Note: Our casual walking tour of the Center grounds will entail walking up and down a slight incline and standing for about 1/2 hour.

Arrive To: Participants are welcome to arrive at the Center anytime after 1 PM; however, formal registration begins at 3 PM and extends until 5 PM. Refreshments are available in the Taubman Conference Center which is the first building on the left as you enter the Center grounds. You can use the time between when you check in and 5 PM to rest and relax because at 5 we'll begin an informal walking tour of the Center grounds which should last no more than 30 minutes.

Dinner: Your first meal with us will be served in Smith Hall - the Center's administrative and dining facility. All meals are served in an "all you can eat" buffet style and we can accommodate low fat, low salt, vegetarian and Atkins diet devotees.

Evening: Your Road Scholar Coordinator will begin the Orientation/Get Acquainted portion of the program promptly at 7 PM. We'll also view a 10 minute film which provides a good overview of Smith Mountain Lake itself. After a short break we'll gather together again for the get acquainted portion of the evening. Given past experience we should be through by 8:30 allowing you ample opportunity to rest up for the next day's activities.

Lodging: Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast/Presidential Leadership/Lunch/Trip to and Tour of Booker T. Washington's Birthplace/Boat Trip on Smith Mountain Lake/Dinner/Movie "What About Bob?"

Note: On our tour of Booker T. Washington's Birthplace and National Monument participants should be able to walk a short distance and stand for approximately 45 minutes.

Breakfast: Our first breakfast at the Center will begin at 7:30 AM - the buffet line will remain open until 8:15; however, as is usually the case, participants will typically arrive early to begin sampling the fare.

Morning: From 8:45 until Noon we'll delve into the fascinating study of the American Presidents. We'll begin with a discussion of the nature of leadership and an assessment of the ratings of presidential "greatness". The Founding Fathers and Abraham Lincoln will form the core of our discussion

Lunch: Lunch is served from Noon until 12:45 and everyone is urged to eat a hearty one since we'll be visiting Booker T. Washington's Birthplace and National Monument site this afternoon.

Afternoon: It's just a short 15 minute ride to Booker T. Washington's Birthplace and National Monument where this prominent 19th and early 20th century African American educator and civil right pioneer was born into slavery in 1856. We'll view a 10 minute film on Washington's early life and then join a Park Ranger for a short walking trip of the Burroughs Plantation where Washington lived as a child. After the tour we'll see a more nuanced film detailing Washington's later years and the controversy between his views on integration as contrasted to those of W.E.B. DuBois. When President Teddy Roosevelt invited Washington to dinner at the White House he ignited a firestorm of protest which plunged Roosevelt into major political damage control. We'll then travel to a local marina to enjoy our boat trip on beautiful Smith Mountain Lake. We'll arrive back at the Center in time for diner at 5:30.

Dinner: Dinner at 5:30.

Evening: After a busy day it will be a nice change of pace to view the movie "What About Bob?" which was actually filmed at Smith Mountain Lake.

Lodging: Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast/Presidential Leadership/Lunch/Trip to Poplar Forest/Dinner/Entertainment

Note: During our fascinating tour of Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest participants should be able to walk a very short distance and stand for approximately 45 minutes.

Breakfast: Breakfast at 7:30

Morning: From 8:45 until Noon we'll review the leadership abilities and styles of Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding, Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt. During the discussions we'll focus on the issues of ideology in public policy as well as the controversies surrounding Wilson's illness and his wife's virtual assumption of the Presidency and Harding's many romantic "involvements" among other 1920's peccadillos.

Lunch: Lunch at Noon.

Afternoon: The trip to Poplar Forest is a relaxing hour's drive away. Upon our arrival we'll have an opportunity to view the grounds of Jefferson's home as well as the interior. Both venues provide ample evidence of Jefferson's brilliance in both horticulture and architecture. Since Poplar Forest is still undergoing restoration and renovation you'll have a unique opportunity to inspect the daily archaeological work taking place on site.

Dinner: The last dinner at the Center at 5:30.

Evening: The entertainment will leave you pleasantly surprised and finally mesmerized by the talent on display. Since you have a long trip home tomorrow, the show will conclude by 10 PM.

Lodging: Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The morning session will be spent in the classroom.

Breakfast: This is our last breakfast together, so try to get around to everyone's table to say goodbye since some participants with many miles to travel sometimes leave after breakfast.

Morning: Our last session together will focus on the more recent Presidents such as JFK, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, the two Bushes, Bill Clinton, and our current President. There's a great deal of material here to cover and a number of great stories to tell so don't be late for class. Every President brings strengths and weaknesses to the job and sometimes the weaknesses seem to remain in the public's memory long after the strengths are lost to history. This phenomenon will be addressed and discussed during our last session together.

Lunch: Our final meal together.

Afternoon: Departure after Lunch. Have a safe trip home and come back to see us soon.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch