The LEAP Center helped co-sponsor Mark Burns’ “Grand Canyon Photographs” Exhibit at the Walker Education Center, so it was with a slight disappointment to see the exhibit come to a close. But the exhibit lives on, finding a new home at the Pearl Fincher Fine Arts Museum in Spring, Texas. The set up for that exhibit took place on Friday, September 6, and we were there to take (a small) part.
Much goes into the hanging of a new exhibit, from spacing the pieces appropriately, to ensuring that the works are level…
…to getting the descriptions placed just right.
Of course, having been present at the opening for the Bush Presidential Library and the Walker Education Center, we’ve seen each of these photos multiple times. But Burns is introducing a few new photos for the Pearl Fincher show, and it is always nice to see the photos in a new environment, so we took another close look at each, while also helping a bit.
We each had our favorite, but there may be a general consensus that “CAVU” is a favorite of everyone’s.
CAVU, which stands for “Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited,” was President George H. W. Bush’s motto, one originating in his pilot days during WWII. Following his passing in November 2018, Mark–who was a personal friend of the President and the Bush family photographer–took a photograph that he believed captured the essence of the motto at the Grand Canyon.
Following a few more adjustments…
…and some cleaning…
…the setup was largely complete.
We’ll be back on September 17, when Burns will be present for the Opening Reception.
On our final day of the retreat, we spent the morning working on plans for the semester. Following a two-hour meeting, we worked up a hunger, and we took the opportunity to stop by a LEAP favorite: Peli Peli Kitchen.
Peli Peli Kitchen is a restaurant that some of the LEAP Ambassadors have been to, but this time, the restaurant had been revamped, and the food was different than it had been previously. Once we walked in, the smell of delicious African-themed cuisine made our mouths water! The restaurant is a build-your-own-plate assembly line. You first decide if you want a “taco” (which uses Naan bread) or a plate. We were able to choose between coconut rice or cauliflower rice. Then, we picked the meats and sides of our choice. There was a delicious creamy garlic cheese sauce that many of us decided to get on top of our food. It really added to the flavor of the dishes.
For meat, we could choose curry chicken, steak, chicken, and shrimp.
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For dessert, we had the sticky toffee cupcakes and almond chocolate chip cookies. The cupcake was the overwhelming favorite.
After a great retreat weekend, it was a nice meal to enjoy before heading back to Huntsville. Overall, the LEAP Ambassadors feel confident that they will have a successful semester!
This past weekend, the LEAP Ambassadors volunteered at the Old Town Theatre to assist with a show featuring comedian/magician Andy Gross.
One thing that I did not know until researching Andy Gross was that he was the youngest professional racquetball player to ever grace the sport. He joined a professional circuit by the age of 16 and was a signed player by the time he reached 17. Unfortunately, it turns out it’s rather difficult for a television camera to follow a ball going 150 miles per hour . As such, television ratings dropped off and, as television revenue dropped off, Gross decided to retire at the age of 26.
Gross’s background in sports added a layer of intrigue to our volunteerism and, while we are all excited to assist in whatever way we could, we were excited to learn that Anne Jamarik would be serving as Mr. Gross’s assistant.
Our assignments were a bit more routine: greeting folks and assisting with some tech matters. And, after the ticket-buyers were seated, Gross began his act by showing a video of his split-man act, which is equally hilarious and horrifying.
This provided a good warmup for the audience, which Lauren Nash–President of the OTT Board–followed with a proper introduction.
What followed was an hour of laughing to the point of tears and plenty of amazement. It turns out, Gross’s shows are a mixture of magic, comedy, and ventriloquism, with all three having a large role in his act.
He started his show with a monologue, wherein he seemingly drew a bowling ball, which then materialized from a notepad and fell to the floor.
Part of the show’s fun is it’s interactive nature. He brought up audience members to the stage, wherein he…
…pulled a $100 from an unpeeled orange…
…guessed cards imagined by audience members…
…threw his voice around the stage with the help of a young assistant…
…had much fun with a young man named Weston, who clearly had the time of his life! His first trick involved convincing the young man to put a glass filled with liquid on his head, rotate several times, and then pour it on top of his head–all without spilling anything!
His next trick, also involving Weston, was more dangerous. Here, he produced four styrofoam cups, one of which covered an iron spike. Gross challenged Weston to “shuffle” the cups while Gross turned his back.
Without apparently knowing which cup contained the iron spike, Gross slammed his hand down on the cup, one at a time, with Weston shuffling after each crushed cup. A poor guess would maim the magician, possibly ending a career.
But Gross guessed correctly, sparing his hand and, fortunately for the audience, allowing us to see the second half of the show!
If anything, the second half was even more interactive than the first half. With the help of yet another audience member, he produced–and then levitated–a paper rose…
…and then managed to turn it into a real rose right in front of everyone’s eyes.
He did a similar act of levitation–in slow motion, to the music of “Chariots of Fire”–with a cigarette…
Mr. Gross was also able to enlist the audience to see if he could bring one of his “premonitions” to the material world. Drawing randomly from the audience and then allowing the audience to select the next participant, he asked a series of questions such as (1) where do you want to go on vacation?, (2) with whom?, and (3) how much will such a trip cost? The result was a collective audience desire to (1) go to Aruba, (2) with Wayne Newton (!?), and all for (3) $5,000. Then, unlocking a lock box in full view of the audience the entire time…
…Mr. Gross withdrew a sheet of paper that had the following words written on it: (1) Aruba, (2) Wayne Newton, and ($5,000). Mad psychic skills!
His next interactive bit involved a dummy, albeit not one from the audience. It was Steve, which Mr. Gross indicated was a new addition to his act.
“Steve” injected a bit more humor into the show…
…primarily by insulting audience members. His favorite target was Joey…who then served as Mr. Gross’s next and final “prop,” a human ventriloquism dummy.
Mr. Gross put a wizard’s hate atop Joey’s head. The hat, incidentally, concealed a plunger. Gross then slid the “hat” off, leaving only the plunger, much to Joey’s chagrin.
Gross convinced Joey to embrace the role playing, going so far as to convince him to sit in his lap.
The remainder of the act was a series of hilarious one-line jokes, all told in a humorously high-pitched voice.
Joey was a true sport, the crowd was appreciate, and Gross was a big success, a true professional entertainer. Interestingly, despite assisting Mr. Gross throughout the show, Anne indicated she still had no idea how Mr. Gross did his magic!
Following the show, Mr. Gross was nice enough to speak with us, give us some insight into his career and family…
…and proved to be an immensely nice guy.
We indicated we hoped he would return, he indicated he’d like to, and following a group photograph…
…we let him get about the business of cleaning up and moving on to his next act in the next city.
Each year, Huntsville’s Wynne Home Arts Center hosts a Hawaiian Luau and, this year on Saturday, August 3, the Wynne Home Arts Center offered its best Luau yet!
The event was led by Wynne Home intern Esmeralda Mata…
…with an able assist by Miranda Estrada (also a City of Huntsville Intern–and now a COH staff member!)…
…the LEAP Ambassadors, Lauren Clay, and members of Mata’s family. All of this occurs, of course, under the direction of Cultural Services Coordinator Linda Pease and her occasionally helpful husband, Ralph.
For preparation, Mata and Estrada prepared or purchased food for approximately 150 people, food that included bacon-wrapped pineapples, fruit kabobs, and various chips and snacks, with water, Capri Sun, and Hawaiian Punch for refreshments on a hot and muggy day.
Lauren Clay led an activities booth featuring tiki puppets, while Gisselle Salas offered temporary tattoos, both of which proved very popular.
With these activities and the food keeping the children (and their sometimes unruly parents) occupied, Mata also offered a series of games for the children’s entertainment.
On site, Miranda Estrada turned in an excellent performance as emcee…
The first game was a hula hoop contest, which brought out some mediocre talent and a few hula-hoop sharks!
Our LEAP President, Makayla Mason, even showed off her one talent–neck hula hooping!
Following the Hula-Hoop contest, children participated in a game of “Musical Leis.” This is a spinoff of Musical Chairs, with the rules exactly the same. You never knew how complicated such a game was until you’ve tried to explain it to four-year olds! We were fortunate to have Sammy Bearkat on hand and participating…
He did very well for a fictional being, coming in third–but finishing first in game presence.
Sammy was also kind enough to pose with families…
…and individuals.
While the photos were underway, the children moved on to the sand-bucket relay race. In this game,two teams of four-six players participate in a relay, carrying sand (in a small spade) from one bucket to the next.
The objective is to move as fast as possible…
…but to do so without spilling sand…
…or missing the bucket…
It’s a fun game that inspired teamwork:
…and some consternation!
Even LEAP Ambassadors enjoyed taking part in this game.
This may have been the most fun game offered.
Plus, the winners got a lot of great prizes!
Next, we played a favorite among the group: Limbo!
Megan Chapa served as a LEAP Ambassador for more than three years, filling the role of Vice-President, President, and Past President. She also served as founding President of the Pre-Law Society, and she will be a 3L at South Texas College of Law this fall. She volunteered to write this guest blog on her experiences at SHSU and as a LEAP Ambassador.
I am a third-year law student at South Texas College of Law Houston. I served as a LEAP Ambassador from 2014-2017 as I earned by Bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University. Those three years were the most influential years of my educational experiences, and the opportunities I was offered and the people I met as a LEAP Ambassador have served me extremely well in law school.
Chapa at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where she interned her senior year
As a LEAP Ambassador, I learned to not only balance my school, work, and internships, but also leadership positions.
Megan Chapa at the Arkansas Supreme Court
This meant managing my time appropriately. Thinking back, many of those days were similar to my first year of law school. I remember some days as a LEAP Ambassador, I would go to class in the morning, intern in the afternoon, and then, about three times a week, I’d attend one of the many programs we participated in or attend a community meeting.
Chapa and Karla Rosales with KSAM’s Larry Crippen
I would get home with just enough time to study and prepare for the next day. Gaining the skills to manage my time, set me up well for law school.
I served as the President of the LEAP Ambassadors for a full year, a normal term for a LEAP President. During these times, I learned to sharpen my emotional intelligence to better understand how to lead others. I encouraged my colleagues to build on their strengths and work together on tackling the task ahead, and I also had key public speaking opportunities.
Chapa speaking in a mock City Council
I used similar skills during my tenure as a Mid-Law Senator for the Student Bar Association—South Texas College of Law Houston Chapter. As my experience in LEAP taught me, I did my best to use my strengths in my leadership.
One of my favorite memories as a LEAP student was meeting Michael Morton.
Alex Galvan, Michael Morton, Megan Chapa, and Kaitlyn Tyra
Michael Morton was wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1987. After spending over twenty-five years in prison, he was exonerated of this crime. Morton spent some of his incarceration in a Huntsville prison. When I met Mr. Morton, he explained to me that it was his first time back in Huntsville since his incarceration. In that moment, I felt honored that the LEAP Ambassadors had arranged that, enabling him to return to the community under more pleasant circumstances and allowing SHSU students to learn from his experiences.
I did not realize that moment would only scratch the surface of how much it really meant to me. In law school, I learned the importance of the Michael Morton Act, an act that requires an open discovery process, and how this act has impacted prosecutors throughout the state of Texas. The fact that I had the opportunity to meet such an influential person in the criminal law community early on, made the world of difference in understanding the importance of integrity and pursuit of justice.
Of course, I had many more opportunities with LEAP, from traveling to other states, such as Arkansas…
…Missouri…
Ryan Brim and Megan Chapa in one of the elevator pods at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis
…Georgia (and about twelve other states)…
Chapa, Tyra, and Rosales visiting Coca Cola, with the Coca Cola Polar Bear
…visiting Presidential Libraries…
…meeting artists such as Richard Haas…
…and David Adickes…
…attending conferences with state legislators….
…and even presenting at conferences…
…and also doing charitable work, such as Huntsville’s “Great Muddy Escape”….
…or public services such as our “John Wayne Film Festival.”
…and meeting attorney David Berg, who, at my first LEAP event, shared with us his experiences as a lawyer and his personal family history, including the murder of his brother, as he recounted in his book, “Run, Brother, Run.”
Currently, I am an intern at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where I hope to be employed in the near future. Applying the time management skills, the leadership skills, and taking advantage of the connections I made with others as a LEAP Ambassador have made me the student I am today. I have no doubt that LEAP made a difference in my life. I am a better professional because of my experience with LEAP, something that I think can be said by all the students involved in the program.
For the past 12 years, the LEAP Ambassadors have partnered with the Huntsville Public Library to serve immigrants by assisting them in their quest to become naturalized. Over that time period, we’ve worked with approximately 300 immigrants from 23 countries.
The program is divided into five weeks, with the intern from the Huntsville Public Library (this year: Leo Elizondo, supervised by HPL staff member Mary Kokot). The first week is primarily going over what the naturalization process involves and an overview of the course. In weeks 2-4, we cover a historical timeline of the US, addressing the key topics that are asked on the Naturalization Exam. During the final week, we invite immigration attorney Audrey Biggar to speak to the immigrants.
She goes over the legal aspects of citizenship and answers questions. We also enjoy a meal together on our final week. It is typically the most fun.
This year’s program was a bit smaller than most, but we had a good group of immigrants and volunteers.
In fact, almost all of the immigrants are ready to take the test, and one of the participants, Warner Pallasch, took his Naturalization Test three days after the final day of our citizenship program, and he passed! Congratulations Werner!
Most of the others have submitted their applications, and it’s just a matter of knowing the material, knowing the process…
…and waiting for the call. Of late, it’s taken about a year from the time the immigrants pay and submit their applications to the time that they can test. Three of this year’s participants have already submitted their application. All of them worked hard this year to make success more likely.
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In addition to hearing from Ms. Biggar, the immigrants were also treated to BBQ sandwiches in the spirit of the Independence Day Holiday (they have to know 5-6 holidays for the Civics portion of the Naturalization Exam) and to the presence of Councilmember Dee Howard (thank you!) and last year’s HPL intern, Bianca Saldierna. Ms. Saldierna was a valuable LEAP Ambassador for two years, and she is now working at Woodforest National Bank as a fraud investigator.
The presence of these two special people made the final week more enjoyable, and we hope was a strong demonstration to the immigrants that they have the support of many people in the community. Congratulations to Warner, and hopes of future congratulations to all the participants in this year’s program!
The Wynne Home Arts Center has hosted a community Easter Egg Hunt for at least seven years, but none as successful as the one offered this year. The 2019 event attracted some 300 people over the course of the day, with children of all ages enjoying sack races, hula hoops, bubble-blowing, ring tosses, photos with the Easter Bunny, free hot dogs, and, of course, an Easter Egg Hunt.
The Wynne Home Arts Center is a wonderful 19th Century home that was donated to the City of Huntsville in the 1990s. Since then, it’s been the community’s center for the arts, as well as many civic, cultural, and civic activities. Managed by a staff of two (Linda Pease as the Cultural Services Coordinator; and Lauren Clay as the Program Coordinator) and an intern (Princess Hutson), the Wynne Home hosts or sponsors approximately 100 events per year.
To assist with this year’s event, the LEAP Ambassadors and members of the Pre-Law Society were on hand to lead the activities, cook the food (some of which was sponsored by the wonderful “Friends of the Wynne“), and otherwise ensure that things unfolded smoothly. So, we arrived at 8am, and we got to work, hiding eggs, placing games, putting up decorations, and so on.
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The itinerary for the day was as follows:
10:30-11:05am: Sidewalk Chalk, Ring-Toss, Hula Hoops, Streamers, and Crafts
11:05-11:35am: Sack Races
11:35-Noon: Donut on a String
Noon: Easter Egg Hunt
12:15: Picnic Lunch
Although the event didn’t officially begin until 11:00am, we just take it for granted that people will arrive early. And that was certainly true this year. By 10:50am, we had about 50 people on hand, with numerous activities available for entertainment.
At the stroke of eleven, the Easter Bunny made her debut, and she was a huge hit with the children, numerous mothers, and a few fathers.
Shortly thereafter, we kicked off our sack races, running approximately 10 heats of six children each, partitioned into ages (a) 0-4, (b) 5-8, and (c) 9 and up.
The winner of each hit won a ticket, which they could redeem at the prize table. Popular prizes included fidget spinners among the youngsters, although older kids seemed attracted to the bubbles.
It was also nice to see the media on hand. Josh Criswell from the Item, Wade Thibodeaux from Walker County Press, and Megan Montgomery from The Houstonian.
At 11:35am, we kicked off the donut-on-a-string event, which is more popular with the parents, perhaps, than the children. The rules of this game are simple: eat the donut off the string, without using your hands or allowing the donut to fall to the ground.
At noon, we had the culminating event: the Easter Egg Hunt. Although the Wynne Home is large, wooded, and adorned, it is a challenge to find places to hide 800 eggs, particularly when hiding from extraordinarily determined children (and a few parents). As with the sack and donut contests, the hunt is divided into three age groups. In each of these sections, we hid “golden eggs,” which were redeemable for a large chocolate Easter Bunny. Because the kids are so determined, the hunt is a short one.
By 12:02, about 90 percent of the eggs had been found, some by very determined parents.
The quick hunt allowed the families approximately an hour to eat the free hot dogs provided by the Wynne Home (with drinks, cookies, and chips), take additional photos, and play more games.
At its peak attendance, we realized we had 265 people and only 100 hot dogs, so we called Dr. Ralph Pease, who made an emergency run to the grocery store. With these heroics, we were able to provide food for everyone.
During this relative down time, the Easter Bunny had the opportunity to show off her hopping skills, engaging in a sack race with youngsters.
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And she also showed off her hula hoop skills.
As the event began to wind down, the volunteers had the opportunity to engage in a little fun. We had an all-volunteer sack race, won by Sawyer Massie (males) and Alina Ward (females).
And when 1:00pm hit and the event ended, we had the opportunity to eat lunch, finishing up the hot dogs purchased by Dr. Pease.
It was a relaxing end to an enjoyable day. We had a chance to catch up with Lauren Clay, Linda and Ralph Pease, and reflect on another wonderful community event offered by the Wynne Home Arts Center.
The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank the unpaid volunteers for the event, including: Sawyer Massie (LEAP Ambassador), Makayla Mason (LEAP Ambassador), Victoria McClendon-Leggett (LEAP Ambassasdor), Valerie Wilson (Pre-Law Society), Olivia Kelly (Pre-Law Society), Ethan Stephens (Pre-Law Society), Alina Ward, Megan Arnold, Susan Sanders (Texas Thyme Unit of the Herb Society of America), Haley, Kayla, and the Friends of the Wynne.
With a month of our internships under our belts, interns from the Sam Houston Austin Internship Program were more than happy to be able to volunteer at the 4th biennial Texas State University System Foundation Gala. The Texas State University Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides the Texas State University System and the member institutions with financial support.
At the request of Mike Wintemute, the Director of the TSUS Foundation, the SHAIP interns happily assisted with the event by greeting guests and helping them check in at the entrance. Among the guests were legislators, Regents, and faculty/administrators from TSUS’s seven institutions. We were glad to be able to meet the individuals who play such an impactful role in making sure that our Universities are operating efficiently and providing every student the opportunity to be successful.
Following the greeting period, we were invited into the ballroom, while we awaited the arrival of former President George W. Bush and mingled with the attendees. The interns met the Chancellor of the Texas State University System, Dr. Brian McCall…
…and other TSUS administrators…
…SHSU Administrators and faculty…
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…and TSUS regents…
… and Texas State Representative Ernest Bailes.
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Moments before the event started, the interns were able to introduce themselves to the newest Speaker of the House, Dennis Bonnen.
Then, after a full day of anticipation, we began our “evening with former President George W. Bush.” As President Bush entered the stage, every person in the room stood on their feet and erupted in applause for the former president. The discussion first began with President Bush giving his appreciation to a Texas leader that he holds in high esteem: General Sam Houston. As students at Sam Houston State University, it gives us great pride to know that the man we represent is honored by many, including a former President. The moderator of the conversation, Mark Updegrove, moved the topic to a more sensitive subject. With the recent passing of both his mother and father, President Bush was asked about his most memorable moments of his parents.
Bush recalled the final words his father said to him, which were “I love you.” President Bush said that his father’s words were very faint, but that he understood what his father was saying. Bush replied, “I love you, too, Dad.” Bush recalled that his dad, “set an example, and he set priorities.” The priorities included family, but it also included public service, and that set an example to his children, particularly for Jeb and George, both of whom went into politics.
Interestingly, his last conversation with his mother was also the one he described as most memorable. And, according to him, his mother also said, “I love you,” but Bush playfully added that she described him as her “favorite child.”
Then, the conversation swerved sharply into politics. As a man who has once served as the President of the United States, he was asked to give his opinion on the current President, Donald Trump. President Bush deferred from giving his view on President Trump because he does not like to speak about the decisions a current president makes while they are in office. He knows what it is like to have everyone scrutinize every decision you make. However, President Bush did add wistfully that the President’s speech and behavior “set the tone for the nation.”
President Bush reminisced about his presidential term, recalling the horrific day of September 11, 2001. The former President recalled receiving the news, and acknowledging that “things we can’t anticipate or control happen and how we react will matter for a long time to come.” The SHAIP interns found this to be good advice, not only for our careers, but also for life, reminding us that how we react to adversity will similarly shape our lives.
After holding one of the most challenging positions in America, President Bush noted that he was still learning–and he mentioned that he was now attempting to refine his work as an artist. He indicated that he is currently “specializing in puppy portrait painting.”
Following the discussion with President Bush, dinner was served. Our Entrèe included Grilled Beef Tenderloin & Seared Redfish with pimiento Cheese-Potato Puree, Chive Bearnaise, and seasonal vegetables. For dessert, we had a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Kahlua Ganache and Bailey’s Cream.
The Sam Houston Interns would like to thank Mike Wintemute for giving us the chance to attend the TSUS Foundation Gala. It was an honor to be able to represent Sam Houston State University.
Austin, Texas February 6, 2019: Texas State University System (TSUS) Gala at the AT&T Center in Austin, featuring former President George W. Bush
We realize that not many people are afforded opportunities like this, and we will forever be grateful.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 