Celebrate Thanksgiving with Slinger High School staff

By: Kylie Coffin,  Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 23rd, 2015

Thanksgiving is a special holiday where all people are allotted timeout of their hectic pre-winter schedules to appreciate the things that make their lives worth living. In daily life, it is easy to be grateful for people and circumstances at a subconscious level rather than taking the time to consciously feel thankful for them. As you give thanks this Thanksgiving, consider giving Slinger High School a thought. Every day students are taught by teachers who work to expand their knowledge of the world, build their confidence, provide them with opportunities to mature and grow, and keep them safe. Because Thanksgiving day will be upon us soon, I wanted to know what some of Slinger High School’s teachers’ associated the holiday with.

What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?

Mrs. Holzer: My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is you actually get to celebrate the Holiday of being thankful for everything in your life.  You don't need to stress about buying the perfect gifts for anyone, or shop until you drop.  Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where you truly get to appreciate and be thankful for family and friends.

Ms. Willie: My favorite thing about thanksgiving is my grandma's cranberry sauce. It's the best cranberry sauce out there. She makes it fresh with cranberries, oranges, brown sugar and some other delicious ingredients!

Mr. Strand: Like many other people, I think my favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the pumpkin pie. All of the food is great, the camaraderie with family is nice, the football games are a tradition, but the pumpkin pie is the real reason this holiday exists.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory?

(Mrs. Holzer generously shared two memories that stand out for her; both memories are touching, but the second is especially eye-opening.)

Mrs. Holzer:  I come from a very large family where there are over 50 people in one house at Thanksgiving.  So, the kids normally had to sit at a kids table when I was younger - this table DID NOT have the good china or silverware.  I will never forget the moment I was moved from the kids table to the "adult" table.  I felt like such a big deal.  But more importantly… I enjoyed watching my own daughters face at Thanksgiving when she was allowed to eat at the "adult" table off the good china and silverware.  She felt like quite the big deal - like I did - and it brought back the memories of my own childhood.  

My brother passed away in a car accident when he was 19 years old - I was 22 at the time.  It happened in May, and on that Thanksgiving in November, we all realized what the true meaning of Thanksgiving was - to be thankful for the people in your life because tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.  My brother had taken out an accidental life insurance policy on himself, so on Thanksgiving, under each of our plates, my parents had given us each $5000.00, from my brother - one last thing from him to be thankful for...it was an eye opening Thanksgiving for me when I was young, to lose someone I loved at such a young age - but a memory I will never forget and a meaning of Thanksgiving I never take for granted.

Ms. Willie: My favorite thanksgiving memory is when my friends and I have summer thanksgiving every year. We all love the food so much we decided for the last 4 years to cook a HUGE thanksgiving dinner in summer too! It's obviously delicious and we take time to go around the table and everyone has to say a couple things they are thankful for. It's extra special!

Mr. Strand: My favorite Thanksgiving memory came in 2012. My wife was pregnant with Jack and was due four days after Thanksgiving. We weren't able to travel home for the holiday, so my wife was pretty upset. We organized a Thanksgiving at our house instead, and our family came to visit with us in our home, some of them for the first time. It was great. Even better, four days later, we had a new baby.

If you wish to hear responses from Mrs. Erdmann, Mr. Hamm, and Mr. Wolf as well, check out the video above! Happy Thanksgiving from the Nite Crier staff!

In Honors of Veterans Everywhere We Sell Stars

By:Robby Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted November 23rd, 2015

In our country the date November 11th is one that doesn’t go unnoticed, for November 11th is Veterans Day. In the tradition of Veterans Day, Slinger High School sold stars for one dollar to raise money to send a veteran on Honor Flight to see the war memorials in Washington D.C. The stars fundraiser was organized by the social studies department, which included Mr.Wolf, Mrs. Stolaski, and Mr.Hamm. This tradition of selling stars started 1999 . The star was chosen as the selling item because it's the symbol of the veterans. Each year we send at least one veteran on the Honor Flight, but it’s tough since it costs 500 dollars to send a veteran on the Honor Flight. The men and women that defended our country deserve to be recognized for their hard work and sacrifice. This year the money donated totaled up to 320 dollars. To veterans everywhere the District of Slinger, Wisconsin thank you for your service.

Welcome Home Veterans!

By: Abbie Schmidt, Staff Writer

Posted November 19th, 2015

I went to welcome the veterans home from their honor flight on November 7th, 2015. While I was there, I got a chance to talk to many people. I heard their stories about why they were there, who they were there for, and where they were from.

One family asked my dad to take a picture, and the mother told us she was afraid she would start crying. That family was from Eau Claire and didn’t know anyone coming home but just wanted to welcome the veterans.

I saw a group of boy scouts who were waiting for the veterans to land and passed their time by playing cards. When the veterans came around, there was one veteran that tried to give high-fives to everyone. I noticed one of the boy scouts ask “Can I have a handshake?” with an outstretched arm.

I spoke to an older woman who divulged that she was waiting for her father. She said that he woke up at 4am that morning so he could make it to the airport on time. She told me they needed to be there at “5:30am, no earlier and no later!” That made for quite a long day because they landed at 9pm!

I saw one woman go out and hug a veteran while she cried. My dad asked if that was her father. She said no and told us he lives at the retirement home she works at.

The place was filled with volunteers, holding up signs saying that there was 1 woman veteran and 75 men veterans that got to go on that flight. Other signs said from what wars the veterans were from along with other facts about them. I saw one volunteer that was head to toe in red, white, and blue.

It was an interesting experience, seeing all of these people that have served our country being cheered for while they cried, most likely overwhelmed by the day they just experienced. I will definitely go again.

James Bond and Spectre are at a movie theater near you

By: Korey Alder, Photography Editor

Posted November 17th, 2015

Daniel Craig returns as 007 in the twenty-fourth film of the James Bond franchise, Spectre. Taking place after the events of Skyfall, Bond discovers a message from the old M (Judi Dench), telling him to stop a terrorist in Mexico City. This unauthorized mission puts Bond out of favor with the current leadership of MI6, who are in the process of merging with a new, cyber-oriented British intelligence. Using clues from the message and the help of unlikely allies, 007 uncovers the mystery behind Spectre (a shadowy organization no doubt familiar to fans of the series) and fights to put an end to their criminal acts.

Although significant focus was put on the film’s plot, tying together events of three previous movies, Spectre stays true to those classic themes that make James Bond films great: action, romance, and supercars. Many will be happy to learn that the Aston Martin DB5, shamelessly killed in Skyfall, makes a return, although overshadowed by the prototype DB10 — a supercar designed specifically for this movie. It and the Jaguar C-X75 shown off in the dramatic car chase are exceedingly rare, and neither are being sold commercially, although both hint at some of the respective company’s upcoming models. These and a host of other interesting (and expensive) vehicles play their role in the adventure, often resulting in said vehicle’s destruction.

And adventure it is! Throughout the film, viewers are taken around the world, from a Dia de los Muertos celebration in Mexico City, to the snowy peaks of the Austrian Alps and several other unique locales finally culminating at the empty shell of MI6 headquarters in London. Along the way, action is interspersed with beautiful transitional shots and sweeping landscapes, giving the film an artsy feel.

Despite being an enjoyable and well thought-out movie, there were a few disappointing moments — as with any story, but it wouldn’t be fair to leave out any mention of them. Firstly, theme song, although some would surely disagree, could have been better. Written and sung by Sam Smith, it seemed a bit high for a male vocal. The singer agrees, saying on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show that the song was “horrible to sing as it’s so high.” The lyrics were fitting, however, and that’s likely why it was chosen. There were also a few mediocre green-screen shots — most notably in the helicopter fight scene — which are surprising for a film whose budget, according to some sources, was over $300 million. The only other glaring issue was the unrealistic nature of many of the stunts, though this is a problem that has afflicted many, if not most, action movies to a greater degree than Spectre.

These criticisms are overly picky, however, for one of the best films of the Bond series. A wonderfully entertaining film, it’s a must see for any action genre enthusiast.

BattleBots IQ ready for a new season

By: Korey Alder, Photography Editor

Posted: November 17th, 2015

Last week Thursday was the first meeting of the year for BattleBots IQ, a club for building, testing, and competing with weaponized robots. The club was started nationally in 2001 by the same people who produced the popular BattleBots TV show, in which homemade robots fought each other in elaborate tournaments. IQ is a scaled down version for students, but the concept is basically the same. The club meets Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4:45 to work officially on the various bots, although many members put in extra time to meet deadlines.

The bots themselves are built from custom metal components manufactured here in Slinger High School's technology department. Electronics are mainly standard RC car, helicopter, and plane parts, which can be implemented to suit each bots needs. Each bot falls under a certain weapon category, and although there are some rules as to what kinds of weapons are allowed, some freedom is granted. The most common weapon system is the wedge, essentially a moving chassis with angled ramps on some or all of the sides. These angles are used to hopefully flip over adversaries or for defensive purposes. Another favored weapon is the “bar,” a metal rectangle that spins at high rpm, used to attack and damage enemies. There are countless variations of both these systems, and these are the choices of Slinger's bots this year.

The first competition having already passed, Slinger is currently looking to enter the May competition, located at Waukesha Technical College. These competitions provide a great opportunity to see many local and state colleges, and are open to the general public for viewing. This year, Slinger's three Bots teams will each be sending a robot to the competition; a wedge bot, bar bot, and drum bot (a variation on the bar). New members this year are being split up onto the three teams, so that they can learn from the more experienced builders and help out.

Bots club is a great place to learn about manufacturing and engineering, as you have to apply these aspects every meeting to get your bot from Solidworks to the real-world, functioning machine. The Bots club veterans recommend all the members take Slinger's engineering, electricity, and automated manufacturing classes; however these are not required to be a part of Bots. Although the first meeting for new members was this Tuesday, the bots are currently still in the design phase and fabrication doesn't begin until next week. Mr. Pokrzywa is the club's director, and anyone looking to join now should make inquiries to him. Otherwise, keep Bots club in your mind as an extra-circular for next year.

Having won several competitions in past years, Slinger has made a reputation for itself and its bots, and the club is looking forward to continuing that legacy in May.

Stay tuned for more updates as the year progresses, as well as results from the competition later in the year.

An interview with foreign exchange student Federica Tagliavini

By: Elysia Dowd, News Editor

Posted November 13th, 2015

This year Slinger High School is blessed with four foreign exchange students.  Each one has a great story to share and so much to add to the school, and so these articles are meant to show a snapshot of these awesome people.

Federica (you can call her Fede) Tagliavini is visiting us from Italy. She is from a small city that is about half way between Venice and Florence. Though Fede doesn’t come from the stereotypical big Italian family, she is very close with her big sister (who didn’t want her to leave) and mom (who encouraged her to go on this adventure).

Fede loves hanging out with her friends and  is super sporty. She has done gymnastics almost her whole life! If she had arrived in America sooner, she would have tried out for the cheerleading team. Fede has already enjoyed a slew of American classics, namely football.  She played in the powderpuff game and watched the Badgers play, and loved both. The cheeseburger is definitely her favorite american food, but apparently our pizza doesn’t even come close to how the Italians do it. She also wants to set the record straight - Nutella is Italian, so Americans don’t get to claim it!

So far Fede has liked America and Slinger High school. Back home she didn’t get to choose her classes, so she is enjoying some curricular freedom before she goes home to finish two more years of school. She loves Great Minds of the Western World with Mrs. Erdmann, and physics and AP World History are also fun for her.  As much is American History is an interesting class for her, she admits that it is definitely her hardest. She has enjoyed spending time with the friendly Slinger kids, even though our accent is sometimes a little tricky for her to understand. Fede has never celebrated Halloween or Thanksgiving before, so those holidays will definitely be a high point of her trip.

She has learned English in school similarly to how we might learn Spanish or German, so she was willing to share a few tidbits of Italian. Ciao means both “hello” and “goodbye”. Come Stai (which is pronounced very much like “como estas”) is similar in meaning to “what’s up?”

This is just a brief snapshot of Fede, Slinger’s Italian foreign exchange student who appreciates sports, loves elephants, and is excited about what the future holds for her here in Slinger. In order to get a more complete understanding of who she is and what her story is, one would simply need to meet her for him or herself.

Slinger High School competes in Celebrate My Drive campaign

By: Madeline Hoitink, Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 12th, 2015

Slinger High School was picked to represent one of the 50 "big schools" (over 751 students) to participate in State Farm's Celebrate My Drive competition.  State Farm created this event to encourage safe driving.  Through Celebrate My Drive, they have been promoting their slogan "Drive 2N2."  This means that everyone should be driving with 2 eyes on the road and 2 hands on the wheel. Slinger High School's Student Council created a 30-second submission video in order to apply for the Celebrate My Drive competition.  State Farm approved of our video and the competition began.  From Monday, November 9 to Friday, November 13, voting has taken and will take place in all of the chosen schools.  Participants had to enter their email on www.celebratemydrive.com every day. Every email used to vote receives a note to confirm that vote.  Every time someone votes, they are pledging to always drive safely.  The top 11 schools with the most votes at the end of this school week will receive $100,000 and a chance for an Echosmith concert at their school.  

 

Slinger students, staff, and family members have been working tirelessly to support their school. Currently, Slinger is in first place.  The high school has been promoting this event to everyone in the community, as it would be a great opportunity for the school.  Each Slinger High School club that sends 10 students to vote for an hour will receive $100 if Slinger finishes in the top 11.  Family and friends are also encouraged to vote to help support Slinger High School and the Slinger school district!

Expectations vs. Reality: High School (A Comedy Skit Video)

Posted November 12th, 2015

Alison Hardy is a freshman at Slinger who loves to film and edit videos, along with hang out with friends. She also is a member of the International Student Club where they do a bunch of fun things with the foreign exchange students. Alison is a part of the YouTube community, and the YouNow community--both of which are available to all devices.

Megan Cichon contributed to this posting.

Morgan Mountjoy advances towards the Marine Corps

By: Kylie Coffin, Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 11th, 2015

Slinger High School senior, Morgan Mountjoy, is planning on enlisting in the Marine Corps. It is fitting that this article be posted now, as November 10 of this year marks the 240th anniversary of the establishment of the Marine Corps. Once Morgan enlists, she will be auditioning for the band in the hopes of playing clarinet during her time in the military. Her second choice is to be a part of the Public Affairs Office in which she would be able to work for the Stars and Stripes, a newspaper that keeps the public informed about what is occurring in the Marine Corps. If she receives this job, she would have the opportunity to write and do field photography for the paper. While in the military, she will have the opportunity to work on furthering her education and receiving college credits that will be transferable once she leaves. She will also have the option to take nightly classes and earn an associate's degree.

Morgan was in the process of enlisting in the Marine Corps last year when an ACL injury caused by soccer interfered in her plans and set her back a year. She is required to wait twelve months after her ACL surgery- putting her at May of 2016- before she can qualify for basic training. She hopes to begin her basic training around August or September of next year. This would allow her to enjoy the freedom of her summer, something she was unable to truly do last year due to the limitations her knee injury placed on her. When her time for basic training comes, she will be stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, which is an over 8,000 acre military installation that is located inside of Port Royal, South Carolina. Morgan is planning to join a delayed entry program that would allow her to be enlisted in the Marine Corps but also have the ability to choose when she wishes to leave. Because of this, she wants to join in May- the soonest she can- so that she has a year to make that decision.

Although she has not endured her basic training yet, Morgan has already gotten a sense of what the physical demands of this will be. Before the ACL injury, her recruiter had encouraged her to attend physical training sessions at the Military Recruiting Office in West Bend. In Morgan’s words, this included, “pretty brutal workouts that give you a taste of what basic will be like.” She is not currently participating in these workouts because she is still in the process of restoring her knee to full strength. However, as she works towards full health, she has been running and doing strength training in order to refamiliarize her knee with these motions. Once she enlists, she will be required to participate in the physical training again.

A variety of people in Morgan’s life have influenced and inspired her to join the military, including her peers. Several of her friends have recently joined or are planning on joining the national guard. She has a family friend who recently enlisted in the Army and is currently in the midst of basic training. Morgan has become friends with other members of Slinger’s graduating class who also plan to enlist in the Marine Corps, such as Noah Mezera and Jesse Rickert. In addition to peer influences, Morgan also has several family members who were members of the military. This includes a few cousins, one of which was in the infantry of the Marine Corps and fought in Afghanistan, and another who is a member of the Air Force.

Because she is surrounded by so many people who are involved in the military and because she is personally enlisting in the Marine Corps, it makes sense that Morgan believes it is a duty that is incredibly important. When asked about joining the military, Morgan responded, “If you’re willing-like I’m willing to do it-and if you’re able, why not?” She feels it is important to join because military members are the ones who, on a daily basis, protect the United States and defend the freedoms that citizens sometimes take for granted but always hold close to their hearts. However, she knows that not everyone is interested in joining a branch of the military and certainly cannot be forced to, but she acknowledges the fact that simply supporting the forces is a way of being a patriotic and loyal citizen of the United States.

Charles M. Schulz’s Characters Come Back for Another New Adventure, But Now On the Big Screen

By: Robbie Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted November 11th, 2015

The Peanut Gang comes back in their big screen dayview in The Peanuts Movie. The Peanuts Movie is about the adventures of Charlie Brown trying to get the attention of his crush, the Little Red Haired Girl, but it keeps going wrong for him. From these adventures, the movie shows Charlie Brown in different moral conflicts centered around his moral needs and wants. Now what this means is that in each conflict we see Charlie Brown having to choose between his want for the attention of the Little Red Haired Girl or his morals. This movie is written by Bryan Schulz, the son of Charles M. Schulz, and his love for these characters is shown through the story, which shows off the great personality that his father’s characters always had.  Another amazing aspect of the Peanuts Movie is the blend of the 2D and 3D animation for the effect from the old T.V. holiday specials that is rerun every year on ABC. The blend of the 2D and 3D animation helps give the movie that old Peanuts feel that you can’t help but admire.  With a great story, animation, and characters, The Peanuts Movie is fun for the whole family.

Slinger Cross Country wraps up their season after running to new records

By: Madeline Hoitink, Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 11th, 2015

Last weekend, the Slinger girls’ and boys’ varsity cross country seasons came to an end when Ali Wolf and David Fassbender braved the cold to run at Wisconsin’s Division 1 State meet in Wisconsin Rapids.  Both the boys’ and girls’ teams this fall proved to be very successful, and many talented individuals stepped up to lead the team in practices and at meets.

Juniors Ali Wolf and Hannah Strachan led the Slinger girls’ cross country team.  In the beginning of the season, Wolf and Strachan set the pace for their team.  However, two talented freshman, Makaila Groves and Paige Fassbender, were great additions to the team and began to challenge the two juniors by the third meet.  Over the entire season, Wolf ran with a Personal Record (PR) of 19:25, followed by Groves and Fassbender with PR’s of 20:12 and 20:21.  Strachan closely follows Fassbender with a PR of 20:22.  Wolf has earned the #3 rank on the Junior Cross Country Honor Roll and First Team All-Conference, and Strachan has earned #7 on the Junior Honor Roll and Third Team All-Conference.  Groves is now #5 of the Freshman Honor Roll and earned Second Team All-Conference.  Fassbender earned #7 on the Freshman Honor Roll and Third Team All-Conference.  As a team, the lady Owls had a very successful season, earning first place as a team in many meets, including the Mayville Mike Hurlbert Invitational, the Waukesha South CC Festival, and Laser Relays.  Cross country’s senior girls include Megan Meyer, Liz Weiland, Kaylin Cox, Katie White, Heidi Pardon, Ashlyn Schwind, Brook Johnson, and Kristin Klahn.

Boys’ cross country also had an outstanding season.  Juniors John German and David Fassbender stepped up to lead the team.  Fassbender recorded the fastest time for the Slinger boys, with a PR of 16:05, which he ran at the Sectional meet.  German also proved to have a strong season, running a best time of 17:17.  Sophomore Augie Beyer and Junior Cameron Opalacz greatly helped their team with PR’s of 16:48 and 17:48.  Fassbender has worked tirelessly to become the second fastest Junior Slinger has had.  Beyer was able to earn the #1 ranking on the Sophomore Honor Roll and Second Team All-Conference.  German earned #18 on the Junior Honor Roll.  In addition, the Owls ran to first place as a team at the following meets:  Kettle Moraine Lutheran Invitational, Mayville Mike Hurlbert Invitational, and Laser Relays.  This year’s senior Owls include Jeremiah Miller, Hunter Goodwin, Brad Barnes, Alex Moser, and Julian Blecking.

This season, the Owls were very fortunate to have two especially talented athletes:  David Fassbender and Ali Wolf.  Fassbender and Wolf both ran PR performances at the WIAA Sectional meet and placed high enough to earn a place at the WIAA State meet in Wisconsin Rapids.  Fassbender placed second at sectionals, and Wolf placed seventh.  Overall, both the boys’ and girls’ teams finished in 4th place in their sectional meet, which is much improved from last year.  In the girls’ race, Wolf, Paige Fassbender, Strachan, Groves, and Junior Abby Verhunce placed in the top 50.  In the boys’ race, Fassbender, Beyer, German, Opalacz, and Junior Trent Huebner finished in the top 50.  At this year’s state meet, both Fassbender and Wolf had great performances.  Fassbender finished 19th and Wolf finished 60th.  Many of the runners’ friends and family came to support them for this amazing experience.

Next year, Slinger Cross Country is looking for an even better season, with increased work ethic, preparation, and performances!

The Secret Behind Political Campaigns gets Revealed in the Movie Our Brand is Crisis

By:Robby Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted November 6th, 2015

Sandra Bullock is back in the complex, but informal political drama that showcases what goes on behind scenes of a political campaign and the emotional battle that goes behind it. Our Brand is Crisis is about Jane Bodine, (played by Sandra Bullock) who is a political consultant that left the business because of the toll it took on her. She is asked back by Ben (played by Anthony Mackie) and Nell (played by Ann Dowd), who both are the head workers of the Bolivian presidential campaign of Senator Pedro Castillo  (played by Joaquim de Almeida) who is behind in the race. Jane only agrees to this because the opponent's political consultant is her old archenemy, named Pat Candy (played by Billy Bob Thornton). So Jane and the team go out and try to win the campaign.

The main driving point of this movie is that we see the behind scenes look at the campaigns and the methods that the campaign teams use to win. The acting in movie is excellent, especially Sandra Bullock’s, who has turned in many great performances in the past. She brings another great performance as a broken down political consultant who comes back to the world of politics only to destroy her old enemy. Billy Bob Thornton is also good at portraying the jerk face Pat Candy, who constantly tries to intimidate Jane and steal her ideas for his campaign. Our Brand is Crisis gets its message across very well with great performances and characters.

Nite Crier Best Costume Contest Winner

Congratulations to Emily Miller, our Nite Crier Best Costume Contest Winner!  Don't forget to check out the Nite Crier on a daily basis for news, sports, entertainment and future contest.

District Renovations in the Works

By: Kylie Coffin, Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 4th, 2015

By the beginning of 2017, the School District of Slinger will be entirely debt free. Because of this, it has been an opportune time for the district to observe the conditions of its buildings and make renovations in the hopes of benefitting students, staff members, and parents. Bray Architects have accessed the school and collaborated with the School Board to create a list of potential updates. These improvements would include all school buildings in the district.

At Slinger High School specifically, renovations would include updates to Technology and Engineering Education areas and Family and Consumer Education areas to better prepare students for skills needed in post-high school endeavors. New classrooms would be added to accommodate Slinger’s increase of students, and new special education rooms would be created as well.The outdoor athletics area would acquire restrooms, locker rooms, a concessions area, and storage. Also, typical building upkeep would be addressed by updating the heating, ventilation, electrical, and fire alarm systems. In order to renovate Music Education areas, improvements and expansions would be made to the music classrooms, and they would be relocated nearer to the proposed auditorium. The auditorium would be located in the back of the school near the tennis courts (with parking lot reconfigurations) and would provide a place for district and community performances to take place, while also freeing up gym space for athletics.

In a survey conducted this September, the district presented all of this information (and more including the lower level schools) to community residents. It asked if they would support a referendum that provided $32.4 million for the updates at each of the district school buildings, and in a separate question asked if they would support the construction of the $10.8 million auditorium. The survey received over 1,800 responses. All residents (including parents of students, staff members, non-parents, and non-staff members) supported the $32.4 million updates with a 77% majority. When removing parents and staff members from the mix, renovations still had 61% support. While 55% of all residents supported the auditorium construction, when parents and staff were removed, 43% of residents did not support the auditorium and 42% did. Although the line between a yes or no majority was incredibly thin, the responses reflect the concerns members of the community who are not tied to the schools.

In the Building and Grounds Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 28, committee members discussed the possibility of making some sacrifices in the updates of the auditorium and lowering the cost to $9.8 million in the hopes of satisfying concerned residents. The committee emphasized the importance of listening to all residents of the community and responding according to their wishes and concerns. A crucial part of this process is making sure all community members are informed about the renovation ideas. Because of this, the district plans to conduct open houses at each school building in which the specific renovations for that building will be presented to the public. The intent of these open houses would not be to persuade residents to vote in support of the renovations, but rather to inform all so they can make an educated vote. The final plan for district renovations, including a final price for the proposed auditorium, will be ready by November 16 to present at the School Board Meeting, and the referendum vote will occur in February.

“Seussical The Musical” performances coming soon

By: Kylie Coffin, Co Editor-in-Chief

Posted November 4th, 2015

As October comes to a close, Slinger High School’s musical production is quickly approaching. The cast is currently wrapping up their final preparations for performing “Seussical, The Musical” for the community on November 13, 14, and 15.

This fall’s musical experienced a major change in leadership as three new individuals stepped into the roles of directors. Emily Lofy, Heidi Lofy, and Joann Husslein were the individuals who took on the heavy but rewarding responsibility of bringing Dr. Seuss’ well-know characters to life. Mrs. Peters, Slinger High School’s choral director, has also put many hours into rehearsing music with the cast. One link to the three-part directing staff this year, Ms. Emily Lofy, is a Slinger High School alumnus and a current American Studies I and World Studies teacher at Slinger. Mrs. Heidi Lofy and Mrs. Husslein are founding members of the Hartford Players, and Ms. Lofy got her start in performing at age 8 by spending every summer in that theater. She also performed in three Slinger High School productions as a student from 2004 to 2008. Overall, she knows a thing or two about the dynamic and expectations of Slinger’s theater program.  

Adults, however, are not the only ones running the show in this musical. There are four student leaders whose past experience on the set and behind the scenes of Slinger productions has allowed them to make valuable contributions to this show as well. Becca Rodenkirch and Granite Goeller are the student directors and Renee Wagner and Kali Hottenroth share the title of stage manager.

The “Seussical The Musical” cast spends roughly 15 hours a week practicing. From Monday to Wednesday they are at rehearsal from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and on Thursdays they rehearse from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. On the weekends, cast members devote time to building the set for the show, and soon they will begin holding Sunday practices as well. While dedicating so much of their after school time to making “Seussical” performance-ready, many of these student actors are balancing these duties with the responsibilities of being honor roll students. Ultimately, the passion the cast and crew have for the performance is incredibly real.

Although they spend hours of time on perfecting the show, this group has had an abundance of fun while memorizing lyrics, running lines, practicing dance steps, and learning notes. How could one not have fun while dealing with the storylines of Dr. Seuss? When asked what her favorite memories from this fall were, Ms. Lofy responded, “This cast is a treasure trove of talent and seeing them really get into character has been wonderful. I would also say that chasing the parade float (which went so fast!) was rather exciting.” It is highly likely that this fun-loving spirit and talent will shine through on performance dates as well.  

Because so many people are so familiar with the works of Dr. Seuss, this performance will have a relatable feeling of familiarity that might send you back in time to when you sat reading his books with your family. This musical touches on the deeper meaning behind Seuss’ plots and characters to make the simple, well-known stories something with more emotional weight. According to Ms. Lofy, “Seussical touches upon such universal ideals that whether you are 5, 15, or 50, you will identify with something in this show.” This show would be regretful to miss, so call your family and friends and take them to Slinger’s rendition of “Seussical the Musical.” Performances are at 7:00 pm in the Slinger High School Auditorium on November 13 and 14 and the matinee  performance is at 2:00 pm on Sunday, November 15. Tickets are available for purchase at the Slinger High School office.

The Best Halloween Costume Contest Submissions

Posted November 2nd, 2015

Thank you to those who have so far submitted pictures to the Nite Crier.  Remember that you have until 3pm today to submit pictures to nitecrier@slingerschools.org.

Who will be our winner of The Best Halloween Costume Contest?  Find out Wednesday afternoon!

Slinger’s incredi-bowl bowling teams starting up for the season

By Abbie Schmidt, Staff Writer

Posted November 2nd, 2015

Slinger High School’s bowling teams are supported by their head coach, Mr. Keith Scott, and two assistant coaches, Mrs. Jennifer Rozek and Mrs. Linda Ritger. I spoke with Mrs. Rozek who was very helpful in expanding my knowledge of High School bowling. I asked her what she was most looking forward to as a coach and she disclosed that she is excited to help the kids improve on their skills, pass along the enjoyment of bowling, and help promote the sport. She informed me that bowling is the fastest growing High School sport right now. “To be able to represent Slinger with a Boys Varsity team and a Girls Varsity team is very exciting.”

When asked how many people were on a team, she told me, “Right now we have 6 Boys and 5 girls. We may be adding another boy and we are really trying to get more girls involved.  We would like to add 1 or 2 more girls. At meets a team consists of 5 people.” Mrs. Rozek told me that they practice at Kettle Moraine Bowl in Slinger on Wednesdays from 3pm to 5pm. “We started practice October 7 and will continue until the end of January. We start practice with warm ups, do some drills, practice spare shots, and finish with bowling against each other.” Mrs. Rozek revealed.

All their hard work is preparing them for upcoming meets. They will have meets in November, December and January against other area schools. Tournaments will take place at the end of January and early February, with State the first weekend in March. Anyone is able and welcome to come and watch at these meets, but Mrs. Rozek made sure to mention that “the bowling lanes and area where the bowlers sit is ONLY for teams and coaches."

I asked about the highest score achieved so far and she surprised me by saying a boy has gotten a 225 already! (Bowling is out of 300 points.) Mrs. Rozek explained that High School bowling is a little different than traditional bowling. “High Schools and colleges use the Baker Format for bowling. Instead of one person bowling 10 frames, which is the typical format, the entire 5 person team will combine to bowl 10 frames. It works that the first bowler only bowls frame 1 & 6, the second bowler 2 & 7, third bowler 3 & 8, fourth bowler 4 & 9, and the fifth bowler (which is usually your anchor bowler - or best bowler) 5 & 10. This style encourages teamwork and camaraderie because you need to trust that your teammates will do well in their frames while also knowing everyone is relying on you to do well in yours.” She gave me the example that “if you would come and watch a meet Slinger would be on lane 1 and Hartford on lane 2 with 5 per team. 10 frames would be bowled. The teams would then switch lanes. Slinger goes to lane 2 Hartford to lane 1.  They would then bowl another 10 frames. Then they would switch again and bowl another 10 frames. After this Slinger would move to lane 3 and bowl against Kewaskum on lane 4. The games would go the same as above. At each meet you will bowl against 2 different schools.”

The amount of points you get in High School bowling matters even if you don’t win. The bigger score at the end ultimately wins, but they also keep track of how many strikes, spares, and opens the team and individuals get. Mrs. Rozek explained that this is called a fill percentage. “When it comes time for invitational/tournaments at the end of the year the fill percentage will be considered. The higher your fill percentage = you are getting more marks (strikes/spares).”

Overall, it sounds as though the bowlers are excited for a season of improving their game and being part a team. Hopefully they’ll have a strike-ingly good time!

The Story Behind the Man in the Turtleneck Gets Told in the Movie Launch of the Century

By: Robby Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted November 2nd, 2015

The movie Steve Jobs is about the career and personal life of Steve Jobs who is played by Michael Fassbender. The movie talks about Jobs being hired by Apple, then getting fired, and then eventually being rehired. But there’s more to the movie than just that. The movie also highlights the personal life of Steve Jobs, during the court case between him and his ex-girlfriend over their possible child.

The movie is set up so that at the beginning, middle, and end of the movie there is always a launch for one of Steve’s new computer products. At the beginning, with the launch of the Macintosh, the viewers see only the behind the scenes before the launch. This is where we  meet the different people in Steve’s life like Joanna, Steve’s secretary (played by Kate Winslet) and Steve’s friends. Steve Wozniak (played by Seth Rogen), John Sculley (played by Jeff Daniels), and Andy Hertzfeld (played by Michael Stuhlbarg). We also witness the strain put on the relationship between Steve’s ex-girlfriend, Chrisann (played by Katherine Waterston) and his daughter, Lisa (played by Makenzie Moss) because Jobs is ordered to pay child support for a daughter he “claims” isn’t his.

The movie then shows news reports on Steve Jobs getting fired from Apple and Jobs making his own company named NeXT. The movie then goes to the launch of the NeXT computer where Steve is again visited by his friends and his daughter Lisa. With every visit from Steve’s friends we are shown the truths behind Steve’s friendships and how Steve got fired through the conversations and actions of the characters. The truth behind Steve’s firing is show in flashbacks when Steve talks to John Sculley. Since the Macintosh failed, Sulley was forced by the Apple Board of Directors to fire Steve. At this launch, the viewer is also shown more about Steve’s relationship with Lisa and her home life with her mom.

From there we see the crash of the Apple Corporation and the firing of John Sculley, which leads to the Apple Corp. buying the NeXT company. This allows Steve Jobs to return as the CEO of the Apple Corporation. In the conclusion of the film, we see the launch of the iMac, and with that we see all of Steve’s relationships go full circle.

Steve Jobs is a movie that shows Steve Jobs for who he truly was, which was a very controlling, egocentric, tyrant of a man that thought he was the smartest of the human race.  The actors did an excellent job in portraying these people accurately. Steve Jobs is a very good documentary on a man who was depicted differently in the media than who he truly was in real life until now.