One of the nice things about being a LEAP Ambassadors is being more connected to the University and to the community. And that means making a connection with people we otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to know.
That’s the case with Ben Blaylock and Bonnie Thorne-Blalock, whom we recently met when they attended our “High Noon” Film Festival. Mr. Blalock is a former mayor of Huntsville, and Mrs. Bonnie taught at SHSU for more than 30 years, while also being very active in the community.
After meeting them, they kindly invited us to hold a meeting at their house. Excited for the opportunity, we jumped at the chance, and held our second-to-last semester meeting at their home.
Mrs. Bonnie cooked for us, Mr. Blalock regaled us with stories about his childhood and his tenure as mayor, and they both treated us with amazing hospitality. It was a treat to befriend this wonderful couple who, even in the short time we have known them, have enriched our time at SHSU.
An excited buzz could be heard within the Gaertner Performing Arts Center. People dressed in a multitude of colors filed in one by one and the murmur of a pleasant chatter could be heard in the background of the well-decorated lobby.
The time had come for SHSU’s thriving art community to gather for their premier annual event: the SHSU Art Gala.
A LEAP favorite, the Art Gala not only serves as a means to meet and greet people, but it also raises money for SHSU Art Scholarships while honoring outstanding alumni and community members that contribute to the success of the Art Department.
The evening began with a reception where we visited with faculty members, community members, and the evening’s award winners. We were pleasantly surprised to find many of the former heART of Huntsville participants including Ms. Una Grace Nash, Dr. and Mrs. Pease, Dr. and Mrs. Gaertner, Dr. Mitzi Mahoney, and Roberta Plant, as well as other members of the community such as former mayor Mac Woodward.
Dr. Michael Henderson, the Chair of the Art Department, greeted attendees and began the program with remarks before serving dinner.
The three- course meal was marked with conversation about art, SHSU’s art program, and the impact the alumni had made. Dr. Henderson then presented two awards honoring two very special people.
First, he presented Daryl Howard with the Outstanding Alumna Award.
Graduating from SHSU in 1969, Daryl Howard moved to Tokyo to teach at an overseas art school where she was introduced to Ukiyo-e woodcuts from the 18th and 19th Century. These woodcuts peaked her interest and she began an apprenticeship with master printmaker, Hodaka Yoshida.
However, this was only the beginning of Howard’s career as we had the privilege of learning. There were many professors that Ms. Howard learned from who were skilled artists. People such as Charles Pebworth, Gaddis Geeslin, Stanley Lea, among others. Her speech was one of gratitude for the opportunities presented to her at Sam Houston and the lessons learned from her many mentors.
The second award winner, Mrs. Nancy Gaertner, was honored for Outstanding Supporter of the Arts.
As former First Lady of Sam Houston, she worked tirelessly on the development and creation of our performing arts center for the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication. Although she is no longer the First Lady of Sam Houston, she is the current President of the Friends of the Wynne Board and stays active in Huntsville’s art community.
Having worked closely with her, the LEAP Ambassadors were excited to see Mrs. Gaertner honored for her commitment and support of the arts.
Following the awards presentation, we posed for a few photographs with the honorees…
…and said our thanks to the many wonderful people who support our Art Department. It was a fun night and a great way to support the local art community!
As finals approach, and before the anxiety kicks in, we paused from our diligent studying and happily assisted Ms. Debbie Charbonneau, Huntsville’s Main Street Director, and Yvana Kepnga, Main Street’s Intern, at the 7th annual Winter in the Park and Downtown Christmas Fair!
Holiday décor embellished Huntsville’s Historic Downtown for the fun-filled family event which annually attracts more than 2,000 locals and tourists. Without exception, this year’s mix of activities promised and delivered great entertainment for both adults and children. Activities which included: bounce houses, train rides…
…cookie and stocking decorations…
…Christmas karaoke, candle making….
…and even fun in the snow, all 45,000 pounds of it!
But of course, one of the favorite traditions is to take the annual picture with Santa.
However, sometimes the adults were much more excited than the kids, even at the selfie station!
Alongside Santa were dozens of local businesses and vendors selling a variety of goods enlivened the streets as visitors stocked up on holiday gifts and also enjoyed various contests.
The LEAP Ambassadors and Julia Norwood, a high school student at Huntsville High School who was also volunteering, enjoyed this community event while monitoring the snow area and handling the tickets.
Before concluding the event, Ms. Charbonneau announced the winners of the Lamp Post Decoration competition. Patio on the Square Café won first place and Buttercup Cottage won second place. Congratulations to the winners and everyone else for beautifying downtown with their creative lampposts!
In the midst of the holidays, assisting at this festivity definitely helped to put us in the Christmas spirit. Although Ryan Knesek didn’t seem to need too much more. Had there been an ugly Christmas sweater contest, he would have won!
And, of course, the Ambassador’s fun-filled Saturday could not have been complete without taking even more pictures with Santa Claus!
After two successful and fun sessions of heART of Huntsville, we were excited for the grand finale on our third session. We started off at the Huntsville Statue and Visitor Center, where we met Visitor Services Coordinator, Jamie Matthews.
She began by giving us an overview of the different attractions in Huntsville such as the “Big Sam” statue which has brought in numerous of tourists to the city. A map of the world was marked with pins showing the variety of countries that tourists come in from every continent (excluding Antartica).
A short video designed by the Animation Department at SHSU in partnership with the City of Huntsville explained the history behind General Sam Houston and the process its sculptor, David Adickes, implemented to build the statue. As the clip met its end we walked towards “Big Sam” and observed its beauty up close followed by a group picture at the base of the 67-foot statue!
Led by Huntsville expert Professor Yawn, we began our tour around town, seeing outdoor sculptures and attractions along the way.
Driving from the visitor center towards the city, Professor Yawn explained that the Goree Prison Unit had been a women’s unit and also talked about the issues of including inmates and students in Huntsville’s population.
Our first stop was “Made in the Shade” by John Stewart. As our bus driver skillfully maneuvered his way through Fire Station 1’s driveway, we admired the sculpture laying its stone body along Sam Houston Avenue. Stewart sculpted the piece to commemorate the deceased astronauts aboard the Challenger in 1986.
Our next stop was located on University Ave, where we saw a slew of older homes: the Ashford Home (once used a funeral parlor), the Rogers-Baird Home, and the old Smither Warehouse.
We then headed to Oakwood Cemetery. At the cemetery, we viewed the bronze replica of Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen’s “Christus,” popularly known as the “Comforting Christ.”
There are four copies of the sculpture in the United States (that we know of), one of which is rumored to be in a cemetery in San Antonio. The Oakwood Cemetery version was commissioned by the Powell family to honor their youngest son who died at age 5 during a tonsillectomy surgery. We are very thankful that Mark Burns provided copies of a black-and-white photograph of the sculpture for the heART of Huntsville group. It was a memorable experience to see one of the most famous sculptures of Christ dedicated to the youngest son in the Powell family and go home with a special photograph by Mr. Burns.
After the cemetery, it was time to meet for dinner at Carbonero’s a Salvadorian cuisine restaurant where we enjoyed delicious tacos, enchiladas, and pupusas.
As always, the food was phenomenal! But the treats were not only reserved for dinner.
After we finished off our plates, we headed to the David Adickes Foundation. The repurposed Huntsville High School walls and hallways were decorated with Adickes’ breath taking paintings.
Ms. Linda Wiley, the Adickes Foundation curator, welcomed us to the foundation and she and Mr. Adickes offered a brief introduction to the gallery.
With his well known charisma, Mr. Adickes told us tales of his art and his time in the military, a time that he described with “the war was over, it was king of boring.”
But as he told us, his travels to Europe where put to good use as he garnered a passion for painting.
Among the collections we noticed a peculiar photograph of Elvis Presley and his living room. What got our attention were a series of paintings hanging on the corner of the photographed wall. It turns out The King was a fan of Mr. Adickes and had purchased three of his paintings. After Elvis’ death, Mr. Adickes discovered the paintings and bought them back!
After enjoying Mr. Adickes’ adventure travel stories, he joined us in front of his favorite artwork to take a group selfie with the LEAP Ambassadors, former SHSU President Dr. James Gaertner, his wife Nancy Gaertner, and Ms. Wiley.
We were also very lucky to get individual pictures with Mr. Adickes in front of the ambassador’s favorite!
The Adickes Foundation tour was a great way to end our final session of heART of Huntsville. We were all happy to have gotten a chance to enjoy one of Huntsville’s best kept secrets!
The problems of six people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, so we put our problems aside and drove to Houston to watch “Casablanca,” the film that the American Film Institute identified as the third greatest movie in Hollywood history. But, first, we went to the restaurant that is one of Professor Yawn’s favorites: “Peli, Peli,” which offers African food with a Colonial twist.
Four of us ordered the Chicken Espetada, which was brought to our table on a hanging skewer dripping with garlic butter…
…while the other two (more adventurous) of us ordered the special for that evening, grilled and sliced beef tongue. Surprisingly, everyone was willing to try bits and pieces of the tongue, and it was deemed quite tasty by all. After a delicious dinner came a mouthwatering dessert of Chocolate Mousse Cake and Melktart Brulee. The experience was truly unique, but excitement was yet to come as we headed toward the cinema.
Released in 1943, Casablanca starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. This work of Hollywood’s Golden Age is considered by nearly all to be a classic. On this 75th anniversary showing, the theater was packed with movie fans ready for the 102 minute adventure.
While watching the film, it was fun to notice the many different phrases that were made popular and are still in use today because of this movie. It was neat to learn that phrases such as, “Round up the usual suspects,” and “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” come from this timeless classic. The film masterfully blends drama, comedy, romance, and even a bit of action. Casablanca truly is a work of art, and if you haven’t seen it, take the time to do so. We did!
As our last full day at Caddo Lake has finally arrived. Although there was a hint of melancholy as our trip is drawing to an end, there was still much more adventures to dive into throughout the day.
Caddo Lake State Park, By Brian Aldaco
Throughout the trip we observed Mark Burns perform his photography with his digital Nikon cameras. However, on Saturday we witnessed his talents in the older art of photography when he used his 8×10 large format camera to capture the sylvan beauty of the Caddo Lake State Park.
Mr. Burns positioned himself at the end of the pier.
He framed his camera to photograph a water full of giant salvinia in the foreground and the towering cypress trees in the background. As he was setting up this grandfather of a camera, Mr. Burns gave Makayla and Ryan a chance to see through the camera’s window-like view finder. Due to the behavior of light when passing through an aperture, the image that appears on this glass surface is upside down and reversed. As Mr. Burns explained, “you’re not looking through the view finder, you’re looking at it.” Projected on this glass surface, Ryan and Makayla looked at this parallel photographic universe, where reality was reversed and upside down.
As part of the documentary, every action taken by Mr. Burns was videoed and photographed.
Whether he was setting up his camera, cleaning a lens, or looking for the perfect scenery, there was always a lens pointing his way.
With this entourage of cameras, we took an opportunity to get photos with Burns…
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…and then we relocated from the peer to an amphitheater located across the roadway from lake.
Again, cameras were positioned, microphones were set, and the interview proctored by Professor Yawn began.
Topics included Mr. Burn’s photography preparation work, how he developed an interest for photography, and his overall experience in Caddo Lake. The interview will add an educational perspective to the documentary.
Canoeing at Caddo, By Ryan Knesek
In addition to the guided tours of Caddo Lake, LEAP Ambassadors braved the waters in a three-person canoe. This experience took place at Johnson’s Ranch Marina where Ambassadors were given a warm welcome and a crash course in the basics of water safety. These soon came in handy, but more on that momentarily. We were given a quick run-down of maritime law. For example, we now know that when meeting an incoming boat, the port side is where to meet from.
After we secured our life-vests, grabbed our paddles, and settled ourselves in the canoe, we headed off into the watery voyage of Caddo Lake.
Ducks, herons, and the occasional squirt greeted the sailors with every stroke of the paddle, all while the noon-time sun created ideal temperatures well complimented with a brisk breeze. New angles of filmography, as well as the proximity to water created a new environment for the lake that we appreciated.
But our appreciation for the lake’s waters became more personal. LEAP ambassadors took advantage of the situation by taking a swim in the lake, begrudgingly of course. After a brief miscalculation, Ryan, Makayla, and Christina capsized on the canoe. All three were launched off their boat and were rescued by fishermen moments later. The brisk water turned frigid, but luckily it did not take away from the experience, and, as a result, the event will be remembered by all members for some-time to come.
The Last Tour, By Makayla Mason
After I washed up at the hotel (and made sure I had not welcomed any uninvited lake creature) we grabbed a quick lunch at Central Perks before heading off to our last Caddo Lake tour.
As we made our way to our final boat tour of Caddo Lake, we were a little sad that it was coming to an end.
The weather was perfect and with just a few clouds in the sky, there was a sunset glow on the autumn leaves.
We were able to see parts of the lake we had not seen previously and took as many videos and pictures as we could.
Aaron even took us to see Don Henley’s house!
Legend has it, that this Eagles rock star wrote the lyrics to “The End of Innocence” along the banks of Caddo Lake.
As we pulled into the dock the cotton candy sky waved goodbye to us and we left Caddo Lake with an abundance of memories.
Third Time’s a Charm, By Christina Perez
Before heading back to the hotel, we stopped to have dinner at our now favorite Marshall pizza joint, Pazzeria by Pietro’s. This was our third time at Pietro’s pizzeria but we were not complaining.
Brian was excited to try another tasty pizza from the interesting menu! He had already tried the Philly Connection, a philly-cheese-steak-style pizza, the night before so today he decided on the Hawaiian Luau. Makayla on the other hand tried their meatballs with cheese sprinkled on top. After dinner, we each had dessert. Sarah and Sierra tried their famous cheesecake while I had the vanilla bean gelato.
With a satisfied sweet tooth, we left feeling sad that our Caddo Lake adventure was now over. Throughout the weekend we have learned much about photography from the experienced Mark Burns and are ready to use our skills in the future. Furthermore, we are closer at completing our documentary. Perhaps, as the autumn leaves of the Caddo cypress completely fall and give way to a green-filled swamp, our project will be complete and ready for viewing.
“A lake carries you into recesses of feeling otherwise impenetrable.” William Wordsworth may have never seen Caddo Lake, yet it is a perfect way to describe the effect of the lake’s beauty. On this second day at the lake we were now set out to capture this captivating grandeur through the lens of Mark Burns.
Daybreak Voyage, By Ryan Knesek
The LEAP Ambassadors met with photographer Mark Burns early in the morning to continue with our documentary process. As you may remember, Mr. Burns has been a part of the National Parks Project where he photographed all fifty-nine national parks in black and white.
On this expedition to Caddo Lake he focused mainly on the color scheme of the autumn cypress during the dawn hours while taking wildlife photos here and there.
Photo by Mark Burns
LEAP Ambassadors were able to converse with the accomplished photographer and expand their knowledge of composition, lighting, and color scheme in photography.
Being amateur photographers, we benefit from the knowledge he provides–even if it isn’t evident in our own photos!
And as we saw the beautiful landscapes of the lake and the graceful wildlife, we set these newly learned skills into practice.
Starr Home, By Ryan Knesek
After meeting with Mark Burns in Uncertain, Texas, Leap Ambassadors found themselves in the city of Marshall. There, Ambassadors toured the historic Starr Family House, a Victorian-style home that was built with the money from the Starr’s land possessions.
Dr. James Harper Starr was commissioned as president of the board of land commissioners and receiver of the land dues for Nacogdoches County by Sam Houston in 1837. The tour showcased refurbished wood flooring and antiques that were unique to the home. Art, woodworking, and portraits illustrated the family’s status when the Starrs had guests at home. Now, years after the owners’ lifetime, their elegant lifestyle is still admired as people visit and tour the home, which is operated by the Texas Historical Commission.
Among the most interesting aspects of the home were all its artifacts. Ambassador Makayla and I were even allowed to use one of these artifacts, the stereograph. This contraption functioned as early 3-dimensional glasses for photography and was the first time that Makayla and I had used one.
As one would imagine, the home showed portals into the past through its architecture and artifacts.
One interesting aspect of history while touring the home was Dr. Starr’s relationship with Sam Houston. Apparently, Dr. Starr owned land close to land owned by Sam Houston in Nacogdoches. However, land disputes arose while they were neighbors and Dr. Starr tried to sue the celebrated Texas war hero and politician. This tour helped highlight the fact that the more you learn about history and the present, the more connections you see, and this is the beginning of true understanding.
Lunch at R & R Bakery, by Christina Perez
After the LEAP Ambassadors finished their tour of the Starr Family Home tour, we headed to lunch. We arrived in historic downtown Marshall, Texas…
and pulled into R & R Bakery and Coffee Shop. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by friendly staff and sat down ready to enjoy our meal. As we waited on Sierra and Sarah to arrive we shared our favorite things about the sunrise tour. We discussed the birds, the colors of the trees, and our favorite part of the tour. Ryan got the South Western roast beef sandwich with jalapeño bread and a garden salad on the side and lets just say he enjoyed his meal, clearly evidenced by a clean plate a few minutes after his order arrived. After lunch we shared some desserts, apple cinnamon scones for some and choclate chip cookies for others. It was a sweet way to enjoy the afternoon.
Michelson Museum of Art, By Makayla Mason
With such a filling lunch, we decided to walk it off with a small shopping session through town. Our wallets turned to the various antique shops along N. Washington Ave. And even though we could have spent longer at the shops, we made our way to the Michelson Museum of Art.
Opened in May 1985, the museum houses hundreds of pieces of art by artist Leo Michelson. The museum was founded following a donation from Leo Michelson’s widow. The donation consisted of more than 1,000 of Michelson’s art pieces.
Today, the museum consists of Michelson’s work, as well as works from locally and nationally recognized artists. The traveling exhibit that was currently at the museum was of illustrator Marla Frazee.
Frazee has illustrated several well-known children’s books such as The Boss Baby, Clementine, Stars, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever and even one of my favorite book series, The Borrowers.
The Ambassadors enjoyed looking through books they remembered reading when they were younger and appreciated the detailed illustrations.
The other exhibit at the museum was “Our Artists and their Selfies.”
This exhibit contained thirteen artists with pieces of their work paired with their self-portrait and a list of highly-recognized art museums that feature each artist.
One of the thirteen artists was Henri Matisse, a name familiar to the LEAP Ambassadors, so we decided to take a selfie!
But from indoor art…we went back to the natural art of Caddo Lake. Sunset and sunrise lighting conditions are far from the same. That is why it was important for Mark Burns to return to the lake during the late afternoon. Swaying in the tranquil waters of the lake, Mr. Burns continued to look for that perfect spot to photograph.
During his National Parks Project, he spent five years visiting and revisiting parks. This search, as you can tell, is continuous and ever changing. Even though we had been here over the summer, the lake is not under the same conditions as before.
“Water levels have fallen by three feet,” Wes, our captain and tour guide, told us.
This affects the composition of Mr. Burns’s photos since cypress roots are more visible. Of course the most prominent change is the fall colors in the foliage of the cypress trees. This is such an important trait of the lake since it changes the format in which Mr. Burns takes his photos.
Now that the fall colors are so rich, Burns sought the right light for the perfect color.
Photo by Mark Burns
Tomorrow will be our last chance, for now, to get the last few shots of the lake. As we returned to Marshall for dinner we reminisced on the day’s success. We even got to see a few of the photos that Mr. Burns had taken through out the day. With excitement in our step and a show of confidence…
…we returned to the hotel welcoming tomorrow’s adventures.
The LEAP Ambassadors are not tired of traveling. Just a week after returning from Washington, D.C., we have embarked on our next adventure, a revisit of Caddo Lake. As many of you may remember, we started this adventure in the summer when we came with Mark Burns to aid him in his photography project. Now we are here to finish the job on this Return to Caddo Lake trip.
Morning Tour
By Christina Perez
Our day began with a 5:00 AM start. We were in search of the perfect spot to witness a rising sun along an autumn-painted background. We walked the dock to greet Wes Holland, our captain and tour guide, while the chilly breeze began to hit our faces and wake us up. Some of us were veterans of the Caddo Lake experience and were already familiar with the lake’s overwhelming beauty. Others, like Ryan and Makayla, were first timers. They would soon get to meet this natural wonderland.
Caddo Lake would not be as much fun without our tour guide who always makes it a point to teach us something new. Today, he taught Ryan and Makayla about the history of the bald cypress tree. He also taught them that Spanish moss is related to pineapples and even let them feel the moss in its various incarnations.
The sun began to rise around 7:00 am and that’s when the real fun began.
We quickly noticed that the wild life was up and ready for another day. We saw Blue and White Herons, fishes, frogs, and many more birds. We used this tour to become more familiar with the cameras and film equipment that we brought along. Makayla, one of the newest members of LEAP, captured some great shots of Blue Herons.
The sun peaked over the trees as we headed back to the dock. As we sped through the winding river ways, Wes remembered a quote from Texas Monthly which described Caddo Lake, “In Caddo Lake, one can find beauty in its constant state of decay.” A better description would be hard to come across to define the lake’s beauty. But we soon discovered that amazing sights were not confined to Caddo Lake as we explored the surrounding community of Jefferson.
By Ryan Knesek and Brian Aldaco
This small town was in 1845 a major steamboat port which created a bustling community of over 30,000 people. Although the community has downsized to a little over 2,000 inhabitants, we were excited to return to this small-town treasure.
After an early morning we were all ready for a filling lunch. We then chose Austin Street Bistro to calm this craving. Located along E. Austin St. on the South part of town, the open-window seating gave us a great view of Jeffersonians going about their day and enjoying it just as much as we were. The assortments of lunch items were plentiful, but finally I (Brian) decided on a potato and broccoli soup, a very wise choice.
After tasting a little of Jefferson we went in search of treats at the Jefferson General Store, right next door.
Inside, the vintage-style shop was filled with candy, toys, amusing books, and other such delights that any 10 year old, I mean, that any LEAPster could enjoy. Quickly we grabbed our paper bags and flooded them with Laffy Taffy, Jolly Ranchers, bubble gum, and more sugary treats to soothe our sweet tooth.
As we continued to experience the town’s old-fashioned delights, we were captivated by one of the town’s abandoned railroad tracks.
The train formerly used a wooden bridge, that has been left to remind visitors and residents of the importance of the rail road in the town’s development. But now, as it stood conquered by nature with vines enveloping its tracks, it reminded us of Wes’s appreciation for beauty in constant decay.
However, not all of the town’s Victorian-era structures laid abandoned. On the contrary, many of these constructions are still in full function like the plethora of historic homes through out town.
A majority of the town’s homes are modeled after Greek and French style architecture. One house in particular, The House of Seasons, has visible square pillars and an overall symmetrical building construction; a design based on Greek revival architecture. Another popular housing construction is the Queen Anne style. LEAP Ambassadors learned to differentiate between a cupola, which creates symmetric housing, and a turret, which are usually built on a home’s periphery to create an asymmetric silhouette. We noticed this later structure when we passed by the Benefield House.
The town of Jefferson creates an insight into the trading routes of pre-road-construction commerce and illustrates the Americana theme in its stores and cuisine. While LEAP Ambassadors perused the trinkets, pictures, novelty items, and antiques from the Port Jefferson Outpost, we admired the unique history of the city.
The experience added onto the LEAP Ambassador’s appreciation for small cities, and the often-overlooked history of small town America.
Evening Tour
By Makayla Mason
After taking a quick 45-minute nap at the hotel, we packed into the car to head back to Caddo Lake. As the sun began to sink into the horizon we pulled out of the dock and into the beautiful waters of Caddo Lake.
We saw our familiar suspects: fish, Kingfishers, White Egrets, and Blue Herons.
We captured such beautiful pictures and videos with the setting sun hitting the autumn-colored leaves.
During the tour, Wes shared many stories and facts about the lake and even let me drive the boat!
As the almost full moon began to rise we took our final pictures for the day. Ryan and I truly enjoyed our first time at Caddo Lake, while Christina and Brian were experiencing its beauty in a new autumn light.
On our drive back to Marshall, we drove into downtown to catch a quick dinner at Pazzeria by Pietro’s. We treated our selves to a Philly Connection pizza pie, topped with grilled steak, caramelized onion, and calabrese sweet peppers, and a Nonno Pipino, topped with shrimp on top of a garlic alfredo sauce. When we finished our dinner, we noticed how the night was lively with a band performing rock classics on the side walk. The streets of Marshall were also adorned with christmas lights and other holiday adornments. But tomorrow we would see more of the town, so we boarded our van ready to get some rest. After a long and adventure-filled day, we were all eager to start before day break in the morning.
We quickly noticed that the wild life was up and ready for another day. We saw Blue and White Herons, fishes, frogs, and many more birds. We used this tour to become more familiar with the cameras and film equipment that we brought along. Makayla, one of the newest members of LEAP, captured some great shots of Blue Herons.
The experience added onto the LEAP Ambassador’s appreciation for small cities, and the often-overlooked history of small town America.
We saw our familiar suspects: fish, Kingfishers, White Egrets, and Blue Herons.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 