Issue 2

the

shield

McCallum High School / 5600 Sunshine / Austin, TX 78756 / Nov. 8, 2013 / Issue 2 / Volume 61

what’s inside Texas drought causes water shortages; legislature discusses Rainy Day Fund story on page 4

25 choir students qualify for pre-area, 30 qualify for TMEA district/region story on page 6 Students, administrators discuss effects of bullying, where to draw the line story on pages 10-11

Senior football captain suffers season-ending injury, looks to other sports story on page 12

Staffer reflects on stressful college application process in open letter to admissions story on page 17

analytical

honest energetic compassionate

DRIVEN

loyal

Type A visionary

DECISIVE

As few as four letters can be used to categorize even the most unique individuals, but how well do your Myers-Briggs results know you?

clever

story on page 7

independent

lively empathetic

organizedkind

realistic

cooperative responsive

matter-of-fact

respectful

reserved

quick

2 contents

inside the issue

story on page 6

story on page 13

From left to right: Senior Hannah Yeo prepares to be dunked at the Dunk-APAL event during the annual Pink Week. Photo by Emily Goulet. Wrestling team members take instruction from coach Ray Amaro in their practice during second

period on Oct. 31. Photo by Jesse Levy-Rubinett. Senior Emily Hunteman at the Canon Imagina10n official short-film premier in New York City on Oct. 24. Photo provided by Emily Hunteman.

Entertainment Opinion

News

Feature

5

FAA considers Texas to become domestic drone testing site

8 Staffer investigates test-blind col- 15 Senior art major goes to New York

6

City of Austin wins bid to host international X Games

9

leges, students applying

Students, teachers discuss use of social media in school

story on page 15

City, view movie based her photo

16 Staffer travels around Austin in search of best cup of coffee

save the date

17 Guest columnist reflects on role

sports played during high school

19 Editorial staff encourages teachers

to embrace technology, socal media

Don’t forget to like The Shield on Facebook

november 8-10

9 11 14 12 15-17 18-19

21 Late Start Fun Fun Fun Fest Dance Fall Concert in MAC @7 p.m. 27-29 Thanksgiving Break Veterans Day/Student holiday december All-City Guitar Concert @ Reagan HS 9 Band Concert @7 p.m. in MAC Mac vs. Vista Ridge basketball game Opera Performance @ 6:30 p.m. in MAC 11 Orchestra Concert @7 p.m. in MAC 12 Steel Drum Dessert Concert @7 p.m.

Piano Recital @6:30 p.m. in MAC

the shield // NOV. 8, 2013

Cover: Graphic by Grace Frye.

Follow: @theshieldonline on Twitter

Visit: www.macshieldonline.com for exclusive content

RISING WATERS

NEWS 3

Halloween flooding in south Austin displaces students

had her sit on a bar stool so she wouldn’t get wet. I started getting all of our birth online editor certificates and things into my backpack.

I thought it would suck to lose all of our NICK ROBERTSON staff reporter legal papers, so I went into my mom’s Sophomore Texie Fisher woke office and asked her about tax papers and up suddenly when her mom slammed things.”

She added baby scrapbooks, her bedroom door open. It was 5:20 Halloween morning, but Fisher wasn’t Gameboys, underwear and socks into her thinking about trick-or-treating; her house backpack and put other items, like her was flooding. Confused, she quickly got electronics, on furniture to try to keep out of bed and started moving her things them away from the water. She set her laptop on her bed, but the water rose even away from the doors.

Five minutes later, water started higher than the height of the bed.

The water was up to her rib cage when seeping in between the floor and the wall.

“We looked outside and the street firemen came outside her window in an inflatable boat had turned to rescue the into a rapid,” family from the Fisher said.

“You could My older sister just kind of house.

“We had see white accepted death. I started to take the water. I saw off and this gazebo getting all of our birth cer- screen climb through that is usually tificates and things into my the window,” four blocks she said. “We away from backpack. handed my cat my house in a bag to the floating Texie Fisher // Sophomore firemen because d o w n he doesn’t like outside.” water at all.”

S o o n On the boat, Fisher saw the other Fisher saw the river outside her house sweep away a car, potted plants and other houses in the neighborhood filled with possessions from outside of her neighbors’ floodwater.

“You could still see some people that houses as the water deepened.

Within an hour and half, the water rose were in the top level of their houses,” she said. “Up until about half a mile away from inside her house several feet.

While her family worried, Fisher said my house, everyone was getting evacuated, she started moving possessions to try to especially on the main street because it was downhill. I thought, ‘Wow, my street is an keep them safe.

“My older sister just kind of accepted amusement park right now.’ The houses at death,” she said. “My mom decided to sit the bottom got it the worst, so people were down and smoke. My mom’s girlfriend either put up along the side streets or were was praying, and she’s really short, so we taken down to where the water ended.”

SEREN VILLWOCK

“

From there, family friends came to pick up Fisher, her sister and their animals and took them to their grandmother’s house in Round Rock, where she is currently living.

It was 6:50 a.m.

The water receded later that day, and when Fisher went back to see the house, all of the furniture was pushed on the left side of all the rooms because of the way the water moved out.

“All the furniture was cracked, so we couldn’t use any of that,” she said. “All of the books were totally ruined. Everything was covered with dirt because the floodwater was everything it had touched up until it got into our house. Everything was really dirty. We spent the next couple of days pulling everything out of the house and cleaning it to put in storage. I also got to break the drywall up from all of the rooms and take it out, and that was a lot of fun.”

Many of the things Fisher and her family left behind were destroyed by the water.

“I have been making costumes for a little over a year now, and all of my costumes were totally trashed,” she said.

“It’s really sad. I had this suit of armor that’s ruined now. All of my books and all of my furniture I had to leave behind. All of my [AP U.S. History] notes were ruined, and all of my makeup and comic books and the things on my desk.

Fisher said she never imagined something like this could happen to them.

“The back patio that we have is a little bit lower and sometimes that gets a layer of water, but it never comes into our house, so that was crazy,” she said.

Though she has lost many of her possessions, Fisher keeps looking at the positive side of the situation.

“I’m actually waking up later than I did at my house,” she said. “My grandma has

decided to make three-course meals for breakfast, so it’s really nice. But other than that, it’s pretty inconvenient because all of our clothes are in trash bags from when [volunteers] picked up loads to wash.”

Other volunteers helped out with cleanup in her neighborhood, she said.

“A lot of people that I’ve never seen before in my life just showed up at our house and asked what they could do,” Fisher said. “It was really nice. One of my mom’s friends started a fundraiser for the neighborhood that’s raised around $1500.

I think they are going to have a benefit for it the first week of December.”

Fisher attends McCallum on a Fine Arts transfer; her home school is Akins.

AISD superintendent Meria Carstarphen sent out a message Tuesday extending sympathy to all the students and staff who have lost their homes and belongings.

In addition to excusing weather-related absences for students Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, AISD employees are given paid leave to regroup after the flood. Carstarphen also noted emergency resources for affected families, including Capital Metro’s transportation assistance between the Onion Creek area most heavily affected by flooding and a flood shelter, and the water, bread and baby formula available at the Family Resource Center at Mendez Middle School.

Though the family plans to move back into their house, Fisher said it will take a while before they are able to. For now, she is back at school, though many of her school papers and other things were ruined by the water.

“I’ve been kicking myself because I put my PS3 up on the top shelf of the cabinet, but I didn’t think to put anything else up there,” she said. “I never thought the water would come up that high.”

nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

4 NEWS

Setting a new record?

Current drought may be worst ever for Central Texas

NICK ROBERTSON

two drought level, which puts a limit on Staff Reporter how much people can water, among other Although the “drought of record” was things. in the 1950s, the drought Texas is currently “Stage two also maintains other restricexperiencing may be the worst ever. tions from previous stages, which include “There is a process by which the LCRA not allowing people to wash their cars at (Lower Colorado River Authority) will home,” Gross said. “It can take 120 gallons declare whether the drought we are in is of water to wash a car at home where most worse than the drought of record, and we commercial car washes take up to 30 galhave already met two of those indicators.” lons of water.” said Drema Gross, the Water ConservaThe city’s water is supplied from the tion division manager for the City of Aus- Colorado River and specifically from the tin. highland lakes, which include Lake BuAccording to city water officials, by chanan, Lake Travis, Lake Austin and next spring the city may need to ban all Lady Bird Lake. The city draws specifibut hand watering for outdoor areas. Even cally from Lake Austin. The water the with the recent rain Texas has been expe- city uses is replaced by allowing water riencing, Lake Travis has only risen three- to flow from Lake Buchanan and Lake and-a-half feet over the past month. If Travis down river. However, the city is inflows into currently buildthe lakes do ing a contronot rise, the versial new walakes could treatment Even when we get large ter go dry in plant in west amounts of rain, not much Austin on Lake two to three years. of the water makes it into the Travis.

Proposi“It will draw lakes because the soil ab- from another tion 6, which voters apwater source, sorbs most of it. proved on and since both Drema Gross // Water Tuesday, of our current Conservation Division Manager will transfer water treatment roughly $2 plants are on billion from Lake Austin, the Rainy Day Fund to the Texas Water if something were to happen such as conDevelopment Board to fund water con- tamination of Lake Austin, the city would servation projects. The city will try to get have no water,” Gross said. “When water some of the money from this to fund re- treatment plant four is built, we will be claimed water projects. Reclaimed water able to draw from another water source, is wastewater that has been treated to re- Lake Travis, which can be sealed off from move solids and other impurities. It is not other lakes.” to drinking water standards, but it is used The current lake levels in lakes Trafor sustainable irrigation. vis and Buchanan are some of the lowest Towns all over the state have been run- in Austin’s history. The recent rains have ning out of ground water, forcing them to pushed back the date where Austin might buy water from neighboring areas. Most surpass the previous record by only a few recently, Hays County bought ground months. water in surrounding counties due to its “The drought that we are in right now shortage. Austin is currently in a stage is part of a five-year drought at least,” Gross

“

the shield // Nov. 8, 2013

The effects of the drought can be seen at Lake Travis. Photo by Nick Robertson. said, “and the soil deficit is so deep that even when we get large amounts of rain, not much of that water makes it into the lakes because the soil absorbs most of it.”

Because Austin is in a dry area of the country, and with global warming only making the climate even dryer, plans are being made by the city to expand and diversify where they get their water. This may include ground water from aquifers in the surrounding areas.

“Currently the city is depending 100 percent on surface water [lake water],” Gross said. “The city is looking at other options currently which could include different sources of water, and this could include ground water.”

Members of the Environmental Knights work to make McCallum a more environmentally-friendly place and try to conserve as much as possible.

This year they have been focusing on recycling. The club is aware of the water issue, but it is not the group’s highest priority for now.

“I don’t think the issue has really been addressed at McCallum because I don’t think students realize how the drought affects us,” junior Charlotte Lichtenheld said. “We have all seen our front lawns turn brown from not being able to water them in the summer, but we don’t take into consideration that we have to cut our water usage too.”

News 5

Droning on Texas considered for position as one of six aircraft testing sites in country CAITLIN FALK

assistant editor Texas is being considered by the Federal Aviation Administration to become one of six testing sites in the U.S. for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, sometimes referred to as drones.

Ron George, senior research development officer at Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi, quoted one of his colleagues as saying “[This could be] the next Kitty Hawk moment in the history of aviation.”

The program being pioneered at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is known as the Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence & Innovation and will open avenues for investigation and development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). George said once UAS are tested for safety purposes, the possibilities for their uses are endless.

“For example,” he said, “environmental agencies will be able to monitor critical environmental issues – sea grasses, for example – without spending a lot of money.

Agriculture will benefit from being able to survey large tracts of land during a growing season from the air simply by programming a UAS to fly over the field with a video camera. Once you know how to fly safely, all you need is your imagination.”

George said Texas would an admirable location for testing because of the amount of uncluttered airspace. Texas has suitable test ranges totaling about 6,100 square mile in such places as Padre Island National Seashore.

“Incidentally, this is also a great career field that young people should consider.

It’s a high-tech field that will command high-level skills for which people will be well paid,” George said. “We estimate that UAS integration into the national airspace

will benefit the Texas economy by $6.5 billion through 2025, which will generate more than 8,000 jobs.”

Senior Aiden Moyers, who said he would like to pursue a career in the field of robotics in the future, is one of these people interested in the research of UAS. “Definitely they’re not really robots, and I’d prefer to do something else involving robots, but they are very cool,” he said.

“They’re really expensive. But the nice ones can carry like 15-pound devices for really extended periods of time. I’ve seen really cool ones flying around with good cameras, so it’s an interesting technology.”

Though the economic effects of the testing site can be positive for Texans, according to George, some have expressed the legitimate concern of risks that UAS pose to personal privacy. Social studies teacher Clifford Stanchos suggested a public debate be held before proceeding too far into the testing of drone technology.

“I feel that there are a lot of problems with drones, especially with foreign policy,” Stanchos said. “My stance on the use of drones to kill enemy combatants and for the first time ever U.S. citizens— I am opposed to. I think that any further research might suggest that America is okay with drone usage and okay with using drones to kill people, and I don’t think Americans are necessarily in favor of that. Now previously, when I said that law enforcement should be able to use it, that’s with the understanding that it’s not to kill people. I see the benefits of using drones for say, surveillance; however, if we are to further research drones, there should be legitimate public debate about whether or not those drones that are being used for research will later be used to kill people.”

George said legislation that is currently

in place does resolve some of the privacy concerns.

“Texas has a new law that makes it a Class C misdemeanor to maliciously invade someone’s privacy with UAS technologies,” George said. “The law also allows 19 ways that UAS can be used legitimately so that research, commercialization and economic development can go forward. It’s a very legitimate concern that has been addressed by our state government. Strict enforcement will be the most effective way to ensure against malicious intrusion by UAS.” George is referring to the Texas Privacy Act, which was passed in the last session of the state legislature. This law makes the private use of drones without proper permission from the authorities punishable by a fine up to $500. It also, however, makes about 40 exceptions for law enforcement officials, oil and electrical companies and real estate agents to use drones for their own purposes. It is these exceptions that caught the eye of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLUTx).

“As with other forms of surveillance, law enforcement and the government should have to meet constitutional standards,” Matthew Simpson, political strategist of ACLUTx, said. “A 3rd Circuit Federal court recently held that law enforcement must seek a warrant from a judge prior to placing a GPS tracking device on someone’s car, in an opinion that echoes a Supreme Court case on the matter. This indicates to me that tracking someone with a drone should require a similar process.”

Moyers said the only real way to reduce increasingly over-intrusive surveillance in the airspace might just be to eliminate its

usage.

“I don’t think that you can minimize the threat to personal security beyond not having them in the first place,” Moyers said. “You could not record [the information they provide], but that means that you can’t really use the information to begin with. They’re either there or they aren’t. They can’t really be minimized.”

Stanchos said he took a different stance and offered some of his own proposals for minimizing the threat of UAS. “[I’d propose the] public posting of video footage,” he said. “Much like if you were to film a movie, you have to have permission before you can show people in that movie. So if someone has footage from a drone or some sort of information they’re collecting from the drone—before that information becomes public, there would need to be some sort of way to ensure that anyone who would be exposed by that information—that footage—would have the right to not allow that information to become public.”

Simpson said the Privacy Act does need some additional work so citizens may still be able to use the technology.

“Unfortunately,” Simpson said, “the regulation of drones is tricky, and it may take a few tries for the legislature to set guidelines that work for everyone.”

George agreed that with opposition from private citizens, the legislature would need to review the act.

“There are likely gray areas in the Texas privacy law,” he said. “The question will be, how far will journalists [and private citizens] be allowed to use these technologies in their work? The courts will decide.”

Nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

6 NEWS

SEAN SIMONS staff reporter

After an 11-year run of hosting the summer X Games, Los Angeles has passed the torch to Austin.

This past July, the X Games bid selection committee, along with ESPN, completed the process of choosing the next city to succeed L.A. in hosting the international event. After ESPN narrowed it down to four cities, Austin edged out Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte to host the X Games every summer from 2014 through 2017. The events are going to be held at Austin’s new F1 race track, the Circuit of the Americas facility.

“It seemed like bidding for the Olympics,” said Paul Thornton, who headed up the Circuit of the Americas committee in the bid process. “It started out with an initial bid we prepared, and from these they chose 18 cities to bid for the X Games.

From there it was a long process of researching every part of the games, all costs and revenues, hotel options, site options, passion in the community, etc. Then we prepared about a 100 page document highlighting Austin, the Circuit of the Americas site, and very detailed pro forma of the financial proposal. This took months.”

Thornton said the COTA facility was one of the main selling points for Austin’s bid.

“You can have all the events in one location,” he said. “And there’s more turnkey as we have a complete staff in place.”

Thornton said he expects a turnout of somewhere between 100,000 to 150,000 people this coming year, but he predicts that number will grow every year until 2017.

Junior Haydn James plans to be one of those 100,000 people.

“If I can get a ticket, I’ll be able to go to the X Games this year,” James said.

James is a BMXer, which is one of the five major sports that compete at the X Games, along with Moto X, Mountain Biking, Rally Car and Skateboarding. He said the event will bring more attention to BMXing, as well as tourism to Austin.

“I think a lot of people will go out and watch the X Games and just bring a lot of publicity to the sport,” James said.

Thornton said the X Games are a different demographic to other sports in Texas.

“This is a strong youth brand that is very different than any other sporting event in Texas,” Thornton said. “And this is not a season or multiple games; it is the Olympics of the action sports world where it happens once a year in one weekend.”

Over a four-year span, the X Games should help the city of Austin grow.

Thornton predicts an economic boost of over $50 million from the X Games.

“The games will bring huge worldwide

TV coverage to 500 million viewers, which will boost tourism and a heightened image for the city,” Thornton said.

Austin got the edge over the other bids when the selection committee actually visited the city.

“We wowed [ESPN] here with our rally and site and passion. They said ‘Austin just gets it,’” Thornton said. “[The race] was tight. Detroit and Chicago had better financial proposals, offering big checks to ESPN to come there. But our city, our venue, our staff is why they are coming to Austin.”

news in brief PALs sponsor Pink Week activities In Richard Cowles’ third year as PALs sponsor, the group has made Pink Week bigger and bigger each year.

“My first year we discussed what we wanted to do, and the students wanted to make this our big fall focus,” Cowles said.

The goal was to raise awareness of breast cancer and the research through various activities throughout the week, like nail painting and tie-dying. “[The goal is to] have people aware of the struggles of the people who fight breast cancer and how common of a disease it is,” Cowles said.

The Susan G. Komen foundation, a non-profit, was the beneficiary of the fundraising.

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

“Our goal is to raise at least $500 for the Susan Komen foundation,” Cowles said.

Senior Stasia Foster said she enjoys everything about Pink Week, “I like being able to dress up in pink every day and set up for it and kind of just spread the word,” Foster said.

Cowles said he enjoys seeing how excited the PALs get about getting to raise money and getting involved in the community.

“Creating awareness, the community; we get together and tie-dye shirts together and that’s fun, so it’s just a way to enjoy time together and then getting excited for doing something that’s helpful for the community at large,” Cowles said. “Any money we can raise helps the foundation, which then helps the greater community. That’s really the focus of PALs, to try to be as helpful to the community as we can.”

25 choir students qualify for pre-area Thirty students qualified for TMEA District/Region Choir in October. Twenty-five of those students will also move on to TMEA Pre-Area.

“That was the most in AISD,” Helen Miers, choir director, said. “We were the only school that had that many[students].”

Coming out of Cabaret rehearsals, the choir only had one week to focus on TMEA auditions.

“They did extremely well,” Miers said.

“I’m very pleased.”

Miers credits the additional voice teachers with McCallum’s success.

“We’ve brought in really fine voice teachers to work with these kids here,” Miers said. “We have really good university

faculty working with us from Texas State.”

Junior Elena Villalon said she thinks there’s a different reason for the choir’s success.

“The amount of students who qualified for Pre-Area is because of the amazing leadership we have,” Villalon said. “We have to give credit to Ms. Miers and Mr. Cantu, who have worked so diligently get us where we are.”

Junior Jacob Roberts-Miller said he happy about the results of the auditions.

“I’m proud of McCallum, proud of the McCallum choir, and proud that so many of us were about to get in and do well,” Roberts-Miller said.

Miers said she is also very proud of the choir.

“I’m very, very pleased with what we’re doing,” Miers said. “I think we have some kids who will go to All-State.”

Feature 7

What’s your type?

Myers-Briggs identifier gives insight into individuals’ personalities KENDRA MURPHY

“It’s very accurate,” Haddad said, laughing. “I give extroverted: gains energy from advice to my friends even if they don’t want it.” being with large groups of people Senior Somer Lawrence, an INFP, is also a self-described introvert.

“I’m an introvert,” Lawintroverted: gains energy from rence said. “I’m not quiet or being alone or with a few friends shy, though. I just recently learned that there’s a difference between the two. An introvert sensing: takes in information at can be outgoing. face value, just as it’s presented just enjoy to them The test didn’t really tell me They small groups of peoanything I didn’t know about ple more than large of people. intuitive: takes in information myself. It is interesting to see groups I’m definitely intuibased on gut feeling, sometimes what my type is, and it’s defi- tive instead of sensadding meaning ing. I have strong innitely accurate. tuition about things Marley Chilton // Sophomore and people. I’m perceiving and not judging because I usually I’d rather just do whatever.” try to think about how the decision will don’t like having a schedule. I try to make Lawrence said the test results were acaffect how they feel. I lean towards em- every day different. I only plan things out curate. pathy. I’m judging rather than perceiving when I’m really excited about them, but “My type is mostly accurate, I guess,”’ because I don’t like surprises, and I like to have a plan.”

Sophomore Marley Chilton is an INFJ: ESTJ: ESTJ. mysterious, “I totally think my personality type is acpractical, curate,” Chilton said. “I probably wouldn’t complex, straightforward, relate back to this test when I think about intense, creative, decisive, my actions, though. The test didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t know about myloyal, empathetic dependable, self. It is interesting to see what my type is, reserved, organized, efficient, and it’s definitely accurate.” compassionate, responsible, Personality tests like the MyersBriggs Type Indicator have helped peo idealistic, take-charge, ple discover who they are and what type deep, warm, matter-of-fact, of work they would be good at since the insightful, 1960s. The accuracy of these types of tests outgoing, has often been questioned by personality organized, good comresearchers, many saying the test is too private, municators simplistic. symbolic Haddad nodded her head when she heard the description of her type. staff reporter Sophomore Isabella Haddad is an INFJ. “I’m definitely an introvert,” Haddad said. “When I’m with people I don’t know, I’ll be loud and obnoxious, but when I’m with people I know or with my friends, I’m more reserved. I’m more feelingoriented than thinking-oriented because when my friends are making decisions, I

“

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i

s

f p

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j

thinking: makes decisions logically; see potential consequences

feeling: makes decisions based on emotion and empathy for others

perceiving: prefers lifestyle to be spontaneous; doesn’t like to be over-committed

judging: prefers lifestyle to have structure; likes predictability and concrete plans she said. “I am usually curious about people around me, so that’s correct. I feel like the description would go more in-depth, though.”

Graphics by Kendra Murphy.

INFP: ethical, flexible, caring, gentle, curious, deep, adaptable, original, introspective, committed, selective, complex, original, devoted, creative Nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

8 Feature

Legally test-blind TALIA MILLER

staff reporter College adviser Nancy Nitardy said test scores are one of the last things colleges look at when making decisions on potential students.

“Colleges will typically look at a student’s transcript, senior course load and then extracurricular activities before assessing test scores,” Nitardy said. “Colleges once thought that SAT and ACT tests were the best judge of a student’s ability, but recent studies have shown this isn’t true.”

Colleges have begun to reduce the importance of tests scores. Some have even made the submission of tests scores entirely optional.

“A test-blind, or need-blind, college is a school where you can choose to send your test scores,” Nitardy said.

Nitardy said test-blind colleges believe that an ongoing performance is a sturdier

Some colleges alter admission process to reduce impact of test scores

mathematics. The fourth essay can be from judge of a student’s abilities.

“The colleges that are doing it believe any of the three categories. If an applicant that a transcript is a better reflection of the scores above a B+ on the papers by the colstudent’s academic abilities versus a one- lege’s standards, they will be sent an offer of admission to the school. day, sit-down 5-hour test,” Nitardy said.

“The tradition of high stakes examinaBard College, one of these test-blind schools, is a liberal arts college in upstate tion, using multiple choice questions, has made the enNew York. As tire apparatus of fall 2013, a of high school new way to apply to the colI’m definitely not the smart- and college enexams lege has been est kid, but I know I’m not as trance completely introduced.

Setting aside dumb as the SAT makes me bankrupt,” Bard Coltest scores, apfeel. lege President plicants are Leon Botstein asked to write Aja Dunn // Senior said in a press four 2,500release about word research papers, one from each of the three cat- Bard. “Teachers, scientists and scholars egories of social science, history and phi- must once again take charge of the way we losophy, arts and literature, and science and test.”

“

For many, the new application process at Bard deviates too far from the traditional one.

“The research papers are subjective,” junior Kate Bennett said. “I’d rather submit my SAT scores. They’re a more solid judge of my abilities. Also, if a student has bad SAT scores and grades, they probably won’t succeed on the papers.”

Junior Blakley Dancy also said the SAT is a good indicator of a student’s abilities.

“The SAT takes technique to succeed on and incorporates all subjects,” Dancy said.

But for many others with bad test scores, Bard and other test-optional schools offer students a fresh start and a different way to prove their brilliance.

“I’m definitely not the smartest kid, but I know I’m not as dumb as the SAT makes me feel,” senior Aja Dunn said. “Standardized tests aren’t for everyone.”

New teachers learn class skills with curriculum LULU NEWTON staff reporter

McCallum has a handful of teachers who were here when the school was as young as its students while some teachers are just being introduced. Math teacher Patrick Frasier said he has grown as a teacher in the four years he has taught.

“I think most teachers look back at kids they had their first two years and say, ‘Oh man, I wish I could have those years back.

I wish I could teach them again. I’d be so much better at it,’” Frasier said. “I definitely feel that way.”

Classroom handling develops with the teacher as well as the curriculum. Young and fresh out of college, novice teachers stay motivated and keep the students engaged. C. Kent McGuire, the president of the Southern Education Foundation said new teachers at some schools are given rich scripts to adhere to and carefully designed routines by the school officials.

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

“

This produces a different kind of teacher.

Having new, lively teachers This job has so many elements can make classroom focus easier, to it, and part of it is my own but confidence in the teachers is something sophomore Ana Marcreative outlet. rero questions.

Patrick Frasier // Math teacher “I think it’s important for your education that you have a It’s still a question whether or not they teacher who can be serious and help you get done what you need to get can create a stable environment for students done,” Marrero said. “I think as it is good to learn in. Frasier, who’s currently in his for teachers to be energetic, the longer first year at McCallum, said it really dethey’re around, the better accustomed pends on the individual. He said that good they are to students and they can help teachers have an innate personality for it.

“You may not be as good your first year them more easily. They are comfortable as you are later on, but I feel like if this doing what they do.”

Marrero said she sees teachers who what you’re meant to do, then you can do have been here for decades still really a good job of it right away,” Frasier said.

Frasier said teachers are always trying enjoying teaching. She said she expects that young teachers will positively engage to grow, and that growth can take different students, but she thinks respect could be directions. He said given his experience now, he could have reached his first-year a concern.

“It’s [the teacher’s] first year, and they students in a way that might have changed their path now. don’t want to seem mean,” she said.

“It’s not about regaining time so you could go back and teach something better so much as I wish I could go back because I’m more experienced in dealing with that type of student or that type of problem,” Frasier said.

Given time, teachers learn how to deal with situations they may not have been prepared for when they were new, so a teacher who is expected to use a script their first year, that’s understandable, but as the educating staff improve, the curriculum itself becomes less important.

“It’s more about the experience and dealing with people that I gain and not so much about the curriculum,” Frasier said.

Frasier said he enjoys being able to create and adapt his own syllabus to comfortably teach.

“I would go absolutely crazy if people told me what to teach,” Frasier said. “This job has so many elements to it, and part of it is my own creative outlet of how I get to present something. That is my art form, so to speak. That is my artistic release.”

Feature 9

A moment with Ms. Georgia Security guard enforces school rules, helps students MAYA COPLIN

staff reporter Out of all the things security guard Georgia Pina, encounters every day, the one thing that stood out in her mind as the weirdest she has seen at MAC was one of the senior pranks.

“The rats and the crickets for the senior prank (was the weirdest),” Pina said. “Me and Mr. Garrison had to pick up rats from the cafeteria.”

Pina, or Ms. Georgia, as everyone calls her, is one of the hall monitors at MAC. Unlike the SROs who enforce city laws, Georgia works with the assistant principals to enforce AISD rules.

Pina said her favorite rule to enforce here at MAC is the dress code. She even believes it should be more severe.

“I don’t think the students take it too seriously. They keep doing it (breaking dress code) and the same students too,” Pina said. “I think its important to follow rules because when you get out of high school, you have more rules to follow, and if you can’t follow these little rules, how are you going to follow big rules?”

Pina said her favorite part of MAC is the students and the staff. She is closest to one of the special education aides, Linda Chapa.

“I’ve known her before I worked here, since I was little,” Pina said. “I like everybody, though.”

Assistant Principal Andy Baxa said Pina gets along with everyone.

“She gets along well with the staff; she has a very jovial personality,” Baxa

said. “Everybody loves Georgia because she can make a stressful situation lighter.”

Pina has a good relationship with the students, according to Baxa.

“She cares a lot about the students.

She helps them out with any problems they have going on,” Baxa said. “She just helps keep them motivated in school a lot of times.”

Pina grew up in Austin and attended Austin High. Even though she didn’t go to MAC, Pina feels loyalty to MAC. This is the only school she has worked at, and she said she would never want to switch schools.

“There are a lot of memories at MAC. We have a lot of fun,” Pina said. “Knights forever.”

Security guard Georgia Pina enforces AISD rules in the main hall at MAC. Photo by: Maya Coplin

Schools ban some social media sites Administrators say Facebook, Twitter, Instagram distract students DAVID RUWWE staff reporter

Although Facebook is banned at school, English teacher Tom Watterson created a Facebook page for his students.

“It’s probably too soon to tell [how it’s going],” Watterson said, “but I have had something like 80 likes on it, which means that the announcements that I put on there are being seen by students in sort of real time. Hopefully it will help them be prepared when something on my schedule changed or when we have senior pictures, or when an assignment is due. It’s just another way that I am trying to keep them abreast of what’s happening in real time that might be a little different than what my calendar says.”

Watterson said this use of social media has not been disruptive in any way.

“Not at all. Nobody can send me anything,” Watterson said. “I have closed all discussion and dialogue. It’s a one-way

stream of me disseminating information and I try to keep those Twitter length, 140word bursts of information. I use this page as a way to communicate with my students.”

Although Watterson has found success with social media in the classroom, Assistant Principal James Wilson said cell phones should not be used in class.

“Cellphones, iPhones and iPads are not part of the school curriculum per say, but if there’s an assignment you can do on your iPad, that’s fine,” Wilson said. “But cellphones are definitely not supposed to be used in the classroom.

I think it’s distracting for the most part because it takes students away from the concentration on what the teacher is trying to get over to them. If you are focusing on your cellphone, then naturally you’re not paying attention.”

Social media can be crucial to the social studies topics and make it more efficient to complete work and find information, Watterson said.

“I feel that things like Facebook have just replaced the telephone,” Watterson said, “It has become such an ingrained part of our communications that it’s weird for even me to think about not having it.

I don’t know that I would say it’s either better or worse. I think there is a lot of crap on it. But there’s a lot of crap elsewhere too. It is just given to us in a different way.

I think it’s a wonderful thing, but I can also see that I know people, I don’t want to say addicted, but they’re into their Facebook to the extent of their own lives, which is sort of weird.”

Freshman Emily Goulet uses social media to read BBC and CNN news.

“The fact that I read things like CNN and BBC news regularly helps me be more knowledgeable in all my classes and it helps me all across the board in my studies,” Goulet said.

Watterson said there is a disadvantage of using some Internet information as a credible source.

“There is no real way to vet the authority of expertise necessarily of the source of the information,” Watterson said. “A lot of times you read something, and because it’s been published and it’s on a social media network, that often gives it a certain amount of authority just because it has been published and there is no real way to determine the truth behind it. Wikipedia can be a great source of information, but you have to understand that not every word of that might have been written by someone who really knows who they are talking about.”

Watterson explained with this new technology, anyone can be a photojournalist or a reporter. This technology is, and can be, helpful to people seeking to share information.

“We no longer have to wait for the news cycle to bring us information,” Watterson said, “and we no longer have to rely on these big central sources of information.”

Nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

10 Feature

Drawing the Line

Rising precautions, handling of bullying in schools blurs the lines between aggression, kids being kids MARY STITES photo editor

No Place For Hate launched at hundreds of Central Texas schools in the fall of 2004 but has only gained influence at the McCallum campus in the recent years.

“We really try to promote a positive view of diversity and difference,” sponsor Timothy Bjerke said. “We try to educate kids on ways for people to try and to relate to one another in ways that are positive and supportive as opposed to tearing people down.”

No Place For Hate provides sponsors and schools with the resources to help stop bullying and prejudice among students in schools. Bjerke has worked to not only raise awareness of the benefits of speaking up about when one is personally victimized but also when they witness others being bullied.

“We talk about language, we talk about interaction as well,” Bjerke said. “A big thing we have talked about is allies. They are really important. Allies support people who are being bullied, getting harassed or being mistreated. A lot of what we have been trying to do is get people to stand up and say, ‘Even though this isn’t me, I want to help.’”

The constantly rising awareness of bullying in the past years has changed the way teachers, principals and vice principals work with students to educate and promote constructive, positive behavior. The recent rise in bullying has blurred the lines of what is truly bullying and what is termed kids just being kids.

The horror stories of the results of cyberbullying and all other forms of bullying have caused school administrators, teachers, principals and parents to work to be more proactive in preventing bullying for the good of the students. New mindsets among adults to avoid the influence of bullying have resulted in kids having to watch every little thing that is said, both verbally and via social media.

“We [the team of administrators] have to decide when kids are just goofing off with each other and when it gets to the point that they

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

are actually bullying kids,” Assistant Principal Andy Baxa said. “When it starts affecting their performance in school, when the bullying starts affecting their lives, that is when it starts getting into the bullying realm.”

The distinction between bullying and kids being kids has become almost undefined, causing administrators to have to determine if the alleged bullying is affecting the students in school.

“Playing around, joking around, kids should

“

We just dump a lot of problems onto other people and blow things up. I think that is a problem with the society we live in.

Tabitha Copeland // Junior be able to move on from that pretty quickly, but when it starts impacting their daily lives, they are dreading getting up and going to school in the morning, they are dreading having interaction with people because it will probably be a negative experience,” Baxa said, “that is when you are crossing the line into bullying.”

Many factors go into addressing a bullying case. Before getting the police involved, administrators work to take action before the severity of the case escalates.

“It all depends on the severity of the case,” Baxa said. “It also depends a lot on the frequency. If it is a one time incident, we won’t get the police involved, but if it is something that has been going on over and over, then the police are going to be involved. Another factor is the degree of what is being said. If someone is just saying, ‘Wow you’re dumb; you’re stupid,’ that is one thing. But if you are making threats to someone’s personal safety, then the police are

going to have to get involved.”

Junior Tabitha Copeland has a different perspective on bullying. Seeing both sides of the issue is key in properly settling disputes amongst students, she said.

“The thing with bullying that makes it so controversial is that there is no correct way to handle it,” Copeland said. “People constantly complain about bullies, but nobody is able to see both perspectives. There is always a reason for the way people treat other people. It sucks that people get hurt and upset, but you have to see the offender’s side as well.”

The age and development of social media has changed bullying as a whole. The ability for students to say things over the social media realm has resulted in an increase in severity of insults. Anonymous questions sites such as ask. fm and Formspring have become popular mediums for bullying in recent years. Students can ask questions and post demeaning messages without any sort of identification.

“I think cyber-bullying is much worse than standard bullying,” Baxa said. “People get much braver on the Internet, and they say things that they wouldn’t say to someone’s face.”

The ability for students to constantly be in contact with each other throughout the day, combined with an boost of confidence when bullying indirectly, has illuminated the need for administrators to be proactive when addressing bullying cases.

“The only difference between cyber-bullying and your standard bullying is the form that you are doing your bullying,” Baxa said. “The only precaution we have for cyber-bullying is education. We have to let people know what is appropriate and what isn’t appropriate. As far as how we handle things, unfortunately we have to be more reactive than proactive when it comes to cyber-bullying. It’s really hard to get out ahead of these things and prevent it from escalating because we have no idea who is going to say what. So we really just have to deal with it as it comes up and take it case by case.”

The added element of social media in the realm of bullying has made it much more dif-

bystander 1: a person who is standing near but not taking part in what is happening

bully 2 : a blustering browbeating person; especially: one habitually cruel to others who are weaker ficult for victims to get away from the bullying, making it so bullying cases are carried out for longer than a few days.

“The social media has changed bullying completely,” Baxa said.

“Whenever we were kids, if you got into a disagreement with someone on Friday, you went home and it was over with by Monday. You had the whole weekend, and you didn’t have to see that person or even hear about it. But now with social media, you have no chance to get away from it. You get into a disagreement with someone at school, well it is on social media that afternoon.You end up dealing with it for the next week. So with social media, you never have the chance to let it die down, and it stays

Feature 11 handle their confrontations directly.

“I think that is part of the responsibility of the students,” Copeland said.

“When you feel offended, that is when you take it up with somebody. We just dump a lot of problems onto other people and blow things up. I think that is a problem with the society that we live in.”

Bjerke said there is always room for improvement in terms of acceptance of diversity. To him, the basis of creating a bully-free school is to encourage positive, constructive interactions among the student population.

“No Place For Hate is a program developed by the Anti-Defamation League, formally known as the Jewish Anti-Defamation League,” Bjerke said. “[No Place For Hate] is more than an anti-bullying organization. They really work to victim promote positive ways to 1: a person who has been interact and ways to supattacked, injured, robbed, or killed port people rather than by someone else tearing them down.”

The program goes 2: a person who is cheated or beyond discouraging bulfooled by someone else lying amongst students.

3: someone or something that is The Anti-Defamation harmed by an unpleasant event League of Austin works to prevent bullying by (such as an illness or accident) educating students on positive, constructive interactions. with you for much longer.”

Even with anti-bullying campaigns in act, A recent tendency among students is to re- assistant principals, teachers and administraport every incident, drawing others into the is- tors still work to address issues of bullying. sue. Copeland said she strongly believes society “We actually do have a fair amount of bulshould teach students to develop the ability to lying at the school,” Baxa said. “There is more

cyber-bullying than face to face in the ‘old school’ sense of things. We have a lot of cyberbullying that spills over onto the campus and creates a lot of problems. I would probably say that 90 percent of the fights we have had in the past three years can be traced back to cyberbullying.”

Administrators and teachers can only address bullying cases that are brought to their attention. One of the biggest issues with bullying is there are a great number of incidents that go unnoticed.

“What I hear is [bullying] is much lower,” Bjerke said. “I think that people get along much better at the school due to our diversity, but I know that it happens. What we don’t know is the bullying and negative interactions that go around with groups of people that aren’t going to share that with us or weren’t going to tell us about that.”

Bjerke, as well as being the No Place For Hate sponsor, is the school’s Social and Emotional Learning coordinator. His initiative is encouraging teachers to develop the bond with their students so they feel comfortable talking to teachers about their problems.

“I also work as the SEL [Social and Emotional Learning] coordinator has been that interaction and getting children to speak up about their problems,” Bjerke said. “It is really about connecting with students and asking them about their lives because once you open that door, you give students a chance to say, ‘Something is going on and it is a problem.’”

Getting to know students and having a good student-teacher bond has caused Bjerke to work towards establishing a safe environment for students to come share their feelings.

“It is just meeting my students and really getting to know them,” Bjerke said. “I know my students really well and I love them all. I care about them so much that I would never want something bad to happen to them.”

Even with the constant awareness of bullying, there is no specific method for addressing cases due to the differences in each incident.

“It really is just case by case,” Baxa said.

“Even what kids bring to us is a case-by-case situation. Kids have different tolerances for bullying and different tolerances for kids being mean.”

Nov. 8, 2013//

12 Sports

SEAN SIMONS staff reporter

It was early in the first quarter of McCallum’s football game against Crockett.

Senior Dewayne Bryant was running full speed down the line when he ran into a teammate’s stomach. His neck snapped back and shocked the nerves through his neck. He became temporarily numb as he was carried off the field on a stretcher.

Bryant has a condition called spinal scoliosis, where a tube in his spine is narrower than most people’s.

“It’s just a condition that you’re born with, and I was born with it,” Bryant said.

“When I was at the hospital, they did an MRI on me to see what the exact damage was, so that’s the diagnosis they came out with.”

That was when the doctors told him the news.

“They told me I can’t play any more contact sports,” Bryant said.

He was starting at defensive end and offensive line on the varsity football team as well as a player on the lacrosse club team.

According to head coach Jason Cecil, the news of Bryant’s injury made the football team very disappointed that he could no longer play alongside the team.

“They were real scared,” Cecil said.

“Everybody was scared when it happened.

I think everybody thought it was gonna be one of those deals where he came back and played, and they were real disappointed when they found out he couldn’t.”

After discovering Bryant’s neck condition, Cecil said he was just relieved that his injury wasn’t more serious. Had this injury

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

not happened, Bryant would have not found about his condition and kept playing. He could have ended up with a more serious injury. Spinal scoliosis-related sports injuries can be paralyzing and even fatal.

“Once we knew that the injury wasn’t gonna be a real seri- found out.

“There’s other things I can do,” Bryant ous thing, he was gonna’ walk and have a normal life, everybody breathed a sigh of said. “I still have school. I could try other sports. Probably golf, track, I’ll probably relief,” Cecil said.

After the injury happened, the whole try those two. But it hasn’t really gotten me down since I team showed its found out.” support for him.

Cecil “From what vouched I know, right afFrom what I know, right after it for Bryant’s ter it happened happened when I was laying on mindset and when I was laying on the the field, the football team got in mental maturity. field, the foota quick huddle and prayed for me.

“He ball team got in handled it a quick huddle Dewayne Bryant // Senior remarkably and prayed for me. That really touched me,” Bryant said. well for a young person,” said Cecil. “He “And really they’ve been checking on me this was just very upbeat.”

Bryant said the importance of his educawhole time. A bunch of friends and family, even if they’re not part of the football team, tion is more valuable to him than his athletic I’ve just been getting a lot of support and career even before the injury.

“Playing sports is just the other thing help from everybody, and a lot of prayers, so from school that I had,” Bryant said. “Just I’m really thankful for that.”

Despite his permanent condition, Bry- secondary to me, pretty much. I always have ant has a bright outlook on his future. He something else to fall back on.”

Bryant said he was planning to play said it has not gotten him down since he

“

sports in college. He was being recruited by schools including Trinity in San Antonio, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, California Lutheran in California, and Harvey Mudd in California.

“I don’t think it’ll change my plans at all,” he said. “I’ll probably go to those same colleges just because they have my intended major.”

Bryant said he plans to continue to be involved with the football team.

“He’s kind of become an extra coach,” Cecil said. “He’s still out there and he still talks to our kids almost every day. They love him. They’ve taken his coaching, the things that he does, and listen to him every day.”

Bryant said he will continue to support the football team.

“I’ll still go out to practices, still do things with them,” Bryant said. “I’ll definitely try and get engaged in (other sports) ‘cause I’m not a person who likes to sit around and be inactive, so I’ll probably get as active as I can.”

Sports 13

Wrestlers look ahead to state JESSE LEVY-RUBINETT staff reporter After making it to the state finals last year, senior Jiro DeLoach is readily anticipating the upcoming wrestling season.

“I’m ready to go to state again, and hopefully I’ll win it this year,” DeLoach said.

“The way you practice is the way you perform, and we’ve been working hard this off season to improve. It will definitely pay off.”

DeLoach is the varsity captain for the team led by coach Ray Amaro, who has coached at Mac for 15 years and for the district for 35 years.

“My expectations are very high because I’ve got a good nucleus of veterans filling out most of the weight classes,” Amaro said.

“Now, I need to bring up some of the younger kids to help balance out the future and get them ready to replace the older kids that will be leaving, but this year should be a very good year. Our toughest competition in district is Eastside and Reagan, but in wrestling there isn’t really a weakness in our district. All the coaches in our district are knowledgeable about the sport, creating tough competition throughout our schedule.”

Amaro said he enjoys interacting with

his players and showing them what it takes to be successful.

“I enjoy the excitement and teaching the skills of wrestling to the kids,” Amaro said. “Watching them progress and succeed is satisfying. When kids come through my program, they leave being ready for the real world and perhaps more wrestling. It’s a different sport. It’s one-on-one, like being a gladiator. You need to learn how to lose, and that’s by accepting it and working hard to get better. If you win, win with dignity and shake hands. The kids doing this sport have pride and confidence and walk with their heads high.”

DeLoach said that being captain means taking on more team responsibilities.

“To be a captain, you have to want to do it,” DeLoach said. “It’s not only showing leadership on the mat, but also making sure everyone is doing well and their classes, doing well at home, and other things in their life that could affect them.”

While McCallum is in a strong district, DeLoach’s toughest competition is found out of district.

“My toughest competition would definitely be a guy from Vandergrift who was

In wrestling class on Tuesday, October 29, senior Daniel Sorto (top) pins senior Jiro DeLoach (bottom) Photo by Jesse Levy-Rubinett the state runner up last year,” DeLoach said. “I came pretty close to beating him but couldn’t pull it out. If I don’t beat him, then he will probably win state, and I am excited and confident for that challenge.”

DeLoach said he has a wrestler’s mentality.

“To get ready for a game I listen to music and get ready to destroy people,” DeLoach said. “You have to get in the right frame of mind, which is why this sport is for people with a certain character. I love winning, and that is what me focused and inspired to keep working hard.”

Senior Jaede Davis said he enjoys the individual challenge that wrestling poses.

“I like the fact that it’s an individual sport,” Davis said. “I like depending on my-

self to prepare for a match and going into it knowing it’s one-on-one. This is my fourth year of wrestling, and I am hoping to move forward and wrestle in college.”

Davis expects the team to have a great year.

“We worked hard in the off season” Davis said. “We went to different camps and clinics to learn new moves, and now we’re ready to start the new season and have success.”

Sophomore Dylan Johns has wrestled for two years and said he is excited for what is in his future.

“I love this sport and playing my hardest,” Johns said. “I’m just working hard, having fun and trying to be the best I can be and see where that takes me.”

sports in brief Volleyball team finishes 2nd in district play The varsity volleyball team took on the Leander Lions in the first round of the playoffs Tuesday at the Delco Center but lost in match three.

The team finished district play with a win over the Reagan Raiders. The Lady Knights finished second in the division behind Ann Richards. Head coach Amy

Brodbeck said the team did not meet both of its goals..

“Our two goals this year were to win district and get to farther in the playoffs,” Brodbeck said. “I am proud of the girls because they worked hard to get there, but overall when you look back, I wish we had come out further in the playoffs.”

The volleyball team will lose 10 seniors from this year’s team, but Brodbeck said she is very optimistic about next year.

“It’s always tough losing 10 seniors, but

I am optimistic about the group of juniors I have waiting,” Brodbeck said.

Football team prepares for playoff run The football team finished the regular season with a 7-3 record and a perfect 5-0 record in district. McCallum will either face Leander or Rouse in the playoffs next week, which has been hectic, according to

senior captain Kris Reyes.

“We’ve been prepping for Leander all week, so it will be harder if we play Rouse because we haven’t been planning for them,” Reyes said.

McCallum has lost in the first round of the playoffs the last three years. Reyes said that needs to change.

“Not only do we expect to win,” Reyes said, “but we expect to make a statement and show people we aren’t playing around this year.”

nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

14 Sports

The race for October Boston Red Sox win the 2013 World Series title

The Boston Red Sox beat the St. Lou- know what is.

The Cardinals somehow continue to is Cardinals for the World Series title following a month a well played games and get hot just at the right time. The team excitment the lead to the biggest series in battled through injuries all year and was without their ace pitcher Chris Carpenter all of baseball.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland all year and its slugger Allen Craig down Athletics, the two teams that were marked the home stretch of the season and even as underdogs, were eliminated early. I feel during the first two rounds. But despite awful for Pirates fans. It was their first all that, they collected their 19th NL pennant and their fourth playoff series NL pennant since since 1993, and 2004. quite frankly they The Cardinals dominated the seem to do it evNational League ery year, even after Central up until legendary manager the last couple Tony la Russa remonths then tired after their made it as the World Series run first wild card in. in 2011, the teram But then still came back the again, what can next year and made you expect? Not it to the playoffs. only did they lose It makes me angry in the National how a franchise can League division do this year in and series, but they year out. Almost evlost in the most ery other franchise heartbreaking Ben Brown // staff reporter in the MLB is inof ways. The Picapable of having a rates lost game mediocre season and one but then won two straight. Momentum was on still make the playoffs.

The biggest surprise about the Cartheir side, but with the ball in their court, dinals this year was the emergence of a they lost two straight in St. Louis.

For a franchise with one of the his- young but strong pitching staff anchored torically longest playoff droughts, this is a by Michael Wacha, a 22-year-old graduate tough thing to swallow, especially losing from Texas A&M. The other young stars to a division rival. I’ve got to be honest, include Carlos Martinez, a right-handed I was rooting for them, seeing as the As- pitcher with a dominant fastball out of the tros weren’t even remotely close to a .500 Dominican Republic, and Trevor Rosenthal, another right-handed pitcher with an record.

The Athletics will always be an under- explosive fastball, all rookies.

On to the World Series Champion dog mainly because of the way they were portrayed in the movie “Moneyball.” But Boston Red Sox. They completed the in reality they’re one the best teams in the ultimate turnaround this season seeing as American League this year. They’ve lost they finished last in the entire AL last year. in the first round six out of the last seven Not much changed. They have a very simtimes they’ve made the playoffs. If that’s ilar group of players. The only difference is not demeaning to a franchise, I don’t the addition of former Blue Jays manager

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

John Farrell getting the job after Bobby Games three and four were bizarre to Valentine was fired. say the least. Both of the endings were as The Red Sox were dominant from the weird as you could get. start this year and surprised the baseball Game three ended in a player’s interworld. I didn’t expect them to come back ference that went the Cardinals way. Red that fast. They battled tough through the Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks first two rounds of the playoffs with series dove to his right after catcher Mike Napwins over their division rival Tampa Bay oli sailed a ball. While getting up, MiddleRays and the AL Central winning Detroit brooks tripped the game winning runner Tigers, Both Allen Craig, series were and umpire tough but they Jim Joyce ended up batmade the inIt makes me angry how a terference call tling through and making franchise can do this year in immediately, a World Selet and year out. Almost every which ries run just Craig advance a season after other franchise in the MLB is to home for they finished walk off incapable of having a medio- the with the worst run, which record in the cre season and still make the gave the seAL. ries lead to playoffs.

The first the Cardinals. two games This was the were both correct call in the situation in my opinion, awkwardly played. The Red Sox, who there was no other possible call that could were helped out by Cardinals key errors have been made. early in the game, dominated game one, After game three, the series was all also with the help of Red Sox slugger Da- Red Sox. Game four was won on a threevid Ortiz who was locked in the first two run home run by Red Sox left fielder games, with two home runs, and another Jonny Gomes during the sixth inning. one that was taken away by Carlos Bel- The home run gave them a 4-1 lead. The tran on a fantastic play.

Cardinals tried to mount a comeback All went wrong for the Cardinals in late, with a man on first, but it was quickgame one. Carlos Beltran, arguably the ly halted when rookie Kolten Wong was Cardinals best hitter, bruised his ribs on picked off at first to end the game. That the previously mentioned fantastic play. could be marked as the turning point in Jon Lester the Red Sox also had a very the series. strong performance, striking out eight in After all the excitement in games three seven and two thirds innings without sur- and four, the Red Sox dominated games rendering a run. five and six. They pitched masterfully in Game two was a whole different story both games, allowing two runs in each, for both teams; the Cardinals were the one while outscoring the Cardinals 9-2. with the dominant pitching performance.

The series was not as good as I exYou know those three young pitchers I pected. I honestly thought it would go mentioned earlier? They combined for seven with the Cardinals winning. David nine innings of two-run ball, only surren- Ortiz won series Most Valuable Player on dering a home run to David Ortiz, while the strength of his two home runs and six combining for 12 strikeouts.

RBIs.

“

Entertainment 15

Picture perfect premiere Student gets experience of lifetime at film, photo contest premiere MARA VANDEGRIFT staff reporter

When senior Emily Hunteman found out her photo was one of the winners of the “Project Imagination” contest, she had no idea it would be inspiration for a powerful short film.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Hunteman said.

“They opened the film contest to the public too, so a bunch of people entered films.

You got to see all these people putting my photo into their films. It was just really weird to watch.”

Julian Higgins directed the film that won, a story about a troubled couple who are thinking back to happier times in their relationship.

“The director who did mine just used the mood and colors of my photo,” Hunteman said.

The premiere, which took place in New York City at the Lincoln Center, was like a real red carpet experience for Hunteman.

“It was all catered, so they had people holding little boxes of popcorn and boxes of candy,” Hunteman said. “Then there was a reception where we got the chance to meet everyone and talk to everybody and talk with celebrities, which was super cool.”

The spotlight wasn’t solely on the films, though. The photographs were a focus during the premiere, too.

“They first had a gallery of the photos up on the wall to show people the inspiration

to the films,” Hunteman said.

Hunteman said she enjoyed being able to meet all the other directors at the premiere.

“Everyone else was already established as a successful person, and so it was really cool being able to talk to people who have done so many cool things,” Hunteman Hunteman’s winning photo, ‘Angst’ said.

Being one of the youngest people there, she got a lot of ad- styles of film, Hunteman said.

“A lot of people were impressed with all vice from the more experienced artists.

“Everyone was talking to me, and it was the films,” Hunteman said. “It was a variety really cool to talk to people about their ca- of films. There was a comedy with twerkreers and things I’m interested in,” Hunte- ing, an action film, and there was a film man said. “Everyone one was just really that took place in Japan and it was all in subtitles.” nice.”

Hunteman said she was star-struck The celebrities who were guests at the premiere didn’t want the attention on talking to all the established people while them; it was all on the photographers and in New York. “[Actress Bryce Howard] is the nicest directors.

“I was surprised by all the extra celebri- person ever,” Hunteman said. “She was acties who were there because they were dis- tually invested in the conversation, which guised for some reason,” Hunteman said. was nice. She started the whole project last year, so she talked about her film. It was “They didn’t want the attention on them.”

With a mix of celebrity and public di- cool talking to her about her experiences. rectors, the audience enjoyed the different It was intimidating in the beginning, but

once I started talking to them, they were all really nice and normal.”

There weren’t only actors and directors there; many powerful figures made appearances.

“I got to talk to Biz Stone too, which was cool because he’s the founder of Twitter,” Hunteman said. “He was really nice. It was weird to talk to someone that inspirational. He was pretty average, you know.

It was like talking to anybody. He didn’t make himself a big deal.”

Hunteman said she was given good advice, and it’s made her think about what she wants to do in the future.

“I’ve gotten to talk to a lot of the other photographers, and some of them are film directors or cinematographers or various other careers that I hadn’t thought of previously, but after talking to all these people, it’s made me kind of want to go into something kind of film-wise,” Hunteman said.

“It also gives me a lot of connections to people who have been successful.”

She said she’s glad she entered her photo and if others want to take a risk, they should.

“I think people should always go for things even if they think they won’t be successful,” Hunteman said. “I was the youngest age you could possibly enter, and there were a lot of other really good photos submitted. I wasn’t expecting this at all. Always try your best, take chances and go for what you want.”

nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

16 Entertainment

5 to try: Shops offer students variety Epoch tops list for best coffee house near school KAITLIN BILLIOT staff reporter

Epoch

Epoch is a great place whether you’re studying solo or hanging out with a group. Their dutch hot chocolate is delicious, and their prices are wonderful for students.

Epoch is located at North Loop and Guadalupe, at 221 W. North Loop Blvd, with a nice sized parking lot and almost always a couple spots open. The staff is always very nice and funny, and it has lots of tables and cozy seats everywhere, with free WiFi and places to plug in your laptop or devices in everywhere.

Pacha

Pacha is very small and not well known with a small parking lot, but since not many people know about it, not many people go there. The staff is very nice, and the shop has good handmade, home-style food and good prices.

Everything is very organic, and they even occasionally have live music. Their hot chocolate is a little bubbly and creamy, but it warms your body up and tastes great.

This little comfy cafe is at 4618 Burnet Road.

Thunderbird

Thunderbird has a friendly staff and a cozy, cool atmosphere. It is a short walk up Koenig, with a usually almost packed parking lot that’s a little on the small side, but it’s so close to McCallum that it wouldn’t matter much. There are a good number of tables and seats (and couches), but their food is kind of expensive. Not their drinks, however. And their hot chocolate isn’t the best, but it’s still good hot chocolate.

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

Flightpath

Flightpath is a little farther down than Epoch, at 5011 Duval Street, but it has a nice atmosphere. They usually have some parking open, and there’s more around there if not. Their food is alright, if not a bit more than the others dollar-wise. The furniture is spacey and neat, with great open window lighting. Their staff is a little off-putting sometimes, but if you can ignore that, they’re pretty good.

They’re hot chocolate was great.

Monkey Nest

Monkey Nest is a very popular spot, with lots of parking, but the lot is still usually almost packed to the brim. The staff is nice, but don’t go in there expecting to come and go quickly. With lines and lots of people, some wait is necessary. The food and drink is a little pricey comparatively speaking, but it’s not too bad. It’s hot chocolate isn’t quite to the other’s par, but their homemade whip cream is fabulous. It’s located at 5353 Burnet Road.

Feature 17

Remind me why I’m doing this again?

Senior contemplates strenous college application process An open letter to college admissions officers (aka the people who hold the fate of the rest of my life in their hands): What’s up? How’s it going? Need some more coffee? Here’s the deal. We both know you hate your job right now. I mean, how many essays can one person actually read?

But let’s make this simple and put it all out on the table right now. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. All you know about me is the seven page PDF that happens to have my name, age and CommonApp ID number on it.

In case you didn’t quite realize how short my application is, let me remind you.

It is a whopping seven pages. That is 720 days condensed into basically the worst SparkNotes book ever.

Applying to college is supposed to be exciting and full of promise, but right now that gilded façade is quickly losing its shine.

So, before you make any decisions, please take these following things into consideration: Applying to college is hard. You know that; I know that. So take that into account

when you are deciding to cut a student based solely on one minute detail that you maybe don’t like. How are we supposed to know what you like?

Please understand our essays may be a work of art, but our supplementals are what we did at midnight. Seriously, some of the questions asked are just ridiculous. Why on earth do you want to know what the best gift I ever received was? I understand a few questions about why we are interested in your school, but other than that, is the fact that I got a bike for Christmas going to make or break my application?

Realize that your school is not the only one I am applying to. That’s not to discourage you from accepting me, but I am spread pretty thin right now handling quite a few applications. This doesn’t mean I’m any less enthusiastic about your school, but I have to be prepared for the worst (obviously that would mean you denied my application and now I have gone into a hopeless depression).

After my applications are finished, I am taking a long needed break. I’ll use this time

to catch up on my actual schoolwork. subjects I thought sounded cool or heard And most importantly, I understand from people that they were good career you have found the career of your dreams, paths (marketable degrees) or maybe even but I still have what I thought you wanted no idea what to see rather than what I mine is. So, will actually pursue. while I may Again, these shouldn’t be applying to be seen as criticisms. They your business should just be friendly reschool or your minders that we are new to communicathis process and we really tions school have no clue. or even your engineering Thank you for your unschool, these derstanding. are all likely to change mulSincerely, tiple times. I Disillusioned senior am 17. I don’t (aka Grace Frye) know what Grace Frye // editor-in-chief food I want PS: Food for thought— for lunch let since this is a technologyalone what I want to study for the next four driven world, some of y’all should really look years. So when my application says first into updating your websites. I grew up with choice major economics, second choice the Internet, and even I can’t navigate some major computer science, expect these to be of them.

Life wouldn’t be the same without sports Student reflects on role athletics played during high school

Kris Reyes // guest columnist

Sports have made a huge impact in my life, considering I have been playing my whole life, from Little League until today.

In high school, there’s always been a no pass, no play rule. When I was little, I thought the rule didn’t apply to me, so I once tested out this rule to see if my parents would truly stick to their word and wouldn’t allow me to play if I wasn’t passing my classes. Sure enough, once they found out I wasn’t passing, they wouldn’t let me play that Saturday. When we got to the game, my mom told my coaches I wasn’t able to play until I turned in all my missing work. Since then I haven’t tested

that rule.

I believe sports are what keep me on track with academics and in life. Without sports, I would have so much free time, and who knows what I would be doing with that free time. A downfall from not having much free time is that I have so much schoolwork out of school, and it’s hard to balance schoolwork and practice.

Sports have taught me a lot about myself and the things I am capable of.

They have shown me that I am capable of overcoming obstacles and diversity.

Throughout the years, sports have also taught me a lot about discipline.

Life today wouldn’t be the same if I

didn’t do sports. The amount of free time I would have would be ridiculous. I don’t understand how some students can just come to school for the eight hours then just go straight home after. That type of life would seem boring and repetitive.

Ever since I was 3 years old, I’ve been playing baseball, and since I was 9, I’ve been playing football. Since both of those sports are in opposite seasons, I hardly get a break in between sports. This is a good thing because I don’t have time to do other things that can cause trouble.

Practice after school and then schoolwork leaves little to no time to do anything else.

Nov. 8, 2013 // the shield

18 editorial

Teachers should embrace technology According to a report published this year by the Babson Survey Research Group, approximately 40 percent of educators are using social media as a teaching tool--a more than 8 percent increase from just last year. Although most faculty members might utilize social media for their personal benefit, this staggering amount of growth has prompted many to question the benefits and drawbacks of the rising prominence of social media in the classroom.

Rather than resent social media, however, teachers should embrace it. The role of technology is becoming an increasingly influential part of students’ lives, and if teachers can find ways to make themselves a part of that trend, the end result will be positive for students’ overall learning experiences.

In this day and age, teachers who resist social media are withholding from their students a basic utility important to their future success. Social media is critical for communication in the digital age, and students who are not prepared to face an environment where they must be able to manipulate and use that technology to their advantage are left with major shortcomings.

A legitimate concern of some educators

presented in the report was that others outside of the classroom would be able to participate in or view class discussions, and this might pose personal privacy risks for students. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives in this situation. Social media sites are constantly updating and improving their privacy features, and teachers could easily create a private Facebook group for their classroom, for instance, so that outsiders would be banned from the information published in that group and have no access to any of the information it holds.

There are too many possibilities for the uses of social media for faculty to ignore: teachers can share instructions, updates or reminders on Facebook groups or blogs and offer, via Twitter, links to online resources as well as help answer class questions. Beyond that, as a result of social media, teachers can expect more engaged students, they can enhance their technological ability, and they can build better communication as well as a sense of collaboration within the classroom.

With technology, the idea of a global education—where knowledge and skills are shared among people across the globe, is no longer such an inconceivable idea.

online editor SEREN VILLWOCK

public relations editor NATALIE MURPHY

photo editor Mary Stites

advertising manager HALEY HEGEFELD

adviser Rhonda Moore

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

tunities it offers rather than continuing to misunderstand how it can be implemented safely and effectively. Those who are still skeptical about social media do not realize its full potential and are not doing their research. The time to adopt this potent, new technology is now.

editor-in-chief Grace Frye

assistant editor Caitlin Falk

The Shield is published by journalism students in the Newspaper production class.

Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the student staff ultimitely determines the content.

Students may not publish material that is obscene, libelous, or that which will

Cartoon by Tillie Walden.

A.N. McCallum High School 5600 Sunshine Dr. Austin, TX 78756 (512) 414-7539 fax (512) 453-2599 shield.newspaper@gmail.om

the

shield staff

Why should educators want to restrict their students’ access to the opportunities of more compelling assignments or limit the development of their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills?

A study based on the National Survey of Student Engagement showed that students asked to contribute to class discussions and to complete assignments using Twitter “increased their engagement over a semester more than twice as much as a control group.” In addition, these students also attained, on average, a 0.5 point increase in their overall GPA for the semester. Those who still fail to see the great benefits of social media in the classroom are refusing to face the facts.

Teachers owe it to their students to open them up to the vast range of oppor-

cause a “substantial disruption to the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate is not included in this definition.

The Shield operates as an open forum for exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in editorials are the ideas of the staff. Opinions expressed in the columns are that of the writer’s alone.

reporters Kaitlin Billiot, Ben Brown, Maya coplin, jesse levy-rubinett, Talia miller, Kendra murphy, lulu newton, nick robertson, david ruwwe, Claire sanford, sean simons, jonah smith, bella temple, mara vandegrift, samantha white

Letters to the editor are encouraged and must be signed. Positive identification may be required when a letter is submitted. Letters may be edited. Letters that are critical of the newspaper staff’s coverage of events or that present information that may stimulate heated debate will be published.

Letters that contain malicious attacks on individual reporters, the adviser, or the prin-

cipal will be rejected.

Anyone interested in purchasing an ad should contact Rhonda Moore at (512) 4147539.

The Shield is a member of the Interscholastic League Press Conference, National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

19 online

what’s new on macshieldonline.com

Issue 2 online staff:

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Seren Villwock Natalie Murphy Haley Hegefeld

Bella Temple Claire Sanford

Recent headlines: Video: A moment with security officer Ms. Georgia Knights of Steel band steals the night Student playlist: 11 featured favorite songs Knights defeat the LBJ Jaguars in annual rivalry (1) Come to the Cabaret (2)

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PALs promote Pink Week (3) Like: facebook.com/ macshieldonline

Six things you didn’t know about the new economics teacher

Follow: @theshieldonline on Twitter

Opinion: Stereotype of impulsive teens needs to stop

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20 Photo Essay

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Notions 2.5

Student club hosts annual fashion show Saturday Nov. 2.

1. Freshman Bella Cude poses at the end of the runway in a dress from Goodwill, altered by junior designer Laura Cole. “Each article of clothing featured in the Goodwill portion of the show was purchased at Goodwill and altered or reconstructed by a student designer,” art teacher Mary Ghazi said.

2. Junior Laura Cole walks with model Cude at the end of her set of designs.

3. Assistant Principal Sophia Sherline poses in an outfit provided by local boutique, Crofts Original.

4. Senior Joe Van Overbeek, sophomore Ramona Beattie,Cude and senior director Demaris Garza congratulate senior head model Frana’zhea Ragan.

Photos by Mary Stites.

the shield // nov. 8, 2013

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