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
Zev Zent

Zev Zent, staff reporter

Zev Zent is a junior and first-year staff member on The Shield. In his free time, he enjoys playing bass and basketball with friends  This year, his goal on The Shield is to actively contribute to the team beyond just completing assignments. In addition to his passion for journalism, Zent is also considering a future career in business or psychology.

All content by Zev Zent
SOMEONE IN THE CROWD: The McCallum Blue Brigade performs their opening dance to the song ‘Someone in the Crowd’ choreographed by Junior Lieutenant Paige Mitchell and First Lieutenant Gaby Alvarado. Senior Greta Waymay hits her final end pose completing her last opening dance as a member of the Blue Brigade. Wayman has been watching the Blue Brigade perform their opening dance since her sister performed as a member. Wayman was a 4 year member on the team and said this opening dance was her favorite. “I loved this year's opener because I loved the song,” Wayman said. “I also loved how energetic the dance was.” For Wayman, however, performing this opener was a bittersweet moment as her last performance on Blue Brigade. “It didn’t really hit me during the opener that it was my last spring show,” Wayman said. “Although it did hit later in the show.” Wayman said her favorite part about performing with Blue Brigade over the years has always been being able to do it with some of her best friends. “I love being able to perform with all my friends,” Wayman said. “Growing with a tight knit community that Blue Brigade creates is my favorite part.” Aside from performing the dances, Wayman said the show was an important moment to watch her fellow seniors say their goodbyes. “I loved getting to see all of the senior solos and cheer on my friends from backstage,” Wayman said. Caption by Chloe Seckar-Martinez. Photo by Daniela Di-Capua.

Embracing their final dance

Carson Duncan, August Gleason, JoJo Barnard, Harper Maxwell, Sienna Martens, Josie Linton, Chloe Seckar-Martinez, V Overstreet, Priya Thoppil, Zev Zent, and Camilla Vandegrift
April 15, 2025

After countless hours of morning practice and football games, Blue Brigade held their annual Spring Show, Embrace, with two performances on Friday and Saturday night to honor the senior members and all...

During the Austin anti-Trump rally at the Capitol on Feb. 5, resistance to Trump's plans to ramp up deportation of immigrants was on the top of many people's minds as reflected on their signs.

School districts should resist ICE access

Zev Zent, staff reporter
February 11, 2025

Imagine sitting in class, focused on your work when suddenly, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent enters your school. The presence of law enforcement in education is already a tender topic,...

HIGH KICKS, HIGH SPIRITS: On Friday, Oct. 18, McCallum culminated a festive spirit week with the homecoming pep rally. During the pep rally, the class winner of the hallway decorating contest was announced as well as the usual spirit stick award. Sophomore and Blue Brigade member, Peyton Robenhorst noted how festive the student section was. "It felt good to perform for the homecoming game," Robenhorst said. "I knew a lot of people were going to [cheer for us]."

From spirit days to dance nights, homecoming brings high spirits

Shila Gill, August Gleason, Hudson Hensley, Chloe Lewcock, V Overstreet, Arwen Pelletier, Maya Tackett, Priya Thoppil, Nate Williams, Zev Zent, and Callen Romell
October 29, 2024

Oct. 14-18 marked homecoming week at McCallum, featuring numerous activities that students have come to expect: hallway decoration, spirit days and the pep rally featured heavily among the traditional...

APPRECIATING TRADITION: For senior Kai Talebi’s last teacher appreciation volleyball game on Friday night, she stuck with tradition, and chose to ask English teacher Amy Smith to walk the court with her before the game. “I took her last year too, so it’s kind of like tradition,” Talebi said. “Now I was like, ‘Of course I have to take her.’” Talebi is happy to have had Smith twice in the past four years, first for her sophomore year and again this year. Noting that Smith was an integral part of her high school experience, Talebi said the English teacher had a very positive impact on her. “Senior year, it’s been really fun to have her as a teacher again because I already know her super well, and we have a good relationship,” Talebi said. Having a teacher twice is not very common, but for Talebi, it was a blessing in disguise. “Sophomore year she definitely helped me get out of my shell a lot, and encouraged me a lot throughout the year,” Talebi said. The pair have been close ever since the first class Talebi had with Smith, Advanced English 2. Talebi is also a tutor in the Writing Center, so they see each other very often. “She [Smith] is the sweetest,” Talebi said. “And we have definitely grown closer because of me being her student multiple times.” Caption by Priya Thoppil

Teacher feels the love thrice on Friday

Noah Braun, August Gleason, Hudson Hensley, Carlo Hinsdale, Evelyn Jenkins, Maggie Mass, Piper Norfolk, V Overstreet, Arwen Pelletier, Priya Thoppil, and Zev Zent
September 24, 2024

While last week wasn't officially Teacher Appreciation Week, you would not know by the way students unofficially treated their elders all week. The Friday spirit day was a case in point. Rather than...

THE ROBINHOOD ISSUE: Texas state Rep. Ken King, a Republican, addresses his audience on Sept. 6 at the Texas Tribune Festival about funding public education in Texas. King stated that to have Texas citizens pay less taxes to support public education, the state needs to reach 51% funding. “When I served on the committee that instated House Bill 3, it seemed to me that we were at 36 percent state funding,” King said. “After we instated House Bill 3, we were at 46 percent. The goal was to get to 51 percent by the 21st session, but we went backward. The state needs to put a huge amount of money into that system in order to meet that constitutional obligation.” Another issue King spoke to was the Robin Hood Plan, also known as recapture. The plan was enacted around 1993 as a way to provide equity in school financing. After the plan was enforced, many citizens were upset because the state took a huge percentage of their property taxes and redirected them to less property tax rich districts. King agrees that it should be overturned. “It’s been said that we need to get rid of Robin Hood, and as a representative who has watched my community pay so much in Robin Hood, I agree,” King said. “Problem is, the Supreme Court has ruled Robin Hood to be a part of equity three different times, and I think it’s gonna stay.” Caption by Sofia Saucedo.

Debates over education persist as legislators, districts consider budgets, vouchers

JoJo Barnard, Lillian Gray, Josie Linton, Tallulah McAuliffe, Elizabeth Nation, Maddie O’Connor, Callen Romell, Eva Sanchez, Sofia Saucedo, Priya Thoppil, Camilla Vandegrift, and Zev Zent
September 17, 2024

At the Capitol on Sept. 12, the Austin Council of PTAs sponsored a panel of speakers including KUT education reporter Becky Fogel, Josh Sanderson (executive director of the equity center), James Talarico...

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Zev Zent