Personal Reflections on GHA Classes

Inspired by Nicole Sheets' broad-based class "Get on the Zine," I've recently decided to get on the zine myself. More soon.

--Lauren the Intern

Day 5 - Open House and a Clash of the Titans

Last night, students got their first opportunity to see what their fellow GHAers have been learning when the faculty opened up their classrooms for the first of three Open House activities. Faculty condensed their material into two 1-hour sessions in which students saw everything from Heather Taylor's lecture on "Modern Crossroads" to physics demonstrations in Eric Reynolds's class.

One of the most popular sessions was Mike Burr's chemistry lecture entitled "Smell Vomit." The course began with background on butyric acid, the chemical that produces the pungent odor of vomit (as well as parmesan cheese!), and then students were led outside to take a whiff. See their reactions below.

In sports, activity time was a nerve-wracking time for Assistant Academic Dean Robbie Brown, who took on GHA student and 4th spot state tennis champion Tanner Robison in a no-holds-barred tennis match on the Bethany College courts. Brown suffered not one, but two 6-1 defeats.

Despite his humiliating defeat, Brown diplomatically said of the match, "Although I don’t think I played as well as I could have, that probably had a lot to do with my competition. I was pleased to take 2 games."

Nevertheless, Brown did not lose his cheerful demeanor! This morning, I arrived at the GHA offices to find a nice surprise on my desk.

Aw! The flowers were accompanied by a (matching!) card thanking me for my work as the intern so far. I've got to do some official intern business, but check back soon for updates on tonight's activity - salsa dancing! I've been waiting for this for the last 3 weeks.

--Lauren the Intern

Breaking Through Brick Walls - GHA 2010

The past few days have been a blur. As GHA progresses into full swing, students have already started working on class projects, making new friends, and receiving a TON of mail. Thanks to great weather today, GHAers spent most of lunch time and activity time enjoying Bethany’s beautiful campus by playing soccer, ultimate Frisbee, running around the track, or just reading and relaxing.

Students celebrated a fellow GHAer's birthday in Benedum Commons yesterday with a makeshift cake and singing "Happy Birthday."

For the past three evenings, students have rotated among four activities: a NASA eMission, an experimental theater workshop, Randy Pausch’s “Last Lecture” video, and an interactive leadership discussion with faculty member Henry “Hank” Hampton. Although these sessions were all very different in format, they developed or focused on problem-solving skills and ultimately, drove home the same message: even the most difficult problems can be solved with a lot of hard work.

Hank’s thought-provoking discussion forced students to consider the West Virginia education system in an interactive format. After being introduced to productive rules for brainstorming and discussion, students broke into smaller groups to tackle some of the problems they’d noticed within their own schools. Students were then given the opportunity to share their thoughts with the group, allowing the discussion to build to an empowering conclusion.

Students also got a taste of empowerment by watching Dr. Randy Pausch’s “The Last Lecture.” In his poignant final lecture, Pausch explained that obstacles exist to show us how badly we want something (I agree!) and encouraged listeners to go after their seemingly impossible dreams. After the lecture, Resident Director and Longtime GHA Celebrity Thomas Knotts provided a forum for students to vocalize their own “impossible” dreams…most of which really weren’t so impossible after all.

Sean McCants, a theater major at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC and a member of the RA staff, led an activity in which students had to break down barriers. Through using historical theatrical techniques, Sean gave a brief history of the theatre and then allowed students to experience it for themselves. His exercise required groups of students to take an issue, like war or drugs and alcohol, and examine it from both sides through acting. While one group of students acted out an aspect of their issue, members of the audience stopped them and changed the scene to depict another part of the problem – or a part of the solution.

Finally, all students took part in a simulated NASA mission that tested their ability to think on their feet and their willingness to cooperate with other groups to solve a problem (or several). Students were given instructions and scenarios from a commander in another location via video conference and left to protect their astronauts from the fates of the universe. Students were divided into groups like Life Support, Supplies, Data Management, and Communications, but they all had to work together to make sure their team of astronauts survived their mission. Although we had some close calls, all groups completed successful missions in the end.

In the meantime, the staff has taken up a mission of its own. After Thomas declared mandatory staff yoga sessions every morning, students were surprised Tuesday when they woke up and found all 14 of their esteemed RAs (plus one fabulous intern and their terrifying Resident Director) meditating in tree pose in the lobby of Campbell Village. Although some staffers bemoan the 6:45 am start time, all agree that their daily yoga practice leaves them feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready for the most taxing task of the day: getting students to breakfast.

Thursday morning tree pose.

Josh Wentz, Olivia Novotny, and Steve Robison enjoy a relaxation pose, while party-pooper Sean McCants pretends like he doesn’t like yoga by playing with his cell phone.

Tonight, students will have the chance to see what others have been doing in their classes during Open House. Judging from Jennifer Manor’s and Dan Hollis’s educational antics, students will have the opportunity to learn new things in unique ways.

Students in Jennifer Manor's intensive Calculus class learned the concept of limits by testing the smallest amount of duck tape needed to suspend a student (or Resident Director) off the ground!

In Dan Hollis's course on the Constitution, students rotate keeping track of the Torch of Freedom.

---Lauren the Intern

Welcome to the GHA blog!

Guest blogging by Dean Saralyn Dague –

Day 3.5 (as we like to say here at GHA) seems to be humming along. With the final Academy students arriving to the fold on Monday, we are happy to have a complete family! Students, with the aid of overly enthusiastic Resident Advisors, have gotten to classes, seminar and the all-important meals. Other than a few over-sleepers to keep us on our toes, all students are well and accounted for to date – a sign we seem to be organized.

I am pleased to report my office officially looks as if a hurricane has gone through with activity supplies, certificates for students, and classroom items strewn about. There has been a steady stream of activity including the arrival of multiple care packages from home leaving me to believe these students either have wonderful parents or the kids really did not pack well. I am voting for the first thought!

Don’t tell your children, but we are doing room checks this evening to see how well they function without the gentle (or not so gentle) parental reminders to clean their rooms! Think positive thoughts for the staff tonight.

The first night’s ice breaker is always a square dance for students and staff because there is nothing to get rid of the nerves better than 215 people trying to figure out how to dosado and promenade as directed: a good time, a warm time, and chance to meet new people all the way around.

Evening activities have included a NASA eMission, experimental theater techniques, leadership workshops, and the Last Lecture video. Students will rotate in and out of all activities from Monday through Wednesday.

As always, the planning and work to prepare for the Academy is exhausting, but the first time a student makes a point to say they are learning and loving their experience makes the work all worthwhile. Fortunately for me, multiple students have told me this already.

We continue to teach, push, and support your children and are very thankful you have brought them to us!

Saralyn L. Dague

Dean, West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy