Category: Law

OK’s History Trail

With the conference part of the trip over, we embraced the more relaxed portion of the trip by learning of Oklahoma, strolling through luscious gardens, and venturing into the icy realms of ice skating. First however, we drove a few miles off of downtown looking for the capitol building.

Oklahoma State Capitol (Kaitlyn)

As we reached the domed structure, we admired the artwork surrounding the capitol building…

OK Capitol, SHSU, LEAP Center

…and then wandered inside the massive structure to find a large construction zone.  Unfortunately, the visitor’s center was closed because it was Veteran’s Day, so we proceeded through the capitol exploring on our own. We started on the first floor admiring the rotunda and the State Seal of Oklahoma. The state motto of Oklahoma: “Labor Omnia Vincit” (Labor Conquers All Things) was beautifully showcased within the seal and the dome was impressive as well.

OK Capitol Dome, SHSU, LEAP Center

Although we did not think the Oklahoma State Capitol was as grand as Texas’s State Capitol, we did consider it more artistic than ours. Notably, we saw many paintings of Wilson Hurley, a native Oklahoman, depicting the different landscapes of the state. We learned about native Oklahomans such as, Will Rogers, Jim Thorpe, and Sequoyah, whose portraits hung on an upper level of the State Capitol, and even Mickey Mantle, whose portrait was on the ground floor.

Mickey Mantle, OK Capitol, SHSU, LEAP Center

A short distance away, we visited the Senate Chamber. The House of Representatives was closed today, but we still learned about the organization of the legislature. We made the best without a tour guide and enjoyed our morning of exploration!

OK Capitol, Murals, SHSU, LEAP Center

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (Brian Aldaco)

Embracing the Okie spirit, we continued our Oklahoma City tour by visiting the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. As we crossed the front entrance, our sight was instantly drawn to the end of the hall. Against a magnificent window wall, filtering a warm sunny glow, stood a colossal Indian mounted on a horse both carved from white stone which embraced the outside light.  With a look of defeat and a horse at mid-stop, James Earl Fraser was able to sculpt his subject’s vanquished spirit in “The End of the Trail.”

We posed for a photo with Fraser’s work…

James Earle Fraser, End of the Trail, SHSU, LEAP Center, OK City, Western Heritage Museum

We actually got a second photo with the sculpture as well.  Our trip-themed t-shirts feature the Fraser piece, so we have our backs to the camera to make that connection….

James Earle Fraser, OK Capitol, LEAP Center, SHSU

Fraser’s talent was also evident in his Lincoln sculpture which stands overlooking the main hall from his east wing repose.

James Earle Fraser, Abraham Lincoln, OK City, Western Heritage Museum, LEAP Center, SHSU

Following the scope of his solemn gaze pointing westward, we trailed down the west wing of the museum as searchers of the Western Performers Gallery.

Upon entrance to the gallery, we were greeted by the awe-striking statue of none other than President Ronald Reagan (a former western movie actor).

Ronald Reagan, OK City, Western Heritage Museum, LEAP Center, SHSU

As we ventured into the exhibit, a distinct jolly smile caught our attention. Nearing this Norman Rockwell portrait, we rejoiced as we had found the gallery portion dedicated to the acclaimed Walter Brennan.

Norman Rockwell, Walter Brennan,, OK City, Western Heritage Museum, LEAP Center, SHSU

Along with him, other great western actors were commemorated such as Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Harry Carey Jr, and of course, the immortal, John Wayne.

John Wayne, OK City, Western Heritage Museum, LEAP Center, SHSU

But from western inspired performers to true performers of western legend, demonstrated by exhibits on taming conquering of the west, Native Americans, and even a small scale Old Western town (akin to a film set), the museum was filled with inspiring artifacts of the west. Our only regret was that we had not much time to look through the entire museum, but our expedition had to move on as the Myriad Botanical Gardens awaited us…

Buffalo Bill, OK City, Western Heritage Museum, LEAP Center, SHSU

Myriad Gardens  (Sadie)

It’s not every day that we get to experience a mini-tropical paradise in the middle of Downtown Oklahoma City, but the Myriad Botanical Gardens gave us just that opportunity. Entering the greenhouse, we were greeted with a large variety of foliage…

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…and the sound of a rushing waterfall, much like an oasis in the middle of the city.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OK City, LEAP Center, SHSU

Like explores trailing through the jungle, we discovered many new plants and even encountered plants that smelled like goods such as root beer and cinnamon!

For some, true delight came in discovering the wildlife inside the greenhouse and around the Garden property. Inside we discovered butterflies, finches, a parakeet, and even a very friendly, talkative parrot.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OK City, LEAP Center, SHSU
One of the More Approachable Birds in the Myriad Botanical Gardens

After going through the inside garden and walking across an interior bridge…

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OK City, LEAP Center, SHSU

…we stepped outside onto the grounds where we had the opportunity to watch swimming koi and a variety of waterfowl, including some of our neighbors (Canadian geese), as well as pose near the foliage.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OK City, LEAP Center, SHSU

We were so grateful to take a few moments to enjoy the beauty and peace of nature in the midst of our busy day.

Myriad Botanical Gardens, OK City, LEAP Center, SHSU

But after the botanical stroll, we synchronized our watches and bid Mitchel, Sadie, and Ashley goodbye, as they would go their own way and tour the Oklahoma City University School of Law.

Oklahoma City University School of Law (Mitchell)

Before we began our tour, we first had to be dropped off on the Oklahoma City University campus. On our way into Sarkey Building, we discovered that our tour would be held in another part of town where the law school was located. Fortunately we ran into Dr. Farmer, the chair of the Oklahoma Political Science Association conference, who was generous enough to drive us downtown to the School.

Upon the completion of our short trip we were greeted by Lisa Lee, Administrative Assistant for Admissions, as she took us to the admissions center where the tour began. Billy Thomas and Zac Morgan, L3’s (3rd year law students), led the LEAP group (composed of Ashley, Sadie and Mitchell) on the informative tour across campus.

Along with Dr. Farmer, other professors that had attended the conference also joined our tour group. As we learned, the building was built in 1910 and was one of the first high schools in the state of Oklahoma. Walking through the grand rooms and halls was a treat, especially when every step was filled with the state of Oklahoma’s rich history.

The historic importance of the building was put into perspective when Mr. Thomas informed us of the building’s role after the Oklahoma bombings. The FBI used the building to head all rescue operations for the disaster. It is impressive to note that the building was undamaged after the bombing but for a few windows that were shattered. Mr. Morgan and Mr. Thomas then took us by the headquarter for the Innocence project. It was a pleasure to actually see the inter-mechanisms of the project, observing the busy law students studying papers and files. We toured the library along with an overview of the research tools available for students.

We also had the privilege to visit the J. William Conger Courtroom.

OK City University School of Law, LEAP Center, SHSU

To finally wrap up the tour we viewed a couple of class rooms which were from 25 seat to about 70 seats. The classroom size was very similar to the rooms at Sam. We made our way back to the admissions center where we had final discussions with Lisa, Billy and Zac about the school and Oklahoma City itself. The tour gave us great insight to the law school, university, students and Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma History Center (Kaitlyn)

With some ambassadors touring the Law School, others headed over to the Oklahoma History Center to learn about the diverse subject matter relating to the state of Oklahoma. Upon entering, the gleam of Wiley Post’s airplane (which hung from the ceiling) greeted us better than any friendly smile.

Wiley Post, Winnie Mae, OK History Center, SHSU, LEAP Center

Wiley Post, an Oklahoman, was one of the first pilots to experiment with flight, but ultimately crashed near Alaska where him and acclaimed Will Rogers died. Due to Post’s contributions to space travel, developing a pressurized suit that would serve as the prototype for those worn by astronauts, part of the first floor was dedicated to Oklahoma’s connection to the Space Program. After glancing at the interstellar artifacts, the LEAP Ambassadors transitioned to the first exhibit covering the different Native American Tribes. The exhibit taught us of their culture, homes, careers, languages, and traditional clothing. We were thankful that the museum provided a unique way for us to learn about Native American culture.OK City, Oklahoma History Center, LEAP Center, SHSU

Upstairs, we were greeted with a beautiful Allan Houser sculpture of an Indian woman. Earlier this morning, we saw his work outside the Oklahoma State Capitol. His works are prominent across the state for their beautiful depiction of Native Americans. It was neat to see his artwork in two places within the same day!

The next exhibit walked visitors through the history of Oklahoma starting with the era of the Sooners and ending with a then and now comparison of various qualities of everyday life such as life expectancy, income, and population.

OK City, Oklahoma History Center, LEAP Center, SHSU

The exhibit was comprehensive because it covered the political and cultural history of Oklahoma. Observing the various artifacts of the state’s history, we found ourselves running out of time as we were in need of picking up our fellow LEAP comrades. After a short trip to the bookstore, we traveled back to regroup with our fellow LEAPsters and continue on with our afternoon. Although our tour was short, we enjoyed learning more about the history of Oklahoma!

 

 

A Future in Law: Moot Court Scrimmage, Day 2

By Alex Galvan

“Sam Houston State vs Baylor” blared the speakers.  But this wasn’t a football game.  Instead, it was a Moot Court playoff round, albeit still in the scrimmage stage.

The teams made their way up towards the front of the room for a coin toss to let fate decide whom they would represent, the petitioner or the respondent.  As our team members–consisting of Austin Taylor and Kristyn Couvillion–won the toss, they chose the petitioner role.

About three hours prior to that coin toss, our alarms blasted, and we rose from bed to hastily get ready for our exciting second day of the UNT Invitational Moot Court Tournament.  This invitational is especially helpful to the new team members as it provides them a chance to see and experience a real tournament.  Additionally, it prepares them for the regional competition which will take place on November 18th – 19th at Texas Tech.

While navigating the inner streets of Dallas, Kristyn Couvillion and Austin Taylor began mentally preparing for their competition of the day. Their hard work and dedication had paid off as they had made it to the top 32! Kaitlyn, Bryan, Beatriz and I were excited to support our advancing team in their competitive endeavor of the day.

When we arrived at UNT Law school, we checked in, and went up to the meeting room where all of the other schools waited in anticipation for the rounds to be announced. Each round would consist of two teams pinned against each other from the top 32 teams that were announced the day before, Kristen and Austin included in those teams.

Moot Court, UNT Invitational, LEAP Center, SHSU

We sat in anticipation waiting for the three judges to arrive so that the round would begin. We observed and quietly rooted for our team members while they argued their case with passion and quick mindedness. By watching both of the teams, we also gained skills.  After the judges had scored both teams and offered their advice, we rushed back to the meeting room and waited in agony for the results to be announced. The round was decided in a 2 to 1 split decision, in favor of Baylor.

Even though we had no further advancements in the Invitational, we stayed to watch Josue and David, two students whom we had befriended at our Boot Camp. During the competition, we were impressed by the poise and arguments of the opposing team from the Air Force Academy. Sadly, Josue and David did not advance, but the team which they were against actually ended up placing first for the entire competition!

moot_court_scrimmage_group_formal_web

After the round we decided that it was time to bid UNT farewell and ease into dinner. After much arguing (and still more to decide on dinner) we finally decided to visit a small sidewalk café, the Veracruz Café. With a motto to “Celebrate life,”  the restaurant adequately captured the Veracruz spirit of amazing cuisine and beautiful vistas. Consisting of various herbs and spices, there was a myriad of flavorful dishes to be tasted. The Café brought to us a little bit of Veracruz with food ranging from MesoAmerican, Mayan, Huasteco, and Aztec cuisine. Everyone chose their preferred food choice. Dishes ranged from an enormous fajita plate to a spicy chile relleno, from crunchy flautas to cheesy quesadillas. Every single dish as scrumptious as the other.

After we finished our lunch at the Veracruz Café, we decided to go explore the variety of shops that lined along the Bishop Art District. Chairs lining an old gas-station-turned-furniture-store, people milling around, enticing smells, and interesting window displays worked like a hypnotic swirl of curiosities that compelled us to immerse ourselves deeper into the street. Among the stores was an art gallery which we visited called the Ginger Fox Art Gallery.

A West Texas native, Ginger Fox was a self-taught artist disciplined in painting murals, trompe l’oeil, grisaille, and replicating the masters. Her style of magical realism was reflected on her canvases which meshed real and imaginary dimensions together with the purpose of invocating thoughts of how we, as humans, can better coexist with the natural world. We got to see various of this style in the art gallery. One in particular caught our attention.

Moot Court, SHSU, LEAP Center, Bishop Arts District

There was a picture of Queen Elizabeth made entirely of blurry paint chips, making it almost impossible to disambiguate the painting. However, when looked at through a camera, the pixelated image grew into sharper focus.

We the wonderful art gallery as our last stop we decided to end our trip and head on home. After a long day of tiresome litigation, exotic eatery, and mind boggling art, nothing compared to the quiet, peaceful ride down I45 back to Huntsville.

 

A Future in Law: Moot Court, Day 1

By Beatriz Martinez

124 competitors. All impeccably dressed in suits. All vigorously trained. All eager for the challenge ahead. All vying for that one top prestigious position. All gathered at the University of North Texas College of Law where the beginning of something intriguing and educational was about to commence.

On October 21st, participants arrived at their very first Moot Court Scrimmage of the year. More than 13 different schools from all over the region had come to partake in this unique event. In the midst of all of this was the SHSU Moot Court team, comprised of Kaitlyn Tyra, Alejandra Galvan, Austin Taylor, Kristyn Couvillion, Bryan Rodriguez, and Beatriz Martinez. Since the beginning of the school year, these future attorneys have been preparing for an extremely challenging competition. Not only would they have to prove their worth to their opponents, but also to the law students, lawyers, and other experts in judicial procedures that would be serving as judges.

Moot Court, SHSU, LEAP Center

“Being in the moot court is very tough and challenges its competitors in ways most would otherwise not experience until they attend law school,” noted Mooter Kaitlyn Tyra.

The competition lasted for two days, whereupon each round included two moot court teams (comprised of two people) that presented in front of a panel of judges and argued on both sides of the problem case at bar. After the end of the first day, only the top 32 teams would go on to the next day for their second set of rounds.

Students spend much time reading case briefs, analyzing them, preparing their arguments, and presenting them in practices. Moot court helps enhance public speaking (which is most people’s worst nightmare), increasing confidence, time management, literacy improvement, and other essential qualities to succeed in law-driven career. It also enhances a student’s law-school resume.

Moot Court, UNT, SHSU, LEAP Center

Having arrived a bit early, SHSU’s six moot court members decided to go over their arguments a bit more before the competition began. After their diligent preparations, the SHSU students decided to go eat at the local Italian restaurant, Porta di Roma. A local favorite among the UNT students, this quaint, little restaurant offered succulent Italian dishes. Known for its amazing pizza, many of the students decided to try the special of the day. Others were a bit more adventurous and tasted the lasagna.

As 1 pm approached, the SHSU students headed back to the UNT campus to wait for the real adventure to begin. Each team was destined to go through three different rounds, competing against different teams during each round.  Judges evaluated each speaker on the basis of their knowledge, argument organization, forensic skill, and response to questions.

When the last round ended, everyone met back at the common area of the UNT campus and waited anxiously for the results to come in.Most of us ranked near the middle of the pack, in the mid-50s or mid-60s, but Austin Taylor ranked among the top third of students, coming in at 38th (out of 124 participants).

Then the results everyone had been waiting for arrived. Out of 62 teams, only 32 could advance to the second day. One of our SHSU Moot Court teams made it onto the Round of 32! Austin Taylor (one of the first-year students) and Kristyn Couvillion (a second-year student) made it to the second round. Our team let out a great victorious whoop (customary if one of your teammates manages to advance).

moot_court_scrimmage_group_formal_jean_web

Finally, the end of the day arrived and everyone went home to rest after a day full of challenges. That is except for Austin and Kristyn, who had one more day of suits, challenges, and a day of tantalizing victory for the number one spot.

Mock LSAT: Prepping for the Real Thing

Every semester, the LEAP Center offers a Mock LSAT, a chance for pre-law students to practice the most important test of their careers. The Mock test is an actual exam used by the LSAT in previous years, it is professionally scored by Kaplan, and students receive their scores the day they take it.  The only difference from the real thing is that this one doesn’t count.

Mock LSAT, Kaplan, SHSU, LEAP Center

For many of the test-takers, that’s a good thing.  The scores on the Mock LSAT tend to be low, primarily because we have a lot of people who are freshmen, sophomores, or otherwise unprepared for the test.  But that’s a good thing, too.  The LEAP Center encourages students to try the Mock LSAT as soon as possible, allowing them to see where they are in the preparation stage, and to have a better idea about how much time they will need to be ready for the real thing.  Our advice is to prepare for the LSAT correctly, and to take it once.

Here is the LEAP Center’s suggested timeline:

  • As early as possible, freshman year if possible: Take Mock LSAT
  • Spring or Summer of Junior Year: Take LSAT Prep, if needed
  • Summer of Junior Year/Fall of Senior Year: Take LSAT

The LSAT Prep course isn’t a panacea, and not all students will need to take it.  But unless a student has the score they want to get into the school they are hoping for, or unless a student can study 12-16 hours a week without the discipline of meeting times and deadlines, then the LSAT prep is a reasonable option.

But an LSAT prep test isn’t likely to get a student from a 140 to a 160 (it’s been done, but it isn’t likely).  But it might get a student from a 145 to a 152, and that’s the difference between going to Texas Southern University to going to Texas Tech, and that’s a big difference in terms of life and career opportunities.

Mock LSAT, SHSU, Kaplan, LEAP Center

For students with a score below a 140, particularly those who are a junior or senior, a year might not be sufficient to get the score you need.  For those in this situation, a gap year should be considered, while a long-term plan for LSAT-prep is undertaken.  For those who are scoring in the 160s, a good law school is already within reach, and it’s just a matter of how high you can climb.

But whatever the goals the student has, taking the Mock LSAT early on in his/her school career is to the student’s advantage.

The LEAP Center will likely offer another Mock LSAT in February 2017.

Law School Informational: Texas Tech Law

By Beatriz Martinez

Thirty or so bright- eyed students attentively paid attention to Danielle Saveedra, the Associate Dean of Recruitment for Texas Tech University’s School of Law.  She was presenting information on the next stage these aspiring attorneys-to-be were contemplating: applying to law school. Crucial questions such as where to start when considering law school, the application process, and what to look for in a law school, were  all discussed during the presentation and absorbed by the students.

TX Tech Law School, LEAP Center, SHSU

Ms. Saveedra had come to SHSU to guide us through the process of preparing for law school.  In a nutshell, she walked us through:

  • A timeline for law-school preparation
  • Taking the LSAT
  • Deciding which law schools to send applications
  • Applying to Law School, including
    • sending in transcripts, reference letters, the resume, and the personal statement

This may sound quite simple, however it is in fact considerably challenging. A law school’s environment whether cut-throat or nurturing, emphasis on certain types of law, and cost of living, Ms. Saavedra told us, will influence where a student may decide to go. Decisions on what law schools to apply to (each application has a fee), or choosing between a good law school that costs less versus a more prestigious at a higher cost can pose challenges even to a well-prepped student.

tx_tech_law_informational_3_web

However, all of these decisions were weighed and measured during the law school informational. Ms. Saveedra covered every single possible piece of information needed to be successful in law school and gave constructive tips. Every prospective attorney left reeling with information, but departed knowing they were now better prepared for the challenging journey ahead. Law school will now be less intimidating, allowing students to further their education in the legal field.

Exploring Northwest Arkansas: Razorback Country

July 15, 2016

Rejuvenated from sleep, we woke ready for our day, which would consist of touring the University of Arkansas Law School, hiking and catching a movie to wind down.

University of Arkansas School of Law

When we arrived at the University of Arkansas School of Law, we met with Ms. Kalesha McGraw, the Assistant Director of Admissions, and she welcomed us to the school before taking us to the student lounge for a quick overview of the law school. We learned about the admissions process, the class schedules and sizes, and the student life in Fayetteville. We also learned about notable (former) faculty such as Bill and Hillary Clinton. If Hillary Clinton becomes elected, University of Arkansas -Fayetteville will be the first law school to have more than one faculty member become President of the United States. The rest of the Q&A section with Ms. McGraw consisted of questions that ranged from the cost and the admissions process to the actual courses and the structure of the classes.

After our informative Q&A session, we walked upstairs to observe Professor Day’s Professional Responsibility class. This is a required course and helps students prepare for the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE). This exam is a prerequisite for taking the Bar Exam and tests law students’ knowledge on ethics. During the summer fewer students are on campus, but classes are still in session. The topic of discussion for class today was on conflicts an attorney may face during their practice. Throughout the class, the Professor explained conflicts using cases where ethical issues arose. To explain a complicated scenario, the Professor and students even role played a scene which presented the situation in an interesting and clear way. We enjoyed the class and our Professor’s informative teaching methods!

Following class, we took a quick tour around the building visiting places like the courtroom and the library. The law school was even nice enough to provide lunch for us! Satisfied, we stopped to admire the Jesus Moroles sculptures in the courtyard…

University of Arkansas School of Law, Jesus Moroles, Fayetteville, LEAP Ambassadors
LEAP Ambassadors at University of Arkansas School of Law, Jesus Moroles’ Sculptures

…and the front of the school on our way out.

Front of U of A Law, With Additional Moroles Sculptures
Front of U of A Law, With Additional Moroles Sculptures

Many thanks to Ms. McGraw and the University of Arkansas- Fayetteville Law School for their hospitality!

After a morning filled with learning and a long trip, some of us decided to take a mental and physical break.  Others, however, soldiered on, readying ourselves for a brief bit of shopping and a hike in Devil’s Den State Park.

Before driving down highway 170 into Devil’s Den State Park, we stopped to peak into some shops in town. Once everyone was satisfied with what they had purchased, we began our journey to Devil’s Den. As our second hike of the trip, the first being the climb up Pinnacle Mt. near Little Rock, we felt prepared and pumped up for the rugged expedition that we were about to take part of. With the sun falling on the horizon, the weather was a prime condition to explore inside the woods.

Devil’s Den

This 2,500 acre state park offers myriad outdoor activities, from rafting to camping to hiking.  We chose the latter, embarking on the Devil’s Den Self-Guided trail, which is 1.5 miles round-trip.

As we began on our trail we descended down masonry steps. Such modifications to the trails and other man made structures within the state park were once Civilian Conservation Corps projects from the Great Depression. The engineering talent of these laborers is clear when taking these steps and observing how strong they still are, even after almost a century of its construction! The traces of useful man made structures became fewer as we went deeper into the woods.

Ahead of us stood trails traced through the rocky cliffs with trees filtering the sun and casting a serene shadow over the whole scene. Then, the trail neared a river, waters sonorously rushing through and echoing through the woods. This sound at times kept us focused, as we knew that as long as we kept the river at our left shoulders we were going the right way. Along the trail, at times encountering uneven, slippery and rocky ground, we found caves in which the temperature inside would lower presumably by ten-twenty degrees.

Devil's Den State Park, LEAP Ambassadors, Caverns
LEAP Ambassadors in One of Devil’s Dens’ Caverns

The trail also goes by the more descriptive name of “Double Falls” Hike, so named because of two falls that appear about halfway through the trail.  For us, though, the trail could have been named “Triple Falls,” because, hearing water of the main trail, we made tracks over a hill to find a small waterfall.

To get there, we had to cross a log bridge…

Devils_Den_Log_Bridge_Beatriz_Web

…but this only added to the excitement of our discovery.

Having safely traversed the fallen-tree bridge, we frolicked in the waterfalls…

Devils_Den_Small_Waterfall_2_Web

…okay, frolicked may be too strong of a word.  But we did have fun.

We found additional falls further along our hike.

Waterfalls, Devil's Den State Park, LEAP Ambasadors
Waterfalls in Devil’s Den State Park

Only a few feet beyond these falls was another waterfall, equally as delightful.

LEAP Ambassadors, Devil's Den State Park, Waterfalls
Waterfalls at Devil’s Den State Park

From our trek we had worked our selves into perspiration and slight exhaustion. The refreshing, cool water of these natural showers, however, were just the perfect manna we needed to continue on our journey through Devil’s Den.

From the falls, the hike wends it way downhill, which offers another striking view of the falls.

Devils_Den_Waterfall_5_Web

And this perspective provided additional photo ops.

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We even found another log bridge on which to climb.

Tree Bridge, Devil's Den State Park, LEAP Ambassadors
LEAP Ambassadors Enjoy Devil’s Den State Park

As we completed the 1 1/2 mile hike, ducking our heads to evade pesky spider webs threaded from tree to tree…

Devils_Den_Spider_Web

…we contemplated our accomplishments. We had finished another hike on our trip! With tiring limbs and sweaty backs, we climbed the van with a sense of victory and ready to relax and catch a movie.

But, first, we made two more stops.  We picked up food from Hammontree’s, an excellent grilled cheese specialty restaurant in Fayetteville.  We also made our way to Mt. Sequoyah, the highest spot in Fayetteville, where we watched the sunset.

LEAP Ambassadors, Mt. Sequoyah, NW Arkansas
LEAP Ambassadors at Mt. Sequoya

It was, we thought, a fitting end to a wonderful trip.

Movies and Winding Down

Once we had freshened up at the hotel, we climbed back into the van and drove to a near by movie theater to watch the remake of Ivan Reitman’s hit movie, Ghostbusters. Even though the original film is about 30 years old, most of us had previously watched it and waited in anticipation through the previews to see how similar this remake would be to our beloved original.

We found many differences between the new film and the original Ghost Busters film, an obvious one being that women instead of men were playing the lead roles. Most of us focused more attention to the fact that Paul Feig’s film also includes multiple nods to Reitman’s original and Sigourney Weaver, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and even Bill Murray make appearances. After an hour and forty-seven minutes filled with laughs that echoed in the theater (mostly Megan’s), we were ready to turn in for the night to prepare for our long journey home tomorrow morning.