The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online

Menu
Opinion
The “pick me” girl trend extends a centuries-old practice of men turning women against each other, a costly diversion that halts progress, preserves a fruitless and prejudicial quest for validation.
The 'pick me' girl persists
Evelyn Griffin, copy editor • December 4, 2021

“I’m not like other girls.” “I could never wear heels and makeup like you.” “I can only have guy friends. Girls are too dramatic.” Over the past...

Class rank hurts everyone. Those at the bottom are made to feel hopeless, and those at the top put their rank above their learning, their mental health and even their physical wellbeing.
A chance to level the field
November 26, 2021
Homework keeps teens up late at night, preventing them from getting enough rest, which leaves students exhausted and susceptible to depression and a defeatist attitude.
All work and no play makes Mac a dull school
October 31, 2021
For my summer reading assignment this year, I read the The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan. We had no additional assignments with the reading, except for annotating the text.
It's time to write off annotation.
October 25, 2021
Custodian Kenneth Sterling collects trash from students during lunch. Sterling along with other members of the custodial staff have been a group primarily affected by the Devious Lick trend at McCallum. The vandalism occurring leads to more work for a staff already overworked from additional cleaning measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The vandalism is really not good at all. It makes my job harder. People keep stealing soap dispensers... weve been locking the restrooms, that helps. Beyond that theres not much we can do. I would like the tagging and vandalism to stop.
It's time to demand an end to Devious Licks
October 20, 2021
Sports
Thanks largely to influx of freshmen, girls golf team triples in size
With fourth-down stops, potent ground attack, Knights outlast Grizzlies in overtime to take bi-district title

With fourth-down stops, potent ground attack, Knights outlast Grizzlies in overtime to take bi-district title

November 18, 2021

Inside the line

Inside the line

November 13, 2021

Bringing cheer to senior year

Bringing cheer to senior year

November 1, 2021

Knights shine on court, in sand

Knights shine on court, in sand

October 27, 2021

View All
Blogs
Cold weather: one more reason to curl up with a good book
Sink or rise

Sink or rise

October 18, 2021

Welcome to Levin’s Library

Welcome to Levin’s Library

September 16, 2021

Flavor Profiles: JewBoy Subshop

Flavor Profiles: JewBoy Subshop

September 1, 2021

View All
People
Sophomore Gabi Alfarache (left) mid-bout. Having a good coach is important to success, and Alfrache has just that. Coming from Yale University to central Texas, Michael Kim became another father figure for Alfarache, “My ultimate role model is my coach [Kim]. He came from Korea to the United States when he was a teenager, and didn’t start fencing until college. He’s coached world champions, olympians, and even left his coaching position at Yale University to come coach in Texas. I really do think of him as my second father.”
The extra extracurriculars of McCallum
Helen Martin and Elena Ulack • November 29, 2021

McCallum is known for its creative and unique people, and this sentiment applies to more than just the Fine Arts Academy and athletics. While the school offers lots of extracurriculars...

Principal Griffith at the first Spectrum meeting of the year. Club leaders Caytie Brown and Ceder Herring invited Griffith to a meeting so she could share her story as an LGBTQ+ person. Having the support from Griffith has allowed Spectrum to facilitate more open discussions. I feel like other schools would be weirded out, Brown said. Like, The principals telling a story? But I think Mac culture is pretty accepting.
A safe space for all
November 21, 2021
Senior members of the LBJ Fire Academy line up to put out the propane fire at their first live fire skill day of the school year. Each person in the line has a specialized job, first in line holds the nozzle of the hose, the second and third are backup and the fourth person is the hose wrangler, making sure they have enough hose left to turn. “We just had to learn every single job, and that was stressful,” senior and LBJ Fire Academy member Michael Valentino said. “Every person has their job and they have to do it, and if you don’t do it it’s gonna go bad.” Caption by Kennedy Weatherby.
Forged by fire (fighting)
November 14, 2021
Juniors Dylan Neal and Mason Michulka walk across the House Park field during halftime after being crowned Class of 2023 homecoming royalty.
King, queen and in between
November 10, 2021
Entertainment
The young Tony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini) drifts in and out of the periphery of the narrative, lingering on the edge of a story that should inarguably belong to him.
At least we’ll always have 'The Sopranos'
Grace Vitale, staff reporter • December 5, 2021

It's 1967 in a racially divided Newark, N.J., during the Summer of Love, and Tony Soprano is an impressionable and deceptive young teenager. Tony Soprano’s origin story...

Fish No. 64: First
Fish No. 64: "First"
December 3, 2021
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: The cast performs in “Something’s Coming.” “We bickered like siblings and annoyed each other to no end, but we also have such a tight bond that allows us to pull off these massive shows,” senior Meg Willimont said. “I am constantly astounded by the talented people I work with every day, and I know I will see them on TV one day.”
Denning: 'Sondheim is one of the greats. It's like Shakespeare dying.'
November 30, 2021
Fish No. 63: Vibe
Fish No. 63: "Vibe"
November 27, 2021
Photo Galleries
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: The cast performs in “Something’s Coming.” “We bickered like siblings and annoyed each other to no end, but we also have such a tight bond that allows us to pull off these massive shows,” senior Meg Willimont said. “I am constantly astounded by the talented people I work with every day, and I know I will see them on TV one day.”
Denning: 'Sondheim is one of the greats. It's like Shakespeare dying.'
Samantha Powers, Meena Anderson, Ashley Chamberlain, Josephine Clarke, Emily Goulet, Zoe Hocker, and Madison Olsen • November 30, 2021

Broadway composer and musical theatre revolutionary Stephen Sondheim died Friday at 91. In his career that lasted nearly half a century, he wrote the lyrics for West Side...

A POIGNANT PERFORMANCE: Jessie Lucas gave a stirring solo performance of a song she wrote during coffee on Friday, Nov. 5. With Coffeehouse, Lucas had been given the opportunity to pour her heart out through her song lyrics. “Getting to perform at Coffeehouse was really scary in the moment, but it was also super emotionally rewarding for me as well,” Lucas said. Caption by Grace Vitale.
Coffeehouse enjoys triumphant return to Mac campus
November 9, 2021
SIGN ME UP: Dressed as princess Rapunzel, junior Kathryn Dooley signs a little girl’s autograph book after the show. The princess tea party consisted of three main events: the prepared performance — a mix of choreographed disney songs and short scenes, autograph signing and a photobooth. “After the princess tea party show when we got to meet all the little kids,” Dooley said. “We were able to talk to them and sign their autograph books. It was really sweet to see how happy meeting all the princesses made them.” The fundraising event originated in 2015 when then junior Atley Brown, a committed fan of the Disney princess franchise, came up with the idea. She and Alana Raper, also a junior at the time, managed the donations while Jack Holtcamp organized everyone to perform the songs. Sophomore Ava Deviney, who played Tinker Bell at Sundays tea party, said the 2021 event was also planned, organized and staged entirely by students. Reporting by Alice Scott.
Mac reconnects with its love for costumed community
November 2, 2021
GOMEZ AND CURRIE TAKE THE CROWNS: Senior homecoming royals Mia Gomez and Bobby Currie smile for the crowd after the announcement of their victory. For Currie, a three-time homecoming royalty member, this was an extremely memorable moment. “I hadn’t really put that much thought into the fact that I was a finalist; I just kind of went through the motions,” Currie said. “So when I heard my name called and then all the cheering, cameras and seeing the crown, my mind was just in shock and I was overwhelmed with excitement.” Having Gomez by his side was also special for Currie. “I love the diversity between the two of us. I think it represents McCallum very well,” he said. “I first met Mia in freshman year world geography, so this was kind of a cool full circle moment for us.” As seen in his marching band attire, Currie participates in many extracurriculars at McCallum — making this moment that much more appreciated. “I try to get very involved around here, so it was cool getting validation from the people I love very dearly,” Currie said. “It is definitely something I will always remember for the rest of my life.” Reporting by Madelynn Niles.
Mac resumes homecoming traditions in big way in 2021
October 26, 2021
View All
Recent Stories
At least we’ll always have ‘The Sopranos’
At least we’ll always have ‘The Sopranos’

Grace Vitale, staff reporter
December 5, 2021

It's 1967 in a racially divided Newark, N.J., during the Summer of Love, and Tony Soprano is an impressionable and deceptive young teenager. Tony Soprano’s origin story film wastes no time in submerging us in its frigid world, as we are immediately introduced to its colorful cast of characters, all of whom find themselves on the lower rungs of the Italian DiMeo crime family. There’s Alessandro...

The ‘pick me’ girl persists
The ‘pick me’ girl persists

Evelyn Griffin, copy editor
December 4, 2021

“I’m not like other girls.” “I could never wear heels and makeup like you.” “I can only have guy friends. Girls are too dramatic.” Over the past year or so, sentiments like these have become a part of a popular trend on TikTok: the “pick me” girl. According to Urban Dictionary, a “pick me” girl “goes out of their way to impress boys and make them seem that they’re...

Fish No. 64: “First”
Fish No. 64: “First”

Kai Kirkham Macias, staff cartoonist
December 3, 2021

In this week's installment, Stephen and Frankie ask the age old comic question, "Who's on first?" Meanwhile, Manfred and Nessie continue to work on their chemistry.

Activate Search
Home
The Student News Site of McCallum High School