Make a difference in 2026
DonateBy Tre Kelly
Written by: Merita Irby, strategic advisor, and Karen Pittman, editor-in-chief and publisher At Big Thought, we’ve always believed that learning happens everywhere — not just inside classroom walls. For nearly four decades, our work has centered creative learning, community partnerships, and network-driven opportunity so that young people can develop the skills, agency, and confidence to
By Tre Kelly
DCoL proves citywide ecosystems can distribute learning dosage and still deliver impact – while outlining the model, evidence, and policy steps for communities to replicate and scale equitable, creative learning systems. Big Thought, serving as the backbone agency for Dallas City of Learning (DCoL), has continued its focus on enhancing out-of-school time (OST) programs for
By Tre Kelly
Longitudinal Report of Dallas City of Learning Outcomes over a 7-year period finds that summer program participation is linked to meaningful and age-specific benefits. Big Thought, serving as the backbone agency for Dallas City of Learning (DCoL), has continued its focus on enhancing out-of-school time (OST) programs for youth in Dallas. By offering a broad
Annual Dallas City of Learning Report Finds a Rebound in Access and Dosage with the Return to Face-to-Face Programming Dallas City of Learning (DCoL), launched in 2014, represents a collection, or ecosystem, of organizations focused on providing programming to youth during out-of-school time and other non-traditional learning spaces. Through these learning experiences youth have the opportunity to
Summer heat and summer learning are both in full swing for Dallas City of Learning and its partners. Children across the city are accessing summer experiences that will carry them into the school year. Recently at West Dallas SOARS Camp, young creators were decorating their own journal covers. As they drew and colored, one young
Annual Dallas City of Learning Report Finds a Negative Impact on Social-emotional Skills during Summer 2020