By AARON MUELLER
Cassopolis Vigilant

Even if Cassopolis High School has very slim chances of being selected to have President Barack Obama come to speak for commencement, the fact that Principal Tony Habra took the time to submit an application speaks volumes on how he feels about his school.

The application process was long, taking Habra two and a half weeks to complete. He had to write five detailed essays in response to a series of questions, and he created a two-minute video about the school.

“Even if he doesn’t come to speak, I hope it brings some recognition to our school for applying,” Habra said.

Six finalists will be selected by the White House and Department of Education. Those schools will be featured on the White House Web site. Visitors to the Web site will then vote for the three schools that best meet the president’s goals and standards for education. Obama will select the winner from those three finalists.

Schools will be judged on their performance and ability to prepare graduates for college or careers.

A winner will be announced in three to four weeks.