LEAP – Page 3 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Empty Bowls: The Arts, Culinary and Otherwise, for a Good Cause

Every spring, the Wynne Home sponsors “Empty Bowls,” a program that manages to promote ceramics, the culinary arts, and to fight hunger–all in the same event. This year, the event–organized by Angela Robinson–was particularly successful, with a record number of attendees and a lot of fun! And for approximately the 15th year in a row, the LEAP Ambassadors were there to help.

The primary purpose of the event is to raise funds to fight food insecurity. The program, which is international in scope, is administered fully by local communities, and in Walker County, the program is administered by the Wynne Home, and the funds raised go to the “Meals on Wheels” program at the Senior Center.

Wynne Home staff reach out to businesses and other organizations to donate soup while HEB also offers finger foods, giving “customers” many food options. This year, soups were donated by Sam’s Table, City Hall Cafe, Huntsville High School, Fives Loaves Deli and Potato Shack.

Each customer, then, buys a lunch for a suggested donation of $15, and these funds are then donated to the Senior Center.

If this is all there was, it would still be a worthwhile program, but there is much more to it. Throughout the year, ceramicists offer training courses, helping local residents shape and glaze materials into pottery. Some locals reserve their pottery, which means they can pick it up on (or around) the Empty Bowls date, while others donate their product to the event.

LEAP Ambassadors Prepare Their Bowls for Glazing

Then, as “customers” purchase soup at Empty Bowls, they receive one of the pieces of pottery, not only as a work of art to keep, but also as a reminder that some people face empty bowls every day.

Those with the most skill at crafting bowls–many of SHSU Professor Lauren Clay’s students, for example–donate their bowls for silent auction, which raises additional funds.

Beyond the record crowds this year, much fun was involved. People enjoyed the decor in the wonderful Wynne Home as well as the art from the latest exhibit featuring the work of Mary Ann Vaca-Lambert.

Aron Kulhavy, the City Manager, was in attendance…

…and his fun-loving staff were sure to pick out a bowl for him.

Speaking of his staff, they were, as usual, hard at work, while being surrounded by all their friends and supporters.

For everyone else, the companionship and satisfaction of joining a good cause was enjoyable…

…as it was for the LEAP Ambassadors.

Congratulations to the Senior Center, and many thanks to the Wynne Home for strengthening our Huntsville community through this noble cause!

Simulated Law-School Class: 2024

For the past ten years, SHSU pre-law students have anticipated participating in the Mock Law School Class presented by Professor Val Ricks, Professor at Houston’s South Texas College of Law, and author of law school casebooks on contract law.

This semester, the LEAP Center was excited to welcome the following guests to the Mock Law School Class: Judge Kim Webb, an SHSU alum and a current Justice of the Peace in San Jacinto County; and Ryann Bauer with student members of the Huntsville High School’s Criminal Justice Program.

As in an actual law school class, Professor Ricks expected the 46 registered students to come to class prepared by reading and briefing the case beforehand. After briefly stating the relevant facts of the contract case, Ricks used a random number generator to select students to discuss the legal issue of the case. With skillful Socratic questioning, Ricks led the pre-law students through the analysis of the legal issue in the case, the rule of law, and how the court applied the rule of law in the case.

Neehal Ahmed appreciated Professor Ricks’ teaching style. Ahmed commented, “Professor Ricks made contracts, a daunting subject, seem far less scary through his patient and thorough explanation of concepts and their functions.”

At the conclusion of the contract case discussion, Professor Ricks presented the students with a hypothetical set of facts, similar to a question on a law school exam.

Ricks called on students to analyze the legal issue posed in the hypothetical and asked the class how a court would rule on the legal issue based on the legal reasoning from the contract case discussed earlier in class.

In reflecting on the Mock Law School Class, Christina Biello mirrored the thoughts of a lot of attendees before attending the class. Christina explained, “I was both frightened and eager because I had no idea what to anticipate, even after hours of preparation. However, experiencing Professor Val Ricks’ instruction confirmed my desire to attend law school, and it no longer seems as daunting.”

Neehal Ahmed summed up the experience by recommending “Professor Ricks’ mock law classes to any of those who are interested in attending law school but are scared of the subject matter they may encounter. If you come prepared, this experience can put a lot of your doubts and worries to rest.”

The LEAP Center and Pre-Law Society would like to thank South Texas College of Law–Houston and Professor Val Ricks for their time. As Professor Ricks noted, “I’ve been doing these visits for long enough that I’ve taught students at SHSU in the mock law class, then taught them a class at STCL, and seen them graduate. It’s very gratifying.”

We’d also like to thank Ms. Bauer from Huntsville High School and her wonderful students Hannah Ruth, Riane Davis, and Bethany Bell…

…as well as Judge Kim Webb.

It was a pleasure to have other programs in the community with a dedication to educating students join us for this enriching event!

University of Oklahoma College of Law

Our final highlight of an epic trip was to the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma in order to attend a tour of OU College of Law. This law school sets itself apart instantly just by the size of the building. It is by far the largest of the three we visited while on this trip, with the courtrooms alone being some of the largest in the nation!

Before getting into the tour, the Director of Admissions, Maddie Ferris, took the time to sit with us and discuss where we are in our respective pre-law journeys and was a resource for all of our burning questions.

This was especially kind, and we greatly appreciate her time. As first-generation students, we are heading into the law field with a lot to learn, and the time with her was very helpful.

We also had a wonderful tour, led by OU Law student Candalyn Lyons. We had the chance to view their beautiful library while gaining insight on the various amenities, opportunities, and the culture of OU Law. We were given an awesome tour, and we learned a lot about the virtues of OU Law.

Located less than three hours from Dallas, the school’s last incoming class had a median LSAT of 159 and GPA of 3.71. With in-state tuition less than $23,000 annually, the school offers various clinics and boasts a first-time bar-passage rate of greater than 90 percent. As an added bonus, the school is located in pretty Norman, Oklahoma, a college town of moderate size, which is, in turn, about thirty minutes from the much-larger Oklahoma City.

Just that morning we had seen Oklahoma City, and we spent a bit more time that afternoon looking around OU’s campus–which is beautiful!

We saw numerous pieces of art work by James Surls, Jesus Moroles, a piece by Allan Houser, and we also saw our first “LOVE” sculpture by Robert Indiana.

We were perhaps most impressed by the University’s reading library, which resembles something out of a Harry Potter movie!

This was a great end to a great trip, with much learning about art, the law, architecture, food, and the outdoors.

This trip, a microcosm of the LEAP program’s offerings, cannot be defined nor summarized with an all-encompassing statement, or at least, not in a manner that truly does them justice. However, this tour allowed Cinthia and I to experience a plethora of things that we likely would not have done if not for the amazing opportunities the LEAP Center provides.

In just 8 days, we had 7 dishes with green chili, stayed in 6 different hotels, heavily familiarized ourselves with 5 artists from each of the 4 states we drove through, toured 3 law schools, got stuck in the snow 2 times, and had 1 amazing time doing it all! It was a great trip, full of learning, and we were very grateful to end it on such a high note amidst the friendly hospitality of the Oklahoma prairie.

Seeing Eye-to-Eye with David Brooks

by Cinthia Villarreal

After an insightful day with Megan Henson from the University of Tulsa College of Law, Michelle Cardenas, Christina Biello, Olivia Discon, and I headed to Houston to attend a World Affairs Council event with renowned author David Brooks, the writer of How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.

As we walked into the glamorous Royal Sonesta Hotel, we had the honor of meeting with former LEAP Ambassadors Quinn Korbin, Victoria McClendon, and Megan O’Flaherty.

Following an introduction by Executive Director Maryanne Maldonado…

…the program was officially kicked off by moderator Ronan O’Malley, Chief Program Officer at WAC.

When asked about his intentions behind writing this book, Brooks mentioned this was his attempt to teach people basic social skills. With measures of societal and individual connectedness at a low, with suicides high and climbing, and with disagreements seemingly both common and insurmountable, Brooks stressed the need for skills that will help people have meaningful, empathetic conversations with others.

One aspect of this, according to Brooks, is that there is no emphasis put on moral or character development. And while Brooks noted that he didn’t want to go back to the 1950s and “sometimes corny” way this was approached then, he does think there is a role for that in today’s society. Moreover, he notes that his own students describe themselves–in my new favorite phrase–as “morally inarticulate”.

As he notes in his book, he describes two types of people in society, which he calls illuminators, who make you feel heard and ask you questions because they are genuinely interested in your story; and diminishers, who usually stereotype people they talk to and are not interested in knowing other’s stories.

Brooks went on to describe how the same experience can affect each person differently since the act of seeing is not passive but an active, subjective construction of reality. Using another phrase that will stay with us, Brooks described “experience” not as “what happens to you but what you do with it.”

Throughout the event, Brooks proved his remarkable skills at managing the crowd. He truly captivated all of us by his amazing way of narrating and communicating his knowledge. He would have the whole room laughing one minute and tearing up the next.

A question from the audience urged Brooks to talk about what to say to someone living with depression. People usually make mistakes like telling the person what to do to “lift” the depression or reminding them of the good things they do have; however, this will only make them feel worse. Instead, he suggests approaching the person with a genuine heart by acknowledging the situation and asking about what they are feeling.

After the thought-provoking talk, we had the opportunity to meet Brooks and get our books signed and personalized.

We would like to thank the World Affairs Council for hosting yet another incredible event, the staff for their hard work, and David Brooks for such an inspirational talk.

Tragedy and Remembrance in Oklahoma City

On our day in Oklahoma, we were determined to visit the Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial & Museum, a site strategically sandwiched by us between happier visits to the Oklahoma Capitol building and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. We were wise to begin and end our time in OKC with happy destinations, because the Bombing Museum and Memorial is a sobering and emotional experience.

Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial & Museum

After getting a glimpse of Oklahoma’s history from its Capitol, we went on to learn more about one of the state’s darker days. The Oklahoma City Bombing was a tragic instance of domestic terrorism in which 168 people were killed and 680 injured. On the grounds of this tragedy, the Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial & Museum was erected.

Upon entry, we learned of how the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building served the country before its fall. Federal entities such as the Social Security Administration and U.S. Secret Service officed in this structure, along with a daycare center.

The museum unfolds chronologically, providing a history of the 1990s in general, as well as the events surrounding the bombing. The morning of the bombing, April 19, 1995, unfolded largely like any other, with the Oklahoma Water Board Resources Meeting beginning at 9:00.

At 9:02, the bomb planted by Timothy McVeigh exploded, and Oklahomans’ lives changed forever.

The explosion tore through the building, destroying approximately half of the building, killing not only people in the building, but also pedestrians and bystanders on nearby blocks. Devastation was everywhere.

The scope of the devastation was horrific to learn about, but equally as sad were the individual stories that the museum told well.

We took some time to immerse ourselves in what was a horrific day, but not one devoid of hope.

What was most striking to me was the strength of the Oklahoma community in a time of such travesty.

Watching the local news broadcasts of citizens bringing heaps of donations, lining up to donate blood, and provide support in any way possible was tear-jerking.

The perpetrator of this act of terrorism, Timothy McVeigh, was arrested after only 90 minutes after the mass murder. Despite planning a huge crime with some complex logistics and carrying it out, he didn’t think to ensure his car had a license plate on it, and this was the ultimate cause of his arrest. Interestingly, SHSU plays a small role in this history, as alum and defense attorney Chris Tritico represented McVeigh during his trial.

In all, the Oklahoma City Bombing National Memorial & Museum is meticulously crafted to evoke the gravity of this event, while honoring the victims and looking towards a brighter future in an all encompassing, devastatingly profound structure.

In the Footsteps of O’Keeffe and Adams: San Francisco de Assisi Mission

By Olivia Discon

While our time in Taos was brief, we wanted to maximize our chance to photograph the famous San Francisco de Assisi Mission. Upon arriving last night, we left our hotel–in temperatures of about eight degrees–to photograph the famous mission.

Construction began in the late 18th century and was completed in 1816. The Spanish settlements featured key aspects of their mission and culture, with churches being centrally located within a plaza that was easy to defend.

Although the Mission has been endlessly photographed and painted, we haven’t seen a lot of night scenes. Part of that may be that, as we found out, is that it is difficult to photograph at night.

To the extent that the temperatures and light allowed, we did our best to photograph the building. With the many lights in the front of the building, we were drawn to the building’s rear, with its beehive buttresses and intriguing contours.

I was able to get a night shot, without some of the distracting street lights. But these lights did drown out some of the stars that we would have liked to have seen.

Fortunately, we were able to try again early the next day, just as it was being touched by the morning sun. Having the chance to view this structure in two different capacities was not only exciting to witness, but also to photograph!

Cinthia and I got the chance to be creative and capture our separate perceptions of the church and how it interacts with its landscape.

Intriguingly, the community meets every June to use a mixture of mud and straw to repair the exterior adobe. Seeing the structure in person, it’s easy to see why the community is attached to it–and why tourists, such as us, flock to it.

It’s also easy to see why artists and photographers flock to it. In fact, several people we spoke with described it as one of the most photographed churches in the United States.

That is certainly evidence from the different art galleries and museums we visited!

San Francisco de Assisi, by Georgia O’Keeffe

It was, in short, a beautiful way to end our time in New Mexico!

Murder and Other Grave Matters

Morgan Robertson

To stay with our trend of Sunday outings to the theatre, prospective, current and past LEAP students headed south to enjoy the Alley Theatre’s rendering of Agatha Christie’s Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Olivia, Yvette, incoming freshman Katherine Burnett, Alum Victoria and her boyfriend Nick, and I planned on meeting Jessica, and Alums Bianca and Esme prior to the curtains opening.

We were a bit ahead of schedule, so we stopped by the nearby Police Memorial Sculpture, done by Jesus Moroles, an artist with whom we are very familiar.

We had, however, never seen the Memorial. The Memorial is very large and beautiful, done a manner similar to a Mayan Ziggurat.

We were fortunate to run into Officer Golden, who provided information to us about the Memorial and offered us some encouraging words. It was a treat to meet her and tour the Memorial with her.

We then stopped at Post Market, a great lunch venue for a group such as ours with varying levels of culinary tastes. There was a vast range of meal selections amongst the group ranging from mine and Yvette’s South-African coconut curry and chicken bowls, to Professor Yawn’s oysters and Victoria’s Dim Sum. Overall everyone was pleased with their selections!

As we were about to head to the Alley, we received some grave news by email. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the performance of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was cancelled. There’s nothing like an illness to get in the way of a murder.

While this might be , LEAP does a wonderful job of teaching students to think a few steps ahead. For a group such as ours, it can be rare that we all get to experience something new together. Professor Yawn suggested that we head back towards Huntsville, but make a stop at The National Museum of Funeral History.

The subject of the Museum gave us a bit of apprehension, but upon entering the museum, we were absolutely fascinated with the display and quantity of the exhibits.

We began with the Presidential Funeral exhibition and learned more about how our nation remembers and honors the lives of our Commanders-in-Chiefs.

Katherine enjoyed examining a collection of rare pennies honoring President Lincoln…

…and I was shocked to learn that the museum has an embalming machine that was used on the body of President Truman.

This museum put the “fun” back in funerals with an exhibit on famous funerals throughout entertainment history. From the King of Rock and Roll, Lucille Ball, to Marlon Brando; the museum did a wonderful job of displaying the importance these stars played on influencing our world.

We spent a considerable amount of time exploring the history of Papal funerals. The funeral of Pope John Paul II was one of the largest in history, and devoted much attention to this event. For example, when a Pope passes, his seal ring is smashed with a silver hammer to prevent forgery, and the doors of his apartment are sealed in wax until the final resting of his body is complete.

We also learned about post-mortem photographs, the jazz funerals of NOLA, and variations on the coffin.

Despite our skepticism in the beginning, rest assured that we departed with a newfound knowledge on the importance of funerals. Though our plans for the day were unexpected, it was a satisfactory and intellectually stimulating endeavor nonetheless!

A Piratical Afternoon at the Hobby Center

The LEAP Center promotes education–across all disciplines–while emphasizing the impact education and service has on communities. Nothing makes a community more special than the people who are in it, and over the years, LEAP Ambassadors have developed a community of their own. In that spirit, Ambassadors past and present came together on a Sunday in July to get to know one another, to build community, and to enjoy the Houston Gilbert & Sullivan’s performance of “Pirates of Penzance.”

We all gathered at the POST Market for a quick bite before the performance at the Hobby Center. We had a great chance to get to know one another, converse, and share some of our experiences with LEAP. The alumni had a very welcoming approach and made us feel comfortable, urging us to ask questions. I personally asked questions about everyone’s higher education and career paths. Christian even gave me a striking piece of advice telling me to “take whatever Yawn has to offer, no matter how intimidating it is”. To conclude our time at the POST we headed to the terrace to take a photo with the magnificent Houston skyline.

Continuing our afternoon we made our way to The Hobby Center to enjoy The Pirates of Penzance.

I had never seen an operetta before, and I wasn’t sure what it would be or how to take it. It was far more comedic than I anticipated. This was made clear early on, when it’s clear that the main character, Frederic, was sold indentured into piracy because his hard-of-hearing nursemaid, Ruth, misheard “pilot” for “pirate.”

This led to a farcical plot with numerous appealing songs, the most famous of which is “Modern Major General,” which, in this rendition, incorporated some contemporary elements from King Charles’s recent coronation. As a former LEAP Ambassador said, “a lot of shade was thrown.” The shade, however, was funny, punctuated by the chaos and disorder on stage, which made us all chuckle. Well, it made most of us chuckle, and it made Jessica giggle.

Through the art of theater we all bonded, created many connections and created an amazing memory. The LEAP Center would like to thank Victoria McClendon-Legget, Bianca Saldierna, Christian Bionat, Alejandra Galvan, Bryan Phillips, Justin Beiser, Megan Martin and Quinn Kobrin (and their plus ones!) for joining us us for an enjoyable afternoon!

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