SLANT Spotlight On: Otis Brown 2nd Grade

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

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

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

Congrats to the Hill Middle School Law & Government Club!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Team: Girls on the Run, North Richland Hills

City: North Richland Hills

Participants: 20

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

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

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

A Thriving Minds Success Story

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thriving Minds After School Photo Update

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

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

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

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

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

Stockard Students are Wild About Zoo Careers

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

Dallas Cowboy Gerald Sensabaugh Volunteers at Junkins Elementary

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

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

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

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

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

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

Making An Impact

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

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

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

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

Photo Friday: Summer Favorites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Junior Docents at the African American Museum

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

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

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

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

Photo Friday: Creative Solutions

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

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

A huge shout out to the following:

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

Photo Friday: DallasKidsRead 2011

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

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

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

Welcome to Ancient Egypt!

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

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

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

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

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

Callie's Fair Park Live! Wrap Up

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

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

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

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

Summer Camp News From the Field: Trinity River Audubon Center

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

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

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

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

Summer Camp at the South Dallas Cultural Center

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

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