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
Eliza Jensen

Eliza Jensen, A&E editor

Eliza Jensen is a senior in her third year as a Shield staffer and her second year as the A&E editor. For her, the most enjoyable parts of being on staff are writing reviews and sharing her passion for entertainment. She fell in love with storytelling in the sixth grade when she joined a creative writing workshop. Writing has continued to be an essential part of who she is and can’t imagine her life without it. This year, she is excited about what her last year will bring and hopes to share her love of storytelling and movie magic.

All content by Eliza Jensen
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Netflix's subscription prices have drastically increased, while the quality of its content has simultaneously gone down. Additionally, new updates to the streaming service intended to prevent issues such as account sharing has made the app less enjoyable and less flexible for consumers to use.

Netflix in need of fix

Eliza Jensen, a&e editor
May 1, 2024

Everyone knows Netflix. When you think of a popular streaming service Netflix probably immediately comes to mind. It pioneered the move from cable television to streaming and garnered a quick consumer...

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BESTIES TAKE ON PROM: Senior Bella Gonzales dances with junior Helen Rodgers during prom last weekend.  “At dinner before I told my friends they better dance with me and they told me ‘no,’” Gonzales said. “But Helen said, ‘Of course I’ll dance with you,’ so Helen was the first friend that started dancing.”  Instead of taking a traditional date, Gonzales invited various junior friends to join her at prom.  “Instead of having a guy date, I invited a bunch of my junior friends,” she said. “I actually am so happy with that decision because it was just so fun having all my girls with me.”  While the day of prom provided many fun events besides just the dance, Gonzales still enjoyed the dance itself the most.  “The whole day of prom there are so many fun things to do,” Gonzales said. “We made bouquets together and got ready, but I was most excited to be at prom and see everyone I knew, and to see everyone dressed up.”  Gonzales especially appreciated the vibe stablished at prom.  “It was such a positive environment where everyone was hyping each other up, and we were all so high energy,” Gonzales said. “It's just such a positive environment at prom where everyone is so happy and having a good time.”  Besides the welcoming atmosphere, Gonzales especially looked forward to the dancing. “My friend Ellie and I were getting into the song ‘Beauty and the Beat’ together, and also ‘Cupid Shuffle,'” she said. “They are just such classics.”  When looking back on the dance and her senior year as a whole, Gonzales says she will forever remember how kind the class of 2024 is.  “I will always remember how close and how kind every single person in our class is,” Gonzales said. “I feel like we have no mean girls, no enemies, and we all love each other and love being together.” Caption by Naomi Di-Capua.

Students enjoy an ‘enchanted’ night at prom

JoJo Barnard, Naomi Di-Capua, Gaby Esquivel, Shila Gill, August Gleason, Eliza Jensen, Chloe Lewcock, Josie Mullan, Alice Scott, and Priya Thoppil
April 23, 2024

Last Saturday evening the McCallum Student Council hosted the biggest dance of the year: prom. The dance took place from 8-11 p.m. at Brazos Hall. StuCo began fundraising many months prior, with  money...

EXCLAIMING FOR THE ECLIPSE: Freshmen Jack Wood, Arwen Pelletier and Cole Truong watch the eclipse from the softball field with their digital media class. Pelletier said she was glad she chose to experience the eclipse with friends at school. “So many kids were exclaiming whenever the clouds broke and you could actually see it,” Pelletier said. “I live really close, and my mom was at home and she was outside. She said that she could hear everyone yelling.” For Pelletier, the highlight of the eclipse was the few seconds when the clouds parted and the eclipse was visible in totality. “I'll always be able to remember what it looks like in my mind,” Pelletier said. “Some things I think about, but I can't remember what they looked like. But this was memorable enough and incredible enough that I'll be able to picture it forever.” Caption by Ingrid Smith.

At MAC, the eclipse really was Knight Time

JoJo Barnard, Shila Gill, Eliza Jensen, Chloe Lewcock, Sophia Manos, Josie Mullan, Alice Scott, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Maya Tackett, and Priya Thoppil
April 9, 2024

As McCallum prepared for the awaited April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, the school arranged for students, teachers and staff to camp out outside as the eclipse materialized above. Set with safety eclipse glasses,...

‘Masters of the Air’ takes flight but doesn’t soar to height of ‘Band of Brothers’

Eliza Jensen, a&e editor
April 5, 2024

It’s no secret that Hollywood is obsessed with war movies. They always have been, and they consistently win awards. Movies like 1917, All Quiet on the Western Front, Saving Private Ryan, and most recently,...

Ms. Favrin says that frequent communication with students in France helps McCallum French students improve their vocabulary and comprehension because they hear how people in France speak and the slang they use on a daily basis.

[Photo] Pen palling to Paris

Callen Romell, staff reporter
April 6, 2024

Ms. Favrin says that frequent communication with students in France helps McCallum French students improve their vocabulary and comprehension because they hear how people in France speak and the slang...

Live-action ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ fails for the second time

Eliza Jensen, a&e editor
March 29, 2024

Everyone has a series that defined their childhood. For some, it was Spongebob or Pokémon or Adventure Time, but for me, my childhood revolved around Avatar: The Last Airbender. I would spend hours...

Sophomores Lucy Sternberg, Kate Hardcastle, and Joseph Blackwood, Charles, perform together during the opening night of the audience shows.

[Photo] ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ advances to bi-district round

Maya Tackett, staff reporter
March 22, 2024

Sophomores Lucy Sternberg, Kate Hardcastle, and Joseph Blackwood, Charles, perform together during the opening night of the audience shows.

An honest review of 2024's Best Picture nominees

An honest review of 2024’s Best Picture nominees

Eliza Jensen, a&e editor
March 7, 2024

It’s that time of the year again. Everyone from movies to music to games is sitting down and celebrating the previous year’s artistic achievements, and while there are a ton of ceremonies that...

DRACULA’S VERSION OF COFFEEHOUSE: Each year as part of the Coffeehouse experience, Excalibur picks a theme to tie into their show, decorations and food that is served. Traditionally the theme follows along with an old storybook, and this year, the Excalibur staff members chose one they could really sink their teeth into… Dracula. Coffeehouse offers McCallum artists an opportunity to perform a poem, rap, original song or group act. The talent show-type environment sets the stage for these up-and-coming artists to present their material to a live audience, and gain more exposure. According to senior Ayden Lee, getting to be a part of Coffeehouse was memorable because it expanded his musical horizons in a way connected to McCallum. “I prepared for the show mainly by repeating my lyrics throughout the day and hopefully remembering them,” Lee said. “I played an original song titled ‘Palo Santo Splinters’ and it was a fairly new song that I had written, so it was a bit difficult.” Lee notes that while performing an original song was something of a daunting challenge, the Coffeehouse environment made him feel comfortable and at home while performing, and made it “worth it in the end.” “Right after I finished I heard everyone applaud,” Lee said. “It was super special to hear that.” Caption by Chloe Lewcock.

[Photo] Annual coffeehouse incorporates Dracula theme

Morgan Eye, Chloe Lewcock, Sophia Manos, Caroline Owen, Alice Scott, Maya Tackett, and Priya Thoppil
February 14, 2024

BARING HER SOUL: Sophomore Beatrix Lozach performed in Coffeehouse last Thursday, performing her own song. Coffeehouse had a vampire theme this year, and Lozach said she was drawn to the trope of a girl...

THE BRODE TO VICTORY: After scoring 30 points in a road win at Navarro the Friday before, junior guard George Brode scored 10 points against LASA, one of three Knights to score in double digits in the game. According to Brode, the Raptors are one of the Knights' fiercest opponents in their district season, and the win wasn’t guaranteed going into the game.   “I think all of us gave a big sigh of relief after that win because Lasa was a challenging opponent,” Brode said. “It was good to beat them knowing we now probably had the district championship locked up.”  Caption by Chloe Lewcock.

[Photo] Win, lose or draw (actually all three)

JoJo Barnard, Morgan Eye, August Gleason, Evelyn Jenkins, Chloe Lewcock, Helen Martin, Sofia Saucedo, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Maya Tackett, Priya Thoppil, and Camilla Vandegrift
January 30, 2024

THE BRODE TO VICTORY: After scoring 30 points in a road win at Navarro the Friday before, junior guard George Brode scored 10 points against LASA, one of three Knights to score in double digits in the...

GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Sophomore Lucy Sternberg performs in her Daisy costume during dress rehearsal for Rhinoceros. This was not Sternberg’s first time participating in a play for the school as the year before she participated in “Antigone” and “She kills monsters.” These experiences helped Sternberg feel more prepared for this latest production. “I feel way more prepared this year because I've gotten used to the rehearsal process with Ms. Brookby” Sternberg said “I have a lot more friends this year which helps boost my confidence and makes the experience a lot more fun”. Sternberg admits that the blocking process was long, but the good that came out of it was bonding with the rest of the crew. “I loved bonding with the other members of the cast and making new friendships that I hope to keep throughout the rest of my MacTheatre experience”. Out of the production, Sternberg shared that her favorite part was the opening scene that is set in the streets of town. “There were a lot of moving parts to it with all of the different characters and I also loved how funny it was, but It was hard not breaking character”. Sternberg admires how inspiring her character, Daisy, is to her. “I like this character because she's a woman who thinks for herself. Being able to play her was very empowering and it was a great opportunity. That's the thing about acting-- it's amazing to get to be someone else”. Caption by Gaby Esquivel.

[Photo] Artistic expression abounds

Gaby Esquivel, Carlo Hinsdale, Chloe Lewcock, Maggie Mass, Mira Patel, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, and Francie Wilhelm
December 12, 2023

GETTING INTO CHARACTER: Sophomore Lucy Sternberg performs in her Daisy costume during dress rehearsal for Rhinoceros. This was not Sternberg’s first time participating in a play for the school as the...

Freshman Ruby Airhart running during the game against Marble Falls.

[Photo] Airhart brings fresh enthusiasm, strong work ethic

Chloe Seckar-Martinez, staff reporter
February 7, 2024

Freshman Ruby Airhart running during the game against Marble Falls.

CLEAN WINNERS: For senior William Viner and junior Isa Perez, finding the perfect group costume was an important feat. The duo contemplated a few different options for costumes until finally landing on soap and loofah. Viner took on the loofah role, while Perez dressed as soap, creating the duo costume. “We went to Spirit Halloween to find inspiration for our costume,” Viner said. “We fell in love with soap and loofah instantly.” The two dominated the hallways taking the opportunity to show off their costume to passersby. “We got bubbles to blow while we walked around,” Viner said. “And that tied it all together.” While it wasn’t the original intent to join the costume contest, Viner decided it was a no-brainer to enter. “I loved getting together the little accessories to go along with the costume,” Viner said. “We got matching earrings and headbands.” By entering the contest, the two not only got to show off their custom costumes, but won the award for best group costume. Caption by Chloe Lewcock.

McCallum embraces spooky season traditions

JoJo Barnard, Noah Braun, Naomi Di-Capua, Evelyn Jenkins, Eliza Jensen, Chloe Lewcock, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Maya Tackett, and Francie Wilhelm
November 7, 2023

On Oct. 31, students came dressed to impress, but the pageantry of costumed Knights extended far beyond a single day. For more than week, from the Battle of the Bell to the celebration of Day of the Dead,...

Star Wars spinoff ‘Ahsoka’ complicated, well-done

Eliza Jensen, a&e editor
November 3, 2023

Star Wars has always had its ups and downs in terms of quality, and in recent years the state of the franchise has reached a new low. Since the end of the sequel trilogy and the pandemic, Star Wars has...

VICTORIOUS VITTORIO: Senior Henry Mayes (Vittorio) carries senior Sydney Safarik (Charity) home from dinner, marking the beginning of their apartment scene. According to Mayes, this is a turning point in the characters' relationships. “The scene prior, Charity pretends to faint in order to get into Vittorio’s arms, hence why I am carrying her in this photo,” Mayes said. “This photo marks the beginning of when Vittorio and Charity begin to learn more about who each other is as individuals.” Mayes particularly enjoyed developing Vittorio as a character because of his complex background. “Creating Vittorio has been a lot of fun,” Mayes said. “He’s a famous Italian actor who grapples with his attachment to his girlfriend, Ursula, when he becomes interested in Charity. Vittorio is highly egotistical and constantly seeks the spotlight.” Caption by Alice Scott.

‘Sweet Charity’ comes to life on stage

JoJo Barnard, Eliza Jensen, Chloe Lewcock, Helen Martin, Callen Romell, Alice Scott, and Priya Thoppil
October 3, 2023

Last Thursday MacTheater opened its doors with its fall musical, Sweet Charity. The musical follows the turbulent love life of hopeless romantic Charity Hope Valentine (Sydney Safarik), a dance hall hostess...

What’s not to love about ‘Love & Death’

Eliza Jensen, co-a&e and co-online managing editor
May 18, 2023

True crime shows have been all the rage these past few years. With hits like Dahmer: The Jeffery Dahmer Story, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Mind Hunter—along with Netflix documentaries centering around...

‘The Last of Us’: A show about people not zombies

Eliza Jensen, co-a&e and co-online managing editor
March 22, 2023

The Last of Us, a 2013 post-apocalyptic action-adventure game, quickly became known among fans as one of the greatest games ever made with one of the most breathtaking stories told through a video game. So...

John Williams' work on the Star Wars score has defined the franchise in a way that goes beyond the music itself. Williams' lack of influence in 'The Rise of Skywalker' made the importance of the auditory backdrop all the more clear, as it felt out of place in the sequel's plot and cinematic universe as a whole. Photo accessed on the Star Wars YouTube channel. Reposted here under the doctrine of fair use.

Music makes a movie

Eliza Jensen, co-online managing editor & co a&e editor
February 13, 2023

Imagine your favorite movie without its music. Without their accompanying scores, would the Harry Potter or Star Wars franchises be as iconic as they are? Would you cry at the beginning of Up without its...

2023 SIPA Visual Contest online portfolio

Eliza Jensen
February 12, 2023

https://macshieldonline.com/48475/entertainment/cabaret-2022-succeeds-in-bringing-the-light/ https://macshieldonline.com/46607/photo-galleries/new-school-year-brings-mix-of-young-veteran-teachers/ https://macshieldonline.com/46602/sports/wunz-for-the-win/ https://macshieldonline.com/47231/photo-galleries/remembering-the-lives-lived-at-2606-greenlawn-parkway/

‘House of the Dragon’ revives ruined franchise

Eliza Jensen, co-a&e and co-online-managing-editor
November 2, 2022

A few years ago, I remember the outrage among 'Game of Thrones' fans after its final season was released. So, when the trailer dropped for 'House of the Dragon; many were apprehensive about giving...

‘Nope’ gets a yes from me

Eliza Jensen, co-a&e and co-online managing editor
September 8, 2022

Ever since ‘Get Out’ stunned audiences in 2017 it’s been made clear that Jordan Peele knows what he is doing. His first two movies did extremely well in theaters, with Get Out making $255.4 million...

In the back-page comic for the April 29 issue, Kirkham poked fun at how much the "Fish" characters had evolved over the two years had had drawn them.

Celebrated senior about to be a ‘Fish’ again

Eliza Jensen and Sophie Kessler
June 6, 2022

For Kai Kirkham, Garfield started it all. Kirkham's love of comics began when his father gave him a copy of Garfield Loses His Feet, and, instantly, he was hooked. The simple humor of the strip had...

For better or for curse

Eliza Jensen, staff reporter
May 20, 2022

Stories of grief and loss have always been present through many different genres and mediums. From films like the heart-wrenching Manchester by the Sea to Hereditary, parting and moving on are portrayed...

The pure display of love that Eve and Wall-E share is the perfect representation of love and how you don’t need words to express it. 

A perfect Valentine’s Day watch list

Eliza Jensen, staff reporter
February 14, 2022

Looking for lovely films about love for Valentine's Day? We got you covered. You may not be able to give you the perfect Valentine, but we can offer you the perfect list of Valentine's Day movie you can...

JUMPING AROUND : As sophomore Finn Griffith (Joseph) performs “Joseph’s Coat,” Marshall Clifton (front and center) plays Gad, one of Joseph’s brothers. who holds up the coat during the song. Clifton’s role as a swing was to step in to perform if any actors were missing. “Getting this opportunity to hop in and out of different roles was amazing,” Clifton said. Joseph was his third musical. “I’m pretty new to musical theatre,” they said. ”While this was definitely a lot of work, I am so glad I [had] this opportunity.” Reporting by Cassidy Levin.

‘Joseph’ brings color, intrigue, absurdity to Mac stage

Morgan Eye, Eliza Jensen, Sophie Kessler, Sophie Leung-Lieu, Cassidy Levin, Lucy Marco, Madelynn Niles, Alice Scott, and Francie Wilhelm
February 1, 2022

Last Thursday, MacTheatre opened Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on the McCallum Arts Center stage. “I feel like the show is going amazing,” junior Savanah Chavarria said. “I’m...

Spider-Man: no way to avoid spoilers

Eliza Jensen, staff reporter
December 27, 2021

Spoilers ahead! We love the man in red and blue spandex. Always have, always will. Directed by Jon Watts, Spider-Man: No Way Home closes the homecoming trilogy with a perfect mix of emotions and humor...

Myers sits on the floor of the library during McCallum's semi-annual coffee house. The event was a showcase of original student poetry and music planned and sponsored by the Excalibur staff. “Excalibur really pulled it together in the past couple months with organization and publicity,” Keely McNab said. McNab, Excalibur's co-head of special events, was excited by the event's return after a pandemic-caused absence. “Coffeehouse was definitely a success this year despite its challenges," McNab said. "I’m so glad we got to give our talented McCallum artists a platform in which to share their original artwork.”

Lit mag adviser fosters leadership by creating community of equals

Lanie Sepehri and Eliza Jensen
December 26, 2021

For English teacher Daniel Myers, Excalibur is more than just McCallum’s literary magazine. It’s a way to celebrate and legitimize the work of students. “I feel it’s very powerful to publish...

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.

Standing up and walking out

Evie Barnard, Amaya Collier, Naomi Di-Capua, Emma Hagood, Julia Husted, Eliza Jensen, Cassidy Levin, Lucy Marco, Helen Martin, Kaela Martin, Lexi Ramos, Elisha Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Alysa Spiro, Francie Wilhelm, Nate Williams, and Bo Witzel
December 7, 2021

“You are so loved!” “It’s not your fault!” “We believe you!” Amidst a crowd of hundreds of participating students, shouts like these could be heard in response to victims of sexual...

Principal Griffith at the first Spectrum meeting of the year. Club leaders Caytie Brown and Ceder Herring invited Griffith to a meeting so she could share her story as an LGBTQ+ person. Having the support from Griffith has allowed Spectrum to facilitate more open discussions. "I feel like other schools would be weirded out, " Brown said. "Like, 'The principal's telling a story?' But I think Mac culture is pretty accepting."

A safe space for all

Francie Wilhelm and Eliza Jensen
November 21, 2021

Every week, either in the English courtyard or in Room 107, the members of Spectrum meet with snacks, smiles, open minds and open arms. Whether it be to watch movies, hear from a guest speaker, learn about...

Junior Nico Martinez performs at Bandapalooza on Aug. 20, one of his first experiences performing with the MAC Band.

[Photo] Martinez marches to Mac Band

Amaya Collier and Ingrid Smith
October 23, 2021

Junior Nico Martinez performs at Bandapalooza on Aug. 20, one of his first experiences performing with the MAC Band.

ONE DAY MORE: Seniors Jessie Lucas and Amethyst Mellberg-Smith make a final stand to save Bikini Bottom in the Act I finale, “Tomorrow Is.” Lucas, who played the titular role of SpongeBob, was touched by the song, which takes place with only one day left to save the town from an imminent volcano apocalypse. “It kind of reminded me of how I interacted with friends at the beginning of the pandemic,” Lucas said, “before we really knew what was going on. Having that experience myself really helps me play that scene as honestly as I can.” Caption by Lanie Sepehri.

MacTheatre dives deep into ‘The SpongeBob Musical’

Sophi Beardslee, Francesca Dietz, Evelyn Griffin, Eliza Jensen, Sophie Kessler, Sophie Leung-Lieu, Lucy Marco, Devin Neal, Madelynn Niles, Caroline Owen, Samantha Powers, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Alysa Spiro, and Kennedy Weatherby
September 14, 2021

MacTheatre took a dive into the pineapple under the sea in their opening production of The SpongeBob Musical.  Director Josh Denning saw the overall vision of the musical from casting the actors, to...

SENIOR SALUTE: In the marching band’s first performance back from a virtual year, senior Kaden Davis leads a diagonal line in one of the marching band’s sets. The change from online to in-person was real for Davis, as he describes his emotions leading up to the show: “My nerves definitely kicked in at first,” he said. “But once I got to my set position and the show began, my confidence went through the roof and I felt so proud.” Despite it being different from previous year’s Bandapaloozas, Davis felt it was a great way to start the season. He shares, “Not having a marching season last year really took a toll on all of us, especially the class of ‘21. So I know that all the class of ‘22 seniors are extremely grateful to even have a show this year.” Reporting by Lydia Reedy.

Band is back with Bandapalooza

Josie Bradsby, Eliza Jensen, Sophie Kessler, Sophie Leung-Lieu, Lucy Marco, Madelynn Niles, Lydia Reedy, Alice Scott, Alysa Spiro, and Francie Wilhelm
August 24, 2021

The Mac Band took a step toward their 2021-2022 competition season last Friday on the McCallum blacktop, premiering their UIL show at Bandapalooza for parents, students and alumni. Their marching show...

Hands down, the best photo essay we've published

Hands down, the best photo essay we’ve published

Jaella Brush, Amaya Collier, Francesca Dietz, ElizaBess Estrada, Meredith Grotevant, Reese Hudson, Eliza Jensen, Sophie Leung-Lieu, Julian Magee, Ariana Mendez, Will Myren, Hadlee Varela, Grace Vitale, Francie Wilhelm, Annabel Winter, and Ben Zacharias
May 25, 2021

For the fourth consecutive year, McCallum photojournalists are participating in the WRKxFMLY project, which encourages student participants to capture images and write captions that explore the intersection...

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Eliza Jensen