Chloe Lewcock, staff reporter
This is sophomore Chloe Lewcock's first year as a staffer on the Shield. After discovering a love for photography, Lewcock's first thought was to join a commercial photography class, followed by the decision to additionally join MacJ, giving her the best shot at putting her talent to work. In joining MacJ, Lewcock hopes to both strengthen her photography skills and find a new appreciation for writing. Specifically, she's hoping to learn more about reviews and opinion pieces. In addition to photography, Lewcock spends her free time reading, although she can't pinpoint a favorite book (it changes every time she finishes one), baking, watching rom coms (specifically "13 Going on 30") and dancing.
![BACK TOGETHER AGAIN: Former McCallum soccer players pose for a group photo at the annual varsity vs. alumni match. The teams of graduated Knights consisted of students as recent as the Class of ‘22 all the way back to 2003. After two years of COVID delays, coach Nick Martin was finally able to hold the match on Dec. 28.
“[The alumni game] provides like a continuity for the program. It doesn’t matter what year you are,” Martin said.
While some organizational changes were made to the event this year, with matches being held tournament style rather than a free-for-all, Martin maintained the spirit of community that the match holds for his past and current players.
“Getting the chance to come back and see each other whilst also playing some soccer is something me and my friends have a hard time turning down,” class of 2021 alumn Aiden Golliher said. “I’d predict and hope that as the years continue, the close-knit community the boys varsity had will continue [and] that will allow this program to grow.”
Caption by Francie Wilhelm. Photo by Morgan Eye.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/dsc_2412_52601882073_o-900x600.jpg)
![SUNNY CALIFORNIA: Principal Nichole Griffith poses with her wife Brenda and son Langston at the golden gate bridge in San Francisco.
For Griffith, Thanksgiving break is perfectly timed.
“Thanksgiving comes at just the right time every year when we all really need a mental break from school, and this year I was able to completely forget that I was a high school principal and just be on vacation with my family. I didn’t check my email which I needed to do. It was a nice refresher.
In their time in California, the group, along with Griffith’s mother, saw sights such as Alcatraz, took a cable car ride, rode a train and visited the science museum.
“San Francisco is a fun place to be but it is also a place that is special to our family,” Griffith said. “My wife lived there and really loves it. I always joke that she left her heart there and we have to go pick it up every once and a while.”
Most excited for the trip was Langston.
“[My son] loves travel. He gets so excited. He is a definite travel bug, which I don’t know where he gets that. But he loves travel, loves being around his grandparents. It was really great.”
The young adventurer got to lean his head out the window on the train, learn cards with his grandmother and explore all of the sea creatures at the aquarium.
Griffith was also thankful to miss the rainy weather in Austin.
“The weather was beautiful [in San Francisco],” Griffith said. “We missed all the rain in Texas. By the time we got back on Saturday it had passed. But it was sunny in San Francisco and super clear. We never didn’t have these beautiful expanses of light.”
Photo courtesy of Nichole Griffith. Reporting by Morgan Eye.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FullSizeRender-900x675.jpeg)
![FISHING FRIENDS: Freshmen Sienna Gunning and sophomore Fin Kirsch sit at the Mac Angling Club table, advertising to visitors at A Knight at McCallum. Gunning decided to join the club at the beginning of this school year to find new ways to experience one of her favorite hobbies.
“I’ve always enjoyed fishing, and I was looking for a club to join,” she said, “so I joined fishing club, [and] it was something different.”
Even though it’s only her first year as a Knight, Gunning appreciated the opportunity to show off one of the many extracurriculars that McCallum offers, as well as getting to see the future freshmen take a look around campus.
“I enjoyed showing the bait off and just talking to other people about fishing,” she said. “It was nice to see them interested and excited to be apart of Mac fishing club when they come to McCallum.” Caption by Francie Wilhelm. Photo by Dave Winter.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/dsc01004_52501886876_o-900x601.jpg)
