Running for Office

I guess I'm back on the schedule. I had a little bit of delayed onset jet lag this morning when I woke up sluggish. After driving Sarah to school, I went back to bed. Round 2 of my day started at 10:30 and I went out for my 8 mile run. It's been snowing big, wet snowflakes all morning and hasn't stopped yet. Nothing seems to be sticking though. It just feels like it's pouring snow, which is better for running than if it were pouring rain.

I ran 8.25 miles in 1:25:27 (10:20 avg. pace). The route I run is challenging with lots of uphills, but it's in the neighborhood so I like it. Besides, there are two houses under construction about a mile and a half apart which means two nicely spaced port-o-lets should I need them! When I do my long run, I may do the loop twice and put out water and Gatorade. It will be nice not to have to carry them along.

As I was running, I saw a couple of yard signs for Barak Obama. Ohio’s Primary election is next Tuesday. Yesterday Obama was in town and today, Clinton is here. Not surprising. This is the part of Ohio that elected George Bush twice, but also elected Clinton twice before that (for all you Sara Jane’s out there whose memories are too young to know this fact). I plan to cast my vote for Hillary, but it really warms my heart to see the hopeful look in the eyes of Obama supporters. I don’t remember, in my own lifetime, so much energy and excitement by young voters over a presidential candidate. Yesterday, I was working at my kids’ high school in the College Information Center, where I have a lot of contact with juniors and seniors. Quite a few were trying to arrange schedules to attend the Obama rally at UC. It’s exciting!

By the way, for all you Jeopardy fans, the winner of last week’s Teen Jeopardy is a sophomore at my kid’s high school. I missed the finals, but I understand she missed an easy daily double. Who says you have to be good at math to be good at trivia?

Walnut Hills High School

Two posts in one day -- what a loser!

Watch this: It's a video of my kids' school, Walnut Hills High School. We all think it's a very cool school too.

Walnut Hills is a Cool School!

Bragging Rights

Please allow me a minute to brag. Walnut Hills High School has once again been named one of Newsweek's top 100 public high schools in the United States. You can see for yourself the entire list here. Only two schools in Cincinnati made the top 100. One, Indian Hill, was on the list last year but this year was demoted from 68 to 81. Walnut Hills went from 65 last year to 34 this year.

My sons both attend Walnut Hills. My husband graduated from Walnut Hills as did his mom and both of my parents. I couldn't be more proud of this fine institution and its students and alumni. Walnut is the gem of the city and it's great to see it recognized, again, in a national magazine.

Here is the email that principal Marvin O. Koenig sent regarding the rankings:

"Congratulations! Your hard work and that of our students is being recognized once again. Newsweek currently has Walnut Hills in the top 100. The school went up to 34 from 65 last year. Indian Hill was 68 last year and is at 81 this year. IH is the only other Ohio school in the top 100. Wyoming slipped below this year. I suspect each year you will see schools bobbing around in the rankings, being down one year and up the next since a very simplistic formula is used. WHHS being recognized in the 99th percentile of the nation's public secondary schools is gratifying. It is great to have your accomplishments noted. Congratulations again! "

Mr. Koenig is retiring after this year and we will miss him.

WAY TO GO WALNUT HILLS!