Clark Montessori School in Hyde Park is a candidate for President Obama's White House Race to the Top Commencement Challenge.  If the school wins their campaign, President Barack Obama will be speaking at their commencement ceremony to be held at Crossroads Community Church on May 27.

The original application involved answering four essay questions and submitting a two minute video. It was entirely student run.  They emphasized the school as a model for educational success for other high schools across the country.  The contest was narrowed down to six after the original submissions. 

As one of six finalists for the special visit by Obama, the students have produced another video that is on the White House website to tell the school's story to voters.   

You will go on the site and vote on a weighted scale of 1-5 for each school.  From those results, the top three schools will be considered by the President and he will make a decision.

This Obama Administration initiative is part of his commitment to providing every child with an education that enables them to be successful in the global marketplace, where knowledge and innovation are key.

Voting has now started online.  If you want to vote for the school, click on the website and place your vote...and another...and another, no later than Thursday, April 29th, midnight. 

Clark Montessori was named a Bronze Medal School in the U.S. News and World Reports issue, "America's Best High Schools."  Pretty good for a school that has an open enrollment policy, with no entrance exams.  Even better, all students take four years of English, Science, Social Studies and Math on an honors level.  There are 659 students, 48% African American, 43% white and 9% Asian, Hispanic, American Indian and multi-racial. 

The school points with pride to their graduation statistics...99.5% of their Seniors graduate and 96% go on to college.  Every school wishes they could live up to those standards!  So, VOTE!  You can vote more than one time...the more the better, to increase Clark Montessori School's chances of winning.

The winner will be announced on May 4th.

This week, my garden club had an exciting visit to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to hear about the Green Roof on top of the giraffe enclosure.  Steve Folz, Director of Horticulture at the Zoo, discussed their research into green roofs with their roof and others in the cincinnati area. You saw a picture of the giraffe roof as part of the video on the previous post.  It was absolutely impressive to see how they have designed the roof and the benefits it is providing. 

As we heard more about the other Green initiatives at the Zoo and toured Green areas, I realized how little I knew about what they were doing.  The Zoo is more than a non-profit caring for animals or beautiful gardens, it is now an example for all businesses and individuals of things that can be done to protect the environment.

The Zoo is Going Green and You Can, too!

The Zoo's Historic Vine Street Village, which opened in May 2009, received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification - the highest rating award by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Cincinnati Zoo is the first zoo in the nation to complete multiple LEED projects. This new, green entry complex is just one of the many reasons that the Cincinnati Zoo is the greenest zoo in the country.

Go Green Garden Officially Opens Earth Day Weekend

The Cincinnati Zoo will officially open its newest green exhibit, the Go Green Garden, presented by Duke Energy, on Friday, April 23, just in time for Earth Day!

The exhibit highlights the Zoo’s green efforts in terms of green building design, energy efficiency, water conservation, storm water management, solid waste management, and land stewardship. Go Green Challenges throughout the exhibit present tangible suggestions for how visitors can address the same issues at home. The Go Green Garden also acts as the hub for botanical information.

Business Courier Awards its First "Green Business Awards"

 The zoo won two of the four Green Business awards. It took the “People” honor for its Harold C. Schott Education Center, which houses a 200-seat theater and its Zoo Academy. It also won the “Planet” award for its “Historic Vine Street Village,” a new main entrance that is designed to handle storm water runoff and save on heating and cooling.

What can you Do?

Recycle your Cell Phone - Benefit African Gorillas!

Great Miami River

The Blue and Burgundy Regatta will be sponsored by the Great Miami Rowing Center on May 1.  The course runs between the Columbia and Black Street bridges and is a 1,850 meter course.  Teams are expected to participate from Butler, Clermont, and Hamilton Counties with additional teams coming from as far away as Toledo. 

Time trials begin at 8 am with finals between the top teams after 2PM.  Bring a lunch or snack and line the banks of the River to cheer the teams along.  Food and beverages plus posters and t-shirts will be available at the Rowing Center's boat house at 110 North B Street, Hamilton.

Little Miami River

Morgan's Canoe Livery pushes off the first canoe of the season on the Little Miami River at 9 am on May 1 at the first Hamilton Township Paddle Fest. Proceeds will benefit the Township's Independence Day Celebrations to be held on June 25-26.

It is a six-mile trip down the river and canoes can push off until 1 pm.  Advance registration costs $50 and includes lunch for up to four people and two adult t-shirts. Day of the event registration is $60 per canoe.

Ohio River Paddlefest

Paddlefest has grown into the largest on-water canoe and kayak festival in the Midwest and the largest in the entire country with over 1,800 paddlers attending from over 15 states ranging in age from 5 years to over 80. This years' event wiell be held June 24-26, 2010 at Cincinnati's Coney Island.

The weekend will feature fun, challenging and educational activities for folks of all ages and skill levels. The event is presented by Hamilton County Park District and sponsored by Duke Energy.

On Friday, June 25, the day begins with the launch of the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati Team River Runner adaptive paddling group, followed by canoe & kayak lessons, vendor exhibits, silent auction, wooden boat show,  cardboard boat races, and the annual Ohio River Music Festival bands.

On Saturday, June 26 the 9th annual paddle on the mighty Ohio River is held. The river is closed to all barge traffic. Racers begin around 7:30 am traveling on a specific course while paddlers will begin at Coney Island traveling 8.2 miles down river between 8:30-9 am. All paddlers will end at the Public Landing where the Finish Line Festival should be in full swing with live music by Lagniappe (Cajun band), vendors, awards for racers, food, refreshments and a place to hang out with your friends.

West Chester's Voice of America Park

If you're looking for a good laugh, this could be the place to come! The Butler County Park District is sponsoring a Cardboard Regatta at the Voice of America Park on July 16 and 17th.  It is part of a nationwide day of Cardboard Regatta's across the nation.  Be sure to read this fact sheet for more information.

Based upon the idea of "just plain having fun" the event encourages groups of individuals to come together and form a team, then put their creativity to work designing a cardboard boat that can float.  They even have directions for building a cardboard boat online.

Then the big challenge...to paddle the 200 yard course across the lake.  Most boats will make the trip successfully, however a few will sink.  Those will be eligible for the "Titanic Award" for the best sinking.

Festivities begin on Friday night with food, beverages and bands with racing on Saturday. Proceeds of the event will go towards a future playground planned for the Park.

Architreks walking tours of Cincinnati neighborhoods start again on May 1.  This program features seven different programs that explore these historic districts and properties of significance. 

The program is run by the Cincinnati Preservation ­Associationwith the help of trained volunteers.  The private, nonprofit, membership organization serves the Greater Cincinnati community as the recognized resource and catalyst for the preservation of historic cultural resources. Their programs focus on education, advocacy, and technical support. Historic cultural resources include architectural and archaeological sites, historical public art and monuments and landscapes.

This year, a walking tour has been added of Walnut Hills and East Walnut Hills.  Other neighborhoods featured are Downtown Cincinnati (North and South tours), Mt. Adams, Over the Rhine East and West tours), Clifton, Findlay Market and the Brewery District and Northside and Cumminsville.  Tours last between 1-2 hours.

It's exciting to see is that each tour has local companies and organizations that sponsor the tours.  This certainly shows the kind of public-spirited support that makes our community strong!

For the exact times and dates for tours, see their website.

We've talked before about the many Art Walks in various parts of the city...now there is a Wine Walk. You'll be happy you stumbled upon the many wonderful shops in O'Bryonville.  Located between East Walnut Hills and Hyde Park, O'Bryonville's village-like business district is full of unique boutiques, funky shops, restaurants and cafes...one of 52 interesting neighborhoods in Cincinnati.

The Wine Walks will be held on the third Thursday of the month from now until December.  The participating businesses will extend their hours from 5:30-8 PM.  Complementary wines and refreshments will be served as you browse.

This year, the concept has been expanded.  A portion of the proceds from each months sales will go to support the selected non-profit for the night.  This week's theme is a Walk on the Wild Side.

The recipient of the proceeds for the April 15th Wine Walk will be the Cincinnati Feral Cat Initiative.  To further enhance the evening, Thane Maynard of the Cincinnati Zoo will be at Ten Thousand Villages with some exotic creatures, an artist with animal themed work will be at Indigenous and the SPCA adoption van will be on site. 

Put future summer dates on your calendar as well:

May 20 - Girls Night Out to benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater Cincinnati

June 17 - A Hoot in O'Bryonville to benefit Owls Nest Park and the Cincinnati Park Board

July 15 - Chasing Rainbows to build Amigos Hospitalito Atitlan in Guatemala

August 19 - Hot and Spicy for school kits for the Mennonite Central Committee relief and development

The Sycamore School District and the Montgomery, Blue Ash, Symmes Township and Sycamore Township neighborhoods have had 34 sales in March.  the average Days on the Market (DOM) is 107.  Both average and median sales are significantly higher this month from the year thus far.

March buyers were trying to take advantage of the tax credit as the deadline approaches, but employment worries have remained an issue.  As a result, most of the housing demand has occurred at the low end of the market.

Nationally, both the traffic from buyers and the prices have increased to their highest level since Summer of 2006. The number of Days on the Market has remained stable for homes sold. A reduced time to sell would be a positive indicator for future pricing trends.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says the the surge of both closings and pending sales is another hopeful sign for the market.  The rise in buyer contracts would signal a healthy gain and that home prices are continuing to flatten out.  This drawing down of inventory is definitely a good sign as everyone hopes the tax credit will stabilize home values.

The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing market, indicating how many existing homes have accepted contracts, pending a closing.  In the Midwest, the number of pending sales is nearly 19% above a year ago this time.  In fact, there are numerous reports of multiple offers on properties.

With this in mind, the number of closed sales is expected to remain higher than the past three years through June 30, when closings must take place in order to benefit from the tax credit.

There were 55 homes sold in the Forest Hills School district, including Anderson Township and Newtown in the month of March.  Currently, there are 77 pending sales...a great number for March. When looking at the average and median prices from last year to the first quarter of the year, all have gone up. 

Surprisingly, the number of Days on the Market has increased from 85 last year to 96 in the first quarter.  That may reflect the increased number of foreclosures and short sales.  Buyers continue to want homes that are in good condition versus neglected homes. 

March buyers were trying to take advantage of the tax credit as the deadline approaches, but employment worries have remained an issue.  As a result, most of the housing demand has occurred at the low end of the market.

Nationally, both the traffic from buyers and the prices have increased to their highest level since Summer of 2006. The number of Days on the Market has remained stable for homes sold. A reduced time to sell would be a positive indicator for future pricing trends.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says the the surge of both closings and pending sales is another hopeful sign for the market.  The rise in buyer contracts would signal a healthy gain and that home prices are continuing to flatten out.  This drawing down of inventory is definitely a good sign as everyone hopes the tax credit will stabilize home values.

The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing market, indicating how many existing homes have accepted contracts, pending a closing.  In the Midwest, the number of pending sales is nearly 19% above a year ago this time.  In fact, there are numerous reports of multiple offers on properties.

With this in mind, the number of closed sales is expected to remain higher than the past three years through June 30, when closings must take place in order to benefit from the tax credit.

There were no sales in the month of March in Mt. Adams.  Over the pst year, there have been 22 closings in an average of 141 Days on Market (DOM).  Since January, the number of DOM has remained virtually the same at 146 Days.  There are currently two properties pending closing.

March buyers were trying to take advantage of the tax credit as the deadline approaches, but employment worries have remained an issue.  As a result, most of the housing demand has occurred at the low end of the market.

Nationally, both the traffic from buyers and the prices have increased to their highest level since Summer of 2006. The number of Days on the Market has remained stable for homes sold. A reduced time to sell would be a positive indicator for future pricing trends.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says the the surge of both closings and pending sales is another hopeful sign for the market.  The rise in buyer contracts would signal a healthy gain and that home prices are continuing to flatten out.  This drawing down of inventory is definitely a good sign as everyone hopes the tax credit will stabilize home values.

The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing market, indicating how many existing homes have accepted contracts, pending a closing.  In the Midwest, the number of pending sales is nearly 19% above a year ago this time.  In fact, there are numerous reports of multiple offers on properties.

With this in mind, the number of closed sales is expected to remain higher than the past three years through June 30, when closings must take place in order to benefit from the tax credit.

The Hyde Park, Mt. Lookout, Oakley and Columbia Tusculum neighborhoods have had 54 homes sell in the month of March, 2010.  The average Days on the Market is 102, remaining the same as the past two months. 

March buyers were trying to take advantage of the tax credit as the deadline approaches, but employment worries have remained an issue.  As a result, most of the housing demand has occurred at the low end of the market.

Nationally, both the traffic from buyers and the prices have increased to their highest level since Summer of 2006. The number of Days on the Market has remained stable for homes sold. A reduced time to sell would be a positive indicator for future pricing trends.

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says the the surge of both closings and pending sales is another hopeful sign for the market.  The rise in buyer contracts would signal a healthy gain and that home prices are continuing to flatten out.  This drawing down of inventory is definitely a good sign as everyone hopes the tax credit will stabilize home values.

The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing market, indicating how many existing homes have accepted contracts, pending a closing.  In the Midwest, the number of pending sales is nearly 19% above a year ago this time.  In fact, there are numerous reports of multiple offers on properties.

With this in mind, the number of closed sales is expected to remain higher than the past three years through June 30, when closings must take place in order to benefit from the tax credit.