Adele Seeboth, editorial writer & business manager
Adele Seeboth is a junior and this is her second year on staff. She is the editorial writer and business manager for The Shield. She loves taking photos and is looking forward to covering different aspects of McCallum. Outside of the paper, Adele is a member of the cross country and track team and also enjoys rock climbing and swimming. Seeboth is prepared to take on her new roles and excited about what this year has to offer.
![ONE LAST BATTLE CRY: Senior Valeria Villafuerte-Perez celebrates with her friends after the senior class won the spirit competition. At each pep rally, a different game is played with volunteers from the crowd. Villafuerte-Perez was nominated by her friends to play a game in which the goal was to snatch a pom-pom from an opponent.
“Before school started, my friends and I had talked about going all out for senior year, so I told them to nominate me for a game since it was our last [Shoal Creek Showdown] pep rally,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “I wasn’t really scared to go down to the floor in front of the whole school, all I was focused on was getting the crowd hyped for the game.”
Villafuerte-Perez entered the game determined to win. After several rounds, as there were just two people left, she managed to snatch the last pom just in time, in order to secure a victory for the senior class.
“I was really happy I won the game for the class of 2026,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “Honestly, I just wanted to win because seniors rule.”
As this was her first pep rally as a senior, the event carried extra meaning to Villafuerte-Perez.
“Being in the stands as a senior feels very surreal,” Villafuerte-Perez said. “I still remember my first pep rally, and now I’m a senior having my last pep rally, I think in that moment it really set in that I’m a senior, and that I’m going to graduate soon.”
Caption by Sophia Manos. Photo by Julia Copas.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54750679693_5f7d007e27_o-1200x675.jpg)
![WORKING TOGETHER: McCallum Dance Company performs the student-choreographed “Dancing with Death” during last Tuesday’s dress rehearsal before the spring dance show. Sophomore Pia Sosa performed in five different numbers during the show and thought that everything went well even despite a few challenges.
“I was getting a little worried closer to the end because there were still a lot of changes happening and people getting shuffled around into places,” Sosa said. “But by the tech week and by the shows, it really felt like we all worked together and came together.”
Sosa’s favorite part was performing “Come Play,” which was choreographed by junior Maya Tien. Sosa loved being able to work with Tien because of her level of preparation and being able to perform hip hop, since the dance company does not perform that style as much.
“It’s the first number I do in the show, and I always just felt like it gave me so much energy,” Sosa said. “It felt really good because we rarely do hip hop, so it just felt like such a great opportunity to do something that I don’t get to do all the time.”
Sosa explained that there were some challenges due to sudden changes in several pieces, however Sosa said she was proud of how the company responded as a whole.
“Everybody put their best foot forward and pushed through any challenges that they were having,” Sosa said. “I’m really proud of how the company handled it all.”
Overall, Sosa said she is grateful for all the work put in by the dance directors and the student choreographers for producing the show.
“We couldn’t have put the show together without [them],” Sosa said. “Mac dance is amazing and I can’t wait to choreograph next year.”
Caption by Riley Pita. Photo by Harper Maxwell.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/54471134934_215f07dcfb_o_54485123147_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![COWBOYS HATS FOR HOCO: Senior Lucy Zanker participates in the Western vs West Coast homecoming theme day. There were different themes every day of the week to get students spirited for homecoming.
This spirit day gave Zanker an excuse to wear a new article of clothing.
“I really liked that [cowboy] hat and I wanted an excuse to wear it, so that was my excuse to wear it,” Zanker said.
Zanker liked the ability to get to wear things she normally wouldn't.
“I just think that it's so fun to have a day to get to wear something that you normally wouldn't wear to school,” Zanker said. “I really just think that it makes school more exciting.”
For Zanker, spirit days help instill a sense of community.
“It [spirit] creates a sense of community within your grade level, which is especially important when you are a senior,” Zanker said. “People come together in their senior year and I think that spirit motivates that. It also helps get people excited about major things happening at the school.”
Zanker’s advice to others is to participate in spirit days such as these.
“Do spirit days, it's not dumb, just do them,” Zanker said. “It's exciting. Have fun with it.”
Caption by Shila Gill.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/lucy-zanker-western-day-678x1200.jpg)
