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Girls Prevail!!!

2012-02-16T13:59:00.000-05:00

“The last three quarters were played well, it just took us a little while to get started”, is what the coach of the lady Raiders, John Fouts had to say about the performance the girls put up on Tuesday, January 10 in the first round of the ACAC Tournament against the Bluffton Tigers. The final score of the game was 60-36, Raider scorers included Sam Rhodes 13, Mallory Preston 11, Morgan Perry 10, Ashton Prible 8, Kayona Benefiel 6, Sadie Herr 5, Erica Fate 4, and Brittney Morton with 3 points. But the most impressive aspect of the night was the fact that the girls shot 73.3% from the charity stripe as a team. Not to mention the 24 Turnovers the Raiders forced by playing good hard nosed defense. They take on the Heritage Patriots at 6:00 at the Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum, “Heritage is a good team… the first time we played them they didn’t play well but if they can control the things they did wrong it could end up being a good game” is what Coach Fouts had to say about the second round opponents of the Raiders.

By Lucas Miller

State!!!

2012-02-16T13:57:00.002-05:00

Southern Wells has their first ever State Wrestling Tournament with more than one wrestler. Seth Biberstine and Ben Fiechter have been a set of steamrollers, leading the SW wrestling team all year, and now they have their chance to put Southern Wells on the map with the first Individual State Championship in school history. Seth is one of only a few undefeated participants in the 220 lbs. weight class (45-0). Seth won the Semi-State while Ben ended up with a solid 4th Place finish at the same event. They go down to Bankers Life Fieldhouse Saturday the 18th of February. Good Luck to the Raider Wrestlers in hopes to bring back a medal!

By Lucas Miller

Windmills in Wells County

2012-02-15T14:47:00.002-05:00

Power generated by Wells County wind farms will NEVER be used by anyone in the school district, county or even the state. All power generated by these turbines will be transferred to states like New York on the eastern coast of the US, using us as an industrial park to satisfy their hunger for energy. These wind mill companies told our school board officials that the school will be making tons of profits off the taxes that will be collected on these turbines. There only two problems with these allegations. One – while the figures that these companies are projecting look quite tempting, they are numbers that add up over periods of time. Two – because of these turbines going up, property value for people living in the area plummets, weakening tax collected by the school on district property value. In essence, not only could the school be losing money on this deal, but you could too. If your family had the need to move out of your current home that they had built for say $250,000 two or three years ago, they could be selling as low as $200,000 a very diminished margin. Up to 25% of your current property value gone, not because your property changed, but because the surrounding area was altered by companies who decided to put literally hundreds of giant machines to surround you.

-Chet Owens

Band at South Adams

2012-02-07T14:36:00.002-05:00

Of February 6, 2012 Southern Wells High School Band traveled to South Adams for the 2012 Winter Music Festival. Almost all of the High School Band attended the all day event to practice with the Bellmont and South Adams Bands. The band was directed by Dr. Shawn D. Vondran from Ball State University. That evening the band and 75 other high school students performed in the South Adams auditorium at 7:00 p.m. Great Job Band!

By: Kendra Mounsey

JR-High Wrestling!

2012-02-03T14:49:00.001-05:00

The Lil’ Raider Wrestlers faced off against Norwell to start off the season. Aron Smith came out with a win for the team! T.C. Perry won his match and Briar Beeks. Sadly as a whole Raiders lost fifteen – twenty-one, But there will be plenty more matches for the Lil’ Raiders to win!

BY: Chet Owens

Spongebob Lowers Peoples Attention Spans and IQs!

2012-02-03T14:31:00.001-05:00

Did you know one of the most beloved kid shows of this day of age is lowering our population’s attention spans and IQs? Lowering our grade point averages, and the way we function in class? Well it is TRUE! Recent studies from the University of Virginia show that preschoolers who watched a full episode of the PBS program “Caillou” scored 10% higher on a simple test than the ones that watched 9 minutes of “Spongebob”! Can you believe that!? Conclusion is Spongebob is bad for us.

By: Chet Owens

Champions!

2012-02-01T14:51:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, January 18 Seth Biberstine and Ben Fiechter took the Sectional Titles in their respective weight classes. Ben Fiechter had missed the previous week (ACAC Tournament) with a mild concussion, therefore flew in under the radar to take the 126 lbs. Title. Seth Biberstine however is a well known talent in the state; one of the only undefeated wresters left in the state in the 215 lbs. division took the Sectional Title. “It was easy”, a confident Biberstine said after he was asked about the difficulty of the other wrestlers on Saturday. You can see them in action again on Saturday Feb. 4th at Jay County High School, along with Jacob Stout and Ethan Potter, who also placed well enough on the 18th to qualify for Regionals. Good luck to the Raider wrestlers this weekend and best wishes to go forth in the postseason!

By Lucas Miller

Groundhog Day

2012-02-01T14:39:00.002-05:00

Is the snow gone yet? With the beautiful days outside, it seems as if the snow may be gone. Gound hog day is on Thursday. I’m hoping for the groundhog not to see his shadow, meaning spring is soon to come. I for one am tired of the cold air and weather and am ready for the beautiful spring to begin.

By: Kendra Mounsey

Video Games are Actually Good for Your Brain!

2012-01-31T14:18:00.001-05:00

The parents and media of the United States are saying video game and computer games are bad for your child and teach them bad habits, and some even say they rot your brain… Well recent studies show that video games are actually good for kids. They give the brain a real workout, say many physiologists and scientists. They teach kids high level thinking skills they will need in the future, and teach them some skills that they will use in school. These skills are-
• Following Instructions
• Problem Solving and Logic
• Hand-eye coordination, and fine motor and special skills.
So technically video games are a good thing don’t let false superstition keep your kid from a fun activity and provide them some good skills to succeed!

By: Chet Owens

Academy Awards

2012-01-25T14:41:00.001-05:00

The Academy Awards (also known as The Oscars) is an annual award ceremony in actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians are honored for their professional achievements in the film industry. The Oscars has been held since 1929 in Hollywood, California. There are over twenty award slots available to be won, but these five, included with this year’s nominations, are generally seen as the most important.

Best Picture:
"War Horse"
"The Artist"
"_Moneyball,"
"_The Descendants"
"The Tree of Life"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close "
Best Director:
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Best Original Score:
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams
Best Visual Effects:
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier
Best Original Screenplay:
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

By: Austin Hampton

Valentines Day

2012-01-25T14:32:00.002-05:00

Around this time of year everyone faces the problem of what to get that special someone. You could do the typical roses and chocolate for her or AXE for your guy but why not get them something that they will remember. Here are the most UNIQUE gifts to get for this Valentines Day!

Fred Flare Gummy Heart
Pillow Pet-Red and White Love Dog
WINKING HEART EMOTICON PAPERWEIGHT
NINJABREAD MEN COOKIE CUTTERS
THE WORLD'S LARGEST GUMMY BEAR
The world’s largest gummy worm

No matter what you get, just remember to do something. If nothing else, find her favorite movie and watch it. The main thing, just remember FEBRUARY 14th!!!!

By: Kendra Mounsey

The Oscars are Around the Corner!

2012-01-24T14:48:00.002-05:00

The Academy Awards (also known as The Oscars) is an annual award ceremony in actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians are honored for their professional achievements in the film industry. The Oscars has been held since 1929 in Hollywood, California. There are over twenty award slots available to be won, but these five, included with this year’s nominations, are generally seen as the most important.

Best Picture:
"War Horse"
"The Artist"
"_Moneyball,"
"_The Descendants"
"The Tree of Life"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close "

Best Director:
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"

Best Original Score:
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams

Best Visual Effects:
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
"Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
"Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

Best Original Screenplay:
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

Super Bowl XLVI

2012-01-24T14:45:00.003-05:00

The Super Bowl 46 is coming up next week, and we seem to have a rematch of Super Bowl 42 when the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots. They will be playing in Indianapolis at Lucus Oil Stadium. So if you can’t make it to the game then here is some of the events that will be going on through out Super Bowl week in Indy. You got the Colts Cheerleaders making an appearance on the January 27th from 3p.m. to 5p.m. in Touchdown Alley! Or you could ride the 80ft tall 800ft long Zip line ride in the outside Super Bowl Village. The rest of the events are posted at http://www.indianapolissuperbowl.com/event-calendar/!See you there!!

By: Chet Owens

ACAC Wrestling

2012-01-23T14:25:00.002-05:00

The wrestlers had a tough weekend as they each battled for a position in the ACAC tournament at Adams Central. Out of the few members the wrestling team currently has a lot of them placed in the tournament but only Seth Biberstein came out on top with a 1st place ribbon! After a highly intense last match Seth pinned his opponent from Leo in the 3rd round!

By: Chet Owens

GOODBYE SNOW!!

2012-01-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

Thankfully, the snow is finally disappearing. I am not one that likes cold weather! I would much rather have sunshine and blue skies. But the snow has turned to a nasty, muddy mess, making it difficult for drivers. I’m very glad that spring is on the way and MAYBE our Indiana weather will be warm this year! But one can only hope…

By: Kendra Mounsey

Ag Mechanics Per.1

2012-01-17T14:16:00.004-05:00

The Ag mechanics 1st period class is building a 8ft by 12ft deck for a member of Wells County. The family has had trouble entering their home and found the ad that Mr. Stauffer had ran in the paper last summer. The students quickly decided that they would help the people and build them a deck. So the students went to the Wells County Youth and Resources board and gave a presentation of their project. They had high hopes of receiving a $500 dollar grant to help pay for supplies, and they succeeded! The students are now currently building the deck, and readying it for delivery.

By: Chet Owens

Girls Prevail!!!

2012-01-12T14:18:00.002-05:00

Martin Luther King Day

2012-01-11T14:39:00.002-05:00

On Monday, January 16th, our school will recognize Martin Luther King Day. Martin Luther King Day is also known as Martin Luther King’s birthday. It also celebrates the life and an achievement of Martin Luther King Jr.who was an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States. The most famous being, “I have A Dream.” Our school generally uses this day as a make-up day but we haven’t had to close school yet this year. We have not recognized Martin Luther King Day in at least SIX YEARS! So everyone have a great day off from school and BE SAFE!

By: Kendra Mounsey

Riley Week

2012-01-09T14:49:00.000-05:00

This upcoming week January 16th – January 21st the student counsel will be raising money for Riley Childrens Hospital.
Tuesday- Students can pay $1.00 to have their hands stamped so they will be able to text during lunch.
Wear a Hat Wednesday- Students pay $1.00 during 1st period to be able to wear a hat all day. Students will have hands marked so we will know who pays.
Win a Seat Thursday- Students pay $1.00 to have a chance to win Prime Seating at the Varsity Boy and Girls game Saturday night. We will draw 3 names at the end of the day and they will have a chance to win on Friday during lunch. The prize includes… winner and two friends, couch on upper deck and concessions served to them during the game.
Funky Friday- Students pay $1.00 to wear their mismatched, backwards, and down right silly clothes. Prizes awarded to the funkiest outfit.

Teachers pay $5.00 to wear jeans all week.

Saturday night at the game we will announce the amount that was raised during the week and challenge the game attendees to match the amount. Cheerleaders will pass buckets around during the game.

The Media Team will post a new News Cast that Wednesday about the program. It is important that students are aware of Riley Hospital’s presence within their school and community.

By Chet Owens

New Years Resolutions

2012-01-09T14:24:00.001-05:00

A lot of people like to try and better them selves for the new-year by making new-year resolutions. They make them by thinking of what they can do to better themselves for the year… so basically they are setting a goal. Some students want to get better grades and others want some lessons in paying attention, not like they’d learn anything.
Anyways here are some of Southern Wells staff resolutions Mr. Kinder would like to find a girlfriend. Mrs. Schoaf said that she would like to find mates to all of her miss matching socks, and Mr. Wagner said he would like to help Mrs. Schoaf find her missing socks and get a golf cart for her mobile class room, he also added he would help Mr. Kinder find a girlfriend “particularly one with no taste.”
Now for the Student resolutions, Austin Smith, Jordan Alstoft, and Lucas Miller all said to not be like Jagger. Jase Small said to be an All-state football player, and Trevor Quinn said to meet new people. Last but not least Jagger Love said “To help Coach Kinder get a girlfriend.”

-Chet Owens

I would like some snow

2012-01-06T14:40:00.002-05:00

Does anybody else think it’s a little odd that it’s January 6th and its 50 degrees outside. It feels like March. Ordinarily there’s about 5 inches of snow on the ground, right now there’s a few small patches here and there.

We’ve had a green Christmas for the last few years now. Unfortunately though, when ever it does snow, it comes in feet at a time instead of inches. That’s why I’d rather live in Florida. At least the weather there is consistent there.

Half Way There

2012-01-05T14:20:00.002-05:00

It’s time to bring in the New Year with brand new classes and the ever loving gift of homework. Now that school is back in session after Christmas break, the Southern Wells Junior/Senior High School has moved on to its second semester of classes. There honestly isn’t much a difference in classes, though.
There are classes like Chemistry and Earth Space Science that were given double blocks to make enough time for both labs and lectures. Because these classes are twice as long as normal classes, they only go on for one semester. Now that I have finished Chemistry, my schedule now consists of Health and Wellness, and Media class.
It is a nice breath of fresh air to get some new classes on our schedules, but the prospect of only being half way done with the rest of our classes is a bit daunting to some. All in all though, a fresh semester means a fresh start. All our grades have been reset, which technically means we all have A+ right now. Good job, Southern Wells Junior/Senior High School. Let’s keep the ball rolling.

By:Daniel Mossburg

Raider Classic

2012-01-04T14:53:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, The Southern Wells Singers will be hosting one of the opening show choir competitions of the year. This year we have some of the largest show choirs coming to our school to compete. Some of the schools include Dekalb, Bluffton, Bellmont, and Crestview. Dekalb is bringing over 100 students! Last year we served almost 500 people! Southern Wells Singers will be performing before awards. Admission is $10 at the door and lunch will be for sale. Doors open at 9:30 in the morning and will be done around 5.

By: Kendra Mounsey

BEST and WORST CHristmas Gifts

2011-12-13T14:40:00.001-05:00

Top 10 Christmas Gifts of 2011

1. Amazon Kindle
2. Foot Massager
3. Golf Clubs
4. Sports Tickets
5. Espresso Coffee Maker
6. 3-d LCD LED television
7. Xbox 360 with kinect
8. Apple Ipad 2
9. Ugg Boots
10. Footed Pajamas

Stupidest Holiday Gifts of 2011
1. Giant Christmas tree hat
2. Reindeer Sweater
3. Bacon Candy Canes
4. Remote Control Air Swimming Shark
5. A gift card to weight watchers
6. rabid zhu zhu pet
7. a keychain
8. Hilary Clinton Nut Cracker
9. a Leg Lamp
10. Talking Toilet paper dispenser

By: Molly Stoffel and Brooke Penrod

Ms. Miller about Southern Wells

2011-12-13T14:34:00.001-05:00

Mrs. Miller is new this year at Southern Wells. So I asked her some questions about her impressions and teaching here. Her first statement was that she likes working here. The first impression she had, that she noticed that Southern Wells is a lot like the school system that she grew up in. So she felt very familiar in our school. She likes the small-school atmosphere where you know everyone.
I asked what her favorite part of teaching here was. She answered the same as Mrs. Shoaf; that the students here are really great! Students are a lot of fun for her and she loves teaching.
Which grade does she like teaching the most? She likes both of the grades that she actually teaches, which are 8th grade and juniors. Both have things to like about them.
I then asked why she chose Southern Wells to work at. She chose to work at Southern Wells because it seemed like gift for her. The school and the people seemed really great, and she would be able to teach both high school and junior high classes, which she enjoys.

Thank you to Ms. Miller for answering questions and involving yourself with the Media Class.

By: Helke Sundmacher

Ms. Miller about Southern Wells

2011-12-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

Leo vs. Southern Wells

2011-12-13T14:33:00.001-05:00

This Saturday, the Lady Raiders will face the Leo Lions in a battle for the lead in the ACAC. The games will start off at 12, beginning with the freshman girls, who beat Leo in the championship game last year to become the conference champs. Following the freshman game, the JV game will begin, with the Varsity game to close it all up, hopefully with a win! So we hope to see you all there to cheer on our Varsity team to a victory! Go Lady Raiders!

By: Brooke Penrod

Raiders!

2011-12-13T14:30:00.002-05:00

The freshman girl’s basketball team destroyed Jay County last night leaving Jay County devastated. The score was 26 to 14 Lady Raiders. Some may say the game was more of a wrestling match but that’s not what the refs thought. After the girls game was the boys. They played Garret. The boys were down the entire game until the very end of the game. With two minutes to go in the 4th quarter the boys were only down by 4. The game went into overtime. With only tree minutes to win the boys won by 2! For the freshman teams of Southern Wells, it was a very successful night.

By: Molly Stoffel

Christmas Week!!!

2011-12-13T14:22:00.002-05:00

Well, it’s that time of year again. The temperatures plummet, basketball games every other day, the only thing that is missing is the snow on the ground! It’s Christmas week here at Southern Wells High School and we are having some crazy dress up days and to top it all off, a pep rally on Thursday.

Tuesday – Christmas Socks or Pajama Day.
“Sock ‘em”

Wednesday – Christmas Hat Day
“Top the Tigers”

Thursday – Hula Day
“Mele Kalikimaka”
*Wear Grass Skirts or Flower Leis*

Friday – SPIRIT DAY!
“Go Raiders”

By: Megan Lefebvre

What’s up this weekend? 12/9/11

2011-12-09T14:29:00.002-05:00

This weekend, there are two games going to be played at the Raider Dome. Friday night at 6:00 p.m. the J.V. girls will open the game up against Heritage and around 7:30 p.m. the Varsity Game will begin.
Saturday, there is a ful schedule for our Raiders! There are JH, freshman and Varsity Basketball games. At 6: 00 p.m. the J.V. boys will open up the game against the Norwell Knights and at 7:30 p.m. the Varsity Boys will be playing.
Also, the J.V. Wrestling team will be wrestling Team will be wrestling at Adams Central Invitational. The Varsity will be having a ^ way at Lapel.

Good Luck to all of our Raider Athletes this weekend!

The Painting

2011-12-07T14:50:00.001-05:00

You may have noticed all of the paintings above the lockers around the circle. There are many empty spaces in between some of the paintings. Lillian Hartely and Kaitlyn Bonewit are planning to fill one of those spots on the wall. The masterpiece is still in the making, but they do have what they want drawn lightly with pencil onto the eggshell white paint. They were given this opportunity because they have taken four years of art. Both have done well and worked hard, and are now taking advanced art. I have seen them working on their painting a few times in the hallway when I have passed them. I have a feeling that this painting is going to turn out great and add an important addition to the culture of our school. There will be more information on Lillian and Kaitlyn’s painting and maybe even a picture once it’s complete!

By: Brooke Penrod

National Honor Society

2011-12-07T14:46:00.002-05:00

On December 5th, new members were inducted into the National Honor society. The National Honor society is about service, leadership, and academics. To get inducted as a member into the National Honor society you have to have a GPA of 3.3, to write an essay, get an application and also a teacher has to approve you. This year we have eighteen new NHS Inductees candidates.
Senior Inductees are:
Maria Zigl, Clayton Hamilton, Chelsea Clifton and Trevor Furnish. Junior Candidates:
Samantha Rhodes, Kayona Benefiel, Benjammin Fiechter, Taylor Estes, Colton Kellam, Olivia Miller, Jackson Johnson, Kora Grossman, Katie Early, Kevin Stout, Megan Stoffer, Taylor Beetz, Kaylie McCammon and Amy Boxell.
Congratulations to all of the new NHS members!

By: Helke Sundmacher

Southern Wells Community Chritmas Sing

2011-12-05T14:53:00.001-05:00

On December 14th at 6:30 p.m. there will be a Southern Wells Community Christmas Sing hosted by the Southern Wells choir and the Jazz Band. If you would like to hear some good music come on out! There will be refreshments varying from Christmas treats to Hot Cider! So if you’d like some good company in celebrating the Holiday season, come out and have a good time with your family and friends.

By: Kendra Mounsey

Baby Girl

2011-12-05T14:41:00.003-05:00

On November 26, 2011 a bouncing baby girl was born. Her name is Cailyn Adele Smekens. Although she was three weeks early she still weighed 9lb’s 3oz. and was 22in. in length. She was born with a full head of black hair. Her parents Amy and Chad Smekens are happy she’s here safe and sound.

By Molly Stoffel

2011-12-01T14:28:00.001-05:00

Southern Wells Snowball
Date: December 17, 2011
Time: Jr. High- 5-7 High School- 8-11
Details: Semi-formal
Price: $6 if pre ordered. $8 at the door.

High school students may go to the Jr. High dance only if asked. Jr. high students are not permitted to go to the High school dance. Concessions will be sold at the dance. Pictures will be taken at the dance for those who want them.

Christmas

2011-11-29T14:24:00.001-05:00

Everyone is so excited about Christmas! Houses are beginning to be decorated with crazy amounts of tiny lights and houses are being filled with the scent like cookies and cinnamon. The wood-stove is on and outside you can see the snow. In every country celebrates Christmas in a different way.
So let me let you in on how Germany and America Christmases are different.
In Germany the Christmas Eve is still on December 24th. In the evening we go to church and afterwards have dinner. Then, we get presents that are lying under the Christmas tree. On the 25th and 26th we have our first and second Christmas day. On these days you visit family and have dinner.

By: Helke Sundmacher

Choir at The Methodist Church

2011-11-21T14:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, our High School Choir sang at the United Methodist Church in Liberty Center for Thanksgiving. The Choir performed excellent and the views of the people in the church were great. The Choir sang “Go in the Grace of the Lord” and “Lord bless you” for Thanksgiving. Also they sang some songs, which we heart on the fall concert with some solos. Again a good job from the High School Choir and Mrs. Hughes!

By: Helke Sundmacher

Fossil Fun

2011-11-21T14:46:00.002-05:00

The most interesting trip you may ever go on would be the Biology fossil field trip. We departed school at 8:30 with two buses. Fun Fact: We saw Santa clause walking around in Richmond Indiana. The bus ride took around two hours. We arrived on highway 27 and got off the buses on the middle of the highway. The buses then left us to find fossils all by ourselves, although there were four chaperons to guide us across the busy highway. We spent about an hour searching for fossils on the very steep, dangerous, fossil-filled hill. Many people slipped and fell down the rocky hill. Hands dry and lips chapped from the blistering cold, we then loaded back on the bus to go find nourishment. Our options were McDonalds, Wendy’s, and Burger King. McDonalds was very busy. It took about 15 to 20 minutes to get your food, but in my opinion it was worth the wait. Although I have heard that a few people got sick from eating there. Then it was back on the road again for the very long bus ride home. Many people fell asleep on our way home, so it seemed a lot shorter than the ride there. We found this trip enjoyable and would gladly go on it again!

By: Brooke Penrod

Behind Me...Not Infront of Me

2011-11-21T14:31:00.003-05:00

Usually, I hold my tongue and I don’t mind when people cut in the lunch line, but I’m getting sick of it. It’s not that there’s not anything left, I never buy ale carte. It’s the lack of respect that said cutter has for the people that came before them. It’s not cool and is unnecessary. I understand why people cut. I’m not very patient myself and I often look for people to join the front of the line with, but I don’t do it. Personally, being in the back isn’t that bad. The line goes fairly quickly and you’re always guaranteed food. Just grow up do what you’ve been taught to do since and go to the back. It’s the right thing to do.

I vote to bring back senior bell!

By: Austin Hampton

Mrs. Shoaf

2011-11-21T14:24:00.002-05:00

Mrs. Shoaf is new this year at the school, but already everyone knows her. So I thought we could ask her some questions about how she likes working here. Her first statement was that she loves working at Southern Wells! Her first impression at this school was about the students here, who were appreciation for hard working. She found that many students are used to working hard outside of school and that translates well to the classroom. She also was impressed by the way all students interact. She feels like there is less separation between groups of friends here than at other schools she has been in. This is a great statement about our school.
To the questions, what’s her favorite part of teaching here? Her answer came quickly… Her favorite part of teaching at Southern Wells is making connections with the students. She likes teaching English, but she loves young people. Building respect with students is important to her and she really enjoys maintaining healthy relationships with her students and seeing them maintain healthy relationships with each other.
Which grade does she like teaching the most? She actually loves teaching all of her classes. She has at the moment two freshmen and two senior English classes. If she could chose any age for teaching, she thinks she would like a 7th or 8th grade the best. When she was a student she taught a group of 7th graders and she loved, loved, loved that grade!
Finally to the last question, why she wanted to teach at Southern Wells, the reason is, that she wanted to teach close to home, so when this job opened up, she applied right away. She lives about 25 minute’s away from the school, in between Bluffton and Berne. She also appreciates the atmosphere of a small school, so Southern Wells is perfect.

By: Helke Sundmacher

Cafe Write Away

2011-11-21T14:21:00.002-05:00

Mrs. Shoaf has in her classes, the coffee shop, “Café Write Away”, where the students have coffee during class and write stories at the same time. The students have a lot of fun with this activity and enjoy the time to let their minds run free. I asked Mrs. Shoaf, how she came up with the coffee shop idea. She answered, that the coffee shop was her attempt at encouraging students to write and when we have a Café Write Away day, the students write in a “coffee house” atmosphere. It’s fun and gets our “smart” creative juices flowing.
A great idea from Mrs. Shoaf!

By:Helke Sundmacher

Thanksgiving Break

2011-11-15T14:29:00.002-05:00

REMINDER: We will not be having class on Thursday or Friday to celebration Thanksgiving. Everyone have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving break!

Sincerelly,
Southern Wells Media Team

YOU ARE MORE!

2011-11-15T14:19:00.002-05:00

Thursday, November 10, the 15th annual Youth For Christ Banquet was held in the cafeteria. As people arrived they were seated and the Campus Life students served them beverages. The students then formed an assembly line and passed food out to the entire guest.
While everyone ate, some students gave their testimonies about Campus Life. This gave the guest a feel of what Campus Life is all about. Three Jr. High students spoke, Hunter, Autumn, and Tori. Four High School students then gave their story and they were Dain, Morgan, Cain, and Brittney.
Next a video was played featuring Seth Biberstine. He told us his story about how he came to be the person he is today and that there is more behind him than just sports.
Pastor Jeff then told us about some of the students he mentored in the past. All of their stories were interesting and very moving. He told us about the students that had passed in his time.
Then the kids passed out envelopes that the guest were to fill out, but only if they wanted to, saying that you would donate money to the Youth For Christ Foundation. Many people filled this out and gave a generous donation.

By: Megan Lefebvre and Molly Stoffel

Campus Life Banquet

2011-11-11T14:54:00.002-05:00

While everyone ate, some students gave their testimonies about Campus Life. This gave the guest a feel of what Campus Life is all about. Three Jr. High students spoke, Hunter, Autumn, and Tori. Four High School students then gave their story and they were Dain, Morgan, Cain, and Brittney.

Next a video was played featuring Seth Biberstine. He told us his story about how he came to be the person he is today and that there is more behind him than just sports.

Pastor Jeff then told us about some of the students he mentored in the past. All of their stories were interesting and very moving. He told us about the students that had passed in his time.

Then the kids passed out envelopes that the guest were to fill out, but only if they wanted to, saying that you would donate money to the Youth For Christ Foundation. Many people filled this out and gave a generous donation.

by Molly Stoffel and Megan Lefebvre

On the Eleventh hour of the Eleventh day of the Eleventh month...

2011-11-11T14:49:00.002-05:00

Veterans Day in the United States is one of the most precedented holidays in a typical year. On November 11, 1918 Armistice Day was proclaimed with the end of WWI taking place on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour. Exactly one year later President Woodrow Wilson made it a holiday. But in 1954, congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to show respect to all men and women who have served this great nation. Because it is a federal holiday, many American people have the day off from school or work for Veterans Day.
Non-essential federal government offices are closed. No mail is delivered. All federal workers are paid for the holiday. All this is due to the bravery shown by the Veterans of this country, living or dead they deserve our respect and I couldn’t think of a better way than dedicating an entire day to them. So the next time you claim freedom and why it is a great thing, remember “Our Finest Hour”, “ The Big Red One”, remember our young men and women who fought in the jungles of Vietnam, the scorching heat of Dessert Storm, and the “living hell” that is currently taking place in the Middle East. And think of everyone who has died so we can call this nation the greatest on earth.

by Lucas Miller

Southern Wells Veteran's Day Program

2011-11-11T14:46:00.002-05:00

Today, November 11, 2011, the Southern Wells Community gathered together to honor our nation’s Veterans. The day started off early this morning when FCCLA students, under direction of Mrs. Franks, served breakfast for the Veteran’s. This is an annual breakfast done every year for the Veterans. I think this is a great way to show our gratitude to all of the service they have given. Then it was off to the gym for the program. The color guard was presented first, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem which was played by the High School Pep Band. Sadie Herr spoke about the history of Veteran’s Day, followed by Brittney Morton who introduced the guest speaker, Sandy Yencer. Sandy told about her brother who fought in the Vietnam War, and died flying a plane. She also told of the brave soldiers who risked their lives to recover his body so there could be a proper burial with his family and the effect this had on her family. Following Mrs. Yencer, Mrs. Shoaf invited individuals of Student Council to pass out the letters that were written by students here at Southern Wells. Overall, I think today was a very good experience for everyone, and I hope we all realize how much has been done to save this country we live in.

by Brooke Penrod

2011-11-11T14:39:00.005-05:00

This year, Winter sports are coming a little earlier, with the football team running into a school that recruits… Tough luck huh ;) Anyways the boys are shaping up for a little bit of round ball. Last season was a success, with our Raiders taking home the Sectional Title for the second consecutive season. This year hopes are high as well as emotions, returning Senior Captain Clayton “C$” Hamilton takes the reins, along with Jagger “the Body” Love, and Kyle “Muggsy” Penrod. Levi "Shermanator" Sherman, a player who came along nicely and was a great addition to the depth chart. Yes sir, our boys are definitely shaping themselves for another run at a Sectional threepeat, something never done in the history of Southern Wells. Even with the changes in Sectional Sites (moved to Monroe Central after a long tenure of being held at the Raiderdome) the Raiders have the chance to live up to all the hype. It’s time to break out the bleacher seats and winter coats, ‘cause it’s Basketball Season!!!

by Lucas Miller

Raider Rasslers

2011-11-11T14:31:00.002-05:00

This year hopes are high for the Wrestling team, with last year’s Semi-State qualifier Benjamin Fiechter as one of the leaders of the team. Senior Seth Biberstine who qualified for Semi-State his Sophomore year, was laid up with surgery to his shoulder last year is now returning to the team, they bring back a little more firepower. Coach Landis is as good as they come as far as coaching goes and the guys give him all the respect in the world. Hopefully the boys can make a run at the first ACAC Team Championship, or Sectional Championship in school history. It sure will be a lot of fun to come to the Raiderdome and see our guys representing our fine school on the mat this year.

by Lucas Miller

Black Friday!

2011-11-10T14:52:00.003-05:00

Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year. There was an estimated 212 million shoppers last year that spent an average of $365 per shopper. On Black Friday, stores will open at 4 p.m., although there has been word that some stores may open around 11 on Thanksgiving evening. Macys, Kohls, Target, and Best Buy are among the stores that plan to open late on Thanksgiving. So before you go out shopping, here are some things you may want to do as to save time and avoid as many crowds as possible:
• Gather sale ads
• Make a plan of stops you want to make based on which retailers open first
• Know where the items that you are looking for are at in the store
• And finally be prepared to…… WAKE UP EARLY! Or go to bed late. Which ever.

Only 16 more days until Black Friday, so get busy!

By: Brooke Penrod

Finance Park!

2011-11-10T14:51:00.002-05:00

Today, our career planning class ventured to Fort Wayne to attend Finance Park. We applied what we had learned from the past 9 weeks of school to determine how much money we would make in a month. Also we learned how to make a budget and stick to it. The whole field trip was tiring, although a very good experience.
Given a chance I would go back and be a volunteer next.year.

-Megan Lefebvre

Fall Concert

2011-11-04T14:36:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday November the 8th, the choirs and bands will be performing in the cafeteria at 7:00 p.m. The band will be playing concert and pep band music, and the choirs will be singing some modern contemporary music chosen by the choir. Also, the high school showchoir, Singers, will be performing their Street Fair show. If you aren’t doing anything on Tuesday night, bring the family out to see the various music groups.

By: Kendra Mounsey

The First Week

2011-11-01T14:25:00.003-04:00

The first week of basketball has been tiring, well, to me at least. I have not been running since summer league. I’m not going to lie, I felt out of shape, and I’m sure some other people did too. We worked on the basic things; running, shooting, passing, and some defense. Our coach, Mr. Lefebvre, has been ‘taking it easy’ for the pass few days, but I’m not sure how long that’ll last.
The first day was definitely the worst. We all thought that the worst part was the RUNNING. The thing that I hated the most and caused the most running was the pressure free throws. Only a couple people made their free throw, so we had to run more than I would have liked to.
Now that we are getting used to the sport again we are starting to have a bit more fun with the practices.
The Freshman Team’s first game is November 21st, and the first JV and Varsity game is November 14th.

By:Megan Lefebvre

HARD DRIVE!!!

2011-10-31T14:57:00.002-04:00

As all the students in the Media class left school Wednesday afternoon to enjoy their fall break, we discovered that the hard drive wasn’t working. We couldn’t find any of the footage we had shot! Everything for seniors and our next newscast was gone. No big deal, some of us thought. We can find a way to recover it. It may take a while, but we will get it back. As we walked into the class room today, you could feel the disappointment in the room. Everyone seemed disappointed about losing a different segment for the newscast. It took a while for the news to sink in that we literally lost everything. “What about the commercials,” we would ask. “What about the FFA, and the guitars?” “It’s all gone,” was the reply. We will have to start all over again from scratch. I just hope we will be able to keep making the videos as exciting for you as they are for us to make them.

By: Brooke Penrod and Molly Stoffel

Girls Basketball

2011-10-26T14:14:00.001-04:00

Its basketball time again! The lady Raiders are back with a returning record of 16 and 7.. This is Coach Fouts’14th season. In the past 13 season Coach Fouts has held a record of 171-112. The lady raiders have four seniors on the team this season. The raiders have had a lot of additions to the team as well. For the first time in a few years the raiders have enough people to be able to have a freshman, junior varsity, and varsity team. The girls hope to win their sixth straight sectional title, and become closer as a team.
Come out and support the lady raiders in their season opener at the Raider Dome November 12 against the Eastbrook Lady Panthers.

By: Brittney Morton

Get Your Yearbook!!!

2011-10-25T14:22:00.003-04:00

Just a reminder Raiders, Southern Wells Yearbook is on sale for $45 from now until Christmas. After Christmas the price will go up. So everyone make sure you get your yearbooks so in ten years you can remember that kid with the goofy smile or that really cute girl. If interested get ahold of Mrs. Smith or someone on the yearbook staff.

By Kendra Mounsey

Newscast #3 October 18, 2011

2011-10-21T14:38:00.000-04:00

National FFA Convention

2011-10-21T14:34:00.002-04:00

The 84th National Convention! The countdown for Southern Wells had finally ended at 6:30 on Wednesday night. Officers Jayde Sills, Sadie Herr, and Ryan Steiner; along with members, Levi Sherman, Zack Binegar, and Breanna Hinshaw, Kendra Mounsey, Aly Zoda, Devin Price and James Klopfenstein all climbed onto the white bus to head to Indianapolis. If you think that it is bad at Street Fair, this is at least three times worse. As the paper stated earlier in the week, “National Convention is the test for Super Bowl. If Indianapolis can handle the sea of blue jackets, it can handle the super bowl.
At convention we were able to watch two sessions which included three inspiring motivational speakers, shop, and of course EAT! Wednesday night, we were fortunate enough to go to an Italian restaurant in Indy named Buca di Beppo. After this we went to the hotel and played games until we were tired. Thursday morning, dark and rainy (instead of bright and shiny) we headed to Conseco Fieldhouse where we attended the first general session. After that our day was filled with visiting with agriculture colleges across the country, shopping, and getting free stuff. At the end of the day we attended the night session and headed home. Thank you to Mr. Stauffer, Mr. Yencer, and our teachers for allowing us to go to the 84th National Convention in Indianapolis.

By Kendra Mounsey

Senior Raiders

2011-10-18T14:25:00.004-04:00

Friday,October 7th was Senior Night. The game against Monroe Central bears had recognition of all the seniors in fall sports. This takes place during the halftime of last home football game. The seniors were recognized for all their accomplishments in high school and what their plans for the future are. This was a very special night for all of the senior athletes. Congratulations to all of the seniors for their accomplishment and all of there success through the years.

By Kendra Mounsey

Raiders Win Again!

2011-10-04T14:24:00.002-04:00

Friday night at Carnes Field the Raiders hosted the Adam Central Jets. The odds were against the Raiders after not winning to Adam Central in the last 6 years. The Jets scored first by kicking a field goal. The Raiders then battled their way to the end zone for the Raider touchdown! At halftime the score was 10 to 8, with the Jets in the lead. At half time the 2001 State Football Champs were recognized. The Players, coaches, managers, cheerleaders, and crazies all assembled on the track and were announced long with all the accomplishments they had made as a team that year. The crowd gave them a standing ovation to show there support and respect for the team. After half time the Jets then pulled ahead by another touchdown with a 2 point conversion. Leaving the score 18 to 8. The Raiders Trevor Furnish ran for a 77 yard touchdown, with the score now 16 to 18. After that the Crowd went crazy and the Raiders really got fired up! The Raiders then worked together and shut the Jets down in the 4th quarter. With the final score ending up 30 to 18. Raiders Win! This was a big win for the Raiders. The Raiders will be playing Monroe Central this Friday night at Carnes Field for Senior Night! Come out and cheer the Raiders to a victory!

By: Brittney Morton and Molly Stoffel

SCREAM PARKS!

2011-10-03T14:36:00.004-04:00

It’s almost Halloween time, so you know what that means! Scream parks are opening all over the country again! In our next weekly webcast, we will include more information on scream parks, and some footage of the news team going through them. But until then, here are some haunted houses in the area that have been enjoyed by many.

Indy Scream Park - Anderson, IN
Has 5 attractions: Nachtamahr, Kurayami, Infected, Backwoods, Bedlam.
Prices range from 20-35 dollars for all 5 attractions.
Open: October 1, 7-9, 13-16, 20-23,27-31
Times: 7-11:30 on Friday and Saturday, and 7-9:30 Thursday and Sunday
Address: 5211 South New Columbus Road Anderson, IN 46013

Haunted Jail - Columbia City, IN
Price: $10
Open: October 1, 2, 6-9, 12-16,18-31 and November 4-6
Times: 7-9 on school nights, and 7-11 Friday and Saturday
Directions: Take US Highway 30 to Columbia City, South on State highway 9 left on Market Street.

Fear Itself - Mishawaka, IN
Attractions: Cuckoo’s Nest, Sinister Circus, Bloody Bayou Swamp, Rock Monkey Caves, 13th hour
Price: 30-40 dollars. But if you buy a shirt on a Thursday, your admission is free.
Open: October 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 25-31
Times: School nights 7-11, weekends 7-12
Address: 14130 Mckinley Avenue, Mishawaka, IN 46545. The corner of Capital and Mckinley.

The Haunted Hotel - Huntington, IN
Price: $10
Open: 1, 7-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29, 31
Times: Open Thursdays and Halloween from 7-10. Fridays & Saturdays from 7-11
Address: 515 N. Jefferson Street in downtown Huntington, Indiana.

Amhurst Asylum Haunted House - Valparaiso, IN
Price: $20
Open: October 1, 2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-31
Times: 7-11 on Friday and Saturday nights. 7-10 on all other nights.
Address: 228 South 500 West in Valparaiso, Indiana 46385

So get out with a group of friends and go have a good time at these scream parks!

Brooke Penrod

Visit our YouTube Channel!

2011-09-28T14:55:00.003-04:00

SW Patrons, we here at the Raider Report have some news for you. We have now launched a YouTube channel. Every week we'll upload our newcast to the blog and YouTube so be sure to check them both out. We will also be doing comedic shorts which will be posted when we have time. Check out the links below for the blog and our new YouTube channel.

www.swraiderreport.blogspot.com/
www.youtube.com/swraiderreport/

Newscast #2 Wednesday, September 28, 2011

2011-09-28T14:49:00.000-04:00

Want To Taste?

2011-09-27T14:34:00.003-04:00

This year the students in Mr. Butler’s biology class cooked up some protein filled foods. The main ingredients for these special foods were BUGS.
The six students had just got done learning about the proteins found in the exoskeleton of some bugs, so for a fun little experiment they decided to cook with these bugs. The class made mealworm cookies, cockroach stir-fry, and some sort of cricket dish.
To see more on this epidemic, visit the Bluffton News banner’s website (link below)
P:\Media Class 2011\On The Beat in Bluffton N-B Video would you like some cockroach with that.mht

By Megan Lefebvre

Bluffton Game

2011-09-26T14:49:00.002-04:00

On Friday the 23rd, the Southern Wells Raiders fought a hard battle against the Bluffton Tigers on the brand new turf. To begin the game the SW captains deferred and got the ball at the beginning of the second half. Seth Biberstine kicked off to a good Raider start. The Tigers scored the first six points and added a point for a field goal. Then the raiders got the ball and scored but coach Lefebvre decided to go for 2. The 2 points were good. 7-8, Raiders were ahead. The game went down hill after that. Raider momentum was running down. To end half time, Bluffton was up 14-8. Then at the end of the third quarter, the score was 29-16 Bluffton. By the beginning of the 4th quarter though, the Raiders were gaining back there momentum. Raiders were up 40- 35 in the last minute and twenty-three seconds. Bluffton had a touchdown pass to now make the score 40-41. That was the game ending touchdown. Bluffton’s varsity won but, their Junior Varsity will be dominated!

By Molly Stoffel

Homecoming

2011-09-23T14:28:00.003-04:00

Last week was the start of homecoming as our Raiders football team took on the Wes-Del Warriors. Our week started off with Pajama day and during the last half hour of school a pep session was held by the cheerleaders. As students poured into the gymnasium, the band played the school song and other game day tunes. Senior and Carnes Crazy Lucas Miller introduced members of the members of the girl’s golf, boys and girls cross country, and finally the football team. Seniors and captains from each team were recognized when their team had the floor. Tuesday’s theme was tie day as we were to “tie up the warriors.” Wednesday was war paint and class color day with activities night at starting at 5 pm. The activities held were the chug contest, wheel barrel race, dodge ball, and, the powder-puff football game which was, unfortunately cancelled for that night. The juniors came in last place with 11 points, the freshman came in third with…, the seniors and sophomores had an extremely competitive night with each scoring 29 and 30 points respectively. The 7th wore white, the 8th were gray, freshman wore red, sophomores wore white, juniors wore red, and the seniors wore black. Thursday was the theme of the week, wild, wild raiders as students were encouraged to dress in cowboy or girl outfits in preparation for our showdown with the warriors. Friday was game day and that meant spirit day. Raider fans and students wore the S.W. gear with pride down the hallways and to the game to watch our boys beat the Wes-Del Warriors 60-0! Way to go Raiders!

By Molly Stoffel

Southern Wells Media

2011-09-22T14:35:00.003-04:00

As you may have heard, the Media class this year will be making a weekly newscast instead of newspaper. Before we could even think about beginning the newscast, we had to make the intro, which, believe it or not, took a few weeks. Brittney filmed the teacher profile and did the voiceovers. Next we shot footage of events from the homecoming week. We literally had to film everything, such as the dress up days, the pep rally, activity night, the football game, and the crowning of the king and queen. Kinder had two people film the football game so we could get footage from “all angles”. Even though the camera workers were freezing their butts off, they still got some stellar footage. The boys spent a while cutting shots and rendering the videos to make the perfect pep rally scene.
The class is a lot of hard work. We are always doing something, like typing, filming, thinking of new ideas for the blog, or trying to make our next newscast better.
We have faced many challenges throughout the class. First, our green screen and lights didn’t come in on time which delayed some of the segments. Next, our only camera was “mysteriously” broken. After that we couldn’t get the intro put together, but eventually worked out all the flaws. Right after we got the green screen and the lights, both of the lights burnt out and we couldn’t replace them. The most frustrating thing though, was that not everyone got to see our newscast! That was infuriating because we all worked so hard on it and only some of the students watched it. My personal opinion on the newscast is that it is pretty awesome. It had the perfect mixture of funny and serious, and it kept your attention. Our class is going to continue to make the videos better, and any advice or ideas you have are welcomed. We plan on showing them every SWIM week. So I hope you’re looking forward to seeing our next newscast!

Just A BAD Day

2011-09-22T14:21:00.003-04:00

My day had started out great, no matter what the weather was on that rainy Thursday morning, which all ended by fourth period. As I walked into class I realized I had lost my flash drive off my book bag. Oh well, I thought as I continued throughout the rest of the period. It will turn up eventually. By firth period I was starting to get a little stressed out. I realized I had left my Literature book in the computer lab from the day before, but when I went back to look, it was no where to be seen. I then walked to the lost and found, searched my locker, Mrs. Smiths room, and my P.E. locker for any place I may have left it. To make the problem ten times worse, I was sure I had left the homework that was due that day in that book. I came back to class feeling very disappointed. WHERE COULD IT BE!
Well thanks to the seniors in media class, to which Mrs. Hartman had given my book to because she knew they were in my 7th period class (Thanks Mrs. Hartman! I wouldn’t have found it without you.), they did not give me my book. I went 3 days without that book, had late assignments, and was very stressed out. The smartest idea would have been to go talk to Mrs. Hartman to see if she had seen it, but me, being me, did not think of that until just today. I followed the trail she gave me which led me to Jordan Alstoft, who blamed Jagger Love. But the real twist on this story is that the entire time that I had told my teacher, Mrs. Shoaf, that my workbook pages were in my Lit book (which I had believed to be true), I soon found that it had really been in my grammar workbook which I had carried around with me to class everyday. So I would like to say I’m sorry to Mrs. Shoaf for overlooking the pages in my book, and thanks a lot to the seniors who could’ve given me my book three days before they did.

By: Brooke Penrod

Pep Session

2011-09-22T14:20:00.003-04:00

This past Monday at 2:30, the cheerleaders put together a pep session to cheer the Varsity football players on for the homecoming game against Wes-Del. The session kicked off with the cheerleaders, who performed chants such as “We Got a Team Going All the Way” and “What’s Your Number?” Following this, we recognized all of the fall sports teams; Football, Golf, Cross Country, and Volleyball. I think one of the more major highlights of this pep session though, was when Mr. Fouts, Mr. Bulter, and Mr. Thomas pulled Mrs. Walter, Mrs. Meeks, and Mrs. Shoaf around on a tarp, swerving in and out of cones, racing to see who could keep their teammate on the tarp all the way to the finish line. Mr. Butler and Mrs. Meeks won, with Mr. Fouts and Mrs. Walter in second, and Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Shoaf in a close third. The true favorite activity of the pep session was probably when a few of the football players getting to pie some lucky cheerleaders in the face. Although not without having to do some pretty odd things. Overall, I think the afternoon was enjoyed by most and wish the football players luck in the game on Friday.

By Molly Stoffel

Newscast #1 Tuesday, September 20, 2011

2011-09-19T17:43:00.000-04:00

What Is Going On?

2011-09-19T07:57:00.003-04:00

Gas…why are you so expensive? Many students here at S.W. drive daily to school and back home. To sporting events and to work, and the one time that we quench is when we need to fill up. Gas right now is at a steady $3.79/gallon in many areas around here and, fortunately, that seems to be a consistent price. While it’s not as bad as it used to be, it’s still pretty hard on most of us middle class people. I personally despise going to the pump. I drive a Ford F-150 and let me tell you, a full tank is not cheap. It takes $80 for a full tank of gas and for many others with larger or older vehicles, it’s even more. You can blame a large portion of the price increase on the conflict in Libya. Libya produces 2% of the worlds’ oil which is about 1,758,000 barrels a day. Luckily the conflict is in what seems to be its final stages, so that means they will start producing more barrels. Another reason is, there has been a lot of activity in the tropics. Thus far there have been two hurricanes and ten tropical storms with many of them forcing companies to evacuate there workers, thus halting production. Hurricane season ends November 30th so production will definitely increase before the years end. So the big picture is oil production is down throughout the world because of rebellions and tropical storms causing gas to go up from $3.68 to $3.79 but it’s not as bad as it used to be in ‘08 when we had to pay $4.00 a gallon.

By: Austin Hampton

Girls Golf

2011-09-15T14:38:00.006-04:00

This year our girl’s golf team has done exceptionally well. The girls on the team are Sadie Herr, Jayde Sills, Kendra Mounsey, Megan Lefebvre, Jordyn Sills, and Jaylynn Pruitt. The first invitational that the girls attended they took home a victory with a 191 team score. Sadie Herr placed 2nd in the invitational with a 41, Megan Lefebvre placed 5th with a 44, and Jayde Sills placed 7th with a 49. This was low enough to win the invitational with a 191 and take home a trophy. The team has won more matches than in the last four years. Couch Ez Harris says, “The girls are improving every time that we go out on the course.” Although the season is coming to an end, Sectionals are on Saturday the 15th. Good Luck Ladies!

by Megan Lefebvre

Change has arrived!

2011-08-31T14:50:00.005-04:00

Recently, we have had some changes in the school handbook rules. Many people are angry with the new rule that every shirt must have sleeves. But if you really think about it, do we really have it that bad? Take a look some rules other schools have to follow:

The "NO" List:
• NO dyed hair.
• NO nail polish on your nails
• NO make up
• NO earrings
• NO pants above the ankles
• NO backpacks
• NO bathroom passes
• NO flip flops
• NO necklaces or bracelets
• NO make up
• NO gum or candy
• NO baseball cards

Others:
• Your hair must always be tied up.
• Only one ring can be worn
• Guys and girls can’t sit or walk together
• School uniforms can’t be worn into places like Starbucks
• If your shirt is untucked, you will be suspended for three days

So the next time you want to complain about having to wear sleeves for the 8 hours, think again, because we are some of the lucky ones.

by Brooke Penrod

Meet the Media Team!

2011-08-30T14:48:00.007-04:00

Meet the new cast of the Southern Wells Raider Report.

Pictured is: (from left, back row) Lucas Miller, Austin Hampton, Cain Grogg and Jordan Alstoft; (middle row) Austin Smith, Brittney Morton and Jagger Love; (front row) Molly Stoffel, Brooke Penrod, Megan Lefebvre and Kendra Mounsey.

The Raider Report will consist of a weekly newscast, periodical blog updates, and a video commemorating the seniors of the 2012 school year.

You will also notice that the blog has had a makeover.

by Jordan Alstoft/Megan Lefebvre