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>View discussions about this entry País: United States
Organization: The Children's Bilingual Theater
Field of Work - social justice/human rights
Year project started (or projected start date) (yyyy) - 2008
If Field of Work is “other” please define in 1-2 words below - arts/culture
What is the primary problem your venture is trying to address and how are you addressing it (or planning to address it)? - Mr. Ooba’s T.E.A.M. is a classroom short play for grades k-4 addressing the issue of bullying of developmentally disabled & medically fragile children, & diversity issues in our classrooms. The play is an original work written by Venture-er, Jordan Schwartz, the founder & artistic producer of The Children’s Bilingual Theater(YV alum’05). The play is written with animal characters, takes place in a “forest classroom”, runs 18 min. w/ a 10 min. talk-back/Q & A after the show for young audiences to talk about the message & how it is important in their attitudes, behavior and perceptions.
Project Description - Describe your project in one sentence: Mr. Ooba’s T.E.A.M. is a play for grades k-4 addressing the issues of bullying of developmentally disabled, medically fragile children, & diversity issues in our classrooms.
Unique and different - Describe what makes your idea unique and different: Mr Ooba was created & written by a 14 year old with a congenital disability. Jordan brought her theatrical background developed in the YV project The Children’s Bilingual Theater & experiences with Turner’s Syndrome together to pen the script. As a classroom presentation it is mobile & adaptable to many venues & incorporates a talk back to allow young audiences the opportunity to discuss their ideas, feelings & experiences with bullying & diversity. The play is scheduled for YouTube in Nov. & is touring with members of The Children’s Bilingual Theater. On July 17th the play premiered as a Reader’s Theatre storytelling at the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, “Making A Difference” Annual Appreciation Ceremony acknowledging state legislators’, media professionals’ & disability advocates’ contributions to the community. Community events are hosting performances & the script is available to groups, schools & arts programs to present. Volunteers are translating the Spanish into Korean & French expanding the multicultural, & multi lingual appeal.
Project plan - What is your project plan for the next 6 months? We are producing performances, and distributing scripts and a theatrical workshop booklet that helps youth to understand the production process. In October Jordan & CBT volunteers will perform in Marietta, in November premier on YouTube & in March present at the Park Street School read a thon. A community awareness & advocacy op-ed piece will be featured written by Jordan for Making A Difference Magazine.
Partnerships - What are some of your most successful partnerships and how have you created them? The YV project The Children’s Bilingual Theater (CBT) launched & I approached Cobb Commission Chair Sam Olens to mentor us. He supported The Arts Place, a county Parks & Rec facility to host 2 bilingual musicals. They supported us in a bid for a production scholarship from the Mountain View Arts Alliance. Then The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities invited us to submit a proposal for the Organizing Institute.
In an unprecedented move in selecting a 14 year old, an advisory council of people with disabilities, GCDD staff, & Council members chose Jordan to be trained in organizing skills to return to her home communities to put these skills to practice. That partnership led to the creation of “Mr. Ooba’s TEAM” to promote systems change around issues that affect people with disabilities & to create a forum for youth to discuss those issues & diversity. This project opens doors to many & long lasting partnership with schools, arts programs & community outreach. Impact - Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. To open discussion & dialogue with our communities’ youth about disability rights & diversity & to teach & exemplify tolerance.
Effectiveness - How many people has your project served to date? Exactly who benefits from your innovation? 3000 audience/plus schools/ 100 volunteers. The Hispanic community (increased 300%+/-) Our programs are inclusive engaging diversity & disability issues, connecting to a movement for tolerance.
Obstacles - What are some of the foreseeable obstacles to maximizing your impact? Foreseeable obstacles are transportation costs making us limit performances to close venues however since the script is available to those who ask “Mr. Ooba” can be performed by groups in their own locals. To that end, a foreseeable obstacle would be advertising the script as available to other groups to perform
Finance details - If known, provide information on your finances and organization:
• Money raised and/or in-kind donations (donated space and/or materials) • Number of people on your team and their roles • Number of partners: • Money raised and/or in-kind donations (donated space and/or materials) • $16,082.00 since 2006 when we went 501 (C) (3), since we have produced 3 bilingual musicals and 1 readers theater and 3 storytelling events and 2 literacy events at an at risk school and we have received food from various donors to feed cast and crew and for receptions • Number of people on your team and their roles • 6 -Founder & Artistic Producer, Board CEO, Board Sec.,Board Tres., • Board Member at large. organizing Institute Facilitator • Number of partners -3 Creative funding - Please describe creative ways that you have acquired funding and other resources? We have done traditional mail outs, done personal fundraising calls, applied for grants, fellowships, production scholarship and awards, presented speechs at the East Cobb Business Association, at a Kiwanas club meeting, at a Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Coliation seminar, & presented theatrical storytelling performances at birthday parties, & community events.
Other non finance needs - What non-financial resources/services do you need in order to help sustain your project? We need storage space for sets, props & costumes. Our garage is bulging. We need food & water for rehearsals & performances as they come up & we need a printer & ink to make programs and flyers and a copier and a banner with our promotional info to display at events & performances.
Motivation - What was the motivation or defining moment that led you to create this project? Tell us the story. I launched The Children's Bilingual Theater as a 5th grader. Our mission is to bridge the language & cultural gap between Spanish 1st language speakers, students learning Spanish & our community. We work to help improve Spanish 1st language speakers’ English skills & English speakers’ Spanish skills while both benefit from theatre & explore Hispanic language, culture & history. I started performing as a 2nd grader & with my mom being Hispanic I grew up learning to speak Spanish. This inspired me to create my YV project. CBT brings theatrical and literacy outreach throughout Atlanta. Then at age 11, I was diagnosed with Turner’s syndrome. One of my theatre friends reminded me that theatre kids & adults bring their differences to the stage, & together bring a show to life. I was encouraged to continue CBT. After being denied insurance coverage for Human Growth Hormone injections necessary to help Turner’s Syndrome health issues I began to advocate which lead to an alliance with the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. That lead to a Making a Difference Magazine publishing my article on my advocacy. In 2008 I applied to the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Organizing Institute & was the first child chosen. My theatre background and disability inspired me to write this play & premiered it as a readers theatre. I encourage my community to bridge the language and cultural gap through theatre arts & hope that this work will help our community to exemplify & teach tolerance.
Awards - Please describe any awards or recognition you have received (either personal or for your team)? Duke University TIP Bruce J. Heim Leadership Merit Award;
Nestlé Very Best In Youth Foundation Award & Grant; Daily Points of Light Award; Staples “That Was Easy” YV/Changemakers/Ashoka Award & Grant; Southern Poverty Law Center Teaching Tolerance Grant; Atlanta Falcons Jr. Community Quarterback Award; Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Local Hero Award; Do- Something BRICK Award; 3 Georgia General Assembly House & Senate Resolutions; Cobb County Proclamation; Guardian Life Ins.Co.- Girls Going Places Award; Wisconsin Public Television documentary-Democracy it is!, Contact Information:
Jordan Schwartz
Founder and Artistic Producer The Children's Bilingual Theat The Children's Bilingual Theater (non-profit theatre) abstractdiana@aol.com 882 Halston Ct Marietta, GA 30062 United States Tel: 678-485-1986 Fax: 770-977-3691 Website: www.childrensbilingualtheater.org Discussions about this entry
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Mr. Ooba's T. E. A. M. (Together Everybody Achieves More)
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Hello Jordan,
Congratulations on all you awards and the success of your program so far. Great work! I thought you might be interested in taking a look at the organization "Otesha." Otesha was founded by two young girls to spread word about protecting the environment through theatrical fun and educational plays. They have toured all over the country and the United States! They have a lot of great resources and information on their site including sample plays, educational program and great ideas for your organization. Check it out! I think you might be inspired or find some new, fresh ideas: http://www.otesha.ca/
Best of luck to you!
Dana Frasz
Ashoka's Changemakers
I was thrilled to see your comment. Our work is expanding and we are reaching so many young people that I know we are making a difference. Your org is very fresh and exciting and I look forward to getting with you about your plays.
Regards,
JOrdan
We premiered for a legislative event. Senator Dan Moody a disabilities rights advocate attended. His enthusiasm for the play means a lot to our success. The children that have seen it are often surprised at what bullying is. What is funny or smart aleck they now understand as not acceptable. In talk backs the kids get excited giving examples of their feelings. Even though I put myself on the line and talk about my disability it makes the kids think, because they see me as an actress and role model and suddenly they realize that words and deeds from their past could have hurt me and it all becomes very real. I might be able to add a practice clip to Changemakers. I will look into that.
Hi Jordan,
Your play sounds fascinating. Is there a video clip that you can share with us before the YouTube launch this November?
Also, I'm curious to hear what kind of impact your play has had on children that see it.
Charles