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
Fletcher Vandegrift

Fletcher Vandegrift, staff reporter

Sophomore Fletcher Vandegrift is in his first year on staff and is looking forward to taking pictures and getting to write stories. This year, Vandegrift especially wants to cover soccer games and help with Instagram posts. Outside of being on staff, he is on the football team as well as playing piano, disc golf and ultimate frisbee. Vandegrift hopes to be a sports journalist in the future.

All content by Fletcher Vandegrift
Fleischer (No. 80) huddles up with his teammates as they took on Pflugerville at Pflugerville High School on Oct. 12.

[Photo] From Germany to game day

Josie Mullan, co-web managing editor
October 29, 2024
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.

PALS work to fight breast cancer, bring campus together

JoJo Barnard, Daniela Di-Capua, Carson Duncan, Josie Mullan, Elizabeth Nation, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Adele Seeboth, and Fletcher Vandegrift
October 15, 2024
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.

Old rivalry creates crowd fun at 2024 Taco Shack

Chloe Lewcock, Fletcher Vandegrift, Tristen Diaz, Carson Duncan, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Beatrix Lozach, Josie Mullan, Mira Patel, Lillian Gray, Daniela Di-Capua, Camilla Vandegrift, Maya Tackett, and Shila Gill
September 3, 2024
AN EARLY HOMECOMING: Newly appointed assistant principal Gabriel Adame returned to McCallum this year after spending a year obtaining his master’s of education with the UT Texas Principals Leadership Academy. During his studies, Adame acted as an assistant principal at a middle school and an elementary school in order to gain more experience. Nevertheless, Adame felt compelled to return to Mac. “There are three main reasons I came back to McCallum,” Adame said. “Besides the students, who have been incredibly kind, supportive and funny, my colleagues and the friendships I developed here have been a huge part of the reason I came back.” Adame also said the community within the faculty was one of the main reasons he chose to return. “I felt so supported as an AP Biology teacher and coach,” Adame said. “And I can never repay them for the help I received, whether it was in the form of an email that made me feel good about what I was doing as a teacher or whether it was a kind remark as we were cheering on a kiddo in the stands.” Moving forward, Adame plans to take his role as an assistant principal seriously. He’s committed to leading by example when it comes to establishing a work ethic and a positive mindset. “The biggest value I want to embody is integrity,” Adame said. “I really hope that by the time I’m done here, people can really see me for the work that I did and the people I helped. Because really, this job is not about me. This job is about how I can get students to the place they want to be and how can I get teachers to be the best versions of themselves.” Fellow assistant principal Larry Featherstone believes that Adame continuously embodies that integrity. “I feel great about him being back here at McCallum,” Featherstone said. “He’s doing a phenomenal job. He’s training teachers, supporting students, and the best part is that he does it all with a smile on his face. He has a great spirit about him.” No matter how beloved he is on campus, however, Adame takes a humble approach to his work. “I’m a servant of the public, and it’s something I take great pride in, helping people accomplish the goals, the aspirations, the endeavors they set out for themselves,” Adame said. “If I can be a guide for them to navigate that, that’s what I want to do. Those are things I really try to live by, integrity and servitude.”

Fresh faces across the faculty

Daniela Di-Capua, Carson Duncan, Nellie Eschberger, Delaney Lavelle, Josie Linton, Beatrix Lozach, Katie Martin, Sophia Manos, Aubrey Macedo, Harper Binfield Maxwell, Tallulah McAuliffe, Elizabeth Nation, Maddie O'Connor, Arwen Pelletier, Riley Pita, Eva Sanchez, Adele Seeboth, Fletcher Vandegrift, and Nico Williamson
August 27, 2024
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Fletcher Vandegrift