Service Learning Adventures in North Texas
The organization was formed by The North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee and Big Thought. It is a youth education program that works with school districts throughout the region to reward its young participants. SLANT 45 was named after an actual football play used by Daryl Johnston and Emmitt Smith for the Dallas Cowboys.
Dedicated to making imagination a part of everyday learning, Big Thought is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations focused on improving public education through creative learning. The combination of Big Thought’s credibility and the Super Bowl’s appeal create a winning team.
From now through December 2010, in one of the largest communitywide service-learning projects in U.S. history, an estimated 20,000 elementary-age students will log a combined 45,000 hours of service across North Texas. These youngsters, representing all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and every corner of North Texas, will undertake projects large and small. Some will assist those in need or beautify neighborhoods. Others might stage a play for fundraising purposes. A few may even undertake the development of a mural project simply because it lifts the spirit.
Area school districts and private school systems are being enlisted to recruit groups of students and volunteers in communities across North Texas to participate in SLANT 45. Examples of these groups include neighborhood associations, church groups, classrooms and school clubs, PTAs, community-based organizations, scout troops, youth athletic teams and corporate groups.
Big Thought supports the program with materials to ensure that life skills are realized as learning outcomes within individual service-learning projects. Tools include workbooks, thought-starters for idea generation, key questionnaires, etc., for the children and adult project leaders of individual service projects.
After the hard work has been completed, it will be time to celebrate! The children who brought these unique projects to life will be invited to a special event in January 2011. More than 20,000 children and their adult leaders will join Big Thought and the Host Committee at a private event where they will be congratulated for their accomplishments and celebrated for their commitment to their community.
To learn more about the concept of service learning and how you can get involved with SLANT, visit http://www.slant45.org/
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