LEAP Ambassadors – Page 75 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

The Middle East in the 21st Century: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad

LEAP has had many opportunities to travel across the United States, but we have never been able to travel outside of the nation. Instead, the LEAP Ambassadors compromised by taking a Houston road trip to the Asia Society of Texas where the LEAPsters would receive the opportunity of gaining world knowledge from none other than the former US Ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan, Ambassador Khalilzad.

The Asia Society of Houston hosted the former Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq Tuesday evening to discuss American Foreign Policy in the region. Ambassador Khalilzad was the Ambassador to Iraq (2005-2007) and the Ambassador to Afghanistan (2003-2005) along with being U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations (2007-2009).

SHSU, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Asia Society, Zalmay Khalilzad

During the war times in the Middle East, Ambassador Khalilzad is able to bring a unique perspective on how we can eventually end Americas longest war. Ambassador Khalilzad made it a point to express the power the United States has had and what he as ambassador has done to ensure a stronger Middle East.

Ambassador Khalilzad opened up the conversation by discussing the war in Afghanistan; explaining that the United States has a moral duty to try to find an end to the war. “We need to find a way to end this war, but leave it to the people of Afghanistan to decide what to do”. Khalilzad explained to the audience that the United States has built up the military of Afghanistan and they should handle their own affairs, but we need to keep some military there, in order to keep the government from faltering.

SHSU, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Asia Society, Zalmay Khalilzad

While he explained that Afghanistan was a major issue the U.S. is handling, Iraq is also a major player in the Middle East, with their recent military success against the terrorist state, ISIS, we need to find a way to incorporate their strength in establishing a more stable region. The Iraqi Government “while it may not be the strongest, can be our greatest ally” and “we need to be able to trust our partners to take care and help our nation when needed”.

SHSU, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Asia Society, Zalmay Khalilzad

The LEAP Ambassadors got a first-class foreign policy lecture from a Global Diplomat and learned many new details into a very complicated history. The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Paul Pass for this incredible opportunity to learn more about the geopolitical situation in the Middle East and look forward to many more events at the World Affairs Council and the Asia Society of Houston.

Making Heads and Telling Tales of San Jacinto

by Kaitlyn Tyra

In anticipation of the 182ndAnniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum brought Amanda Danning to present timely workshops on The San Jacinto Project. The Battle of San Jacinto took place in 1836 during the war for Texas Independence. Led by General Sam Houston, the battle led to the death of more than 700 Mexican soldiers, the capture of more than 730 Mexican soldiers, the capture of Mexican General Santa Anna, and, ultimately, Texas Independence.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

Amanda Danning, a forensic artist was has done work for the Smithsonian Museum, partnered with the SHMM to recreate five faces from skulls left behind on the battlefield. The project benefits from Dannings’ expertise and lively style, and also from the fascinating history of the skulls.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

Following the War for Texas Independence, James Audubon traveled the country in search of new birds to paint for his book, Birds of America. While in the area, he visited the San Jacinto battlegrounds to collect a few skulls for his friend Samuel Morton in Pennsylvania who had a cranial collection. The skulls were preserved and recently commissioned by the SHMM to have the faces forensically recreated.

Ms. Danning showed each skulls and discussed the injuries to them, and even walked us through the causes of death.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

Her explanations made us feel as if we were standing on the battlefield looking in over the war-torn land.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

After learning about the skulls of the soldiers, Ms. Danning showed us the process for recreating faces. She begins the process by creating molds from the skulls. Once she has a good mold, she can begin adding facial features based on the indentations within the skull.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

Ms. Danning even explained how the indentations on the bone of the nose hole gives clues as to the shape on the nose. It was intriguing and overwhelming to learn about how Ms. Danning takes numerous scientific documents like statements from doctors, x-rays, and cat scans then translates the information into scientifically accurate art.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

For the Ambassador’s first exposure to forensic art, it was a very informative workshop. We learned about a new career field and one of the ways science combines with art to create realistic recreations of those whose memory would otherwise be lost. Thank you to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum for hosting this wonderful opportunity!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Sam Houston Memorial Museum, Forensic Art, Amanda Danning, San Jacinto

Justice Arrives: The 10th Court of Appeals on SHSU’s Campus

by Victoria McClendon-Leggett and Chase Kennemer

For the past eight years the LEAP Center has had the honor of bringing the Texas Tenth Court of Appeals to Sam Houston State University. The court has the privilege to travel to any county in which they have jurisdiction. Today the Court tried three trials in the Beto Criminal Justice Center’s Hazel B. Kerper Courtroom.

There were three oral arguments held there, two involving Texas A&M, and one involving a homicide case in Walker County. Students across campus packed the court room to the point where the Ambassadors gave up their seats to ensure there enough seats for people to sit!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

With three separate cases at different times, we held a steady flow of people inside of the court room listening and thinking about what the outcome of the cases would be. While the veteran Ambassadors have experienced this before, we all still had a sense of awe and wonder as we watched the cases go back and forth.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

As the Justices sat in their chairs, Chief Justice Gray explained the process of the Appeals Court.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

The process is one of review, rather than retrying a case. In other words, these cases have already been tried. Their purpose here is to review the procedures followed during the original trial to determine whether they were appropriate.

These hearings are also unique in that the attorneys are given three minutes at the beginning of each hearing to turn to the audience–mostly students–and explain the facts of the case. This segment has no bearing on the justices, but allows the audience to better follow the legal arguments.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

Understanding background information of the case allowed us to better understand the oral arguments both attorneys made. Each party had approximately 20 minutes of argument time and, as we learned, the Appellant who presents the argument first, also receives five minutes for rebuttal after the Appellee has concluded his argument. During the last five minutes, the Appellant’s purpose is to counterclaim the argument(s) delivered by the other attorney.

The first case was one of wrongful death. A TAMU student ingested cyanide obtained from a TAMU Lab, and his parents sued for wrongful death. With the parents in the courtroom, this was a sad and somber case to hear.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

The second case involved a homicide in Walker County, and featured local attorney Paxton Adams for the defense…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

…and Walker County DA David Weeks (and first ADA, Stephanie Stroud) for the prosecution.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

Both of these cases were packed, with approximately 125 people attending the first case (the courtroom only seats 112) and approximately 75 attending the second.

With strong attendance, interesting cases, and a unique opportunity in our midst, the court adjourned for lunch–which presented a new opportunity for the Ambassadors.

10^th Court of Appeals Lunch, by Victoria McClendon-Leggett

After hearing the second oral argument, the crowds dispersed and a few of us lucky students had the opportunity to have lunch with the justices and two of our local attorneys, David Moorman and Will Durham, the latter of whom is the Walker County District Attorney Elect. We enjoyed a spread of sandwiches, pasta salad, potato chips, and iced tea as we sat around the long conference table in the Beto Criminal Justice Center on campus.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

We were able to ask both the justices and attorneys about law school and what they enjoy most about their careers.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

Chief Justice Gray told us that they picked these three cases especially to be heard on our campus because two revolved around another university like ours, and the other occurred here in Walker county.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

The justices also praised the Criminal Justice Center’s Kerper Courtroom (thank you Dean Lyons!) and Sam Houston State University’s excellent facilities. While our university may not be as well-known as others, the privilege of having the 10th Court of Appeals hear cases on our campus is a major opportunity for pre-law students or others who like to follow the law.

We wished we were able to have more time with the justices, but our lunch time was limited because the last case was scheduled to start at 1pm. We thanked the justices for traveling all the way to our school and then got ready to sit in on the last case.

Final Case

The final case of the day involved a TAMU student who may or may not have been evading arrest. He was found guilty by the trial court, but his attorneys argued that the jury failed to properly apply the law: that, without knowing definitively that an officer–who was on foot–was asking him to pull over, he could not be convicted of evading arrest.

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His attorney was eloquent and made a clear case. The state, however, argued that this was not even a case for appeal.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

Although these cases are a wonderful way to see the process unfold, they do not bring resolution! The cases may take months to be decided, so we were left wondering which side would prevail.

Wrapup

At the end of the arguments the LEAP students were able to meet with the justices again…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

…and also to take a picture with all of the Justices (Justice Davis, Chief Justice Gray, and Justice Scoggins).

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, 10th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice Tom Gray, Justice Al Scoggins, Justice Rex Davis

We are so grateful to all the justices to take their time to travel all the way to Huntsville and allow us to learn as much as possible from them.

Crime and Punishment: With Kathryn Casey in Houston

With a busy couple of weeks ahead of us, we decided to take a Friday-night opportunity for a trip to Houston to meet an interesting author known for her Texas true crime books.

Five LEAP Ambassadors traveled to Houston for a presentation and book signing by Kathryn Casey, a mystery and true crime author, at Murder by the Book. Over the course of her career, she has authored seven highly acclaimed true crime books.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Kathryn Casey, In Plain Sight

I was one of the few who had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Casey on a previous occasion. She was a featured guest at SHSU’s Let’s Talk event in 2016, and I had collected some of her books, including one about the I-45 murders.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Let's Talk,, Kathryn Casey

On Friday, she discussed her newest book, In Plain Sight: The Kaufman County Prosecutor Murders. The title refers to the unprecedented murders of two prosecutors and a prosecutor’s wife in Kaufman County in 2013.

She describes the small town of Kaufman as a small and quiet town where everyone knows each other. Suddenly the quiet town was thrown into chaos when the County Assistant District Attorney, Mark Hasse, was killed outside the county courthouse. A month later the District Attorney Mike McClelland and his wife were brutally killed in their own home.

Kathryn Casey decided to tackle this story and write a book about it. This prompted moving to Kaufman and doing extensive research on the murders. She described her experience in Kaufman and the extensive challenges she faced until she was able to make connections in the community, speak with different people, and gain unique access to the story. She described her research as comprising of over 100 interviews, including interviews with Eric Williams and his wife, both of whom were convicted of murder.

After a great conversation with Ms. Casey, in which she mixed gravity, seriousness, and even a little humor…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Kathryn Casey, In Plain Sight

…we headed to Kenny & Ziggy’s for dinner. We expanded our horizons this time with a New York Delicatessen Restaurant. It was certainly a special treat to have dinner at an authentic third generation deli. When we arrived we were surprised and slightly overwhelmed by their menu. Personally, it was the biggest menu I’ve ever seen! Some of us went for the hot dogs while others went for specialty sandwiches. Everyone’s food was amazing and we ended up voting it one of our favorites!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Murder by the Book, Kathryn Casey, In Plain Sight

Hopping and LEAPing to a Good Time!

Birds were chirping, and the sun was shining. You could practically hear laughter in the air. It is the time of the year when children all over the US look for a massive scavenger hunt. And what are they searching for? Well, eggs of course!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

Easter, along with Christmas and Halloween, is one of the most egg-citing holidays that people of all ages can enjoy. What’s not fun about the opportunity to find candy, toys, and possibly a good egg to crack on someone else’s head? And in our little town of Huntsville we don’t disappoint.

One of the most anticipated events during the spring semester is the annual Wynne Home Arts Center Easter Egg Hunt. Alina Ward, an SHSU junior and the Wynne Home intern, organized this event, adding a fun little twist to it that cracked everyone up.

Alina prepared for months in advance, and the night before the big event, we gathered together for final preparation.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

The next day, we arrived at the Wynne Home anxious to see what the day had in store for us. We set up our tables, put up signs, and began to hide the eggs around the Wynne home.

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Before we began to welcome families, we decided to imitate the Easter Bunny and take some eggstravagant leaping photos.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

As families began to arrive, we opened up our arts and crafts area, which was a popular destination for them; we had kids decorating plastic eggs and some made cascarones, or confetti eggs, to use later on. The children had many different ideas for decorating their eggs. One child made his egg into an Easter Bunny, while others painted their egg with their favorite colors..

We had about 75 children–and another 100-plus parents–attend this year’s egg hunt, all eager to hunt and play games. One of our more popular games was the donut game: the object of which was to eat a donut off of a string without using hands.

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The game was a lot of fun but created a sticky situation.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

Less sticky, but no less intense, were our sack races, which were also a big hit with the kids rushing and jumping to win!

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All winners received a ticket that earned them a prize from the prize table that was managed by Victoria and Chase.

Before the hunt the Easter Bunny came out to say hello to all of the children. Some kids were excited to see her while others hid behind their parents or cried when she walked by.

The clock showed 11:30 and Alina Ward made the big announcement. The Easter egg hunt was about to begin. We split the kids up by age groups: 0-5, 6-10, and 11 and over. The LEAP Ambassadors helped things and hide about 2,000 eggs for the children to find. Each of the age groups had different locations around the house to search for their eggs; Alina yelled “Start” and all of the kids stormed onto the lawn to find colorfully shiny eggs. The kids were cheerful as they raced to gather as many as possible.

After the hunt, everyone lined up for hot dogs, grilled by Stephanie Fors, our team mom and a continuous supporter of the LEAP Center. Makayla and Ryan also helped to distribute chips, cookies, and drinks.

Our final event for the afternoon was the breaking of the piñatas.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

We gave each child a chance to hit the piñata three times, and then give others a turn. It wasn’t long before the candy was falling like rain.

After cleaning up, some of the LEAP girls decided to have a mini photo shoot in the beautiful back lawn of the Wynne Home. This reminded some of us that we have four weeks until graduation and that we would miss being a part of community events like this.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

We would like to thank the Friends of the Wynne and the LEAP Center for their donations, as well as the hard-working volunteers for coming out to help make all of this possible.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

This event is a fun tradition that we hope to see everyone at next year!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Wynne Home, Easter Egg Hunt,

Favorites from a Trip out West

It’s not easy traveling more than 2,000 miles by car, even if you have eleven days to complete the trip, but that’s what LEAP students did over their Spring Break. In the process, they explored three states, two Capitol buildings, nine art museums, many conference sessions, and countless restaurants. Below is their favorites from their experiences.

Favorite City:

Santa Fe: This won one handily, with five of the seven travelers selecting it. The town’s charm, shopping, art, and history were among the reasons this ranked high, not to mention it’s access to skiing.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe NM, New Mexico Capitol, Roundhouse

Denver came in second, beating out, well, Amarillo and Canyon.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Denver CO, Denver Museum of Art, Luis Jimenez

Favorite Restaurants:

The top three restaurants were an eclectic bunch and reflect the diverse foods sought by LEAP Ambassadors on trips.

Bistro Vendome in Denver was probably the favorite experience of the bunch. It was our first experience with French food as a LEAP group, but just one of many different cultures we have explored.
Also among the top restaurants was Los Potrillos, which offers “Santa Fe New Mexican.” While it may have advertised itself as “New Mexcian,” we enjoyed some favorites of Old Mexico such as chicharrones and nopalitos.
Finally, we also enjoyed the African fare at Jambo Cafe.

Favorite Museums:

The LEAP Ambassadors visited the following museums on their trip: (1) Panhandle Plains Museum, Amarillo Art Center, Cadillac Ranch, Denver Art Museum, Clifford Styll Museum, Kirkland Museum for Fine Arts, American Museum of Western Arts, New Mexico Museum of Art, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden.

The three favorite were…

New Mexico Museum of Art, in Santa Fe. While there were artists we knew (O’Keeffe, Diego Rivera, Jesus Moroles), there were also more artists from the southwest that we were less familiar with. Examples include Alfred Morang, Gerald Cassidy, Andrew Dasburg, and Victor Huggins. A big bonus was the tour, which was well done by our guide, and the many educational opportunities in the museum.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe NM, New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts

Georgia O’Keeffe: A smallish Museum dedicated to just the works of O’Keeffe, the Museum nonetheless does a wonderful job of providing a timeline of her works and exploring the different styles she worked in. While most are familiar with her flowers and skulls, they may be less familiar with her abstracts or urban-scapes.

SHSU, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Santa Fe, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum

The Denver Art Museum had the Degas exhibit, and photos were allowed! Without this exhibit, it’s not clear that this museum would have ranked among our top, inasmuch as much of the permanent collection was in storage. But you cannot go wrong with Degas!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Denver CO, Denver Museum of Art, Edgar Degas

Also of note was the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden. This may have been the favorite of the group. With some eighty sculptures on approximately 20 acres, it’s a great way to see Allan Houser’s work.

SHSU, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Santa Fe, Allan Houser

Favorite Hike

Although we did numerous hikes, the Ambassadors’ favorite was the Rocky Mountain National Park, which offered sledding…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Rocky Mountain National Park, Bear Lake

…hiking…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Rocky Mountain National Park, Long's Peak

…views of wildlife…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Rocky Mountain National Park

…and frozen lakes!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Rocky Mountain National Park, Sprague Lake

Two honorable mentions include the Lighthouse Trail in Palo Duro Canyon…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Palo Duro Canyon, Lighthouse Trail

…and the Bandelier Monument outside of Santa Fe…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument, Christina Perez

But of course if you are going to the western mountains early March, then skiing will be in a category of its own! The students loved the skiing, with several of the students becoming skilled beginners!

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Wrapping Up:

Personality studies show that “the big five” traits–(1) openness to new experiences, (2) conscientiousness, (3) extroversion, (4) agreeableness, and (5) neuroticism–are key shapers of personality and, by extension, shape our life happiness. While everyone’s personality differs, almost all LEAP Ambassadors score high in conscientiousness, and most score high in openness to new experiences. And it’s a good thing, because trips like this are designed to offer new experiences to those who can get the most from them.

Lubbock and the Law

It was great to finally be back in our great state of Texas, and the lure of home was great. But so, too, was the lure of Texas Tech Law, which several of the LEAP Ambassadors–particularly Karla Rosales–aspire to attend.

Before heading to Texas Tech Law, we made a quick stop by Prairie Dog Town…

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Prairie Dog Town

…where we got to see a lot of cute prairie dogs!

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The weather was rainy, but that did not stop us or them from having a great time.

We then headed to our next stop, Texas Tech School of Law. This was particularly the best part for me, as Texas Tech Law is my top-choice law school and it was my first time to be able to visit the school.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech

Even though it was a Sunday morning, we were able to go inside the building and explore. As we walked in, we were welcomed by the West Texas Legal Legends wall where there are plaques for distinguished Texas Tech Alumni. We continued by taking a quick tour of the building…

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech

… and the Mark and Becky Lanier Professional Development Center where the auditorium and the Donald Hunt Courtroom are located.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech

We continued our exploration of Texas Tech and learned that Texas Tech actually has a lot of public art and beauty throughout their campus.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Karla Rosales

We saw a couple of Jesus Moroles sculptures, which are always nice to see as we can make that connection to Huntsville.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Jesus Moroles

We also saw an art piece by one of my favorite artists, Deborah Butterfield. The piece was titled “Water River” and depicts a life-size horse.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Deborah Butterfield

The material used looks just like twisted tree branches, but is actually bronze! Her art is so fascinating to see. Another one of our favorite was called “The Read Reader” also known as “The Bookman,” by Terry Allen…

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech

…which we have learned so much about at the Moody Gallery in Houston.

One of the other artists we have learned about on this trip is Glenna Goodacre, who does representational sculptures, and is from Lubbock, TX. We had seen her art in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Denver, and, just off Glenna Goodacre Blvd in Lubbock, we were able to see her on Texas Tech’s campus. In fact, we were able to pose as her figures!

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Glenna Goodacre

It’s always nice to see famous artists around the country and find a local connection. Texas Tech definitely is full of wonderful art pieces all over campus…

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Agave Dreams

…and it is fascinating to see how it enriches the cultural life on campus through diverse public art by many famous artists.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech, Robert Bruno

And with that last glimpse, we headed back to our home in Huntsville.

SHSU, LEAP AMbassadors, LEAP Center, Lubbock, Texas Tech

Mountains and Monuments: Another Day in Santa Fe

Bandelier National Monument by Bianca Saldierna

On our last day in the rugged west, we went for an early morning hike at the Bandelier National Monument, where the Ancestral Pueblo people lived starting approximately 11,000 years ago.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

The Bandelier National Monument encompasses over 33,000 acres of protected land and over 70 miles of trail. We adventured on the most popular trail at the national monument, the Main Loop Trail, also known as the Frijoles Canyon Trail. As we wandered on the 1.2-mile trail, we had the opportunity to see archeological sites such as Big Kiva…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

…Tyuonyi, Talus House and the Alcove House. As we learned about Big Kiva, a communal meeting place used for religious, educational and decision-making purposes, we spotted three mule deer around the Tyuonyi ruins. To our surprise, one by one, the deer calmly approached the site, stopping a couple feet away from us to snack on some of the grass (although we want to believe that it was because we are some kind of wildlife whisperers).

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandolier Monument

As we continued with our tour, we learned that the Tyuonyi pueblo was one of the several large pueblos located within the Bandelier National Monument. The Tyuonyi once had over 400 rooms and it was home to approximately 100 people.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

We were able to better appreciate the scale of the remainings of the Tyuonyi structure after climbing a volcanic tuff cliff situated in front of it. Resting on the cliff were the Talus Houses which were reconstructed in 1920.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

We had the opportunity to enter the small cave dwellings called cavates via ladder.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

We learned that because the clay rock was crumbly, the people would burn the clay constantly to make it sturdier.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

Midway through our trail…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

…we adventured on the Alcove House which rests in the upper part of some large volcanic tuff cliffs.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument, Alcove House

To reach the former ceremonial cave, we climbed 140 feet up via four steep wooden ladders…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

…all despite Karla’s fear of heights.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

Luckily…

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…the narrow and partly paved paths were not crowded by visitors, which gave us some extra time to carefully explore…

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…and enjoy the views…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

of such a scenic and photogenic place.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Bandelier Monument

Shopping Downtown by Karla Rosales

After our hour-long hike at the Bandelier National Monument, we headed back to the hotel to pack up and enjoy our last few hours in Santa Fe. We spent part of our afternoon at the heart of downtown Santa Fe around the plaza market which was filled with various shops and art galleries.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Plaza

We began our walk through the portal at the Palace of the Governors which was filled with Native American Vendors. The Native American artists, from approximately 41 pueblos and tribes, make and exhibit jewelry, pottery and other works of art.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Plaza

The program that allows Native artists to showcase their art is called Portal Native American Artisans Program and it requires for the vendors to be members of New Mexico tribes and Pueblos and for all of their pieces sold to be genuine pieces. Some of us bought copper bracelets and even a copper guitar pick which were handmade and had unique cultural symbols and designs. Other ambassadors decided to walk around the plaza and enjoy a hot cup of coffee from a local shop.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Plaza

We wrapped up our quick shopping trip and hurried to meet with Mark Burns for lunch.

Lunch with Mark Burns by Christina Perez

Make Burns is a well-known photographer who grew up in Houston and who is known for the National Parks project that featured his photographs of all 59 National Parks. Currently, The LEAP Center and Mark Burns are collaborating to create a documentary on his profession and his successful career as a photographer. Interestingly, as he was working on the National Parks Project he spent some time in Santa Fe. Besides joining us for lunch, he also met us to work on the documentary and allow us to take a few photos of him. Because of being so familiar with the city, he recommended that we visit Tomasita’s Restaurant which serves Northern New Mexican cuisine. Tomasita’s was first opened in 1974 and has been a local favorite since then. During lunch we enjoyed listening to experiences Mark Burn’s had during the last few months. He shared news about his project of the 100^th-year anniversary of the Grand Canyon and his new website design.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Trains

Canyon Road Walk and Film with Mark Burns by Bianca Saldierna

Our conversations were carried on through our walk with Mark Burns around Canyon Road.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road

The half-mile long road located in Santa Fe’s Historical District houses more than one hundred galleries, boutiques and restaurants.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road

As previously mentioned, Mark Burns sporadically lived in Santa Fe while he completed his National Parks Project. He took us to his short-term house located in this picturesque road. We were able to briefly film and photograph Mark Burns in this location to include the material as part of our documentary.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road

To our surprise, the neighboring gallery displayed several pieces of one of the ambassadors’ favorite sculptor, Allan Houser Haouzous.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road, Allan Houser

We also had a chance to photograph Burns at the front of the home in which he stayed during his various trips to Santa Fe.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road, Mark Burns

After concluding our work with Mark Burns, we strode through the charming road…

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…peeked into a couple of galleries, took some photos, and visited a restaurant with a noteworthy side story. The walls of El Farol’s (The Lighthouse) restaurant display five small murals brushed by Alfred Morang, an artist who made Santa Fe his home and whose house and former studio sit just off of Canyon Road.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road, Alfred Morang, El Farol

We had previously admired Morang’s artwork at the New Mexico Museum of Art…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe NM, New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts, Alfred Morang

…in fact, our knowledgeable museum tour guide directed us to his artwork at this unique restaurant. Our New Mexico visit ended in this historic and popular part of Santa Fe. Although we were nostalgic to leave such beautiful city, we headed back to our home state delighted to have learned about the city’s culture, people, art and history.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Santa Fe, Canyon Road

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