Civic Engagement – Page 95 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Learning Photography from “A Modern-Day Ansel Adams”

President George H. W. Bush referred to photographer Mark Burns as a “modern-day Ansel Adams” and, judging from the 59 photos included in the National Parks Photography Project, the former president was spot on.

Burns conceived of the project about 6 years ago, developing a plan to photograph all 59 parks in Black and White. After putting together an advisory committee, Burns embarked on a trek that took him to parks in 27 states plus American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. Although a handful of photographers have captured the beauty of the park system in color, Burns is the only photographer to shoot all 59 parks in Black and White.

(Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington) — (Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington–Mark Burns)

The exhibit opened at the Bush Presidential Library in 2015, and it opened with a splash. Ken Burns was there.

President Bush was there.

Burns_Presentation_Stage_2_Web — President Bush (far left) watches Mark Burns, Ken Burns, and Fred McClure

And Mark Burns, with his 59 photographs, were on display.

The LEAP Ambassadors were on hand for that event, and we had the chance to meet Mr. Burns.

Even more fortunately, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum was able to schedule Burns’ exhibit for March, April, and May, and the LEAP Ambassadors were able to volunteer for the opening. Although the Bush Library certainly is majestic, the Walker Education Center held its own. For one, you can see Burns’ 25 foot panorama of the Grand Canyon when you walk into the foyer.

Moreover, when you walk into the gallery space, you see all 59 parks at once. It’s almost overwhelming, but the gallery also has enough space to allow individuals to get up close to the photographs, and that’s exactly what the attendees did.

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One of the virtues of the event was that Burns spoke with dozens of people individually, answering questions about his equipment, the logistics of getting to a spot, or interesting facts about the parks.

There were also several student groups who showed up and asked for an interview with Mr. Burns…

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And Kyle and Robin Britt were on hand from Houston.

Kyle is a member of Mr. Burns’ advisory committee. He has seen all 59 National Parks, and his wife, Robin, has seen approximately three dozen of the parks.

Toward the evening, a core group got together for a photograph…

…and then we headed to dinner at 1836 Steakhouse, which we really can’t say enough good things about.

It’s not often you get to learn from true experts in fields and learn in an up-close and personal fashion. Last night was one of those opportunities, and we learned a lot about photography, but also about the National Park System, planning and organizing projects, and the environment.

We’ll have a chance to see Mr. Burns again tonight at “Let’s Talk.” His table sold out quickly, so we weren’t able to get seats, but we’ll get to see him again, and we have two more months to make repeat visits to the Walker Education Center to see his amazing photographs.

Advanced Politics: County Conventions

After all kinds of hands-on political education in the last few weeks, we took another step forward by participating in our parties’ County Conventions.

This is a process that is a mystery for most folks, even those who vote, and we walked into it not knowing the exact process. To be a participant, you have to vote in your party’s primary. Three of us participated in the Republican Primary. One of our fellow POLS majors, Heather Robbins, voted in the Democratic primary, and she served as a delegate to the Democratic County Convention.

Whatever the party, the process is similar. Local parties (county parties) establish a date for the precinct and the county convention. The precinct conventions consist of whoever shows up, as long as they voted in their party’s primary from that precinct.

At the precinct convention, which can consist of anywhere between 1 and 40 or so people, the delegates submit resolutions (e.g., “We support a living wage for all working Americans”) and elect a slate of delegates to the county convention. The number of delegates that each convention can elect is determined by the number of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election from each precinct.

Once a slate of delegates is elected, those people are welcome to attend the county convention, which is where we–Republicans and Democrats–spent our Saturday on March 19 (Democrats at the Walker Education Center; Republicans at the HEARTS Veterans Museum).

The county conventions are a bit more intense.

They are divided into the following committees (which some of us served on for the Republican Convention and Heather served on the Nominations Committee in the Democratic Convention), and which conduct the business of the conventions:

Permanent Committee–sets permanent committee officers
Credentials–ensures that only duly elected delegates are given voting privileges for each convention
Rules–determines whether convention should deviate from default rules for speaking
Nominations–reviews nominations for delegates and alternates to State Convention
Platform–synthesizes the resolutions into clear and discrete resolutions to be voted on by the entire convention

It was a great learning experience for all of us! We arrived a couple of hours early for committee work and setup…

…and once we began, the entire process took about 3.5 hours, which we were told was quicker than usual.

The nominations committee elected 25 delegates and 2 alternates to the State Convention. The permanent committee elected Judge Sorensen as Permanent Chair, Stephanie Fors as Secretary, and Earl Carter as Parliamentarian.

The platform committee came up with 23 different resolutions which were voted on, most of which passed.

Republican_Convention_Thomas_Speaking_2_Web — Thomas Leeper Advocates Against A Resolution

In the end Alex Galvan, Megan Chapa, and Kaitlyn Tyra were elected to the Republican Convention which is held May 12-14 in Dallas, TX.

On the Democratic side, POLS major Heather Robbins was elected to the State Convention, which is held in San Antonio, TX, June 16-18.

LULAC and LEAP

Although it was the first day of Spring Break, LEAP ambassadors were happy to attend 2016 League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Community Amigo Award Scholarship Banquet. Upon arrival, Brian and I were welcomed by John Escobedo, the President of Huntsville LULAC Council.

As we proceeded to take our seats, we found Former Mayor Mac Woodward, Mrs. Woodward, County Judge Pierce, and his wife Mrs. Pierce, and we were invited to join their table.

The program began with the performance of ballet folklorico, the local dance group directed by Anita Escobedo.

While we enjoyed dinner, Mr. Escobedo introduced the special guests of the night. Among those guests were Mayor Brauninger, Former Mayor Woodward, Council member Montgomery, County Judge Pierce, and Attorney Robert Cates, who was also the keynote speaker for the night.

Mr. Cates is an immigration attorney in Conroe who recently graduated from Baylor Law School. During his presentation he focused on educating the audience in the recent immigration reform by President Obama.

The presentation was followed by the awards presentation. We were excited to accept the Educator of the Year Award, which was given to the LEAP Center, largely for its annual “Citizenship Preparatory Course”–which, incidentally, begins tonight!

We were also happy to hear that Former Mayor Woodward received the Citizen of the Year Award(his second this year!)…

…and The Walker County Federal Credit Union received Business of the Year Award. In all it was a great event that allowed us to participate with another great organization!

Egg-Hunting on Easter Weekend

One of our favorite annual events is the Easter Egg Hunt at the Wynne Home Arts Center. It involves games, face-painting, and a picnic lunch of hot dogs, which are a whole lot of fun for local families.

This year, more than 200 people came out to the Wynne Home, a number that proved a bit overwhelming to us, especially when they arrived early. Planned by LEAP Ambassador and Wynne Home Intern Beatriz Martinez, we had Musical Chairs…

…Sack Races…

…an Egg-Toss game, face painting (thank-you Lauren Clay!), sidewalk chalk…

…and coloring. We had a great group of Friends of the Wynne on hand, including Patti Davis, Mary McCarley, Wes Boyd, Susan Sanders, Maureen McIntyre, and Buddy Aber. Political Science major Sadie McLaughlin was also nice enough to stop by and help, doing at least five separate tasks over the course of the event!

As much as there was to do, the kids wanted more. Accordingly, we incorporated photos with the Easter Bunny…

…and numerous activities with Sammy Bearkat…

…who occasionally stole the spotlight from the Easter Bunny, even on Easter…

As exciting as those activities were, the kids came to the Wynne Home to hunt for eggs, and they let that be known!

At noon, we kicked off the Easter Egg hunt–more than 1,000 eggs, strewn about the Wynne Home Arts Center. You may have heard stories about shoppers getting into fights on black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Those folks have nothing on kids at the beginning of an Easter Egg Hunt.

The hunt lasted approximately 9 minutes, with the kids finding them quickly.

Thankfully, no kids were actually trampled on by other kids in the dash for eggs, but it was a close call.

The kids and their parents then moved to the grill, where some 150 hot dogs were available. It was good to see some of the folks there from last year and from some of the other activities we do over the course of the year.

At the end of the event, 3 hot dogs and one bottle of water were left (the sodas and Capri Suns were gone).

And the kids were tired….

…as were the volunteers.

But there were a few sweet kids left, still looking for eggs, armed with the optimism of the young, and the knowledge that more eggs await tomorrow.

Dust Bowl Motel South

There were few vacancies in the Dust Bowl Motel last night. The play, written by Scott McCarley and Jim Roth, played to a nearly full house in the beautiful and historic Crighton Theater on its opening night in Conroe, Texas.

As a small part of the proceedings, the LEAP Center Ambassadors assisted with the event, watched the play, and then enjoyed the post-reception at the Conroe Art League Gallery.

The Dust Bowl Motel is the brain child of Scott McCarley. It is about small-town dreams, so it is fitting that it originated in Huntsville in the Summer of 2014, and it is fitting that its profits go to help build dreams. Profits from the play are split among an SHSU Scholarship, the Crighton Theater, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A similar arrangement was arranged when the play did its run in Huntsville in 2014, and some $13,000 was generated for charities, enough to make many people smile.

After only the first night, it’s too early to tell what the profits might be, but in terms of audience reception, the play was a hit. While the narrative involves a straightforward tale of a small-town girl dreaming of California, it is interspersed with McCarley’s songs, which also advanced and enriched the narrative.

Speaking for our own group, there was diversity in the favorite song category, but the general consensus was that “No California” was the best, with “Rosalita” coming in second.

Another favorite, albeit in a different category, was the Crighton Theater. It was the first time we had visited it, and we were struck by its historic features (beautiful chandeliers, alcoves adorned with lamps and vases), and the fine acoustics.

Interestingly, across the street is the Owen Theater, and a third theater is being constructed a few blocks away. Conroe is moving up!

In some respects, seeing the play in Conroe was like seeing the play in Huntsville. Dr. Dick Eglsaer was there, as were Bill and Carol Hyman. Dean Ron Shields was there. Melissa Miller directed the play. And Sam Moak starred as the Sheriff…

Dust_Bowl_Motel_Sheriff_Web

Following the play, guests migrated around the corner to the Conroe Art League, which hosted a reception featuring “Dust Bowl Motel” themed art. This was an added treat. Not only was the art alternately interesting and beautiful, but it also featured some items of particular interest to us. First, there was “Nighthawk,” …

…which was a nod to Edward Hopper’s famous “Nighthawks,” which was one of the major pieces our group saw at the Chicago Art Institute.

Second, we saw a piece by Harold Hutcheson titled “Dust Bowl Motel.” Hutch was our former Main Street Director (now with the City of Conroe), and he directed many of us as interns and occasionally exhibits his art work at SHSU.

Of course, with a large group of fun people and interesting art, we took a lot of photos…such as Brian checking out the art both solo…

…and with Kaitlyn…

…or Austin and Alex checking out the jewelry…

…or just the crowd that the exhibit and the play attracted…

…but our favorite photos were those taken with some special people associated with SHSU…such as the McCarleys…

..and Tommy Austin, who is a 1975 graduate of SHSU, a former US Customs Agent, Sky Marshall, and the founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation…

…and Chrissy Mafrige and her husband, Blake…

As the photos tell, it was a fun end to an entertaining evening in support of many good causes.

Dust Bowl Motel plays at the Crichton on Saturday and Sunday, March 19 and 20. Tickets are $20-25.

Grassroots Politics 101: The Precinct Convention

Megan Chapa and other LEAP Ambassadors recently had the opportunity to serve as temporary precinct chair at the Walker County Republican Precinct Convention. This was a unique experience as the students got to explore the local political process at the grass-roots level. Kaitlyn Tyra was the precinct convention secretary and took minutes at the meeting, and Brian Aldaco came in to observe.

The purpose of a precinct convention is to appoint delegates and to propose party platforms to the county convention. All primary voters from the precinct in which the convention is held are eligible to attend the precinct convention and to either submit platform resolutions for a vote, or to submit their name as a delegate to the county convention. If someone cannot make the precinct convention, they can contact the precinct convention chair and request that their name be included as a proposed delegate to the county convetion.

In some precinct conventions, the proceedings can become heated and, although Megan was anticipating a challenge that night, she reported the following: “The precinct convention ran extremely smoothly and finished within an hour. The chair, Linda McKenzie provided me a packet that walked me through the entire process. Of course I was nervous, but I always try to push myself out of my comfort zone so that I may grow and experience new things. There was not a huge turnout in my precinct, but it was still a great learning experience. The best part of the night was seeing many people I know from my community participating in the democratic process.”

LEAP Ambassadors look forward to the county convention and whatever role they have the opportunity to play in that. Local government is so much different than the textbooks and the Ambassadors are glad that they can not only see the process but participate in it.

Presidential Politics, Fun, and Film: Day 2 in Arkansas, Continued

After being filled to our hearts desire at the Whole Hog Café, we were motivated to continue our exploration of Little Rock. Now with renewed energy we made our way to the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum. Located adjacent to the Arkansas River the Clinton Presidential Library’s exterior is almost entirely made of glass, which allows much light into the interior…

…a factor that contributed to the being designated as one of the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly places to work in the United States, regardless of the intense southern sun beating down. In addition to being the 42^nd President of the United States, Clinton also served as the 42^nd Governor of Arkansas and 50^th Attorney General of Arkansas.

Clinton was an enormous political figure for the state in which he was born and raised and the Library not only gave written narrative of his life…

…it also used the architecture to tell the story of Bill Clinton’s life and presidency. The architecture symbolized Clinton’s, message of “building a bridge to the future”, and fit right in with the many bridges of Little Rock…

…as it had the appearance of a bridge itself. The Clinton narrative was further developing by a time line of megalithic proportions.

Every year that Clinton served as President had an entire wall devoted to some of the key events of that year.

Another treat of the Library was art by Dale Chihuly, one of the LEAP Center’s favorites.

Before we knew it, it was time for our next stop of the day.

All of us walked outside and expected to climb back in the van and get going, but Professor Yawn had a different plan in mind. We were all pleasantly surprised by cardboard boxes waiting atop of one of the steep hills along side the Presidential library that were to serve as our sliding boards! Still in shock of this very spontaneous moment that Professor Yawn planned, we all chose a flat cardboard box to use as our boards. Standing at the very top of the hill, we all heard Professor Yawn shout, “GO!” and before we knew it we were all racing down the side of the grassy hill!

Sliding down the hill turned out to be more fun than we all expected, so we all raced back up multiple times and slid down in different positions which included sitting flat on the box, laying on our stomach, and even sitting inside of the box.

All the cheerfulness was a beneficial change to the quiet atmosphere of the library.

So much so, that we did it again…

…and again…

…even Professor Yawn went down…

We had to finally stop…

…before someone got hurt…

With some stains on our pants, mud on our shirts, and grass in our hair, we rushed to Heifer International for our next tour.

There we learned that the non-profit organization’s mission is to eliminate poverty, a mission that is completed in an interesting way. We started our tour with a brief informational session, provided by a Heifer International volunteer named Rick Hendricks.

With requests of aid from all over the country, the organization is capable of helping communities in need worldwide. As hinted above, the organization’s way of providing assistance in one that is not often seen in relief organizations. In order to complete their mission, the organization dose not provide relief through the offering of money or common supplies, instead it offers one of the most valuable of virtues anyone can be offered, an education of self-sustainability.

When contacted for help, Heifer International officials travel to the community in need. In order for the group in need to receive relief, they must first undergo a year-long process in which these organization officials educate the community in the various ways so they can maintain self sufficiency. After being taught the 12 Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development, centered on values like gender equality, improving the environment, marketing skills, and the like, the group in need is then offered an unusual donation. They are given a “living gift.” These living gifts may be a cow, seeds, sheep etc, that are indigenous to the petitioner’s home. This enables the organization’s efforts to stay local to the petitioner’s home to provide self-sustainability and resourcefulness.

With a cow donation for example, the destitute individual can now use the cow’s capability to produce 30 gallons of milk per week to provide food for his family and may also provide an income source though the sale of the milk. These marketing skills are taken further when the individual is capable of using the milk to produce more goods, such as cheese. The cow’s manure can also be used as a fuel source by using its methane emission. Additionally, in accordance to Heifer’s mission, every petitioner is required to “pass on the gift.” With the cow donation, once it gives birth to a calf, the petitioner must gift it to someone else of his/her community. Doing so provides for the growth in community welfare and economic development.

This mission of self-sustainability and resourcefulness was manifest when touring the headquarter building of the organization, a tour led by Joanne Willson.

As a Platinum LEED Building, it is among the most environmentally friendly of buildings in the whole world (only 50 structures in the US have this designation). Every single architectural feature of the building is in accordance with their mission. Their roof is slanted to collect rainwater in a pool located within the building which is then used for various uses within the building. In a similar fashion the parking lot is covered in porous gravel, which allows harmful chemicals to be filtered out, allowing the water to be re-used as, for example, irrigation water. In all, the Heifer International headquarters collects 25 thousand gallons of water. Consequently, the headquarters requires no city water services, with exception of water used for drinking and hand washing. The design also allows for the sun to provide light within the building to minimize the use of artificial light. This natural light is also reflected through the use of tin (reflecting) ceiling. With the various other infrastructural modifications, the building is able to use less than half the electricity a normal building of its size would use.

When the tour of the building was concluded, we all wandered through the unique gift shop that includes many products made from areas where Heifer International helps. The gift shop offers unique buys such as paper and notebooks made from elephant dung, goat milk lotions, and many more!

In our trip to Little Rock, no activity has offered me more of a sense of passion than Heifer International. It is not enough to believe in a noble cause, it is necessary to act upon it and ensure that it will live on through the ages. Its determination to teach self-sustainability and to “pass on the gift” is inspiring.

Filled with inspiration, we decided to venture into a part of Little Rock that only Professor Yawn and Alex had seen before, the Old Mill.

Known as the last surviving set of “Gone with the Wind,” the Old Mill’s natural beauty was picturesque even during the dreariness of February. The lighting was perfect for photographs…

…and we took advantage of our opportunities to create memorable group photos!

The park has various settings surrounding the mill for photographs. There is a “well…”

…various rock formations…

…a big bridge…

…and a small bridge…

Oddly enough the Old Mill is located in the center of a nice neighborhood, but was built in 1933 as a replica of an abandoned water-powered grist mill. We enjoyed this stop and had fun amidst the chilly weather!

With the sun setting but not yet ready for dinner, we headed to the “Big Dam Bridge.” This was a nice walk up on–as its name suggests–a large dam.

Although it was late at night and the lighting was low, the sight was impressive, but with stomachs rumbling and grumbling, we decided that it was time for dinner, turned, and headed for our last excursion of the day.

For dinner, we chose to go a fancier route in a restaurant called the Copper Grill. Although it seemed like we’ve had enough meat for the day at the Whole Hog Cafe, it didn’t really stop us from ordering meat-based meals again…

…though we did try some seafood as well for a little bit of variety. Our meal took an adventurous route for those of us who tried oysters for the first time before our entrees arrived. The mushroom stuffed chicken, ribeye steak, bacon avocado burger, bacon wrapped shrimp, mushroom stuffed ravioli, and flat bread all looked appetizing when they arrived at our table (and they tasted as great as they looked!).

Most of us made sure to save room for the chocolate bread pudding topped with ice cream that we had for dessert…

…which Alex, Mitch and I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a wonderful way to top a wonderful day.

Learning in Little Rock: Day 1

After a filling breakfast at River Market, we got our morning off to a bang by touring the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. There, the Mansion’s tour guide, Ms. Carolyn Eastham, welcomed us warmly. The tour of the three-story Arkansan home commenced in the Grand Foyer…

which featured an 18th-century chandelier from Paris, France, and an oversized rug displaying the seal of the State of Arkansas. Interestingly, Ms. Eastham noted that the original rug actually had to be replaced as it was damaged by former Governor/President Bill Clinton’s cat.

My favorite part of the Governors Mansion was the way that the additions to Mansion were added. The back of the mansion is an atrium which connects the old Mansion to the Grand Hall built in 2003, and showcases the original brick wall and patio of the original Governor’s Mansion that couldn’t be torn down during construction because it is a historic landmark.

Among other things, it was where Bill Clinton announced Al Gore as his running mate in 1992.

Even more impressive was the Grand Hall…

which features a staircase covered with a carpet runner that highlights woven symbols of the State and the names of the eleven governors who have lived in the Mansion.

In the Grand Hall we stood under a grand chandelier that highlighted the important aspects of Arkansas, such as the bumblebee, stars and two raw diamonds. Outside, we were greeted with a tundra-like chill, as Mitch would call it, but that didn’t stop us from exploring the vast flower, vegetable, and herb garden that the Mansion manages as well as the tiny replica of the Mansion, which amusingly stood only a couple of inches taller than me.

Through the various fine furnishings adorning the Mansion such as the 17th Century Irish grandfather clock (which still keeps time precisely), the plethora of art pieces embellishing the walls like the painting of the Arkansas’ traveler legend, and the symbolic items garnishing residence such as the 62-piece silver set, we were introduced to the rich history of the Mansion’s early years and its continuing legacy. Even though the official tour was over, we were able to get a nice photo on the grand stairway that greets visitors to the home…

Regrettably, we did not run into Governor Asa Hutchinson or any of his family, but nevertheless, visiting the Governor’s Mansion was definitely a great way to start our first day in Arkansas!

Editor’s Note: After the tour, Ms. Eastham came up to me and said, “Your students are true ladies and gentlemen, and that compliment comes from a teacher of manners.”

After our grand tour of the Governor’s mansion, and mini mansion, we made our way to another one of Little Rock’s historic treasures, The Old State House. The Old State house was the original state capitol of Arkansas, and today it is museum that holds many of Arkansas’ memories. Arkansas’ induction into the Union, the vote of succession from the United States, medical research, two acceptance speeches by the President of the United States, and even a (Bowie) knife fight between two sitting legislators are some of the story’s that echo down the halls of The Old State House.

While wandering through the museum, we ran into the programmer of The Old State House whose brother actually graduated from Sam Houston State University! He was excited to have us there and told us background stories, including the rumor about the law, justice and mercy statues that were atop of The Old State House being removed by the women of Arkansas and thrown into the river because their attire was too risqué. We also learned that the Old State House is the oldest capitol west of the Mississippi and much about its Greek revival architecture. The Old State House Museum showcased things from History to clothing worn by previous first ladies Arkansas (and even Bill Clintons running shoes!).

After learning about the Old Statehouse, we headed to the River Market, a food court filled with variety that is overlooking the Arkansas River, to break for lunch before our tour of University of Arkansas – Little Rock Law School. Although we had many options to choose from, we agreed to eat at Tokyo, while Professor Yawn decided to eat a different cuisine and enjoyed gyro. The group sampled a variety of sushi, rice, and teriyaki plates, and some tired fruit juices from Thailand. Each were delicious and enjoyed by all. The River Market was a unique place to visit because of the local variety it offered within the River walk district.

Once we were finished with lunch, we went for a tour of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the admissions office.

We were later introduced to the Assistant Dean of Admissions Matthew Kerns, who was really helpful and gave us plenty of advice regarding the admissions process. He specified what they look for in letters of recommendation and personal statements.

After the advice from Dean Kerns, we met with Eruore, a 3L student, ambassador for the UALR Law School, and our tour guide for the day. She began by walking us to a law class where all the fun began. We walked in and took a seat just minutes before the class began. During that time some of us had the opportunity to talk to the people sitting next to us and try to get advice for law school and maybe even again, for the admissions process.

We sat in a Civil Procedure class taught by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Theresa Beiner. The class began by discussing experts at trial.

The class went over the ins and outs of how, when and why to use expert witnesses at a trial. As the class proceeded, I noticed that Dean Beiner was conducting her class in a Socratic method which we had been exposed to before at the Mock Law Class held at SHSU. The class moved on to learn about physical and mental exams and we watched as the class reviewed a couple of Supreme Court cases to learn how the law applied to such cases. Watching the class was interesting and exciting because Dean Beiner was very passionate about teaching her students.

The last topic discussed was how to and when to use a request for admission and motion to council.

Before we even knew it, the class was being dismissed, and Dean Beiner invited us to stay afterwards for a few minutes to discuss our thoughts about the class and ask any questions. During this meeting we learned about the structure of the degree plan and possible internship opportunities available to students. We also learned that UALR Law School is one of the lowest tuition rates in the country. Another very interesting fact to us was that they don’t grade as A, B, C’s, instead, their grading system grades as 4.0, 3.9, 3.8 and so forth.

After this brief meeting, it was time to get back to our law school tour with Eruore.

The school is six floors and each floor has something particularly unique. The 6th floor is specifically reserved for the law review room and a small gym while the second floor was reserved for the law library. After touring the whole school, talking about the organizations and services, and a very informational and exciting class, we went back to the admissions office for informational flyers to take home with us.

After an interesting day at the governor’s mansion and University of Little Rock Law School, we wanted to explore the city. We booked a Segway tour that unfortunately fell through, but that didn’t stop us from exploring Little Rock! We started our exploration at the Clinton Presidential Library…

and although that’s on the itinerary for tomorrow, we learned some of the architectural meaning of the building and got some great photos around it! The library is near the the River Market area, to which we returned…

…amidst an amazing sunset…

…and explored the Junction Bridge…

We also went to the sculpture garden, music park, despite it being very cold out! We also played on a river-walk playground that Little Rock features to great effect. There is a jungle gym…

…a tunnel system, which we climbed in…

…and out of…

It was great enjoying the sunset while doing some fun activities. Before we headed to dinner the group headed up for the tallest bridge.

It was an amazing view of the Capitol at night…

…and the River Market…

Even after seeing everything and working up an appetite, we couldn’t resist taking a last look at the bridge…

…and one more posed photo…

Having seen the river area for the third time that day, we turned toward Midtown in search of food.

To satisfy our appetites, we decided to indulge in DamGoode Pies. With high expectations, we were eager to find out what makes their pizzas so yummy! We ordered the Damgoode Trios to sample their popular appetizers. Each piece of bread was garnished with toppings such as bacon and jalapeños, shredded mozzarella and tomatoes, or spinach and meatball. When our pizza arrived, we enjoyed trying a variety of the signature pies. The Hog layered pepperoni, Canadian bacon, sausage, crumbled bacon, and cheddar cheese pizza was a favorite to many of us. We also ordered a Hawaiian pizza, and a Garden Supreme pizza that provided us with a different mix of flavors. Satisfied from a tasty meal, we decided to head back to the hotel to prepare for our next day in Little Rock!

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