Tasty Tuesday 2017

After a long first day, we were up bright and early, leaving the hotel at 5:30 to make our way to Ft. Sill in Lawton to see what it was like to be in the army. Immediately on base, our Drill Sergeants stepped on our bus and began the day. Our students performed intense physical training, practiced marching, and ate breakfast while being under the watch of over ten Drill Sergeants—it was an experience of a lifetime! Although there was much anxiety, all students walked away with a new understanding and respect for the army and the people who are going through basic training!

 

Because our students were so fantastic and had such great attitudes while at Ft. Sill, we decided that everyone needed a quick retail therapy break. We took a pit stop at the Lawton Mall—some students rode mini animals, some shopped, some ate Chick-fil-A—but we all had fun. 

 

For lunch, we had the opportunity to hear from Joe Abshere at Wayne’s Drive In in Lawton before eating a yummy burger and special drink. We hopped on the bus and were off to Tecumseh!

Something that is unique about this experience is that we travel every day on a bus many miles. This was our first “long” bus ride, and it is so cool getting to see the students bond on the bus. Whether that means taking pictures of their friends taking a nap or laughing about new stories, each bus ride creates memories that last for a lifetime.

After arriving in Tecumseh, we went to the Tecumseh Juvenile Detention Center. We had the opportunity to hear from four students who were currently residents at the Center as well as take a tour of the facility. Our students asked great questions and walked away with a much deeper knowledge of the Center and the issues that it faces.

We headed on to our next location, Tulsa, with another fun bus ride. Los Cabos was for dinner along the Riverwalk and we were able to hear Shane Fernadez, the incoming Chair for YLOK, speak a little on his story and his experience in Oklahoma. It was a GREAT dinner, and to top it off, many students made a trip to Marble Slab for a little treat to end the day. 

 

The day ended with bracelets for each student, games of mafia, and some piano playing at the hotel. Tuesday was full of fun, eye-opening experiences and we can’t wait to see what Wednesday holds for us!