This year’s children’s parade will be on Sunday, June 29th at Holland Park (1 Park Drive). The participant line-up and judging will be held from 9 A.M. - 9:30 A.M. and the parade beginning promptly at 10:00 A.M. The parade route will travel Ellipse Parkway a majority of the way around and conclude on the east side of the park.

The parade will be organized into three categories beginning with bicycles, next will be tricycles/Big Wheels, and ending with strollers and wagons. Motorized cycles or scooters are not permitted in the parade.

Trophies for first and second place will be awarded for the “best decorated” in each of the three parade categories. The winners will receive their trophies at the conclusion of the parade. Each child will receive a goodie bag at the finish line for their participation in the parade.

Approximately 350 children participated in last year’s parade while hundreds of family and friends cheered them on. Parents are welcome to participate with their child in the parade to promote fun for the entire family.

Children need to be dropped off at Sunblest Boulevard on the east side of Holland Park at Ellipse Parkway. They must walk to the starting point at Holland Drive and Ellipse Parkway. Please do not drop your children off at Ellipse Parkway Holland Drive. Children can be picked up on the grassy area just south of the intersection. Please do not block the intersection with your vehicles for you and your child’s safety.

The mission of the Fishers Freedom Festival is to encourage fellowship through civic partnerships and citizen involvement by creating a safe environment, developing needed community services, promoting family integrity and striving to improve the quality of life for every resident by investing in human potential.

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, this year’s theme is “20 Years Are Great in 2008.” The Fishers Freedom Festival is always in need of volunteers at different levels of participation. For more information on volunteering or about the festival, please visit www.FishersFreedomFestival.org, email freedomfestival@sbcglobal.net, visit 8601 East 116th Street in Fishers or call 317-595-3195.

Fishers residents can learn the latest tips for designing, cultivating and maintaining a spectacular garden without having to use expensive fertilizers or huge amounts of water during dry periods.

Organized by Hamilton County’s Urban Conservationist, Shaena Smith, interested residents can attend without the expectation that this is another one of those FREE events that are nothing more than one of those marketing pitches disguised as a workshop. Hamilton County is seeking to educate homeowners and gardening enthusiasts about the simple ways to grow a breath-taking garden without adversely affecting the environment with harmful synthetic fertilizers.

Two identical workshops have been scheduled where you can spend two hours learning about rain gardens, native plants, water edge enhancements and nutrient management:

More information is also available at www.hamiltonswcd.org or when you register for the workshop at: 773-2181 ext. 101 (or) tina.moon@in.nacdnet.net.

By making a few small changes in the way you manage your backyard, you can make a big difference in the quality of Hamilton County’s valuable water resources!

Click the links for printable flyers about these free workshops:

Geist Area Workshop Flyer

Carmel Area Workshop Flyer

August 19-Fishers Summer Concert Series, Zanna-Doo!
On the lawn in front of Fishers Town Hall
One Municipal Drive, Fishers 46038
NEW TIME 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Bring your lawn chairs, picnics and blankets to enjoy Zanna-Doo! (Variety/Top 40) Indianapolis based, Zanna-Doo! is a high energy dance band, providing soulful vocals and rock solid beats that keep fans moving all night long. They mingle tunes from several genres not excluding Disco, Motown, Retro, 90’s, and current top 40 hits. Zanna-doo! has performed as an opening act for Otis Day and the Knights and most recently, country act Big and Rich. Presented by Fishers Parks & Recreation with grant support from Legacy Fund, a CICF affiliate. Free!
http://www.fishers.in.us/parks

This yearʼs court will be:

• Queen: Sarah Hamby of Lantern Road Elementary, age 6
• King: Quinn Heiking of Cumberland Road Elementary, age 7

Princesses:

• Savannah Kennedy of Fishres Elementary, age 7
• Kavaree Mason of Cumberland Road Elementary, age 7
• Olivia Porter of Sandcreek Elementary, age 7
• Megan Pitts of Lantern Road Elementary, age 6

Princes:

• Alec Field of Fall Creek Elementary, age 7
• Jeremy Roesner of Sandcreek Elementary, age 6
• Nathan Shatkowski of Geist Elementary, age 7
• Connor Stidham of Harrison Parkway Elementary, age 6

Royal Court entry forms were sent to all Hamilton Southeastern school children who would be six to seven years old by June 1, 2008. Over 500 entry forms were received by March 10th and were placed in a box according to gender. At a Fishers Town Council meeting, the winning names were randomly drawn.

Back in 1989, the founders of the Fishers Parade and Festival decided to have a community gathering to celebrate Independence Day. With the help of volunteers, the event originated as a one-day community picnic, parade, and a few games for the children. Due to the overwhelming participation by the public, this event grew to a two-day event.

In celebration of our 20th anniversary, this year’s theme is “20 Years Are Great in 2008.” The Fishers Freedom Festival is always in need of volunteers at different levels of participation. For more information on volunteering or about the festival, please visit www.FishersFreedomFestival.org, email freedomfestival@sbcglobal.net, visit 8601 East 116th Street in Fishers or call 317-595-3195.

Caption: Front row from left to right: Kavaree Mason, Sarah Hamby (Queen), Olivia Porter and Megan Pitts. 

Back row from left to right:  Alec Field, Connor Stidham, Quinn Heiking (King) and Jeremy Roesner.

Pictured below: Savannah Kennedy & Nathan Shatkowski.

The public is invited to review and comment on transit system options currently being considered for the Northeast Corridor, our region’s busiest. As the Central Indiana’s primary transportation planner, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) made a preliminary Northeast Corridor transit route and technology recommendation on April 30 to the Indianapolis Regional Transportation Council (IRTC) – the decision-making body of the regional transportation planning process. In addition to that proposed system, the MPO and the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA) will present details at public meetings on a lower cost, faster-to-implement ‘starter system’ that could meet the commuting needs of the Northeast Corridor in as little as 3-5 years. Bus Rapid Transit service along the same route will also be discussed.

“We’re looking at using the Nickel Plate Line, from Noblesville to downtown Indianapolis, and some version of rail or bus transit,” notes MPO Manager Mike Dearing. “But we need to hear from the public on what they’d prefer and what trade-offs they’re willing to make. That’s why these meetings are so important.”

Northeast Corridor Transit Public Meetings
• Monday, June 16 (‘Brown Bag’ Open House)
• Indiana Historical Society, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis
• Doors/Exhibits open at 11:45 AM, Presentation/Q & A from 12:15 – 1:30 PM

• Tuesday, June 17
• Glick Junior Achievement Center, 7435 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis
• Doors/Exhibits open at 6 PM, Presentation/Q & A from 6:30 – 8 PM

• Wednesday, June 18
• Fishers Town Hall, 1 Municipal Dr., Fishers
• Doors/Exhibits open at 7 PM, Presentation/Q & A from 7:30 – 9 PM

• Tuesday, June 24
• Indianapolis Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis
• Doors/Exhibits open at 6 PM, Presentation/Q & A from 6:30 – 8 PM

Currently, the MPO and meeting co-host CIRTA are also addressing stakeholder groups located within the corridor (Call 327-5136 or 327-7585 to schedule a presentation.) As implementing agency, CIRTA will see the recommendation through Draft Environmental Impact Study, Preliminary Engineering and funding identification if approved by the IRTC later this year.

For more information, contact:
Joe Whitman, APR, Indy MPO, 627-1614, whitman@netdirect.net
John Bartholomew, City of Indianapolis, 327-6709, jbarthol@indygov.org

The Chicago tournament started with 46 teams from across the United States. Each team played six matches in the first two days, and those winning at least four continued to finals. Coach John Drozd said Indiana has a reputation as one of the strongest states with Lafayette Harrison High School winning and both Hamilton Southeastern and Fishers high schools reaching finals last year.

FHS sent two teams this year coached by Drozd and Deb Hejl: Team Mango – Patrick Axon, Rachel Cooke, Matthew Hartley, Zeke Willey, Robert Wiesler and Alexander Smith. Team Habanera – Parth Patel, Zach Willey, Ian Goller, Christina Koenig, Yuji Xie and Christopher Womble. HSEHS’s team coached by Ashley Rightsell included the following: Denny Allman, Justin Kingsolver, Tom Zhang, Sawyer Morgan, Mike Wildnauer and Mark Mace.

FHS teams were 1-1 after the day one, both losing their first matches in “heartbreaking style” on the last questions of the matches according to Coach Drozd. Team Habanera played schools ranked second, third and sixth and bowed out of the competition on the second day. Team Mango came back to win two morning matches, then lost an afternoon contest before beating it’s final opponent Sunday to qualify for Monday’s finals. HSEHS’s team won two and lost four in preliminary matches and did not continue.

In its first match of the Monday finals, the number-fifteenth-ranked Fishers Team Habanera faced third-ranked Wilmington Charter. The squads were tied in the first round of the match, but Fishers lost in round two. Reaching the finals does qualify the team for next year’s tournament.

Part of championship weekend included a “Who wants to be a game show host?” competition where seniors auditioned to be readers in next year’s competition. Fishers seniors Zach Willey and Rachel Cooke were selected as finalists from 20 competitors. Willey was the eventual winner. In addition, Fishers Coaches Drozd and Deb Hejl were members of the winning squad in the four-team coaches’ tournament.

For more information, contact Drozd by email at jdrozd@hse.k12.in.us or Rightsell at arightsell@hse.k12.in.us

Above: Fishers High School’s Team Habanera qualified for the finals round at the National Academic Championship in Chicago last weekend. Members include Zach Willey, Christina Koenig, Yuji Xie, Parth Patel, Chris Womble and Ian Goller.

Fishers High School Senior Zach Willey (with contest official Ernie Anderson) won a “game show host” competition and will return to the national competition next year as a reader.

Fishers Junior High English teacher Tony Sturgeon was selected as the HSE District Teacher of the Year and will represent the corporation in the state-wide competition for Indiana Teacher of the Year. He will submit a portfolio later in the summer and the state honor is announced in the fall.

Sturgeon was selected from individual building winners including the following:
Karin Foster, Brooks School Elementary
Pam Tharp, Cumberland Road Elementary
Emily Tracy, Durbin Elementary
Maria Ging, Fall Creek Elementary
Marilyn Stewart, Fishers Elementary
Aimee Bastin, Geist Elementary
Laura Moos, Harrison Parkway Elementary
Andrew Foreman, Hoosier Road Elementary
Julie McKinney, Lantern Road Elementary
Donna Maple, New Britton Elementary
Heidi Rogers, Sand Creek Elementary
Mike Hufty, Fall Creek Intermediate
Julia Seville, Sand Creek Intermediate
Susan Torrence, Riverside School
Lori Trulock, HSE Junior High
Terri Thompson-Mejias, Fishers High School
Cathy Glick, HSE High School

In addition, the district honored ten retiring employees:
Beth Backus, HSE Junior High
Carolyn Brittsan, Hoosier Road Elementary
Pam Cutcliff, Riverside School
Martha Dafnos, Riverside School
Cindy Gemmer, HSE High School
Marjorie Kimes, Fishers Elementary
Donna Maple, New Britton Elementary
Carlabeth Mathias, Hoosier Road Elementary
Mary Ann Verkamp, HSE High School
Elaine Whitman, Hoosier Road Elementary

Hamilton Southeastern Schools will conduct its annual surplus auction Saturday, June 21, at HSE High School in the Leonard Auditorium.  Preview of items begins at 8 a.m. and bidding begins at 9 a.m. Sale inventory includes items such as many computers, vacuum cleaners, cafeteria equipment, copiers, tables, desks and chairs.