![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
SHS’ twins are (usually) good sports as they strive for individuality
Photo courtesy of: Pauline Dierkens
Senior identical twins Allison and Julia Laudato capture a moment in the Prayers from Maria sunflower field in Avon. Although they may look similar, they have different future paths. (Photo courtesy of Pauline Dierkens)
April 22, 2021
SHS’ twins say they feel respected as individuals, even if they look alike and participate in the same activities.
Seniors Julia and Allison Laudato both said they feel very included and accepted at school. The identical twins are three-sport athletes, who run cross country and track as well as playing basketball.
“Allison plays soccer,” Julia Laudato said. “She started in her junior year because they needed a goalie, and I did not have an interest in soccer.”
Fraternal, sister/brother twins, Kailyn and Kylan Rue, who are freshmen, also agreed SHS treats them as individuals. While they have five of the same classes and also compete together in track, they also have their own individual sports, activities and friends.
“I feel individualized because we both have different personalities and other traits,” Kylan Rue said. “We might be twins born on the same day, look a bit alike, or even think about the same things sometimes,” he added, “but we are different people with contrasting emotions and likes.”
Allison and Julia Laudato have an issue with people confusing the two of them because they look so much alike.
Julia Laudato said, “We feel the same in SHS because so many people do not know the difference between us, so they think we are the same person.”
Freshman Ella Kassan, who plays basketball with the twins, said, “You can barely tell the difference between them physically.”
The Laudatos said people mix them up, but it does not help when they coincidently wear the same things.
“Sometimes we will get ready for school and walk down the stairs wearing the same shirt without even saying anything,” Allison Laudato said.
Being similar does have its benefits, though.“…In playing sports, we think a lot alike, so we worked really well together on the court,” Julia Laudato said.
To most people, their physical appearance is indistinguishable, but on the other hand, their minds and personalities are very different.
“Even though we look alike, we have very different personalities,” Julia Laudato said.
Their differing personalities are reflected in their friend groups, the subjects they like, and the sports they play.
“Allison is better academically and she plays soccer, so she has different friends. Whereas I do not play soccer, I am also better at running than Allison,” Julia Laudato explained.
Like many siblings, SHS’ twins share fun memories and stories…but theirs are with a sibling of the exact same age.
Kylan and Kailyn Rue said they have fun together in Spanish with Alexandra Klobusnik and in science with Bob Sternburg.
They both really like the same teachers.
The intensity juniors McKenzie and Seth Mobley both exhibit on the soccer field sometimes carries over into other athletic activities they do together.
“In the summer we went kayaking,” McKenzie Mobley recalled, “and we both were racing towards each other…We were about to hit, but the last second he tipped his kayak…The kayak filled with water and he had to swim the rest of the way. It was so funny.”
Seth Mobley also took a hit from his twin in another memory they share. “The funniest moment with my twin would be her punching me as hard as she can in the face,” he said. “She had a boxing glove, and I had head gear on, though, but it was still funny.”
The Laudatos’ funny memory took place one Halloween.
“…When we were younger, my mom would have us participate in Trunk or Treat near the Walmart lots,” Allison Laudato recalled. “That specific year, she dressed us as conjoined-zombie, Siamese twins. When we looked in the mirror we saw how ridiculous we looked and that was pretty funny.”
This story was originally published on The Orbiter on April 19, 2021.
