![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)
Colleges from all over the country such as Texas Christian University, Indiana University, University of Florida (UF) and Ohio State University have visited Plant to meet potential athletes for almost all sports. Known as a highly praised, athletically talented school, Plant has produced athletes such as Jac Caglianone (UF Baseball), Pete Alonso (MLB player who played for the New York Mets), Andrew Beck (NFL player for the Houston Texans) and many more.
On Jan. 25, the University of Georgia (UGA) Head Football Coach Kirby Smart and his staff, made an appearance in Dad’s Stadium, landing with style in a helicopter on the 50-yard line to meet with the Plant Football staff as well as potential recruits.
Junior Ellianna Valkenburg had a close view of the whole ordeal through a window of one of her classrooms.
“It was really exciting to see the helicopter and Kirby Smart up close,” Valkenburg said. “My family is a big football family so being able to see Smart so close was a surreal experience.”
Smart is two-time National Championship coach with the UGA team in 2021 and 2022. His overall coaching record is 94-16, a very impressive display of Smart’s renowned coaching skills. Smart coached under famed and recently retired head coach, Nick Saban, as a defensive coordinator at University of Alabama.
Teacher and past football coach Greg Meyer shared his sentiments about the visit by Smart.
“It is very cool to see our school get that kind of attention from a program like Georgia,” Meyer said. “For the players to get an experience like that is pretty amazing.”
Smart and his fellow coaches were greeted during third period by football staff and Smart’s family friends, the Moseleys. Senior Taylor Moseley was one of the first to greet the coach and welcome him to Plant.
“My dad and him went to high school together in Georgia,” Moseley said. “My dad’s parents and his parents were friends, and my dad went to Georgia, so they have been pretty good friends ever since.”
After the UGA staff was greeted with a warm welcome and lots of adoring Plant students and staff, Smart and Plant coaches retired to the Field House.
Multiple Plant Football players had the opportunity to meet Smart during this time such as junior, Titus Patterson.
“Kirby Smart came which is crazy because he is a crazy good coach,” Patterson said. “We were super excited, and we did a TikTok it was fun.”
Kirby and his fellow coaches said their goodbyes and departed from Plant leaving lots of adoring teachers and students in his wake.
This story was originally published on The Pep O’ Plant on January 25, 2024.
