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
Sophie Ryland

Sophie Ryland, Editor in Chief

Sophie Ryland is in her senior year at McCallum. She’s been on the Shield staff for four years, and she is the co-editor in chief. Outside of newspaper, she plays cello, acts as the co-president for McCallum’s Model UN and serves on the CAC and DAC. She loves cats and believes that creamy peanut butter is much better than crunchy peanut butter.

All content by Sophie Ryland
Jane McCallum and her fellow suffragettes (PICA 11669). Once the 19th amendment was passed, 5,856 women registered to vote in Travis County nearly the amount of male voters.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Not your average Jane

Sophie Ryland, staff reporter
March 23, 2023
When it comes to college admissions, students often struggle to balance necessary activities like school, work and sleep with extracurricular activities; since life is hard enough, why participate in certain activities purely for the sake of appearances and applications?

Don’t lose sleep over admissions

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
May 13, 2019
SHELTER IN PLACE: Principal Mike Garrison walks through the rows of cots as McCallum prepared to become a shelter for Red Cross volunteers on Aug. 29, 2017. The volunteers stayed in the gym for two days before relocating to the Great Hills Baptist Church. “The volunteers got here, and two days later, poof, they’re gone,” Garrison said. “I wanted to make sure it was nothing we did, and it wasn’t. They were very nice, they complimented us, they said McCallum was very helpful and flexible, but the Red Cross just came up with another plan.” Photo by Dave Winter.

Garrison to retire after 16 years as principal

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
April 19, 2019
AISD police and school administrators converge on the senior parking lot where the detained main was questioned and later released. He possessed a concealed weapons permit and, according to police, had committed no crime.

Reports of armed man prompts school to lock down

Sophie Ryland
April 11, 2019
In all the Shield won 124 Best of Texas awards and two Best of the Best of Texas medals in the 2019 TAJE Best of Texas Newspaper Competition.

Shield captures 124 Tops in Texas newspaper awards

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
April 3, 2019
the reasons people leave aren’t always as obvious as they seem. Graphic by Sophie Ryland.

[Photo] Why they left McCallum

Ellen Fox, staff reporter
March 21, 2019
Rose Dotson's family is insured now but for about nine months, they were without insurance making necessary medicine expensive until they could no longer afford it all.

Texas first in uninsured children

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
February 24, 2019
A..J. Neuharth and Jan Nueharth recognize senior and Shield editor in chief Sophie Ryland for being the Texas delegate at the commencement ceremony of the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, a program in Washington D.C. for rising high school seniors interested in pursuing journalism, held on June 20 at the Newseum.

American identity depends upon Freedom of Speech

Sophie Ryland, co editor-in-chief
November 27, 2018
During early voting, a motley mosaic of political signs borders the sidewalk leading to the Old Quarry Library at 7051 Village Center Drive.

Ashy, Price vie for District 4 Board of Trustees seat

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
November 5, 2018
The East Austin Manifesto Coalition protests outside AISD headquarters. Photo courtesy of Rox Evans. Printed with permission.

East Austin directs manifesto at AISD

Sophie Ryland
October 19, 2018
School board candidate Zachary Price meets with community members at his Brewtorium campaign event. "I'm not running away from the fact that I'm young," Price said. His opponent, Kristin Ashy, 44, has the endorsement of current District 4 Trustee Julie Cowan.

20-year-old runs for school board

Sophie Ryland, co-editor in chief
October 17, 2018
Two-year colleges offer many pluses

Two-year colleges offer many pluses

Sophie Ryland
June 13, 2018
Austinites gather to mourn lives lost in recent Texas school shooting

Austinites gather to mourn lives lost in recent Texas school shooting

Sophie Ryland
May 18, 2018
Graphic by Charlie Holden.

‘We regret to inform you…’

Sophie Ryland
May 1, 2018
Teachers fight for their right to fair pay

Teachers fight for their right to fair pay

Sophie Ryland
April 25, 2018
You’re Not Alone: Senior citizens marched to show students that they’re not alone in their fight for stronger gun control. “I want everyone to feel just a little safer and placing stricter gun laws will do that,” said Elizabeth Byram, who identified herself as a proud mother and grandmother. Photo by Jasmine Barrera.

Images from the March for Our Lives

Sophie Ryland
April 3, 2018
Students from the original L. C. Anderson, AISD’s high school for African-Americans, study chemistry on October 31, 1955. Photo by Neal Douglass. Accessed through The Portal to Texas History.

AISD: a segregated district, then and now

Sophie Ryland
March 26, 2018

‘Never again,’ protesters tell lawmakers

Sophie Ryland
March 24, 2018
McCallum alumnus Austin Alvarado speaks to students in November about The River and the Wall, a documentary he has been helping to film for the past several months. Photo by Emma Baumgardner.

Documentary crew explores Texas-Mexico border, considers how Trump’s wall would impact Rio Grande

Sophie Ryland
February 12, 2018
Social studies teacher Lucy Griswold works with senior Noah Phillips and sophomore Zion Flores during the third-period ethnic studies class on Wednesday. Photo by Tomas Marrero.

New course discusses race, ethnicity

Sophie Ryland
January 4, 2018
Follow Mac band through their day at a state competition

Follow Mac band through their day at a state competition

Sophie Ryland, Web Editor-in-Chief
November 30, 2017
Austin resoundingly passes AISD bond

Austin resoundingly passes AISD bond

Sophie Ryland
November 15, 2017
A concerned taxpayer discusses the finacial details of the plan with AISD Technology Officer Kevin Schwartz at a community engagement meeting on Sept. 26 hosted by the district and held at McCallum. The bond, which currently contains around a billion dollars worth of projects to repair critical deficiencies in and modernize the district’s aging facilities, includes eight million dollars for McCallum (the most significant update is a new dance studio). Photo by Kelsey Tach.

$1 billion bond: extensive or expensive?

Sophie Ryland
October 25, 2017
TAKING A STAND BY KNEELING DOWN: Members of the McCallum cheerleaders, for the 4th week, kneeled during the pledge of allegiance at the Knights win over the Crockett Cougars 55-0. The cheerleaders are participating in the #Takeaknee movement that has swept the NFL in recent weeks. photo by Madison Olsen

Cheerleaders, choir join national protest

Sophie Ryland
October 17, 2017
Triple crown

Triple crown

Sophie Ryland
October 12, 2017
Student displaced by Harvey enrolls at McCallum

Student displaced by Harvey enrolls at McCallum

Sophie Ryland
October 4, 2017
Principal Mike Garrison walks through the rows of green cots that he helped set up. Photo by Dave Winter.

McCallum hosts Red Cross volunteers in wake of Harvey

Sophie Ryland
September 8, 2017
End of an era: Croom, Facundo to retire

End of an era: Croom, Facundo to retire

Sophie Ryland
May 21, 2017
Junior Andrea Barrera-Castro performs in the teen theatre collective of Creative Action, one of the local organizations that could be threatened by President Trump's proposed budget cuts. Photo courtesy of Barrera-Castro.

Proposed cuts endanger local programs

Sophie Ryland
May 21, 2017
Project HELP, with AISD, organizes an annual Back to School Bash, where, in partnership with other community organizations, students with financial difficulties are provided with free vaccinations, haircuts, and backpacks filled with school supplies. Photo supplied by AISD.

Doing what they can to HELP

Sophie Ryland
April 20, 2017
Cartoon by Rachel Wolleben.

Hey Texas, SLO down with the testing

Sophie Ryland
April 19, 2017
From one tour of duty to another

From one tour of duty to another

Sophie Ryland
March 12, 2017
An AISD official moderates a Facilities Master Plan discussion between McCallum teachers and parents. Photo by Sophie Ryland.

Facilitating change

Sophie Ryland
February 15, 2017
Photo by Sophie Ryland.

Austin women’s march draws up to 50,000

Sophie Ryland
January 27, 2017

AISD reports improving enrollment numbers

Sophie Ryland
December 18, 2016
UNITY IS YUMMY: Sacco Fernandez, Annie Lott, Alex Escobar and Ty Bryant share donuts and orange juice at the Spectrum and McCallum Christian Community meeting before school this morning in Mr. Bjerke's room. "We came to the meeting today because we want to love everyone," Lott said. "The McCallum Christian community wants everyone to feel like they have a safe place at this school." Photo by Madison Olsen.

Stepping out on their own

Sophie Ryland
December 14, 2016
Sophomores Gissello Regino and Cecilia Castro (and Castro’s sister) show off their festive Jalisco dresses at the parade.

A matter of death and life

Sophie Ryland
December 14, 2016
Will millennials determine the next president?

Will millennials determine the next president?

Sophie Ryland
November 8, 2016
AISD, MAC caught in a numbers game

AISD, MAC caught in a numbers game

Sophie Ryland
October 29, 2016
Half Nelson

Half Nelson

Sophie Ryland
October 25, 2016
Moore to receive lifetime achievement award

Moore to receive lifetime achievement award

Sophie Ryland
September 5, 2016
Cartoon by Sam Stephens

Why we all need to stop music shaming

Sophie Ryland
March 12, 2016
Eddie Harris sells brownies, other goods during lunch, passing periods. Photo by Maya Coplin.

The brownie breakdown

Sophie Ryland
February 19, 2016
Seniors Clarissa Thompson, Sarafina Fabris-Green and Mia Battle speak during a National Art Honor Society meeting. “It’s meant to promote service hours that are related to art activities,” Fabris-Green said. Photo by Ruby Dietz

Art in action

Sophie Ryland
February 19, 2016
Seniors Lily Steusser, Avery Mitchell, Jesse Levy-Rubinett, and Josephine Smith ask Mr.Whiz a question. Photo by Molly Farkas

“I thought this would be crispier,” and other things overheard during rat dissections

Sophie Ryland
February 5, 2016
Nothing to fear here

Nothing to fear here

Sophie Ryland
February 6, 2015
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