LEAP – Page 22 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Egg-Hunting on Easter Weekend

One of our favorite annual events is the Easter Egg Hunt at the Wynne Home Arts Center. It involves games, face-painting, and a picnic lunch of hot dogs, which are a whole lot of fun for local families.

This year, more than 200 people came out to the Wynne Home, a number that proved a bit overwhelming to us, especially when they arrived early. Planned by LEAP Ambassador and Wynne Home Intern Beatriz Martinez, we had Musical Chairs…

…Sack Races…

…an Egg-Toss game, face painting (thank-you Lauren Clay!), sidewalk chalk…

…and coloring. We had a great group of Friends of the Wynne on hand, including Patti Davis, Mary McCarley, Wes Boyd, Susan Sanders, Maureen McIntyre, and Buddy Aber. Political Science major Sadie McLaughlin was also nice enough to stop by and help, doing at least five separate tasks over the course of the event!

As much as there was to do, the kids wanted more. Accordingly, we incorporated photos with the Easter Bunny…

…and numerous activities with Sammy Bearkat…

…who occasionally stole the spotlight from the Easter Bunny, even on Easter…

As exciting as those activities were, the kids came to the Wynne Home to hunt for eggs, and they let that be known!

At noon, we kicked off the Easter Egg hunt–more than 1,000 eggs, strewn about the Wynne Home Arts Center. You may have heard stories about shoppers getting into fights on black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Those folks have nothing on kids at the beginning of an Easter Egg Hunt.

The hunt lasted approximately 9 minutes, with the kids finding them quickly.

Thankfully, no kids were actually trampled on by other kids in the dash for eggs, but it was a close call.

The kids and their parents then moved to the grill, where some 150 hot dogs were available. It was good to see some of the folks there from last year and from some of the other activities we do over the course of the year.

At the end of the event, 3 hot dogs and one bottle of water were left (the sodas and Capri Suns were gone).

And the kids were tired….

…as were the volunteers.

But there were a few sweet kids left, still looking for eggs, armed with the optimism of the young, and the knowledge that more eggs await tomorrow.

Intermediate Grassroots Politics: Election Day

Often, we hear politicians talk about revolutions that must start on the grassroots level, but most of us either do not know what that means, think its political jargon, or we wonder if it means the people holding signs and handing out pamphlets in front of the voting office door. To find out the meaning of grassroots for ourselves, we (Alex, Megan, Austin, Brittany, Bella, Casey, Jessica, Christina, Alex, Jasmine, and Bryan) took part in various election-day roles.

On March 1^st, one of the biggest elections days nationwide with eleven states holding their primaries, I rushed from my class in Huntsville all the way to Conroe, where I was stationed outside Greystone Hills Community polling center, a neighborhood along I-45. Surprisingly, I soon found out that there are rules to what exactly can be handed out to voters and the very important rule that there has to be a 200 ft. arc around the door that we had to stay out of while speaking with potential voters. Within the first hour, I learned the ritual I was to adhere to in order to successfully distribute our message.

The strategy was a friendly smile, a good-natured tone, a confident voice, and the ability to anticipate both welcoming and not-so friendly reactions from the voters. We quickly learned that when it comes to politics, people will show their true emotions. Essentially, this meant getting accustomed to hearing “no” and other negative feedback when approaching voters with pamphlets, or voter guides, about certain candidates. For Austin Campbell, he claimed that the hardest “no” he received came from a senior citizen lady who decided to let him know how she not only did not like the candidate whose pamphlet he was trying to give to her, but also how she strongly did not approve of the parking situation. Austin said it was one of the hardest tongue-lashings he had ever received, including his years as a football player. However in my experience this negativity of some voters did not deter me from continuing my task with the positive energy that I had started the morning with.

“In all, I was glad I volunteered on primary election day. I had the opportunity to participate in yet another part of our political process. I admired the will of every day citizens to spend time from their busy schedules to exercise one of the most valuable rights of our democratic nation .” –Austin Campbell

We’d like to thank the many campaigns, workers and candidates that gave us advice, training, and this opportunity.

For Megan Chapa and Bella Abril, it was also a long and exciting day, albeit one that unfolded in a different location. They were both election clerks at the Walker County Annex. They were not just thrown to work on Election Day; the two attended trainings leading up to their electoral duties.

The polls opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 7 p.m. so they committed half a day to serving Walker County. Their duties included checking people in, handing out ballots, securing the voting grounds, redirecting folks who were at the wrong voting poll, and working with the election judge at the end of the night to count and turn in votes.

Following her long day, Chapa summarized her experiences, “Election day was really hectic! We ran out of ballots halfway through and we had to help our election judge get new ballots for the voters. But it was a great experience, and even as Political Science majors, we learned so much. It is a hands-on democratic workshop.”

As the thirteen-hour day came to an end, the LEAP Ambssador team decided to reflect on their day at an Election Day party with the other Ambassadors, Professor Mike Yawn and Former Mayor Woodward and Mrs. Woodward. As the local and state level election results from early voting were gradually released, we passed time by sharing our experiences of working at the polls. For Alex, Austin, and I, we shared our continuous rushing from voter to voter that left our feet sore and blistered. As for Megan, she shared her experience as a poll worker and the range of voters whom she had to assist. Even though some of the ambassadors were unable to participate in this political process, they got to witness the toll of this tiresome day in our weary expressions and captivating anecdotes. Soon we knew who had won the various Walker County government positions that were up for election and Ted Cruz’s victory in Texas.

The ambassadors felt really good about the work they did, and the role that they played in the political process. Although the day was long, it was an amazing experience to see what exactly grassroots politics was all about and how it could impact communities.

This point was driven home repeatedly in our experiences, but perhaps most impactfully by the election returns. One candidate in Walker County made a runoff by only two votes, reminding us of the importance of campaign get out the vote efforts and of accurate, professional poll workers.

Grassroots Politics 101: The Precinct Convention

Megan Chapa and other LEAP Ambassadors recently had the opportunity to serve as temporary precinct chair at the Walker County Republican Precinct Convention. This was a unique experience as the students got to explore the local political process at the grass-roots level. Kaitlyn Tyra was the precinct convention secretary and took minutes at the meeting, and Brian Aldaco came in to observe.

The purpose of a precinct convention is to appoint delegates and to propose party platforms to the county convention. All primary voters from the precinct in which the convention is held are eligible to attend the precinct convention and to either submit platform resolutions for a vote, or to submit their name as a delegate to the county convention. If someone cannot make the precinct convention, they can contact the precinct convention chair and request that their name be included as a proposed delegate to the county convetion.

In some precinct conventions, the proceedings can become heated and, although Megan was anticipating a challenge that night, she reported the following: “The precinct convention ran extremely smoothly and finished within an hour. The chair, Linda McKenzie provided me a packet that walked me through the entire process. Of course I was nervous, but I always try to push myself out of my comfort zone so that I may grow and experience new things. There was not a huge turnout in my precinct, but it was still a great learning experience. The best part of the night was seeing many people I know from my community participating in the democratic process.”

LEAP Ambassadors look forward to the county convention and whatever role they have the opportunity to play in that. Local government is so much different than the textbooks and the Ambassadors are glad that they can not only see the process but participate in it.

Arkansas PSA: Little Rock and Monticello

The first two days of exploring Little Rock were filled with adventure and knowledge. However, our adventures were not yet complete. Even after a fully loaded two days in the state, we continued on to the Arkansas Political Science Association Conference in Monticello, setting out at about 6am to make the 1.5 hour trip.

At the conference our very own Professor Yawn served as a discussant for the Undergraduate Research on Public Policy panel and later presented his own research. We were also excited to be there to support our fellow LEAP Ambassador Megan Chapa, who would later present her research paper on “Maquiladoras, NAFTA and their Consequences.” Upon our arrival we were graciously welcomed by Dr. Strong and the staff of the University of Arkansas at Monticello, then made our way quickly to the room where Professor Yawn’s panel discussion would be. The panel room was a cozy fit, much like any classroom you would find on campus at Sam Houston. This made the presentations of the research engaging and a personal. Subjects of the research ranged from the cyber security in the United States by Shannon Abbott…

…to the study of multi-lateral agreements by Nicolaas Harrington…

…to the development of Spanish democracy by Sarah Phillips…

to the study of game theory by William O’Brachta…

…to an examination of indigenous autonomy by Emily Mendiola…

Watching other students in the political science field present research encouraged and energized the students of LEAP to one-day present research at future conferences nationwide.

After sitting in on an undergraduate discussion panel on public policy, chaired by Professor Yawn, we waited for Megan to present her research on the impact of NAFTA on the social and economic status of Mexican “maquiladora” laborers. As part of an American Politics panel, Megan presented research alongside four other passionate undergraduate students.

The panel was chaired by Karen Sebold, a professor of public policy at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, whose responsibility during the session was to direct the presentation of everyone’s research papers and lead the discussion in regards to the papers after the presentation of every student.

The session began with a presentation on the Tea Party’s influence on the current Republican Party. With a most timely topic in regards to our political atmosphere, Tyler Harrison of the University of Arkansas at Monticello offered an in depth analysis of the Tea Party’s freedomworks rating system.

Followed thereafter Robert Fletcher, also a University of Arkansas at Monticello undergraduate student, presented his paper on the benefits of promoting bicycle friendly road policy that could stimulate the economic and social prosperity of a small community’s transportation system.

As the third student to present, Jolyon Larson of Hendrix University provided his thesis on the best way for waste plants to cut down on harmful emissions.

Lastly, Leslie Beard of the University of Arkansas at Monticello expressed her fears regarding our nation’s political structure in her paper “Who’s really in control at the top.”

With Megan as the fourth presenter in the panel, we attentively clung to every word of her research on Mexican social issues presented by NAFTA. She focused on the exploitation and harassment of women maquiladora workers, the environmental violations of these industries, and the widespread human trafficking encouraged by these multinational agreements.

It was clear that her, and all the other panelists, were passionate about public policy and a more successful government structure. The conducted research in each presentation was further example of what passion for a noble cause can yield.

We also got feedback from Megan, who presented at her first conference:

I was nervous, but nonetheless confident and excited to represent SHSU and the LEAP Center at the conference. Before our panel began, our discussant informed us that another student had joined our Undergraduate Research Panel and that our presentation time would be cut short by about 5 minutes. I was more nervous about going over my allotted time because I had prepared my presentation to be 15 minutes. I was scurrying through my paper trying to take out 5 minutes of information that wouldn’t take too much away from my research. What I enjoyed most was the constructive criticism I received from my discussant, Dr. Sebold of University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. She was helpful in providing suggestions that will improve the research I am working on. I am thankful for the opportunity to expand my horizons outside of home (Texas) and meet students who are striving to make a difference in the political arena.” -Megan Chapa

We all agreed that this chance to support our fellow LEAP ambassador’s passionate delivery was worth the limited sleep.

The ArkPSA topped off the conference with a lunch and presentation by John Kyle Day, who presented his work on Civil Rights in Arkansas, particularizing on the Southern Manifesto.

It was interesting research and, although we didn’t know it at the time, we would hear echoes of his research the next day, when we visited the Little Rock Central High Museum (see tomorrow’s blog!).

Following the conference in Monticello, we drove back to Little Rock to do some shopping before our adventurous Segway tour. We took the opportunity to explore some of the quaint shops near the River Market and downtown area.

Visiting the local shops, we wandered through shops such as The Freckled Frog, Discovery Museum Gift Shop, and 4Square Café and Gifts. We enjoyed browsing through the shops, but eventually ended up at one of our favorite places, the River Market!

The group refueled with a small snack before heading off to our Segway tour of Little Rock!

We were excited to continue touring more of downtown Little Rock, but this time we were on a Segway! Most of the group have had some experience with riding segways – actually, all except me (Bella Abril), and the others were quick to get with the program…

As clumsy as I am even with just walking, however, I was a bit hesitant on trying it out at first. I was scared I would embarrass myself by falling on my face. However, our Turkish tour guide, Nez Erkman, trained us in such a detailed manner with much emphasis on safety that I found myself easing up. Plus, seeing everybody ride it so calmly gave me confidence that maybe I could do the same. Thankfully, I did! The first step was the scariest part, but the rest was exhilarating. Throughout the tour, we were able to segway through The Clinton Bridge…

…which held a nice view of the sunset…

The Clinton Presidential Library…

and Heifer International. Also, we passed through the Riverfront Park, where we were able to take pictures on the rock that Little Rock derives its name from…

as well as observe interesting historic markers and creative sculptures. From a total newbie segwayer to part of the veteran segwayers of LEAP, the tour definitely deepened both my interest in Arkansan culture and the graceful art of segwaying.

The segway tour not only fueled our desire to learn about Little rock, but also fueled our appetites! We walked a couple of blocks to get to the well-known Sonny Williams’ Steak Room. We started with a turtle soup and a wild game sausage and cheese plate as appetizers. The wild game sausage and cheese plate consisted of rabbit, elk, and boar sausage. Some of us were particularly hesitant to try the turtle soup and rabbit sausage because it was something completely new for most of us, but we chose to go with our adventurous side and taste each appetizer. For our entrees we all chose a type of steak. We ordered a 12 oz. Filet to a Bone-in Cowboy Ribeye and a New York Strip. As soon as we each took the first bite of our steaks, we all agreed that these were the best steaks we have ever tried. It was clear to us why Sonny Williams is so well known for its steaks. After being extremely satisfied with both the appetizers and the entrees, we tried a couple of deserts. The Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce and the Chocolate Orange Cake were rich enough, but also light enough to kept our satisfaction rating high.

On our way back to the car, we squeezed in a bit more adventure by taking a short detour to an old telephone booth that is now used as a community book exchange. Professor Yawn challenged us to see if we could all fit in the telephone booth, and of course we accepted his challenge.

It was a tight squeeze, especially right after our filling dinner, but we all fit (more or less)!

And, after a bit of a detour to walk off some of dinner…

…called it a night and made our way back to the hotel for a much-needed night of rest.

March Primary and Propositions: What to Know

While most people know the candidates at the top of Tuesday’s ballot, less information is known about the propositions on the ballot. The Republicans have four propositions; the Democrats six.

Here are the Republican Propositions:

Proposition 1:

Texas should replace the property tax system with an alternative other than an income tax and require voter approval to increase the overall tax burden.

Proposition 2:

Texas cities and counties should be required to comply with federal immigration laws or be penalized by loss of state funds.

Proposition 3:

Texas should prohibit governmental entities from collecting dues for labor unions through deductions from public employee paychecks.

Proposition 4:

Texas and its citizens should strongly assert 10th Amendment Rights guaranteed by the US Constitution which states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”.

Here are the Democratic Propositions:

Referendum 1:

Should the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress pass an economic security and prosperity plan for families that includes higher incomes by raising the state minimum wage to a livable wage, passing the Paycheck Fairness Act to ensure equal pay for equal work, guaranteeing paid family leave to care for a child or ill loved one, fully funding public neighborhood schools, and making a debt-free community college education a reality for hardworking students?

Referendum 2:

Should the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress pass criminal justice reform legislation that ensures equal justice throughout our society without respect to race, socioeconomic status, geographic location, or other factors unrelated to behavior, ensuring as well common sense policies to protect the rights of law enforcement officers, the community, and defendants in the criminal justice system?

Referendum 3:

Should the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress encourage the transition to renewable, non-polluting energy as a means to slow down climate change and its impact on the planet?

Referendum 4:

Should the United States Congress pass the new Voting Rights Advancement Act to protect all American voters?

Referendum 5:

Should the Texas Legislature allow each public institution of higher education (not only private universities) to opt out of the ability to carry guns on campus?

Referendum 6:

Should the United States Congress pass a just and fair comprehensive immigration reform solution that includes an earned path to citizenship for law-abiding immigrants and their children, keeps families together, protects DREAMers, and provides workforce solutions for businesses?

LEAP Director Mike Yawn discusses the propositions on the ballot with KSTAR’s Beth O’Brien.

The interview also discusses how these propositions get on the ballot. This is a little-known process that involves the executive committees of both Texas parties, involving the 31 Senate Districts in the state. Learn about this process here.

Parading Our Texas Pride

With waving hands and warm smiles, LEAP ambassadors Brian Aldaco and Kaityln Tyra paraded the streets of Conroe, TX alongside Congressman Brady this past Saturday in the Go Texan 51st annual parade. Presented by the Houston Live Stock and Rodeo Show, the parade was a great way to demonstrate our pride of being a Texan. Positioned behind the float of Miss Moo (the quirky mascot of the Ladies Go Texan Committee) and in front of the Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce float, we walked through downtown Conroe holding banners and signs recognizing our current US Representative. Showcased in the parade were Conroe High School’s marching band, the Oak Ridge High School Air Force Junior ROTC, the whimsical Arabia Shrine cars, and other local community organizations.

We were among the only ones walking in the procession, and I will shamefully admit that at times we would hold up the rest of the motorcade. These moments of slight embarrassment, however, were all worth it when having in the parade and seeing children who are always happy at a parade. For at least in this blogger’s opinion, nothing matches the feeling of being part of town’s festive, patriotic spirit.

In this fashion of civic pride, we paraded around the Montgomery County Courthouse,, eventually turned to stand by the county’s Commissioner’s Court, and met the parade’s judging panel in front of Conroe Tower. While crossing this street it would have been nearly impossible for any participant to avert one’s gaze away from the distinctive Montgomery County logo, above West Davis Street.

This depiction, made up of the county’s outline decorated with the state’s flag and the line “Birthplace of the Lone Star Flag,” properly captured the spirit of the event. As spectators and participants of the parade, we all gathered on a Saturday evening to celebrate being a Texan and, in my own case, a member of Montgomery County. In assembling, all of us showed how proud we were of our Montgomery County heritage and our love for our Lone Star State.

The LEAP Center is a non-partisan group of students who are engaged in their communities.

LEAP Ambassadors Take to the Air

LEAP Ambassador Megan Chapa met with KSAM News Director Larry Crippen on Thursday, February 18 to discuss the organization’s upcoming activities. The seven-minute segment, Around Town, highlights local activities and aired on Sunday, February 21.

The interview began with a brief overview of what LEAP was; the interview then proceeded to events from earlier in the semester such as the students’ luncheon with Secretary Bob Gates, their day with Chase Untermeyer, and their many law-related events.

But the bulk of the conversation related to the LEAP Center’s upcoming events, which include:

Feb 22-26: Campaign-Related Events
Feb 24-28: Little Rock, AR
Feb 29: LEAP Day Celebration
March 1: Primary Election Work
March 2: March to the Grave
March 15-April 19: LSAT Prep Course (Tue and Thu nights)
March 16: March Pre-Law Meeting
March 18: Dust Bowl Motel
March 26: Easter Egg Hunt
March 30: Mark Burns Opening Reception
March 31: Lunch with Glenn Frankel and Mark Burns
March 31: Glenn Frankel Presentation in Ralph Pease class
March 31: Mark Burns Presentation in Becky Finley’s class
March 31: Let’s Talk
April 1: Philip Mudd Presentation in Mike Yawn’s Class
April 5: Skip Hollandsworth Book Signing
April 6: 10th Court of Appeals at SHSU
April 9: 7th Annual Football Game
April 13: Career Service’s Etiquette Dinner
April 20: Final Pre-Law Meeting
April 23: HEARTS Veterans Museum’s Casino Night
May: Campaign Bootcamp
June: Mini-Austin Internship
July: Southern Legislative Conference in Lexington, KY

SHSU Students LEAP into Law Class

On Wednesday, 31 fortunate SHSU students gathered in a classroom to experience a one-of-a-kind opportunity. The Law, Engagement, and Politics organization, otherwise known as LEAP, partnered with South Texas College of Law of Houston to bring a “Mock Law Class” to Sam Houston State University.

South Texas College of Law Professor Val Ricks and the STCL Assistant Dean of Admissions, Alicia Cramer, both arrived at SHSU on Wednesday, ready to make an impact on the pre-law students’ lives. The students who were fortunate enough to take part in the Mock Law Class were all prepared with days worth of reading and trying our best to comprehend the two assigned cases. When the day came, all of the scholars, dressed in business attire, were prepared and ready for class to start. Everyone, from freshmen to seniors, have begun to feel the pressure of law school, and yet we were all excited to get started with the Mock Law Class. I personally, was very nervous at the prospect of attending a Law Class, as I did not know what to expect. But was sure that whatever happened this would be one more new learning experience to get me closer to law school.

Everyone took a deep breath as Professor Ricks entered and began the class by introducing himself and telling us about his law experience. Then he began with the really fun part we had all been waiting for. First, we reviewed the cases and deciphered how each rule applied to them. And then, Professor Ricks started conducting the class in a very interesting manner. As we read over the cases, he would ask different individuals questions. Of course, not really having much experience, some of us came to the incorrect conclusions. But instead of correcting us in the regular fashion, Professor Ricks used the Socratic method so that the students could find their way to the correct answer (or, sometimes another incorrect answer) all on their own (or with the help of their peers). The class continued in this style that many students are intimidated by, but all of the students in the class seemed eager to be called upon.

When one student would get stumped on a question, over half of the class had their hands raised, ready to assist. Most students thought that this type of method worked extremely well and allowed them to feel as if they were already in law school. “I thought it was extremely informative,” stated Brittany Lightfoot, “I liked how he treated us like actual law school students, and how when he asked us questions, he helped us get to the right answer instead of just asking and expecting us to know!” This classroom filled with likeminded people who were ready to learn and prepared made me even more excited for my future law school endeavors!

Afterwards, Professor Ricks remained behind for a moment to answer any questions we had concerning any aspect of a law class setting, grades, or professors. Then he turned the attention over to Mrs. Alicia Cramer, the Assistant Dean of Admissions. She presented to us the various requirements needed to get into South Texas College of Law and even other law schools.

It is true that the class was rigorous and a bit hard, but everyone was fully engaged in the class and welcomed the questions. It was a very enjoyable experience and thanks to Professor Rick’s guidance, we were all able to succeed and leave with an invigorated spirit. “Beforehand, I was nervous because I thought that it was going to be hard, and I didn’t feel as prepared as I was. Afterwards I found that I really enjoyed myself, because it taught me how to better prepare for issues that of the utmost importance, not just in law but in life itself,” said fellow classmate, Jamaus Williams.

Many thanks to Professor Ricks and Assistant Dean Alicia Cramer, for taking the time to come to SHSU and teaching us such valuable lessons and giving us a new sense of purpose and motivation. The Mock Law Class provided us with the opportunity to discover if this path was right for us and if it was, then be motivated even more to accomplish it.

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