You can now register for tickets to CincySwing's New Year's Eve dance at College Hill Town Hall.

The 6th annual dance will feature live music from the Monday Night Big Band, a champagne toast and balloon drop, party favors, and food. Tickets are $25 and no partner is required. Doors open at 8:15. There will be a beginner lesson at 8:30, and the band's first set starts at 9 pm.

The ballroom's capacity is 150, and Terry Thompson-Cannon of CincySwing says each year they come close to selling out, so make your reservations now by clicking here.

SonLight Power, Inc, a Cincinnati-based solar power ministry located in College Hill, has been invited to install solar power in over 350 Honduran schools by the First Lady of Honduras.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for short term mission teams throughout America to make a substantial impact in the lives of the Honduran people," says SonLight's founder Allen Rainey, a College Hill resident. Mission teams have installed solar power in Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Kenya, and Ethiopia, as well as Honduras.

According to Rainey, solar power is simple to install, almost cost-free to operate, and labor-free to maintain. It provides a stable source of electricity for lighting, AV equipment, computers, and refrigeration. SonLight Power teams have installed solar-powered panels in Honduran medical clinics, churches and 22 schools through ten trips.

The new project will take five years and will require the support of 500 churches, 1000 short-term team members, and $1M in grant money. SonLight Power's mission is to take light into darkness on two levels: First, to provide a sustainable, stable electrical source, and second, to share the light and love of the Gospel message.

For more information or to form a mission click here or call (513) 521-0708.

Story provided by Linda Crank

Looking for a little sports action close to home this weekend?

Head over to Aiken Friday night, when the Falcons boy's basketball team will play Dayton's Belmont team at 7:30 pm.

You'll see junior Darren Goodson (pictured), one of the area's top players. He and teammate Cortez Howell have already signed to play at Bowling Green State University.

Saturday, the Falcons girl's basketball team will play Hughes at 1:30, and the boys will play the Withrow Tigers at 7:30. The freshman team will also play at 4:30, and the JV team at 6. The JV match-up will be against last season's league division winners, and is the premier CMAC game of the weekend.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students. The gym will close briefly between the girls' game and the freshman game, so plan on a break if you come for all-day action. Check our calendar for the complete Falcons basketball schedules.

Story contributed by Steve Rossi

There's still time to obtain a piece of College Hill for your children or friends who no longer live in College Hill, but remember it fondly.

College Hill woven throws are available from the Forum for only $45. They are hunter green and beige with pictures of various College Hill landmarks centered around Old Town Hall.

Also available is the College Hill Cookbook, now in its second printing. It is only $15 and contains recipes submitted from all of your friends and neighbors. You will never have to wonder what to fix for dinner again.

Both items are available for purchase at the College Hill Coffee Company at the corner of Hamilton and North Bend.

Contributed by Jim Bodmer

The Northside/College Hill Kiwanis Club is collecting gift items for women soldiers stationed in Iraq this Christmas.

President Jan Holland said the group is collecting "girly" items (lotion, face creams, feminine products, soft socks to sleep in) to make the soldiers more comfortable away from home.

"I guess people don't think about it; they think that wartime is men," Holland said. "That's the way it used to be, but it's not anymore."

Items can be left care of Don Beimesche at the North Side Bank main office, 4125 Hamilton Ave., or at Northside Bank branch, or care of Rev. Bob Weaver at Twin Towers, 5343 Hamilton Ave.

Helen Habbert writes to tell us school news reported at last month's College Hill Forum meeting:

College Hill Fundamental Academy Remodel: Representatives from Moody Nolan Architects and CPS shared schematic design plans for renovation of CHFA, which is scheduled to begin in mid-2008. The plans are the result of summer meetings with teachers, parents and other community members, including Forum Treasurer Jim Bodmer.

The building's historically significant façade will be maintained, structural systems will be upgraded both to add air conditioning and improve operating efficiency, new classrooms will be added to the back in a way that  blends seamlessly with the original structure, and the entire building -- including the wonderful old auditorium -- will be cleaned and repainted. 

Bus and car congestion will also be eased, and outdoor playground areas will be expanded. CHFA will move into the old Pleasant Hill School this summer, following Mt. Airy School's move to their new building, and work on CHFA should begin by fall.


Aiken College and Careers High School: Staff and students repeated a presentation that they'd been invited to give at a recent Board of Education meeting for CPS.


In 2006-2007, Aiken College & Careers had the largest annual performance gain index in the entire school district, a jump of over 12 points (from 66 to 78.2), thus moving the school up 2 full levels on the state report card! Furthermore, during the past two years enrollment rose significantly while the number of disciplinary problems declined dramatically: from 292 students and 1,139 offenses in 2004-05, to 480 students and 596 offenses in 2006-07.

During this time, many new extracurricular activities and clubs were started and continue to thrive. Finally, the number of 8th graders throughout Cincinnati who chose to attend grew from 35 in 2005 to 130 in 2007, making it the only high school with an enrollment increase this year.

Aiken video photo by Sarah Wolf

Last year about 42% of the students at College Hill Fundamental Academy  (228 out of 547) lived in College Hill. The next largest neighborhood representation was Mt. Airy (131, or 24%). Another 20% of the total came from a combination of Northside, Westwood, Winton Hills and Winton Place.

At Aiken, the geographic mix is more diverse since all high schools are open to the entire district. Combining figures for Aiken College and Careers with Aiken University, the largest student groups came from these neighborhoods: 15.5% (141 out of 912) from College Hill; 12% from Northside; 11% from Mt. Airy; and 14% from a combination of Westwood-Winton Hills-Winton Place.

Aiken University High School and Pleasant Hill Academy both moved up a level on the state report card this year, based on academic testing done last spring.

Efforts are underway for closer coordination between Aiken and Pleasant Hill, so that more College Hill kids choose to stay in the neighborhood for high school.

Story contributed by Helen Habbert

recently as part of the College Hill Housing Team and the Quality of Life Teams' effortsDave Scharfenberger, Director of Training at WIN (Working in Neighborhoods) reported at the November Forum meeting that two dilapidated houses have been torn down to remove blight from our neighborhood. 

New houses will be built on both sites. The Housing Team is meeting with builders and making plans for the new single-family homes. Two more houses on Cedar and Lantana (one is pictured) are also boarded up and will be demolished or rehabbed in the next few months. 

Story contributed by Sarah Wolf

Last week we reported on the Christ's Community in College Hill Thanksgiving service, hosted by Grace Episcopal Church, and on St. Bartholomew Consolidated School, which collected food for the food drive.

Many other College Hill people and churches also contributed to the food collection. Here is a photo from College Hill Presbyterian Church showing volunteers from their Deacon's Food Drive loading a truck donated by Two Men and a Truck in White Oak, a moving company that also donated tape and 225 packing boxes.

The food collected at CHPC was driven to Grace, where it was stored and sorted. Food collection is going on now for Christmas at Christ's Community in College Hill (call 513-541-0303) and the Feast of Love (call 513-541-5676, ext. 167). Call to donate or volunteer!

Don't miss out on the most beautiful evening in the neighborhood -- Light Up College Hill night is Saturday, December 15 at dusk.
 
It's tradition! Remember how lovely it was last year? And the four years prior? How you walked your neighborhood, meeting old friends and making new ones, oohing and ahhing? Maybe you had a cup of cheer 'round the firepit or hosted a holiday party that evening.
 
Help repeat and expand the tradition by getting your kit if you missed the preorder deadline!
 
You have one last chance to get yours Tuesday evening from 7-8 pm at the College Hill Recreation Center. Each kit of 10 luminaria (bags, votive candles and sand) costs just $5. Refill candles and replacement bags are just $3.
 
The Events Team of the Forum thanks you for your participation--it will be lovelier  with you! Call Beth McLean at 681-1326 with questions. Special thanks to Juanita Canfield for all her hard work to make this annual light up night the best one yet.