Pink Anyone? The Tourism Honors Academy had a blast volunteering at the happiest 5k run on the planet. In total, there were 23 THA volunteers at Louisville’s 1st Annual Color Run, including 12 scholars, six staff, and 2012 Alumni Gabby, Brittany, Shane, Chasity, and Sarah. THA was located at the pink station alongside a Baptist Church group where we provided the pink colored fun. As participants sprinted, jogged, and walked by we supplied yells of encouragement, excitement, and of course pink powder to 8,000 joyous runners.

The Color Run is hosted in cities throughout the United States every year, now including our great city. The event mirrors a Festival of Colours during the Hindu Spring celebration called Holi. In many places, during the Festival of Colours people gather and throw paints, dyes, and colored powders on each other to revel in good humor. After our team loaded our pockets with fun, and threw all the pink we could, we cleaned up with huge sweepers and shovels.

Clean-up was a success and we gathered at the nearest subway to grab a bite together. While eating we talked about our first Color Run, upcoming events, and our excitement about volunteering for IRONMAN. After our stomachs settled we played many infamous THA games including the counting game and bopity bop bop bop. Our day capped with a thrilling and impressive ninja face-off between Katie and Jevanyn.

An amazing volunteer opportunity was recently presented to the Tourism Honors Academy. Roberta Williams at the American Printing House for the Blind (who we met during our summer session) notified us that the American Council of the Blind Conference was going to be in town from July 6-14 and asked if we could volunteer as guides for one of the receptions.

We excitedly got a group together, and the experience could not have been more rewarding. Kyle, Tori, Emily, Marie-Ange, Jamesha and I all had a great time assisting the members of the conference through the buffet line and to their seats. We learned so much about what it means to have visual impairments and, thanks to some earlier training from APH, were able to assist individuals who needed it respectfully and comfortably. Each of us felt like we made a friend that evening. I also loved the Braille Fortune Cookies APH provided to the members of the reception. It was a thoughtful gesture and something I had never seen before. It’s surprising when you realize that some things you may easily take for granted, like reading a fortune cookie, are not things that are always easily accessible to everyone.

Tori summed the event up perfectly in one tweet she sent: “Fun times with the ACB Convention today. I think they taught me more than I helped them.”  And, I totally agree.

One of the benefits of being a yearlong, non-traditional leadership program is the opportunity to build strong relationships and community with our scholars that are difficult to maintain in more conventional programs.  It also means we don’t have much downtime.  When I first took the reins way back in 2006, we would take July and August to close down the summer session and get ramped up to start again in the fall. Now?  Not so much.  But here’s the thing: we’re a program that believes in taking advantage of opportunities and experiences, and well, there are opportunities and experiences to be had in July and August, too.  Just because we didn’t sleep for the better part of June doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take advantage of those.

So last week, we took a few scholars to the LCVB’s Marketing Seminar, held at KICC. If you’ve never been to one of these, they are a fascinating, detailed view of how Louisville presents and positions itself nationally and Jim Wood and his team are working up a storm to keep Louisville competitive.  We’re lucky enough to be housed in the CVB’s offices so we’ve seen it for ourselves.  Won’t find a better group of people.  Our scholars?  Amazing.  At one point during our break, I looked down to see Mayor Greg Fischer, keynote speaker and nationally recognized tourism expert Peter Yesawich, and Jim with three of our scholars and one of our alum.  Not bad company, THA.  I’d be remiss if I didn’t add here that each of those guys killed it: the Mayor’s speech to open the day was pitch-perfect, Mr. Yesawich gave a compelling presentation on the trends of the industry, and Jim Wood laid out a bold vision for Louisville as a destination in 2012-2013.

Last year, THA performed over 1,000 hours of volunteer service as an organization, which was a new record for us.  We’d like to break that this year, and we’re off to an early start to do just that.  On Monday, July 9, Jess and I will be volunteering along with a handful of THA scholars as guides for the American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention.  We had our training session at the American Printing House for the Blind this past Monday with Gary Mudd and Roberta Williams, and we all left the session thankful for the opportunity and pumped up and ready to help out.  If you happen to be around the Galt House that evening, be on the lookout for us.

Next up: planning for the class of 2013’s yearlong project, college sendoff dinner for the class of 2012, and prepping our fall schedule.  Offseason?  What offseason?

Wednesday marked a very bittersweet milestone for the Tourism Honors Academy crew. While the day was very laidback to begin with, I’m sure that the thought registered with everyone that Wednesday was the last day of the 2012 summer session. As a staff member, I’d like to note that the bonds created throughout the past nine days were highly visible as everyone laughed and joked with each other on the walk to the luncheon that marked the last time the entire group would eat together at Bellarmine University. The luncheon, catered to us by the amazing Bellarmine crew, featured delicious Italian dishes. Many hugs and laughs were shared throughout the luncheon, and thank you cards were handed out to the scholars from the staff. After lunch, we all headed back to the dorm, where a rousing round of the THA favorite, Boppity Bop Bop Bop, was played. Following this was an exercise involving each member taking a turn in the middle of the circle, doing whatever they pleased while the rest of the crew looked on and repeated an inspirational chant. I enjoyed seeing the personalities of each individual shine through during their time in the circle. There were many dancing movements, and even a few running high-five trains! This exercise in particular showcases how close the class of 2013 has become after their brief ten day session together.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay together and play games forever. People packed their things, and eventually, 2:30 rolled around. With 2:30 came the departure of the first scholar. While inevitable, it still tugged at my heartstrings and those of my fellow staff members as well to see them all go. After the last scholar walked out the doors of Siena Primo at around 4:30, there was a collective sigh around the room. This was the part we were all dreading. The hours following the staff group hug blurred into a flurry of room checks, packing, Chinese food, and the final staff meeting of the session. It was a very bittersweet ending for the staff. It was a great session, and I’m going to miss the easy kinship we all fell into for those 10 days. For my fellow staff, I wish you all good luck in whatever adventures your life takes you on this year! Know that I’ll be thinking about you and of course the scholars, too, during my time back at college! (Go Racers!) Scholars, you’re about to have an amazing year. Live it thoroughly and richly, and have a ton of fun as well! I wish you all the best of luck.

Best,

Katie

c/o 2011

Back on Main Street and continuing to have great adventures! We arrived at the Muhammad Ali Center close to 9:30am and started our Tour led by Marcel Parent, an inspiring man who shares beliefs similar to those of Muhammad Ali himself. As he guides us through the entire museum he highlights interesting exhibits, as well as those that display meaningful portions of Ali’s life. We then watched a touching and motivational video about some of Ali’s successes, struggles, and his honor of lighting the Olympic flame in 1996. Just after, we met and learned about staff members Jeanie Kahnke, Elizabeth Vissing, Kelly Watson, and CEO Donald Lassere, along with their specific roles at the Ali Center. Once we learned more about how The Ali Center operates, we explored the museum further until lunch rolled around. With our appetites for food, joy, and learning temporarily met, we headed to the KentuckyShow! to see how much more we could be thrilled by our city and state.

Each time I watch the KentuckyShow! I notice something completely new, and become even more acquainted with the music, peoples, and regions of “My Old Kentucky Home”. After Kathy Knotts gave us a brief welcome, we began to explore our unique state in its many facets. The beauty of the short multi-media presentation is what makes the experience so memorable to me, and the history and variety is what makes it is so powerful! I absolutely love the KentuckyShow! and the reminders of why to be proud of my home.

Following our regional tour of Kentucky in the KentuckyShow!, we toured the KY Center for the Arts. Our first stop, and coincidentally last due to our intense engagement, was Whitney Hall, the Largest in the stage in the building and in the state. While there we spoke with Peter Bell, the director of production services. Bell shared his favorite shows, the pleasures of his work, and the ins and outs of his day to day preparation. The scholars really appreciated his open and welcoming demeanor, as well as his willingness to share a closer look into his work space. After the day’s event on Main Street came to its finale, we headed to campus to have a discussion, play some games, and extend our appreciation with those who support and nurture THA.

Keep Smiling,

Marytha

c/o 2010

Day eight here at THA, and we were back in the field after a few days on campus. The Brown Hotel hosted our annual etiquette luncheon, where we were joined by Jim Wood, President and CEO of the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau; Trish Lounsbury, a Friend of THA and Owner of Celebrations Stationary and Gifts; and Madeline Abramson, wife of Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson and a Friend of THA. Marc Salmon, Director of Human Resources at The Brown and Intern Frances Moody joined us as well. Sales and Catering Manager Cindy Gelding made her rounds and talked to each table about her role at The Brown, and Executive Chef Laurent Geroli was even able to pop out of the kitchen to talk to a few tables. The consensus of the group once we arrived back on campus was that each of these individuals was extremely passionate about what they do and it showed in how they presented themselves.

During our meal, each of these individuals coached the members of their table on proper etiquette for dining. It was a low-pressure setting for learning these rules, and everyone had a great time. I definitely laughed at myself a little bit for almost knocking over our entire table about halfway through our lunch. I also used the wrong spoon for stirring my coffee! Marc Salmon presented the group with many resume writing, interview, and customer service tips in a very engaging and interesting presentation, which scholars every year find extremely useful and informative.

The scholars moved from the etiquette luncheon straight into their Kentucky Derby Museum project presentation to Lynn Ashton upon arrival on campus. The exhibit model turned out beautifully. Two of my favorite parts of the exhibit were the quotes compiled from THA alumni, and the small model of the THA Championship Belt created by Monika. All of the hard work the scholars put into the presentation was apparent, and I was really proud of them. Their presentation was interesting and flowed perfectly. It was amazing how well they were able to articulate the message and purpose of THA, even though the year is nowhere near over.

We will wrap up tonight with the annual THA Movie Night and with only one full day left on campus, and a little over a half of a day on Wednesday, the scholars are definitely making the most of their time at Bellarmine. They are always happy to be with one another and are committed to keeping their relationships going until we meet again in the fall. I can’t wait to see what the next couple of days brings!

It’s the weekend here at Siena Primo; the sun is shining and all is quiet on campus—except for THA of course.  With so much to accomplish and only ten days to do it, we can’t slow down a bit.  More than half of our scholars took the ACT test on Saturday morning, which meant it was all hands on deck for the THA staff, driving our test-takers to sites all over the county.  The lucky few who did not take the ACT were able to sleep in a little later with no official business on the schedule until the afternoon.

From there, most of the weekend revolved around Lynn Ashton’s Derby Museum project.  With our schedule for Monday already set, the scholars need to be finished with everything Sunday night in order to rehearse their presentation tomorrow morning.   I’m pleased to report that with the exception of some quick refinements left for the morning, we’re in great shape.

As Marytha alluded to in her Day Three post, getting 20 people to agree on a course of action is no small feat; getting them to all work together on said course of action is more difficult still.  Not to mention, we’ve only known each other for a week.  As such, this project (along with the LCVB project given each January) is something of THA legend, whispered about in hushed tones by our alumni in such a way that says, “You won’t understand until you’ve done it, and once you’ve done it, then you’re in the club,” as I imagine climbers who’ve made it to the top of Mount Everest look at each other.  When a couple of our 2007 scholars popped in on one of our project discussions, they offered such advice as, “The project makes everyone cry eventually, so it’s OK if you do,” and “Don’t worry-you’ll like each other again when the project is over.”

All that said, the class of 2013 grabbed this thing by the horns and worked seamlessly together all weekend long. They had their disagreements in the beginning—an important part of the process and how their best, most creative ideas came about—but once they hit a point in which disagreements led to inaction, they changed course and made it work, with very, very little help from us.
That’s not to say they didn’t have an assist here and there.  Early Saturday afternoon, Kate Kane from the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau dropped by campus to give a talk on public speaking in preparation for Monday’s presentation.  Kate works just a few offices down from the mighty THA office, housed in the LCVB , and she’s been a great advocate and friend of the program over the  last couple of years.  We think she’s great; fun to watch our scholars discover the same and we’re already talking of ways to bring her back in the fall.

If it sounds like it was all project, all the time, don’t let me fool you here: while we spent most of our time working on our exhibit this weekend, we did manage to work in a trip to Actors Theatre Saturday night to see Theatre 502’s production of Futura, along with a preshow talk with two of the company’s Artistic Directors: Mike Brooks and Amy Attaway.  The scholars had great, insightful questions per usual, and learned a lot about startup arts groups and how they inform the landscape of Louisville’s Art scene and how that impacts local attractions.  In my other life as one of the Founding Producing Artistic Directors of Le Petomane Theatre Ensemble, I’ve known Mike and Amy for years, and as with Kate, it’s always special when these worlds can collide and I can see all the people I like so well like each other too.  And that’s another lesson for them (and something we can always stand to be reminded): you surround yourself with enough good people and good things are bound to happen—another way in which we’re very fortunate here at THA.

Tomorrow is presentation rehearsal followed by lunch with friends of THA at the incomparable Brown Hotel.  After that, we do the real presentation for Lynn Ashton, who will be dropping by campus at 3:30.  We’ll be ready.

Kyle

Another great day at Bellarmine! The day began with a little bit of a break in the morning for the scholars (and staff!). With an awesome breakfast brought to us in the dorm by the lovely dining staff at Bellarmine, everyone was able to catch up on some of missed sleep accumulated from too many late night dance parties!

The scholars then continued working on their Derby Museum exhibit project. I am really impressed by their ability to work together toward one cohesive vision. I am also very much looking forward to seeing their finished product. On Monday, they will present their ideas to Lynn Ashton, Executive Director of the Kentucky Derby Museum, and I know they will do great!

The day continued with one of THA’s annual and favorite guest speakers: Gil Reyes. Gil is the Congressional Aide for Congressman Yarmuth, one of three Co-Artistic Directors for a Louisville based theatre company called Theatre [502], and overall a super person with a heart of gold. The scholars loved his story. He always willingly gives so much of himself to the us during his visit, and even joined in afterward for a game of “Boppity-Bop-Bop-Bop”, a game at which he is deceptively good…

Another THA favorite, Amy Jones, lead the scholars in an ACT workshop this evening as well. She is so full of information, and with the ACT on the Saturday schedule for a record number of scholars this year, she was invaluable today. I believe the scholars greatly benefited from her time spent with them, and hope her workshop helps them in the same way the ACT workshop helped me when I was a scholar back in 2008!

The scholars all get along so well and maintain a positive attitude all the time. I am very excited to see what the rest of the week brings! But, for now, quiet hours in the dorm for the benefit of the ACT test takers who need their rest tonight! Fortunately the laundry room on the first floor is a prime hang-out spot for scholars who don’t want to sleep, don’t want to disturb their fellow scholars in need of it, actually need to do laundry, or all of the above.

Jessica

Today, we were greeted by the beautiful golden summer morning sun, as we made our way for our morning breakfast at Bellarmine campus dining hall. Fueled and ready for what the day had in store, the THA scholars enjoyed a motivational exercise game called shake out which kick started our expectations and allowed us to go over our individual goals for the day. At this point the team was in full throttled.

We then attended an exciting tour at the American Printing House for the Blind. As we arrived we were greeted by our speakers, APH Museum Director Micheal A. Hudson and Public Relations Manager Roberta L. Williams who gave the scholars the knowledge and insight into how the printing house operated and a brief tour of the complex. Four things the American Printing House for the Blind does are: emboss books in braille,  Print text in large Braille, Record books in flash cartridges and lastly, develop educational aides including making technology aides for the blind. We ended the visit by having some time to self-explore the museum. The scholars then engaged with the gear you would need to write a sentence in braille. Some scholar used a braille slate and stylus to punch out their message while others used a braillewriter to write their names or a funny sentence. The scholar found APH to be inspirational. We then headed back to campus where we enjoyed a delicious Italian American inspired style lunch.

Next stop on the horizon for the day was the Louisville ZOO. There’s something about going to the zoo that brings out the child in all of us since everyone was revved up and ready to take in the wonderful animals we all grew up learning about. THA scholars got their exercise on and walked to the zoo. As we arrived we were greeted by Kyle Shepherd who is in charge of Public Relations and Marketing for the Zoo. Shepherd introduces us to Zookeeper Steve Taylor, now retired but remains as a consultant for the zoo. Taylor informed the scholars on the different type of exhibits and animals that the Zoo offers then answered questions. Shepherd shed light on the how the marketing and PR aspect of the zoo works which was very insightful and educational. After our speakers, we were allowed to visit with the wonderful animals that called the Louisville zoo there home and enjoyed ourselves until it was closing time. The scholars all got to know to each other a bit more during this trip. I am so impress and happy to see the relationships which are being formed on these activities and I love how they help each other and allow each other to grow. We ended the night with a debrief session about the day.

Next up for tomorrow is a wonderful guest speaker and an ACT workshop on the schedule, which the scholars are looking forward to and are counting on to help them improve their skills before taking the ACT on Saturday. Make sure to check back regularly for updates on the amazing events we have to come!

Best,

Hannah

c/o 2010

Samurai, Buffalo Warriors, and toy soldiers rustled up a great deal of excitement at the Frazier History Museum today. Along with exploring permanent exhibits, the temporary Samurai exhibit captivated nearly everyone to learn about the ancient Japanese artifacts. My favorite pieces on display were the Tachi, which are long, thin, and sharply edged swords. I was surprised that such amazing craftsmanship of iron swords was present even before the 13^th century. At the museum we had the opportunity to learn more about the creation of the exhibit when we met and spoke with one of the creators. Through conversations with our amazing guest speakers, we soon came to understand that the process of creating and sustain the Frazier Museum required a lot of accurate communication and interdepartmental cooperation. An example of these great communication and cooperation skills showed while watching interpreters Barrett Cooper and Tony Brown perform an intense and playful duel with German long swords.

These skills were later put to the test when the scholars began to draft ideas for their Derby Museum project, which is to create a museum exhibit that is representative of THA. It will take delicate communication and steady cooperation for the 20 scholars to create this larger scale project in such a short time span. Yet, I am eager to see how amazing the project will be as the scholars continue to take steps toward getting there.

Best,

Marytha

c/o 2010