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

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.

McCallum shows off award-winning Fine Arts Academy programs to prospective Knights

To give incoming students a taste of what the Fine Arts Academy is really like, McCallum hosted its annual fine arts showcase. The event, held Nov. 8, allowed the academy to show off each discipline and...

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.

Mac celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of McCallum’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, the Student of Color Club put on a variety of activities to show their appreciation and pride. Part of their month-long festivities, the club...

Ziad Ben-Gacem (’25) speaks to Clarisa Gomez Rodriguez (’24) in the show’s opening scene during dress rehearsal Nov. 13. Rodriguez sang the first song of the musical, “I Get a Kick Out of You.”

GALLERY Students perform High School musical ‘Anything Goes’

By Laila Taraporevala, The American School in London November 30, 2023

The Performing Arts Department put on the fall musical “Anything Goes” Nov. 16-18. Set on the S.S. American, a boat traveling from New York to London in 1934, “Anything Goes” follows a combination...

The Urban Stream Research Center is part of the Blackwell Forest Preserve system. Students in AP Environmental Studies are able to visit this site as part of a field trip in the fall.

[PHOTO ESSAY] WEGO water testing

By Eshan Amir, West Chicago Community High School November 28, 2023

There exists a special kind of water that cannot be found in grocery stores, malls, or water fountains anywhere in America - one with a taste that cannot be quickly forgotten. That is right: microorganism-filled,...

Head bent, head coach Tyler Moore laughs after the team dumped the water on his head, in celebration. This is Moores first year as head coach. The team has earned multiple iconic wins and accomplishments under his guidance.

Column: Football season through my lens

By Riley McConnell and Isabel Multer November 10, 2023

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on Eagle Nation Online. It was originally published on November 2, 2023.

WATER BALLOONS AND SMILES: Senior Peer Assistance and Leadership program member Jude Masoni holds up his fellow PAL, senior David Herring, as a human shield to protect himself from the path of an incoming water balloon. Students paid  to throw a balloon at the PALS on Tuesday as part of the shooting PAL-ery, one of the Pink Week fundraisers intended to raise money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Central Texas, an Austin-based non-profit that provides personalized support to those affected by breast cancer.  Year after year the PALS put on Pink Week in order to raise funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. The PALS put on a variety of different events the whole week at lunch in hopes of both bringing in profits and bringing an exciting week of fun to the McCallum community.   

Herring was made a target of the water balloon by his cross country teammates.

“I enjoyed seeing my teammates coming out to donate as I was telling them about it the week prior,” Herring said. “I was also just having fun on that nice day with my fellow PALS. Some of them that did the pallery that day, like Jude, I’ve known since elementary school.”

Caption by Chloe Lewcock with reporting by JoJo Barnard.

Pink Week soars to new fund-raising heights

Longtime PALS adviser Richard Cowles remembers when Pink Week was a young Mac tradition and would bring in around $200. More than a decade later, he says, the expectation is that Pink Week will bring in...

The mall has been abandoned since 2017 and is often nicknamed The Quad.

Photo Essay: Charlestowne mall: once booming, now abandoned

By Dhanveer Gill, West Chicago Community High School October 20, 2023

A car commercial is not the first thing that people think of when Charlestowne Mall comes to mind; instead, a once lively and popular shopping center is often far more memorable in the minds of the residents...

That 70th Show (and Tell)

That 70th Show (and Tell)

By Julia Copas, McCallum High School October 19, 2023

On Sept. 8, 1953, A. N. McCallum High School, named after AISD's third superintendent, opened its doors to the 1,336 students enrolled. They weren't Knights yet because they hadn't yet picked the mascot....

The Head and the Heart opened with an acoustic set, consisting of only three band members.

Goin’ “Down in the Valley” for the Head and the Hearts’ music festival

By Ella Furuichi, Archie Williams High School October 16, 2023

Nestled in the middle of downtown Napa Valley, the first Down in the Valley music festival took place at the Oxbow RiverStage, Saturday, Sept. 2, and Sunday, Sept. 3, featuring a lineup of nine talented...

ONE FINAL HURRAH BEFORE THE TORCH IS PASSED DOWN: With the upcoming football season nearing a fast approach, the marching band is preparing its halftime segment for the games. While the first game isn’t until Thursday, the band took the opportunity to put on its annual Bandapalooza for family and friends. The events goal is simply to show off what the band has been working on and to give the community an early peek at whats to come.

For senior Frank Montesinos, Bandapalooza is not only a fun experience but also a beneficial one. 

“The showcase gives a perspective of how our rehearsals are run,” Montesinos said. 

While the show itself is a whole marching band production, Montesinos is part of a saxophone quartet with a feature in the second movement of the show along with William Viner, Elliot Taylor and Aubrey Mitchell. 

“It’s nice being able to show off our individual talent in such an exposed section,” Montesinos said.  

One of Montesinos fellow quartet members, senior William Viner said it was worth all the hours of work he and his bandmates put in.

“Bandapalooza is always the first performance we do for people,” Viner said. “It’s satisfying to finally get to put together a months work of heat and hard work.” 

But given that he’s a senior, it also means that this was Viners last Bandapalooza. 

“I thought I would be very sad in my last year,” Viner said, “but it’s honestly more sweet than bitter. I feel much stronger and more confident as a senior and a leader. It’s fun to pass the band torch down to new underclassmen.” 

Viner said he is excited to pass the tradition on to younger high schoolers just as early band members passed it on to him.

Caption by Chloe Lewcock.

MacBand reaches for the stars

By JoJo Barnard, Julia Copas, Naomi Di-Capua, Chloe Lewcock, Maggie Mass, Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Lucas Walker, and Francie Wilhelm October 12, 2023

Through the sweltering heat, the McCallum band showed off the first two movements of their 2023 contest show, “Starsurfer” in the band parking lot on Friday night. The annual Bandapalooza event gives...

Dressed as Professor McGonagall, AP Precalculus teacher Monica Russell goes over answers to problems that students assigned to the different Harry Potter houses solved. Each correct answer gave that house a point. “I hope that I can make (math) a little bit more interesting,” Mrs. Russell said.

Bring in the Teachers, Bring in the Magic

By Genesis Arrieta, Dreyfoos School of the Arts October 12, 2023

“I’d like students to see a richer world so that they can live a richer life,” science teacher Timothy Siniscalchi said. “I don’t want my classes to just be words on a page, where rules are...

The Homecoming Bonfire burns in the night Sept. 21. According to Fire Science, the fire was approximately 25 ft. high and 500 degrees Celsius. “The Homecoming Bonfire is always a cool tradition to be a part of and it’s cool to see the fire itself and how high it can get,” Mason Conrad ‘24 said.

The Heat of The Moment: A Homecoming Bonfire Recap

By Avalon Nielsen and Baylie Van Horn Turnidge October 5, 2023

Fire blazing, heat roaring, smoke billowing and hundreds of students huddled together. This is the Homecoming Bonfire. The Homecoming Bonfire was one of many Homecoming events, following the parade...

CHEERS AND CHESTS: Freshmen cheer on the Knights with “McCallum” written across their chests in blue paint. Freshman Hugo Smith said the shirtless display of spirit was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

“Everyone in our row that we were sitting with participated,” Smith said. “We just told everyone ‘Take your shirt off. Write your letter.’”

Smith said he knew the Knights needed some spirit to get through the game. 

“It says that I care about my team,” Smith said.

Caption by Julia Copas with reporting by Ingrid Smith.

Some things borrowed, some things new, but all things Taco Shack still McCallum blue

McCallum’s observation of the Taco Shack was a mix of old traditions blended with new ideas. The student government pulled ideas from homecoming and Pink Week to bring a new experience to Taco Shack....

The Wildcats defend the endzone against the Bartlett Hawks as the game approaches halftime on Sept. 1.

Photo Essay: WEGO wins against Bartlett

By Emily Ziajor, West Chicago Community High School September 18, 2023

West Chicago Wildcats vs. Bartlett Hawks. The first football home game took place on Sept. 1 at WCCHS in Memorial Stadium. The West Chicago Wildcats came out victorious with a score of 21-14, securing...

Though I have visited many amusement parks, I owe my passion to Kennywood Park above anywhere else.

Memories of an Amusing Hobby

By Andrew McLaughlin, North Allegheny Senior High School June 1, 2023

In 1977, a North Hills amusement park called West View Park closed forever. 35 years after the park’s closure, a seven-year-old boy wandered into his local library’s nonfiction section and pulled a...

‘ONE TWO’ THREE GO: Seniors Nia Wayman, Sophia Kramer and Olivia Falcon lead the team’s formation in hip hop number ‘One Two Step,’ choreographed by Caroline Cullers. Wayman enjoyed conveying the intensity of the number to the audience. 

“My favorite part would have to be the headspring whackpack kip-up,” Wayman said.

Overall, though, Wayman found this year’s spring show to be bittersweet as she said goodbye to the people and program that had been a part of her life for so many years. 

“I was excited throughout but I was also sad that it was the last time I would dancing as part of Blue Brigade,” she said. 

Caption by Francie Wilhelm.

A Knight of glitz and ‘glamour’

After a successful year of performances, pep rallies and dance competitions, the Blue Brigade ended its season last weekend in the annual spring show. Held in the MAC and hosted by class of ‘22 officers...

PINK FOR PROM: Seniors Vaughn Vandegrift, Peter Wiseman, Max Yehaskel and Alex Gold sing and dance their hearts out at Saturday’s “Under the Knight Sky” prom. Yehaskel and Wiseman stood out in the sea of black and navy suits as the pair opted for bright pink with contrasting, yet coordinating, shirts and ties. While the style decision seemed big to onlookers, for Yehaskel it was a simple choice.

“I like pink, it’s a solid color,” he said. “It almost melted when I ironed it actually. It’s 100% polyester, and I got it from Kohl’s.”

Yehaskel enjoyed prom overall, except when it came to the royalty announcement.

“Someone stole prom queen from me,” he joked. “It was very tragic. But other than that, it was fun.”

As prom marks another milestone at the end of senior year, Yehaskel is ready to sit back, relax and enjoy his last few weeks as a Knight.

“My grades don’t matter anymore [and] after AP tests I’m done,” Yehaskel said. “I’m going to go nuts, and I’m going to start cooking more.”

Caption by Francie Wilhelm.

Students shine like stars ‘Under the Knight Sky’

After four years of classes, COVID and all kinds of change, the class of 2023 kicked of its graduation festivities with the “Under the Knight Sky” prom last Saturday. Prom, which welcomed seniors and...

Dance senior Lindsey Ryerson, theatre senior Mary Keith, and dance senior Alexis Carter do jazzercise moves to the song “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa in the senior generation dance.

Dancing through History

By Aidan Smith, Dreyfoos School of the Arts May 4, 2023

Denim, spandex, nylon, and neon erupted onto the bleachers as SGA co-presidents communications senior Kate Wagner and strings senior Sofia Plaza welcomed students in the gym to Generation Day activities....

LOVE AND JOY: As she dances in her beautiful dress, sophomore Amy Love reflects on the joy it brings to see her father so happy during the McCallum Quinceañera. I think that this event was really beautiful and fun to experience especially for my dad, seeing him so happy and having my family experience this, Love said. My family isn’t big on doing huge celebrations so me and my sister weren’t able to have a quinceañera, but we loved being able to share this day with all the other quinceañeras and their families. Despite the stress of daily meetings and practices leading up to the event, Love found it all worth it for the fun and memories made on the quinceañera day. It was really stressful doing the whole entire meetings and practice because it was every single day, but whenever it was the actual day of it, it was actually really fun, Love said. Overall, Love found the quinceañera event to be a very meaningful experience, which could not have happened without the hard work of Spanish teacher Juana Gun. I want to give a huge thank you to Ms. Gun for making it all possible and being such a sweet person to all of us, Love said. Caption by Gergő Major.

McCallum Quinceañera celebrates comeback

With extravagant dresses, a smiling crowd and a music-filled dance floor, the fourth-ever McCallum Quinceañera brought students together this past Saturday after years of COVID-induced shutdowns. The...

Junior Anna Wiltzer braves the wind and rain with her homemade sign to protest gun violence in Wednesdays student walk out.

Students walk out to protest gun violence amid wind and rain

Not even thunder, lightning, heavy rain, 55 mph wind gusts and a Tornado Watch could deter students from walking out to protest gun violence on Wednesday, April 5. “We are tired of gun violence and want...

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

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...

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