Boom, crash, pow. A students stands on top of a car, sledge hammer in hand, ready to hit the top of an already beat up car. But hey, at least the violence is in the name of good school spirit.

“I am not going to the game,” junior Doug Dishman said. “but [the car smash] gives me a way to be in the [crosstown] activities.”

Students, along with a few teachers, whoot and holler. A student pays $1 to take two swings at a white car emblazoned with the word “venison” over the Great Falls High School logo. His weapon of choice? A sledge hammer and a baseball bat.

The car smash took place in the C.M. Russell senior parking lot on Nov. 1 before the crosstown football game. This was the first car smash CMR has held in years and helped raise $113 for this year’s prom. Unused money from the fundraiser will go toward the senior gift.

“You got to break stuff; it feels powerful,” Dishman said after his 10th hit.

Almost all those who went up to bat said the same thing, including Spanish teacher Rhonda Moore.

“it’s a rush. You’ve got to try this,” Moore said.

Taking her advice, I took my turn with both the sledge hammer and the baseball bat, my polka-dot dress swinging in the wind. And nothing summarizes the experience more than when Moore said “Everybody is cheering you on. It’s like being on the football field [for yourself].”

While the car smash truly does make you feel involved with crosstown, this event would not have been possible without the auto tech department and supervisors such as health teacher Teayre Klosterman and English teacher Ryan Anderson.

“Safety was the biggest challenge,” Klosterman said.

Klosterman, who not only supervised the event but was in charge of the entire fundraiser, said that the auto tech kids were responsible for everything car wise. They took the glass out, as well as were in charge of the spray painting the donated car from Ralph Ward and Sons.

“I’m hoping they do well with it. I think it is a pretty good idea,” Klosterman said.

And it seems like they are doing will. After talking to senior class president Gunner Mullins, it sounds as if the junior class is going to continue the new tradition next year.

“I haven’t heard it was a bad idea yet,” Mullins said.