![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)
Gunshots in the Frank and Estella Beam Hall (BEH) at the University of Las Vegas (UNLV), were reported at approximately 11:53 a.m. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT” alerts were sent out to students, alerting them to shelter in place. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has reported three deceased victims and one in critical condition.
The suspect is identified as 67-year-old college professor Anthony Polito, who had applied to various Nevada universities and colleges for a job but was rejected. The lead investigative theory is that he may have been passed over for a job at UNLV.
“When I initially saw people running my heart immediately dropped and soon after I got the text from UNLV’s police department declaring an active shooter on campus,” UNLV freshman Yusra Shafique said. “The adrenaline kicked in and I grabbed my belongings and my friends hand while we tried to flee and figure a safe place out. The next few hours were spent waiting on the police to evacuate us as we frantically heard about students being injured and possibly killed.”
For now, UNLV will be closed through Sunday, but the campus is still considering how they will operate next week, when final exams will begin. All NSHE institutions in southern Nevada also closed on December 7.
“We are currently evaluating campus operations for next week and will update faculty, staff, and students accordingly after a further assessment is made,” UNLV President Keith Whitfield said in an announcement posted on their website. “We are also working closely with law enforcement to allow faculty, staff, and students to have access to campus to pick up personal belongings and other needed items later this evening, and a notification text will be shared with the campus community.”
There is strong police presence and activity on the main campus as they continue with their investigation. UNLV posted on X, stating that students could return to their campus housing with food and other essential services being available to them.
“The District has and will continue to deploy resources supporting our UNLV community as needed, including the CCSD Police Department personnel and counselors from our Critical Response Teams,” CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus F. Jara said in a statement posted on Newsroom.
Two victims have been named at this time; professor Cha Jan Chang, 64, and Assistant Professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39. The third will be named after notification of next of kin.
This is a developing story.
This story was originally published on Southwest Shadow on December 6, 2023.
