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Senior Aubrey Reiter (right) and her mentor, Sak Chuntaruk, pose in front of her renovated 1971 Volkswagen minibus.
Riding the dream
May 27, 2025
Former Editor-in-Chief Alan Tai wins National Journalist of the Year from the Journalism Education Association
Former Editor-in-Chief Alan Tai wins National Journalist of the Year from the Journalism Education Association
May 27, 2025
Library clerk Lauren Alindogen had hoped to one day train her replacement to do her job, but now she's looking at her job duties fall on head librarian Mathew Zuniga. She worries about how that will affect the library as well as Mac students and teachers.
District deficit leads to McCallum position cuts for 2025-26
May 27, 2025
Sophomore Audrey Simanowitz sits in her father's favorite chair, which was nearly lost in the tornado.
Finding the Sunny Side After the Storm
May 27, 2025
The Long Run Home
The Long Run Home
May 21, 2025
Food science teacher Lana Soukup stands with other parents of baseball players before the game against Flower Mound begins April 22. The team won the game 5-4.
Smelling the roses
May 27, 2025
Disabilities can come in many shapes and forms, even if they are not obvious to the naked eye.
Silent Struggles: What It’s Like Living With an Invisible Disability
May 27, 2025
Senior Sophia Kiker crafts a spring- themed charcuterie board for a pre-prom party order on April 23, 2024, for her business.
Berkeley-bound senior operates charcuterie business amid balancing grades, extracurriculars
May 27, 2025
Tala (left) and Mustafa (right) gaze upon Creve Couer Lake. Both children are amputees from Gaza seeking medical care in St. Louis.
Finding Refuge
May 27, 2025
An American Kestrel perches on the gloved hand of a Melendez family member. Some bird species may often be in falconry organizations in rehabilitation due to injuries or storms destroying their nests, while others may be with the organizations to be part of educational experiences. These organizations aim to rehabilitate various bird species and return them to their natural habitat.
Flying towards a safer sky
May 27, 2025
GAMEBALL: Co-captain’s efforts on, off field lead to admission to MIT, a spot on its women’s soccer roster
GAMEBALL: Co-captain’s efforts on, off field lead to admission to MIT, a spot on its women’s soccer roster
May 27, 2025
Want to hear from Nevaeh Williams, '25? Listen to the newest episode of The Chattercast to listen in on a conversation with Williams.
Never a nobody: Nevaeh Williams
May 27, 2025
Danny Van Camp, who will play football at Yale in the fall, is The Forest Scout Male Athlete of the Year.
TFS 2025 Male Athlete of the Year: Danny Van Camp
May 27, 2025
The roster limits vary by sport and are part of the House v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) settlement, which will overhaul the current system of college sports.
How the NCAA v. House Settlement Affects High School Athletes
May 21, 2025
Rowland Returns To Volleyball Court After 10-Month Recovery
Rowland Returns To Volleyball Court After 10-Month Recovery
May 21, 2025
Austin Liou, Reagan Markert, Colin Chow, Amrit Rihal and William Devanney (top left to bottom right)
Catalyst Crew drops knowledge with banger beats
May 27, 2025
Seniors Daniel Andrade and Emma Kolah wear “Alice in Wonderland” show shirts designed by sophomore and JV actor Sophie Tang, who used the font Alice for all the show's promotional material. Andrade and Kolah directed the Red Bird Productions spring junior varsity show during head theater director Kayla Boffone’s maternity leave.
Working in Wonderland
May 27, 2025
Freshman Sofia Moreno sings the national anthem at the Austin FC game on July 29, 2024 against LA Galaxy. Photo provided by Moreno.
Freshman finds her voice
May 21, 2025
Senior Victoria Garcia de Leaniz Hernandez is this year's TFS pick for Musician of the Year.
TFS 2025 Musician of the Year: Victoria Garcia de Leaniz Hernandez
May 21, 2025
Sophomore Kyla Rocha poses with her chamber group from AFA. The group was preparing for a performance at the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.
Strings of the heart
May 19, 2025
With legal immigration pathways narrowing and deportations without due process rising nationwide, it has become more important than ever for students and school communities to be educated on their rights and protections. Photo by Qianzi Loo. Graphic illustration by Maddy Chang
Editorial: Building safety and awareness around student immigrant rights
May 21, 2025
Editorial: Illinois eliminating Native American mascots from schools is a good thing
Editorial: Illinois eliminating Native American mascots from schools is a good thing
May 19, 2025
Recent actions by both the Trump administration and the state legislature will further disparities in education. Design by Dia Cohen.
STAFF EDITORIAL: Our government does not have students’ best interests at heart
May 9, 2025
It is easy to assume that federal policy decisions have little bearing on the lives of high school students. But our privilege does not shield us from national decisions that erode the foundation of research itself.
Editorial: Research funding cuts threaten students’ futures
May 9, 2025
Editorial: Press Freedom Starts with Students
Editorial: Press Freedom Starts with Students
May 9, 2025
Cattle Car exhibit visits The Masters School, shares message of Holocaust survivors’ stories
May 27, 2025
Teachers brought their kids to work on Thursday, April 17, and the Child Development students escorted them to activities in various classrooms throughout the day.
Teachers Bring Their Kids to Work
May 27, 2025
The Mind Matters 5K Run
The Mind Matters 5K Run
May 27, 2025
The CEO of WABE TV, Jennifer Dorian, says investment in public media is an investment in the future. It connects communities, schools, and guarantees everyone access to necessary information.
WABE CEO discusses possible funding cuts
May 21, 2025
The cloting and fashion class students learn how to make items such as pajama pants, pillows and pilllowcases.
Clothing and fashion class sew with threads of creativity
May 21, 2025
The CEO of WABE TV, Jennifer Dorian, says investment in public media is an investment in the future. It connects communities, schools, and guarantees everyone access to necessary information.
WABE CEO discusses possible funding cuts
May 21, 2025
Clayton’s New Mayor: Bridget McAndrew
May 14, 2025
Student journalists in the age of the Trump Administration
Student journalists in the age of the Trump Administration
May 2, 2025
If you could do high school all over again what would you do differently? Why? How? In this episode senior journalists and podcasters Kate Saussele and Mia Kirsch share 5 pieces of advice.
Episode 19 – 5 things we wish we knew before starting high school
April 30, 2025
Junior Dakoda Dement competes in the shot put at the Caney Creek meet. He screamed toward his teammates when he realized he had thrown a personal record.
Dakoda Dement sets new record, chases bigger goals
April 15, 2025
LOVELY RITA: Senior designer Rita Hagerty was the lucky winner of the 2025 show. Hagerty participated in the show for her second year. “Rita has incredible dedication and her eye for detail is incredible," one of Hagerty's designer peers said. "I'm glad her hard work paid off.” Each designer put countless hours into the show, sacrificing sleep and free time for the opportunity to share their work with the community. For some of these young designers it may have been their first time participating, some say that the hardest part was finding the time to dedicate to the competition. “Of course, designing the clothes was challenging, but that's what I was expecting," first-year sophomore designer Tallulah McAuliffe said. "It was really hard to find the time to put it all together though. Between school, homework and friends. The show was always following me.” Caption by Isa Truan.
Braving the ‘Wilderness’ together
May 7, 2025
Sophomore Clare Colburn draws a henna design on a child's hand. Henna designing was one of the activities for guests, and art students were able to sign up for different activities they could do during the art show. “One of my favorite activities was Henna because it's a really cool craft and art form that is interesting,” Colburn said. 
Pyramid art show expresses creativity of students
May 2, 2025
REACHING FOR THE STARS: Junior Zane Shieh sings an original song while playing the guitar with his band, Spiral Maze, at the Battle of the Bands last Thursday. He sings the long note of his band’s original song entitled “Reach,” a part of a new album coming soon. “This is my second year doing Battle of the Bands and with Spiral Maze,” Shieh said. “We had a pretty tight set, but I think it went really well, and the crowd liked us a good bit.” Shieh said his excitement toward playing at the Battle of the Bands this year was being able to showcase his band’s new music. “My favorite part was performing our new song, and playing for a bunch of my friends was super sick,” Shieh said. “It was stressful at first—like a little nervous—but it all cleared up right after the first song, and the atmosphere was very chill.” While it was not his band’s first time performing in front of a crowd, Shieh said he loves playing music at his own school and performing original music. “We’ve played at the Austin Rodeo two times and a few restaurants like Tamale House and Freddo’s ATX,” Shieh said. Shieh and his band will be back performing at school at the upcoming first annual McCallum Art Party fundraiser on Feb. 22. Caption by Nate Williams.
Battle of the Bands brings Mac musicians together
April 10, 2025
Junior Paige Mitchell leaps during group performance for Blue Brigade's annual show-off held last Wednesday commencing the contest season.
Twirl, leap and spin into contest season
April 4, 2025
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: Senior Sasha Grapko is highlighted on stage by a spotlight during the McCallum Youth Dance Company show this past Thursday and Friday at the AISD PAC. The company put in tireless efforts to make the show a reality with late rehearsals and all-day preparations at the PAC in the days leading up to the show. The show was unique with multiple ensembles performing throughout the night. Since the company consists of students ranging from their freshmen to senior years, the dances vary in complexity which created a balance throughout the program over the two days. Overall, the efforts of the dancers and choreographers paid off, and the show was a success. As Grapko is shining above, every McCallum dancer was able to highlight their commitment to the program with their performances. Caption by Arwen Petellier. Photo by Adele Seeboth
McCallum Youth Dance Company delivers ‘moving’ showcase
March 27, 2025
Cattle Car exhibit visits The Masters School, shares message of Holocaust survivors’ stories
May 27, 2025
Teachers brought their kids to work on Thursday, April 17, and the Child Development students escorted them to activities in various classrooms throughout the day.
Teachers Bring Their Kids to Work
May 27, 2025
The Mind Matters 5K Run
The Mind Matters 5K Run
May 27, 2025
The cloting and fashion class students learn how to make items such as pajama pants, pillows and pilllowcases.
Clothing and fashion class sew with threads of creativity
May 21, 2025
MHS Hosts Annual Middle School Cardboard Boat Regatta
MHS Hosts Annual Middle School Cardboard Boat Regatta
May 21, 2025
The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO
The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO

‘I knew I wanted to be a scientist’: Nobel Prize winner Thomas Cech and DNA

By Aeda Baang and Medha Sangi • April 29, 2025
Sara-Beth Badalamente
Thomas Cech, Nobel Prize winner, discovered the catalytic properties of RNA.
This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Cougar Star. It was originally published on April 11, 2025.

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