Day 5: The Finals

I think I'm getting old. I'm tired. I'm sore. I want to sleep. And yet I'm having the time of my life. Why? Because YLOK Class XII is so full of energy and enthusiasm that I can't help but be energized by them. 

To start our day, we made the two hours trek to Enid from Tulsa. We started at the beautiful new Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, a tribute to the history of Northwest Oklahoma. Kelsey Speer woke us all up a bit by showing her awesome piano skills inside the old church that sits on the grounds. 

A home formerly owned by a family during the Cherokee Strip land run sits on the Heritage Center grounds and is a true jewel for the property. 

Enjoying a history lesson in the old school house at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center.

Next, we got a quick drive-around tour of Enid. I think it would be an understatement to say that we were all shocked by the development and progress of the downtown area. This is an Oklahoma small town?? The pride of Enid is very, very apparent in just a three or four block area, which no doubt is the key to attracting people to the area. Next, our bus took us to Integris Bass Baptist Hospital, where we ate lunch and also got to hear real life experiences from real doctors. We even got to be hands-on and perform "surgery" on a dummy, insert IV's, and make casts for each other.

Fixing broken fingers.

Tristan Campbell inserts an IV into Andy, our poor dummy friend.

Next, we made our way to OKC for what was certainly the highlight of our entire trip: a tour of the Chesapeake Arena on the day of a Finals game! We felt like and were treated like celebrities as we were whisked around the venue.

Brian Byrnes explains the dynamic that the Thunder has added to Oklahoma City and gives us a history of the Chesapeake Arena. 

Goosebumps.

Three new friends enjoying the special treatment.

The whole group on the floor!

The whole group in front of the mural painted just for the finals series.

 After the almost emotional experience at the Chesapeake Arena, we went just down the road to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation where we learned about the amazing medical research being done in Oklahoma. Groundbreaking research on Alzheimer's disease, gene-level cures for heart diseases, and thousands of experiments on mice occur here. It is truly amazing to see how ahead of the curve the state of Oklahoma is in the medical field.

Next, we traveled to LeeAnne's husband's Public Relations company, Saxum, for dinner and an inspirational Skype chat with Mr. Renzi Stone himself.

And finally, we got to the Hampton Inn in Bricktown, changed into our 80's clothes, and watched the Thunder game. What a game! It was sad to lose, but being loud and obnoxious together in the lobby of our hotel was a priceless experience.

WHAT WAS THAT CALL??!

A small bearded child kept running to the front of our group and chanting. We enjoyed the extra entertainment.

A dance party broke out after the game. 

We danced the night away and had the time of our lives despite the Thunder loss. Nothing stops Class XII from having a good time!

These kids like to have a good time. They also love learning, experiencing, and growing. It's contagious. I've tried my best to capture this week's experience in pictures, but they just do not give this week any justice.

Our final day will find us in the House Chamber at the Capitol doing a mock legislative session. Our trip is almost over! I hope you have enjoyed this small peek into our experience. Enjoy your day!

-Bryce Rowland