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
Nate Williams

Nate Williams, opinion editor

Nate Williams is a junior and second-year staffer on the Shield. He was drawn to newspaper by his interest in sports photography and discovering more about Mac. He is most interested in covering football and volleyball in the fall and soccer and track in the spring. When Williams isn’t covering sports, you can find him running for the Mac cross country and track teams, swimming at Barton Springs or watching new movies.

All content by Nate Williams
Sophomore varsity choir member Iris LaRue sings What Is This Feeling from Wicked as part of her duet with sophomore Sami Spear on the opening night of Cabaret. LaRue and her partner deliberated between the Wicked piece and a song from High School Musical but landed on the Broadway piece after LaRue recently saw the musical live.  We ultimately went with the Wicked one because we thought it would be really fun to do, LaRue said.  LaRue enjoyed the opportunity to create original choreography for the piece, though the execution took some work.  It was challenging to work with the wired mics, LaRue said. Shoes would get tangled and prevent us from doing all of the music. To LaRue, the presence of Nathan Thompson as the new choir director and a varied length of the show made this years Cabaret distinct. The show was a lot shorter than last year which I think was better for the audience, LaRue said.  Caption by Francie Wilhelm. Photo by Nate Williams. 

[Photo] Choir harmonizes new changes into Cabaret

JoJo Barnard, Naomi Di-Capua, Gaby Esquivel, Shila Gill, Chloe Lewcock, Callen Romell, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, and Francie Wilhelm
December 5, 2023
The capital city doesn’t escape the notice of major professional sports leagues. The NBAs San Antonio Spurs, for example, have made appearances at SXSW and Austin City Limits, and they have played regular season games at Austins Moody Center.

Swinging into the future

Nate Williams, opinion editor
November 11, 2023
The board of trustees moves into a private session to discuss pending legal issues involving the Texas Education Agency during their meeting last Thursday.

AISD board approves new TEA plan

Nate Williams, opinion editor
September 27, 2023
SCOTTS FREE: At the Fourth Annual McCallum Quinceañera on Saturday in the cafeteria, freshman Adrina Scott dances with her family and friends. “At quinceañeras they have a dance for you with your dad, and then a dance for you and your mom,” Scott said. With two daughters participating, Scott’s parents had to figure out how to split their time between their daughters. “My friend’s parents also have two girls,” Scott said. “Obviously you can’t dance with your dad at the same time as your sister. So, we all kind of just got together and all danced together.” For Scott, the quinceañera was a result of lots of preparation at hard work. “There was a lot of practice that we had to do during lunches and during fit,” Scott said. “Sometimes that would get a little stressful because you know, it’s lunch. You kind of want to hand with friends, but I think it all worked out really well.” Part of the preparations that Scott loved was getting to try on the dresses. “Basically all the dresses that we had were rentals,” Scott said. “We had to go try on the dresses, and it was fun to have that experience to go get the dress and try it on. You just felt so special.” The McCallum Quinceañera is an important memory of Scott’s life. “I think it’s just such a fun tradition in the Hispanic culture,” Scott said. “I got to dance with my family which was special.” Caption by Kate Boyle.

Shield staff nominated for 20 NSPA awards

Evie Barnard, JoJo Barnard, Gergő Major, Caroline Owen, Charlie Partheymuller, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, and Nate Williams
September 19, 2023
Far from needed educational reform, the school vouchers plan supported by Gov. Abbott is just a scam to take money from taxpayers and give it to private schools and mainly wealthy parents who don’t need the extra help affording those institutions in the first place.

Only vouching for Austin’s rich

Nate Williams, staff reporter
May 31, 2023
Vaughn Vandegrift

Vaughn Vandegrift

Nate Williams, staff reporter
May 1, 2023
TEA announced they will appoint a conservator to oversee AISD services for special education students. The school board and state representatives soon responded with statements of their own, clarifying what this takeover means for the district.

TEA to appoint conservator to oversee special ed services

Nate Williams, staff reporter
March 31, 2023
Junior David Herring runs the 1600-meter race where he was able to stick with the lead pack throughout the entire race, placing third overall with a time of 4:41.

Wren, Herring lead Mac track teams to top 10 finishes

Lillian Gray and Nate Williams
March 19, 2023
Evan Peters stars in this drama-filled true crime mini-series that focuses on serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s upbringing, murders and arrest. Beginning in 1978, Dahmer dismembered 17 men and boys over the course of 13 years, committing acts of necrophilia and cannibalism in the process.

Dark side of ‘Dahmer’

Camilla Vandegrift and Nate Williams
December 14, 2022
AV teacher Ken Rogers works with students during AV class. Rogers says a great film students is one who remains in a creative mindset all the time.

Rogers to retire

Nate Williams, staff reporter
December 11, 2022
ROSTER ROTATION: During the ‘Knight at McCallum,’ coaches Daniel Fuentes and Carlin Shaw manned the basketball booth while some incoming players found interest in the team. The basketball season recently started up and the program is always on the lookout for new talent to take the team to new heights in the future. Caption by Merrill Price. Photo by Nate Williams.

[Photo] A ‘Knight at McCallum’ to remember

JoJo Barnard, Lillian Gray, Chloe Lewcock, Merrill Price, Lanie Sepehri, Maya Tackett, Priya Thoppil , and Francie Wilhelm
November 15, 2022
Senior Charlotte Wunz (right) with teammate Abbey Saray at the Hoka McNeil Cross Country Invitational. Wunz is captain of the girls cross country team this season, as well as the girls varsity tennis co-captain and one of the founders of the crochet club.

[Photo] Wunz for the win

Camilla Vandegrift, staff reporter
October 16, 2022
ONE LAST HURRAH: Members of the senior dance company hold hands at the end of their piece called Sound and Color, the closing dance of the student directed-dance show. “It’s a very sentimental moment because it’s like the end where we all are holding hands and were all connected,” senior dance company member Wynter Winston said. “The senior dance was wholesome and had us reflecting on all the times and memories we shared together as a senior company.” Caption by Grace Vitale. Photo by Meredith Grotevant.

Finding ‘Solace’ on the stage

Smith Bohls, Meredith Grotevant, Sophie Kessler, Chloe Lewcock, Thomas Melina Raab, Lydia Reedy, Alice Scott, Grace Vitale, Francie Wilhelm, Nate Williams, and Dave Winter
May 14, 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

Evie Barnard, Amaya Collier, Meredith Grotevant, Sophie Kessler, Kai Kirkham Macias, Anna McClellan, Madelynn Niles, Grace Nugent, Lexi Ramos, Kennedy Weatherby, and Nate Williams
April 12, 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.

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
DON’T GET HIT: With the same leaping ability he brings to heading soccer balls near an opponents’ goal, McCallum PAL Silvio Guzman goes airborne to dodge a water-filled balloon during lunch on Thursday in front of a large crowd of fellow students. For $1, students could get three balloons to throw at the PALS. The atmosphere was festive in the courtyard, and all proceeds benefited the Breast Cancer Research Center of Austin. “It’s great that breast cancer is being discussed at McCallum,” said freshman Micah Brinton, who participated in some of the festivities in the courtyard this week. “It brings awareness to this type of cancer that many deal with every day. I hope that the awareness and fundraising continues past this week.

When setting a Pink Week fundraising record is secondary

Evie Barnard, Anna Bausman, Sophi Beardslee, Lukas Bednar, Smith Bohls, Naomi Di-Capua, Cassidy Levin, Chloe Lewcock, Lucy Marco, Helen Martin, Kaela Martin, Gaby Maydozian, Madelynn Niles, Grace Nugent, Charlie Partheymuller, Samantha Powers, Sofia Ramon, Elly Schottman, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Alysa Spiro, Francie Wilhelm, Nate Williams, and Dave Winter
October 17, 2021
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