![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)
While most would have to make a call or text to get in contact with their family, for senior Sydney Bishop, she can see her sister on demand, literally.
When I watch the things she’s in it’s hard to think like ‘wow that’s really my sister,
— senior Sydney Bishop
That’s because former Redhawk Laci Mosely, Bishop’s older sister, is now a Paramount + staple as one of the main characters in iCarly’s reboot.
“I think it’s kind of like unreal,” Bishop said. “Like when I watch the things she’s in it’s hard to think like ‘wow that’s really my sister and she went there and filmed that.’”
But before Mosley made it to LA, the actor was one of the school’s first alumni serving as the Redhawks first student council president where her legacy is still seen and heard.
“I was very involved in school,” Mosley said. “I remember when Liberty was built I got to go to the construction site with my best friend and class Vice President, Shareen, we got to help pick out the school colors, the school song, and we got involved and that kind of work ethic and hustle has really changed other aspects of my life in a really positive way.”
For Bishop, that drive is what has led to her sister’s success.
“I think she’s always been very driven,” Bishop said. “I think she’s always been very stubborn so she’s always going to get what she wants and she’s never gonna give up on a dream, despite how hard she has to work and she never wavered to like hard work or adversity.”
As a Redhawk, Mosley used to watch iCarly, never dreaming she would be on the show.
If you really want it, you can achieve it, and Liberty is a wonderful place to start,
— former Redhawk Laci Mosley
“Never in a million years did I think I’d ever be working on the sets,” Mosley said. “A lot of the stuff is like the same pieces from the original like the jukebox is there and the robot man made out of recycled bottles and stuff. So it’s kinda cool seeing that stuff, it’s like you’re in a museum.”
Now more than a decade after her graduation, Mosley still sees Liberty as a great launching pad for life.
“It’s a great school, it’s a great platform, and you really can do anything with your life,” Mosley said. “When I told people that I wanted to be an actor, I got a lot of, “What’s your plan B?”, “Oh…”, or laughing, a lot of laughing, too much laughing. But if you really want it, you can achieve it, and Liberty is a wonderful place to start.”
This story was originally published on Wingspan on March 30, 2022.
