![It was definitely out of my comfort zone to get [the dress] and decide I loved it enough not to wait and risk not having something that memorable.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Precious_20180902_JRS_00008_ed1.jpg)
![Sophomore Sahasra Mandalapu practices bharatanatyam choreography in class. These new dances will be performed in an annual show in February. Mandalapu found that practicing in class helped her overcome stage fright during her performances. “When [I] get on stage, Im nervous Im going to forget, even though Ive done it for so long,” Mandalapu said. “Theres still that little bit of stage fright [when] I second-guess myself that I dont know it enough, but I do because Ive been practicing for a whole year.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sahasra-6-Large-1200x844.jpeg)
![In their full runway outfits, (from left) Audrey Lee 25, Olivia Lucy Teets, 25, Fashion Design teacher Ms. Judy Chance, and Xueying Lili Yang pose for a photo. All three girls made it to Austin Fashion Week by getting in the top 10 in a previous runway show held by Shop LC.
[I like my students] creativity and how they can look at a fabric and make it their own, Ms. Chance said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_9686-e1714088765730-1129x1200.jpeg)
![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)
One person can make a difference.
An individual may be one fish in a huge ocean, but if everyone in the world donated $5 toward cancer research, that’s a total of over $38 billion. $38 billion contributed to finding a cure for cancer. That is the goal that senior Patrick Faulkner had in mind when he began raising money for cancer awareness.
“I don’t care how much money I gather in total, it’s just every penny counts,” Patrick said. “In the end, it’s all going to the same cause to help out with cancer awareness and cancer research.”
Patrick started raising money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in support of his 9-year-old friend, Logan Smith, who suffers from Neuroblastoma. Logan was diagnosed at the age of 2 and began treatment. He is now on his third round of treatment.
“He’s our little warrior,” Patrick’s mother, Michelle, said.
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation has lended a helping hand to Logan and his family during his treatments. Patrick’s parents have raised money and shaved their heads for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in the past and now so has he.
“Patrick has always seen my husband and I put others before ourselves and we’ve passed that onto Patrick,” Michelle said. “I think he’s taking that as even if it’s something small, he can make a difference in somebody’s life.”
Patrick’s parents had one condition – that he raise the money on his own. He ended up raising $353.
“He’s learning that he can raise this money himself to help the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, he just has to ask and people are willing to help especially when they know what it’s going towards,” Michelle said.
There are many other foundations like the St. Baldrick’s Foundation that are raising money for cancer research. The Faulkner family will continue their tradition in support of Logan and others suffering from cancer, and they hope that others will take action too so that a cure can be found.
“[I do this] to inspire them to help out and donate money to cancer research,” Patrick said.
This story was originally published on FHNtoday.com on March 30, 2022.
