center was covered with artwork the students had made during the camp.

The students put together a theater performance based on biographical stories they had written. They had musical instruments, costumes and masks they had crafted to go along with each scene. They also highlighted the history and culture of Oak Cliff by acting out famous individuals who grew up in area.

During the creative writing portion of the program, the students learned about different types of poetry, and a few shared what they had written. I had been out earlier in the week as they were preparing for their final performance, and they all had so much enthusiasm about displaying all they had learned for their families.

The event closed with, what the kids said was their favorite activity of the whole program--guitar playing. Prior to the program, the majority of the students had never picked up a guitar, and I was amazed by how much they had learned! They split into three different group based on age and ability. The most advanced group played Guns ‘N Roses’ Sweet Child of Mine and one of the talented students sang along.

Afterwards they had a reception filled with hugs and congratulations from proud family members. It was easy to see from all the smiles that the kids and parents were so proud of all the students had learned in such a short time! 

Photo Friday - Summer Camp at the Bath House

Today's photos come from the Thriving Minds summer camp at the Bath House Cultural Center.                                                                                                                          
Over the last four weeks, 25 8- to 11-year-olds learned about visual arts, theater, puppetry, mime and melodrama and created an original show with eight unique scenes: 

• The History of White Rock Lake:  Told Through Mime
• Pet Shop Problems:  A Melodrama
• Bad Bank business:  A Melodrama
• Lunch at the Sunset Inn:  Stage Combat
• Who's On First:  Abbott and Costello
• Ice Cream Incident:  A Melodrama
• Hand Jive:  A Fifties Party and Puppets
• I Got a Feeling:  A Dance Extravaganza 

In addition to studying visual and performing arts, students pitched in to spruce up the area around the Bath House.  As you may remember, last year summer camp students auctioned off their original artwork to raise money to help keep White Rock Lake clean as part of their SLANT 45 project.  They raised more than $800, and this year students used those funds to renovate the outdoor amphitheater.                                             
a
A big thank you to the instructors - Kineta Massey, Bonita Harthan, Julius Longshaw and Kent Williams - and our friends at the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs for making this camp happen!

Photo Friday - Stockard Middle School Cheerleaders Place At Competition

The L. V. Stockard Middle School cheer squad recently placed second in the the Cheer Power State Competition at Six Flags in Arlington!

"Twenty girls were part of this project since August 2010. They started with no uniforms and no experience. They practiced Monday through Friday, after-school till 6:30 every day. They fundraised $3,500 by December 2010. They were able to buy cheerleading uniforms and pay for all competition fees. Big Thought sponsored this group buying them pom-poms, socks, and performance bows to use the day of competition.  I'm glad I was able to enjoy this experience with an awesome group of kids!" - Coach Jessica Weems

Congrats to the Stockard cheerleaders for their hard work and their second place win!

Photo Friday - Ryan Neufeld at Moreno Elementary

Today's photos come from the two-week summer camp at Moreno Elementary.  On June 16, former Dallas Cowboy Ryan Neufeld and his wife Dawn stopped by to read to students and sign autographs.

Photo Friday - A look back at some of our favorite moments

I love, love, love these photos and hope you do too!  They show kids being kids and having fun while learning in the after-school and community programs.

Film Friday featuring Summer Camp

Summer is nearly here! We're so excited that we wanted to take a look back at Thriving Minds Summer Camp 2010 at Dallas ISD which served nearly 8,000 elementary school students. Thriving Minds Summer Camp 2011 is expanding to serve not only elementary students but nearly 2,000 middle schoolers. We can't wait to share stories and photos from the upcoming camps!

Hill Middle School Receives $3,000 Grant

It’s no secret that teens want to stay up on the latest fashion trends, but a group of students at Robert T. Hill Middle School are using fashion as a tool to boost school pride and develop career skills. The school’s student government club, part of the Thriving Minds after-school program, was recently awarded a $3,000 grant from MetroTex Association of Realtors (MetroTex) to purchase a silk screening machine and other materials to create t-shirts for the entire student body. The project was one of only four that received funding this year through the organization’s annual grant competition, say MetroTex representatives. The group received proposals from more than 25 schools across the North Texas region.

“These students were chosen because the idea behind what they want to do is special,” says Rene Barrera, a director with MetroTex. “What you want to do will empower you and other children in the school,” he added as he addressed the student government representatives during a check presentation at the school on May 20.
 

MetroTex looked to fund projects that would benefit the entire student body, not just individual students or groups, say representatives of the organization. They also gave preference to proposals that would leverage support from other sources in the community.

Once the equipment and materials are purchased, the student government will develop various t-shirt designs that will be reproduced for the school says Jasmine, a sixth grader involved with the project.

“There wasn’t enough stuff to benefit kids at the school,” Jasmine says. “We want to make these shirts to show how much we love our school, and to make other students feel good about the school.”

Students will also use the equipment as a way of developing vocational skills, and train other students in the art of screen printing.

In addition to Jasmine, the student government includes sixth graders Nicole, Zitalli, Stephanie and Aaliyah, as well as eighth graders Stephanie and Itzel.

Photo Friday: Conner Elementary Students Perform at Japanese Celebration

On Saturday, May 7, a group of Thriving Minds after-school students from Conner Elementary had the chance to perform their dramatic interpretation of The Cloudmakers, a kabuki-style theatrical performance, as part of the Crow Collection of Asian Art’s Japanese Children’s Day celebration.

Dallas City Council recognizes stars of SLANT 45 The Movie

On May 4, many of the stars of SLANT 45 The Movie gathered at Dallas City Hall for a special City Council recognition ceremony. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano acknowledged the students for their efforts to improve and give back to their communities through their SLANT 45 projects.

Representatives from Team Do Something Great of the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas, Team FROGs (Friends Reaching Our Goals) and the Clarke Cougars Anti-Graffiti team attended the ceremony and spoke about their projects and how they impacted their communities. They also received a certificate from Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Medrano and signed movie posters for each council member.

We applaud these teams (along with the thousands of other teams that participated in SLANT 45) for their creativity, dedication and hard work to transform their schools, neighborhoods and cities.

Click here to see a video of a portion of the ceremony filmed by Will's dad.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano congratulates Veronica Tovar of the Clarke Cougars Anti-Graffiti team with a high five.

SLANT 45 teammates, coaches and parents with Mayor Dwaine Caraway and members of the Dallas City Council.

Will Lourcey of Team FROGs (with teammate John-Thomas Bolger) explains the impact of his service-learning project to City Council members.

Photo credits:  Margarita Martin-Hidalgo

Photo Friday - A look at Thriving Minds after-school

Here are just a few of things parents, volunteers and kids have said about the Thriving Minds after-school program:

"I love Thriving Minds after-school because it is fun, fun, fun. The best thing I like is Mr. Nic and how he teaches us about different kinds of art. Also, all of the teachers really respect all of the students." - Jose, student

"Thriving Minds has been a wonderful experience for my son and our family. I appreciate all of the opportunities that Thriving Minds has afforded Urban that otherwise would not had been able to experience. Each day he has an opportunity to learn about different cultures and to share of his own in a friendly and safe environment. He has learned to work together as a team, but more importantly is given an opportunity to tutor when needed. This is Thriving Minds greatest attribute. Many many thanks to those that sponsor and assist in the administration of such a wonderful program. Thank you for allowing Urban to ‘Thrive’ and open his ‘Mind’ to all the Thriving Minds has to offer. We look forward to participating in the coming years.  Thank You." - Monica, parent

"I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to volunteer with the Cooking Class of Thriving Minds this past year.  Your attentiveness to details, safety and inclusiveness of all student needs were exceptional on every level.  I especially liked the fact that the deaf-education children were included in learning new things.  I even learned some sign language. You have a very special group there with Thriving Minds!  Keep up the great work and keep those minds thriving!!" - Victor, parent & volunteer

"There a two things that I most like about Thriving Minds after school program and Big Thought.  First of all I really like the homework help.  Having the children's homework done makes for much more enjoyable and stress free family evenings.   Secondly as grandparents raising grandchildren, we have limited funds.  Big Thought has given us opportunities to go the ballet and several of our wonderful museums.  These  experiences, have expanded and enriched our grandchildren's already tremendous interest in the arts, and have made them understand their talents and potential." - Mrs. Rodriquez, Grandmother

Congratulations to Dallas ISD student David Andrews

David Andrews, a 5th grader at Moseley Elementary School, was accepted into the Debbie Allen Dance Institute. David was among nearly 200 students who auditioned for a spot in the prestigious dance institute, which is now in its 13th year. David began studying dance recently under the tutelage of Chris Champion, a dance instructor in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Moseley. Champion, along with David’s family members, were on hand for moral support during the audition, which took place on April 30. Of the experience, David said, "What I liked…was that I got to dance with Debbie Allen, I learned new dance moves, I got new friends, and it was very fun." The Debbie Allen Dance Institute will run June 20 – July 1 at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

Photo Friday + Calling All Volunteers!

This Photo Friday's photos come from the Thriving Minds Afterschool program at McShan Elementary.  Volunteers from Bank of America helped students with their art projects and showed off the site of the flower garden they plan to plant.

We couldn't do what we do without the support of our volunteers!  Interested in helping out?  We have volunteer opportunities in the following areas:

Read Out Program

Thriving Minds Afterschool program is looking for enthusiastic, caring volunteers to read to school-age children in your local neighborhood school. Volunteers are asked to read to children and lead hands-on activities such as making bookmarks and creating storybooks. Books and hands on activities are provided for you.

When: Volunteers are needed Fridays from 3-5 p.m.
Age: Must be 18 years or older

 Thriving Minds Afterschool Program
Volunteers are needed to assist with arts and crafts activities, promote reading to children and assist with homework. This program is ongoing in 31 Dallas ISD schools with the Big Thoughts vision of improving the quality of education. Volunteers are asked to bring their creativity and materials. Basic reading skills are required.
When: Monday through Friday from 3-6 p.m.
Age: Must be 18 years or older

For more information on volunteering, please visit our website.

Photo Friday on Monday - Kids Cafe Program Launches at Charles Rice Learning Center

Community Organizations Partner to Open First Kids Cafe in Dallas ISD

With many families struggling to make ends meet, several community organizations have stepped up to ensure that students at one Dallas ISD learning center receive a hot, nutritious  dinner three days a week before heading home.  Dallas-based education nonprofit Big Thought, in partnership with the North Texas Food Bank, recently launched a new Kids Cafe program serving students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Charles Rice Learning Center in South Dallas. This is the first time a Kids Cafe program has been available to students on a Dallas ISD campus.

Kids Cafe programs provide free meals and snacks to low-income children through a variety of community locations where children already congregate. The Kids Cafe at Charles Rice Learning Center provides meals to nearly 120 students three evenings a week. The Kids Cafe is a national program of Feed America and is administered locally by the North Texas Food Bank.

According to Feed America, every fourth child in Texas does not know where their next meal is coming from, and in Dallas that amounts to nearly 200,000 kids said Isaac Burren, program services manager for the NTFB during a ribbon cutting ceremony for the program on April 12.

“There is an immediate and exact correlation between what’s in someone’s stomach and what they are able to produce in the classroom. And this helps us go one step further to all these little ones right here reaching their dreams,” Burren added.

Funding for the Kids Cafe at Charles Rice was provided by Chase, which has been instrumental in supporting the academic needs of students in the South Dallas community through the Thriving Minds initiative.

We’re excited to be part of One Man Dallas and Cadillac Cares Contest!

One Man Dallas is designed to encourage more men to volunteer with charitable organizations and engage in community projects that make our communities a better place to live and work. Held previously in Chicago and Minneapolis, One Man has come to Dallas to put the spotlight on men who can provide the inspiration for others to get involved.

One of our board members, Mark Melton, has been selected as Big Thought’s nominee. We are fortunate to have Mark as an advocate and supporter of Big Thought and the children we serve. Please help recognize Mark’s efforts by voting for him on the One Man Dallas website through May 19.

You can also support One Man Dallas by attending one of the free ‘Meet the Men’ happy hours:Tickets to the final event on May 19, where the winner will be announced, are available for purchase. Visit onemandallas.com for more information.

Thursday, April 21 at 6 p.m. at Park Place Mercedes Benz
Wednesday, April 27 at 6 p.m. at Nest on McKinney Avenue
Wednesday, May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Boardroom Salon
Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. at the Aloft Hotel 

Big Thought is also participating in the Cadillac Cares Contest, which runs through May 9. By ‘liking’ the Metroplex Cadillac Dealers’ Facebook page and casting a vote for Big Thought on their page, you can help us win a $50,000 advertising campaign to help us raise awareness about Big Thought’s mission. You can vote once a day every day between today and May 9!

Please share this information with your friends and encourage them to get involved! Thank you for your support as we strive to provide 100% of kids with the opportunity to think creatively, achieve academically, make healthy choices and become productive, forward-thinking and engaged citizens.

Photo Friday - SeaWorld visits Thriving Minds students

SeaWorld presented a program for some of the Thriving Minds After-School students at the Pleasant Grove Library. The program was provided by the Education and Conservation Department of SeaWorld and introduced students to information about coastal conservation, rescue and rehabilitation of animals affected by both natural and human causes, and how everyone, especially children, can work to make a positive difference in habitats around the world. The SeaWorld Cares program included both video and live presentations, interactive segments with student volunteers, a mock animal rescue, and visits by at least three animal ambassadors (a Roseate spoonbill, an American alligator, and Magellanic penguins)!

Photo Friday - Organic Chocolate & the Whole Planet program

Students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Long Middle School partnered with Whole Foods Market Lakewood to make and sell their own line of organic gourmet chocolate treats. Whole Foods supplied the teens with organic chocolate, nuts and dried fruit in order to teach students about micro-lending and to raise funds for, and awareness about their Whole Planet program. The teens learned about entrepreneurship and developed their own company name (The Chocolate Tree) and logo.

Photo Friday

Mills French Café
First graders in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Mills Elementary have been learning to speak French. With the help of their teacher, Ms. Day, and their site guide Ms. Margie, the students decided to put their new language skills to good use, and hosted a French-themed café on campus for parents and other Thriving Minds students. Several students also were selected to make the school’s morning announcements in French. The students are continuing with their theme by doing a “Tour de France” to learn more about French culture and customs.

Photo Friday & the Thriving Minds Spring Break Camp "Career Connections"

Here's a quick peek into Thriving Minds Career Connection a Spring Break Camp that introduced nearly 200 middle school students from Dallas Independent School District youth to "behind the scenes" careers in the creative industries. The teens spent a week learning about professions in:

• music production, fashion design and robotics teens visited the Downtown Universities Center
• the transportation industry a trip was made to American Airlines DFW 
• music production, interior & fashion design participants went to South Side on Lamar 
• environmental services, architecture/ design services and library/media services the teens visited Dallas City Hall
• the museum industry students explored the Amon Carter Museum; Kimball Art Museum; Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; and Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, where they learned about curating, operation and exhibition planning
• health & science students visited the Gross Anatomy Lab at UNT Health & Science Center
• zoology participants visited the Dallas Zoo where they interacted with naturalists and botanists 

Come back next week to see more pictures & read journal/blog entries received from the youth in the program.

Photo Friday on Monday - A look at DaVerse Lounge

Enjoy these photos from DaVerse Lounge, a spoken word showcase for ages 21 and under. On Friday, Feb. 25, DaVerse Lounge kicked off its sixth season with an amazing collaborative show, hosted by spoken word artist Will Richey. Held at Life in Deep Ellum, more than 250 young people—ranging in age from toddlers to college students—experienced the arts first hand through an interactive evening of spoken word, music and visual art.

As always, teens from around the metroplex blessed the mic with their creative talents, including past participants from Carter High School in Dallas and Austin Middle School in Irving. Also on hand were students from the Thriving Minds After-school clubs at Cary, Hill, Comstock, Long and Stockard middle schools; as well as groups from St. Phillips Academy in South Dallas and Promise House.

With the help of ArtLoveMagic, a local nonprofit that creates live interactive arts experiences, attendees tried their hand at visual art in different mediums—from airbrush and acrylic painting to cartooning and collage—and musical improvisation with 3121, a trio of local musicians who led a jam session complete with drums and turntables. In the main lounge, a steady stream of spoken word artists took to the mic, accompanied by local reggae/hip hop band, Melody Memory.

Photo Friday: SLANT 45 Project Highlights

Check out a few of the thousands of great SLANT 45 projects that took place from February through December 2010.  From producing a school-wide health fair to painting a mural to raising money for the food bank, these teams made a difference in their communities.