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
Noah Braun

Noah Braun, staff reporter

While he remains an ordinary staffer, junior Noah Braun joins MacJ's upperclassmen for his second year at The Shield a year wiser. This year, Braun hopes to improve his investigatory and interviewing skills, helpful tools for his dream career as either a police detective or FBI investigator. Editorials and feature profiles are where Braun feels the most comfortable, although his news coverage tends to get more attention. When he isn't writing or tracking raccoons, Braun procrastinates about writing and tracking raccoons.

All content by Noah Braun
Beyond commemorating the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Biden directed much of his speech to looking forward. He spoke about the importance of understanding that past accomplishments are not the stopping point but rather the foundation from which to keep building. “President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 just two days before the Fourth of July,” Biden said. “He said in that bill signing, and I quote, ‘This is a proud triumph. Yet those who founded our country knew that freedom would be secure only if each generation fought to renew and enlarge its meaning.’” Biden called for a constitutional amendment that would prohibit immunity for crimes a former president committed while in office. “I share our founders’ belief that a president must answer to the law and the president is accountable in the exercise of the great power of the presidency,” he said. “We’re a nation of laws, not kings and dictators.” He also focused his attention on flawed aspects of the Supreme Court, which just granted presidential immunity in Trump v. The United States earlier this summer. Biden stated that term limits and a mandatory code of ethics would create a more balanced power over time. He said that these reforms are needed “to restore trust in the courts and preserve the system of checks and balances that are vital to our democracy.” During his remarks Biden talked directly about his decision to step aside from the 2024 presidential election, as President Johnson did in 1968. Following this decision, Biden endorsed Vice President Harris’ campaign for President and spoke on her ability to continue the work. “She has been an incredible partner to me, a champion of civil rights throughout her career, and she’ll continue to be an inspiring leader and project this very idea of America: the very idea that we’re all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives,” he said. “We’ve never fully lived up to that, but we’ve never walked away from it.” Caption by Lillian Gray.

Biden, LBJ Library commemorate 60th anniversary of Civil Rights Act passage

Lillian Gray and Noah Braun
August 4, 2024
Noah Braun: NSPA Writer of the Year Portfolio

Noah Braun: NSPA Writer of the Year Portfolio

Noah Braun, Shield columnist
June 3, 2024
Valuable information is now less visible for young people, thanks to new online restrictions.

Tick, tock for an informed internet

Noah Braun, staff reporter
May 20, 2024
Decisions, decisions...

Election alarmism grows tiresome

Noah Braun, staff reporter
March 2, 2024
A trophy dedicated more to itself than to the artist.

Awards shows: so what?

Noah Braun, staff reporter
February 25, 2024

Noah Braun — SIPA Visual Contest online portfolio

Noah Braun, staff reporter
February 12, 2024
In what world should public service lead to martyrdom?

Carelessness or callousness costs lives

Noah Braun, staff reporter
January 28, 2024
JULY 28—Blue Brigade wrapped up its annual Kiddie Clinic with a performance in the cafeteria on Friday July 28. Split into age groups from kindergarten to eighth grade, campers performed the choreography they learned from their Blue Brigade counselors throughout the week. According to junior lieutenant and former camper Smith Bohls, Kiddie Clinic allows kids of all ages to learn about drill teams, make new friends and learn fun dances. “Watching all of the kids do the dances they learned all week brings me so much happiness because they are all so excited and nervous,” Bohls said. “Their love for dancing is so energizing, and all of the kids look up to us and tell us how much they want to be like us in the future.” While Bohls said Kiddie Clinic was an exercise of patience, she found it rewarding to watch campers fall in love with dancing and make new friends. “The best part of Kiddie Clinic is watching the kids love the dances and tell you that they practiced at home the night before,” Bohls said. “It makes me happy when kids love to dance so much and are so excited to perform for all their parents.” Blue Brigade finished the Friday show with its first performance of “Blue Gray” as the 2023-2024 team. Watching her campers perform with confidence and smiles, Bohls felt inspired to bring all of her energy into the “Blue Gray” performance. “I look forward to it every year and so do the kids,” Bohls said. “Watching them look up to us gives me the motivation to do better on the team.” Caption by Ingrid Smith.

2023: A year in review in photos

JoJo Barnard, Noah Braun, Amaya Collier, Chloe Lewcock, Gergő Major, Maggie Mass, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Francie Wilhelm, and Dave Winter
January 10, 2024
Wouldn't you like to know what we made for this feature image? Me too. Seriously, this is the icon students see when an image is blocked under school Wi-Fi. Graphic by Sophie Leung-Lieu.

New policies patronize

Noah Braun, staff reporter
December 11, 2023
The rich making such lofty promises only makes it harder for the everyman to care; rockets and high-speed trains, like the destinations they aim for, are all but out of reach.

Billionaires and the art of self-sabotage

Noah Braun, staff reporter
November 16, 2023
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 8, 2023
When you can't count your "big events" on one hand, you might want to reconsider that label.

Is the film industry (block)busted?

Noah Braun, staff reporter
November 2, 2023
GAME GETS INTENSE: The crowd watches intently as junior co-captain Greta Carlson rears up for a spike during the third set of an intense varsity matchup with Ann Richards last Friday evening. Despite displaying an impressive level of prowess befitting of her position, Carlson and her comrades ultimately took home the first district loss for the varsity girls volleyball team since 2021, Despite the defeat, she is confident that with better coordination, future success is all but assured. “I think we’re fully capable of beating Ann Richards,” Carlson said. “I think that Friday was just an off night for everybody.” Caption by Noah Braun.

A great volleyball night with a sad ending

JoJo Barnard, Noah Braun, Julia Copas, Evelyn Jenkins, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, Priya Thoppil, Camilla Vandegrift, and Francie Wilhelm
September 26, 2023
A contracted pest control company employee apprehended and released a raccoon on the morning of May 16 during fifth period after the raccoon was caught in a trap in the ceiling in front of the library overnight.

Raccoon saga continues

Noah Braun, staff reporter
June 2, 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
College and career counselor Camille Nix seeks higher ground by standing on a desk after a raccoon scurried into her classroom toward the end of first period today. After the room was evacuated, faculty members were able to coax the raccoon into a trashcan and then let it go outside.

Raccoons make landfall

Noah Braun, staff reporter
April 26, 2023
Fast-forward four decades, and the same picture can be seen painted across the city, with more and more classic establishments, such as the ill-fated Dart Bowl, having been destroyed with expensive apartments put in its place.

[Photo] THROWBACK THURSDAY: ‘Paradise years’ ending for Austin

Unknown student, staff writer
March 3, 2023
As he overlooks the rest of his fellow actors, sophomore Ivy Speight, the understudy actor for Pippin, also finds at his feet a wagon of actual fire, the first pyrotechnical set piece ever utilized in a MacTheatre production.

Playing with fire

Noah Braun, staff reporter
February 9, 2023
RENAISSANCE WOMAN: Junior Meredith Grotevant warms up before a dress rehearsal run of Pippin. Throughout the show, Grotevant plays five different instruments, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukelele for the pit orchestra. “ When I agreed to play in the pit, I thought I was just playing guitar,” Grotevant said. Then the next day I was in jazz band and Ms. Nelson came up to me and she said ‘So the thing is, there are five different instruments on the book.’ She started listing them and I realized that I had at least a little bit of experience playing all of them. It was a little bit scary at first because guitar is my main instrument and I’m not professional with the other ones, but I had them all at home and I was more than willing to learn.” Last year, Grotevant had intended to be in the pit orchestra for the spring musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, but the production decided against having a live orchestra due to COVID safety concerns. This year, Grotevant made sure to be involved. “Last year I learned half the music over the winter break and then when we got back, they said there'll be no pit due to COVID,” Grotevant said.  “So that was a little bit of a bummer, but I was really excited for whatever the spring musical was going to end up being this year. I really wanted to see what being in the pit would be like. I like to try new things and expand my musical abilities and I thought that this would be a really good opportunity to be in like high-quality production with MacTheatre around a bunch of other great musicians doing something fun.” Reporting by Alice Scott. Photo by Noah Braun. 

[Photo] Like its title character, ‘Pippin’ evolving with each act

JoJo Barnard, Chloe Lewcock, Gergő Major, Alice Scott, Ingrid Smith, and Francie Wilhelm
February 1, 2023
When Zadran began attending school over a decade ago, he expected to graduate in his homeland; now he finds himself in a completely different nation, but with an idea of what direction he wants his life to take.

Zadran’s journey changes perspective, appreciation of home

Noah Braun, staff reporter
January 9, 2023
According to KUTX's Rick McNulty, burying Rick Daddy will be the toughest part about leaving "Uptown Saturday Night," a segment he ran for six consecutive years.

Rick Daddy departs — take it easy, tiger

Noah Braun, staff reporter
November 28, 2022
Muñoz performs as Haemon during an 'Antigone' dress rehearsal on Monday Nov. 7, the show's opening week.

Flipping the script

Noah Braun, staff reporter
November 8, 2022
Texas Senate Bill 797 requires places of education to display the national motto “In God We Trust” on a poster or in a picture frame in every building on every campus in the state.

Posters or propaganda?

Noah Braun, staff reporter
October 15, 2022
The promotional material for Coca-Cola's new "Dreamworld flavor reveal its unexpected color scheme and appeal to the existential.

Coke’s final Creation not quite a Dreamworld

Noah Braun, staff reporter
September 12, 2022
FOCUSED: A lot of my mom's work consists of her working from home, and that means meetings. While some are on the phone and some are on Zoom, they still require intense focus. As I watch her in this meeting, I can see how she is really paying attention to whatever is going on, and I know that once she's done, the light will go off, and we can hopefully hang out.

Love, labor and the little moments

Chloe Lewcock, Noah Braun, Margot Evelyn, Sofia Thatcher, Grace Valdez, Brooklin Fisher, Wilson Corbitt, Tallulah Bingham, Smith Bohls, Terra Balentine, Millicent Ramsey, and Kiki Baker
September 6, 2022

(The) Batman finally gets his dark victory

Noah Braun, Mac photojournalism
May 23, 2022
Senior Ashley Nicely and Fine Arts Academy clerk Tonya Moore pose in the Black Girl Magic contest T-shirts in front of the Black Girl Magic poster in the main hallway. The poster featured artwork created by students about what the Black Girl Magic movement means to them. On Feb. 17, junior Regan Sims and sophomore Jendayi Innocent were named the winner and the runner up in the contest. "Black girl magic is so important because we have to teach our kids that they're beautiful no matter what skin tone they are," Moore said.

Black History Month revisited and remembered

Terra Balentine, Kate Boyle, Noah Braun, Amaya Collier, Gaby Esquivel, Evelyn Griffin, Emma Hagood, Cassidy Levin, Helen Martin, Madelynn Niles, Samantha Powers, Ingrid Smith, and Francie Wilhelm
March 2, 2022
AND CUT: Members of the color guard eagerly motion their hands towards their captain, Natalie Nagy, in the closing moments of “Mirage.” During the Capital City Marching Festival, the guard earned a second place title in the preliminary round. “We crushed it,” color guard member Ella Jones said. Reporting by Grace Vitale.

Band named Cap City grand champions

Terra Balentine, Noah Braun, Naomi Di-Capua, Morgan Eye, Patrice Jones, Cassidy Levin, Julian Magee, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Maya Thompson, Elena Ulack, Grace Vitale, and Francie Wilhelm
September 28, 2021
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