Lady Owls score their second win against Lomira

By Alison Wolf, Staff Writer

Posted November 30th, 2015

The Lady Owls (1-0) had their second game against the Lomira Lions (0-0) for an exciting Friday night home game (November 20th). The Owls had a comfortable lead for a majority of the game until the final minute when Lomira tied it up, tough defense and a buzzer beating shot gave the Owls their second win of the season. Their next game is at Hartford on December 1st.

Final Score 38-36

Freshman won and Junior Varsity lost

Slinger Owls boys basketball outshoots Nicolet 86-80

By: Benjamin Hoitink, Staff Writer

Posted November 30th, 2015

Slinger Owls boys basketball outshoots Nicolet 86-80 in their season opener. Senior Jesse Bellefeuil and sophomore Derek Sabin led the Owls in scoring with 22 points each, helping the team overcome a 9 point deficit at halftime. The Owls will travel to Kewaskum on Tuesday, December 1 to take on the Indians.

The Boxing Gloves gets dusted off for one more fight. A Preview of Creed: The Movie

By: Robby Timmler, Staff Writer

Posted November 24th, 2015

On November 25, the fifth addition to the Rocky Franchise “Creed” hits theaters. With this in mind, we look back at the original that started it all Rocky. The plot of Rocky, which is about a small-time boxer with a chance to fight the heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. Now the plot of Creed is where Adonis Johnson, son of Apollo Creed is being train by retired champ Rocky Balboa to be the next great boxer. This shows how the plot of Creed is like Rocky V, but with a little twist in that Rocky is training Adonis the son of his former rival. Now Creed has another difference than Rocky in that Adonis is walk in the footsteps of his father gives it its own story.  In the end, I think Creed is going to be a great addition to the Rocky Franchise with having Creed deal with the moral dilemmas of family, honor, and fighting.

Slinger's Ac Dec is a rewarding experience for any student

By: Hannah Stadel, Staff Writer

Posted November 24th, 2015

Is studying or reading your favorite pastime? Do you get excited when you hear someone mention learning? Academic Decathlon is for you! Even if you’re not  nerdy, Ac Dec is a great way to prepare for college as well as provide an excellent opportunity to impress scholarship committees. And it’s fun!

Ac Dec is essentially competitive test taking. As a member you read and study and hear talks on various  topics like art, economics, science, literature, and math. Students in Ac Dec also write essays, prepare speeches, and interview with judges at meets. Preparation begins in September and students compete at Locals in November, Regionals in January, and State in March. Slinger High School has done very well in the past 28 years, consistently winning at the Local competition and qualifying for Regionals. SHS’s Ac Dec team this year was ranked 5th in the state at Locals and scored higher than ever, which is a good sign and very exciting looking ahead to the rest of the season.

Any student looking to have a unique and rewarding experience in an academic activity should seriously consider Ac Dec. The many benefits and opportunities are worthwhile, and any student could join. A perfect report card isn’t a requirement, there are three different levels for students to compete in that accommodate any GPA. Prove yourself, join one of the most successful groups in the state, and learn all the while!  

Slinger student takes aim at trap shooting national team

Ashton Werner targeting in his Perazzi customized shotgun.

By: Megan Cichon, Entertainment Editor

Posted, November 24, 2015

In January 2014, a young trap shooter named Ashton Werner made the National Trap Shooting Team. Since becoming a part of the national team, Ashton has traveled to several countries; including Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland. When asked to compare trap shooting in America to other countries, Ashton said that other counties have trap shooting bunkers like America has golf courses. Which makes sense, considering trap shooting is the 4th most watched sport overseas. In addition to being more popular, there are more competitions for trap shooters overseas than in America.

Werner with Olympic shooter
Giovanni Pallielo of Italy.

While overseas, Ashton had the opportunity to work with some Olympic level trap shooters. He worked with Rudolfo “Rudy” Vigano, a world recognized Olympic trap shooter from Italy. He also got to work with Giovanni Pallielo, who will be representing Italy in the 2016 Olympic Games. “It’s fun having a different coach,” Ashton said about working with them, “They have a lot to teach.” Speaking of coaches, Ashton’s coach here in the states is Allen Chub. Chub trains his shooters with the idea that they will eventually reach the Olympic level. He has them shoot in foreign countries so they can meet their competition on their home turf, and also so the shooters are not afraid of shooting on foreign soil. No one else is training their shooters on foreign soil, not even the USA Olympic Development Team.

Competing overseas has created many new opportunities for Ashton, and has allowed him to live for a while in many different cultures. He loves that he is able to travel the world, and that trap shooting has set a path that he will walk down for the rest of his life. When asked what about trap shooting was so appealing to him, he replied that “It’s an out of the box sport that’s new to the USA. I have a natural talent for it, and there’s lots of colleges offering scholarship money for competitive trap shooters.”

Ashton does not travel alone to these foreign countries. He goes with a team of shooters who all match his skill in trap shooting. The oldest person on Ashton’s team is 27 years old, while the youngest is 13. Once shooters on a team reach age 21, they are moved into the junior class, which is meant for older trap shooters. Ashton is currently on the A-team.

Ashton Werner at the Fiocchi Grand Prix competition this summer.

When Ashton was asked if he was considering turning trap shooting into a career and hopefully making it to the Olympics, his reply was yes. He practices approximately 16 hours every weekend, and 40 or more hours per month. His family has always been into guns, so Ashton’s grandfather introduced Ashton to shooting when he was around age 4. Cody Mueller introduced Ashton to trap shooting at age 11, and about 2 or 3 years ago he began shooting Olympic trap. Because of all the traveling he does, Ashton has over 30 sponsors who help pay for his ammunition, his gun, his clothing, and other such traveling expenses; on his trip to Europe, his sponsors paid for the $15,000 trip. While he is good at what he does, he does have a backup plan in place. If Olympic shooting doesn’t work out, he hopes to get a scholarship to Pennsylvania State to study biotech.

Ashton is not just a trap shooter. He has participated in a wide variety of sports, which have prepared him for all the hard work and training that goes into being a trap shooter. Just like any other athlete, every three months, Ashton fills out a log that keeps tabs on his eyesight, along with how much he runs and lifts. He estimates he spends two and a half hours per day after school down in the weight room here at Slinger working out, and then on the weekend he spends about eight hours shooting. All in all, he estimates that he puts in about twenty seven and a half hours per week preparing himself to compete. He travels to Pennsylvania once a month to train, and also occasionally travels to Hillsdale and Lindenwood -- which are two big shooting centers -- to train.

“Trap shooting is a lot harder than it looks,” Ashton remarks, “It’s 90% mental.” And yet despite all the challenges Ashton has faced, he has won a Bronze in Juniors in the Grand Prix of Cernay (in France), and competed in the Fiocchi Grand Prix, ultimately taking home silver. His most recent competition was on the weekend of the 24th and 25th of October, where he made finals both days and won two silvers.

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

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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.