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The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online
The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online
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Photoj classes capture essence of McCallum

A classic MacJ photo challenge turns 10 as first-year students in digital design and media production set out to reveal campus life through visual storytelling
Zanna Allen, Carson Bray Nunez, Kaylee Breecker, John Robert Crouch, Edie Davidson, Saskia Dhont, Luella Finch McConnell, Olive Glenn, Eli Gold, Sylvia Hurtado, Hannah Kahn, Lilah Lavigne, Ryan Latsha, Will Swan, Wren Vanderford, and Jasper Williams
November 26, 2024
Wren Vanderford
VERTICAL VIRTUOSOS: The McCallum Orchestra performed at its Fall Vertical Team Concert on Wednesday afternoon. The concert featured performances from all ensembles, and the Lamar Middle School orchestra. The program began with a performance by the Lamar Middle School’s philharmonic orchestra and symphony orchestra, followed by Mac’s ninth-grade orchestra, Mac’s concert orchestra, Mac’s chamber orchestra, and ended with all the musicians coming on stage for a few final songs. A new member of the orchestra family, freshman violinist Sophia Davis, shared how the freshman orchestra has been preparing for this concert. “I’ve been practicing a lot, both outside of school and in class during third period,” she said. “It’s been an up-and-down roller coaster some days, but I feel that today’s performance went pretty well.” The orchestra will continue to work hard in preparation for future concerts and the upcoming UIL season. Caption by Wren Vanderford.

It is the 10th year that the photojournalism class have been charged with the photo challenge to capture the essence of McCallum in photographs. The assignment requires that students take at least one picture of the building, one picture of an activity on campus and one picture with at least one person in it. One photograph of course could meet all three requirements.

The assignment usually producing some interesting takes on what makes McCallum tick, and this year’s collection was no different. We are pleased on this Thanksgiving break to share some of our favorites. We are indeed thankful that McCallum is our school home, and the images in this Tuesday Top 10 provide a window into why we feel that way.

Ceramics 1 student Haley Cooper throws a pot for a class assignment. Their job is to create vase, and it is many student’s first time throwing. Cooper says, “I love how much creative freedom we get in our projects, it really lets my imagination wander.” Caption and photo by Zanna Allen.

This photo is an important representation of McCallum because it shows a perspective not often shown of the campus. This is a photo of the school janitors taking their lunch break, which typically happens way earlier than the students lunch. The janitors are a very important part of the school and the functionality of the school, but don’t receive a lot of recognition for all of the work that they do. ISO: 1250 f/stop: 2.8 Focal Length: 50 mm Shutter Speed: 1/160. Caption and photo by Carson Bray Nunez.

The MAC building is a significant landmark of our school. It stands as a reminder of our students’ creativity and symbolizes the values we uphold. This image serves as an emblem of our school’s fine arts program, one of many things that makes it so unique. Within the building, the energy of rehearsals, performances, and exhibitions of McCallum’s commitment to talent and a supportive community shines through. This photo captures the essence of the foundation of our campus while emphasizing the power of art and the shared passion of the students and staff. ISO: 32, F-stop: 1.8, Shutter Speed: 1/1754, Lens Focal Length: 31mm. Caption and photo by Kaylee Breecker.

DANCING WITH THE DEAD: Here is a picture of a McCallum student in the ballet folklorico dancing at the Dia De Los Muertos parade in downtown Austin. She is wearing traditional clothing, and has makeup celebrate the culture she is representing in this parade. This represents the blends of cultures at McCallum, and the way the school recognizes and supports everyone. I utilized the movement and colors of her skirt, to show how magical the experience was. The sky also created a contrast of colors, that made the picture pop even more. Camera Settings. ISO: 20, Shutter Speed: 1/1261, f/stop: 2.4, Focal Length:13 mm. Caption and photo by Sylvia Hurtado.

The long hallways form a part of the school’s body. They allow students to flow from one class to another. Caption and photo by Saskia Dhont.

KEEP ON POSSUM WATCH: On Friday morning, a baby possum was spotted up in a tree in the fine arts courtyard. Principal Andy Baxa received a report that some students were pestering the possum, which prompted him to take action, telling the students to back away from the creature. Amanda Rose, one of McCallum’s school nurses, was called to keep possum watch, ensuring that it was safe. “We wanted to make sure nobody was harassing the possum,” Rose said. “[We] look out for the health and happiness of all creatures of McCallum.” The caregiver waited outside as the possum searched for a risk-free way down. Rose left her post to tend to other duties, but the possum was spotted during the duration of lunch, disappearing by the end of the school day. Between the racoon encounters of recent years and the other ongoing animal appearances, McCallum has proven to be an inviting environment for all creatures great and small. Caption by Lilah Lavigne. Photo by Olive Glenn.

Freshman Vera Petrowsky proudly showcases her Taco Shack Bowl shirt in front of McCallum Gym, displaying her spirited enthusiasm! The Taco Shack Bowl is the biggest football event of the year, with the football team, cheerleaders, band, teachers, staff, and student section full of excitement and suspense. This image highlights the power of one individual, but also how powerful the joining of peers can be at one event supporting our school. Not only does this photo show the spirit, but it also shows how people feel about promoting it. This photo reflects the culture of McCallum, demonstrated by the students and staff wearing our merchandise. ISO: 100, F-stop: 1.8, Shutter Speed: 1/320, Lens Focal Length: 50mm. Caption and photo by Kaylee Breecker.

The choir practices one of its beautiful pieces with the piano player, choir director Nathan Thompson, playing a piece some students sing along while he hums the melody. The choir has been practicing for quite some time now and their voices have come a long way since middle school. “The song is very pretty and also very challenging.” says Beaux Nagle, someone who sings in that particular choir. Caption and photo by John Robert Crouch.

This photo shows one of McCallum’s awesome lunch monitors getting food prepared for lunch to start. I took it so people can be diligent about the hard working custodians that help us at McCallum. Because, without them, our school wouldn’t be the way it is everyday! ISO: 1600, Shutter speed: 1/800, Fstop: 2.2, Focal length: 50.00mm. Photo by Lilah Lavigne.

This photo I chose to represent the school activity of the advertising of clubs and events around school. I think this very well represents the atmosphere around school. I wanted to compose the photo from a “outside looking in” perspective where you can see through the window and make inferences about what Mccallum is like. ISO: 32, Shutter speed: 1/401, f/stop: 1.6, focal length. 4.2 mm (settings were given by online exif viewer so sorry for any inaccuracies). Caption and photo by Eli Gold.

We Are …Mac Knights: McCallum takes its athletic program seriously. Athletes devote their time after school hours to workouts in the weight room. We play in sold-out games. We are ruthless on the court and field. This photograph depicts this particular McCallum athlete in a strong, powerful way, and from being shot from behind, it allows anybody to see themself in this position. This conveys the campus-wide spirit of sports. This photo was taken on an iPhone with an iso of 32, shutter speed of 1/262, f/stop of 1.6, and a 26 mm lens. Caption and photo by Hannah Kahn.

I think this photo represents the essence of McCallum because even though it’s just a few streamers, it shows our school spirit. One of the best things about Mac is the community-ness and how much everyone loves every part of the school, especially the sports and football and football season in general with all the pep rallies and band and blue brigade. I like how in this photo all the lines from the streamers and ceiling and walls all contrast each other but also go together very well. Focal length: 50.0mm, ISO: 20000, F-stop: 6.3, Shutter speed: 1/1000. Caption and photo by Luella Fincher-McConnell.

This is an essential McCallum image because it represents how people in McCallum can have a good time in a community and still stay on track. You can see that Aubrey is focusing on a painting, but she also is surrounded by friends. ISO: 800, F Stop: f/2.0, Shutter Speed: 1/125, Focal Length: 50mm. Caption and photo by Will Swan.

BEHIND THE SCENES: This photo shows essence at McCallum for me because I am a technical theatre major. It is of the rigging system in the MAC. This system is very recognizable in the theater and aids to many aspects from lighting to set design. The locks and metal beam create leading line that move your focus into the photo. I like how the bright red locks pops and contrast the cooler tone background. Camera settings: ISO: 2500, Shutter speed: 1/15, Aperture: f/4, Focal length: 20mm. Photo by Ryan Latsha.

This photo demonstrates what McCallum is all about. ISO: 800, Shutter speed: 240, F/stop: 22. Caption and photo by Jasper Williams.

Building a Community: Established in the 1950s, McCallum High School holds strong to its original foundation. Featuring its unique orange brick and contrasting blue trim, it is a highly recognizable campus with architecture that forces you to look up. On the ground or eye-level, it is an ordinary campus. But if you direct your gaze to the sky, a whole new world is unveiled. Overlapping patterns and almost castle-like features are discovered, making the building so special. What is so incredible to me is how the building, while having undergone some renovations, has overall been maintained. Maggie Slocum, a class of 1957 graduate from McCallum High School shared, “I’m astounded that it’s all more than recognizable, it’s actually preserved.” This photo was taken on an iPhone with an iso of 32, shutter speed of 1/92, f/stop of 1.6, and a 26 mm lens. Caption and photo by Hannah Kahn.

This is a photo of a Seniors car art. I think this photo represents McCallum essence because it shows something that Seniors only get to do. It honestly shows how fun being a senior can be and the perks of it. I chose this angle because instead of capturing the car, I wanted to capture the art itself and the detail of it. ISO:250, F-Stop: 7.1, Shutter Speed: 1/1000, Lens Focal Length: 50mm. Caption and photo by Edie Davidson.

I chose this structure for a building because it is a very old landmark of our school and very well represents the general vibe of the McCallum buildings: old, brightly colored paint but with rustic materials. I chose to compose this photo from a lower angle so you can see the size of it but also can see how it would look from the regular point of view as a student. ISO: 25, shutter speed: 1/421, f/stop: 2.4, focal length. 1.55 mm. Caption and photo by Eli Gold.

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AN ABUNDANCE OF OPPORTUNITIES: Senior Harper Freach, a cello player in the chamber orchestra, plays the first movement of “Triptyque” by Yasushi Akutagawa, which they began practicing in August. Freach said she was nervous going into the concert, having recently focused on other pieces. “I was feeling pretty nervous because we hadn't played it for a while because we had been focused on pieces for another concert, so everyone was a little rusty,” Freach said. After the performances, the fine arts majors separated into smaller groups so that the audience could interact with whatever fine arts they were most interested in learning about. Freach’s younger sister is interested in the dance department, so they went into that group. “We went to the dance building and got to watch a bunch of different types of solos of all different dance types to show what you could audition with for your audition and got to talk to the dance teachers,” Freach said. Freach said she had a very different experience with orchestra before high school. “I went to a private school, and we had a very different way of playing, we would have to audition for actual seatings and chairs,” Freach said. “It's different because now you walk into orchestra, and you don't know what to expect. Pringle will either have you play for the class or play with a different section; it's just a very broad range, and you never know what you're going to get. I like it because it tests my abilities and tells me what I need to work on and sometimes shows that I can pick up on things faster than I thought I would be able to.” Freach’s advice for any new Knights is to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible. “Any opportunity that you are presented with you should take it,” Freach said. “I couldn't do that my freshman year because we were still pretty shut down due to COVID. I was scared to try other things besides orchestra, but I regret not involving myself in other areas at McCallum where I could have possibly found my passion.” Caption by Shila Gill.
Inspiring aspiring artists
AS EASY AS PB&J: At the blindfold sandwich-making station, senior Zane Wiggins and Kai Talebi attempt to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The activity allowed students to experience the mundane task without sight. Wiggins found that the simple activity turned into a challenge in almost every aspect of the process. "It was pretty rough," he said. "My bread wasn’t put together properly, and I put my jelly right next to my plate and not on the plate, it was really difficult. I was expecting it to be easier than it was cause I'd made sandwiches all my life, and I thought 'I can do this from muscle memory,' but it was a lot harder than I thought, and it makes you not take your sight for granted. Access to your sight makes things so much easier." Since students participating are used to having full sight, it was difficult to adapt to the sudden loss of a sense. "I had to kind of guess where things were and the plate was moving a lot," he said. "Every time I would reach for the plate it would be in a different location, so I kind of had to feel around for everything." Along with that, Wiggins had to work together with Talebi to communicate to communicate which ingredient he needed next. "I had to share the peanut butter and the jelly with Kai, so we had to coordinate with each other on who gets what first," he said. "I knew Kai was right next to me, but it was hard to know where her hands were. We had to find each other's arm and make our way up to pass the ingredients." Caption by Lillian Gray.
Learning to see without sight
ONE LAST BATTLE CRY: Seniors Joe Colaleo and Theo Northcutt dressed as Mario and Waluigi cheer hard as they win their last senior battle cry. “I was very excited and happy because we had just won,” Colaleo said. “Now that I look back on it, it feels a little sad knowing I can’t go to another one.” Colaleo said although the moment was bittersweet, it’s also nice to know other things in life are coming up. Colaleo and his two friends said they dressed as Mario characters because it was a simple and fun costume idea. “I decided on the costume because it’s so iconic and recognizable,” Colaleo said. Caption by Josie Linton.
Students, faculty convene campus costume party
HIGH KICKS, HIGH SPIRITS: On Friday, Oct. 18, McCallum culminated a festive spirit week with the homecoming pep rally. During the pep rally, the class winner of the hallway decorating contest was announced as well as the usual spirit stick award. Sophomore and Blue Brigade member, Peyton Robenhorst noted how festive the student section was. "It felt good to perform for the homecoming game," Robenhorst said. "I knew a lot of people were going to [cheer for us]."
From spirit days to dance nights, homecoming brings high spirits
A CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE: Ballet Folklórico dancers Valeria Alcauter Robles (red), Carley Castro-Seiler (turquoise), Abi Peacock (black), Shirel Behar (green) and Mailyn Gil (periwinkle) perform this past weekend at the AISD Performing Arts Center, competing in AISD’s Fiesta for Hispanic Heritage Month. Gil has been a part of the club since her freshman year. Upon joining the group she had no idea what it was, but was inclined to join due to influences of her grandfather. “I joined because my grandfather loved the traditional dances and that it showcased all regions,” Gil said. “I wanted to honor him in a way, as well as learn more about my culture.” Competing in a small group ensemble during the Fiesta, Gil felt that the members as well as herself were very composed and performed their routine smoothly. “We were very comfortable in our pieces, enough to just get on stage and do what we did, and have fun,” Gil said. “The only difference between this performance and the past was that we had judges this time, so it was a little nerve wrecking since it was a competition.” Groups from different schools competed in a variety of categories, some being soloists, music groups, and bands. The groups each performed their pieces, and then the judges took 15 minutes at the end to go over scoring before they announced the winners. Gil said that even though the club did not win, they felt proud of their performance. “We were very positive and respectful, and even though we didn’t win we felt proud of our accomplishments,” Gil said. “I was proud of our newcomers because they learned everything so quickly and got the hang of it.” Caption by Priya Thoppil.
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Setting a new Pink Week precedent, puppies were introduced into the Pink Week festivities this year. Two 6-week-old puppies-Mae and Millie were brought from Austin Pets Alive, and students, including Mariana Silva shown here, were able to pay to cuddle and play with the puppies. The event turned out to be extremely popular at McCallum with a huge line twisting around the courtyard, and the PALS program reported that just on Tuesday alone, the group raised $700 dollars for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Texas. Not only did the puppies help to raise money for the BCRC, but the event also served as an adoption event for Austin Pets Alive, as students and their families were given the puppies' information about how to adopt puppies in the future. Caption by Josie Mullan.
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Ballet Folklórico troupe members Jose Miguel Yemez Montaner and Valeria Elizondo dance the traditional Jarabe Tapatío during the 11 a.m. showcase at the Day of Dance last Saturday at the Austin ISD PAC. The troupe close the showcase with three routines, and this dance was the middle one.
Day of Dance debuts at Austin ISD PAC
FRIENDS, FUN AND TUCK: For junior Zane Shieh (second from the left), being a part of Tuck Everlasting has not only brought him closer to his castmates and crew, but has also brought up some mixed emotions seeing that this was the last performance together for many senior classmates.  “I did have to do Tuck because of my major, but I also knew lots of friends that were auditioning and I wanted to work with the seniors that will not be here for long,” Shieh said.  Because it's the last performance for a lot of seniors, Shieh says it is a bittersweet feeling when experiencing someone's last show at McCallum.  “I feel very sad because all the seniors are so cool, and kind and funny and I think I'm gonna miss them,” Shieh said. Caption by Sofia Saucedo.
'You don’t need to live forever; you need to just live'
APPRECIATING TRADITION: For senior Kai Talebi’s last teacher appreciation volleyball game on Friday night, she stuck with tradition, and chose to ask English teacher Amy Smith to walk the court with her before the game. “I took her last year too, so it’s kind of like tradition,” Talebi said. “Now I was like, ‘Of course I have to take her.’” Talebi is happy to have had Smith twice in the past four years, first for her sophomore year and again this year. Noting that Smith was an integral part of her high school experience, Talebi said the English teacher had a very positive impact on her. “Senior year, it’s been really fun to have her as a teacher again because I already know her super well, and we have a good relationship,” Talebi said. Having a teacher twice is not very common, but for Talebi, it was a blessing in disguise. “Sophomore year she definitely helped me get out of my shell a lot, and encouraged me a lot throughout the year,” Talebi said. The pair have been close ever since the first class Talebi had with Smith, Advanced English 2. Talebi is also a tutor in the Writing Center, so they see each other very often. “She [Smith] is the sweetest,” Talebi said. “And we have definitely grown closer because of me being her student multiple times.” Caption by Priya Thoppil
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THE ROBINHOOD ISSUE: Texas state Rep. Ken King, a Republican, addresses his audience on Sept. 6 at the Texas Tribune Festival about funding public education in Texas. King stated that to have Texas citizens pay less taxes to support public education, the state needs to reach 51% funding. “When I served on the committee that instated House Bill 3, it seemed to me that we were at 36 percent state funding,” King said. “After we instated House Bill 3, we were at 46 percent. The goal was to get to 51 percent by the 21st session, but we went backward. The state needs to put a huge amount of money into that system in order to meet that constitutional obligation.” Another issue King spoke to was the Robin Hood Plan, also known as recapture. The plan was enacted around 1993 as a way to provide equity in school financing. After the plan was enforced, many citizens were upset because the state took a huge percentage of their property taxes and redirected them to less property tax rich districts. King agrees that it should be overturned. “It’s been said that we need to get rid of Robin Hood, and as a representative who has watched my community pay so much in Robin Hood, I agree,” King said. “Problem is, the Supreme Court has ruled Robin Hood to be a part of equity three different times, and I think it’s gonna stay.” Caption by Sofia Saucedo.
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COLALEO IN THE YELLOW SUIT: Senior Joe Colaleo rehearses ferociously confronts the Tuck family about the water that turns people immortal as the cast of McCallum Theater’s fall production Tuck Everlasting blocks a scene. The rehearsal is for the actors to know where to be placed and stand throughout the show. “I am feeling great about the process and creation of the show as a whole,” Colaleo said. “We are working really fast, we are super prepared. Everyone is working really hard, and we are just finishing up learning set traffic, cleaning and perfecting the show.” In the show, Colaleo plays The Man in the Yellow Suit, a character he was hoping to get when auditioning. The character is greedy and selfish and his goal is to become wealthy by selling water from the spring in the woods. “I want the water to sell for money and they are stopping me,” Colaleo said. For Colaleo, Tuck Everlasting represents the start of his senior year and the final season with McCallum Theater. “Playing this role as a senior is very fulfilling and fun,” Colaleo said. “Everyone looks up to you and you get a sense of accomplishment and pride when you see others doing well.” Looking back on his four years in theater production, Colaleo said he wants to do everything he can this year to support the underclassmen and have fun in the rest of the shows this year. “I really appreciate the process a lot more this year, knowing it will be one of the last times I’m doing something like this at McCallum and I won’t see a lot of these people for a long time,” Colaleo said. Caption by Nate Williams.
'Everlasting' rehearsal process nears its end
READY FOR THE CHALLENGE: Junior defensive end Nehemiah Trejo listens intently to head coach Thomas Gammerdinger's instructions for the team's next offensive possession against Anderson. Trejo praised the coaching staff for its work leading up to game. “Our coaches did an excellent job preparing us for this game,” Trejo said. “They spent a lot of time game planning and reviewing our strategies. We saw many of the things we expected, and we came into the game focused and ready to give it our all.” Trejo praised Coach Gammerdinger for his role in adapting during the game. “Coach G was great at addressing what was working for us, correcting mistakes and improving communication,” Trejo said. “He reminded us that our defense had the capability to hold them back and make crucial stops.” As for the game’s outcome, Trejo noted it was an intense fight but did not come as a surprise. “It went exactly as we anticipated,” Trejo said. “Anderson came out with a strong offense, and it turned into a shootout between who could score more and who could get the most stops. We showed in the third quarter that we weren’t giving up and fought hard throughout [the game].” Caption by Tristen Diaz.
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