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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

All content by Riley Pita
Andrew Lavine plays tennis during tournament in Kuršumlijska Banja, Serbia. Photo courtesy of Lavine.

Playing through grief

By Riley Pita, McCallum High School
October 1, 2025
GRAND REVEAL: Sophomore Cruz Gonzales performs alongside the other baritone saxophone players during Bandapalooza on Aug 22. Bandapalooza allowed the band to perform what they’ve been practicing during the summer to an audience full of friends and family. 

While this wasn’t the band’s first full run through, it was their first in front of an audience. 

“I feel like we’ve done better in rehearsals, and due to the pressure and other things, it hindered our performance a little bit, but I was still proud,” Gonzales said.

One thing that Gonzales pointed out that the band needs to work on in the future is making sure everybody knows exactly where they’re supposed to be and knows the repetition. 

This performance also allowed the band to introduce their new theme of Gothic Renaissance to their audience. 

“This year’s costumes are totally different,” Gonzales said. “We have hip capes and shako hats, which is a big change from last year.” 

Looking towards the future and big pictures, Gonzales wants the band to have a successful season and make state.

“Considering how close it was last year, we were pretty bummed,” he said. “So this year, I think everybody is really trying to work harder to get there and make state again.”

Caption by Maya Tackett. Photo by Wren Vanderford.

Bandapalooza marches into new year

By Beatrix Lozach, Maya Tackett, Wren Vanderford, Priya Thoppil, Riley Pita, Daniela Di-Capua, Sienna Martens, Katie Martin, and Carson Duncan
September 16, 2025
Paul Pew beams with students next to mural dedicated to him. At the end of the school year last year, students and faculty decided that they needed to dedicate something to him for his career at McCallum. According to Pew, the thing he will miss most about teaching here is the students, and teachers. “I worked with amazing, kind, and talented people at both ends of the building, math and music,” Pew said. “I was lucky enough to have Ms. Seckar as a department head and all the math teachers as friends.

At Mac, Pew found perfect mix of math, music

By Riley Pita, McCallum High School
October 23, 2024
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