The LEAP Center’s mission is to offer unique educational opportunities for students. An example of this is the Center’s annual trip to the Southern Legislative Conference, to which the LEAP Ambassadors are invited to attend. While the conference offers the opportunity to learn about policies among 15 southern (and near-southern) states, the travel to and from the conference also presents learning opportunities.
Following the students’ 11-day trip across eight states and more than 20 educational sites, the seven students selected their favorite destinations across categories such as food, historical landmark, museums, and cities. The results are below:
Favorite Cities:
- Eureka Springs, AR: This quaint little town proved to be the favorite of the group, with almost every student placing it on their top three.
- Lexington, KY: The site of our conference also proved popular. With its beautiful horse farms, pretty downtown, and attractive parks, students enjoyed four days in the horse capitol of the country.
- Hot Springs, AR: This was a surprise to our professor, but the students enjoyed seeing the springs, the historic architecture, and meeting other SHSU students by happenstance!
Favorite Restaurants:
- Zoe’s Eatery in Hot Springs, AR
- Cafe Cusco in Springfield, MO
- Hammontree’s in Fayetteville, AR
Little towns ruled the culinary arts on this tour!
Favorite Works of Architecture:
- Frank Lloyd Wright House (Bachman-Wilson House) at Crystal Bridges was the favorite, edging out some other top designs. The large living room won the day!
- Anthony Chapel at Garvin Gardens, Hot Spring, AR was one of three Fay Jones’ Chapels the student saw, and it proved the favorite. Although larger than the other two (which are in Bella Vista and Eureka Springs), the three designs are very similar.
- Honorable Mention should go to several structures. The students very much enjoyed the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Union Station in St. Louis…
…the Old Mill is always a favorite stop.
…and The Parthenon proved a favorite as well.
Favorite Works of Art
- The Turrell Skyscape, “The Way of Color” at Crystal Bridges:
- Au Cafe, by Stanton MacDonald-Wright was also popular, providing much head-scratching and discussion.
- George Seurat’s “Outer Harbor” at the Crystal Bridges Museum
Activities
- Hiking: The students enjoyed both their hike at Pinnacle Mountain…
…and Devil’s Den State Park…
- Ropes Course at Megacavern in Louisville, KY
- Tie: Skeet Shooting…
…and meeting Blair Hess and Cameron Ludwick, authors of “My Old Kentucky Road Trip.”
It was another enormously rewarding road trip, providing us with the opportunity to learn about history, art, architecture, civil rights, politics, law, and public policy. It was a happy eleven days!
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 