Think BIG

SLANT Spotlight On: Otis Brown 2nd Grade

2011-12-15T09:08:00.000-06:00

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!

2011-12-14T13:30:00.000-06:00

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!

2011-12-02T10:13:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-16T11:50:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-11T13:14:00.002-06:00

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

2011-11-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-20T08:26:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

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

2011-09-19T11:49:00.001-05:00

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

2011-09-02T10:23:00.002-05:00

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

2011-08-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-19T14:14:00.003-05:00

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

2011-08-12T08:07:00.016-05:00

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

2011-08-08T15:52:00.001-05:00

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

2011-08-05T08:21:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-29T11:09:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-07-27T14:34:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-22T11:55:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-14T14:24:00.002-05:00

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

2011-07-08T18:04:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-07T15:14:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-01T09:23:00.000-05:00

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.
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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

2011-06-24T09:07:00.004-05:00

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

2011-06-17T14:21:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-03T16:59:00.001-05:00

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

2011-05-27T15:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-05-25T17:15:00.003-05:00

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

2011-05-13T13:44:00.002-05:00

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

2011-05-09T09:53:00.001-05:00

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

2011-05-06T16:17:00.001-05:00

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

2011-05-06T08:58:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-04-29T09:02:00.041-05:00

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

2011-04-25T08:44:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-04-12T10:45:00.001-05:00

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

2011-04-08T17:06:00.000-05:00

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

2011-04-01T17:08:00.002-05:00

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

2011-03-25T16:38:00.000-05:00

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"

2011-03-18T14:51:00.002-05:00

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

2011-03-01T12:05:00.000-06:00

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

2011-02-11T10:44:00.000-06:00

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.

Photo Friday

2011-02-04T09:36:00.000-06:00

This week's photos come from the premiere of SLANT 45 The Movie. The world premiere took place on Friday, January 28 at the Angelika Film Center in Plano, and the public premiere was held Sunday, January 30 at the Colleyville Cinema Grille. If you haven't yet seen the film, there are still plenty of opportunities left. Visit slant45.org/themovie for a list of locations and dates you where you can catch a FREE screening.

Filmmaker Mark Birnbaum arrives on the red carpet with Big Thought president/CEO Gigi Antoni and her daughter Analise.

Filmmaker Mark Birnbaum and producer Shelly Seymour take questions following the premiere.

FROGs team captain Will is interviewed by FOX 4's Clarice Tinsley as he arrives on the red carpet at the world premiere of SLANT 45 The Movie. The FROGs collected more than 1,000 cans and raised more than $1,000 for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Clarke Cougars team captain Veronica signs a movie poster at the premiere post party. Veronica's team developed a program to clean up and prevent graffiti at their Fort Worth elementary school.

What to do on snow day #3?

2011-02-03T11:14:00.001-06:00

Stuck at home for the third day in a row and racking your brain for things to occupy your time? Here are a few ideas to keep the cabin fever at bay:

Browse the videos on Big Thought's YouTube channel for a little creativity and inspiration.
Answer quiz questions at freerice.com and they'll donate 20 grains of rice for each correct answer to the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. Build your vocabulary and do something good for the earth!
Explore Google Art Project. This site lets you browse exhibits from museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and the National Gallery in London.

Share your suggestions for keeping occupied while inside!

*If you can get out, visit slant45.org/themovie to see where you can catch a free showing of SLANT 45 The Movie!

Photo Friday

2011-01-28T13:29:00.000-06:00

Students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Long Middle School in Dallas ISD created this beautiful mural in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The mural traveled to House of Blues Dallas for the 3rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Student Art Exhibition held on Jan. 17.

SLANT 45: The Movie celebrates local champions

2011-01-27T08:30:00.011-06:00

With Super Bowl XLV just over a week away, there will soon be more than a few famous athletes and celebrities descending upon North Texas for the big game. On Friday, SLANT 45 will celebrate with some stars of our own – the champions of community service featured in SLANT 45: The Movie.

Veronica, Darius, Will, Madeline, Ariel and their respective teams show that no matter a person’s age or circumstances, he or she has the ability to transform their schools, their neighborhoods and their communities in powerful ways.

Along with more than 44,000 other participants, these youth have changed the face of North Texas for generations to come as a result of their creativity, ingenuity and plain hard work to improve their communities.

Tune in to FOX 4 at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, January 28 to see a live broadcast from the red carpet, and visit slant45.org/themovie to find a free screening at a theater near you.

Click here to view the trailer for SLANT 45: The Movie.

Photo Friday

2011-01-21T16:17:00.001-06:00

Here's a few photo from the Thriving Minds after-school program at Tatum Elementary School.
Enjoy!

SLANT 45: The Movie coming soon to a theater near you!

2011-01-20T08:15:00.026-06:00

SLANT 45: The Movie is the inspiring story of teams who accepted the SLANT 45 challenge and found creative and innovative ways to transform their communities. From collecting cans for the food bank and Legos for hospitalized children to starting a graffiti abatement program and producing a talent show for a homeless shelter, these children show that everyone has the power to make a difference.

For locations and showtimes, please visit slant45.org/themovie. All showings are FREE, but some require a reservation.

Photo Friday

2011-01-14T15:22:00.000-06:00

Had to share some photos from Wednesday's SLANT 45 Kids Bowl Bash! There are also some great photos on the Dallas Observer's website. We'd love to see your photos from the event! Email them to us at info@bigthought.org.

SLANT 45 project highlights

2010-12-16T08:00:00.002-06:00

With SLANT 45 projects continuing through the end of December, North Texas youth continue to transform their schools, neighborhoods and communities through creative and innovative service projects. Kudos to these teams and to all of the other SLANT 45 teams making a difference.

Team E1 Rocks! of Starwood Montessori in Frisco collected 452 pairs of shoes for Trinity River Mission! Several Starwood teams, with students from age 3 through 12, participated in SLANT 45.

Keller's Team Smileys collected 444 books for the West Dallas Community Centers.

The Bobcats, of Richardson's Brentfield Elementary, volunteered their time at Community Partners of Dallas, sorting items in their warehouse.

The Dream Angels of Dallas worked with the Texas Trees Foundation to plant trees in their community.

Plano ISD students tackle hunger with Cowboy Felix Jones

2010-12-09T08:42:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, 185 fourth and fifth graders from Wells Elementary in Plano kicked off their SLANT 45 project with help from Bank of America, a SLANT 45 title sponsor, and Dallas Cowboy Felix Jones.

Students participated in a variety of activities as part of the "Hunger No More" initiative, including creating holiday cards for the elderly and decorating and stuffing lunch bags for Meals on Wheels recipients.

Click here to see a video of the students in action.

Photo Friday

2010-12-03T17:00:00.001-06:00

Visit NorthPark Center to view two awesome art exhibits!

SLANT 45 Community Heroes Exhibit
Between February and November 2010, more than 35,000 youth participated in SLANT 45: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas, a program designed to inspire kids to become champions of
community service. Each team had an idea from which came a service project—many bigger and more fantastic than imaginable. The SLANT 45 Community Heroes exhibition is a sampling of reflective
art pieces documenting their efforts and impact. The NorthPark exhibit will be on display through January 24, 2010 at NorthPark Center near Bookmarks, located on the lower level between LOFT and XXI Forever.
Barneys New York Holiday Window
For the fifth year, students participating in Big Thought programming have created the art showcased in the holiday window display at Barneys New York. This year’s theme is “Have a Foodie Holiday” and students in grades K-8 participating in the Thriving Minds after-school program were asked to imagine and then paint a portrait of their favorite chef. Guided by teaching artists Junanne Peck, Janet Reynolds and Amber Fort, students at W.W. Bushman and L.O. Donald elementary schools and L.V. Stockard Middle School created the art

First SLANT 45 art exhibit on display at NorthPark Center

2010-12-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

The first exhibit showcasing the reflective art collages of SLANT 45 participants is on display at NorthPark Center in Dallas now through January 24. Located in the corridor between XXI Forever and LOFT, the exhibit represents thousands of hours of service from kindergarten through high school age students.

From neighborhood cleanups and anti-bullying programs to coat drives for the homeless and musical performances for nursing home residents, more than 33,000 North Texas youth have contributed over 400,000 hours of services in their communities – that adds up to more than 45 years!

Be sure to stop by and see the creative and unique ways in which these students expressed their service-learning experience.

For more information on the SLANT 45 Community Heroes art exhibition, including future exhibit locations, please visit slant45.org/art-exhibition.

Photo Friday - A Peek at Thriving Minds after-school

2010-11-19T11:34:00.000-06:00

These photos are a just a small sampling of the Thriving Minds after-school program. These students worked for several weeks with artist's from Junior Players before putting on a performance ("Halloween Hijinx") for family and friends.

Schools across North Texas launch hundreds of SLANT 45 projects

2010-11-18T10:26:00.000-06:00

32 North Texas school districts are participating in SLANT 45! Here are some of the projects they launched to improve their schools and communities:

The Ruby Young Elementary ACE Team from DeSoto created a community garden at their school to teach their community to grow food naturally, to maintain a garden, to share resources and to work together.

As part of the school-wide health and wellness fair produced by students at Valley Ranch Elementary in Coppell ISD, kindergarten students created a skit to educate their peers about dental hygiene.

The Dunn Elementary Dragons from Arlington collected gently used books to distribute to needy children.

Ms. Fisk's Sherman ISD team wrote letters to children hospitalized at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.

Students from Mackey Elementary in Balch Springs painted over graffiti and participated in several other community cleanup projects.

Photo Friday - Mayor's Passport to Health Family FunFest

2010-11-12T10:13:00.000-06:00

Children and families experienced everything from zumba lessons to art activities to free flu shots and health screenings to a one-mile fun run and more at the Mayor's Passport to Health Family FunFest. It was a blast! We hoped that everyone had a great time and we hope those who weren't able to make it enjoy seeing the fun we had last Saturday.

Photo Friday

2010-11-05T16:23:00.000-05:00

These photos are a just a small sampling of the type of projects that kids experience in the Thriving Minds after-school program. Can't wait to share more!

SLANT 45 salutes our community partners!

2010-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

SLANT 45 community partners are local organizations who committed to promoting the SLANT 45 program through their regional structure. By offering the program to the youth they serve, our partners have ensured that children from all across North Texas were given the chance to participate in a SLANT 45 project.

Our community partners include:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas
Boys and Girls Clubs of Arlington
Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Worth
Boy Scouts of America Circle Ten Council
Camp Fire USA Lone Star Council
Clayton YES!
Communities In Schools Dallas Region, Inc.
The Dallas Opera
Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas
Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas
Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains, Inc.
Girls Inc. of Tarrant County
Girls on the Run
International House of Blues Foundation
International Museum of Cultures
Rachel's Challenge
SPCA of Texas
United Way of Tarrant County
YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas

Here are a few of the SLANT 45 projects done by some of our community partner teams:

Girl Scout Troop 530 of Red Oak held a food drive at their school for the North Ellis County Outreach Center.

The Torch Club team from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Arlington collected DVDs, games and toys for Children's Medical Center.

The Carter Park Angels, from the Clayton YES! afterschool program at Carter Park Elementary in Fort Worth, visited the Fair Park Fellowship Retirement Facility and provided socks for residents and asked them to participate in yoga. They also brought arts & crafts for residents' entertainment.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-29T17:09:00.000-05:00

Just a few of the crazy costumes from our creative staff - Rosie the Riveter, Earl (from My Name is Earl), Cruella DeVille, Dr. Seuss, Mama & Baby Cow and the rest of the Big Thought - hope you have a safe & happy Halloween.

SLANT 45 teams take a stand against bullying

2010-10-28T08:00:00.064-05:00

If you've watched the news lately, you've no doubt seen the stories of children who were so bullied and harassed at school they were driven to take their own lives. It's a national epidemic that affects the lives of many North Texas children daily.

The Department of Education recently issued guidelines urging schools to do a better job of protecting students from bullying.

President Obama recently said in a statement, "We've got to dispel the myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, or an inevitable part of growing up. It's not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all our kids. Every single young person deserves the opportunity to learn and grow and achieve their potential, without having to worry about the constant threat of harassment."

The task of educating parents, teachers and students in every school to prevent, identify and stop bullying seems daunting, but several SLANT 45 teams have taken the initiative to put an end to bullying, one school at a time.

Girl Scout Troop 1273 of North Richland Hills, Brownie Troop 1296 of North Richland Hills, Barbara Jordan Elementary in Dallas, Bishop Elementary in Everman and Souder Elementary in Everman have all launched anti-bullying programs in their communities or schools.

"If we can lower the statistics on bullying in our community even a little, we have made a difference. We expect all of our members to be able to end the major bullying around them and their friends. Every positive touch our girls have will grow exponentially over time. Being nice is contagious!" said Girl Scout Troop 1273 leader Angela Davis.

From making educational videos and leading role-playing games to creating posters and holding assemblies, all of these SLANT 45 teams have developed creative ways of educating their classmates about practical ways to prevent bullying and the importance of doing so.

Stacy Wells, SLANT 45 coach at Barbara Jordan Elementary, said, "We believe that bullying is not only a problem in our community but throughout other communities as well, and that if a change in attitude and behavior toward others is going to happen, it can begin in our community."

We're proud of all of these SLANT 45 teams for being champions of peace, kindess and tolerance in our schools!

Members of the Bishop Bulldogs SLANT 45 team stand proudly in front of some of the anti-bullying posters they created.

SLANT 45 Goes International

2010-10-21T08:00:00.047-05:00

When SLANT 45 launched last February, our goal was to give children in Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties the opportunity to participate in this historic service-learning program. A little more than 100 days out from Super Bowl XLV, we not only have participants representing more than eight North Texas counties, we also have out-of-state participants and even a participant in Ontario, Canada (according to Google maps, that's 1,432 miles from Dallas)!

Garrett's SLANT 45 project was GO GARRETT GO, a fundraising initiative where people were asked to pledge a dollar amount for every touchdown Garrett either threw to someone or scored himself during the spring 2010 Ontario Minor Football League season. Garrett scored 15 touchdowns himself and passed for one more for a total of 16 touchdowns. People pledged $1,260 per touchdown, which multiplied by 16 touchdowns equals...$20,352, which was donated to Children's Miracle Network!

After being attacked two years ago by a virus that caused seizures, Garrett was unable to play football. When he was well enough to play, he wanted to do something to help sick children not as fortunate as himself.

His father, Gerard, said, "Garrett's brush with mortality at such an early age has made him keenly aware of how lucky he is to be able to play any sport, let alone one he loves. He also knows that many kids are not so lucky - something he saw first hand while at SickKids. His experience, is something he thinks about every day. He knows that things can happen in life and that you could wake up one day and not be able to do something you love to do anymore.

That's why he wants to 'go' for the kids who 'can't', to let them know there is someone who understands what they are going through and is on their team. That's why he thought of GO GARRETT GO. He wants to raise money to help kids who can't play because of sickness or poverty, in Canada and around the world."

We are proud of Garrett and the BIG difference he made in his community.

SLANT 45 Project Highlights

2010-10-14T08:00:00.017-05:00

Here are just a few of the SLANT 45 projects that took place around North Texas recently:

The SLANT 45 team from the Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas planned, facilitated and performed in "Party for Change", a talent show and party for the children of Family Gateway Homeless Center, and also collected over 100 backpacks, umbrellas and other supplies for the children and families. "They were enabled to feel powerful and important in a world in which children which Down syndrome are often overlooked or thought of as "not able". On that day, they were the STARS!" said team coach Cara.

Students from Lakehill Preparatory School in East Dallas participated in several projects, including working in the Promise of Peace Community Garden.

Girl Scout Troop 1181 participated in a graffiti abatement project with the city of Fort Worth, helping paint over graffiti downtown with a rain forest landscape.

Join us for FREE SLANT 45 art workshops on Oct. 16!

2010-10-07T08:58:00.000-05:00

If you've read our last few posts, you know that SLANT 45 is gearing up for the Community Heroes Art Exhibition, which will showcase the reflective art collages of SLANT 45 participants. The art exhibition will be on display at NorthPark Center, D/FW International Airport and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History prior to Super Bowl XLV.

Thousands of North Texans and Super Bowl visitors from around the country will have the opportunity to see these collages and the different service-learning projects they represent.

If your SLANT 45 team has not completed their reflective art collages (or if you aren't part of a SLANT 45 team but would like to create a collage depicting a secret act of kindness you've done) we'd like to invite you to join us for two free SLANT 45 art workhops on October 16.

Professional artists will be on hand at the Dallas Museum of Art and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History to lead the workshops, and all art supplies will be provided. Admission is free, but you must RSVP by calling 469-621-8989 or emailing info@slant45.org.

For more information about the workshops, including session times, please visit slant45.org/art-exhibition.

Photo Friday - Sample of SLANT 45 Reflective Art

2010-10-01T16:11:00.000-05:00

These reflective art pieces represent a small sample of the thousands of service-learning projects that more than 20,000 kids across North Texas have been working on to artistically tell the story of their service-learning
project. These pieces will become part of the Community Heroes Art Exhibition coming to NorthPark Center in November 2010, DFW International Airport in December 2010, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in January 2011 and the State Capitol in February 2011.

Why Glee Should Make You Rethink Arts Ed

2010-09-28T16:28:00.000-05:00

Unless you’ve been living under a sad, music-less rock, chances are excellent that you’ve heard of Fox’s sitcom Glee, a modern-day musical featuring the (lovable) nerds in a glee club. The show is an escapist’s dream that interrupts the endless buffet of violent mob/gang/police shows, sob dramas, stale comedies and other bleak programming from which viewers must choose. Aside from its departure from the status quo, Glee is living proof that children, tweens, adults and everyone in between are desperate for creativity and joy in their lives. Here are a few lessons that art educators can take from this mega-hit.

Glee shows that the arts are relevant:
For those unfamiliar with the show, each episode features Glee covers of popular show tunes or modern pop hits from artists like Jay-Z, Madonna or Britney Spears. These remakes are imaginative and over the top, and the grouchiest grump can’t help but give in to the optimistic and poppy crooning of the teens. By opening up music, theater, dance and performance, Glee takes a niche activity like glee club and makes it applicable and relevant to a mainstream audience.

Tearing down barriers is critical in developing young minds by finding something which resonates with them. For instance, a New York Times article on the importance of literacy noted that in order for children to improve their reading skills over the summer, any book – including the Hannah Montana books – would work. Glee might be considered the Hannah Montana of the art world, but it accomplishes what many arts educators seek to do: spark an interest in creation and demonstrates how art belongs to us all.

Glee shows that the arts mean more:
Taking part in any creativity doesn’t only open up the creator’s mind, it opens up the creator’s heart. Researcher James Catterall has chronicled how theater, in particular, teaches the art of empathy, of literally taking on another’s identity and struggles, resulting in changed paradigms and perceptions. Glee is a nerd’s show (its followers are aptly named Gleeks) where outsiders are taught strength, insiders are taught compassion and everyone learns what it means to be a better person.

Creating art has never been merely an output of work, but an exchange of dialogue. This is especially important for the dynamic demographics of today’s youth. Our students live in a world that is fraught with fights, war, differing ideologies, cultures, languages and ideas. The arts, all forms of it, neutralize the fear associated with “the other” and turn it into a beautiful exploration. Without creation in our lives, we’re stuck with the same ol’ stereotypes and associations which place young learners in silos.

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Despite the fact that television has begun to rely on gimmicks, sensationalism and semi-voyeuristic trash to lure viewers in, Glee opened the fall season with the strongest showing of viewers on any network. Let’s not forget that above all, creativity drives us in our professional and personal lives and people are hungry for something that connects them to that power. Oh, and it’s super fun, to boot! See below if you want proof. :)

The Power of Reflection

2010-09-23T08:30:00.001-05:00

Guest blogger and SLANT 45 Community Heroes Art Exhibition Committee Chair Lisa Glasgow shares her thoughts on the importance of creative reflection.

Reflection is essential to learning. Teachers have understood this for hundreds of years. Parents know this intuitively. Given time and instruction on how to reflect, children are better able to make meaning of their experiences and integrate them into their values in meaningful ways. Yet in the pressed-for-time, test-based world our children are being raised in, too often time for reflection is the very thing missing from their lives.

Recognizing this powerful opportunity, the designers of SLANT 45 built a reflective component into their service learning program, which asks participants to consider the service they have performed – what that work has meant to their community as well as what it has meant them – in a piece of art. In this way we increase the likelihood that the lessons of service will be lifelong. And that is the goal after all: giving children a chance to understand that they can affect the world around them for good.

Now through October 31, 2010, the SLANT 45 team is gathering the reflective art of North Texas children and from it will create three art exhibitions – one at NorthPark Center, DFW International Airport and at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Each will tell individual stories of children who, through service to their communities, discovered their own capacity for problem solving, giving and grace. Each will be a celebration of the power we all have to make a difference in the world around us.

For more information about how you can participate in the Reflective Art component of SLANT 45, click here.

Film Friday!

2010-09-17T15:02:00.000-05:00

Watch this video to see what we did in collaboration with our many partners this summer...

The Culture of Poverty and Imagined Constraints

2010-09-15T11:58:00.001-05:00

Guy Deutscher studies how language shapes our worldview. Unfortunately for him, he’s working against generations of pseudo-science that sometimes made past linguists sound more like tonic-selling charlatans than experts. For instance, In the 1940s Daniel Whorf peddled the idea that our mother language functions like a prison. The anthropologist hypothesized that without words to describe concepts, such as “love” or “future”, speakers were unable to understand the concept.

Years later, scientists like Deutscher have rebutted that idea. He explains, “Do English speakers who have never heard the German word Schadenfreude find it difficult to understand the concept of relishing someone else’s misfortune?” It seems obvious now that language doesn’t prohibit our understanding of phenomena, but that doesn’t mean how we speak is void of influence. Deutscher explains that language helps define understanding of colors, special reasoning and even masculinity versus femininity. In other words, language affects us all but doesn’t indefinitely bind us to one way of thinking.

This critical distinction between something that influences us and something that becomes us is often a missing piece in the ongoing war around “the culture of poverty.” Advocates of this argument have, like Daniel Whorf, led us to believe that those from low-income areas experience a prison built of weak familial ties, geography and a grim outlook on life which disallow them from ever breaking free. The culture of poverty debate centers around the notion that the human brain is immutably fixed in its ideas, in its language, in its ecology, in its poverty.

But common sense steps in and suggests that while our brain can be influenced, it’s anything but an organ that resists change. We are constantly searching for ways to break free of ties that bind. Most of us can attest to the fact that we actively work to overcome ways of thinking, bad habits and other modes of thinking that prohibit success both now and in the future. It’s human nature to be influenced by the bad but hopeful and amenable to the good.

In fact, in a recent study conducted by Gallop which measures students’ overall wellbeing, 53% of students age 10-18 say that they are hopeful for the future, 73% describe themselves as “thriving” and an overwhelming 92% strongly agree that they will graduate from high school. Since we know that roughly 1 in 3 students drop out of school before earning their high school diploma, there is a decided break in what students think and feel and what they are accomplishing. This evidence suggests that the majority of students, socioeconomic factors aside, aren’t trapped in a prison of their circumstances.

Students who grow up in our poorest areas are inevitably influenced by their surroundings, but not defined by them. What characterizes them is their ability to grow, mature, change and pursue those behaviors and activities that will lead to a successful adult life. It may just be possible that all we need to overcome the culture of poverty is to believe that students have the hope, tenacity and potential to be successful and we just need to help nurture them. If we provide them opportunities to exercise their minds and follow through on their hopes and dreams, we can help undo the damage done by our own imagined constraints.

Service-learning in action

2010-09-09T13:18:00.001-05:00

Right now, there are hundreds of SLANT 45 projects going on all across North Texas, from Weatherford to Terrell to Sherman to Midlothian, from big cities to small towns and everywhere in between.

Take a look at how a few of our SLANT 45 teams are transforming their communities:

The Green Team picked up trash around Lake Grapevine to make the area cleaner and safer for their community.

Girl Scout Troop 2692 from Dallas set up a lemonade stand to raise money for The Family Place shelter.

Mrs. Lilly's 5th grade class in Lewisville created and presented lessons to help teachers at their school utilize the "Smartboards" in their classrooms.

First and second grade students from Sherman ISD wrote letters to and made suncatchers for children at Scottish Rite Hospital.

Feeling inspired? You, too can do something positive for your community. Start by registering at slant45.org/register today!

Photo Friday - Unity in the Community

2010-09-03T16:24:00.000-05:00

"Unity in the Community" was a mural collaboration during July 2010 with Trinity River Mission and West Dallas Community Center in partnership with Thriving Minds Out of School Time programs.

Eight teens worked together to make a positive impact in their neighborhood. They worked alongside local artist, Sal Barron, and came up with a design that reflected their West Dallas community and the vibrant, colorful people that live in it. Special thanks to teen artists who brought this project to life: Damian Lopez, Samuel Lopez, Samuel Manzay, Carina Torres, Brenda Sanchez, Jeterrius Wilson, Sha’Doniva Hardmon and Andrea Hernadez!

SLANT 45 team encourages their community to get up and get moving

2010-09-02T09:05:00.000-05:00

A team of fifth grade students from Hill Elementary in Arlington created this workout video, Get Fit with 5th, to promote physical fitness in their school and their community.

“We feel like we provided our community with a fun way to exercise. Our 5th grade friends at school love going through our workout. It is a great feeling knowing we helped our community,” said team coach Katie Newman.

What’s your SLANT 45? Register now at slant45.org!

Photo Friday - A look back at Thriving Minds Summer Camp held at Booker T Washington

2010-08-27T17:06:00.000-05:00

Middle school students from Dallas ISD participated in the Thriving Minds Summer Camp where they unleashed their creativity while participating in a variety of clubs including: stepping, krumping, cheerleading, fashion design, martial arts, visual arts and music production.

Join the Champions of Community Service today!

2010-08-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl XLV will be here in 164 days! Don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of North Texas Super Bowl history and take part in the largest communitywide service-learning program in U.S. history.

Neighborhood groups, religious organizations, classrooms and school groups, PTAs, communitybased organizations, Scouts, athletic teams and corporate affinity groups are encouraged to get involved! Projects can vary from neighborhood improvement to beautification, to documenting local history or culture through a photography exhibit, to focusing on real-life ways to address pressing social challenges like hunger, poverty or environmental issues.

Here are just a few examples of projects other SLANT 45 teams have done:

Kindergarten and first grade students in Sherman ISD baked cookies and made thank you cards to show their appreciation for local firefighters and and police officers.
The Green Team cleaned up the shoreline at Lake Grapevine.
The Rockin' Rulin' Girlz are holding a drive to collect items for stray pets at the Ellis County SPCA.

It's easy to participate in SLANT 45 and make a difference in your community. Just form a team, come up with your own great project idea and register at slant45.org today!

How The Arts Can Make Understanding from Gibberish

2010-08-24T14:17:00.001-05:00

Italian artist Adriano Celentano created the song below which hilariously demonstrates how English sounds to foreign speakers. Using gibberish words, he concocts a consonant heavy, drawn-out and at times grunty language which sounds eerily similar to our speech.

The video, despite its hopefully purposeful kitsch-iness, is quite extraordinary because it gives us a peek at ourselves through the eyes of others. Charles Horton Cooley calls this phenomenon “The looking glass self.” Essentially, we perceive who we are as individuals by the interactions that we have with others. If they treat us like we’re talented and beautiful, we believe ourselves to be, whether we are or not. Likewise, if people treat us like pariahs and failures, we will come to think the same.

So if we are constantly mirroring others’ perceptions of ourselves, how do we form our identity as a city, a community, a country or a continent? We understand a certain amount through news reports and the occasional visit abroad. But what makes this video notable is that art is used, with great efficacy, to tell us more than a thousand words could. Without saying a single sensible thing, Adriano Celentano provided an interesting portrait of our communication style. If you are like me, you might have asked yourself one hundred questions while watching. Things like, “I wonder how different Italian would sound if I learned the language? I wonder if our language makes the whole English-speaking world appear to have a certain type of personality? Does this make English sound brazen and fun or silly and weird?” In six minutes, he opened a window into the soul of how we relate ourselves to the world.

In certain ways, art is a much purer form of understanding than words. When language acts as a barrier, restricting understanding to only those we can speak with, the arts act as an open door. It causes us to relate at an almost primal level, taking into account our similarities as well as our differences. For those of us in education, it is easy to relate art as a way that we can come to understand discrete cultures, languages, neighborhoods and ethnicities that exist within our educational system. As our classrooms become more diverse, the arts can serve not only as a way to spur the mind but to spur understanding. In fact, James Catterall noted in his book “Doing Well and Doing Good by Doing Art” that schools offering rich dramatic and artistic experiences demonstrate better race relations among students and show that students show greater levels of empathy. By providing artistic exeriences to our youth, we are giving them the ability to succeed in a multi-national, ever-changing world.

How has art or your creative endeavors helped you bridge gaps in your life?

Photo Friday

2010-08-20T17:43:00.000-05:00

For more than 15 years, Big Thought has partnered with the Dallas County Juvenile Department to give at-risk youth an outlet through which they can express themselves using either visual or performing arts platforms. This is a sampling of the visual art created during this summer's program. Hope you enjoy!

Hundreds come together to clean up McMillan Center

2010-08-19T13:38:00.000-05:00

The recent West Dallas Community Center SLANT 45 project got us thinking about one our favorite things: community collaboration. Hundreds of volunteers from Bank of America, ExxonMobil’s Green Team, Trinity River Audubon Center, Austin Industries and many other local organizations braved the heat to paint, plow and plant on the grounds of the center where West Dallas youth have been coming for generations.

It was amazing to see the transformation that took place at and around the McMillan Center over the course of just a couple days, thanks to the hard work of volunteers from all across our city.

And in the end, that’s what SLANT 45 is really all about – working together to leave a legacy of service and collaboration that will last long after game day.

Visit slant45.org to find out how you can make a difference in your community!

SLANT 45 Patriots Welcome Home Heroes

2010-08-12T15:59:00.001-05:00

Troops returning from overseas received a hero’s welcome from a SLANT 45 team and a former president as they stepped off the plane at D/FW International Airport yesterday.

The Collin County Patriots, a youth football team from Frisco, decided they wanted to show their appreciation for the hard work and sacrifice of our military. With help from the Welcome Home a Hero program, the Patriots planned a surprise welcome for the troops and handed out gift bags, bottled water and plenty of smiles and high-fives.

Honorary SLANT 45 chairs President and Mrs. Bush and SLANT 45 chairman Daryl Johnston were also on hand to shake hands and pose for pictures with some very surprised service men and women!

Woman Finds Inspiration Through Volunteering In 48 States; Visits Texas and Big Thought Today

2010-08-10T16:25:00.002-05:00

For Anne Wishart Arnold-Ratliff, the adage “Not all who wander are lost” doesn’t really apply. Feeling purposeless after college, Anne embarked on an ambitious, 48-state trek throughout the contiguous U.S. to find her niche in this big ol’ world. Anne wasn’t content with backpacking and hostel-staying through the country like so many young post-grads do when feeling out-of-whack. Instead, she wanted to help. She explains, “My grandmother, Meme, always said that in the minute you begin feeling pity for yourself it is then your responsibility to help someone else.” With that in mind, she would pick seek out volunteer opportunities in each state that she visited.

Anne started her journey on January 4, 2010 and has been trucking ever since. To date, she’s visited 42 states and has helped out nonprofits and charity organizations in any task they could provide. She’s carved out an understanding of other cultures, people and situations through seeing and hearing inspiring stories of some of America’s most overlooked. For instance, in Virginia, she volunteered with an organization that rebuilds the lives of the formerly incarcerated through job training. In Utah, she worked at an ESL center. She pitched in at animal shelters and big-time events, gave her time stuffing envelopes and painting walls. And like Willie sang, she’s back on the road again.

Today, Anne stopped by Dallas to help out Big Thought on the Texas leg of her trip. A performer at heart, Anne has always held a special place in her heart for the arts. Hence, she stopped by our office to help us get out the word for events and to research creative activities for Dallas children and families. We couldn’t be happier that she chose as her destination in Texas because Anne embodies so much of the Big Thought spirit. As our name implies, we are an organization that imagines possibilities -- gigantic, huge, tremendous ones, in the name of creativity and education. We believe that all of our youth, regardless of where they live or learn, have the ability to imagine – and achieve -- great things in their lives. In essence, our young learners are full of big thoughts and we want to nurture them. That’s why we were so excited to have Anne, who had the audacity to believe that service to others can change not only her life but others around her.

To learn more about Anne, please visit her website: http://48sop.com/blog/ (48 states of purpose, that is.)

If you are inspired by her story and want to do more, visit http://www.slant45.org/ to see how you can give back to your community and be a part of something bigger than yourself.

SLANT 45 Team Fighting Hunger in Fort Worth

2010-08-05T08:42:00.001-05:00

The FROGs (Friends Reaching Our Goals) is a SLANT 45 team of second graders from Tanglewood Elementary in Fort Worth whose mission is to fight hunger in their city.

Through a series of summer fundraisers, they have raised nearly $1,000 and collected over 1,000 cans of food for the Tarrant Area Food Bank! The team also spent an afternoon packing backpacks for the Food Bank’s SummerPacks for Kids program, which provides weekend food for needy children in Tarrant County.

Next week the FROGs kick off “Hits Against Hunger” and “Kicks Against Hunger”, where for every a hit a teammate gets in baseball or softball or every kick a teammate gets in soccer, sponsors will donate a dollar to the Food Bank.

Check out their blog for more about what the FROGs have accomplished so far and what they have planned for the fall.

What’s your SLANT 45? Register your own team now at slant45.org!

Photo Friday

2010-07-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

Remember this post about SLANT 45 art workshops at the Dallas Museum of Art? Well, guess what: the first round of workshops has been completed, and some fantastic community service-related artwork came out of it! Here are just a few of the pieces created by participants at the July 16th "Late Nights at the DMA" event:

Mark your calendars for the next Late Nights workshops on August 20, September 17 and October 15. We'll see you there!

Photo Friday...on Monday!

2010-07-19T11:01:00.000-05:00

It's not Friday but we still wanted to share photos of some of the kids at the Charles Rice Learning Center participating in the Thriving Minds Summer Camp, as well as some of the artwork the kids created. This camp was a joint partnership with South Dallas Cultural Center. Hope you enjoy!

Art + Community Service at the DMA

2010-07-14T15:49:00.000-05:00

Join us at the Dallas Museum of Art for professional artist-led workshops for the whole family! There are sessions for SLANT 45 participants on Saturdays (see schedule below) which will allow kids to complete the reflective art component of the program in a variety of mediums - under the direction of local artists Lesli Robertson, Will Richey, and Jill Foley. Reflective art is required of all participants, so come out the DMA and let professional artists help your team create something to be proud of! Participants will also receive FREE admission to the museum.

There will also be special sessions for adults at the immensely popular Late Nights at the DMA. Visitors will be given the chance to create "Secret Service" postcards to highlight the unseen acts of kindness they've done or seen others do to better their community, with the help of artists like Sara Cardona, David Herman, Jr., Adriana Martinez and Ann Marie Newman.

The community service-related art will then be shared with all of North Texas as it tours alongside the SLANT 45 art exhibit (including pieces like these) from D/FW Airport to NorthPark Center to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and even a stint at the State Capitol. Mark your calendars with the dates below - we'll see you at the DMA!

Youth & Family Saturday workshops (RSVP at 469-621-8989):
July 17, 11am - 1pm
August 14, 11am - 1pm
September 18, 11am - 1pm
October 16, 11am - 1pm

DMA Late Night workshops:
July 16, 9:30 - 11:30pm
August 20, 9:30 - 11:30pm
September 17, 9:30 - 11:30pm
October 15, 9:30 - 11:30pm

New Blog Feature: Wowza!

2010-06-30T16:00:00.000-05:00

We're always on the lookout for the latest-and-greatest creative websites, widgets and games on the web, and we REALLY like the ones that make us say, "WOWZA! That's super-cool!" So with that, here is post number one of our newest weekly blog feature: the Wowza!

This week's Wowza came a-knockin' at our door recently through a friend of a friend (everybody's got 'em): JamStudio.com! Join for free to create and listen to your own music. How cool is that? We even went and found a useful video to help us make the most of this neat little web tool. Mix and match instruments, chords and sounds to build your own personal theme song - enjoy!

Photo Friday!

2010-06-18T15:43:00.000-05:00

These little kiddos are participants in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Mills Elementary School. Under the direction of their extraordinary staff, led by Site Manager "Miss Judy," these students put on a fantastic music and dance extravaganza at the end of the school year!

Rumor on the Street is...

2010-06-18T09:26:00.001-05:00

...that TEDxSMU and TEDxKids are back - October 15 & 16. And they’re looking for creative types--artists, architects and designers--to submit ideas for a performance, installation or interactive-based project. The winning project will receive a $1,500 honorarium plus up to $7,500 for project fees, materials and resources. But time's running out…deadline is July 8. Check out the details at www.TEDxSMU.org/art-commission.

Photo Friday

2010-06-11T14:36:00.001-05:00

SLANT 45 is not just about community service - the kids who participate are also given the opportunity to reflect on their project and its effect on them and the community in a creative way. Each youngster is given an 8x8 sheet of paper on which they can draw, collage, paint - whatever their heart desires - to show their feelings on their accomplishments. The reflective art pieces are being collected and will be toured throughout north Texas in a special SLANT 45 exhibit. Here's a glimpse of the art that's been completed - more to come!

Team Sasha Strikes Again...

2010-06-08T13:57:00.003-05:00

Remember Team Sasha, the inspiring children's basketball team from Plano? Yesterday marked their final delivery of thousands of Legos collected for their SLANT 45 project to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. The team rolled up to the hospital Monday afternoon with wagonloads and donation boxes full to the brim with more than 400 Lego sets for the patients and their families to enjoy. It was quite a spectacle to see those boys and their families surrounded by hospital staff and cameras galore as they piled their donations up in the entrance!

Team Sasha's members then headed up to the 10th floor of the hospital to receive words of thanks from Dr. Bowers (Sasha Ohotskiy's doctor) and Sasha's father, Sergei (among others). The boys gave heartfelt interviews for the press, remembering Sasha as "one in a million," and talking about how optimistic he remained both in and out of the hospital during his treatment, and then hauled their wagons over to the 10th floor playroom to stock the shelves FULL of Lego sets! The rest of the donations were distributed to other playrooms for general use or stocked away to be used as birthday presents for patients.

Team Sasha has served as an inspiration for many, including the 8th grade graduating class at Levine Academy, where many of the team attend school. Each year, the class does a fundraising project, and this year, they chose to support Team Sasha's SLANT 45 Lego donation program. Soon, a check for $500 will be headed to Children's Medical Center to join the thousands of Legos who've already made the hospital their home - which really demonstrates the generosity of these kids and their capacity to care and provide for others!

Photo Friday

2010-06-04T15:48:00.002-05:00

Miss B's 3rd and 4th graders in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Twain Elementary chose to make a HUGE paper recycling bin for their school for SLANT 45. They primed the individual wooden pieces to make a smooth surface, used paper templates to plot out design elements, and painted the pieces of the bin with every color in the rainbow - especially green!

Every Dog Has Its Day

2010-06-02T14:44:00.001-05:00

...and for the pets of 250 Arlington area Meals on Wheels customers, that day was Saturday, May 22. With the help of Girl Scout troop #3502, Meals on Wheels and the Arlington Animal Services Shelter collected over 6,000 pounds of dog and cat food.

The Girl Scouts, under the leadership of troop leader Sandy Worth, chose the Giving Back Twice event as their SLANT 45 project, and set about collecting donations at Kroger grocery stores and Arlington Fire Stations. On the day of the event, the girls made colorful posters to display, helped meet and greet customers at the shelter and handed out donation fliers in the Tails n' Trails dog park at the facility.

Chris Huff, Community Services Educator for the city of Arlington and coordinator of the event, was extremely pleased with the hard work of the Girl Scouts. The original goal for the pet food drive was 1500 pounds, but the girls were so efficient and excited about the project that she revised it - twice - and they still exceeded the new 5,000 pound goal! Said Chris, "The success of this event shows how much kids can do and how much they're willing to do; they just need an opportunity."

The girls each worked 2-hour shifts at the shelter, pausing only to grab a drink or play with a puppy in the dog park. Girl Scout Peyton had this to say about the experience: “When you give back to the community at least once, you keep wanting to do it over and over again because of the really good feeling and fun that you’re having.” Friend Lauren agreed, saying, “Yeah, and it inspires other people to start taking action, too.”

Photo Friday

2010-05-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

Students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Ireland Elementary chose to prepare and plant part of a Community Garden in their neighborhood for their SLANT 45. Big Thought Development staffer Katy (among others) went out to help them weed, hoe and plant - and she took some pictures of those hard-working kiddos while they were at it!

Congratulations to all who participated - and thank you for helping to make the Metroplex a greener, more awesome place to live!

Photo Friday

2010-05-21T16:21:00.001-05:00

Big Congrats to the Stockard Middle School cheerleaders, who won 2nd place in the Six Flags Cheerleading Competition on May 1, 2010! These gals have been working hard in their cheerleading club under the leadership and direction of Erin Adams and Jessica Weems, Thriving Minds after-school staff.

Coming to Theaters in January 2011...

2010-05-19T16:37:00.002-05:00

...the SLANT 45 documentary - filmed by award-winning filmmaker Mark Birnbaum! Over the next eight months, Birnbaum will be producing and directing a film all about SLANT 45 - the kids, the projects and the impact. He's already gotten footage of students at Clarke Elementary School in Fort Worth working on their "Future of the World" projects, including sprucing up their school by painting over graffiti. He's filmed a group from the Episcopal School of Dallas making emergency care packages with the Red Cross. He's even gotten down in the dirt with the after-school program at Ireland Elementary in their brand new community garden.

All these projects and more will be on display on the BIG screen next January. As Birnbaum puts it, "The opportunity to make a documentary about this ambitious project is the sort of thing a filmmaker dreams about...we look forward to revealing the individual stories of kids and communities that SLANT 45 represents." And we look forward to seeing it - don't you?

Stay tuned to the Think Big blog for more information on where and when the movie will be playing - and make sure you register your team TODAY, and perhaps we'll be seeing YOU on the big screen!

Photo Friday!

2010-05-14T14:34:00.001-05:00

As promised, here are the pics from the mural unveiling by students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Comstock Middle School. They began the mural in February as their SLANT 45 project, and had a special event to show it off to everyone for the first time on May 5, 2010. Congrats, Comstock, on your beautiful and poignant new addition to your cafeteria!

Celebrating the Arts in Dallas

2010-05-14T09:08:00.002-05:00

Staff, board and volunteers rallied together last weekend in support of Big Thought, Thriving Minds and SLANT 45 at the City Arts Festival. While students from Thriving Minds after-school at Titche Elementary performed a Jackson Five/Rockin' Robin tribute onstage in Centennial Hall, children and families gathered around the Big thought table to make pet rocks for the kiddos at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital.

In addition, representatives from the Super Bowl community service project, SLANT 45, were on hand to recruit and inform children and families about getting signed up and started on a service-learning project (you can sign up, too - right here!). And finally, we had a fantiastic children's art exhibit, sponsored by Prudential, that featured a mural, oil paintings, ceramics and reverse plexiglass portraits, among other things!

It was three VERY busy days, but they were also very rewarding. One volunteer shared a heartwarming story about a shy 4-year-old who stopped by the table to make a pet rock. After some coaxing, he collaborated with this volunteer to make a fantastic concoction of googly eyes, pom-pom balls and feathers - in JUST the right places. His father and grandparents were very pleased to see him interacting, and told our volunteer so. Cool, huh?

If you missed the City Arts Festival, stay tuned to our events calendar for other opportunities to come out and see what's going on in your neighborhood through Thriving Minds, SLANT 45 and other programs. Stories like the ones above are what inspire us to continue exploring new ways to make imagination a part of everyday learning for everyone.

Social Media Fire & Brimstone vs. Creative Social Media

2010-05-11T14:50:00.001-05:00

Guest-blog by Big Thought President/CEO, Gigi Antoni

I’m somewhat of a newbie at the social media thing, but it seems that when most experts talk about it, they take on the characteristics of a southern preacher. At conferences and in newsletters, techies and marketing gurus scrunch their faces and point their fingers to demand, “You have to be using social media at your organization. You just have to. You’ll be lost in the crowd without it.”

The gist of the social media message has thus far been fire and brimstone. If you don’t have X followers on Twitter and don’t have a large enough Facebook presence (presence sounds so extraterrestrial, doesn’t it?) your organization is doomed to social media limbo, always missing out on would-be donors or volunteer hopefuls.

In this way, social media has become exactly what it never was intended to be; a tool that makes your life harder. For personal use, the purpose of social media was to connect people, provide venues for them to express ideas, thoughts and to share them with the world. With social media came extraordinary videos, fascinating exchange and millions of blogs powered by everyday Joes who wanted to write about life, network TV or any other topic under the sun.

But more importantly, for those of us in the creative world, the arts became something, well … cool, thanks to social media tools like YouTube. Instead of audiences of hundreds who watched a symphony, an unbelievable multitude of millions were wowed by the creativity of bands, dancers, and even string players who became memes of extraordinary popularity by merging innovation with creativity.

As artistic and creative nonprofits, we tout the importance of innovation all the time in connection with the arts. We convince non-arts lovers of its importance in the lives of our young ones because it means that they will be able to thrive in a new world with new challenges. Unfortunately, we can say it until we’re blue in the face but until people see it, hear it, read it or live it, the prospect of creativity falls decidedly short in the minds of our constituency.

This is where social media comes in. Far from being an obligatory process of routine tweets, relationship-less exchanges or a begrudging step into the 21st century, its very existence provides us the opportunity to show the world what creativity can mean. And this doesn’t always mean posting videos of a program or writing newsletters about our work. It could simply be a young virtuoso on the piano. It could be a TED video which would spark conversation. Or it could be tweets from our staff about what instrument they played or creative activity they take part in with their friends or family.

Social media doesn’t have to make our lives harder. It can make our lives incredibly easy. We only have to leverage what people have already shown that they love … creativity and innovation. These are the open doors that will draw people into our work in arts and education. All along, we’ve been focusing on the work itself, and ignoring the work’s inherent ability to amaze people and make them say “That’s so cool!” And voila, the would-be volunteers or arts and creative learning supporters are right in the palm of our hands.

Follow us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter so that you can share the cool and creative videos, songs, organizations, social media ideas and anything else that you are buzzing about. Together we can show the world what creativity looks like in everyday life!

Gigi Antoni
President/CEO, Big Thought

Photo Friday

2010-05-07T14:44:00.000-05:00

The good news keeps on a-rollin' in from teams of kids carrying out their SLANT 45 projects all over the Metroplex! This week's Photo Friday is of a few pics of the Collin County Patriots youth football team. Their SLANT 45 was to participate in Lewisville's "Walking in Love" Walk Against Child Abuse; they feel very strongly about the topic, and wanted to educate their community and encourage their support in helping to end child abuse. Is there anything more inspiring than kids rallying in support for other kids? We don't think so.

Summer's Coming!

2010-04-29T17:02:00.000-05:00

Wow, this year's flown by. The end of the school year is fast approaching, so we're winding down the Thriving Minds after-school program and gearing up for the next big thing: Summer Camp! We're on the move at all levels of the organization, planning, writing, promoting, recruiting, hiring—the list goes on and on. Since we're doing all this hard work for you, the community, we've tried to find ways to inform you about what is available.

If your child is in the Thriving Minds after-school program, stay tuned for more information on the Thriving Minds Summer Camps from the Community Site Manager at your site. They'll be sending your kiddos home with flyers very soon.

If you don't have a child in the after-school program, don't fret! You can join us at the Dallas Independent School District's Summer Quest this Saturday, May 1, from 10 am – 2 pm at Townview Center (1201 E 8th St, 75203). Summer Quest will be full to the brim of organizations offering free and low-cost summertime opportunities, so that every child in Dallas that wants something constructive and creative to do this summer can get signed up. It'll be a four-hour summer camp extravaganza!

And if that doesn't work for you, join us at Sizzlin’ Summer Kickoff at Paul Quinn College (3837 Simpson Stuart Road, 75241) on May 15th from 10 am – 2 pm for another summer camp fair. This event will feature free and low-cost summertime activities for kids of all ages, college readiness workshops for parents and students, health and dental screening, and employment and internship opportunities.

So there it is—everything you need to get your kids set for summer learning. We'll see you around town!

SLANT 45's Citizen Volunteers

2010-04-22T14:19:00.001-05:00

SLANT 45 is under way and attracting a LOT of attention! We are lucky to have so many groups and organizations throwing their support behind this project - from the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee to the local school districts to the mayors of 112 cities in North Texas and many more. Some of our most invested partners are the Junior League of Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Arlington, and Richardson, and The Links, Inc. from Plano/North Metroplex, Mid-Cities, Trinity, Dallas and Fort Worth. These groups were among the first to sign on and offer their services as volunteer partners - and they've been hard at work with us ever since.

The women of the local Junior League chapters are working as coaches' assistants. When a project leader, or "coach," registers their team, the League closest to them springs into action. Each team is assigned to one member, who sends the coach the information packet, playbooks and t-shirts. The Junior League member is also available to help the coach set up awareness opportunities and events, and give hands-on help and advice. This is the first time that all the local Junior Leagues have banded together to work on one single project, and we are certain we couldn't do it without their help!

The women of The Links, Inc. are part of the SLANT 45 Speakers Bureau. They have done intense training, and know everything there is to know about the project. When a school district, corporation or organization calls us and asks for more information, our volunteers are ready to go out and share their knowledge. Without them and the other members of our Speakers Bureau, we would be hard-pressed to inform everyone who's interested in the project.

A project of this size - 20,000 kids, 45,000 hours of community service - demands an all-hands-on-deck approach. However, our biggest pool of volunteers with SLANT 45 are those parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, and youth organization leaders who are serving as SLANT 45 team coaches for groups of kids in their lives. It’s easy to volunteer as a team coach! You get to set your own schedule, your own timeline, align the team project with the interests of your teammates and spend your time on something you’re passionate about! Most importantly, you’re involvement as a team coach teaches kids the value of giving back to their community.

We’ve had a variety of projects with SLANT 45. Some are done right in one’s own home, such as starting an electricity conservation campaign with your kids. Others involve sports teams like the one featured on this blog – Team Sasha, whose coach helped a children's basketball team start a Lego collection in honor of their teammate Sasha Okhotskiy. Others, like Stephanie, an afterschool program director at Clarke Elementary School in Fort Worth, worked with her group of students to come up with no less than FOUR fantastic service-learning programs.

There are many ways you can be involved. If you are interested in signing up a team, you can register on the SLANT 45 website – you’ll get all the (FREE) materials you'll need to get your team started AND an invitation to the blowout bash that’ll be thrown at Cowboys Stadium in January to celebrate your efforts and those of your team. What are you waiting for? Sign up today!

SLANT 45: Future of the World

2010-04-16T15:29:00.002-05:00

Alexis, Veronica, Anthony and Alyssa (pictured above, left to right) are students in an afterschool program for at-risk kids at George C. Clarke Elementary in Fort Worth. These four students are the leaders of four SLANT 45 projects taking place at the school which all tie into the theme "Future of the World."

The students themselves decided what their projects would be and with whom they would partner: Veronica is leading a graffiti cleanup project; Alexis is concentrating on gang prevention; Alyssa is leading a beautification/trash pickup project and is working with Anthony, whose group is creating a recycling program the proceeds from which will go to charity.

On Wednesday, these children and their school were host to a meeting of the SLANT 45 Action Team, a group of business professionals, educators and others who help with outreach. Each student spoke briefly but passionately about why they feel these issues are problems in their community and their plan to address them. Members of the Action Team were particularly struck by how these children are so quick to give back even though they themselves are in need - and that is the beauty of SLANT 45. It gives elementary school children the chance to get to know more about their community, identify and fill a need and spark the spirit of giving that will follow these children through their adulthood.

If you know an inspiring group of youngsters who are ready to give back to their community, sign up at www.slant45.org/. All kids who participate will be invited to attend an extra-special celebration event at Cowboys Stadium in January 2011. Register today!

Mural Project Making a Big Impact at Comstock

2010-04-14T13:59:00.001-05:00

Students in the Thriving Minds after-school program at Comstock Middle School are leaving their mark on campus—literally. Through a visual art residency led by Steven Beck, an advanced placement art teacher at Dallas Independent School District’s Townview Magnet Center, the students are creating a large-scale mural that will remain a permanent feature in the Comstock cafeteria. The goal of the project is to instill a sense of pride in the students for their school and to bring the community closer, says Lisa Schmidt, an instructional specialist for Big Thought, which manages the Thriving Minds after-school program.

To jumpstart the project, Beck met with Comstock students to brainstorm what the mural should symbolize. The resulting images and words are representative of the unique mix of cultures that make up the student body, and the topics and issues they feel are most relevant to their lives today. Beck then took the ideas and worked with his students at Townview to develop initial sketches of the mural.

Since then, nearly 35 students from both schools have come together to work on the piece, and are committing their time after school every Tuesday and Thursday through May to complete the project. The spirit of collaboration has also spread to the community; in February, parents and teachers joined the students for two Saturdays to lend a hand. The final mural will be unveiled during a special Cinco de Mayo celebration in May.

Photo Friday!

2010-04-09T15:32:00.000-05:00

In response to the lack of quality programs for all kids during spring break, Thriving Minds and the African American Museum partnered up to host a spring break camp.

For 3 days children participated in a variety of visual art classes offered from museum staff and our Big Thought's Thriving Minds after-school Assistant Site Managers. Professional artist Leo Hassan opened up the camp with an African drumming master class and he and Melody Bell, an African Storytelling artist, returned for the culminating event — a Family Night on March 18th — and provided an engaging storytelling and musical family experience for the parents. Over 100 parents and kids attended the family night. Check it out!

Leadership Learnings

2010-04-06T15:36:00.001-05:00

Leadership Learnings
by Gigi Antoni, Big Thought President/CEO

I always enjoy watching the Academy Awards with my family. Though the hosts and dresses change with the years, the acceptance speeches have always carried a familiar theme that consistently emerges; in the menagerie of thank-yous and teary remembrances, the winning actors almost always praise a teacher, parent or other mentor who stood out as a supporter of creativity.

Imagine that! As experts in their craft, these Oscar winners attribute their success to some adult who made it all possible. I suppose that the sentiment isn’t at all uncommon. If I asked you to reach across the vast expanse of childhood memories to pull out an adult who impacted you, I am confident that you could do it in an instant. Because we all have that person who helped us realize our talent and potential, and in doing so forever changed the course of our lives.

Adults are crucial in developing the creative capacities of our young learners. It takes courage and diligence to create something and share it with others, especially for a child. Big Thought research has laid it out clearly: Students who are creative mirror the creative investment of caring adults. In fact, 50% of a child’s willingness to try and stick with an artistic endeavor depends on their family, while the other half depends on teachers, family members and other adults.

But developing creativity is only the jumping-off point for success when children have a mentor who cares about them. According to the Search Institute, teens who feel that others value their creative passions are three times more likely to have a sense of hopeful purpose, be actively engaged in school and take on leadership roles.

The most wonderful part about these encouraging facts is that the role of a supportive adult can come from anyone who has the time and desire to invest in a child. With creative organizations like Big Thought, too many would-be volunteers mistakenly believe that artistic ability is necessary to work with or mentor our youth. But kids don’t need someone with the magic hands of Picasso or the graceful feet of Anna Pavlova. All that children need (and want, for that matter) are adults who make them feel special and worthwhile. More than that, children desire that a grown-up really see and hear them, recognizing and validating their individuality, dreams and talents.

Big Thought serves thousands of children each year, and every single one can benefit from the kind words and encouraging nods of a supportive adult. Big Thought recently kicked off the SLANT 45 program in partnership with the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee. This ambitious program encourages parents, mentors, teachers and other adults to head a team of youngsters in their individually designed service-learning projects. SLANT 45 is not only a fantastic opportunity both for the adults and children who will participate, but it’s also a great way to proactively change your community. Look around. At schools, churches and in neighborhoods there are myriad ways to help out and make a difference in the life of a child who needs you. And who knows, maybe you’ll be thanked at the Oscars someday!

Visit http://www.slant45.org/ and sign up your team today.

This article was included in the April issue of The Big Idea newsletter. To receive e-news and updates from Big Thought, join our Mailing List.