In September 2009, The North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee tapped Dallas based nonprofit Big Thought to create an education initiative which would allow youth to have an impact on the North Texas region and showcase that heroes aren't just the players on the field, that they are right in our own backyard.
SLANT 45: Service Learning Adventures in North Texas, was designed to inspire youth to become champions of community service. The program launched in February 2010 with a goal to engage 20,000 youth in 45,000 hours of service by December 2010.
Ultimately, SLANT 45 teams comprised of 44,140 children who logged more than 445,000 hours of service in 33 school districts, 12 counties and 52 cities in the North Texas region. All projects were designed and implemented by kindergarten through high school-aged children.
"Who would have guessed? We launched this project with a lot of hope and faith that kids would embrace the spirit of giving and did they ever," said Daryl Johnston, Chair of the SLANT 45 Action Team. "To have 44,000-plus kids identify ideas and find so many creative ways to help their community is probably one of the most memorable things that will come out of this Super Bowl experience."
During the SLANT 45 initiative a wide range of project ideas were submitted. Ideas included planting community gardens; painting murals; adoption programs for animals; helping the elderly; collecting food, toys and sports equipment; implementing anti-graffiti/anti-bullying programs; and more.
SLANT 45 projects were not limited to school-wide initiatives. Many families, nonprofit organizations and neighborhood groups teamed up in the excitement. Program participants were each provided with an instructional aplaybooka to help them think through their service-learning projects. The local chapters of Junior League International and The Links, Inc. teamed up to provide hands-on support to more than 1,500 SLANT 45 teams throughout the region.
"This program allowed our youth to research, really learn about the needs in their community and use their imaginations to make a difference. Their creativity and ingenuity in thought is an inspiration," said Gigi Antoni, President and CEO of Big Thought, the managing provider of SLANT 45.