| August/September 2001 | Online Publication |
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The small groups were great. We were able to interact with one another, and learn about the schools that we came from. This also provided a forum to the students to ask questions of the staff and of each other as how things are done at their school or to offer suggestions. |
Cub Reporter: WASFAA Summer Institute  None other than my boss "Jack Millis A.K.A. Ms.
Verlene" assigned me one of the more daunting tasks of
the Summer Institute. I "volunteered" to be a WASFAA
newsletter Cub-Reporter. Actually it was more fun than I
thought it would be.From the first session on, it was obvious we were here to learn, but it was even more obvious that the faculty would make sure we had a lot of fun in the process. All of the students and faculty had a great time badgering Leonard as he was having a hard time reading the names of the students assigned to the small groups. This was of course despite the fact he wrote them and could not read his own writing. And who could forget Leonard's funky hat?? (I guess it takes him to a happy place). The small groups were great. We were able to interact with one another, and learn about the schools that we came from. This also provided a forum to the students to ask questions of the staff and of each other as how things are done at their school or to offer suggestions. I am somewhat biased to say but I do think Becky was the best instructor (she was the group leader of "N.A.C.F.A.B.", snicker, snicker). One of the more entertaining sessions had to be when Ms. Verlene came to life, and presented. Ms. Verlene was able to keep the crowd entertained, but we also saw she had a little bit of a bite to her, as some of the students found out when they attempted to interrupt her. She was also not afraid to pick on just about anyone person walking, standing, or the rest of the faculty. Becky also entertained the crowd with her two friends, and the infamous "C.Y.A." on the overhead projector, the point was well taken, and thank you for the demonstration on the stage.   The students were not to be outdone by the faculty and had fun by "liberating the Lizard" from the tape-wielding faculty. The only error that the Lizard Liberation Army did was to write the ransom note on the back of the cover from one of the books. They requested a neutral party act as the mediator for them and they chose Ms. Verlene (that was a mistake) as they soon found out.  Throughout the conference I was able to speak with a lot of students, and overall everyone had fun. During breakfast, I was able to sit with the faculty and meet a very fun person. This unfortunate student had his luggage temporarily liberated from him by the airline. You see he arrived at the Boise airport and went to pick up his luggage, after the entire luggage was on the turnstile and everyone else picked his or her luggage. He was left there all by himself, they turned off the turnstile, and yet no luggage. He was later informed when he made his connection,  his luggage was taken off the plane (now that has
to be a bad feeling). So he had to make the best of it. He checks into his room and decides to go take a shower (this
is where it went south on him) no one bothered to inform
him he was in a co-ed facility, and he was one of the lucky
people who got to walk to the shower down the hall (see
where I am going with this?). As he jokingly retold his
story to us, he said he was walking in his boxers down the
hall with his towel over his shoulder minding his own
business. As he turned the corner, there were two ladies
standing there just shocked looking at him. We all asked
if he turned around, to which he replied, "Heck no! I have
a wife and a few daughters. I am used to being looked at
funny by women." So, needless to say, off to the shower he
went and off to counseling went the two women. It was
not until later that day did his luggage show up to be
reunited with him. The banquet on Thursday night was great. Everyone in
attendance was laughing and sharing their stories of the
past week with one another. The presentations of the faculty
and of the awards were fun to see, and the food was
not bad at all. As the Faculty was getting ready to sit back
down, Julie and Kate had one last gift to give. They called
Leonard to the stage and presented him with a Maroon
Mumu. Yes indeed there was a story behind it, and he was
not willing to share it, but Jack did. Then the moment
came when Ms. Verlene had to address the crowd in hopes
of getting the Lizard back from the Lizard Liberation
Army. After a brief moment, She asked, "Will the members of the Lizard Liberation Army Please stand up." First
there one person, then two, then three, then a whole gang
load of people stood up. Some of them were to fool Ms.
Verlene, but as she has stated before "Mama did not raise
no fool!" and picked the original three members from the
crowd. A moment later, a waitress brought a silver platter
and asked, "Are you Jack Millis?" to which Ms, Verlene
 stated, "Well yeah!" The waitress then removed the top of
the platter and there was the Lizard free at last, free at last
...The moment was short lived as Bob Lortz from Napa
Valley College later attempted to liberate the Lizard one
more time, but was sighted by the door and asked to
return it to the podium.The closing session was a real eye opener for us, remember the maroon Mumu? Well Leonard made a brief appearance wearing it and the crowd loved it. I guess it does take a big man to wear a Mumu and pull it off. In the end fun was consistently the attitude of all the people I spoke with. They were here to learn, make some new friends, and to have a great time in the process.  In closing, I have to thank the faculty for providing us
such a great atmosphere to learn and to entertain us for
the week. I have one last request from those of us who
were in the "D" wing, please let us be there before the
jocks, because "What is up with that smell?" But I already
know the response from Julie, "It depends." and "Case by
Case!" So you see, I did learn something.
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