Friday, August 26, 2011

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!

Friday, August 19, 2011

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.


Friday, August 12, 2011

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.

Monday, August 8, 2011

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.


Friday, August 5, 2011

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: