D

  1. Find It
    Food & Drink
    Health Care
    Prof. Services
    Shopping
    Beauty
    Weddings
    Home & Garden
  2. Blogs
  3. Videos
  4. Buzzworthy
  5. Magazines

Live Blog Feed

  1. Blogs
  2. Best of Big D
  3. Restaurants
  4. Bars
  5. Entertainment
  6. Party Pics
  1. Home
  2. Shopping
  3. Home & Garden
  4. Real Estate
  5. Weddings
  6. Find a Doctor
  7. Find a Lawyer
  8. Giveaways

The Untold Story Behind Today’s SLANT 45 Announcement

Posted on September 21st, 2009 3:42pm by Jeanne Prejean
Filed under Education, Football, Foundations, Sports

Shannon Skokos IMG_0579All the big names were there at today’s announcement at Cowboys Stadium about the North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee and Big Thought gearing up for SLANT 45, “one of the most comprehensive youth-educated programs in Super Bowl history.” Big names and well-known faces of the past and present were in attendance. Lots of motivational speeches were made by the likes of Rainmaker Bill Lively, Big Thought’s Gigi Antoni, former Cowboys Roger Staubach and Daryl “Moose” Johnston, Bank of America’s Richard Holt and the former first couple aka Laura and George Bush.

But don’t you really want a behind-the-scenes story? How about a very important person who was so influential in funding this project but nowhere in sight and never mentioned? Let’s call him “Riley.” You see years ago a young Arkansas law student learned that the owner of her condo was having to sell the unit and she would have to move within a week. This development was disastrous for her. How would she find another place that she could afford on such short notice? That’s when Riley entered the scene. He recognized her plight and said he would buy the condo and rent it to her. She admitted that she doubted if she could swing the rent, but truly appreciated the offer. He said that he would only charge her what she could afford on one condition. One day she had to help someone else.

Today that former struggling law school student, Shannon Skokos, and her husband Ted Skokos joined Bank of America in funding SLANT 45. If their names sound familiar, this venture isn’t their first rodeo. Check out the Shannon and Ted Skokos Stage in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House and the Shannon and Ted Skokos Pavilion at Annette Strauss Artist Square.

Riley must be very proud that his investment contines to pay off.