Venture Description: The Children's Bilingual Theater is committed to bridging the language and cultural gaps in our community through the theatre arts and is dedicated to giving a diverse group of young people the theatre experience while offering the benefits of confidence and public speaking in a bilingual setting. CBT expresses the value of communication and connection of young people by using the tools of theatre. Each production is selected not only for the bilingual aspect but to convey a positive message in a diverse setting.

Venture Origin: I started community theatre in 2nd grade & language studies in 5th. After seeing that Spanish students did not have much of an opportunity to practice and ESOL students did not have much chance to participate in plays and assemblies, I put language & theatre together to help both groups.

Innovation: Firstlanguage Spanish speakers can improve their English & get involved in theatre & Spanish students can improve their Spanish & work with a more diverse group of youth. Our presentations also bring theatre to the underserved Hispanic community which has increased by about 300% in our county. We believe that the public speaking & confidence offered in theatre can help in school, college & jobs.

Impact

Impact: The Children's Bilingual Theater has had over 70 volunteers & performed to over 1000 audience members. We have produced 2 bilingual musicals, 2 theatrical storytellings & worked as literacy advocates for 4 events at an at risk 90% Hispanic Marietta school. We helped launch "Operation Storybook" for Sheltering Arms a day-care for the underserved & we are producing a 2007 bilingual musical at a county parks & recreation black box theatre.

Engagement with the community: The theatre partners with the Wheeler High Spanish club for language support. For the 4 literacy events we have engaged 45 Atlanta Girls School volunteers & partnered with Hands On Atlanta with 15 volunteers to create arts & crafts kits to complement our literacy advocacy improving the outreach with an interactive aspect, bringing public & private school youth to work together.

Impact and engagement progress since launch: The Venture has toured 5 local schools, performed at the Fernbank Museum, engaged youth from 2nd grade to college age and adult volunteers some with 40 years theatre experience. We have raised over $8,000 for shows and $10,000 in grants with local, state and national recognition & have linked with volunteermatch.com. to help us reach more youth.

Impact and engagement strategy: Our representatives regularly speak to community organizations like the Kiwanis & and business & professional associations, like The East Cobb Business Association, which grows our youth and volunteer base & helps us gain recognition & credibility & helps with networking for financial support.

Awards: Bank of America-Local Hero; Guradian Life Insurance-Girls Going Places; Do Something-Brick; Volvo for Life-Butterfly; Kohl's Kids Who Care

Budget

Amount of Youth Venture seed grant: $650

Money raised: $5,000-Do Something Grant; $5,000-Bank of America Grant; $1956-various individual donations & show sponsors; $500- Puffin Grant; $750-Mountain View Arts Alliance production scholarship

Creative ways of raising resources: We have produced a public service dvd played at school & sponsor events & meetings. We applied & received a CEO 100 Scholarship with the Georgia Center for Non- Profits, we created slick tri-folds & we offer costumed theatrical storytelling for events in exchange for sponsorships & donations

Strategy

Expansion plan for next 6 months: Januray, we will present a dramatic reading as part of the Martin Luther King celebration. Feb. 18th we open auditions for the April show & our April bilingual show will use volunteermatch.com & school volunteers expanding our participant base.

Plans for sustaining the project: We fund on a project or show to show basis, soliciting sponsors then use the "door" money to seed the next show or project. As we grow we are also gaining media attention which helps our volunteer and audience base grow.

Vision for three years from now: 1st to continue as literacy advocates at the at risk school; 2nd to produce a summer theatrical workshop for youth (we are working with Summer in the City in Detroit in 2007);3rd to link with a performing arts high school or small community theatre reaching the underserved community & helping more ESOL students to improve their English skills & bringing more bilingual programming.

Project impact: We have many success stories but this one says alot. A 10 year old that had been in the USA for only 3 months auditioned for our show. She was shy & her English skills very weak. Within the 3 months in which she performed in our show her skills improved to where she passed the CRCT(a required State skills test)& she was able to be promoted to middle school. Her parents are proud & her life easier, so CBT keeps trying to change the world, one play at a time.

Youth Venture movement - what it means and how you can contribute: Youth Venture reminds us that we are not alone, that youth all over is working to make a positive impact in our communities & that YV is also working to support & encourage each ventureer & each venture. At the same time we realize that each ventureer and each venture together YV. We are like a strong and intricate tapestry. We are individual threads, different colors, different textures; & we are made stronger woven together. That's how our team can contribute further; by maintaining our individual purpose but working together to promote the YV movement.

Author:
Jordan
United States
Website: www.childrensbilingualtheater.org