River Trails honored as Blue Ribbon School

River Trails Middle School has been named a Blue Ribbon School by the U. S. Department of Education.

Officials from Washington, D.C., will present the award to this school at 2:15 p.m. today at a special assembly at River Trails Middle School.

The school was one of 287 schools throughout the country to receive the No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools award.

The honor rewards schools that are either academically superior or demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.

According to the district, the award commemorates the district's achieving for the third consecutive year the adequate yearly progress goals set forth in the No Child Left Behind legislation.

Walking tall: On Wednesday, Indian Grove School in Mount Prospect joined schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day.

More than 100 students from the school walked to school along with parents, teachers and community leaders, among them State Rep. Elaine Nekritz.

Walk to School events aim to create safer routes for walking and bicycling.

In addition, the Indian Grove community used the event to demonstrate the need for an extra crossing guard, for the addition of sidewalks along Euclid Avenue and for a reduction in the traffic around the school during pickup and drop-off times.

A special program: The Mount Prospect Public Library welcomes Chef David Esau, of Dave's Specialty Foods, for a program that will present the best techniques for cooking and serving Caribbean food. The event takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

During this cooking demonstration -- part of the Library's monthlong "Passport to the Caribbean Islands" cultural program --Esau will prepare jerk chicken, Jamaican rice and peas, and mango tart. Guests will enjoy samples and take home recipes, all included with the program's $4 registration fee.

Register for this program in-person at the library's registration desk. For more information, call (847) 253-5675.

Wrapping it up: And with that, it is time to say goodbye to Mount Prospect. My nearly two years covering the beat have been eventful. During that time, the village has expanded its tax increment financing efforts, seen the construction of the new Blues Bar, learned of plans to revamp Randhurst, imposed a smoking ban and experienced a devastating storm.

I have met many fine people and came to appreciate the hard work of the village's employees, the dedication of its public officials and the involvement and even courage of its residents.

Friendliness is indeed a way of life here.

I will still be with the Daily Herald, working as Sunday reporter. The rest of me will work full-time in Chicago.

I will still be driving through Mount Prospect, stopping at the farmers market during the summer and shopping at Randhurst. And I will still watch the Melas Park fireworks through my window in Arlington Heights.

Fifteen years as a full-time journalist is a pretty good run. For that, I thank you, Professor Reid.