Tag: LEAP Center

Austin: Inside & (Especially) Outside the Capitol!

Morgan Robertson

My first month and a half in Austin has been filled with learning and trying new things-but not all of my new experiences have happened in the beautiful state Capitol. In an effort to take advantage of the great outdoor spaces that Austin has, I learned to paddle board on The Colorado River! With LEAP, and on my own, I have enjoyed kayaking and exploring different waterways, but new environments called for new experiences.

Located near the boardwalk at Lady Bird Lake, EpicSUP is known as Austin’s go-to paddle dock with what seems like a whole fleet of paddle boards and kayaks. Daniel, who has worked with EpicSup for several years, knew that the best way to introduce a novice was to encourage her to simply get on the board and paddle.

I would (and I’m sure many others would as well) classify myself as the least coordinated Ambassador–a thought that I couldn’t quite shake, with no help from the wobbling paddle board beneath me. After a few minutes of getting a feel for the new activity and observing other paddlers on the water I eventually fell into a rhythm and was off!

Even after my first venture on a paddle board, I would argue that it’s easier to balance than a kayak. As with any new activity, each time I’ve paddle boarded it has gotten easier, and I’ve been able to cover more distance. On just my second time out on the river, I paddled about 8 miles in three and a half hours–which included breaks to take photos of the city around me.

My starting (and ending) point is the circle on the bottom right corner of the map and I made it up to Mopac!

On my most recent voyage on the Colorado, I took a detour on Barton Creek which ended up being well worth it! Because of the shallowness of the creek, the clear water showcased flowing plants and even a turtle just beneath the surface.

The Creek seemed to be a great spot for all the local wildlife and Austinites to enjoy the weather. One lesson I have learned from LEAP is that wildlife photography is no easy feat. However, it is even more difficult trying to maneuver and maintain stealth on an 11ft paddle board toward skittish creek dwellers! I was lucky enough to have snapped a few shots of some basking turtles, hunting herons, and even ducks taking flight (despite being the reason for their immediate departure).

The wildlife, expanse of the river, and the beautiful views of the city all amplified my paddle boarding experience, which has, in turn, expanded my Austin experiences as well.

Closing out the Semester with Pre-Law

By McKenna Nonnenmann

For the last meeting of the 22-23 school year, the Pre-Law Society members had a lot of fun in-store. We put our knowledge and luck to the test and showed our true competitive sides. This week we held a crossword competition regarding our law history and vocabulary. Whoever won would receive $250 scholarships!

The air was tense as we rushed to see who would complete the puzzle first. Questions included: Who is the current Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court? What is a first-year law student called? Which test is required to get into law school?

We all laughed as we guessed on how to spell certain words, and picked our brains for answers. Caleb Carrig, Rylee Smith, Jessica Hernandez, and Natalie Bradford prevailed and each won a scholarship. The puzzle was fun, but showed that we all have a lot left to learn! We should also probably practice our spelling. We even held a drawing for the members for another chance to win another scholarship. Chistina Biello and Cinthia Villarreal won, how lucky! 

As it was the last meeting of the 22-23 year, we had to bid our seniors goodbye. Five of our members, Jacelin Daniel, Jessica Hernandez, Daniela Hernandez and Jesus Ayala received their chords to wear with pride as they walk the stage to graduation. We wish them all well as they move forward on their law school path.

As a final note, we also created a planning committee for the fall, when we hope to have a major speaker come in, as well as an attorney, law-school deans, and an activity of our own!

All Rise: The 10th Court of Appeals

For the 12th year, the LEAP Center hosted the 10th Court of Appeals, allowing Sam Houston State University students and Huntsville residents to hear three appellate court cases in the Kerper Courtroom. The 10th Court of Appeals out of Waco, TX, which currently consists of Chief Justice Gray, Justice Johnson, and Justice Smith, serves 18 counties in Texas including Walker County.

We had a great showing for the first case, and we were happy to have Judges Moorman and Sorenson on hand to watch the cases.

One of the unusual things about these hearings is that each lawyer has three minutes to describe the facts of the case to the audience, after which they turn to the Justices and begin their formal arguments.

Attorneys have 20 minutes to make their arguments, which judges can interrupt for questions, and the appellant attorney gets a five-minute rebuttal after the appellee attorney has spoken. One of the enjoyable aspects about this year’s iteration of the cases is that we had the chance to sit in the jury box!

The second case, which involved deed restrictions, was unusual in that one of the parties was in the courtroom, as the attorneys argued their case.

After the 11 am hearing, the court was adjourned for lunch where LEAP Students were able to talk with the justices, community members, and even the Court Bailiff. I was lucky enough to be sitting with Justice Smith and Justice Johnson, who discussed their path to law school and their careers prior to being judges. We were able to ask questions about court proceedings and discussed how law enforcement and prosecutors work together. One question that I was excited to have answered was why attorneys always say, “May it please the court” before presenting their argument. Justice Smith informed us that it is a tradition and has no meaning or necessity. He also told us that he always wanted to say “It doesn’t” in response. The lunch was very valuable, allowing students to receive advice about their career paths and talk about their endeavors at school.

Court readjourned at 1:30 pm with another civil matter over a Lady Bird Deed, and the hearing turned out to be what is referred to as a “hot panel.” This Deed was drawn by a husband and wife to give land to the husband’s son. The wife revoked the deed after the husband’s passing and now the question is whether she is able to do that or not. There were a lot of questions asked by the judges and one very interesting point a student made to me after the hearing was the attorneys’ ability to be interrupted, answer the question, and go right back to their original point. This hearing raised a lot of questions about property ownership and intent, which was interesting to hear. At the end of the hearing, audience members were able to ask questions, and we learned much more about the justices, their workload, and the attorneys’ views on their careers.

After the audience and attorneys left, LEAP students were able to get pictures and have their brochures signed by the Justices. We helped clean up and continued to discuss different career paths within the legal profession, specifically discussing staff attorneys.

Thank you to everyone who came out to watch the cases today. Thank you to Chief Justice Gray, Justice Johnson, and Justice Smith for allowing students to have this opportunity and for being so welcoming and helpful to future law students.

Pre-Law Activities and Mock LSATs at SHSU

On Saturday, April 1, a beautiful spring day, the LEAP Center continued with a packed schedule of both community and academic events. While LEAP Center Ambassadors and volunteers assisted in the annual Wynne Home community Easter Egg Hunt, 17 Pre-Law Society students showed up at 9:30 am on Saturday to take a Mock LSAT, the Law School Admission Test.

Students applying to law school will take the actual LSAT in a fall semester, a year before they plan to start law school. Students who are freshmen through seniors are encouraged to take the Mock LSAT.

A Mock LSAT score provides helpful information to aspiring pre-law students early in a student’s academic career. First, a baseline Mock LSAT score allows students to see how close they are to their goal LSAT score. Then, students can work with a pre-law advisor at the LEAP Center to develop a study plan to prepare for the LSAT, an important first step in their journey to law school. Second, students experience taking an actual LSAT under LSAT timing conditions.

In addition to administering the Mock LSAT twice a year, the LEAP Center offers pre-law advising and various pre-law activities, such as the provision of a Mock law school taught by a law professor from Houston’s South Texas College of Law. These pre-law activities contribute to Sam Houston State University’s continued ranking in the top 200 nationally as a top law-school feeder among almost 3,000 four-year universities and colleges in the United States.