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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
All content by Lucas Walker
ONE FINAL HURRAH BEFORE THE TORCH IS PASSED DOWN: With the upcoming football season nearing a fast approach, the marching band is preparing its halftime segment for the games. While the first game isn’t until Thursday, the band took the opportunity to put on its annual Bandapalooza for family and friends. The events goal is simply to show off what the band has been working on and to give the community an early peek at whats to come. For senior Frank Montesinos, Bandapalooza is not only a fun experience but also a beneficial one.  “The showcase gives a perspective of how our rehearsals are run,” Montesinos said.  While the show itself is a whole marching band production, Montesinos is part of a saxophone quartet with a feature in the second movement of the show along with William Viner, Elliot Taylor and Aubrey Mitchell.  “It’s nice being able to show off our individual talent in such an exposed section,” Montesinos said.   One of Montesinos fellow quartet members, senior William Viner said it was worth all the hours of work he and his bandmates put in. “Bandapalooza is always the first performance we do for people,” Viner said. “It’s satisfying to finally get to put together a months work of heat and hard work.”  But given that he’s a senior, it also means that this was Viners last Bandapalooza.  “I thought I would be very sad in my last year,” Viner said, “but it’s honestly more sweet than bitter. I feel much stronger and more confident as a senior and a leader. It’s fun to pass the band torch down to new underclassmen.”  Viner said he is excited to pass the tradition on to younger high schoolers just as early band members passed it on to him. Caption by Chloe Lewcock.

MacBand reaches for the stars

JoJo Barnard, Julia Copas, Naomi Di-Capua, Chloe Lewcock, Maggie Mass, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Lucas Walker, and Francie Wilhelm
August 22, 2023
Senior Malena Linse describes her drawing to new fine arts director Dr. Sam Parrot during her art class. According to Parrot, his experiences with McCallum students have made him eager to begin his new role. The students were so passionate about their programs and they really opened up about their experiences at McCallum, and they made me feel welcome instantly, Parrott said.

Parrott answers call to become new fine arts director

Lucas Walker, staff reporter
August 20, 2023
You would never know it from the results, but senior Otto Strub photographed fireworks for the first time on Tuesday night. I was nervous I wouldnt get very many good pictures because it was my first time photographing fireworks, Strub said, but they turned out pretty great.

The Fourth of July by day and by night

Julia Copas, Otto Strub, Lucas Walker, and Dave Winter
July 7, 2023
Hans Kloppert (left) and Alex Mutz (right) pose together at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis during the preliminary rounds of the drum corps international championships in 2018. It was the third year that Mutz, a Texan, would compete internationally with Klopperts European drum corps. He also competed with them in 2011 and again in 2015. In 2011, Jubal would go on to place highest out of all of the European drum corps in the competition.

Hook ‘Em Hans!

Lucas Walker, Mac photojournalism
July 1, 2023
At the full band performance in the MAC on May 8, clarinetists Bea Saffer (a rising senior) and Ethan Hunteman and oboist Daniel Valentine (both Class of 2022) play Come Sunday with the wind ensemble. The ensembles recording of that song and two others just earned the ensemble a berth in the TMEA State Honor Band Hearing July 19-20 in San Antonio.

Wind ensemble advances to TMEA Honor Band State

Julia Copas and Lucas Walker
June 22, 2023
TAKING ACTION: Junior Zephan Mayeda leans against a tree during the walkout holding a sign reading “bullets aren’t school supplies.” He participated in the walkout to protest against the lack of gun protection in the US and draw attention to the statewide protest.  “Children are dying due to government’s apathy and corporate lobbying against any action of any kind,” Mayeda said.  Mayeda was disappointed in the lack of organization that came with the protest, but still participated.  “Better something than nothing,” he said.  Mayeda offered what he would love to see at the walkout.   “I would have loved to see marching, chants, speeches, lists of phone numbers to call senators, names pictures and birthdays of the victims, flyers promoting the protest days weeks or months even in advance, mass absences, an actual walkout for those who can’t not go to school that isn’t just 20 mins of sitting,” Mayeda said. Although he was underwhelmed, Mayeda appreciated the symbolism.  “I think it held some importance in regards to symbolic gestures,” Mayeda said.  Reporting by Kate Boyle. Photo by Gergő Major.

At least 100 Knights walk out for gun control

Kate Boyle, JoJo Barnard, Noah Braun, Gergő Major, Lucas Walker, Francie Wilhelm, and Dave Winter
May 16, 2023
MAKING MOO-VES IN THE ENSEMBLE: Sophomores Zoe Maxwell and Robin Kulhanek, senior Atticus Adair, juniors Addie Knight and Henry Mayes and sophomore Zalie Mann perform Notice Me on the opening night of Cows: the Moosical. Maxwell, who was a member of the three-person ensemble, found dancing on Cows to be an especially intimate experience compared to their past experiences with MacTheater. “I had worked with everyone in the cast before, and it was really refreshing to have fun with something that was so homemade,” Maxwell said. Not only was Cows a smaller-scale production but also a faster-paced one. According to Maxwell, rehearsals were hectic but still fun. “There were probably only a few rehearsals where everybody in the cast was there,” Maxwell said. “[Mann] and I spent the week before and of the show running back and forth between Cows rehearsal and Mac Dance rehearsals. It was very much ‘down to the last minute’ kind of rehearsal, but once the adrenaline kicked in, everything came together.” During this frenzied pre-show period, Maxwell worked closely with director, choreographer and writer senior Anderson Zoll to perfect her performances of the many dance numbers throughout the show. “I had some prior experience working with Anderson as the choreographer for both Pippin and Descendants, but it was really incredible seeing him work not just for choreo, but writing, staging and managing all together,” Maxwell said. “I think he’s a great choreographer, and he’s super open to suggestions and collaboration.” Once the lights were on and the stage was set, Maxwell saw the fruits of their, and the rest of cast and crew’s, labor reflected in the audience’s reactions. “[I loved] watching the cast from the sides and hearing the crowd laugh at all the parts I love in the show,” Maxwell said. “I think also getting to perform in the FABT for the first time was a great experience.” Caption by Francie Wilhelm.

‘Cows’ a graze show with mooving performances

JoJo Barnard, Kate Boyle, Julia Copas, Lanie Sepehri, Alice Scott, Elena Ulack, Lucas Walker, and Francie Wilhelm
May 2, 2023
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE: The Noel Tower has not been used since the closure of the Robert Mueller Mueller Building. Instead, this tower has become an icon and a big characteristic of the new Mueller neighborhood. Every year, when December rolls around, the tower gets lit up to remember its old purpose. However, Marko Garafulic thinks we should be doing more to make the tower more attractive to look at. “Given that not much can be done with/within the tower, I’d like to see something of interest, and open to the public, built around the tower sometime,” said Garafulic. There are other ways that the neighborhood is honoring the old airport. For example, the playscape in John Gaines looks like a set of runways from above. The new middle school being built also pays homage with a number of architectural details. Caption by Maya Tackett. Photos by Maya Tackett and Lucas Walker.

[Photo] Perpetual change, growth at Mueller has mixed outcomes

Maya Tackett, Mac photojournalism
February 28, 2023
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