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

The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO

Theatre senior Mason Materdomini stands in the wings, waiting to go onstage during the theatre department’s in-school performance of the first act of “Pippin” on March 2.

In the Wings

By Aiden Velez, Dreyfoos School of the Arts March 31, 2023

For every performance audiences watch onstage, there is another happening above, below, to the sides, and behind it. Technical theatre students operate a network of light and sound systems, raise and lower...

Lisa Licari holds up five cow eyeballs that have yet to be dissected. They are stored in a container with liquid in order to keep the eyeballs fluid intact.

Photo Essay: Scenes of dissection at WEGO

By Sasha Baumgartner , West Chicago Community High School March 16, 2023

On March 9, science teacher Lisa Licari's human anatomy class conducted a dissection of a cow's eyeball. This is one of the many dissections students in this science class takes part in to further their...

FIREFIGHTERS FEEL THE HEAT: Kessler performs another car extraction while the sun beats down and reflects off exposed metal car pieces. As the skill day, which started at 7:30 a.m., progressed into the afternoon, the temperatures rose.

“Once we were like six hours in, holding tools got really hard because the ‘Jaws of Life’ are super heavy,” Kessler said. “I got calluses on my hands even though I was wearing gloves. By the end of it, I could feel my arms and I thought they were going to fall off.”

As tough as the work was, Kessler felt accomplished at the end of the long skill day.

“Getting physical confirmation that you did it right from the actual firefighters, and they congratulate you and say you did a good job, it feels good because its a hard skill,” Kessler said.

Caption by Maggie Mass.

Fire Academy gets heated with ‘Jaws of Life’ exercise

By Gergő Major, Maggie Mass, and Ingrid Smith March 10, 2023

LBJ Fire Academy students visited a junkyard on Feb. 11 for their fourth skill day of the year. This time, the firefighters in training focused on vehicle extrication, the process of removing the vehicle...

SETTING THE STAGE: Senior Lauren Ryan-Holt (Leading Player) welcomes the audience in the show’s opening number, Magic to Do.  As a play within a play, Pippin has many layers to it, including the opening number which is performed as if the cast members were arriving at rehearsal and setting up for the top of the show

“It’s the casts musical bait to the audience,” Ryan-Holt said. “We’re luring them into the production we’re about to put on. We describe the journey and all the magical, fantastic things that will take place along the way. We literally set the stage for both the show and the audience’s expectations.”

Ryan-Holt opens the number and leads the other ensemble members until the song turns into a fully choreographed number. However, for Ryan-Holt, the opening seductive chords are her favorite part.

“There’s just something so mystical and enticing about how it sounds,” Ryan-Holt said. “It’s the one part where you can feel the full focus of the audience.”

Reporting by Alice Scott. Photo by Gergo Major.  

Like its title character, ‘Pippin’ evolving with each act

Last Thursday marked the first of eight runs of MacTheater's spring musical, Pippin. Following an acting troupe and narrated by Leading Player (senior Lauren Ryan-Holt), the play-within-a-play chronicles...

LAST TIME FOR THE TRIO: Seniors and chamber choir members Cate Thomason, Georgiana Murray and Stella Pitts perform “Landslide” in the style of The Chicks during a performance of the annual choir cabaret. This year’s cabaret production, themed “This is the Moment… Be a Light,” featured songs about the choice humans face to build someone up or break them down. Thomason said after four years of performing together, the trio’s personalities blend as well as their voices. For the trio, this Cabaret was bittersweet.

“We weren’t that nervous this year because we’ve been singing together for so long,” Thomason said.  “We were mainly just excited and sad that it was our last year singing together.”

Former choir directors Malcolm Nelson and Cheryl Lindquist returned to Mac to put on Cabaret this year. Thomason said Nelson and Lindquist’s fun taste in music made the experience even better.

“Cabaret is a lot of work but it’s a lot of fun music and an exciting experience,” Thomason said. “We are really fortunate to have Mr. Nelson and Dr. Lindquist coach and help us with everything. I think they’re really good at picking fun songs and putting so much together in such a short amount of time.”

Photo by Francesca Dietz. Reporting by Ingrid Smith.

Cabaret 2022 succeeds in bringing the ‘Light’

Last weekend, McCallum's choir held its annual cabaret show, 'THIS IS THE MOMENT: Be a light.' The showcase provided students an opportunity to perform an entire semester's musical work for friends and...

The opening scene of the play. Lead Matthew Menendez, who plays Christopher, lays on Wellington.

Photo Essay: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

By Madalen Erez, Coral Springs Charter School November 18, 2022

Theatre's production, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, aired November 4. It was met with great success. "I put my all in, and feel like it showed," said Matthew Menendez, who played lead...

FUN WITH FRIENDS: Sophomores Hazel Trominski, Julia Rasp and Zalie Mann pose for the camera during Pink Week’s lunch festivities. Students in the science courtyard throughout the week enjoyed the activities while spending time with friends and sporting their best pink wear. Rasp went all-out during Pink Week, pink being her favorite color. “I think it’s awesome that they’re raising money for breast cancer awareness and doing fun stuff and that a lot of it is student-organized,” Rasp said.
Caption by Camilla Vandegrift.

Pink Week 2022 sets standard for fun, fundraising

Last week McCallum celebrated Pink Week, its annual fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research Center- filling the halls with pink streamers, wearing as much pink as possible, pelting PALs with water balloons...

Senior Maya Cidale (Mal) alongside senior Kathryn Dooley (Evie), junior Henry Mayes (Carlos) and senior Anderson Zoll (Jay) perform Ways to be Wicked, a number in which the four evils reunite to take over Auradon. For Cidale, developing her character was a significant aspect of her rehearsal process. “It was actually a very interesting process finding my version of Mal,” Cidale said.  “I started off by pretending to be Regina George if she had magic on her side, but then I took a closer look at how all of the iconic mean girls achieved that status. I realized it was all about making people second guess themselves. From that realization, I stemmed every tactic from wanting people to question what they know is right.” Reporting by Alice Scott.

‘Descendants’ brings Disney magic to life

After weeks of hard work and late rehearsals, MacTheatre students displayed their talent in their annual fall musical: Disney’s Descendents the Musical, adapted from the original 2015 Disney film. Student...

SENIOR SEASON: Decked out in their jerseys, senior Parker Mitchell takes a photo of senior Sophia Kramer and friends before the first day of school in the senior parking lot. The night before, the class of ‘23 decorated their cars to show their senior pride going into their last year of high school. “It’s tradition for seniors to come and take [pictures] the morning before the first day of school,” Kramer said. “Being able to share that memory together is definitely bittersweet. I’m super excited for this year but I am anticipating all the lasts.” Reporting by Alice Scott.

Welcome back to Mac

On Monday, the McCallum halls echoed with the sights and sounds of freshmen looking for their classes in a maze of unfamiliar hallways, the marching band trumpeting a mighty welcome for the new superintendent...

UNDER THE UMBRELLA: Junior Wilson Corbitt heads toward his dad’s car near the portables during Monday afternoon’s rainstorm. Corbitt faired better than some students, having the forethought to bring an umbrella to school. “In that moment I thought ‘I bet you all thought I was crazy for bringing an umbrella on a sunny day,’” Corbitt said. His intuition proved right, but Corbitt connects this occurrence to a larger issue facing Austin and the planet. “Every year the weather in Texas gets more and more unpredictable and severe due to climate change,” Corbitt said. “And that’s coming off the back of one of the hottest summers on record where today was the first day since May under 90 degrees, which is making it progressively difficult to tell what might happen.” Reporting by Alice Scott.

Flash flood strikes Austin as school dismisses Monday

After more than 50 days without rain in the metro Austin area, heavy rain coincided with student dismissal for the third consecutive school day on Monday. The torrential rain was more severe than it was...

FIVE-STAR CAPTAIN: In One Night Only, the opening number of the spring show on Saturday night, Blue Brigade captain Charli Cevallos is front and center setting the mood and tempo for the number and entire show. Cevallos said the opening number of the spring show is always upbeat and fun and this year’s edition was no exception. Cevallos said she remembers the moment as one of pure adrenaline. “Since opener is the first dance, the excitement is running high and it’s such a great feeling to be performing our hard work for an audience.” As the photo suggests, the team was able to perform the number in sync even though it was a new dance choreographed exclusively for the spring show by first lieutenant Annabel Winter (left) and senior lieutenant Emily Garza. “Opener was our first spring show dance we learned,” Cevallos said, “and it came together super well. … [It was] definitely a team favorite.” Cevallos said her favorite part of the number was the very beginning when Winter (left) woke her up stage left from a deep sleep to start the show. “It’s so fun,” she said, “and the audience loved it.” For the first time in three years, that audience was in the MAC and at full capacity without pandemic restrictions.

‘Starry Knights’ return to their proper alignment

By Zahraa Alogaili, Naomi Di-Capua, Sophie Leung-Lieu, Helen Martin, Madelynn Niles, Charlie Partheymuller, Alice Scott, Elena Ulack, Kennedy Weatherby, Francie Wilhelm, and Dave Winter May 16, 2022

History will remember the Blue Brigade Class of 2022 as the lucky ones, the senior class that was able to resume the full slate of team traditions that have made the dance team one of the most distinctive...

Dancers in the Pre-Professional dance class perform the piece SHEEN, choreographed by Mac and Texas Christian University dance alumnus Terrance L. Carson, Jr., during the winter dance concert on Friday at the AISD Performing Arts Center. The McCallum dance  directors brought in professional dancers to teach the choreography to the majors and the result was a beautifully crafted performance. “The show went amazingly well, especially because of the challenges of the current COVID situation,” said McCallum’s dance director Natalie Uehara. “The dancers overcame many obstacles and together with the technical staff of the AISD PAC, put on a beautiful performance.” Caption by Grace Vitale.

This time the ‘Breaking’ news is good news

The McCallum Youth Dance Company broke ground on "Breaking Ground" Friday night with the first of two 7 p.m. winter concert performances at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center. The second performance...

At 2 p.m. on Monday Nov. 15, hundreds of students walked out of their third-period classes in a show of support for students who have been victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault. The group met in the band parking lot and then marched around the perimeter of the school stopping often to hear personal stories of assault and survival. Each story elicited embraces and statements of support from members of the crowd. The walkout was about building community and improving systemic support on campus. “We shared ideas for a better support system at Mac while talking about the realities of the situation, said Aubrey Mitchell, one of the organizers of today’s walkout, “People cried, laughed, yelled, hugged and left feeling supported and empowered.” Caption by Dave Winter.

The year in review in photos

On the last Tuesday of 2021, we are pleased to make our last Tuesday Top 10 photo essay of the year a review of some of our best photos depicting some of the most memorable, significant and poignant moments...

At 2 p.m. on Monday Nov. 15, hundreds of students walked out of their third-period classes in a show of support for students who have been victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault. The group met in the band parking lot and then marched around the perimeter of the school stopping often to hear personal stories of assault and survival. Each story elicited embraces and statements of support from members of the crowd. The walkout was about building community and improving systemic support on campus. “We shared ideas for a better support system at Mac while talking about the realities of the situation, said Aubrey Mitchell, one of the organizers of today’s walkout, “People cried, laughed, yelled, hugged and left feeling supported and empowered.” Caption by Dave Winter.

Standing up and walking out

“You are so loved!” “It’s not your fault!” “We believe you!” Amidst a crowd of hundreds of participating students, shouts like these could be heard in response to victims of sexual...

Senior Sarah Penton’s Ofrendas project focused on the tragic deaths of indigenous women.

Artists make an emotional return at Ofrendas show

By Kyra Aburto and Addam Sapien November 30, 2021

Sophomore Daisy Morales arrived early. She and her mom were scheduled to set up refreshments at the Nov. 3 Ofrendas Gallery show. But when Daisy entered the room, she teared up and nearly cried. She admits...

Senior members of the LBJ Fire Academy line up to put out the propane fire at their first live fire skill day of the school year. Each person in the line has a specialized job, first in line holds the nozzle of the hose, the second and third are backup and the fourth person is the hose wrangler, making sure they have enough hose left to turn. “We just had to learn every single job, and that was stressful,” senior and LBJ Fire Academy member Michael Valentino said. “Every person has their job and they have to do it, and if you don’t do it it’s gonna go bad.” Caption by Kennedy Weatherby.

Class of ’22 is on fire (figuratively)

By Josie Bradsby, Lydia Reedy, and Kennedy Weatherby October 21, 2021

The members of LBJ Fire Academy participated in a fire demonstration on Sept. 25 that required them to put into practice all of the skills learned in the course. The event was held at the Austin Fire Academy...

A group of abortion rights activists raise their signs as they gather and listen to the speakers at the women’s rally on Saturday at the Texas Capitol. Some cheer to agree with the proclamations made. “I wanted to show my support for organizations [at the rally] who are working to overturn Senate Bill 8,” junior Edith Holmsten said. “It is important for me to go to rallies because it is a way for me, as someone who can not vote yet, to show my support for issues that I care about. I learned about many different organizations that worked on women’s rights who had tables set up at the march.”

Women’s rally delivers an unmistakable message: repeal Senate Bill 8, vote its creators out of office

By Katherine Boyle, Amaya Collier, Meredith Grotevant, Bo Witzel, and Josie Bradsby October 7, 2021

Activists of all ages gathered on the south lawn of the Capitol building Saturday morning to protest Senate Bill 8, a new, restrictive Texas abortion law that went into effect Sept. 1. From around 9 a.m....

The Dallastown Unified Track team has a team huddle after their victory over Susquehannock at Senior Night on April 28. Dallastown currently has two unified teams: bocce in the winter and track in the spring.

Unified Track: Photo Story

By Camryn Eveler, DALLASTOWN AREA HIGH SCHOOL May 12, 2021

The Dallastown Unified Track and Field team is sponsored by the Dallastown Area School District in partnership with Special Olympics Pennsylvania. Unified Sports is a fully inclusive and co-ed high school...

After over a year of distance-learning, Maywood Center for Enriched Studies offers students the opportunity to participate in hybrid-learning. For the first week back on campus, students and staff adapted to a new schedule, routine, and safety protocols. Photo by Melissa Ponce

Photojournalism: A look inside school’s first week of reopening

By Melissa Ponce , MACES Magnet May 10, 2021

Assistant Principal Mr.Meza checks the temperature of freshman Juliary Chavelas on March 27. All students are required to get their temperature checked prior to entering the school. Those with temperatures...

STICKING WITH TRADITION: The McCallum Blue Brigade sticks the final pose during Last Dance to conclude their first Spring Show of 2021 on Friday April 16. “My favorite dance is ‘Last Dance’ because its such a classic!” junior member Natalie Dean said. I think it’s so fun, happy and a great way to end spring show every year,” The routine is full of memories for members past and present as it has been performed at the end of every spring show since 1991. Speaking of traditions, Dean helped to keep another spring show tradition alive when she made a slide show that included photos from the season as well as a tribute to seniors that included current and baby pictures of each graduating dancer.  Reporting by Grace Nugent.

Blue Brigade ends tough year with triumphant show

By Marley Angle, Carly Johnson, Lucy Marco, Anna McClellan, Caleb Melville, Madelynn Niles, Grace Nugent, Samantha Powers, Lindsey Plotkin, Lydia Reedy, Anna Schlett, Alice Scott, Alysa Spiro, Javier Vela, and Kennedy Weatherby May 3, 2021

After not having a spring show in 2020 and after a 2020-2021 campaign that director Nancy Searle said was often characterized by frustrations, disappointments and cancellations, the Blue Brigade ended...

A seller stands with his cart on Crisanto street.  He has lived on the street for 25 years.

Crisanto Street: A NML Photo Essay

By Ernest Leong, Los Altos High School April 28, 2021

. This story was originally published on LAHS - New Media Lit on April 21, 2021.

A small, life-size figure of Roberto Clemente outside of the Clemente Museum

A Pittsburgh Wall Crawl

By Jess Daninhirsch, North Allegheny Senior High School April 13, 2021

Whenever I travel, I love to scope out some of the best murals and pieces of public art wherever I go and find them on a wall crawl. However, despite living here my entire life, I have never done a wall...

WEE THE PEOPLE: Junior Amethyst Mellberg-Smith holds up a sign during a Urinetown scene involving a protest for the right to “pee for free.” Mellberg-Smith thinks that the show is a commentary on the current political climate. “It’s totally political satire,” Mellberg-Smith said. “It’s making fun of serious situations that are somewhat similar to things happening now, but in such a comedic and absurd way it really shows how messy politics and fighting for what’s right can be.” Mellberg-Smith said that while being on stage for the first time in a year was a rewarding experience, her favorite part of the production was spending time with her friends. “Finally seeing people every day made all of the hard work feel effortless,” Mellberg-Smith said, “and I can’t wait to do it again!” Reporting by Samantha Powers.

One last visit to ‘Urinetown’

Performers graced the newly-built outdoor stage for the first time with the McCallum musical Urinetown, rehearsed and performed entirely during the pandemic. The show ran from March 4 to March 7 and...

Ella Finger (9), Anna Phillips (9), Imran Kareem (10) and others walk toward the main entrance along with other in-person students. Masks are mandatory to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Students and staff can temporarily put their mask off in an open area where they are alone to drink, switch masks or take a breather.

Photojournalism: Within these walls

By Aliyah Pratomo, East Lansing High School March 25, 2021

After almost a year of online learning, East Lansing High School finally opened its doors for face-to-face learning for those who chose to do so. With the school shifting to hybrid learning, students and...

On multiple street corners in Portland, you can find hand-written or painted messages that display support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

The Sights of the Black Lives Matter Movement Throughout Portland

By Carlie Weigel, La Salle Catholic Preparatory High School February 11, 2021

After the killing of George Floyd last May, which for many Americans prompted outrage, anguish, and an even greater desire for racial justice, Portland became a hotspot for Black Lives Matter protests....

Placed right by the location Floyd was killed, this note denotes the Kenyan proverb “A man who uses force is afraid of reasoning.”

George Floyd Square: Photo Story

By Rachael Driskill, Orono High School February 9, 2021

This story was originally published on The Spartan Speaks on January 15, 2021.

THE PROCESS OF COVID TESTING: The routine process of testing for COVID is a technique that the ER technician has perfected. “After scanning in the patient’s information into the Sofia, you get reagent tubes and use a bit of solution inside and mix it with your swab, she said. You need to leave it sitting in the solution for one minute. Then you insert the sample onto the machine and wait.” The last step is shown in the image of her inserting the sample into the Sofia. This COVID testing site has two Sofia machines that have an 80% accuracy rate. If a patient shows symptoms and tests negative, the medics will treat them as if they were positive.

How COVID testing works in a free-standing ER

By Sophie Leung-Lieu, McCallum High School January 22, 2021

In this week's Tuesday Top 10, we explore precisely how COVID testing is done at a free-standing emergency room in Austin, thanks to the photography and reporting of freshman digital media student Sophie...

Shopping safely: Kinokuniya is a Japanese book and gift store that has been taking many COVID precautions these last few months, including a mandatory shopper temperature check at the entrance to ensure the safety of their customers. Pictured here, a Kinokuniya worker checks the temperature of customer Jenny, who said, “I feel safer knowing that the store is being so careful.” A sign at the door lists all of the store’s COVID precautions and rules, stating that “during holiday season, there is a 20-minute shopping time limit in order to avoid a long wait outside.”

Pandemic survival: Austin businesses adapt

By Ingrid Smith, McCallum High School January 13, 2021

In this week's #TuesdayTop10, photojournalism student Ingrid Smith documents the many ways the Austin businesses and cultural institutions have adapted their practices to stay open and serve the citizens...

MAY -- PROTESTORS ADVOCATE JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD, MIKE RAMOS: A woman is forced over a wall as state troopers force protesters off of the Capitol grounds. Hundreds of protesters met at the Austin Police Department headquarters downtown on the afternoon of May 30 to demand justice for African-American victims of police brutality. The protests filled the streets surrounding the Police Department headquarters and at times blocked traffic on I-35, and eventually protests spread to Austin City Hall and the Texas Capitol. Some protesters were met with pepper spray and rubber bullets as APD officers tried to control the crowd and clear the highway. This protest comes as part of a national spread of protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of a police officer. Austin protesters are also calling for justice for Mike Ramos, an Austinite who reportedly was unarmed and shot by the police in late April.

2020: A Year in Review in Photos

By Kate Boyle, Risa Darlington-Horta, Anna Garcia, Madelynn Niles, Lindsey Plotkin, Samantha Powers, Bella Russo, Hannah South, Bela Tapperson, and Dave Winter December 30, 2020

On the last Tuesday of 2020, we are pleased to make our last Tuesday Top 10 of the year to a review of some of our best photos depicting some of the most memorable, significant and poignant moments of...

STRIKE A CHORD: Oliver Bennett works on his music theory book pages to learn what the new chords they are playing look like. He wrote C, F and G7 chords in the empty boxes above the chords. Bennett takes extra precautions to make sure online learning goes smoothly.  “Hi, my name is Oliver Bennett. I’m in second period first piano that’s what I say every time I start recording to avoid any confusion if I turn it in wrong, Bennett said. 

Times like these

By Principles of Arts and AV students, McCallum High School December 4, 2020

As we near the end of the first semester, students share their experiences of what it's been like to learn online. BUST A MOVE: Sophomore Sofia Ramon works on smoothing the face of her latest clay...

Students from the LBJ Fire Academy work their way towards a propane fire, using fire hoses to control the blaze. The purpose of the drill wasn’t to put out the fire, but to use the spray to get close enough to the propane tank to turn off its fuel source.

Five McCallum seniors, John Hughes, Thomas Lucy, Tex Mitchell, Molly Odland and Will Russo, participated in the live fire skill day, where they put into practice what they’ve learned during the two year student-sharing program at LBJ High School.

“Being in the live fire gave me really intense adrenaline,” senior Molly Odland said. “I was the head of my group, meaning I was in charge of directing the hose line at the fire while my group supported me from behind.”

Senior Will Russo, who also had the chance to lead the group, said that the drill felt like being in a hot car.

“It wasn’t all that scary since you were with a bunch of people, but it was kind of intimidating because there was nothing in between you and the fire but water,” Russo said.

Weekend fire drill

By Bella Russo, McCallum High School November 24, 2020

On a chilly October evening, onlookers watched as a group of firefighters inched closer and closer to a column of fire that shot into the sky. Using their hoses to push back the flames, they advanced towards...

Jacob Aragon ‘21 protests against President Trump outside the post office Sept. 18. After a pro-Trump rally the day before, Aragon and Amanda Brauchler ‘21 were inspired to launch a counter-protest. “Throughout this entire year, there’s been a lot of people giving out their voice when it comes to issues they’re passionate about and the other day we saw people who support our current president, so we got their voice, so we wanted to gather some people and speak in opposition to that and exercise our rights, Aragon said. We’re speaking out spreading love, we’re speaking about voting, settling for Biden, all about love and respect for people and their races and all of that.”
(photo by Kira Zizzo)

Students Make a Statement: Taking the Anti-Trump Narrative to the Streets

By Kira Zizzo, Rock Canyon High School October 19, 2020

This story was originally published on The Rock Newspaper on October 19, 2020.

EXPLORING AROUND: Me, my sister, an my dog have become a trio since quarantine started. We have been exploring all around the neighborhood, including the drainage tunnels. Photo by Ella Rosenblatt.

Pandemic brings people closer to their pets

By Olivia Allen, Thea Cahoon, Sophia Dawson, Olive Embry, Anna Nagle, Charlie Partheymuller, Lauren Potts, Lydia Reedy, Liliana Rodriguez, Ella Rosenblatt, Amelie Ruggero, Jonah Scott, Angus Sewell McCann, Regan Sims, Camille Wilson, and Annabel Winter September 14, 2020

McCallum photojournalists created 113 award-winning images in the 2020 Working Assumption WRKXFMLY Project. Many of them touched on how people in our community are living day to day during a pandemic,...

Susan Ashton and her son walk the hallway to her math classroom late this morning. Ashton brought her son with her in order help her bring home school supplies so she can work from home to conduct online classes. Ashton said she brought home an office chair, a printer and a document camera. While she was on campus, school officials received word of the city of Austins stay at home order which prevent citizens from leaving their homes for non-essential activities beginning at midnight tonight. Prior to the order, teachers were able to come to campus today, five at a time if they had signed up for a 30-minute time slot the day before.

The last #dayinthelifeatmac for a while

By Dave Winter, McCallum High School March 27, 2020

Richard Salazar and Elise Baughman practice an appropriate more than six feet of social distancing as they await their appointment time of 11 a.m. to come into the campus today. Prior to the city's...

Pilot John Blossom-Boyd fuels for the first half of his journey. Altogether, the fuel comes out to around 00, but Blossom-Boyd doesn’t mind. “Flying is important to me because it embodies freedom in its purest form,” he said. “Not even gravity can hold you.” Photo by Anna Nagle.

It’s better than walking

By Anna Nagle, McCallum High School March 12, 2020

In this week's #TuesdayTop10, we take a virtual flight to Brenham's Southern Flying Diner with pilot John Blossom-Boyd on a quest to find the famous Hundred-Dollar Burger. Along the way, we'll learned...

Ensemble member Marvel Moniaga makes the most of his moment in the spotlight at last weekends spring musical, Titanic.

A Happy Ending to a Tragic Story

By Meg Rees, North Allegheny Senior High School March 10, 2020

The Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage 108 years ago. 1,517 passengers boarded the ship, not knowing their tragic fate. From March 4-8, the Titanic sunk in NASH's own auditorium, and 5,800 people were...

Outside the performing arts wing, Kelsey Buffington ‘22 gasps while she donates her hair for the Dare To Share Your Hair event  Feb. 27. Behind the barricades, Buffington’s friends watched on and shouted supportive compliments to her.

Students and Staff Shed Hair in Support of Those In Need

By Kira Zizzo and Emily Wilson March 5, 2020

This story was originally published on The Rock Newspaper on February 27, 2020.

Were it not for NASH head custodian Dwayne Nasiadka, the building would hardly be able to function properly.

Making It All Work

By Meg Rees, North Allegheny Senior High School February 28, 2020

Every large organization depends daily on staff who perform their work far from the spotlight.  Schools, of course, could not exist without teachers and administrators, but a closer look at how NASH runs...

SHOUT LCHAIM: Junior Corin Vandenburg and senior Toshaan Arora hit their final poses in the number “Raise A Glass.” This song is a celebration of friendship between Vandenburg and Arora’s characters. This number is about my character experiencing joy, perhaps for the first time said Arora. Photo by Alysa Spiro.

Checking out the Grand Hotel

By Alysa Spiro, McCallum High School February 28, 2020

It’s 7:30 on a Thursday evening. The fluorescent lights of the McCallum Arts Center Theater dim into a foggy combination of reds and purples. A sudden hush falls over the crowd: whispers replaced with...

JUST SMART: Seniors Danielle Atwood, Lia Jones, Brooke Miller and Kyla Gibson, and junior Vivian Odoms volunteer to go on stage during Dr. Leonard Moore’s fourth-period talk. Gibson said that being a person of color has impacted her experiences at school “In AP classes the teachers are always like, ‘Oh my God we love you, you’re so smart.’ But there’s always that stereotype of “you’re smart for a black person,” Gibson explained. “I just want to be smart for being smart.” Photo by Regan Sims.

Black History Month at McCallum

By Josie Bradsby, Sydney Denmon, Alex Gold, Daniela Morrow, Lydia Reedy, Bella Russo, Regan Sims, and Sarah Slaten February 18, 2020

UT professor Leonard Moore speaks on history of race in United States For the sixth straight year, Dr. Leonard Moore, a U.S. history professor at the University of Texas, spoke at the Black History Month...

WORK IN PROGRESS: After hanging the Grand Hotel sign, the crew works on assembling the 12 columns that weave throughout the stage. Photo and caption by Ella Rosenblatt.

Behind the front desk at the ‘Grand Hotel’

By Lily Brode and Ella Rosenblatt January 30, 2020

With the final dress rehearsal set for tomorrow and opening night for Thursday, it seems to us a perfect time to use our #TuesdayTop10 to take you behind the scenes of Grand Hotel for a sneak peak of...

David O’Keefe ‘23 bursts through the “Go Jags!” banner in the gym during his team’s introduction at the First Annual Unified Basketball Game Jan. 22. In the past, the Unified Basketball team’s basketball hoops were trash cans, but their equipment was upgraded with adapted basketball hoops for optimum accessibility for all students. “We’re trying to change the culture of Unified Basketball. Every day, it’s a challenge for them to be heard, to be respected and to compete in sports, but they push themselves every day past all those challenges,” Unified Basketball Coach Jerome Price said.

A Slam Dunk for SSN Programs: The First Annual Unified Basketball Game Recap

By Emily Wilson and Kira Zizzo January 27, 2020

Middle schooler Leah Bishop celebrates the start of the Unified Basketball Game by giving a smile and a wave to the Junior class section in the gym Jan. 22. The teams ran back and forth across the...

To fly from Florida to Cuba takes a little over an hour, but most Americans have been prohibited from traveling to the exotic and history-rich island.

So Close and Yet So Far: A Trip to Cuba

By Sophia Caruso, North Allegheny Senior High School January 17, 2020

Over winter break, my family and I took a week-long trip to a destination few other Americans have visited: Cuba. We left early on December 29th and began our day-long journey to the country's capital,...

At the 2019 Male, Manual game, a helmet sits alone as Male dominates Manuals offense and defense following a back-to-back matchup.

Manual RedEye: A year in photos

By Cesca Campisano and Kate Benton December 20, 2019

As we celebrate the end of the year, Manual RedEye is taking a trip down memory lane with some of our favorite photos from 2019. Mandala Gupta VerWiebe (11, J+C) holds out a cupcake during a photoshoot...

LET IT SNOW! In the Band Holiday Concert the band played an array of Christmas, Hanukkah and jazz music. The set list ranged from Georgia on my Mind written by Hoagy Carmichael to Let it Snow written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne. The variety of music included classics and lesser known songs, leading to a range of favourite songs within the band. Junior trombone player Nicholas Reedy said “ I really liked A Christmas Festival, it was fun to play and learn.” Photo by Lydia Reedy.

A whole lot of holiday music

By Scarlet Frese, Evelyn Griffin, Samantha Powers, Lydia Reedy, Elisha Scott, Regan Sims, Bela Tapperson, Kristen Tibbetts, and Grace Van Gorder December 20, 2019

JINGLE BELL JAZZ: As finals and winter break rapidly approach, band celebrated the festive season with its annual holiday concert on the of Monday Dec. 9. Many band members even dressed up in red and...

April 2nd: Seniors Catherine and Marina have different passions despite sharing a birthday. Catherine enjoys expressing herself through painting while Marina likes anything to do with english class. In the future Marina plans on being a nurse or biologist, while Catherine hopes to be doing something in the arts category.

The same, but different: Birthday twins

By Lauren Wilmore and Isabella Johnsen December 19, 2019

              This story was originally published on Blueprint on December 18, 2019.

Evan Wilson, 8th grade, was the star of the third annual middle school musical, Elf the Musical, Jr

New to the Stage

By Meg Rees, North Allegheny Senior High School December 18, 2019

On December 13, 14, and 15, 7th and 8th graders from all three middle schools came together to put on Elf the Musical Jr. NASH tech students and teachers helped to make this performance great. Two years...

THEIR OWN TWIST: Performing a featured duet, Sophomore Abigail Lehman and Senior Zion Flores sing with a dramatic glance down, a reference to the lyrics in their song. The two joined forces with to create their own choreography and twist on the piece. “I really loved the collaboration of this song,” Lehman stated. “Getting to work with Zion is so much fun, and to get the song and make it our own was a great experience.” Photo and caption by Madelynn Niles.

They can be heroes … or villains

By Anna Bausman, Alysa Bijl-Spiro, Madelynn Niles, and Kennedy Weatherby November 20, 2019

The McCallum choir performed its most widely anticipated concert of the year: Cabaret, in the MAC, Thursday through Sunday. This year’s theme was “Heroes and Villains of Broadway.” The choir performed...

This years fall play, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, opens this Thursday.

Killer Comedy

By Meg Rees, North Allegheny Senior High School November 13, 2019

Occasionally, we all wish we could be someone else. For a lucky 15 students at NASH, that wish has come true, at least temporarily, as they step into the shoes of a mansion owner, a maid, a comedian,...

SATURDAY NIGHT’S ALRIGHT FOR FIRE FIGHTING: MAC seniors Ena Nolan and Zach King joined the rest of their LBJ Fire Academy crew in a live propane fire exercise on Saturday Oct. 12 at the Austin Fire Academy. The goal of the practice was for the group of seniors to control the fire enough for a member to get close enough to turn off the tanks gas valve, which would extinguish the flame. Earlier in the day, the juniors in the program, including MAC students Molly Odland, John Hughes, Thomas Lucey, Tex Mitchell and Will Russo, underwent an obstacle course in full gear while trying to conserve air, and stuck around afterwards to watch the seniors and to help replace their air tanks in between rotations. “I don’t even know how to describe it,” Nolan said, who is in her second year in the program. “Watching it [last year] was an ethereal experience, and doing it myself was absolutely amazing, definitely one of the most epic things I’m gonna do in the next couple of years.” Photo by Bella Russo.

A trial by fire

By Bella Russo, McCallum High School November 13, 2019

MAC seniors Ena Nolan and Zach King joined the rest of their LBJ Fire Academy crew in a live propane fire exercise on Saturday  Oct. 12 at the Austin Fire Academy. The goal of the practice was for...

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