The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online
The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online
The Student News Site of McCallum High School

The Shield Online
Anna McClellan

Anna McClellan, design & visuals editor

(she/her)

Anna McClellan is currently a senior at McCallum, this being her fourth year as a member of MacJ and third as a member of The Shield. While on the MacJ staff, Anna has gotten heavily involved in cartoons and graphic design, and is now Design and Visuals editor for the second year in a row. Anna also keeps herself quite busy at McCallum, currently in her fourth year of Varsity soccer, third of Student council, second of NHS and first with PALS. When she’s not running around the McCallum campus, Anna can be found at a coffee shop drinking an iced vanilla latte, hanging out with her friends, working out and doing Spartan races, or just hanging with her dog. This year Anna looks forward to helping and guiding new and old staffers through the design process, and is excited to spend her senior year as a part of MacJ.

All content by Anna McClellan
Many of the quotes that inspire PALS adviser Richard Cowles stress that a life well lived is devoted to helping others. Perhaps thats why he encourages the PALS to participate in the annual Well Aware Shower Strike which raises awareness and funds for Well Aware, an organization that brings clean, accessible water to communities that dont have it. The 2022 Shower Strike starts today and runs through next Wednesday. Last year, Cowles participated in a Water Walk to illustrate the difficulty of having to transport water over long distances. Cowles threw down the gauntlet in the faculty obstacle course competition for fastest water walker by posting a sub 20-second time despite carrying two five-gallon water canisters instead of the one that the students carried.

What inspires an inspirational teacher?

April 20, 2022
ONLINE SPORTS ACTION PHOTO: The varsity girls basketball team went on the road on Tuesday to play its second game against the LASA Raptors. The Knights were on top of their game, securing a season sweep against the Raptors with a 51-32 victory. Playing before only a few spectators on an unfamiliar court, the team played stifling defense, preventing the Raptors from getting into their offensive rhythm. Several JV players moved up to bolster the varsity bench that has been decimated by injuries and illness. According to sophomore guard Esme Barraz who returned to the lineup herself on Tuesday, having more roster depth made a big difference after Friday’s tough home loss to Crockett, which left the Knights with three eligible players at game’s end. “I think our intensity needs to go up for the rest of the games and playoffs,” Barraz said. “We need to learn to play without some of our key players.” The varsity and the JV-A teams play against Anderson Friday at home. The JV game tips off at 6 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7:30. Caption by Francie Wilhelm. Reporting by Grace Nugent.

This is literally a SUPERIOR photo and art gallery

April 12, 2022
COUNTING ON YOU: Posing next to a poster advertising the blood drive made by senior and PAL Marina Garfield, the Count, also known as statistics teacher Richard Cowles, was Bram Stoked for this year’s blood drive on Feb. 1. The Count has been lurking the hallways of McCallum for at least nine years, but his origins date back to Cowles’ college days. Being a math teacher, of course, I’ve always liked Count Von Count,” he said, “but my college job was cooking at Chili’s, and I would have to call down to the grill and say I need one grilled chicken! Ha, ha, ha! It became a habit, and since vampires and blood go together, I kept it up and people seem to like it here.” (Editor’s note: previous quote must be read in Transylvanian accent.)

McCallum students can ‘count’ on Cowles

March 28, 2022
Senior Holden Satterwhite, CEO of Redfruit Media, works on his computer adorned with his collection of stickers–including his own Applelosophy logo.

[Photo] Confessions of a teenage CEO

March 2, 2022
ITS FOOTBALL BABY: Holding his daughter Camilla, head football coach Thomas Gammerdinger runs the football teams at the Manor scrimmage in 2019. At this particular game, Gammerdinger had to bring his daughter in spite of the summer heat because she hadnt hadnt been feeling well. Luckily, he had plenty of help from his assistant coaches. Camillas personal favorite being Coach Steve Searle. Anytime Camilla is up here, theyll all jump in and help take care of her, Gammerdinger said.Though Camilla was a fun addition to the team on Thursday, she is seldom on the sidelines at games. Gammerdinger says his schedule with football limits his time with his daughter: Its hard not being with her all the time, he said. I usually wake up and leave before she even wakes up, then I come home to her fast asleep. Although it is never a good thing for a baby to be sick, parents and players at McCallum were sure glad that they got to see her at the scrimmage.

Coach G values empathy, improvement, community

February 20, 2022
The Nabhan sisters. senior Sydney and junior. Rachel pose while on a hike in Colorado wih the rest of their family. Both sisters cite activities off the court as their best bonding-experiences.

Serving up sisterhood

January 9, 2022
Sophomore Alice Scott interviews freshman Ben Polega who brought his service dog Friday to school on Aug. 16. The broadcast feature package that came from this interview, Thank God its Friday, won first place at the fall National Scholastic Press Association Best of Show competition, marking the first time that MacJournalism has earned a Best of Show Award in broadcast journalism.

The year in review in videos

January 4, 2022
Hundreds of students walked out of their third-period classes on Monday Nov. 15 in a show of support for students who have been victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault. The group met in the band parking lot and then marched around the perimeter of the school, stopping often to hear personal stories of assault and survival. Each story elicited embraces and statements of support from members of the crowd.

The year in review in photos

December 28, 2021
Levins Library -- December

[Photo] The best books of 2021

December 16, 2021
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[Photo] Safety measure crosses line between security, privacy

December 10, 2021
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[Photo] District’s new surveillance software sparks debate over proper balance between student privacy, protection

December 6, 2021
A voter fills out his ballot in the McCallum Arts Center polling location this morning during FIT. Traffic was pretty light at the location all morning.

The official Shield guide to Election Day

November 2, 2021
The administration expressed general satisfaction with the way that students have responded to the mask mandate enforced by AISD, While some students have needed reminders about how to wear a mask properly and when to change to a new mask, most students are following the policy well, according to assistant principal Andy Baxa.

[Photo] Mask mandate mostly met at Mac

October 7, 2021
CAPTAINS AT TWILIGHT: Seniors Ez Guenther, Jake Hissey, Jaxon Rosales and Johan Holmes lineup for the coin toss before their last non-district game against the Kerrville Tivy Antlers. For Hissey, it was his first game back after suffering a wrist injury before the team’s marquee matchup against the Anderson Trojans. Despite wearing a cast that prompted the opposing coaches to urge their offensive skill players to run at the one-armed safety, Hissey held his own, nearly making an interception to seal the victory on the play before Guenther succeeded in doing the same. The Knights went on to beat Tivy 23-15 in a game that despite Tivy’s 0-4 record, they were not favored to win. Caption by Thomas Melina Raab.

Long bus ride to Kerrville proves to be fruitful

September 21, 2021
The text in this illustration are snippets from calls made by victims and first responders on Sept. 11, 2001. The number 2,996 represents the total number of fatalities caused by the attacks.

For close Bush adviser, 9/11 emotions remain strong

September 11, 2021
Graphic by Anna McClellan

[Photo] Welcome to Levin’s Library

September 16, 2021
Anna McClellan: NSPA Artist of the Year portfolio

Anna McClellan: NSPA Artist of the Year portfolio

June 25, 2021
LLOYDS 300th CELEBRATED AT Q2:  The United States were led onto the field by captain Carli Lloyd, who prior to the game celebrated her 300th Cap, also known as game, with the United States. “I was most excited to see [Megan] Rapinoe because she;s just been an inspiration to me the last couple of years on and off the field,” senior Varsity Soccer member Elly Schottman said. “It’s wonderful having athletes [like Rapinoe] advocating for equal pay in sports… I like having her to look up to because she’s fierce and not afraid to break social barriers. She’s willing to stand up for others and speak out against racism and homophobia.” Photo by Ellie Knoll.

Women’s national team Christens Q2

June 19, 2021
LAST NIGHTS ON STAGE AS A KNIGHT: Appearing in five dances including his senior solo, senior Matthew Vargas made the most of his final McCallum dance performance. “The most special thing about the show was being able to dance with my friends one last time as a Knight,” he said. Given that mindset, it is little surprise that his favorite two numbers in the show were the ones in which he took the stage with the other pre-professional dance group seniors. This image captures Vargas at the height of his leap alongside his senior company mates Avery Miller, Dorothy Anne Smith and Abby Tobleman during the appropriately named number, “Solidarity.” The dance was choreographed by MAC dance student directors Miller and Isabelle Baird and was therefore performed earlier in the year at the student-directed dance show on the outdoor stage. The seniors performed it three more times in the MAC this past weekend. “This piece was special because we have been working on it for a long time,” Vargas said. “When we do it, it’s just all muscle memory, so we can all have fun.”

Spring dance show brings MAC back to performance life

May 18, 2021
For many people, the isolation has been the hardest part of the pandemic experience. English teacher Amy Smith says she has never had as many students struggling academically and emotionally as she has this year.

[Photo] Weathering the storm

May 16, 2021
ONE LAST TOURNAMENT: With freshman teammate steading to shoot his arrow, senior captain Marianna Torres DeLine releases her arrow during a 15-meter round at the 2021 National Archery in Schools Program National Archery Tournament. The tournament was Torres-DeLines last NASP tournament.  “The fact that I was able to compete at that level was insane.” After four years of working to get the McCallum archery program, Torres-DeLine finished her senior year competing in her first national competition with her team. In her debut at nationals, Torres-DeLine scored 270 points to finish second among McCallum archers. She recorded eight bullseyes. Reporting by Sophie Leung-Lieu.

Archers compete at Nationals without leaving home gym

May 11, 2021
Rather that supporting the competitive needs of an already disadvantage class of student-athletes, Senate Bill 29 manufactures a problem related to their participation that is far more hypothetical than it is empirical.

[Photo] Bill to ban transgender athletes creates problem where there was none

May 3, 2021
LIVING LIKE A KING: Senior Amelie Chaouat smiles as she shares a dance with Kyle Davis, who was voted as one of this year’s Mac prom royalty. For Davis, the royal victory came as a complete surprise. “I thought it was cute and all that I made it to the second round of voting,” he said, “but I had no idea that I would win. I was beyond excited, and I’m so thankful to have been chosen.” As for the rest of the night, Kyle spent his time dancing with friends and reconnecting with classmates he hadn’t seen due to COVID. “I was honestly very worried that prom was just going to be awkward for so many people because so many of us haven’t had actual social interactions in big groups, but it was definitely the opposite,” Davis said. “It was full of interaction and everyone was very talkative.” Most of all, Davis is grateful that he and his peers had the opportunity to celebrate the end of senior year. “It was actually super reassuring,” he said. “Being able to even have a prom in general was amazing, and the fact that we got to have at least one event for the class of 2021 was just lovely.” Reporting by Madelynn Niles.

Seniors make most of muddy mask-querade

May 4, 2021
Voters wont be electing people to office on Saturday but rather determining the course of essential local policies, touching on several essential issues, among them homelessness, the role of the mayor in city government and the role of the council in overseeing police operations..

Municipal election to decide fate of eight propositions

April 30, 2021
STICKING WITH TRADITION: The McCallum Blue Brigade sticks the final pose during Last Dance to conclude their first Spring Show of 2021 on Friday April 16. “My favorite dance is ‘Last Dance’ because its such a classic!” junior member Natalie Dean said. I think it’s so fun, happy and a great way to end spring show every year,” The routine is full of memories for members past and present as it has been performed at the end of every spring show since 1991. Speaking of traditions, Dean helped to keep another spring show tradition alive when she made a slide show that included photos from the season as well as a tribute to seniors that included current and baby pictures of each graduating dancer.  Reporting by Grace Nugent.

Blue Brigade ends tough year with triumphant show

April 27, 2021
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[Photo] Some like it hot; some like it not

April 27, 2021
DeLine hugs his daughter and the Mac archery team captain, Mariana Torres-DeLine after she delivered the surprise announcement that he had been named 2021 National Archery in the Schools Program Coach of the Year. The team and team parents nominated him for the award and had the privilege of sharing the news with him that he had won.

[Photo] Archery team surprises founder with national Coach of the Year Award for his work to build, sustain team

April 25, 2021
FULL CIRCLE: For seniors like co-captain Addie Seckar-Martinez, shown here performing in the large ensemble contemporary dance for which the team won a Best in Class award, the site of the Central Texas Dance Festival at Georgetown’s East View High School offered an opportunity to come full circle.  East View was the site of the first competition the seniors entered as freshman four years ago. “We have had a lot of events get canceled this year due to COVID and weather inconveniences, but being able to be out there dancing to an audience with my Blue Brigade family meant so much to me,” Seckar-Martinez said. “I always tell the team to go out there and just have fun and that’s exactly what we did.” Reporting by Zazie Bryant.

Blue Brigade competes, wins both in person, virtually

March 23, 2021
The Nostalgic, by senior Raleigh Margulies was one of 14 pieces by Mac artists chosen to advance to state VASE. “The piece of my sister holding a chicken is basically a happier depiction of our actual life,” Margulies said. “It’s reminiscent of life before the pandemic, yet taking care of the chickens is one of the things that hasn’t changed much.” Unlike most aspects of life, Margulies feels like this year’s VASE competition was actually improved by a virtual format. “Normal VASE is usually an all-day event and involves a lot of waiting around, so it can be kind of boring. The interviews are a bit nerve-racking,” Margulies said. “I actually liked VASE this year. It felt more relaxed for the students.”

A virtual VASE gallery of MAC state finalists

March 10, 2021
By following safety protocols, the girls soccer season has stayed on track, with the team poised to win a district title and then make a run in the state playoffs.

Why high school athletes should be allowed to play

March 7, 2021
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[Photo] Selection process for McCallum principal postponed twice, now underway

March 10, 2021
Creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni take what’s great about the original trilogy and emboss it, Free from the responsibility to showcase saber-wielding Skywalkers, the duo is able instead to focus on western shootouts where the plot is more in the style of Earp-Holliday than of Vader-Palpatine. The shows genius, however, is its attention to the details that make each scene memorable: small in-jokes and references to other parts of the Star Wars universe. 

[Photo] ‘The Mandalorian’ brings back the spirit of Star Wars

December 28, 2020
DUELING SIGNS IN DISTRICT 10: Spicewood Springs Road just off Mesa was the site for two large signs each representing one of the runoff candidates for the District 10 City Council Post where incumbent Alison Alter faces the challenger Jennifer Virden. A drive down any street near Anderson High School would reveal that neighbors are split between the two candidates.

Runoff election slated for four local races

December 15, 2020
Everyone sing it now: All students want for the holidays is two fewer finals. Two fewer finals. Two fewer finals.

[Photo] MacJ earns three-peat for best social media reporting

November 22, 2020
The Texas Education Agency’s threats to cut funding have led the district to require that high schools abandon learning groups for in-person students in favor of regular classes with classroom changes during passing periods. The change is unsafe and puts teachers in the difficult position of having to teach in-person and virtual students at the same time.

[Photo] It’s time to back off, not speed ahead

November 3, 2020
On Nov. 2, the Austin Independent School District will begin class rotations. Parents received another survey from the district due Oct. 28, asking if parents want their students to continue learning remotely at home or to attend school in-person.

[Photo] In-person students to rotate classes

October 31, 2020
Abbott has also made restrictions on mail-in ballots tighter, forcing many voters to brave the polls and a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Unless a voter has an illness, is overseas, is in jail (but still allowed to vote) or is over the age of 65, they must vote in person and risk exposure to the virus.

[Photo] Bogus regulations not fraud disrupts democracy

October 28, 2020
Election signs of the times

Election signs of the times

October 27, 2020
Anna McClellan

Anna McClellan

October 20, 2020
Myers reads original poetry at an early morning faculty poetry sharing session in the Mac library on April 24, 2018.

Petition in support of Myers goes viral

October 19, 2020
History teacher Greg Anderson and former Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider smile for the camera at a VIP event during Snider’s solo show in Dallas. After Snider signed Anderson’s copies of the Twister Sister albums You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll and Stay Hungry, Anderson told Snider how much he admired him for his role fighting censorship in the Parents Music Resource Center U.S. Senate hearings. “He made a joke about how funny it would have been if Bob Denver had been at the hearings instead of John Denver,” Anderson said. “He asked if I wanted to make tough guy faces in the picture, and I asked him if we could smile instead. He was very nice and everyone was walking away very happy from the experience.” Anderson also told MacJournalism that he first became a fan of Twisted Sister after seeing the band’s appearance in the final chase scene in the 1985 movie Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and that he caught a guitar pick during Snider’s show.

Greg Anderson’s musical anthology includes Green Day, the Foo Fighters, Devo and the Ramones

October 7, 2020
Andersons Spotify metal playlist is 34 hours long, and his chart showing different metal genres and their relationship to each other looks like a constellation of stars.

Turns out you can judge a band by its album cover

September 28, 2020

NSPA Artist of the Year portfolio

June 19, 2020
In a Shield poll on the MacJournalism Instagram account, 238 of 327 respondents said they did not support the initiative to hide like counts on other people’s Instagram posts. Illustration by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] What’s not to like about Project Daisy?

May 21, 2020
In her introduction to the yearbook staff, Weber said that three of her favorite things are her pets, her close friends and road trips to the desert. She added that Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac and Float On by Modest Mouse were two of her favorite songs and that she was most looking forward to working with the staffs in the 2020-2021 school year.

MacJ welcomes co-adviser Jena Weber

May 12, 2020
The Knights soccer season ended before their playoff run could begin, but Maldonado isnt done with soccer. She wants to try out for the Texas State team; she also hopes to coach soccer when her playing days are over.

Maldonado will always be around the pitch

May 1, 2020
Dr. Mark McCellan said there is a very good chance that there will be a vaccine by 2021, and that we will return to school campuses in the fall even if all campus activities wont resume in the same way.

Dr. Mark McClellan: There are brighter days ahead if we stay patient, vigilant, disciplined

April 30, 2020
Sanders again wont be the Democratic nominee after once again surrendering the nomination to a veteran moderate Democrat. He has remained on the ballot in states with future primaries in order to earn delegates to influence the partys platform moving forward. Illustration by Anna McClellan.

And then there were two

April 19, 2020
Graphic by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] The essential N&N quarantine movie guide

March 27, 2020
The coronavirus has caused a postponement of several presidential primaries and has drastically changed the way the candidates are able to campaign. Cartoon by Anna McClellan.

COVID-19 wreaking havoc on 2020 Election

March 24, 2020
The yearbook staff would like to congratulate all the winners and all the finalists in the Class of 2020 superlative voting. Illustration by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] Knight staff reveals senior superlative winners

March 21, 2020
Seniors have until March 11 to cast their ballots to determine which finalists will win each senior superlative category. Graphic by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] Knight staff announces senior superlative finalists

March 4, 2020
With 14 states including Texas and California holding primaries on Tuesday, there is a lot on the line for national presidential candidates and for candidates vying a long list of local and statewide offices including a U.S. Senate seat. Cartoon by Anna McClellan.

Primarily speaking: What to look for next Tuesday

February 28, 2020
THE STRANGEST THING is that cigarette ads are illegal under Article 13 while vaping ads don’t have the same restrictions. Graphic by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] I’m sick of nic regulation

February 20, 2020
Technology took the biggest hit with the app’s failure, proving that not everything is improved with the addition of technology. In New Hampshire, they still use good old-fashioned pen and paper to tally votes, a much more reliable and accurate way to record votes.

Iowa Caucus? More like Iowa FLOPus

February 11, 2020
Senator Bernie Sanders, shown here addressing a sea of his supporters at Williams Arena in Minneapolis during his 2020 presidential campaign rally on Nov. 3, is gaining support heading into tonights Iowa Caucus, according to The New York Times. Photo by Nikolas Liepins.

Your guide to the Iowa caucus

February 3, 2020
Photo by Anna McClellan.

Mustangs tame Knights after controversial penalty

January 22, 2020
Principal Hosack awards the spirit stick to the senior class at the homecoming pep rally on Sept. 13. Photo by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] Hosack values family, transparency, Wonder Woman and doing the right thing

October 31, 2019
Senior Aranza Sanchez talks with principal Brandi Hosack and assistant principal Gabriel Reyes on the first day of school. Photo by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] Hosack era begins at Mac

October 18, 2019
McCollums interception near the Knight end zone repelled the Raiders and kept the score 10-0 heading into halftime.

Remembering how the Knights repelled the Raiders

January 2, 2020
Senior Joe Roddy performs his trumpet solo at the band’s last halftime performance. Photo by Anna McClellan.

[Photo] Primary events, puzzle style.

December 27, 2019
Over the course of a decade weve gone from Angry Birds to Pokemon Go to Mario Kart. Sports highlights included the U.S. Women’s National Soccer winning gold at the Olympics as well as two World Cups and Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals.

End of the ’10s

December 26, 2019
Those who vape at Mac have reacted to the CDC report in different ways. To some, the CDC findings are a big deal; to others, the report hasn’t changed their habits at all.

[Photo] CDC links vaping to 33 deaths in U.S.

October 31, 2019
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