Dallas City of Learning: Neighborhood Resource Initiative
The Neighborhood Resource Initiative (NRI) offers partner organizations the opportunity to submit a proposal to receive resources to enhance existing or new summer programming to be connected with Dallas City of Learning during the summer. Resources include but are not limited to: Financial, Curriculum, Transportation, Professional Development and Facilities. Proposals were reviewed and scored on a rolling basis by an outside Advisory Committee.
We asked that proposals address these three main components:
1) target one or more of the Neighborhood Plus, Neighbor Up or Grow South areas,
2) incorporate social-emotional learning
3) help students access high-quality experiences.
Big Thought was proud to convene our Summer 2017 NRI grant recipients for an orientation last week at Dallas Contemporary.
As a mindfulness exercise, we asked our partners to tell us what brings them to this work. Here are some of the things they had to say!
- Knowing that I have changed many people’s lives for the better
- Ability to affect a change in the children and their families’ lives in a meaningful way
- I do what I do to give back and expose people to opportunities they may not normally see
- A higher calling/purpose
- Serving the students in the community and seeing lives changed in a positive manner
- Jesus, Family, Children
- Passion. Way of giving back to my community and being a positive influence
- Make our community better! To be the solution and not the problem!
- I am here to share my talents and gifts with others. I want to make the economic playing field fair by making my students become bilingual or trilingual
- To inspire, to advocate, to education, to challenge myself & others
- The look in the children’s eyes when they realize they have learned something new!
- Desire to share God’s love with youth and families providing access to services, education, and support in various areas of need
- Legacy responsibility/Knowledge of self & history
- Knowing kids have potential that is lost because they don’t have the connections or resources to be the greatness that is within them
- Passionate about the art form of jazz and trying to keep alive with the youth of today
- The love and respect of young people
- Impact youth + staff that work for me
- My childhood upbringing
- To impact the lives of young students + parents, introduce to technology industry and STEM
- The need to help people. The gifts I have to help them
- I enjoy the gift & reward of positively impacting someone else’s life
- To put Christian values into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all
- This is my life’s work. I believe art can change lives and make the world better
- My momma brought me to this work – to treat others with love + kindness, to engage with others in service + joy, to embrace others in pain + give them hope
- To spread awareness of issues beyond our narrow sphere – to call people to action & empower them to make a difference
- Love for learning and sharing of knowledge
- Being able to show kids a greater educational opportunity
- Community Sustainability
- Because I have a passion and purpose to help children discover their “best self”
We are so excited for this summer and to be a part of the amazing work that will be happening in our own city of learning!