Fun – Page 20 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Fun, Fundraising, and Football

The bi-partisanship spirit started with the fundraising and the weekly practices. It continued with donations from both the Democratic and Republican parties of Walker County. Even the coin for the coin toss featured George Washington, the father of the country, the man who pre-dates either party. Officiating over the coin toss was former Mayor Mac Woodward, a man who won six elections on a non-partisan ballot.

It was a stage set for both Republicans and Democrats to have fun while raising funds for worthy causes: the Huntsville YMCA and the John Holcombe Scholarship.

There was no Goodyear Blimp on hand, but there was a drone. Handling official photography duties, Paul Olle brought out his drone to get some “over-the-top” photographs–literally. It was Blue and Orange together.

DCIM101MEDIA — Pre-Game Photograph (by Paul Olle)

That togetherness extended even to prayer.

Of course with several players in their forties, prayer was needed.

And, with that, it was kickoff time. It was a game that emphasized offense, and almost every player got into the act, although at first it seemed like it might turn into the Ryan Show…

Ryan_Catching_1_Web — Paul Olle Photograph

…or the Laken Show…

After a series of catches and pursuits, the two started becoming aggressive, with Ryan grabbing shorts…

Laken_Running_3_Ryan_Shorts_Web — Paul Olle Photography

…Laken grabbing shirts…

…and, when Ryan couldn’t get close enough to grab, he just yelled…

The big boys soon got into the act, with many long passes ensuing.

Joey had some particularly nice catches…

…and he let people know…

Joey_Running_5_Ball_Web — Paul Olle Photograph

Taylor Martin got into the act, using his size and speed…

Taylor_Running_1_Web — Paul Olle Photography

… and leaping ability…

…to help the Orange team.

It goes without saying that Austin was all over the field…

Austin_Catching_4_Web — Paul Olle Photography

Often with no one else around him!

Or, if someone was around him, they were usually behind him.

Austin_Running_5_Taylor_Web — Paul Olle Photography

As a student, Cameron was known for his steady, consistent, and reliable ways. He’s much the same on the football field, and he was occasionally charged with covering Austin or, if not Austin, then Joey. But at least once they were trying to cover him…

But with a total of 22 touchdowns scored, there was plenty of offensive action to go around. Margaret caught a few balls…

..and Megan caught about as many passes as anyone else on game day.

And even had a breakaway run.

Russell Martinez got his share of the action.

Russell_Running_2_Web — Paul Olle Photography

…despite opponents using unfair tactics to contain him.

But there is no containing Russell.

Russell_Close_Up_Web — Paul Olle Photography

Kaitlyn had some action, too…

…although not always with positive results.

But she kept her game face on!

Kaitlyn_Profile_Web — Paul Olle Photography

She needed her game face, because she was covering Alex Galvan!

Galvan caught her share in the first half…

But it was the second half when she turned it on. Indeed, it was the last two minutes of the game that proved most exciting.

Down 10-8, the Orange team battled back, with Alex scoring on a long run.

Then, with a 10-9 lead, the Blue team had the ball with less than 2 minutes. A score would put it out of reach. A sustained drive would run out the clock. But a fumble, recovered by Ryan…

…kept the crowd on the edge of their seats…

…and the fumble recovery led to a touchdown by Taylor and, like that, Orange tied the game.

With only 30 seconds left, Blue failed to score, pushing the game to overtime. Our overtime was improvised–no plans had ever been much for such a contingency, and it had never happened.

The City Planner suggested two possessions, each starting at the 50.

With that agreed, Orange got the ball first. And in the only possession allowed Orange in its overtime, Alex Galvan catches a touchdown. It was her first over-the-shoulder catch of the year.

…and it was a patented Galvan Finger-Tip grab.

Alex_Catching_TD_2_Web — Paul Olle Photography

For perhaps the first time in the game, Blue was behind. They had one possession to tie the game, and it ended as suddenly as it began, with a bomb to Joey Johnson for touchdown.

It was a fun game, one that designed to bring people together. Perhaps it didn’t bring as many people out as we would have liked, but it succeeded in raising funds for the Holcombe Scholarship…

Check_Presentation_Holcombe_2_Web — Paul Olle Photography

…and the YMCA…

Check_Presentation_YMCA_4_Web — Paul Olle Photography

…and in uniting folks with different backgrounds to common cause….

…and a lot of fun…

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Arkansas PSA: Little Rock and Monticello

The first two days of exploring Little Rock were filled with adventure and knowledge. However, our adventures were not yet complete. Even after a fully loaded two days in the state, we continued on to the Arkansas Political Science Association Conference in Monticello, setting out at about 6am to make the 1.5 hour trip.

At the conference our very own Professor Yawn served as a discussant for the Undergraduate Research on Public Policy panel and later presented his own research. We were also excited to be there to support our fellow LEAP Ambassador Megan Chapa, who would later present her research paper on “Maquiladoras, NAFTA and their Consequences.” Upon our arrival we were graciously welcomed by Dr. Strong and the staff of the University of Arkansas at Monticello, then made our way quickly to the room where Professor Yawn’s panel discussion would be. The panel room was a cozy fit, much like any classroom you would find on campus at Sam Houston. This made the presentations of the research engaging and a personal. Subjects of the research ranged from the cyber security in the United States by Shannon Abbott…

…to the study of multi-lateral agreements by Nicolaas Harrington…

…to the development of Spanish democracy by Sarah Phillips…

to the study of game theory by William O’Brachta…

…to an examination of indigenous autonomy by Emily Mendiola…

Watching other students in the political science field present research encouraged and energized the students of LEAP to one-day present research at future conferences nationwide.

After sitting in on an undergraduate discussion panel on public policy, chaired by Professor Yawn, we waited for Megan to present her research on the impact of NAFTA on the social and economic status of Mexican “maquiladora” laborers. As part of an American Politics panel, Megan presented research alongside four other passionate undergraduate students.

The panel was chaired by Karen Sebold, a professor of public policy at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, whose responsibility during the session was to direct the presentation of everyone’s research papers and lead the discussion in regards to the papers after the presentation of every student.

The session began with a presentation on the Tea Party’s influence on the current Republican Party. With a most timely topic in regards to our political atmosphere, Tyler Harrison of the University of Arkansas at Monticello offered an in depth analysis of the Tea Party’s freedomworks rating system.

Followed thereafter Robert Fletcher, also a University of Arkansas at Monticello undergraduate student, presented his paper on the benefits of promoting bicycle friendly road policy that could stimulate the economic and social prosperity of a small community’s transportation system.

As the third student to present, Jolyon Larson of Hendrix University provided his thesis on the best way for waste plants to cut down on harmful emissions.

Lastly, Leslie Beard of the University of Arkansas at Monticello expressed her fears regarding our nation’s political structure in her paper “Who’s really in control at the top.”

With Megan as the fourth presenter in the panel, we attentively clung to every word of her research on Mexican social issues presented by NAFTA. She focused on the exploitation and harassment of women maquiladora workers, the environmental violations of these industries, and the widespread human trafficking encouraged by these multinational agreements.

It was clear that her, and all the other panelists, were passionate about public policy and a more successful government structure. The conducted research in each presentation was further example of what passion for a noble cause can yield.

We also got feedback from Megan, who presented at her first conference:

I was nervous, but nonetheless confident and excited to represent SHSU and the LEAP Center at the conference. Before our panel began, our discussant informed us that another student had joined our Undergraduate Research Panel and that our presentation time would be cut short by about 5 minutes. I was more nervous about going over my allotted time because I had prepared my presentation to be 15 minutes. I was scurrying through my paper trying to take out 5 minutes of information that wouldn’t take too much away from my research. What I enjoyed most was the constructive criticism I received from my discussant, Dr. Sebold of University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. She was helpful in providing suggestions that will improve the research I am working on. I am thankful for the opportunity to expand my horizons outside of home (Texas) and meet students who are striving to make a difference in the political arena.” -Megan Chapa

We all agreed that this chance to support our fellow LEAP ambassador’s passionate delivery was worth the limited sleep.

The ArkPSA topped off the conference with a lunch and presentation by John Kyle Day, who presented his work on Civil Rights in Arkansas, particularizing on the Southern Manifesto.

It was interesting research and, although we didn’t know it at the time, we would hear echoes of his research the next day, when we visited the Little Rock Central High Museum (see tomorrow’s blog!).

Following the conference in Monticello, we drove back to Little Rock to do some shopping before our adventurous Segway tour. We took the opportunity to explore some of the quaint shops near the River Market and downtown area.

Visiting the local shops, we wandered through shops such as The Freckled Frog, Discovery Museum Gift Shop, and 4Square Café and Gifts. We enjoyed browsing through the shops, but eventually ended up at one of our favorite places, the River Market!

The group refueled with a small snack before heading off to our Segway tour of Little Rock!

We were excited to continue touring more of downtown Little Rock, but this time we were on a Segway! Most of the group have had some experience with riding segways – actually, all except me (Bella Abril), and the others were quick to get with the program…

As clumsy as I am even with just walking, however, I was a bit hesitant on trying it out at first. I was scared I would embarrass myself by falling on my face. However, our Turkish tour guide, Nez Erkman, trained us in such a detailed manner with much emphasis on safety that I found myself easing up. Plus, seeing everybody ride it so calmly gave me confidence that maybe I could do the same. Thankfully, I did! The first step was the scariest part, but the rest was exhilarating. Throughout the tour, we were able to segway through The Clinton Bridge…

…which held a nice view of the sunset…

The Clinton Presidential Library…

and Heifer International. Also, we passed through the Riverfront Park, where we were able to take pictures on the rock that Little Rock derives its name from…

as well as observe interesting historic markers and creative sculptures. From a total newbie segwayer to part of the veteran segwayers of LEAP, the tour definitely deepened both my interest in Arkansan culture and the graceful art of segwaying.

The segway tour not only fueled our desire to learn about Little rock, but also fueled our appetites! We walked a couple of blocks to get to the well-known Sonny Williams’ Steak Room. We started with a turtle soup and a wild game sausage and cheese plate as appetizers. The wild game sausage and cheese plate consisted of rabbit, elk, and boar sausage. Some of us were particularly hesitant to try the turtle soup and rabbit sausage because it was something completely new for most of us, but we chose to go with our adventurous side and taste each appetizer. For our entrees we all chose a type of steak. We ordered a 12 oz. Filet to a Bone-in Cowboy Ribeye and a New York Strip. As soon as we each took the first bite of our steaks, we all agreed that these were the best steaks we have ever tried. It was clear to us why Sonny Williams is so well known for its steaks. After being extremely satisfied with both the appetizers and the entrees, we tried a couple of deserts. The Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce and the Chocolate Orange Cake were rich enough, but also light enough to kept our satisfaction rating high.

On our way back to the car, we squeezed in a bit more adventure by taking a short detour to an old telephone booth that is now used as a community book exchange. Professor Yawn challenged us to see if we could all fit in the telephone booth, and of course we accepted his challenge.

It was a tight squeeze, especially right after our filling dinner, but we all fit (more or less)!

And, after a bit of a detour to walk off some of dinner…

…called it a night and made our way back to the hotel for a much-needed night of rest.

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.

LEAP’s 10th Anniversary

To commemorate the 10^th Anniversary of the Junior Fellows and LEAP, alumni, current LEAP ambassadors, and community members joined efforts to surprise the founder of the JF/LEAP, Professor Mike Yawn. Stephanie Fors organized, communicated with alumni, and planned the big event along with help of the LEAP Ambassadors.

On the day of the party, the weather proved to be problematic. Rain poured as guests arrived from all around. JF and LEAP alumni from Houston, Austin, and Waco drove through the treacherous weather to attend the reunion. In addition, community members and university staff arrived amidst the storm. The reunion and mingling began just in time for Professor Yawn’s arrival. The guests huddled together in an effort to keep the element of surprise until the very last moment! As Professor Yawn entered, the shock on his face was evident when he saw many familiar faces of students from the past…

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…and of community members whom have helped the JF/LEAP grow throughout the years.

After everyone was welcomed by our MC, Austin Campbell, it was time to enjoy dinner. Professor Yawn’s favorites were on the menu including brisket, coleslaw, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese. The reminiscing immediately began as JF alumni swapped experiences with the current LEAP ambassadors…

…and expanded on how being a JF helped them grow and shape their careers.

Some of the guests had special gifts and awards for Professor Yawn. Megan Chapa, current LEAP President, presented Professor Yawn with a scrapbook that complied letters, memories, and heartfelt thoughts from guests on the impact JF/LEAP has had on their lives. Karla Rosales, current LEAP Ambassador, presented an Amazon gift card from the LEAP ambassadors. Blake Roach presented a flag that was flown at the Texas State Capitol. Kaitlyn Tyra, LEAP Ambassador, presented a giant check with donations from alumni and community members for the LEAP Center. On behalf of Congressman Brady, Ariel Traub presented a commendation in Professor Yawn’s honor. Mayor Woodward read his last proclamation as the current Mayor of Huntsville declaring December 11^th, 2015 as Mike Yawn Day in Huntsville.

Each gesture was thoughtful and made the evening more special for Professor Yawn.

The opportunity for alumni, community members, and current LEAP ambassadors to come together was a great way to show our appreciation for Professor Yawn. Many thanks to the Woodwards for opening up their home and for all their help with the surprise!

Thank you to Stephanie for organizing such a wonderful party, and to the alumni and community members for their participation in the surprise. Lastly, thank you to Professor Yawn for ten exciting years of learning and growth. We can’t wait to see what the next ten years hold!

Editor’s Note: What a wonderful evening! Thank you for all the great work and support you’ve put into the organization.

Square on the Square: 2015 Version

Here’s a riddle: What makes goblins and dentists both frightened and gleeful? The Answer?…. Yep that’s right you guessed it, its Halloween!!!!

Of course the LEAP Ambassadors and Pre-Law Cohort would come together to help the local community of Huntsville at the annual Scare on the Square event. Scare on the Square is an event sponsored by the City of Huntsville (by Huntsville Main Street) where local business, community groups, and even high school and college students come together to throw a safe but frightful and fun event for local children.

The LEAP Ambassadors and the Pre-Law Cohort decided to provide two games for the children. The first, is one that we named “Place the Bow on Mr. Bones”! This game gave children the opportunity to earn candy by correctly placing the bow on our honorary LEAP Ambassador member, Mr. Bones, while blindfolded.

The best part of the game is that before the children can be allowed to properly find Mr. Bones they must first be spun around five times; this was hilarious!

Our second game a bowling game with our googly-eyed bowling pins!

Surprisingly the bowling pins scared a lot of the children; especially when they eyes began to pop off of the pins from the beating they were receiving! The kids, however, were willing to overlook these eyes for a scoop of precious candy!

Austin of course came dressed for the affair as a farmer! What we all didn’t expect was for him to have a twin there as well!

As the Scare on the Square came to an end we were all very happy that we could put some smiles on children’s faces.

…and on the LEAP Ambassadors’ faces…

In thinking of this we were all reminded of the joy that the LEAP Team can bring to people of all ages in the Huntsville Community.

Aat the same time we were also reminded of the reason why too much candy can be a bad thing. However there are some things that we can never outgrow!

Happy Halloween!

Midwest Tour, Day 8: Kansas City, Home of the MLB Champs!

We began our Saturday morning exploring Kansas City’s own River Market. Although we arrived a bit early, we got a head start on all of the produce, cheeses, spices, and home goods that the farmers market had to offer. The brisk morning air refreshed us after a short night of sleep and we enjoyed strolling through the different vendors, smelling the fresh flowers, appreciating the colorful produce, and tasting different foods foreign to Texas.

With just a little over an hour to explore, we tried coffee at Quay Coffee and wandered through the shops open at the early hour. With our noses exhausted from the various smells permeating the market, we left to make it to our Segway tour reservation on time.

Led by Kelly, we hopped on the available segways like pros and began the tour of downtown Kansas City.

We started in an area called Westport, home to bars, shops, and many a hipster. The area prides itself on preserving its history, which we observed in the established community and some of the buildings being the oldest sanding in Kansas City. Founded in 1831 by Isaac McCoy, Westport originally sat three miles south of what is today downtown Kansas City. His son, John Calvin McCoy, is credited as the “Father of Kansas City” and we observed a statue of him during the first part of our tour. We left the area of Westport to continue our tour, segwaying past pedestrians and through a few linear parks. Kansas City, known as the least dense and city with the most green space in America, is home to many beautiful parks. We had the chance to enjoy these areas, albeit, on segway. We followed Kelly along a couple creeks, walking trails, and even spotted public work out equipment along the way. We ambled upon Kauffman Memorial Garden after visiting Westport, a clear juxtaposition to the hip, bar district we had just explored.

The garden, quiet and serene, serves as gravesite to Ewing and Muriel Kauffman, philanthropists to the city in the mid 1960s. We left the garden to continue on our tour, only after appreciating the giant chrysanthemums in the greenhouse.

Kansas City is known as the “City of Fountains,” and one of the more interesting fountains we encountered was a memorial to the Vietnam War. It was laid out in a series of cascading waterfalls, a reference to the U.S’s cascading involvement in the war. It culminates in two pools of water at the end, a symbol for the split in public opinion over the war.

We spent the most time on our tour on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins museum, avoiding photographers and muses as best we could. We even had the chance to explore grounds unfamiliar to Professor Yawn, home to sculptures by Ursula von Rydingsvard (Three Bowls), Henry Moore, and Roxy Paine (Ferment).

We also had the chance to get off our segways and try out Robert Morris’ Glass Labyrinth, which we luckily made it out of without running into any of the glass walls.

We left the grounds, after quite a few photo opportunities, including the chance to see a Claes Oldenburg sculpture (a shuttlecock!)….

…and an unsettling sculpture titled “Standing Figures,” which is actually a sculpture of 30 headless men standing in rows.

Meandering through the parks, we also encountered some yoga practitioners, taking advantage of the peacefulness of the park (other than the speeding Segways, of course)…

From there, we made it back to the Kemper Museum of Modern Art, which we had visited the evening before but had yet to observe in daylight. We were re-acquainted with Louise Bourgeois’s “Spider”…

…as well as Tom Otterness’s “Crying Giant.”

We had previously seen Bourgeois’s work in Iowa and in New Orleans, and we had only recently seen Otterness’s work (City Garden, in St. Louis).

That being our last stop…

…we bid adieu to Kelly and her insightful information and headed to scrounge up some lunch.

Much to the recommendation of our tour guide, we decided to eat lunch at Q39, a local Kansas City barbeque joint. We found the restaurant to be very popular and were confronted with an hour wait. With that information, Professor Yawn and Stephanie decided to let us wait and enjoy lunch while they left to grab our bags at the hotel in preparation for our departure this evening. We finally got a table, which was worth every second of the wait, once we received our appetizer of fried onion strings and meals consisting of ribs, sausage, pulled pork, and even better Kansas City barbeque sauce.

Slightly tangy and very sweet, we enjoyed the barbeque that is so different than what we can enjoy in Texas. We left the restaurant full and ready to take on the rest of our afternoon.

We spent the first part of the rest of our afternoon exploring and learning at The National WWI Museum and Memorial. We arrived just in time to sit and watch the introductory video that left us wanting to learn more, so we ventured into the museum. We began with the WWI timeline that started with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and led to Austria declaring war on Serbia.

This led to an entanglement of treaties and soon after, the five Great Powers were at war.

The museums timeline was easy to read and separated every year. The year of 1915 showed how the momentum of the war shifted to the east and highlighted the sinking of Lusitania by a German submarine. The year of 1916 on the timeline highlighted the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme. The timeline then moved on to the year of 1917, which is when Germany began to renew their unrestricted submarine warfare. One U-boat had cost American lives, which led to America severing its diplomatic relations with Germany and having to decide upon entering the war. The first American troops landed in France on June 25, 1917 and the spirits of France were renewed. The museum also features sections on Air warfare and others. As we walked through the museum we were able to watch another more interactive video about the war which then escorted us to the back portion of the museum that highlighted the America’s role in the War. The museum was very detailed and included many aspects of the war such as every branch of the military, a woman’s position in the war, civilian’s positions in the war, and an exhibit on war propaganda.

We entered a reflections box where we were able to listen to voices from the War. We then took an elevator up to the Memorial where the tower commemorating the fallen soldiers stands. After enjoying the view, we walked back over the glass bridge hanging over the poppies that represent the fallen soldiers of the War.

We left the National World War I Museum to stroll down the hill in front of it, capturing the beautiful fall afternoon with a few photographs.

We loved feeling the breeze and seeing the burgundy leaves fly through the air off the trees preparing for the first winter frost.

We walked across the street, following the museum, to enter Union Station in search of the temporary Da Vinci exhibit that the train station holds. We found the exhibit on the bottom floor of the station and proceeded to get in line, thrilled with the anticipation of learning about one of history’s most prominent inventors and scholars. We entered the exhibit and watched an introductory video about the Renaissance man. Following, we left the compression of the video space and were awed by the expansion of the rest of the exhibit, full of Da Vinci’s inventions.

We had the chance to read about his work in military science, flying machines, scientific diagrams about the human body, civil engineering, and inventions that would make everyday work easier and more efficient. We always knew about the inventor’s paintings, “Mona Lisa”…

…and “The Last Supper,”

…but it was even more compelling to learn about all the musings that were found in his journals ranging from thoughts about poetry to the making of the ideal city. We even had the chance to touch multiple replicas of his inventions, like a pulley and a lock system.

Following the section about his inventions, we had the opportunity to read about his artwork, which about fifteen have survived to this day due to the precariousness of Da Vinci’s experiments with new techniques. It was interesting to read about his work with the golden ration, which can be seen in his paintings and in his drawing of the Vitruvian Man. We left the exhibit awed by a man that we knew very little about before and inspired to expand our horizons just as he did during his lifetime.

We also had a chance to return to the Nelson-Atkins and see the special Thomas Hart Benton exhibit. The theme was Thomas Hart Benton and the Hollywood epic, highlighting styles that tied in with epic films, as well as the time that Benton spent working in Hollywood.

While in the Museum, we took an opportunity to see some of the pieces we had missed the day before, such as the beautiful gardens…

…Rodin’s “Thinker” up close…

…and the strange, intriguing folk art of Philip Haas…

Before leaving KC, we returned to Union Station to grab a few souvenirs before beginning the drive out of town.

After a while on the road we stopped at Pie Five Pizza Co., in Topeka, KS, for a quick dinner. Constance and I shared the biggest Greek salad that I had ever seen and a pesto chicken Alfredo pizza that was delicious. We left the restaurant, and took advantage of our stop in Topeka to see the state’s capitol and other sites.

We stopped at the capitol building, standing majestically in the middle of town. We weren’t able to go into the Capitol because it was late, but we did capture a few photos. Before getting back on the road we had to make one more stop. We stopped at the Brown V. Board of Education National Historic Site. Sadly it was closed by the time we arrived, but we were able to have a glimpse inside provided by the glass doors.

In the building we saw the labels “White” and “Color” that segregated the school. Even though we were not able to go inside, it was still a very sobering experience.

We hopped back in the van, en route to our last stop for the night, Wichita, to sleep before getting back on the road in the morning for the long trek back to Huntsville.

Great Muddy Escape–2015

If you signed up for an event called the Great Muddy Escape, why would you care if it rained?! You wouldn’t! The mud and rain are part of the fun, and fun it was at the 5th annual “Great Muddy Escape.”

The Great Muddy Escape is a partnership between the YMCA and the Huntsville Memorial Hospital, with a threefold mission: (1) to increase awareness of fitness and health, (2) to offer a fun, healthy family activity, and (3) to raise funds for two organizations that promote healthy communities–the YMCA and the Huntsville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

The LEAP Center has been peripherally involved in this fundraiser since its inception, offering volunteers and participants. So, while some of the LEAP Ambassadors competed at the Moot Court competition in Lubbock this weekend, a few members and friends endured the rain and mud at the fifth annual Great Muddy Escape 5K in Huntsville on Saturday morning. Arriving before sunrise and smiling…

…LEAP Center students checked in volunteers, set up tables and snacks, and made sure packets were ready for when runners arrived. Amidst volunteers from different student organizations and community groups–all led by the indomitable Margaret Gulledge– LEAP students worked hard to make sure everything was perfect before all 250 competitors arrived and began to tackle the course’s dozen obstacles.

Once snacks and packets were prepared, volunteers headed down to the starting point to see runners stretching…

…eager to begin the race. Twelve obstacles awaited them, including walls, slides, and huge mud pits, and from the looks on their faces, it appeared that LEAP Center student Bella Abril was much more excited about this than this than POLS major Paul Oliver…

After a few minutes of anticipation and a pep talk by Mayor Mac Woodward…

…runners began with the sound of the blow horn.

As the runners sprinted past the starting line…

…all one could see were the teams…

…in a blur of tutus, tennis shoes, and tight pants on athletes enthusiastically running towards what could end up being their demise.

Paul Oliver (Orange Shirt) Dashes Onward

Would they escape? One could only hope to see an equal number participants cross the finish line after withstanding all that the obstacle course had to throw at them.

LEAP students Megan Chapa and Brian Aldaco had the opportunity to photograph runners as they climbed walls…

…trucked through the mire, and swung across perilous pits of doom, or simply mugged for the camera.

Meanwhile, Constance Gabel and Karla Rosales checked runners in as they crossed the finish line, covered in mud, making sure to count the amount of wristbands they acquired at each accomplished obstacle. Little did we know, runners took their effort very seriously and much competition made our jobs difficult to say the least. Students Bella Abril and Paul Oliver ran the race with fierceness and completed with all wristbands intact. In fact, Bella even videoed herself with a gopro camera!

Meanwhile LEAP President Megan Chapa trudged with her boyfriend, Taylor Martin…

…through the mud…

…where even superheroes fear to go…

Even more fun was the waterslide, where some tried to traverse by running…

…some by sit-sliding…

…some by diving head-first…

…actually, a lot of people diving head first!

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Some by being pushed…

…but mostly by falling!

But always smiling while doing so…

The smiles reflect the event’s mission, to “test your resilience, strength, stamina, quick decision making skills, and ability to laugh in the face of adversity.”

The smiles did, in fact, reflect the immense fun of the event, but perhaps no photo captures the fun better than Bella’s gopro video.

Despite holding a gopro camera for the duration of the event, Bella managed to finish the 3.2 mile event, through mud, rain and obstacles, in about an hour. Paul Oliver finished 7th in the men’s category, completing the course in under 40 minutes. Megan Chapa and Taylor Martin opted for the untimed event.

Overall, the male winners in the 5K were Will Butler (27:26), Ty Stubblefield (28:20), and Bryan Cruz (29:50). The female winners in the 5K were Angelina Santos (33:16), Stephanie Brock (33:24), and Angie Pecina (33:29).

Win or lose, though, it was a great day for both the participants…

…the super participants…

…and the volunteers…

…and for the Huntsville Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the YMCA, the recipients of the money raised. Over the past five years, more than $40,000 has been raised for these worthy causes, and the LEAP Center has been proud to be a part of the program over this span.

About Huntsville Family YMCA

The Huntsville Family YMCA strives to provide families a safe outlet for their children with special needs where they can experience the joy and benefits of participating in sports and physical activities. Programs are available for youth ages 4 and up in baseball, volleyball, basketball, flag football and soccer.

About Huntsville Memorial Hospital

Huntsville Memorial Hospital is a 123-bed, private, non-profit community hospital, providing health care services for the residents of Walker County and the surrounding area since 1927. We are devoted to the health and well-being of our regional communities by providing exceptional care to every patient every day with a spirit of warmth, compassion and personal pride.

Ice-Cream Social

The LEAP Center opened up the doors to all interested SHSU students in September, inviting them to come in, learn more about LEAP Activities, meet faculty, or to attend upcoming events.

Megan Chapa, Kaitlyn Tyra, and Constance Gabel–LEAP Ambassador Officers–did a great job setting up the Holcombe Room, with decorations

…giveaways…

…and ice-cream sundaes…

It didn’t take long for SHSU’s students to dig in.

One of the nicer aspects of the events was the presence of faculty members and staff., including Dr. Ashley Ross, Kristin Trojacek, and Kelly Brown…

…and Dr. John Domino with students Connor Manning and Austin Taylor.

Of course, the event was mostly for the students, and about 100 or so showed up.

Another nice aspect of the event was the presence of all the LEAP Ambassadors at the same time and same place. With only six Ambassadors, we have to split up to have as much coverage in the community as possible, so it was nice to see Karla…

…and Alex and Austin…

…assist Megan, Kaitlyn, and Constance. Interestingly, Constance’s family came up (it was family weekend), and a family pic ensued on the balcony of the Holcombe Room.

Thanks to all the students who came by–especially the freshmen, who are getting an early start on success! And make sure you enjoy our upcoming events:

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