Vaughn Vandegrift

Senior Vaughn Vandegrift walked into the Mac halls for the first time in the summer of 2021. Her first year in Austin was already marked by joining the volleyball team. 

“I literally got off the plane, the day I landed here, and went to my first day of practice,” said Vandegrift. “It was very jarring to fly across the country and then be like ‘here’s your new high school’ and it definitely wasn’t easy.”

Vandegrift had lived most of her life in Chapel Hill, NC, playing volleyball and lacrosse and participating in HOSA (Future Health Professionals), which she later carried over to McCallum.

Joining and becoming the captain of the successful volleyball team was one of Vandegrift’s most prized achievements, allowing her to gain an automatic friend group before the school year began.

“It was great to show up on the first day of school and I had already spent a month with a bunch of people going to school here,” Vandegrift said.

From the first day of school, Vandegrift had set her sights on joining and becoming an integral member of the McCallum community. She is currently a member of National Honor Society and officer for Science National Honor Society, a science center tutor, co-president of math center and was a member of the quiz bowl team last year, along with her commitments to the volleyball team.

Anyone would agree that joining a completely new school across from where you used to live can be difficult, but Vandegrift found that the welcoming Mac community made it easier than she had thought.

“The community here was so welcoming, encouraging and supportive and I was really excited to get to know new people,” she said. “I feel like I made some really good connections in my two years here and I’m sad that people are leaving but I’m also really excited to see what everyone does.”

Vandegrift will attend the University of Texas at Austin as part of the Plan ll Honors Program, majoring in biochemistry.

Varsity volleyball (11th, 12th), Co-captain (12th), Academic All district honorable mention (11th), First Team All-District (12th), Academic All-state (12th) Bi-District Champions (12th)

Medical Science Club president (11th, 12th)

Math Center (11th, 12th), Co-president (12th)

Science Center (11th, 12th), Chemistry officer (12th)

Science National Honor Society Officer (12th)