TIPS FOR PRESENTERS

Be creative; use props and tools to keep kids engaged and excited.

For example:

• Use a dry erase board to illustrate key points made by you and the kids.
• Show samples of playbooks, SLANT 45 t-shirts, art collage reflection pieces, etc.
• If you have access to a laptop or video equipment, show the SLANT 45 public service announcement (PSA).
• Distribute paper and encourage kids to create their own SLANT 45 cheer.
• Put the presentation in your own words. (Don’t attempt to use these points verbatim – boring!)
• Have fun ... it’s contagious!

WARM UP

To introduce the SLANT 45 program, you may want to “warm up” the group by asking questions and encouraging responses from the kids (allow time for them to respond):

• Do you know of any big events coming to Texas next February?
• Think about a big sporting event that was on TV in February!  (And it doesn’t involve snow or ice i.e. Olympics!)
• What happens at a Super Bowl (and how often does it happen)?
• What do you like about the Super Bowl?
• Who’s our team in North Texas?
• What do you know about the Dallas Cowboys?  Do you have a favorite Cowboy?
• Do you want them to play in Super Bowl XLV (45) when it comes to North Texas on February 6, 2011?
• The Dallas Cowboys are a team.  Now let’s talk about what it means to be a part of a team.
• What types of teams are there? (sports, at school, families, etc.)
• How many of you have been on a team before?
• What does it take to make a team work well together?

INTRODUCING SLANT 45

• You know about teamwork … and you’ve learned about the Super Bowl. 
• Now I want to tell you how kids can use TEAMWORK to become be part of the SUPER BOWL celebration!
• Nope, we’re not going to play football … and I can’t give you tickets to the game … but we’re going to give you a chance to become CHAMPIONS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE!
• You’ll join 20,000 other North Texas kids … to make history … and become part of the biggest Super Bowl youth program ever! 
• Making history … can you give me examples of that? (mention Olympics, etc.)
• Well, here’s how you’ll do it. 
• A creative-learning nonprofit called Big Thought has created a program called SLANT 45 ... it stands for Service Learning Adventures in North Texas! 
• Can you say that? Repeat after me … Service Learning Adventures in North Texas, or SLANT 45!
• So who likes an adventure?  And who likes to help others?  Do you want to make the world a better place to live?
• That’s what SLANT 45 is all about!
• Like I said before, you’re not only going to make a big difference by helping … but you’re also going to make history!
• When Super Bowl XLV is over and done, we want it to be remembered as a time when 20,000 North Texas kids MADE HISTORY TOGETHER … by donating 45,000 hours  of service … to make their communities better!
• SO WHO WANTS TO BE PART OF HISTORY?

HOW KIDS CAN HELP – WHAT’S YOUR SLANT 45?

• OK .. So let me ask you … do you ever see problems in your community that need your help?
  … like trash on the ground at the park? 
  … like homeless people who are cold at night? 
  … like a school or rec center that could use a prettier entrance with flowers ? 
  … or what about fitness?  Do you think the people in your neighborhood need to get healthier by  
    getting more exercise?
• Can any of you think of ways to make your community better?
• Presenter can brainstorm a few ideas with kids and write them on the board
• Those are great ideas! 
• (OPTIONAL)  Now I’d like to show you a commercial that’s going to run on TV where kids talk about their SLANT 45 project.
• Run DVD of SLANT 45 PSAs
• Well, by getting involved in SLANT 45, you can help solve these problems … and hundreds more!
• For instance, you might organize a park clean-up … collect blankets for the homeless … plant flowers at  your school … or organize a family fitness program in your neighborhood.
• You’re only limited by your imagination!

EXPLAINING SERVICE LEARNING

• How many of you have volunteered before? 
• Maybe your parents or coach or teacher asked you to do something to “help out!”
• That’s called volunteerism … and that’s a good thing!
• But SLANT 45 is a little different.
• Instead of helping grown-ups with their projects … we’re putting the kids in charge!
• Of course, you’ll have a grown up coach to guide you through the process … but the ideas and plans should come from you!
• Does that sound good … so let me ask again … who wants to be part of SLANT 45?

SLANT 45 – THE GAME PLAN

OK … so here’s how you and your friends and classmates can be official members of SLANT 45 … the Super Bowl of Community Service!  Here’s the game plan:

• You must recruit at least one friend … or a group of friends, classmates, Cub Scouts/Girl Scouts,  friends from your church or temple or sports teams … to join you. That’s the TEAM part!
• Then you need an adult coach … so ask your parent or aunt and uncle … your teacher or coach … your Scout or youth leader … but remember you MUST have an adult help you!
• Next you’re going to ask your Coach to sign up your team at slant45.org … where they’ll find a “coach’s playbook” and lots of information (show playbook).
• They’ll find lots of good advice from the folks at Big Thought, who are experts at working  with kids and creativity!
• And kids, you’ll also get a special KIDS playbook that contains all kinds of tips and ideas (show playbook).
• Next, you and your team will look around the community … like a detective … to find a problem that needs to be solved.
• You may find lots of problems … but you probably can’t tackle them all. That’s ok … just encourage other kids to team up and tackle a project!
• You’re going to have to put on your thinking caps — that’s the LEARNING PART … because SLANT 45 is going to require KEEN observation skills …. lots of creativity … leadership skills … the ability to work nicely with and encourage others … and, of course,
• stick-to-it-tiveness!
• Then, working with your team, you’ll develop a detailed plan, where everybody will have a job to do.
• You’ll need to think of all the steps that need to be done … and how everyone can work together to make them happen.
• Next you’ll have to gather your supplies …
• Then you’ll execute, or carry out, the plan … solve the problem … and help make your community a better place!
• And at the end of your project, every team will get a chance to “reflect back” on the project by creating a visual collage.
• For the collage, you’ll be asked … what lessons did you learn?  How did it go working with your team? Did anything surprise you?  What was your favorite part?
• This “reflective collage” could be a story, a poem, a journal entry … a picture or other visual creation, or even a collage of photos.
• At the end, you’re going to ask yourself a really big question, “How did you feel when you were helping others by solving a problem?”
• Can you guess how you might feel after doing something good?
• But that’s not all!

BENEFITS OF BEING A SLANT 45 KID!

Well, we want to celebrate all your good work … so here’s what you get if you’re part of SLANT 45:

• Every kid who participates will get an official SLANT 45 T-shirt!
• Show t-shirt.
• Then, if you follow all the rules, and submit your project on time, you’ll get a chance to get tickets to a FANTASTIC celebration event just for kids at Cowboys Stadium!
• Also, your artwork collage may be chosen to be part of a special touring art collection!
• Show an example of an art collage
• And finally, your team and your project may be featured in a documentary movie … that will show off the very best SLANT 45 ideas and projects

CONCLUSION

So, here are the rules (write rules on a board or chart so kids can refer to them):

• SLANT 45 is for elementary-age kids.
• You must create a team of two or more.
• You must have an adult coach help you … and he or she must sign up your team at slant45.org.
• You must sign up by before the end of the year!
• Pass out the “sign up now” poster and have kids fill it out to post in their classroom or at home
• And you must submit your reflective collage to get tickets to the American Airlines celebration event!
• And don’t wait till the last minute!  Sign up now!

Any questions … or comments?

So who’s excited?  Who’s signing up … and what is the website where you go to sign up?

KIDS YELL SLANT45.ORG!

You may want to encourage kids to create their own SLANT 45 chant/cheer