McCallum HS Shield -- Volume 68, Issue 1 (Oct. 30, 2020)

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

McCallum High School / 5600 Sunshine / Austin, TX 78756 / Oct. 30, 2020 Volume 68 / Issue 1

CREATIVITY IN COVID TIMES

LOCAL RESTAURANTS INNOVATE TO SURVIVE, THRIVE page 6 CERAMICS TEACHER REMOLDS AT-HOME ART FOR ALL OF HER STUDENTS page 13

DYNAMIC DUET DELIVERS LIVE MUSIC RIGHT TO YOUR DOORSTEP page 8

TEACHERS WHO ARE ALSO PARENTS LEARN TO COMPROMISE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE page 18

PERSEVERANCE IS KEY FOR MAC MUSIC page 10 MACTHEATRE MODIFIES ITS CRAFT page 12

FORMER KNIGHT ENROLLS IN KAYAK ACADEMY IN IDAHO page 21

Freshman percussionist MJLee

Photo by Madelynn Niles

Students grieve, celebrate the

NOTORIOUS

RBG page 20

Drawing by Asha Galvan

Knights show up for ELECTION as first-time voters, election clerks, campaign managers and voter registration drive organizers page 14

Photo by Dave Winter

registrar Stephanie Land

senior Vanessa Lee

inside

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news AISD transitions in-person instructional model from online learning groups to traditional classes on Monday, Nov 2.

Longhorn Band members refuse to play "Eyes of Texas" after student athletes question the song's minstrel roots

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Junior violinists Lucy Hamre and Ileana Nicholson bring a smaller, socially-distanced symphony to a yard near you.

After its sudden closure was announced and lamented, longtime customers celebrate I Luv Video's long Austin run.

feature For Mac teachers who are also parents, working from home can be a lot to manage, but the company is great.

sports

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Although things may look a little different, the volleyball teams still have their hopes set on a winning season.

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Junior Alex Tita paddles down the lower White Salmon River in Banks, Idaho. Instead of returning to McCallum for online classes this school year, Tita, a devoted kayaker, attends the World Kayak Academy, a traveling high school where students study AP courses in the mornings and navigate river rapids in the afternoons. Photo by Maddie Kimmel.

Brienna Martinez is an essential part of a veteran senior core taking last shot at a volleyball playoff run during a pandemic.

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Mac students join the rest of the nation in grieving Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death and celebrating her life and legacy.

A democracy's proper response to a pandemic shoulc be to provide easier, safer, more numerous ways to vote.

Follow freshman Steven Shroud and friends as they navigate a fictional version of Mac in our exclusive comic strip, "Fish.

page 06 McCallum parent and Allandale resident Nancy Mohn Barnard scans the menu at Top Notch, one of many local restaurants forced to adapt, innovate and rely on their loyal customers in order to survive the COVID pandemic. ?We ordered online and then me and my family went to the car hop and pressed the call button,?Barnard says. ?We told them we were there, and they brought out our order. It all felt very safe and the food was great.? Photo by Evie Barnard.

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As if starting high school isn't hard enough, the class of 2024 has to make the jump from behind a screen.

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Campus Advisory Council meeting on Zoom

Rotating schedule begins for in person learning Election day, student holiday

Volleyball vs. Lockhart @ MAC End of grading period

Coffee with the principal on Zoom 5A Regional cross country meet

Volleyball vs. Ann Richards @ MAC

Sub-varsity football vs Northeast @ House park Varsity football vs. Northeast @ Nelson Volleyball vs LASA @ Delco

Sub-varsity football vs Crockett @ House Park Varsity football vs Crockett @ House Park State cross country meet @ TBA Thanksgiving Break begins

Sub-varsity football vs Travis @ House Park Varsity football vs Travis @ Burger Stadium

ON THE COVER: Freshman percussionist MJLee plays through pep songs alongside his fellow Mac musicians at the second in-person marching rehearsal of the year. ?No one really expected a worldwide pandemic, and I highly doubt that any school was ready,?Lee said, ?but we can make the most of what we can.?Photo by Madelynn Niles.

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In-person students to rotate classes New instruction model starts Monday; students, teachers express concern about safety, unknowns ALYSA SPIRO

Photo courtesy of Amy Smith.

opinion editor Throughout the country, there has been a wide range of policies regarding how and when to make the switch back to in-person learning.

In Denver, in-person school for middle- and high-schoolers has been delayed until at least Nov. 7, due to rising COVID-19 cases. Both middle and high schools will remain completely virtual, except for two programs catering to students with disabilities and those new to the United States. ?We know this will be a disappointment for many of our secondary students as well as school leaders and staff, as I know you have been working hard to make plans to safely reopen our doors,? Denver Superintendent Susana Cordova said in a district-wide email, published in Chalkbeat Colorado. ?Yet given our overriding focus on health and safety and the current COVID conditions and guidance we are receiving, we feel this is the right decision.?

On the other side of the country, in Atlanta, public school officials have opted to maintain online-learning until at least January 2021. On the Atlanta Public School blog, Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring cited recent upticks in local COVID cases that could lead to substantial community spread. ?The decision to further delay the in-person opening of our schools was difficult,? Herring said. ?But after consulting with our teachers, staff, students, families and public health officials, I decided this is the right approach at this time.?

In Austin, after delaying the school start date by three weeks and beginning the school year completely online for an additional four weeks, on Oct. 5, AISD began welcoming middle and high students back in socially distanced learning pods. The school district recently announced

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that on Nov. 2, AISD plans to begin class rotations. Parents received another survey from the district due Oct. 28, asking if parents want their students to continue learning remotely at home or to attend school in-person. ?Students will have the opportunity to return to school with an instructional model that includes students moving from class to class (think pre-COVID high school),? said McCallum principal Nicole Griffith in an Oct. 20 email to McCallum families. ?Though we will try our hardest, we will not be able to guarantee social distancing. The use of face masks will be required for in-person attendance.?

Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde has stated that AISD has little autonomy when deciding how and when to open schools back up. She claims the Texas Education Agency

LEFT: English teach Amy Smith poses with her mask inside her classroom.

Regarding the shift to class rotations, Smith expressed her concerns. "If I get more that nine kids [coming back] where am I going to put them? I'm anxious about it." Photo courtesy of Smith. threatened to withdraw funding from the district if it didn?t change its current in-person learning model and offer more direct instruction.. ?'How can you say it?s in-person instruction when the students are not getting any time with their teachers?'? said Elizalde, recollecting the questions that TEA posed to the district.

Elizalde has also stressed that the return to school will be safe, expressing confidence in the district's efforts to promote social-distancing mechanisms such as one-way hallways and plexiglass barriers. ?This is not a free-for-all where we are opening the doors, and kids are going to be running in, and there are no masks at all,?

Elizalde told KXAN on Oct. 23.

The Nov. 2 MacJournalism Instagram post that reported the shift to class rotations sparked a f lurry of comments from students and parents expressing their opposition to the change in in-person instruction model. ?What?s it gonna take for people to realize returning back to a 'normal school routine' is just not possible now and won?t be anytime soon?? Class of 2020 graduate Janael Copeland commented.

English teacher Amy Smith, though not surprised by the shift in policy, expressed her concerns about the safety of having large numbers of students in her classroom. ?I wasn?t surprised. I felt like our new superintendent has been trying to push this

[class rotations] for a long time, Smith said. ?It worries me because I have classes anywhere from 34 to 36 kids. Right now, I have it set up with nine desks spaced out, which I think is a reasonable amount. But I?m worried if I get more than nine kids, where am I going to put them?

I?m anxious about it.?

Junior Caitlin Mitchell is among the many McCallum students who have been actively advocating for teachers to have the choice to stay home. She disagrees with AISD?s decision to begin rotations on Nov. 2. ?I can understand students' eagerness to get back, but I don?t think it?s a wise decision," Mitchell said. "I believe waiting until the start of next semester would have been smarter.?

She also worries about the negative consequences the Nov. 2 changes will have on the teachers. ?I find it appalling that during this time where over 90 percent of students are electing to do online school, teachers are dehumanized and forced to return,? Mitchell said. ?They deserve the same basic human decency that the school district has shown to students. They shouldn?t be required to use their sick days and personal leave to stay at home and work.?

In an email to parents on Oct. 27, Griffith clarified that all AISD high schools, including McCallum will begin using a hybrid model.

According to the email: ?All AISD high schools are starting on a hybrid schedule on Nov. 2.

Most students will come two days per week.

Some students wil be invited to attend five days per week.?

Last week, Griffith also announced the McCallum Outside Classroom Initiative, a pilot project to create outside learning space where students can attend pop-up classes. ?Outside is safer. Outside is also often very nice in Austin, Texas aside from the few hot months in our rear-view mirror,?said Griffith in her email to McCallum families. ?Learning, after all, does not require the four walls of a classroom.?

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AISD staff gather in front of district headquarterswhere they posted demands and questionsregardingsafety and fairnessof the COVID response and school reopenings. Photoby Grace Nugent.

Staff rally for say in school re-openings Educators, allies cover district headquarters with demands, questions about its COVID response BELLA RUSSO co-editor-in-chief The Ramírez-Sosa brothers are students at Lively Middle and Perez Elementary school.

Their mother has just finished her last chemotherapy treatment after a recent cancer diagnosis. Silas and Emil could be celebrating with their family, but instead, the Ramírez-Sosa brothers were among the youngest protesters that rallied at the AISD office building on Saturday, Sept 26. Their mother is Caroline Sweet, a teacher at Perez elementary school. They are worried that so soon after winning a battle with cancer, she will have to put her life on the line as a school teacher during a global pandemic.

This sentiment was echoed by a full parking lot of AISD staff and community members that gathered at the district headquarters to post questions and demands they had regarding school reopenings and COVID response. The rally, organized by Education Austin, began at Burger stadium and Nelson field, where cars then caravanned to the Southfield headquarters.

Ken Zarifis, the president of Education Austin, explained that the purpose of the rally was to provide a platform where staff members directly affected by the reopenings could make their voices heard. ?The union is 3,000 employees of the school district...that?s teachers, TAs, bus drivers, custodians- it?s the loudest employee voice in the district, and I think the superintendent and the school board would be well served to listen,?Zarifis said.

A lack of teacher inclusion in the process of AISD decision making was one central concern voiced at the rally. ?I feel like a veteran teacher, who has taught

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here for 20 years -we?re the ones that should have been talked to,? Kelly Greene, a teacher at Travis Early College High School, said. ?We?re the professionals, we?re on the front line. We had a reopening crew, but I don?t know a single one of my veteran teachers at Travis High School that was asked to put in any input.?

Mario Peña, a teacher at Paredes middle school, echoed the call for the district to take into account teacher?s perspectives. Not only are teachers able to provide valuable recommendations to help shape school reopenings, but Peña also stressed the importance of uplifting voices from all around the district, especially to ensure the representation of schools with a lower socioeconomic status. ?A one size fits all (approach) doesn?t work.

Our black and brown kids are always disproportionately underrepresented, they?re kind of a second thought when it comes to education, and if you look at the data, black and brown people are the ones that are being hit the most with covid,? Peña said.

Along with requesting more transparency and a greater staff involvement in the district's decision-making process, an overwhelming majority of the rally?s attendees also favored continuing online learning for the safety of students and staff.

In order to continue with at-home learning in an effective and equitable way as possible, Zarifis recommended that the district continue to work to provide consistent technology and resources to students in need. ?Those who have the hot spots and are relying on buses in their neighborhoods, that?s inequitable,? Zarifis said. ?The hot spots don?t hold up long enough, they?re spotty. We need to look at these things and invest where we know we haven?t invested enough. If we don?t address it now, in the middle of the most outrageous health issue in the last 100 years,

then when are we going to do it??

Continuing with at home learning also means standing up to the Texas Education Administration, and risking state funding cuts, but Zarifis says that AISD needs to do this and more, in order keep students and staff safe. ?[AISD] wants to rush in because they?re worried about losing funding on the bottom line. I say stand up to the bully Mike Mirath and the TEA commission and say, ?no you?re not going to take our money.?It?s our money,?

Zarifis said. ?They shouldn?t be making the decisions. The workers should, not the bosses.

We?re the ones that are experiencing it. We're the ones that are living it every day.?

As of Oct 5, all staff have returned to campus unless granted a health accommodation from the district.

Health accommodations are only available to staff members who are at high risk, and even then, requests may not be approved by the district. Staff members with high risk family members, or staff that don?t feel comfortable putting their children into childcare while they return to school do not qualify for accommodations.

Caroline Sweet was granted a health accommodation to work at home, and her sons Silas and Emil will continue with online learning. However, she is still worried about a January reopening if COVID rates in Texas have not fallen, and called for AISD to make decisions centered around science and data.

Despite her need for an accommodation, McCallum librarian Jain Thompson doesn?t qualify for one. Her son is high risk, and Thompson fears that returning to school will put her family in danger. ?If I?m forced to supervise a pod, I can't do it. It?s not safe. That?s just the science, and it?s really infuriating that they?re not acknowledging that,? Thompson said. ?Our students and their families get a choice over

whether or not to come back to school, but what about their teachers??

Not only does she feel forced into an impossible choice by the district, but Thompson also feels that there isn?t enough done to ensure the safety of those going back to school on Oct 5. ?Right now that?s my biggest worry, having to supervise. The school?s not ventilated. The library- all the books have mold on them since there's no AC. The CDC says ?don't be in closed, poorly ventilated spaces,?well, you just described my workplace!?

Greene voiced similar concerns, citing that Travis Early College High School wasn?t held to the safety standards students and staff deserve. ?We see no information,?Greene said. ?Admin (offices) got hepa filters, health offices got hepa filters, everybody else got their filters changed.?

Along with safety concerns, McCallum social studies teacher Robert Bucher also feels that the pod system will pose new challenges to teachers forced to juggle teaching classes while also supervising classrooms. ?We are working harder than we actually work going to school to construct all this [online curriculum] and to keep up with it,? Bucher said. ?It?s incredibly time consuming, and they want us to be in a class, monitoring students and keeping up with all that. It's not going to be possible, so it's going to reduce the quality of the curriculum.?

With the district holding strong to the Oct 5 reopening date, most educators are recommending that for the safety and benefit of everyone, students should remain at home. ?We should continue, except for the most at risk students who need face-to-face interaction, [with at home learning],? Bucher said. ?I understand that we have to go back eventually, but what is this accomplishing? If your student can stay at home, stay at home. [Students] are going to value at home [learning] way more than online in a tiny box.?

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'The Eyes of Texas' ignites debate UT community divided after minstrel roots of the alma mater tune come to light SAMANTHA POWERS co-news editor, co-copy editor For years, the University of Texas? alma mater, ?The Eyes of Texas,? was widely viewed in the community as a song of unity and togetherness. Austin's high school band students dreamed of one day setting foot on the field of the Darryl K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium and proudly playing the university?s alma mater. As the song?s minstrel origins have come to light, however, in a time when tragedies like the police killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor are at the forefront of our minds, the song is now a subject of division within the UT community.

On June 12, a group of more than two dozen student athletes came forward with a letter posted to social media, which demanded that the university address elements of racism that pervaded the UT campus. The demands included the renaming of several buildings named after Confederate figures and supporters of slavery, the removal of statues celebrating Confederate figures and supporters of slavery and the replacement of ?The Eyes of Texas,? which has a connection to Confederate general Robert E. Lee and was performed at minstrel shows in the 1900s. Minstrel shows at the time were performances by white actors who traditionally wore blackface. The group of UT athletes cited this history as the reason for their demand to replace ?The Eyes of Texas? with a less racially-charged song. ?The recent events across the country regarding racial injustice have brought to light the systemic racism that has always been prevalent in our country as well as the racism that has historically plagued our campus,? the athletes?statement reads. ?We aim to hold the athletic department and university to a higher standard by not only asking them to keep their promise of condemning racism on our campus, but to go beyond this by taking action to make Texas more comfortable and inclusive for the black athletes and the black community that has so fervently supported this program.?

The athletes?demand to replace ?The Eyes of Texas?was met with pushback from alumni and donors who maintain that the song?s meaning has changed since its problematic origins. ?I would like to redefine [The Eyes of Texas],?

1965 McCallum graduate and 1970 UT alumnus Franklin Houston said. ?I don?t think the linkage is that strong. If UT had overt Confederate symbols, icons, whatever, statues on the grounds, then those are direct linkages. They gotta go. But if it?s something that you have to go through maybe three degrees of separation to get there, I think that?s pushing it a little bit. By changing something, you can?t get rid of what happened.?

Current UT students began to come forward with support of the athletes? statement, including members of the Longhorn Band. On June 19, junior saxophone player Judson Hayden founded LHBlacks, a student organization within the Longhorn Band dedicated to Black members. The organization now has 11 members out of the nearly 400-person band, all of whom refuse to play ?The Eyes of Texas?during the football season.

Hayden stressed that while the athletes? demands about the song may have catalyzed the formation of LHBlacks, the organization has a far broader mission to fight for greater equity and opportunity for students of color within the band and throughout the University as a whole.

In response to multiple student organizations like the athlete group, student government, the UT Black Alliance and LHBlacks coming out against racism within UT, interim university

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AUTOMATEDALMA MATER: The Longhorn Band performsat a pre-pandemicfootball game. So far this season, the alma mater has been played over the loudspeaker because the band has not been present at games. Photo originally accessed on the losays Flickr account. Reposted here with permission under a creative commonslicense. president Jay Hartzell held a series of meetings with student organizations to let them voice their concerns. After these meetings, Hartzell released a statement to the University of Texas website on July 13 explaining an array of changes the university will make, including renaming the Robert Lee Moore Hall, erecting a statue of UT?s first Black football player, Julius Whittier, and funding a multi-million-dollar program to recruit Black students to UT. One thing he?s not changing is the song. ??The Eyes of Texas,?in its current form, will continue to be our alma mater,? Hartzell said in his July 13 statement. ?It is my belief that we can effectively reclaim and redefine what this song stands for by first owning and acknowledging its history in a way that is open and transparent,? he continued. ?Together, we have the power to define what the Eyes of Texas expect of us, what they demand of us, and what standard they hold us to now.?

After the decision by UT to keep "The Eyes of Texas" as the alma mater song, backlash from UT students like Longhorn Band members Judson Hayden and Kyanna Richards led Hartzell to reexamine the decision.

Hartzell announced on Oct. 5 that he will create a new committee to take a second look at "The Eyes of Texas" and advise the university on how best to acknowledge the history of the song, according to the Austin American Statesman. Following this backlash, the UT System Board of Regents came out in support of Hartzell's decision to keep the song and to continue to examine the history behind it on Thursday, Oct. 22.

There were plans for the Longhorn Band to play in person for the first time at Saturday's game against Baylor, but a survey within the band revealed that not enough band members are willing to play "The Eyes of Texas" for it to have the proper instrumentation. For this reason the Longhorn Band will not be attending the game.

For right now, the 2020-2021 UT football season is underway without the presence of the Longhorn Band, and the song is being played through loudspeakers at games. The size of the audience is being limited to 25% capacity in a stadium that normally can hold

about 100,000, according to ESPN. Students with season tickets are required to pass a rapid COVID-19 test. ?The Eyes of Texas? was played through the loudspeakers at the beginning and end of the game, but unlike in previous years when football players were required to sing the song, some players opted out of singing.

Longhorn Band tuba player and UT senior Kyanna Richards explained that these small changes are part of a much bigger fight against a more silent enemy, institutionalized racism. ?They think that these are problems, and obviously they are, but these are just symptoms of the institutionalized racism that universities hold, especially predominantly white institutions," Richards said.

Richards said that joining LHBlacks has helped her a lot with dealing with this racism.

The organization gives Black students like Richards a platform that they wouldn?t otherwise have. Richards said that LHBlacks sprung out of a friendly group chat, but it has evolved into a formal organization dedicated to assisting Black Longhorn Band members in achieving equity. ?We created this group chat. It was just a place for us to kind of vent how we felt, especially amid the protests and things of that nature,? Richards said. ?We continue to support one another to this day, talking about issues, and checking in on one another, and it?s just a great thing to have. ... I?m very grateful to have this community now.?

Richards explained the LHBlacks is also about more than just the song. As a student organization focused on assisting Black students, they supported the athletes and participated in conversations with the president, but LHBlacks has much more in store, according to founder Hayden.

Hayden said the LHBlacks? first order of business is to recruit incoming Black freshmen band members into LHBlacks. Beyond that, the LHBlacks plan to forge relationships with high school band programs, particularly at minority schools or low-income schools, for the purpose of incentivizing Black high school band students to join Longhorn Band. ?Because it?s such a small organization, there?s only 11 of us, we need to make sure we

have that continuity," Hayden said. "Right now, one of our biggest goals is to reach out to all of the incoming freshmen that are joining Longhorn Band that are Black and would be interested in joining LHBlacks.?

As of now, there are only 11 Black members of the almost 400-person Longhorn Band, according to Hayden. He cites this racial inequality as one of the reasons why ?The Eyes of Texas? is no longer acceptable as an alma mater. He explained that due to the minstrel origins of the song, it?s upsetting to see an almost all-white band playing it.

Second-year drum major and McCallum alumnus Ally Morales will be joining the group of Longhorn Band members refusing to participate in ?The Eyes of Texas.? Morales declined to comment for this story due to backlash she has received for speaking out in earlier articles, so she is focusing on her health now. She also wanted the voices of her Black bandmates to be amplified as much as possible.

She stands by the statements she made in articles published elsewhere. ?It?s not ultimately about the song, it?s about ingrained, institutionalized racism that frankly, in invisible form, takes the image of a school song,? Morales told the Dallas Morning News. ?Removing our alma mater is the first step to realizing the oppression that the Black students face on campus and off campus.?

Although current Longhorn Band members like Hayden, Richards and Morales may be uniting under the circumstances, a rift is growing between current students and alumni at UT. Hayden said that this rift can be seen within the Longhorn Band. ?A lot of the alumni band members have been debating pulling donations and stuff if we don?t play the song,? Hayden said. ?And I think that Longhorn Band, in that sense, is sort of like a microcosm of the UT community at large. The older alumni, the people who have gone to this university and made a bunch of money and then donated to this university, a lot of them are saying that the song means so much to them that they?re going to pull their support for the university if we get rid of it. And I think that?s where the divide stands.?

Houston, the 1970 UT alumnus who sits on the ?redefining? side of this divide, explained that when he went to UT and played ?The Eyes of Texas? in the Longhorn Band, it meant something entirely different to him than the song?s origins might suggest. ??The Eyes of Texas?at the time, to me, was totally a representation of the University of Texas,? Houston said. ?So when ?The Eyes of Texas?are on you, it?s like you go out and you be a good person and you be a good student, be a good citizen, and you don?t bring disrepute on the University of Texas.?

As national news organizations like the New York Times cover the racism present in the origins of "The Eyes of Texas," the song has become embroiled in the ongoing confrontation in America with the racism embedded in the nation?s history.

?If the one thing that unites us all is a song, I feel like we?re missing the real values of the university and the institution that we love so much,? Morales told the Dallas Morning News. ?It?s about the community that brings us all together. There can be any reason for that, but ?The Eyes of Texas? is no longer synonymous with community.?

As a new committee reexamines the history behind "The Eyes of Texas" and students continue to speak their minds on the issue, it is clear that the debate surrounding the larger issue of institutionalized racism on the UT campus is far from over.

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Strength in numbers Local restaurants and businesses encounter silver linings in time of uncertainty EVIE BARNARD staff reporter What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

This is the rule the restaurant industry has been living by, especially right now during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We're fighting for our life every day,? said Joel Fried, owner of Eldorado Cafe. ?That may sound dramatic, but it's a slippery slope. If you don't handle things the right way, you'll go out of business.?

Things have been tough, but some business owners are focused on the positive side. ?It's like making lemonade out of lemons,? said Suzanne Daniels, owner of Brentwood Social House. ?I'm just really trying to make the most of the situation and be appreciative for the positive things that have come out of it.?

One positive outcome is that businesses are finding ways to adapt. ?We closed for an entire month, so that we could identify what needed to be done,? Fried said. ?The first few months were really intense trying to figure out who we were. We fumbled our way through it. After about two or three weeks, we figured out a good system. We ended up getting signs at the parking spots for curbside pickup. We changed the menu to try to make things that are easier to go.?

Fried said that the ever-changing environment helps him develop resiliency. ?If something doesn't work, we don't beat ourselves up. There are so many things that are out of our control,? Fried said. ?We've had to learn to just accept it, deal with it, come up with a plan, and put our feelings down: to prioritize the things that are important.?

Something that is important to Daniels is her staff. She is thankful that the circumstances have given them an opportunity to bond. ?A byproduct of all of this is that our team is closer than ever. We've been working together and pretty much only hang out with one another nowadays,?Daniels said.

Daniels also feels she bonded with her surrounding community. ?They help us keep going and staying in the fight,? Daniels said. ?I'll get emails or notes from people saying ?thank you for what you're doing and all the work you're putting in.?It means a lot to us. I'm just so incredibly thankful that people support us and everything we do.?

Daniels isn't alone. Throughout COVID many restaurants have seen an increase in local community support. People are eager to help keep business alive, especially those nearby.

Kelly Chappell, co-owner of Top Notch Burgers and Galaxy Cafe, has also experienced this local kindness. ?We've really learned how many customers love us and we're a part of their lives,? Chappell said. "That's been a very positive thought process for me, just to learn there are quite a few people with genuine love for what we do and what we've created over all these years. That part makes me feel great. That's how I sleep at night when I'm overwhelmed by everything I can't do or support anymore because of COVID. That part's really hard. So I get through it by knowing that the people who are in this with us truly care about our business.?

Chappell?s restaurants, like Fried?s, have adapted and become more efficient than ever; something he thinks will reap benefits even after COVID-19. ?As a business, we've learned to save money in ways that we never needed to before,?

Chappell said. ?But we've gotten very efficient at dealing with things that were expensive before, and cutting down the cost.?

Mike Levigne, owner of Violet Crown

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ABOVE: McCallum parent and Allandale resident Nancy Mohn Barnard scans the Top Notch menu. Looking for an COVID-safe option for a meal with her family, she found solace in her service at Top Notch. ?We ordered online and then me and my family went to the car hop and pressed the call button,?Barnard said. ?We told them we were there, and they brought out our order. It all felt very safe and the food was great.? RIGHT: Colorful chairs line the parking lot of Eldorado Cafe allowing for a contactless pickup. ?Their curbside system is really well done,?sophomore Julia Husted said. ?After ordering food you can pull up and text the number on the sign. Then someone will come out and leave your food on the chair. It all feels very safe.?Photos by Evie Barnard.

Clubhouse has found aspects of his business adapting as well. Something he thinks will stick around post-virus. ?We started selling things we didn't before.?

Levinge said. ?Everything is pre-packaged, and we also started offering coffee, and now do private rentals of the building.

Levigne is thankful for the business COVID-19 has given him. ?COVID has brought attention to our business,? he says. ?People are hungry to do something outside of their home but close by.

Our zip code is fortunatein that it has always had a lower case rate since the beginning. So I think peoplefeel more comfortablestaying in the area.?

Fried has also not iced an increase in local business. ?Before we were seeing people from all over Austin,? Fried said. ?Now what we're seeing is mostly neighborhood stuff.?

But he is grateful for that. ?I can't tell you how many times I've teared up in the parking lot,?Fried said. ?The neighborhood community has really stuck with us. Some people come in every week and they let me know: ?We're here because we don't want to see you close.?And just that means so much to us.?

ABOVE: Signs outside of El Dorado Cafe advertise their curbisie pickup. ?When COVID first hit we closed for an entire month so that we could identify what changes needed to be made,?says owner Joel Fried. ?Figuring out how to get food to customers was the hardest part. It was just trial and error to come up with a good system. And the thing is, there were so many errors.?

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Griffith to launch outdoor classroominitiative ABOVE: Sophomore Milo Donmoyer performs his drum solo during the Solo Idol event.

In a performance which was voted "Most Entertaining," Donmoyer dressed in a costume resembling the iconic "poop emoji" and lit his quads, a type of drum set, on fire.

Percussionistsmeetsonlinefor Solo Idol program The McCallum percussion department held a Solo Idol event on Oct. 14, in which students competed to win categories such as best drum solo, best keyboard solo, best video production and most entertaining.

Each student had an original musicality and production style. Things really heated up when Milo Donmoyer finished an unforgettable solo performance with sticks that were set on fire, much to the entertainment of his Zoom audience.

Those in attendance at the Zoom event voted for their top picks for each category.

The winners were Huck Langford for best drum solo, EJ Leach and Evan Bookout for best keyboard solo, Oliver Harrington for best video production and Donmoyer for most entertaining.

The most improved, as voted on by the teachers, were Jack Strub, Thomas Ross and Cate Thoden. ? Samantha Powers

UT-led women's marchers protest Coney Senate hearings, pandemic response More than 200 Austinites attended a Woman?s March held by University of Texas students in Wooldridge Square Park on Saturday. Protesters rallied in opposition to the Senate deliberation on the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

Protesters also gathered to support the Black Lives Matter movement , abortion rights, and a more coordinated national policy to combat COVID-19. Featured candidates and representatives included Democratic House of Representatives candidates Julie Oliver (25th District) and Wendy Davis (21st District), and Texas judicial candidate Selena Alvarenga (60th District Court).

The Texas Handmaids, a pro-choice women?s organization whose members dress up as characters from The Handmaid?s Tale, a dystopian novel in which women have no rights and are routinely forced to give birth against their will, stand in silence with their heads bowed on the gazebo in Wooldridge Square Park.

As the Women?s March rally began, they were met by right-wing counter protesters who occupied the gazebo area, which prompted Davis to say, ?They can take our podium, but they cannot take our vote.?

Women?s March accomplished was not necessarily the main goal to start with,? attendee John Burleson said. ?They displayed that even when the event was crashed by a discouraging group, they showed the endurance and spirit of women being able to adapt and overcome adversity.? ? Ari Miller-Fortman

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Principal Nicole Griffith set up a trial run of the outdoor classroom initiative on Oct. 13 just outside the main office in front of the school. The outdoor teaching option, which Griffith is developing in partnership with Families in Nature, would allow some teachers and students to move their classes outside where the risk of catching COVID-19 is greatly lessened. Students will maintain social distancing and wearing a mask while outside. ?I think that we thought this would be more temporary then it is and so we were putting Band-Aids on how to get through this,?

Griffith said.

Encouring outdoor classes is a departure for many veteran teachers. ?It is a stretch for some folks to think about,? Griffith noted. ?But we have a lot of teachers excited about it. They are willing to try it.?

LEFT: Interim principal Nicole Griffith sits at her outdoor classroom, which consists of her usual desk set-up under a tent in the front of the school. Photo by Dave Winter.

RIGHT: English teacher Eric Wydeven visits with his colleague, history teacher Joseph Carcione, outside of the English portables during the trial run of the outdoor classroom initiative. Photos by Katie Taylor.

Joseph Carcione and Sarah Noack are two teachers interested in trying the project. ?I hope in the next few weeks we can figure out a way to do outdoor school really well,?

Noack said, ?so if a time comes where more kids come back, we already have a flow going and it makes it easier for everyone." ? Elly Schottman

Art societyofferscostumecontest Submit your costume photo to the 2020 Mac Spooktacular Online Costume Contest sponsored by your Art Society. Photos can be submitted to the contest Padlet (https:/ / padlet.com/ jeffreyseckarmartinez/ 7z1ov2zfddh3myhm) from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1, by 10 p.m. Include your first name, last name, grade, and costume name under the Padlet "title," then email Mr. Martinez (jeffrey.seckar-martinez@austinisd.org) and let him know you are participating in the contest. For more information, check @macjournalism on Instagram or scan the QR code here.

MacJpartnerswith PBSStudent ReportingLabs MacJournalism is proud to announce its partnership with PBS as an official Student Reporting Lab. Now, in over 160 middle and high schools, Student Reporting Labs (SRL) is a national youth journalism program and public media initiative that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements, challenges, and reality of today?s youth. SRL creates transformative educational experiences through video journalism that inspire students to find their voice and engage in their communities.

The first project our students were asked to complete was a back-to-school video diary about returning to school during a pandemic.

TOP: Two protesters hold signs in support of Black Lives Matter movement and honoring diversity. LEFT: Dressed up as characters from Margaret Atwood's "Handmaid's Tale," the pro-choice Texas Handmaids protest the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett. who many believe will vote to overturn the Roe v. Wade abortion case if it comes before the court. Photos by Ari Miller-Fortman.

Four McCallum students, Francie Wilhem, Sophie Beardslee, Lily Hobbs and Meredith Grotevant were featured in a live virtual event on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs and WETA's Well Beings were pleased to present Teens, Covid, and Coping: a Youth Mental Health Town Hall, featuring Amna Nawaz, senior national correspondent and primary substitute anchor for the PBS NewsHour and student reporters.

The livestream featured conversations with teens and health professionals on the most pressing mental health issues young people are struggling with right now. ? Jena Weber

Meredith Grotevant plays the guitar during her back-to-school video diary for the PBS Student Reporting Labs. She was one of four Mac students selected to appear during the livestream, which discussed the effect of Covid on teenage mental health. Photo by Meredith Grotevant.

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Dynamic duet delivers live music, future hope right to your doorstep Tired of incessant practice, Hamre, Nicholson take their show to backyards, raise funds for charity KATE BOYLE staff reporter Beethoven, ?Moon River,? and ?Amazing Grace? are heard from Beth Martinez?s backyard. Her 87-year-old mother has been missing out on her trips to the symphony since COVID started, and juniors Lucy Hamre and Ileana Nicholson have found the perfect way to bring the symphony to the people.

The project is called doorsteps duets, where Hamre and Nicholson play socially distanced performances in people?s yards. They play a range of music from songs that everyone knows like the Beatles or Louis Armstrong?s ?What a Wonderful World?to classical music.

These performances are donation-based and in just two weeks they raised over $1,000 for organizations including Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Austin Justice Coalition, CASA of Travis County and the Austin Symphony Orchestra. ?Over quarantine there was a really strong sense of activism between young people,?

Nicholson said. ?It just felt really fitting that we do something that has monetary value to help [worthy] organizations.?

Hamre had been seeing all these petitions to sign online and places to make donations to, and said this heightened sense of activism motivated her to do something to give back to the community. ?It felt really difficult because I can?t vote for any of that stuff," Hamre said. "I didn?t have the money to help the causes, so this was a nice way to use something that I have a skill for and I enjoy doing to kind of combine things that I was passionate about with helping."

Hamre came up with the idea. She?s been playing the violin for 10 years, and practicing during quarantine without a performance to look forward to started to get boring. She considered teaching violin; friends of hers were doing it during this time, but teaching isn?t really her strong suit.

She still wanted to do something with music, though, so she had an idea: to bring the music to the people. She pitched the idea to Nicholson, who agreed, and soon they were partnered up and putting together their doorstep duets. ?I hope that people take away some peace or some enjoyment out of live music because I know not a lot of people have been able to experience that since quarantine," Nicholson said. "[I hope] that they are reminded of what they enjoy and appreciate things that we can still enjoy.?

The performances are for those who are staying at home. The audience stays 12 feet away from Hamre and Nicholson at all times, and masks are worn before and after the performances.

One of their favorite performances was for Martinez and her mother. They said that they saw how touched she was and thought that that was something special. Martinez said that her mother?s been missing out on many of the joys in her life because of COVID, which includes her regular subscription to the symphony. ?It was so moving to see these girls using their talents to raise money for such important causes to our community, especially during these divisive times,? Martinez said, ?The girls not only brought us the joy of live music ? they brought us hope for the future.?

The joy of live music and hope for the future is what Hamre and Nicholson have been bringing into these backyards, and they hope to do so for as long as quarantine lasts.

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Lucy Hamre (left) and Ileana Nicholson (right) share a knowing look as they perform their violin arrangementsfor a socially-distanced audience. The profits from the performanceswent entirely to charities and organizations. ?It just felt really fitting that we do something that has monetary value to help organizations,?Nicholson said.

How did Mason Shackelford make his own violin from scratch?Visit macshieldonline.comto find out.

Ileana Nicholson and Lucy Hamre perform for Beth Martinez and her family. ?It was so moving to see these girls using their talents to raise money for such important causes to our community, especially during these divisive times,?Martinez said.

?I hope that people take away some peace or some enjoyment out of live music."

? junior violinist Ileana Nicholson 30 oct. 2020

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That's a wrap on I Luv Video Classic Austin video store closes its doors after decades of serving the film community SOFIA RAMON staff reporter I Luv Video, the self-proclaimed "oldest and biggest video store in the world," is shutting its doors for good after nearly four decades in the Austin film community.

I Luv Video owner Conrad Bejarano announced the news on Sept. 1, citing COVID-19 and the Austin real estate market as deciding factors in a Sept 24 Statesman article. ?It has been my great honor to have participated in the Austin film culture for almost 40 years,? Bejarano said. ?I could never have done it without my wonderful staff, supportive family and loyal customers.?

McCallum film analysis teacher Eric Wydeven discovered the store when he first came to Austin 20 years ago. ?My wife and I are both real movie lovers,?

Wydeven said. ?We love stories. We love narrative. We love movies.?

The films that were available at I Luv Video often weren?t available anywhere else. ?In terms of the film community, it really expanded people?s horizons on film,? Wydeven said. ?There was stuff in there you?d never even thought of before, but you?d grab a copy and watch it and oftentimes it was incredible. It was just a treasure trove of films.?

Along with supporting the local film community, I Luv Video was also an active part of its surrounding neighborhood community. ?Even though they were struggling and trying to make money, they supported me as the film teacher at McCallum and would dole out free films,? Wydeven said. ?It was that kind of atmosphere.?

One of the most memorable parts of I Luv Video was the environment inside the store.

Wydeven described it as a friendly, mom-and-pop atmosphere centered around a shared love for film and conversations surrounding film. He remembered Free Beer Tuesdays as a perfect example of this atmosphere. ?It was like a forum where these movie lovers came and you'd be walking the aisles and hearing people talk about this actor, or this actress, or this director or this thing they witnessed,? Wydeven said. ?What a [wealth] of filmic information, conversation and sharing.?

With so many memories to choose from, Wydeven couldn?t decide on just one favorite I Luv Video experience. ?Just the idea of the hours my wife and I have spent there just kind of aimlessly perusing the shelves and finding things that we'd never heard of before that turned out to be really cool,?

Wydeven said. ?And some, kind of weird.?

Junior Reia Williams used to drive over with her family every Friday to pick a movie for pizza movie night . She remembers getting everything from Studio Ghibli to Marvel to random, obscure movies she happened to pick off the shelves. She also fondly remembers the shelves of figurines and art that lined the store. ?They were all super old and collectible, so they were always really cool to look at,?Williams said. ?You could really see the history.?

Although I Luv Video is closing, Bejarano hopes to pass his immense film catalog on to someone who could continue the store?s legacy.

"It would bring me the utmost joy to pass the torch to a group or individual that has the financial capacity to preserve our immense catalog of films," Bejarano said. "My only stipulation is that whomever does so gives the community access to our vast film library.?

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The I Luv Video storefront faces a nearly empty parking lot after closing down for business. The art-covered walls and colorful exterior reflect the friendly, creative atmosphere inside. While the store was open, staff were always ready to help customers find the films they wanted inside the "oldest and largest video store in the world." Store owner Conrad Bejarano announced the abrupt closure on Sept. 1. Photo by Sofia Ramon.

A young Reia Williams watches a movie with her dad. Williams and her family went to I Luv Video for years. Every Friday night would being with pizza and picking out movies from I Luv Video for a family movie night. "I would get a Studio Ghibli movie every time, and my brother would get a Marvel movie," Williams said. She also remembersthe antique figurines that lined the store shelves. Photo by Mariah Ramon.

Artwork on the front window of I Luv Video describes the variety of films inside. McCallum film teacher Eric Wydeven remembers the huge selection of films spreading across genres. "They just had everything ? stuff you can't even imagine," Wydeven said. "It was just a treasure trove of films." Photo by Sofia Ramon.

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Perseverance is key for Mac music Fine Arts Academy musicianskeep practicing, performing, competing despite COVID quarantine SAMANTHA POWERS co-news editor, co-copy editor In pre-pandemic times, one stroll through the McCallum Fine Arts Building could tell you just how much McCallum students love to make music. Music of all kinds poured from the doors and windows: voices sang in harmony, violins tuned up the orchestra and drums kept the beat for the band. Now that a global pandemic has shut down McCallum and other schools across the country, McCallum music students have taken matters into their own hands.

This fall, the musical events at the forefront of the Mac musicians?minds are the statewide contests hosted by the Texas Music Educators?Association, or TMEA. Each year, TMEA holds competitions that progress from regional all the way to statewide in each musical discipline, including orchestra, choir and band. Usually the progressive contests are hosted by high schools in the area. Musicians trek to the host high school early one Saturday morning and do their audition in a classroom to a curtain that hides a panel of judges.

This year, the format will be revised to work virtually. TMEA announced on July 1 that all TMEA auditions through Jan. 10 will be conducted through recording uploads by students in order ?to support excellence in student musical development and promote health and safety,?according to the TMEA website.

The TMEA region auditions took place from Oct. 10-14 and results were released on Monday.

For a McCallum music student participating in TMEA auditions, a typical summer includes a TMEA camp in which the audition material is learned and workshopped. This year, many music teachers are stepping up to fill the void.

Orchestra associate director Erika Elder spent part of her summer helping her students learn their etudes for the auditions. Senior Ari Miller-Fortman said that this is not what happens in a traditional year, but Elder figured they could use some extra help. ?Many of us have been meeting online via Zoom with Ms. Elder to prepare for region/ state auditions,? Miller-Fortman said. ?We all printed out the etudes and have been learning them with her on Zoom. Normally we would use the summer to learn these etudes by ourselves, but this year, under the circumstances, Elder has offered her help knowing that she may not be able to help us in-person for the next many weeks.?

Miller-Fortman is intimidated at the prospect of a new audition format during a pandemic, but she?s trying to stay optimistic. ?[The format this year is] absolutely different and somewhat terrifying,? Miller-Fortman said. ?I'm hoping that it won?t make too much of a difference on our auditions, but there?s really no way to know. I?m doing my best to have a positive outlook on this new format of auditions.?

Voice teacher Angela Irving, who works with many McCallum choir students, hosted virtual TMEA ?camplettes? over Zoom in mid-July. She taught three one-and-a-half hour sessions for each voice part and covered all nine songs that each voice part needs to prepare for this year?s auditions. Irving said there are some upsides to online TMEA camps. ?The great thing about doing everything online is there?s no travel time and parents don?t have to take time out of their work day to cart their students anywhere,? Irving said. ?But, all the same, it sure will be nice when we can all sing in the same singer-packed room without worrying about infecting each other. Someday soon, hopefully.?

Irving also said that besides focusing on TMEA auditions, she has been teaching voice lessons over Zoom since the pandemic hit Austin, and that this period is good for trying new things. ?There have been obvious issues brought on by the pandemic when considering how to keep music-making alive, but, at the same time, it?s been an exciting time for innovation,? Irving said. ?Right when schools were shut down, I immediately pivoted to teaching voice lessons via Zoom, and with some creativity, that has been working well!?

Junior Griffin Rans is a choir student participating in the TMEA process and one attendant of Irving?s camplettes. Rans explained that there are upsides to practicing and performing music at home, like the freedom he has to take risks that he normally wouldn?t take. ?I think that when we?re at home, we can actually experiment with way more things that we would be nervous experimenting with in front of people,? Rans said. ?Whenever I?m in an audition I try to just stick to what I was told by my voice teacher because I?m scared I might overdo it or something. But I think

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STEPPING FORWARD: Masked and six feet apart, McCallum band members practice marching techniques at the first week of in-person rehearsals of the year. While completely voluntary, the makeshift marching season has allowed some students, especially seniors, to reconnect with their band family in their final season at Mac. ?You could tell that everyone was excited to be out of the house and out in the open world again being able to see their peers,? senior clarinet player Kyle Davis said. Photo by Ale Luera, reporting and caption by Madelynn Niles.

FIRST WEEK FESTIVITIES: Senior Ari Miller-Fortman documents her first week of school in a video log.

Miller-Fortman spoke about her experience with online school in the video. "It's definitely completely new, very weird, I'm hoping that we can somehow figure out how to set up a... social distance rehearsal or something," Miller-Fortman said. To see the video, please visit macshieldonline.com.Courtesy of Ari Miller-Fortman. with this whole online school thing, it gives us a chance to go over what we?ve done and give it a little pizzazz.?

Senior percussionist Julian Smith agrees that he has been granted some f lexibility and creativity within his own practice space. ?As a percussionist it?s a little different because we don?t have access to all the instruments we usually would have," Smith said. "It?s definitely not as engaging as it would be in person, but I?m harnessing more skills as a soloist rather than playing in a group setting.?

The McCallum band held its first marching band rehearsal on Monday, Oct. 6, and safety protocols were put in place such as masks, temperature checks and six feet distance markers. Although the competitive marching season was canceled due to COVID-19, the marching band anticipates playing at football games against Navarro and Crockett with approved PPE, including instrument bell covers and specially designed masks.

Senior band student Fiona Wyrtzen has faced a unique

challenge in preparing for the TMEA auditions this year: she came down with COVID-19 this summer. Wyrtzen plays the clarinet, a wind instrument, so she was unable to practice while she was recovering. ?I had [the coronavirus] in June, and it?s still harder to play a little bit," Wyrtzen said. "For me it was very up and down. There was a point when I felt completely better, and I got back to practicing, and I told my teachers, like, ?Oh, I?m ready, I can play in class now, and I can go back to doing my lessons.?And I sort of went back down, so it?s really hard to say, like, ?Well, I don?t feel good again,?but all the teachers were supportive, of course.?

Through this challenge, Wyrtzen has stayed dedicated to her music and even helped teach a band camp for Lamar and Kealing middle school students over the summer. One McCallum band student from each section was invited to teach, and Wyrtzen taught the clarinet students. Wyrtzen reports that the camp was a nice form of interaction and collaboration that she had been missing during the quarantine. ?[There is] the playing side, which is a lot of individual stuff, but I think more important about music and all of that, is interacting with kids and other musicians,? Wyrtzen said. ?Especially since it?s remote and we haven?t been able to do marching band or anything.?

Wyrtzen foresees some issues with the virtual TMEA format, but she emphasized that every music student in the contest is going through the same things she is. ?I have to spend hours and hours trying to get a good recording,? Wyrtzen said. ?I am not going to love doing that for TMEA, because I know I?ll spend forever on it, and I will be obsessed with getting it perfect. Regularly, you just go in? you get the adrenaline of the moment, and you get it over with. I will miss that? I think a lot of us are in the same boat, with choir and everything. It?s so sad, but we?re making it work.?

-- with reportingby Madelynn Niles

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Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016) Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, like its 1984 predecessor, is a Halloween must-watch. The flick is fueled by (not to sound too cheesy) female friendship power with SNL alumni Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon and frequent SNL hosts Melissa McCarthy and Thor (well, actually Aussie star Chris Hemsworth).

This quirky, captivating remake has everything one would need in a Halloween movie. The story opens with physicist Erin Gilbert (Wiig) discovering that her estranged best friend, paranormal scientist Abby Yates (McCarthy), has published their ?ghostbook? online, leading to Gilbert being fired from her job at Columbia University. When strange apparitions being to pop up in Manhattan, Gilbert, Yates and eccentric engineer Jillian Holtzmann try and prove that ghosts exist in modern New York.

To round out the new Ghostbusters, Patty Tolan (Jones) a New Yorker who knows all the creepy ins and outs of the city, and, of course, hunk Kevin (Hemsworth), who takes the dumb blond secretary persona to a new level, join the team.

Armed with attitude, spunk and Holtzman?s technological proton guns, the Ghostbusters prepare to protect the city that never sleeps from the claws of the supernatural. ? Grace Nugent

Ghostbusters (1984) This quintessential 1984 film stars original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis plus Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis in scene-stealing supporting roles. The cult classic follows a team of crackpot scientists (Ramis, Aykroyd, Murray) after they lose their prestigious positions at a university in New York City.

From that point forward, their fate is set as they decide to take up the profession that we all know today: ghostbusting.

They battle the supernatural for money, the world's most powerful commodity, and in this pursuit, they quite literally stumble into a gateway to another dimension, releasing untold evil on the residents of New York City. They find themselves fighting to save New York from complete destruction from foes like Slimer, Gozer and a certain giant marshmallow man. ? Grace Nugent

Photoby John Wardell.

Accessed on Wardell'sFlickr account. Published here with permission under a creative commonslicense.

Our official Halloween movie guide Need a pandemic-proof plan for Oct. 31? Well, cozy up and grab your caramel popcorn as N&N&Ellen present our list of fall film favorites

Girl vs. Monster (2012) This Disney flick?s signature song ?I?m Stuck In Your Head? rings true for days after watching this film. From the iconic songs to the cheesy ?Disney approved? horror tropes, this 2012 Disney original movie has everything you could want when bored at home in October while procrastinating doing physics homework, or you if you just want a hefty dose of 2010s nostalgia.

The story follows teenage Skylar (Holt), who is seemingly ?fearless?and longs to go to hot-band-guy Ryan?s (Benward) Halloween party. Skylar seems to get her wish when

Need more movies?Visit macshieldonline.comto read N&N'shandpicked must-watch list, special reviewsof TV and more.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

Ryan asks her to sing lead vocals for him when his band?s previous lead singer, archetypal queen bee Myra (Kathrine McNamara), is unable to attend.

While it may seem like sunshine and rainbows in Skylar?s near future, she discovers that her parents are, you guessed it, monster hunters (cue the dramatic Disney music). This revelation thrusts Skylar and her best friends Sadie (Kerris Dorsey) and Henry (Brendan Meyer) into a world of monsters, hormones, and China Anne McClain songs. ?

Grace

According to Linus, the Great Pumpkin rises from the pumpkin patch every October to deliver gifts to kids. According to everyone else, Linus is a blockhead.

Nonetheless, pink and prissy Sally finds herself stuck in the patch with him for 25 minutes of tricks (mostly on Charlie Brown) and treats ? the 1966 television special It?s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

In the colorful cartoon world of Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, autumn is a time, much like every other season, for shenanigans.

Homemade ghost costumes, playing (or, for

Charlie Brown, attempting to play) football and scribbled letters to the Great Pumpkin make their way to viewers? hearts as Charles Schulz?s whimsical fall time world swirls across the screen.

Now included free on Apple TV+, this Halloween classic is the perfect treat to indulge in this October. But don?t get too warm and fuzzy ? there are plenty of hair-raising, spine-chilling moments, too, like Lucy?s kiss on the lips from that dumb dog!

Good grief! ? Madelynn Niles

The Shining (1980) There's nothing like Room 237 to get the Halloween frights fired up. Whether you've read it 100 times, seen it 1,000 times or are a Shiningnewbie, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King's horror classic offers something new every watch.

Upon viewing, we are pulled into the minds of Jack (Jack Nicholas), Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd) as they prepare for a five month hiatus from the rest of the world as the winter caretakers of the Overlook hotel. As time passes, the isolation starts to fester, causing tensions within the family. As Danny begins to have "psychic" premonitions and Jack unravels as he discovers the dark secrets of the hotel, the snowy break from the world becomes a hellish experience. Warning to any younger folks or families of them: this movie is rated R and is not suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion advised. ? Ellen Fox Stillsfrom The Shining accessed on Polessi'sFlickr account.

Published here with permission under a creative commonslicense.

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All their homes are a stage McCallum actors, dancers, singers learn to modify their craft as curtains rise in quarantine SAMANTHA POWERS co-news editor, co-copy editor In a time before the pandemic, students, parents, teachers and dedicated community members came in droves to see the biannual McCallum musicals. The McCallum Arts Center was packed to the brim on show nights. Now, as the MAC sits empty in a time when it?s not safe to put on these beloved shows, performers and patrons alike wonder when and where they will get their theatre fix.

McCallum actors, singers, dancers and technicians dedicate themselvesto about 20 hours a week of rehearsals during the run of a musical.

Casts are large, often reaching about 50 students.

But with the COVID-19 pandemicmaking musicals impossible to put on safely, students have taken their craft from the stage to their computers.

Compared to the day-to-day assignments she now spends her time on, junior Grace Hickey longs for the days when she could dedicate herself to a show and see her hard work pay off. ?What I miss about musicalsthe most right now is the sense of fulfillment you get out of putting in all this hard work and then at the end we have this beautiful, shiny, gorgeous product,? Hickey said. ?Because right now, we?re putting in the work, but we have no product, and we have nothing to work towards, and it is not motivational.?

Hickey believes that McCallum athletics and McCallum arts should be using the same standard to determine when to resume in-person activities.

AISD athletics were cleared to return to socially-distanced in-person practices and games from late summer while AISD arts weren?t cleared for in-person meetings until Oct. 5. While the McCallum football, volleyball and basketball seasons are in full swing, McCallum theatre is yet to embark on any sort of in-person event. ?I know that sports are able to go back to almost normal because they?re already outside, but I think theatre should modify and maybe move outside, or to a big gymnasium, with a small cast,?

Hickey said. ?Whatever that may be, I think we deserve equal treatment.?

But the absence of a fall musical isn?t the only change the MacTheatre students have experienced this semester. The process of auditioning for collegiate musical theatre programs has also changed dramatically.

Senior Helena Laing is well-known for her participation in Mactheatre productions, often in high-profile roles, most recently prima ballerina Grushinskaya in Grand Hotel. As Laing applies to college for musical theatre, she is also adapting to a new pandemic-friendlyvirtual format. Laing said that this meansprescreens,or videossent in to collegesin order to apply for an audition,haveadded pressure. ?All of my auditions will be virtual this year,?

Laing said. ?Because of this, they are kind of holding prescreens to a higher standard which makes filming a little bit harder. Some schools that had not done prescreens before are doing them now. This process has been something that I had watched others go through and knew would be stressful, but adding a pandemic on top of it has been stressful.?

Laing said that although there is added stress with this virtual process, there are pros to balance out the cons. ?Since we have virtual auditions, I don?t have to

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Senior Helena Laing films her auditions for college musical theatre programs. Photo courtesy of Helena Laing.

Mac dance teacher Natalie Uehara hosts one of her weekly Saturday tap classes from her garage. Photo by Samantha Powers.

spend all this money on traveling to the campus, getting a hotel and getting food,?Laing said. ?This process is very very very expensive, so not having to travel to campuses, Chicago, New York and Dallas has taken a huge load off our shoulders.?

Laing also said that she is happy to be able to add some levity and fun to her audition process with out-of-the-box application elements that allow her to show off her personality. In addition to two songs and two monologues she is preparing, Laing is working on some more creative pieces that she came up with during quarantineas well. ?Some schools also ask for a pop song to get a feel for our personalityand what we like to jam out to,? Laing said. ?We also prepare a one-minute dance of any style we want. Lastly we have a wild card, which is a one-minutevideo of whatever we want. For min,eI am doinga tap number to Savage remix by Megan TheeStallion and Beyonce.?

McCallum dance teacher and dance director for the musicalsNatalieUeharais also finding creative ways to keep her craft going at home. On Oct. 17,

Uehara hosted the fourth of nine weekly tap classes through the McCallum Musical Theatre & Acting Preparatory Program, or MTAPP. The classes are open to students from ages 12 to 18 and are conductedentirely over Zoom.

Students Zoomed in to the class Oct. 17 from their garages, bedrooms and backyards and spent an hour learning rhythms, steps and combinations that catered to their multiple skill levels. Uehara said of the first tap class after a long hiatus that she loved the opportunity to see her students?faces again. ?It was so epic,? Uehara said. ?Seeing everyone?s faces again was great.?

Uehara explained that human connection is a big part of why she is a teacher, so it has been a challenge to continue to teach in a more disconnected way. ?The reason why we?re teachers is because we?re passionate about it,? Uehara said. ?And most of that passion comes from the connection with the students. When it?s a black screen, it?s like that connection is not there.?

Another way that theatre students are keeping up their craft is through a mentoring program in their after-school production class. Students may be mentored by Uehara, theatre director Joshua Denningor technical director Kristen Vandenburg.

Uehara hopes that this time away from constant rehearsals and performances for both theatre students and directors will give everyone a chance to recharge and find the right balance of workload in theatre. ?I do appreciate [that] the pandemic? feels like a little bit of a reset for everything because we were in such a grind,? Uehara said. ?And I think, especially for theatre, and just in my conversations with Mr. Denning about how hard he works, and how hard everyone in the department, including the students, works, it?s kind of like, ?OK, we can still do theatre at a high level without killing ourselves.?I think that part is good, so when we are able to go back, I think there will be a little more of a balance when it comes to that. I don?t know, but I hope.?

Theatre director Joshua Denning agrees that artists all over the world are taking this time to reflect on how hard they work. ?I think artists in general are steppingback, and taking stock and charting a new course right now, rather than just grinding themselves through the machine of the course that they thought they should be on,? Denning said. ?I think everyone?s decidingnew directionsto go in right now.?

As actors reminisce on their past performances and work thus far , they will continue to move forward however they can while confined to their homes. After all, the show must go on.

30 oct. 2020

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West remolds at-home art for all Ceramics, sculpture classes find creative ways to adapt online LUCY MARCO online co-editor in chief For Carey West, successfully teaching her ceramics and sculpture classes virtually has taken a ?herculean effort.? Not being able to walk around her studio, assisting students while they throw pots or sculpt faces out of clay, has been a challenge for all people involved. ?It takes a ton more effort,? West said. ?I am working incessantly to try and be prepared and have lessons ready, while grading.?

In her new distanced learning curriculum, West demonstrates skills and techniques through 20-minute segments, often juggling four or five different projects all at once. After 14 years at McCallum, and her 18th year teaching, West thinks problem solving would be intuitive in the classroom, ?but now it?s just a whole different jam."

Though many art classes require certain kinds of papers, paints and graphite pencils, the 3-D art department presents unique challenges because it requires materials that are costlier and harder to access. This year, the McCallum fine art teachers have collaborated to create the best and most inclusive artistic experience for everyone by assembling student art supply kits. ?McCallum High School is one of the only high schools that offers materials and supplies to students, rather than just providing you a list and asking you to purchase them,?West said.

Besides carefully creating, assembling, and distributing the art kits themselves, the art teachers also paid for the materials out of their own pockets and offered them for free to any student in need. While they are still waiting to be reimbursed, West knows the drive was important to make at home learning the best it could be no matter the student's situation. ?We were keeping in mind how to provide materials and keep it equitable so all students have access," West said.

Because she has received a district accommodation, West is continuing to teach from home to ensure her health and safety. But she sees another advantage of continuing to work from home. West believes that being ?in the same boat? as her students helps her relate to them and their challengeswith workingon projectsat home. ?If I was teaching from the classroom and they were working from their home, we wouldn?t be on the same plane,? West said. ?I have already established my studio in my garage, but you know it?s hot in there. And my house doesn?t have sink traps so I have to keep an eye on clay [going down the drain].?

The constraints of home were on the forefront of her mind as West put together the home studio kits. ?I think providing a small workable area was really in my thought process," West said, "so [the kits included] a 2 foot-by-2 foot square board where all of the ceramics world will happen for my students.?

Jamie Winter, currently a junior and a Sculpture III student, says that West has worked extensively to help students and make classwork accessible. ?I really appreciate her growing and adapting

30 oct 2020

Carey West sits in her garage studio with her dog, Lily. Since quarantine has started, Ms. West has established her workspace in her hot but functional garage. Though it's not a perfect studio, she thinks it's important to relate with her students on that level. "All of this is important that I mirror the same experience that the studentsare having,"West said.

Instead of working with clay in the classroom, students such as sophomore Camille Wilson picked up clay at the beginning of the year to do their projects from home. ?I love the idea of ceramics and have a lot of fun creating different pieces, but I think it would all be a lot more successful if we were able to work in school,?Wilson said. Photo by Olivia Escalante.

for her students,? he said. ?Going online last year was really hard for everyone, but that class especially was a struggle. She worked so hard to improve herself and her teaching just to help us, and it means a lot.?

West has discovered that working from home comes with a few upsides and a lot of challenges. While the commute can?t be beaten, there are many more interruptions. ?My dog is here and she?s very demanding," West said, "and at first I had a foster daughter, and that was distracting.?

To continue working in these conditions, West has adopted routines that keep ?some part of sanity happening" for her. This includes taking her coffee outside for a break

or pacing around her house as a new part of her thinking process. Online learning ?has transformed my home for sure,?West said.

Like many teachers today, West misses interacting with her students most of all. She feels like she?s going insane talking to herself in video tutorials and in Zoom calls, only to receive no response in return. ?I wish I could have some students talk back to me,?West said.

The workload of providing opportunities to students as they work online and pulling them off successfully also comes with a lot of effort. ?We?re not trying to overwhelm students; we?re trying to provide a good experience that is supportiveand thoroughand thoughtful,?West said.

Part of a thoughtful experience, West said, was opening up to suggestions. The ceramics teacher stresses that right now, teachers need students' feedback more than ever. ?We?re willing to take your feedback, so please provide it in a positive way because this is all new ground,? West said. ?Please extend your teachers some grace to make some mistakes and we?ll extend the same to you. Email us, tell us when you?re struggling. We don?t know, we?re not interacting with you. We?re separated by this divide and we need thoughtful and considerate input on how to adjust what we?re doing.?

Despite these current challenges, West is trying her best to stay positive. ?I think the positive thing is that we are learning skills that we never even thought would be a part of our educational experience.

Especially for ceramics,? West said. ?There are so many things that I?m doing that I never thought were part of this job, and I?ve got a lot of new skills. It?s kind of cool.?

people 13

the

shield Graphic by Anna McClellan.

TheseKnightsare majorplayerson ElectionDay Mac students show up, show out not only as first-time voters but also as election clerks, campaign volunteers and voter registration drive organizers SAMANTHA POWERS co-news editor, co-copy editor STUDENT ELECTION CLERKS Junior Zoe Rabinowitz is registered to be a student election clerk come Election Day. To apply, Rabinowitz filled out a basic application form and got permission from McCallum principal Nicole Griffith to miss school on Nov. 3 before the district made it a student holiday.

Rabinowitz said that she was motivated to get involved when she heard that the usual election clerk staff is 65 and above, a high-risk group for being harmed by COVID-19. ?I had heard that a lot of the seniors had dropped out of being election clerks this year and that there was a big shortage,? Rabinowitz said, ?and so I figured, especially amid all of the rumors and talk of the election being really unfair due to voter disenfranchisement, that I should do my part to contribute to making sure that people get to cast their votes.?

Rabinowitz feels an obligation to learn what she can about politics before coming upon voting age herself. ?I guess every generation tends to think this way, but I feel like, particularly Gen Z is going to have, and be coming into, a lot of political power,?

Rabinowitz said. ?And just based on the polls and stuff that I?ve seen so far, Gen Z tends to be kind of more left-leaning, more towards social equality and protections for discriminated groups, so I want to learn as much as I can before I come to voting age so I can, right when I turn 18, start voting and being able to actually contribute to the movements that are important to me.?

Graphic by Anna McClellan.

Graphic

by Anna McClellan.

14 people

STUDENT CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS One local candidate that has caught the eye of McCallum students is Jared D. Breckenridge, a 25-year-old college student running for election for the Austin Independent School District School Board at-large Position 8. Breckenridge is currently pursuing a teaching degree at Huston-Tillotson University and emphasizes the importance of student involvement in decisions made by their school district.

Breckenridge has enlisted the help of four McCallum students on his campaign team: juniors John Hamlet, Anna McClellan and Sarah Reyes and sophomore Julia Husted. Breckenridge also has campaign volunteers from Anderson High School and Ann Richards School For Young Women Leaders. ?[Breckenridge] has been a consistent attendee at the board meetings for the last several years and he?s been very active in his community,? said Hamlet, the Breckenridge campaign's director of community outreach. ?One of the things he would do is encourage more students to come to board meetings and voice their opinions on what happens because he feels like not a lot of students go, and that?s kind of important as they?re making the rules for how they?re going to take care of us.?

Hamlet emphasized the importance of getting involved in politics at a young age, citing protection of human rights as a personal motivation. ?I feel like a lot of people our age are like, ?Oh what happens happens, we don?t really have a say, so why should we care??? Hamlet said. ?But that is kind of the worst viewpoint to have about this whole situation, especially now when so many rights are being infringed, and the country is so divided. People are always saying that us kids, we?re the future of the country, but no, we?re the present of the country, and it?s time to start

acting like it, because the world is not going to wait for us to come and try to fix it.?

Hamlet called his generation to action with the reminder that even though many are not yet eligible to vote, they will be in a few years, and their vote will matter. ?We?re the ones who are turning 18, 19, 20 in the next couple of years, and we?re the ones who will be able to vote and make decisions,? Hamlet said. ?So it isn?t right that an entire generation, enough to swing an election, is getting pushed aside and told that we?re wrong. We need to spread knowledge and spread awareness and spread enthusiasm for public service so that more people can get involved and help their community.?

VOTER REGI STRATION DRIVE ORGANIZERS League of Women Voters volunteer Stephanie Land, librarian Jain Thompson and seniors Denali Jah and Natalie Suri hosted voter registration drives on three straight Fridays beginning on Sept.

18 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Land first had the idea when she heard about the McCallum librarians? previous efforts to get eligible students registered to vote. In order to boost those efforts, Land reached out to Thompson with the idea for a drive, and Thompson brought in Jah and Suri from the League of Women Voters Club to help.

Land explained that Jah and Suri were key players in the execution of the drive. They made an effort to get the word out by broadcasting messages about it that they wrote themselves during advisory periods. In total, they were able to help 17 voters get registered.

Suri emphasized that every vote counts. She also called her fellow students to action. ?To my non-voting peers, I would say not voting is giving in to the current state of our country because one vote can make a difference,?

Suri said. ?Voting is the only concrete way we have to tell the government what we want it to do.?

Suri?s fellow student organizer, Denali Jah, also emphasized that everyone who can vote should vote. ?Voting is important because it makes sure that everyone?s voice is heard,?

Jah said. ?If you are disconnected with the way things currently are in the U.S., it is always your responsibility to speak up and represent your views by voting for people that align with your values.

Every vote counts.?

Land appreciated the dedication that Thompson, Jah and Suri applied to organizing the drive, especially during a time when many students and teachers feel overwhelmed. ?I know how overloaded and stressed the teachers are right now, and how rough this pandemic has been on the kids, so I was both grateful and impressed at everyone?s enthusiasm and follow-through,?Land said. ?Natalie and Denali are the kind of kids that give me hope for the future.?

drive organized by Land, Thompson, Suri and Jah explained that they feel an obligation to make their voices heard. Senior Jesse Rodriguez registered to vote because he wants to make a difference. ?I really wanted to have the opportunity to have a say in what goes in our country,? Rodriguez said. ?It also feels empowering knowing that I could make a difference and possibly choose who the new president will be. ? I just hope people know how important it is to vote if they want change.?

Senior Jonah Brown, who was first in line at the Sept. 18 voter registration drive, echoed the sentiment that those who have the ability should vote. ?I believe that it is important to vote as soon as you are eligible to send a message to the candidates that they have to take into perspective the needs of young adults,? Brown said. ?Candidates might be tempted to ignore young people, but if we all vote, they will realize they need to listen.?

Senior Vanessa Lee also felt an obligation to register, citing her identity as a woman of color and the current political landscape as supporting reasons. ?It?s an obligation, especially being a woman of color,? Lee said. ?My family generations ago weren?t even allowed to vote. It?s a privilege that I can?t take for granted. Along with that, I?ve seen how the president that we have hasn?t done anything to better African Americans or women. He?s dismantled affordable health care, defunded Planned Parenthood and has given praise to those that have murdered innocent African Americans.?

Lee also opened up about some personal reasons for her motivations in this coming election that will affect her vote. ?I want to be able to visit my grandparents without worry about getting them sick,? Lee said. ?I want to be able to spend my 18th birthday with my dad without him worrying that he might give me something to get me sick from his job. ? He works at a grocery store. ?

And I want to be able to not worry about my little brother possibly getting murdered because of racial profiling.?

Rodriguez spoke for his generation with the statement that he has political motivations as well as the desire to have the political power that comes with turning voting age. ?I believe that the huge increase of people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has really motivated us to make a difference in our world," Rodriguez said. "After we?ve protested and signed countless petitions, we are finally beginning to see how much power we actually have. Now that most of us are turning 18, we?ll finally have our chance to voice our opinions.?

Senior voter Luci Borowski said that although she agrees that there is a certain sense of upheaval right now, she would still vote no matter what. ?It was just super exciting to finally get my voice heard,? Borowski said. ?I feel like this generation has so much to say but doesn?t always have the legal power to do so. ? Nothing necessarily motivated me.

It?s just something that seemed like a natural thing you do when you turn 18. Even if the world was perfect and our government didn?t look how it looks right now, I would still vote.?

--with reportingby Zazie Bryant, Bella Russoand David Winter

League of Women Voters volunteer Stephanie Land helps senior Jonah Brown register to vote. Brown plansto vote because he feels a sense of urgency about the 2020 election."I think it is always important to vote because this is a presidential election and no matter what comes out of the election, it is important to exercise your right to vote and not just sit back thinking someone else will do it for you,"Brown said. Photo by David Winter.

?Gen Z is going to have ... a lot of political power, so I want to learn as much as I can before I come to voting age so I can ... start voting and being able to actually contribute to the movementsthat are important to me.?

? Zoe Rabinowitz

REGI STERED STUDENT VOTERS Many McCallum students who turned voting age this year are motivated to get out and vote.

Numerous attendees of the voter registration

Before they turned 18 on Sept. 26, seniorsJohn and Rob Waderegister to vote at the curbside voter registrationdrive that took place in front of the Mac entranceon Sept. 18. Photoby David Winter.

30 oct. 2020

During early voting, senior Luci Borowski shows off her outfit: a graphic T-shirt paired with an "I voted" sticker. Borowski said that even if the stakes were much lower this election year, she would still feel an obligation to do her part by voting. "It?s just something that seemed like a natural thing you do when you turn 18," Borowski said. "Even if the world was perfect and our government didn?t look how it looks right now, I would still vote. " Photo courtesy of Borowski.

senior John Pratt

people 15

the

shield Graphic by Anna McClellan.

TheseKnightsare majorplayerson ElectionDay Mac students show up, show out not only as first-time voters but also as election clerks, campaign volunteers and voter registration drive organizers SAMANTHA POWERS co-news editor, co-copy editor STUDENT ELECTION CLERKS Junior Zoe Rabinowitz is registered to be a student election clerk come Election Day. To apply, Rabinowitz filled out a basic application form and got permission from McCallum principal Nicole Griffith to miss school on Nov. 3 before the district made it a student holiday.

Rabinowitz said that she was motivated to get involved when she heard that the usual election clerk staff is 65 and above, a high-risk group for being harmed by COVID-19. ?I had heard that a lot of the seniors had dropped out of being election clerks this year and that there was a big shortage,? Rabinowitz said, ?and so I figured, especially amid all of the rumors and talk of the election being really unfair due to voter disenfranchisement, that I should do my part to contribute to making sure that people get to cast their votes.?

Rabinowitz feels an obligation to learn what she can about politics before coming upon voting age herself. ?I guess every generation tends to think this way, but I feel like, particularly Gen Z is going to have, and be coming into, a lot of political power,?

Rabinowitz said. ?And just based on the polls and stuff that I?ve seen so far, Gen Z tends to be kind of more left-leaning, more towards social equality and protections for discriminated groups, so I want to learn as much as I can before I come to voting age so I can, right when I turn 18, start voting and being able to actually contribute to the movements that are important to me.?

Graphic by Anna McClellan.

Graphic

by Anna McClellan.

14 people

STUDENT CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS One local candidate that has caught the eye of McCallum students is Jared D. Breckenridge, a 25-year-old college student running for election for the Austin Independent School District School Board at-large Position 8. Breckenridge is currently pursuing a teaching degree at Huston-Tillotson University and emphasizes the importance of student involvement in decisions made by their school district.

Breckenridge has enlisted the help of four McCallum students on his campaign team: juniors John Hamlet, Anna McClellan and Sarah Reyes and sophomore Julia Husted. Breckenridge also has campaign volunteers from Anderson High School and Ann Richards School For Young Women Leaders. ?[Breckenridge] has been a consistent attendee at the board meetings for the last several years and he?s been very active in his community,? said Hamlet, the Breckenridge campaign's director of community outreach. ?One of the things he would do is encourage more students to come to board meetings and voice their opinions on what happens because he feels like not a lot of students go, and that?s kind of important as they?re making the rules for how they?re going to take care of us.?

Hamlet emphasized the importance of getting involved in politics at a young age, citing protection of human rights as a personal motivation. ?I feel like a lot of people our age are like, ?Oh what happens happens, we don?t really have a say, so why should we care??? Hamlet said. ?But that is kind of the worst viewpoint to have about this whole situation, especially now when so many rights are being infringed, and the country is so divided. People are always saying that us kids, we?re the future of the country, but no, we?re the present of the country, and it?s time to start

acting like it, because the world is not going to wait for us to come and try to fix it.?

Hamlet called his generation to action with the reminder that even though many are not yet eligible to vote, they will be in a few years, and their vote will matter. ?We?re the ones who are turning 18, 19, 20 in the next couple of years, and we?re the ones who will be able to vote and make decisions,? Hamlet said. ?So it isn?t right that an entire generation, enough to swing an election, is getting pushed aside and told that we?re wrong. We need to spread knowledge and spread awareness and spread enthusiasm for public service so that more people can get involved and help their community.?

VOTER REGI STRATION DRIVE ORGANIZERS League of Women Voters volunteer Stephanie Land, librarian Jain Thompson and seniors Denali Jah and Natalie Suri hosted voter registration drives on three straight Fridays beginning on Sept.

18 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Land first had the idea when she heard about the McCallum librarians? previous efforts to get eligible students registered to vote. In order to boost those efforts, Land reached out to Thompson with the idea for a drive, and Thompson brought in Jah and Suri from the League of Women Voters Club to help.

Land explained that Jah and Suri were key players in the execution of the drive. They made an effort to get the word out by broadcasting messages about it that they wrote themselves during advisory periods. In total, they were able to help 17 voters get registered.

Suri emphasized that every vote counts. She also called her fellow students to action. ?To my non-voting peers, I would say not voting is giving in to the current state of our country because one vote can make a difference,?

Suri said. ?Voting is the only concrete way we have to tell the government what we want it to do.?

Suri?s fellow student organizer, Denali Jah, also emphasized that everyone who can vote should vote. ?Voting is important because it makes sure that everyone?s voice is heard,?

Jah said. ?If you are disconnected with the way things currently are in the U.S., it is always your responsibility to speak up and represent your views by voting for people that align with your values.

Every vote counts.?

Land appreciated the dedication that Thompson, Jah and Suri applied to organizing the drive, especially during a time when many students and teachers feel overwhelmed. ?I know how overloaded and stressed the teachers are right now, and how rough this pandemic has been on the kids, so I was both grateful and impressed at everyone?s enthusiasm and follow-through,?Land said. ?Natalie and Denali are the kind of kids that give me hope for the future.?

drive organized by Land, Thompson, Suri and Jah explained that they feel an obligation to make their voices heard. Senior Jesse Rodriguez registered to vote because he wants to make a difference. ?I really wanted to have the opportunity to have a say in what goes in our country,? Rodriguez said. ?It also feels empowering knowing that I could make a difference and possibly choose who the new president will be. ? I just hope people know how important it is to vote if they want change.?

Senior Jonah Brown, who was first in line at the Sept. 18 voter registration drive, echoed the sentiment that those who have the ability should vote. ?I believe that it is important to vote as soon as you are eligible to send a message to the candidates that they have to take into perspective the needs of young adults,? Brown said. ?Candidates might be tempted to ignore young people, but if we all vote, they will realize they need to listen.?

Senior Vanessa Lee also felt an obligation to register, citing her identity as a woman of color and the current political landscape as supporting reasons. ?It?s an obligation, especially being a woman of color,? Lee said. ?My family generations ago weren?t even allowed to vote. It?s a privilege that I can?t take for granted. Along with that, I?ve seen how the president that we have hasn?t done anything to better African Americans or women. He?s dismantled affordable health care, defunded Planned Parenthood and has given praise to those that have murdered innocent African Americans.?

Lee also opened up about some personal reasons for her motivations in this coming election that will affect her vote. ?I want to be able to visit my grandparents without worry about getting them sick,? Lee said. ?I want to be able to spend my 18th birthday with my dad without him worrying that he might give me something to get me sick from his job. ? He works at a grocery store. ?

And I want to be able to not worry about my little brother possibly getting murdered because of racial profiling.?

Rodriguez spoke for his generation with the statement that he has political motivations as well as the desire to have the political power that comes with turning voting age. ?I believe that the huge increase of people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement has really motivated us to make a difference in our world," Rodriguez said. "After we?ve protested and signed countless petitions, we are finally beginning to see how much power we actually have. Now that most of us are turning 18, we?ll finally have our chance to voice our opinions.?

Senior voter Luci Borowski said that although she agrees that there is a certain sense of upheaval right now, she would still vote no matter what. ?It was just super exciting to finally get my voice heard,? Borowski said. ?I feel like this generation has so much to say but doesn?t always have the legal power to do so. ? Nothing necessarily motivated me.

It?s just something that seemed like a natural thing you do when you turn 18. Even if the world was perfect and our government didn?t look how it looks right now, I would still vote.?

--with reportingby Zazie Bryant, Bella Russoand David Winter

League of Women Voters volunteer Stephanie Land helps senior Jonah Brown register to vote. Brown plansto vote because he feels a sense of urgency about the 2020 election."I think it is always important to vote because this is a presidential election and no matter what comes out of the election, it is important to exercise your right to vote and not just sit back thinking someone else will do it for you,"Brown said. Photo by David Winter.

?Gen Z is going to have ... a lot of political power, so I want to learn as much as I can before I come to voting age so I can ... start voting and being able to actually contribute to the movementsthat are important to me.?

? Zoe Rabinowitz

REGI STERED STUDENT VOTERS Many McCallum students who turned voting age this year are motivated to get out and vote.

Numerous attendees of the voter registration

Before they turned 18 on Sept. 26, seniorsJohn and Rob Waderegister to vote at the curbside voter registrationdrive that took place in front of the Mac entranceon Sept. 18. Photoby David Winter.

30 oct. 2020

During early voting, senior Luci Borowski shows off her outfit: a graphic T-shirt paired with an "I voted" sticker. Borowski said that even if the stakes were much lower this election year, she would still feel an obligation to do her part by voting. "It?s just something that seemed like a natural thing you do when you turn 18," Borowski said. "Even if the world was perfect and our government didn?t look how it looks right now, I would still vote. " Photo courtesy of Borowski.

senior John Pratt

people 15

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Fishies take on the big Zoom sea Class of 2024 begins its secondary school experience in the virtual arena MARLEY ANGLE staff reporter Freshman year is difficult enough: now imagine transitioning into high school while trying to endure all that McCallum has to offer through a screen.

For most, high school is magical, hectic, and challenging all at the same time. With distance learning, the ninth grade class is having to adapt to new ways of being productive, social, and attempting to have a fun high school experience from home. This is an ambitious task, but students are still finding ways to safely do all of the above, and many are relived that at least they are all going through the same situation together.

One of the biggest disappointments shared by the freshmen is not being able to experience all that makes McCallum so special. ?As a new cheerleader, I am disappointed that pep rallies have been canceled,? freshman Hannah Vanoution said. ?But I am hopeful that we will still be able to cheer at the football games.?

Football games seem to be a common event that are missed by everyone. ?Something about being at a football game where everyone is so hyped up is just so much fun,? freshman Lanie Sepehri said. ?It feels like there are lots of school traditions that revolve around football games, so I'm sad I won't get to experience those.?

Students find that sports and other programs McCallum offers are a great place to start making friends and getting involved. ?I made varsity, and I am very lucky to meet a lot of amazing upperclassmen that made me feel included and happy,? freshman volleyball player Gella Andrew said.

Due to COVID however, a lot of programs have been unable to continue as normal. ?I am playing tennis," Sepehri said. "We got clearance to play, although we have to wear masks the whole time, which is sort of hard to get used to.?

Hopefully, this means that sports practices are beginning to resume as normal and that possibly music programs and theater productions are close behind.

One routine that hasn't changed about the new school year is the excitement of meeting new teachers. There is something extra special about getting a teacher that is beloved by your peers, or maybe that a sibling had before you.

Sepehri has one of those teachers. ?My grandmother used to babysit for Mrs. Ashton when my dad was growing up so it was quite the coincidence that I ended up getting her as my teacher,? she said. I like Mrs. Ashton. Geometry is a harder subject for me but she explains it well.?

With online school, it is important that students have things that motivate them.

Without the physical school environment, it can be very easy to get caught up with home distractions. Yes, of course, it is nice to be in the calm environment of your home where you have unlimited snacks and can hang out with your pets all day, but this also may contribute to an ineffective work environment. ?It?s really hard for me to stay motivated in online school,? Sepehri said. ?Since we are not physically there, it?s just not the same pressure for me to get things done on time. There are

Freshmen Alice Scott and Lanie Sepehri focus in on some backyard-studying,a socially distant set-up allowing the two to get a weekly dose of social interaction. ?We meet in one of our backyardsonce a weekand do homeworktogetherand talk,"Sepehri said. "I usuallyget a lot done workingthosesessions,and it?snice to havea social aspect to school.?Photocourtesyof Sepehri. still due dates, but it doesn?t feel the same as when you have to hand something in to your teacher, and to be honest, it all feels a little pointless.?

Along with the feeling that school is a little less important now that the dynamic has changed, Zoom seems to be a difficult platform to adjust to. Many students feel that the amount of time they are expected to spend working on computers is not only not ideal, but harmful. ?I got really bad Zoom fatigue the first few days; I got a bad headache and my eyes hurt a lot from being on Zoom all day, so I am not the biggest fan of that aspect,?Sepehri said.

There is also the challenge of inequitable access to the internet, devices, and other school accommodations.

Although the district is doing its best to actively solve these issues, they still affect students daily and add more unnecessary stress.

Despite these often overwhelming drawbacks, students are finding creative ways to stay positive. Just like classic school supplies, everyone has their must haves when it comes to online school.

They can be simple, like gum or a full water-bottle, or for Gella Andrew, one specific snack: honey crisp apples. ?I love honey crisp apples, they are the bomb! They help me focus on my school work,?

Andrew said.

As for Sepehri, she swears by her bullet journal. Bullet journals are customizable planners that offer students a creative way to stay organized. ?Not only is it therapeutic and calming to plan out the spreads and color them,? Sepeheri said, ?but it's also very helpful for keeping

?As a new cheerleader, I am disappointing that pep rallies have been canceled."

? Hannah Vanhouton

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track of my assignments.?

Sepehri also likes to listen to calming, chill songs, and light candles that help her remain calm and focused.

Since students can?t inhabit the halls of McCallum this year, they are also having to get creative on ways to remain socially active. Some students are lucky to have friends from previous years, but most freshmen, on the other hand, are starting from scratch. Gella Andrews enjoys using FaceTime to connect with her fellow freshmen and catch up with each other.

Other ways of socializing include private Zoom sessions with friends, socially distanced events, or, in Sepehri?s case, study groups. ?I am in a study pod with a couple of girls,? she said. ?We meet in one of our backyards once a week and do homework together and talk. I usually get a lot done working those sessions and it?s nice to have a social aspect to school.?

Another challenge of online school is the lack of physical assignments. Some work well with digital tests, assignments, and homework. Others struggle with staying organized and knowing all they have to do.

With physical assignments, students can spread everything out in front of them and see what needs to get done. ?I?ve been taking physical notes in actual notebooks,? Sepehri said. ?It's so much more helpful to write things down for me. I feel like I'm digesting the information a lot better when I take physical notes rather than just typing something out.?

This year has been a difficult one for many students. School is mentally taxing enough without personal health being a constant concern. School is some people's safe space. It is where they can see the people they care about and who care about them.

With everyone working together to stop

Freshman cheerleader Hannah Vanhouten and junior cheerleader Jenevie Anderson pose for a picture post-practice. Vanhouten and her team are continuing to practice while abiding by health codes to ensure everyone's safety. ?Something about being at a football game where everyone is so hyped up is just so much fun,? freshman Lanie Sepehri said. ?It feels like there are lots of school traditions that revolve around football games, so I'm sad I won't get to experience those.? Photo courtesy of Vanhouten. the spread of COVID, and make the most of online or socially distanced school, hopefully all students will be able to return to the classroom experience and what it means to be a McCallum Knight .

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Kidding around about online school A third-grader and first-grader?s take on virtual learning, time travel, everything in between MADELYNN NILES a& e editor, co-copy editor If third-grader Jackson Baugh was the host of his Zoom classes, he would mute everyone forever and ever and open the chat whenever he wanted.

"That would make online school much better,? he said, and his little brother Nate couldn?t help but agree.

"First grade is harder than kindergarten,?

Nate said. ?All the talking gets really confusing.

It goes blah blah blah, it?s crazy.?

The boys started school, like McCallum students, with online learning on Sept. 8.

Jackson has three classes a day. Nate claims he has 47, including writing on the wall and stabbing snake fangs classes, but his brother says he really has two.

Both boys agreed that the first day was ?kinda nervous-y.? ?The first day was like? ? Jackson frowned and stuck out his tongue, ?like that.?

Jackson?s favorite class is science, but reading is a close second. ?I never go on MackinVia, though,? he said. ?I only read real books.? When asked the criteria for a Jackson-certified real book, he replied simply with Harry Potter. (Favorite character: Harry, favorite part: the stabbing scene in the second book.) ?They?re the best books,? he said. ?We read a chapter a day.? The boys like everything about Harry Potter, especially the violent parts. They even reenacted a scene on the spot to prove this, and recalled that phoenix tears heal you, which is valuable information people should really keep in mind.

Nate said his classes can get pretty silly. ?I saw someone named Sawyer walking around in his underwear on Zoom once,? he said wit h a laugh. When asked what t he teacher said, his brot her Jackson responded wit h: ?He was probably like ?That ?s some cool underwear.??

Nate giggled for minutes about this answer before his brother politely asked to move to the next question.

If Jackson could go in a time machine before the coronavirus outbreak, he would speak directly to the School Guy, who is the man that invented school. ?I would say ?Oh, no, you should not make school, it can cause COVID!??What is COVID??, he?ll ask me. ?Oh, it?s a virus that can kill everyone.?? He paused. ?Then there would be no school forever!?

Jackson threw his arms up and smiled a huge smile to celebrate this outcome, and his little brother joined in.

Also on the list of things they would do with a time machine: talk to mommy and daddy when they were younger to make them like video games more, and save Jurassic Park for their own personal dinosaur zoo.

Nate added that if he had super strength, he would pick up his whole house with one hand (after taking out their Nintendos), but his brother reminded him that they were supposed to be talking about school, not superpowers.

Nate giggled.

"Okay, I?m done being silly,? he said. ?Give me another question? everyone gets a second chance!?

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TAKING A CLOSER LOOK: Nate Baugh earnestly peers at his first-grade friends during a Zoom call regarding rhyming words and syllables. The way Nate sees it, school just isn't the same without seeing his friends in real life. ?I wish my friends Griffyn and Caleb would zoom through the Zoom and out through my computer, then I?d see them in my room," he said. "But I'm only left with this sausage." Nate then held up a piece of sausage and giggled so hard he nearly fell over. Photo by Madelynn Niles.

OH BROTHER: The Baugh brothers strike a silly pose between classes on a Friday morning. If the two could say anything to the readers of The Shield, Jackson would say "sup,"and Nate would inform everyone that he is "the overlord of Zoom and the newspaper."

Photo by Madelynn Niles.

??I wish my friends... would zoom through the Zoom and out through my computer!"

? Nate Baugh Nate went on to discuss his technological situation. He doesn?t like using his iPad on account of him having to tap everything. He?d rather it do everything for him. ?And my favorite class is reading. And breaks. And recess.?

He smiled at just the thought of it.

Nate misses his friends most of all. School just isn?t the same without them.

"I wish my friends Griffyn and Caleb would

zoom through the Zoom and out through my computer, then I?d see them in my room,?

Nate said. ?But I?m only left with this sausage.?

Nate held up a piece of sausage from the kitchen and giggled so hard he nearly fell over.

If the boys could say anything to the readers of The Shield, Jackson would say ?sup,? and Nate would inform everyone that he is ?the overlord of Zoom and the

?Third grade online is pretty easy. Now second grade, that was challenging."

? Jackson Baugh newspaper.? And if it had to be something positive, they would let everyone know that they can?t see them, but that they?re probably wearing a cool shirt.

And as for online school, despite missing the real deal, the two feel pretty confident about the rest of the year.

Especially Jackson. ?Third grade online is pretty easy,? he said. ?Now second grade, that was challenging."

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Always on the clock At home, teachers with children find themselves working two jobs ALICE SCOTT staff reporter Zoom class has started. About half of the cameras are on, including yours.

Of course it?s on.

The chat?s gone dark during the back-andforth battle between BLEND and breakout rooms. A student uses the raise hand icon, you wonder what they could possibly have a question about, because class has barely gotten started.

Then, almost on cue, your child starts screaming. It?s the afternoon, also known as nap time. But you can?t put her down for a nap. You have to keep teaching. ?I have to be in two mindsets at once,? said Kristen Cerame, a ninth-grade science teacher. ?It's managing your work and your responsibilities at the same time. And there are things I have to compromise and things I can?t do right away.?

Distance learning has brought a number of new insights into the lives of teachers and students, including the unexpected adjustment to just how personal Zoom classes have become.

With school taking place inside of bedrooms and kitchens instead of inside a traditional classroom, both students and teachers are learning to navigate school inside a location where it was never meant to be held. ?I'm so used to just focusing on my students, and now I have to focus on my kid too,? said Telvi Altamirano-Cancino, a McCallum Spanish teacher. ?And I think that [I?m] just being transparent with my class with everything. I'm inside your house, and you're inside my house.

And you know, if my kid appears, and I need a minute, then that's just what it is. And if something is going on at your house where you need a minute, I hope that I have translated to my students that we can step away from the screen. I hope that they know that. That's just part of distance learning now.?

Teaching has never been the easiest profession. Even without the added pressure of caring for their own children, teachers faced the issue of still bringing material to their students in a creative and meaningful way. ?It?s definitely a challenge,? AltamiranoCancino said. ?I'm a very interactive teacher.

And I'm so used to being face-to-face and doing activities. I like to do a lot of kinesthetic activities in my class. And I can't now. So it's been just trying to figure out how I can move those activities that I'm so used to doing in class into a screen.?

As teachers adapt to an unfamiliar situation, their new job description is a time-consuming balancing act that involves finding a way to manage a classroom while taking care of their own children and teaching their students simultaneously. ?It looks exhausting,? said Addie Seckar-Martinez, the daughter of McCallum art teacher Jeff Martinez and math teacher Angie Seckar. ?They have to make their curriculum all online while also figuring out ways to keep their students engaged.? ?I have no free time,? Cerame said. ?It definitely takes a toll on you. But I am very concerned about well-being and mindfulness and so I do get those breaks. And on the weekends, on Saturdays, it?s no computers. It?s my family day. So Saturdays are solely me and my family and our well-being.?

Although the uncomfortable realities of Zoom teaching add to the already full workload that teachers face, they remain committed to their work. ?They are working so hard to make sure students succeed and it?s taking a bit to get

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Taking a ride around their neighborhood, Telvi Altamirano-Cancino and her children enjoy their evening family time. Photo courtesy of Telvi Altamirano-Cancino.

Taking a break together, science teacher Kristen Cerame and her 13-month-old daughter Caylee pose for a photo. Photo courtesy of Kristen Cerame.

?There's a time to be strict, ?There are things I have to there's a time to try to be the compromise and things I perfect parent that you were can?t do right away ." ? Kristen Cerame before. But right now is not the time." ? Telvi and cuddle and get my lovings all day.?

Altamirano-Cancino comfortable with Zoom and all the technology, but I think they have gotten a routine down at this point.?Seckar-Martinez said.

And while their parenting has to take the backseat at times, they still find moments where they can steal the joy of being at home with their children. ?The success is just spending all this time with [my daughter],? Cerame said. ?That is amazing. And whether it's a screaming fit here or there, it's so nice to be with her all day long.

It is a balance between the times when she?s being a baby with her meltdowns. But then most of the time, she's wonderful, and it's just so nice to see her and feed her and hold her

As teachers work to find this balance between work and life, they try to stay positive. ?I think we have to remind ourselves that this is temporary.? Altamirano-Cancino said. ?And that this is not the time to be so hard on ourselves as parents. I know I have so many rules as a parent that I have to be OK with breaking during this time. I think trying to be that strict parents that you're used to being during these times will only cause a lot of stress. It's temporary; there's a time to be strict, there's a time to try to be the perfect parent that you were before. But right now is not the time.?

Teachers are resilient. By adapting to the challenges of this unprecedented environment, they have proved that while the situation is different and challenging, it isn't unmanageable.

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Clear eyes, full heart Bryan Webb may not be the most tech savvy coach, but he more than makes up for it with thoughtful leadership and a love of the game ALICE SCOTT staff reporter The first game of the season ? third quarter, McCallum is down by 14.

Suddenly, there it is. The football, soaring across the field, the Austin skyline peeking out from behind it above the House Park Stadium.

Bryan Webb, the newest addition to the football coaching staff, watches carefully. ?Nobody is going to catch that ,? he thinks.

But the ball doesn?t hit the ground; instead, JD Jordan clutches it in his hands racing toward the end zone to score his first touchdown of the season ? McCallum?s first touchdown of the season.

What happened next is what Coach Webb loves most about football. ?[He had] this look on his face: he was so excited, so elated,? Webb said. ?Being part of something bigger than myself, it's so much fun, it's like a family feeling. [When] I go to school, I'm around the coaches and kids and it's like, it's a different kind of family.?

After seven years of teaching, Bryan Webb has seen a lot. Two weeks in and he already feels like McCallum is different ? with a community of teachers willing to advocate for their students and work to ensure they make the best possible learning experience available. ?I think it's got a really strong culture,?

Coach Webb said. ?Here it feels like the teachers are trying to build something that's more than just school. Even with the zooms, I think people really care about this place and that's what matters.?

The community he has found at McCallum has allowed Coach Webb to give 100 percent even through the challenges he faces. With drills and practices in the unrelenting Texas heat before the cooler temperatures of fall roll in to signal the start of the season, Coach Webb has shown that he?s ready and willing to put in the time and effort needed to build the relationships for a successful season. ?A good coach is one that pushes you to be better and also forms a bond with you,? sophomore defensive tackle and running back Miles McCollum said.

The bonds he?s forming are making for clearer communication. Head football coach Thomas Gammerdinger spoke to Webb?s constructive coaching style. ?He?s not a big yeller,? Gammerdinger said. ?He is more of a teacher on the field. If someone makes a mistake, he usually pulls him off to the side and makes the correction.?

Webb worked as the football coach at Silsbee High School, about 100 miles northeast of Houston, before joining the McCallum staff. He had been talking to Coach Joshua Amy about possibly coming to McCallum, and when Coach Ray Amaro retired, he began to take the offer more seriously.

He was visiting his girlfriend in Round Rock over spring break when school got canceled due to COVID-19. This prompted an interview with Coach Gammerdinger on Zoom. Shortly after, he was hired. ?That's kind of how I ended up getting here,?

Webb said. ?I came up in March for spring break and haven?t [gone] back.?

30 oct. 2020

During Friday'sgame against LibertyHill, Coach Webb relaysblocking schemesto offensive linemen Johan Holmes, Braeden Price, Lukas Bednar, Joel Bourgeoisand Cooper Borman. Right guard Connor Boggswas not on the sideline because he was in the game on defense.Photo by Dave Winter.

Since eighth grade, Gabe Adame knew he was destined to be a teacher. To find out how he knew and how he became a teacher, please visit macshieldonline.com. ? Kate Boyle But coaching and teaching this year has been unfamiliar territory. With online school and masked football practices, Coach Webb has had to make adjustments to his usual teaching style. ?I'm more of a kinesthetic learner, and I like it in person,? Coach Webb said. ?I?m not the most technologically savvy guy in the world, so it's just more prep. I [have] to make sure everything's ready for y'all, and there's still kinks and little things that get kind of messed up.?

Coach Webb has learned many new skills to adjust to online learning ? spending evenings and weekends learning the platforms of BLEND and Zoom along with hours of time preparing lessons ahead of his PE classes and other school responsibilities.

It has been challenging, but he has also learned new concepts he hopes to continue to include in his teaching as we transition back into in-person learning. ?The SEL stuff is new to me, so I?m trying

to incorporate more of that ,? Webb says. ?I think mental health is a big deal. And I've never even thought about it before in a classroom. Even though it's PE, I try to make kids more comfortable because you don't know what they're dealing with at home, so I think that could be something really good moving forward that I could incorporate in my classes.?

The transition into a new school is difficult, but Coach Webb has enjoyed it. He appreciates the help he has received from faculty and staff, and he especially appreciates the positive attitudes he has experienced with students. ?I really like it so far,? Coach Webb said. ?They're the best kids I've ever been around when it comes to doing what they're supposed to and being respectful.? ?He is such a good coach,? senior running back Andres Rodrigues-Antadillas said. ?Although he is new, my relationship with him is really good. I trust him, and he always has something supportive to say that makes me better as a player and man.?

Coach Webb knows the unusual circumstances of this year won?t last forever.

Even though he?s facing a situation that is different from anything he?s done before, one thing is still the same ? Bryan Webb loves football. ?It?s kind of like waking up on Christmas,?

Coach Webb said. ?There's so much anticipation for the games, and the games are so much fun. And when you win those big games, you see all the preparation and all the work show itself on a field on Friday night. It's like opening Christmas presents and getting the best present in the world.?

Meet the new Maculty Ar yn Mur t ha didn?t always know she wanted to be a teacher. But after 10 years of working in the tech industry, the new graphic design teacher realized she had only ever been happy helping kids. ?I thought about jobs I had whereI actually enjoyed going to work and it was education,?

Murthasaid. ?Findingcreativeways to make education fun for kids was what I loved. With my design background, I decided teachingdesign would be a great fit.? ? Tallulah Wilson Before college, Owen Zupanc's career path wasn't clear to her. ?I was kind of lost during high school," Zupanc said. "I wasn?t really sure what I wanted to do, what I wanted to achieve.

I?ve always known I wanted to be in a field where I could help people, but I didn?t know I wanted to teach until my senior year of high school. My sister, Avery, has autism, I spent most of my life teaching and learning from her. I volunteered in her special education classroom in high school. I felt so happy there." ? Esme Moreno Startingher first year as a teacher assistant in the Deaf and Hard of Hearingprogram, Rober t Reed wants peopleto know she caresabout what she does. ?I have seen a lot of kids where some people think they?re not capable of doing certain things and the key is this, just the matter of being patient with that kid and giving them love and being there for them,?

Reed said. ? Sofia Ramon Char lot t e Favr in's story starts in the French capital. ?I grew up in Paris, in the city center,?she said. ?My elementary school was very close to lots of famousplaces, and it was cool to go on field trips, like the Louvre.?

Favrin moved to Austin after studying in Paris. During her studies, she traveled and worked in a French school located in Cuba and also in the French Embassy in the Dominican Republic. ? Lily Prather For completestories, visit macshieldonline.com.

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Knights grieve, celebrate Ginsburg Passing of trailblazing Supreme Court justice prompts local, national examination of her life, legacy GRACE NUGENT

In addition to being one of the only female law professors of her time, Ginsburg was the first female law professor to receive tenure at Columbia.

Photo from the Library of Congress.

online co-editor in chief She may be known in the history books as the breaker of glass ceilings, an advocate for LBGTQ marriage equality and a trailblazer for women?s rights, but Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was more than that, especially to McCallum students. Despite her small stature and appearance, the justice had a larger-than-life personality, influencing movies, books and a Kate McKinnon SNL impression.

It?s worth noting that she was a terrible cook and that she failed her driver?s test five times before finally passing. While these may seem insignificant when remembering someone, it's not always the great accomplishments that bring joy, but the small details that portray a person. In the words of RBG herself, ?you can?t have it all, all at once.?

The 87-year-old feminist icon and cultural phenomenon died surrounded by her family due to complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg had been battling multiple ailments since beating colon cancer in 1999 and its reoccurrence a mere 10 years later. In August of this year, she underwent a three-week radiation treatment for pancreatic cancer. In December of 2018, she had two small tumors removed from her lungs that were discovered after she suffered broken ribs from a fall the previous November. On Friday Sept. 18, the cancer took her life.

Through her career on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg served for 27 years, taking her Supreme Court oath on Aug. 10, 1993 after being nominated to the high court by President Bill Clinton.

But she was breaking barriers long before that. Ginsburg graduated top of her class from Cornell University in 1954, the same year she married Martin Ginsburg. Martin was already enrolled at Harvard Law when he was drafted for military service and upon his return, the two continued their studies together at Harvard.

The couple?s adventures and hardships while at Harvard and beyond can be seen in the Mimi Leder-directed 2018 movie, On the Basis of Sex, starring Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer as Ruth and Martin respectively.

While at Harvard Law, Martin was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and Ginsburg took on the challenge of helping her husband with his schooling while also attending to her studies and navigating motherhood.

Her challenges at Harvard didn?t stop there as she also had to deal with a male-dominated environment.

In Ginsburg?s first year she was one of only nine women in her law school class. She and her female peers were even asked by the dean to state a good enough reason for taking a spot that could have been filled by a man. ?I went to law school when women were less than three percent of lawyers in the country; today, they are 50 percent,? Ginsburg said in a 2019 interview with NPR. ?I never had a woman teacher in college or law school.?

Ginsburg became the first female member of the Harvard Law review, and after Martin?s graduation from law school, Ginsburg and her family moved to New York where she finished her schooling at Columbia. Despite an exceptional academic record, Ginsburg struggled to find a job due to the gender-based discrimination rampant in the '60s. She was

A tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg placed outside the Supreme Court during one of the many vigils held around the country.

Photo by Yash Mori.

Republished with permission.

McCallum drawing student Tasia Withrow's portrait of Ginsburg for Ana O'Keefe's virtual art class. finally hired by U.S District Judge Edmund L. Palmieri, and later joined the Columbia Project on International Civil Procedure. There she made a name for herself by becoming a professor at Columbia University, directing the influential Women?s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union during the ?70s, and fighting not only for women?s equality but also to end gender-based discrimination for all.

Her story has inspired many McCallum students, and her death has only amplified student?s belief in Ginsburg and what she stood for. ?I think everything she?s done throughout her career has been revolutionary,? junior Mia Gomez said. ?She?s helped women gain rights that were initially thought of as ludicrous. She had a passion for helping people and made such a big impact on America.?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or the Notorious RBG as she is so affectionately known, has become a cultural icon and a trailblazer, not only for McCallum students but also for women and people all over the world. ?Ruth Ginsberg taught me that you should never stop fighting for what is right,? junior Elle McRae said. ?She went from a lawyer for ACLU women?s rights to bringing justice [to those] who had been discriminated against by the law for ages on the Supreme Court.?

Other Knights expressed similar sentiments about the late justice. ?She has been an inspiration to me because she fought so hard for people to have equal rights,? freshman Francesca Dietz said. ?She never gave up, even when people told her she

?When I think of RBG, I think of perseverance and change.?

? senior Caitlin Mitchell

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wasn?t good enough or couldn?t pursue law because of her gender.?

Marches and memorials, Instagram tribute posts and salutes via Twitter have all been used as vehicles to commemorate the life and legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

French President Emmanuel Macron turned to Twitter to call Ginsburg a ?truly exceptional woman,? who ?fought for justice, gender equality and the respect for fundamental rights.?

Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and a former presidential candidate praised Ginsburg, referring to her as ?a titan of justice? whose ?example now shines within the history of our country, there to inspire generations."

Her loss was not just felt in the tumultuous world of politics. USWNT star Megan Rapinoe and tennis legend Billie Jean King praised the justice on her fight for equality. SNL cast member Kate McKinnon, who portrayed Ginsburg paid tribute to her during the season premiere of SNL on Oct. 10.

The outpouring of social media support included many within the Mac community, and we reached out to those students like senior Caitlin Mitchell for interviews for this story. ?As a woman in 21st century America, she has had such a profound impact in the last 30 years on women?s rights in the workplace and our right to both be family builders and working women,? Mitchell said. ?When I think of RBG I think of perseverance and change for the better, so her image gives me a lot of hope and pride in my gender and what we?ve fought to accomplish as far as equality goes in the last few decades.?

Mitchell also said that RBG helped break the stigma around the societal dilemma of the ?housewife or working woman.? Through her work as a lawyer and a judge, RGB changed the

For more stories about RBGand a gallery of 21 sketches of the late justice, visit macshield online.com.

Sketch by Carrie Anne Murfin. landscape of gender expectations so that both women and men can have a healthy balance of family and work experiences.

Senior Ari Miller-Fortman agreed regarding the importance of women?s rights in society and RBG?s pivotal role in the fight for equality and women in politics. ?My rights mean a lot to me,? Miller-Fortman said. ?With the time and circumstances we live in now, I?d say women?s rights should be important to everyone. Seeing women, or people in general, who support politicians that don?t ref lect support for women?s rights is disappointing. It?s sad how often we see those kinds of people in the U.S. alone.?

While the loss of the 5-foot-1 justice will be felt by many, her legacy will live on in history books, in the words and minds of those dedicated to preserving her memory and the lives of everyday highschoolers who felt the impact of her political activism. ?Her legacy will live on forever,? McRae said, ?I hope that every member of society, especially young women and members of the LBGTQ community will be inspired to continue fighting for equal rights and continuing her legacy. She is a champion and an American hero.? an hero.?

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Tita takes on World Class Kayak Academy While on a break from Mac, junior works on his ?steezy kayaking?with ?the best people?

OLIVIA CAPOCHIANO staff reporter If you take a trip to Alex Tita?s Instagram, you will find a multitude of videos of the former McCallum student kayaking through white water rapids. In one clip, Tita is thrown off a cliff by the rapids and hits the water perpendicularly.

For a moment, he is completely submerged, with only the tail end of his bright orange kayak visible. Then, the kayak emerges belly up, with Tita underneath. In the final second, Tita rolls up, triumphant.

Ten weeks ago, Tita decided to enroll in World Class Kayak Academy. Now he spends his days in Banks, Idaho, where the school is based. He sleeps in ?an old shutdown high school," takes his classes outside, and spends the afternoon kayaking in the local river. The boarding school allows 16 committed young kayakers to improve their paddling skills by learning from professionals, all while working towards their high school diploma.

As daunting as nine months living in the woods of a new state sounds, it?s normal for Tita. In fact, he spent last summer living in Washington and working at a kayaking company. ?It?s weird," Tita said. "It?s like having a lifetime of summer camp."

A day in Tita?s perpetual summer camp currently consists of waking up at 6:30 a.m., an hour of early morning workout that consists of ?anything from yoga to cross fit," breakfast, academics, kayaking, homework, and, finally, retiring back to his room which he shares with four other students. ?I only get six hours of sleep most nights,?

Tita said. ?It?s a lot of structure, and there?s no free time. It can be brutal. You have to love kayaking.?

On the weekends, the physics and history lessons are carried away by the currents as the students of the World Class Kayak Academy take to the river rapids. Excursions like the groups' six day overnight trip on the "gnarly" White Salmon River provide extra opportunities for the kayakers to improve their craft. Tita says his goals are ?mainly to run bigger rivers...and getting [his] skills better.?

For Tita, it hasn?t been all smooth sailing. So far, his nearest brush with death has been on a rapid called Bob?s Falls. ?I was held in a hydraulic for over a minute,?

Tita said, describing a dangerous current that sucks water under a rock ledge. ?It traps you just below the water and drowns you.?

Tita?s friend and fellow student at the Kayak Academy, Gavin Jostad, captured the moment on video. In the video, Jostad spots Tita caught underneath the water and paddles to shore, where he pulls a rope out of his kayak. As Jostad readies the rope, Tita loses the kayak to the current and begins to swim. While ditching the kayak makes it easier to fight the hydraulic, it can be more dangerous. ?In most situations you try as hard as humanly possible to stay in the boat because it?s not usually the hole that kills you, it?s the rapid after it,? Tita said. ?I knew that the deeper the hydraulic pushed me under the more likely I

30 oct 2020

Alex Tita, a junior at the World Class Kayak Academy, paddles down the lower White Salmon River in Banks, Idaho. "This is one of our everyday sections," Tita said, "I am taking a boof stroke over Steelhead Falls."

Tita poses for a photo with his kayak.

Students at the World Class Kayak Academy take classes in the morning and kayak in the afternoons. Photos by Kalob Grady.

wasn?t going to pop up alive.?

Jostad throws the rope a few times, but Tita never successfully catches it, and the video ends before he escapes the hole.

Fortunately, with a little bit of luck and a lot of effort, Tita was able to escape the hydraulic and make it to shore.

Thankfully, not every second in the Kayak Academy is an extremesport, even if the days are stacked with AP classes. Each of Tita?s classes, which are taught by professional kayakers who tend to have a degreein environmentalscienceor engineering or sometimes both, have about two to five students. ?It?s easier to learn [at the Kayak Academy],? Tita said. ?I love the teachers, they?re all super stoked and fired up about what they teach. We get to focus more on what the students want to learn.?

Perhaps surprising to the average high school student, Tita?s favorite class is physics.

Another lesson the school teaches is life skills, although not directly. At the Kayak Academy, the students are responsible for keeping the school running just as much as the teachers are. ?All the kids cook and clean here. I cook two days a week,? Tita said, who claims his specialty dish is ?whatever comes from Costco.? ?It?s a community school. If the team doesn?t work, the school doesn?t work.?

The World Class Kayak Academy also lives up to its name by incorporating world travel into the structure of the school year. This year, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, and the U.S. West Coast are Tita's classrooms. The goal for these destinations is to ?take advantage of some unique field trips and learning

opportunities...with a place-based education few schools can offer,? as stated on the Academy?s website.

Tita is most excited to travel to Chile, but assures that ?Ecuador is definitely going to be sick too.? Specifically, Tita is looking forward to the FutaleufĂş River, which crosses the Chile-Argentina border. ?It?s a super awesome spot in the southern mountains of Chile, with amazing class 5 white water,?Tita said. ?It?s a great opportunity.?

Unfortunately, COVID-19 has dampened some of their plans. The school still plans to travel, but they won?t be able to experience the local culture as much. ?Usually we would be connecting with the community, but Corona makes it hard,? Tita said. ?We?re trying to keep our bubble of 28 people close this year.?

The Pandemic was also part of the reason Tita decided to attend the World Class Kayak Academy. ?I wasn?t looking forward to Mac online school,? Tita said, ?and while we can?t leave the campus here, I?m always busy.?

Tita plans to return to McCallum for his senior year, and then continue on to college, but he?s ?taking it as it comes.? Until then, Tita will continue working on his ?steezy kayaking? with ?the best people.?

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shield SophomoreRachel Nabhanjumpsup to hit the ball over the net, earninga point for the junior varsityteam at their Oct 13 match against the LASA Raptors, which the JV team won in two sets.Photoby KennedyWeatherby.

The members of the varsity team throws their rip-off pants in the air before their home game against Navarro on Oct. 6.

Varsity has a number of traditions when getting ready to play home games, and the pants are one of many rituals. ?We have a whole bunch of traditions,'' senior Bridget Russo said. ?We listen to music, we do our approaches and hit the M in the hallway, and we also dive under someone?s legs. I don?t know how long we?ve done them, but I hope they keep getting passed along.?

Photo by Jolie Gabriel.

The freshman A team huddles after scoring a point against LASA. The A team beat the Raptors, 2-0, on Oct. 13. Photo by Kennedy Weatherby.

Shortened season better than none After pandemic threatens to cancel season, Knights return to court with hopes of playoff victory LILY PRATHER staff reporter Last year, the volleyball team walked onto courts with a crowd full of people all shouting and cheering for the same reason. Now, that crowd has disappeared- so has the shouting, so has the spirit. Athletes all over the country are missing this experience because of the worldwide pandemic, and though they will not get the crowded stands they once had, the McCallum volleyball teams are thankful to be getting their season back despite COVID-19.

Varsity Coach Amy Brodbeck explained that even though their season is continuing, it still remained affected by COVID. ?Dynamically I think they understand what's going on,? Brodbeck said. ?They know that it's all about safety. So they've adjusted and done really well with that.?

Before they could play their regular season, though, the athletes had to give up a lot of their usual summer events. Tryouts were held in late August with mandatory temperature and health screenings before playing, as well as wearing masks and social distancing off of the court.

Summer COVID-19 safety measures also restricted the teams from having their usual preseason and freshman camps. Losing a normal summer was a challenge. ?That was probably the most disappointing thing for these seniors, especially the cutting down of our season,?Brodbeck said. ?We had an overnight tournament at Bryan-College Station, and it was more of a bonding thing. We always try to do something where we bond as a varsity team. They definitely wanted to be a

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part of that and to play different people.?

During preseason, the team plays other schools that are non-conference (not the normal line-up for their season). Preseason takes place in the summer and serves as a great way to build team dynamics. ?I miss preseason games the most,? varsity senior Sophia Olivares said. ?They gave us a lot of playing time and practice for the teams in season. It also allowed for the team to bond before the season started so we could play stronger, but I feel like we are still bonding pretty well regardless.?

For the Class of ?21, it is their last year at Mac and their last year as a team. Olivares is a varsity outside hitter who has played volleyball for six years and says that this is her last, save some beach volleyball on her own time.

Olivares is similar to the other seniors in that this is her last chance to play the sport they love before graduating. ?I think we are just trying to adapt to the situation at hand while also keeping in touch with our team traditions and dynamic,?

Oliveras said. ?I feel like the season is very similar to my past ones, but we are just trying to make sure everyone is safe.?

While Olivares is among the older players on varsity , freshman Cate Thoden is one of the rookies. This is her third year playing but her first at McCallum. Adjusting to a new team, new school and new coaches is hard enough without having to deal with only seeing half of people?s faces. ?Tryout s were a lit t le tougher wit h t he mask. When I t ried out for t he team I was super ner vous,? Thoden said. ?It ended up being not as bad as I t hought and was super fun.?

"Our secondaryteams are just as strong as our first team. ...

Hopefully, they'll get some more playing time as the year goes on. I really am impressed with this team as a whole."

? head coach Amy Brodbeck Thoden remembers watching McCallum varsity games in middle school, and said that's what inspired her to try out; she loved how competitive it all was. To Thoden, when watching a varsity game, communication is something that stands out; calling plays and different balls is key, and it helps to understand each other off the court as well. ?We all get along super well,? Thoden said. ?It makes it a little easier to play on the court together, instead of not really talking to each other. I already knew a couple of people from Lamar on the team, but everyone was super nice and super easy to get along with even though we have known each other for barely three weeks.?

Thoden has confidence in her team and is excited to see what they can bring to the court. ?I hope we all get stronger at playing volleyball and to be able to really know the court and which ball is yours to get.?

Although the season is different for everyone- varsity, freshman or coach- the opportunity to play at all is a major accomplishment. ?I know that the seniors are excited about

it,? Coach Brodbeck said. ?They know they want to be successful, and just being able to come to school and see each other, the social aspect is there too. You don't really get it so much in their Zoom classes and their online classes. The fact that they could come together and be able to talk with one another and continue to improve their volleyball skills is like a blessing in disguise because they were ready to get out and do something.?

The girls are improving their skills with each game. The main goal of the varsity team is to win district. They haven't gotten past the first round of playoffs in 11 years. Last year, the varsity team got close to winning the first round match, but fell short in the final set. This year, the coaches and girls are ready to give it their all. ?I feel like our varsity team not only is having returning players, but we also have a phenomenal bench,? Brodbeck said. ?Our secondary teams and so forth are just as strong as our first team, and I'm so excited that they're on this varsity level to get that experience.

Hopefully, they'll get some more playing time as the year goes on. I really am impressed with this team as a whole.?

30 oct. 2020

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Kn igh t spor t s r ou n du p Cross country reaches peak performance at Del Valle

Senior outside hitter Sophia Olivares (7) goes in for the kill against the rival Anderson Trojans.

Freshman Adrian Shiguango-Holtz's time of 19:53 was good enough for second place in the boys JV race, a mere 10th of second off the winning pace at Del Valle on Saturday.

Photo by Thomas Melina-Raab.

Senior captain Preslie Boswell serves the ball to the Crockett Cougars at the Lady Knights game on Friday, October 16th.

Photo by Jolie Gabriel

Trojanssweep season series with Mac After a frustrating 3-1 road loss to the Anderson Trojans on Sept. 25, the varsity volleyball team anticipated Tuesday's rematch as a chance to even the score. The Knights competed well in the first set, matching the Trojans point for point through most of the set the start of the first set, before faltering at the end, 25-18. The second set was the second verse of the same song, as they Knights lost the set, 25-19.

Up 2-0, the Trojans looked for the straight-set sweep, taking an 18-11 lead.

The Knights dug deep at that point, outscoring the Trojans 15-6 to take the set, 26-24, and make a match out of it.

The Knights came out fired up in the fourth, nearly gaining a 10-point lead, but the Trojans faught back to tie the score at 22-22. The teams traded the next six points to make it 25 all, but from there the Trojans closed out the set and the match, 27-25 and 3-1. ?I?m proud of us for pushing and coming back to play four sets," senior outside hitter Sophie Olivares said. "Anderson is a good team, but I truly believe we should have beat them. We were so close in that fourth set with an insane 10 point lead at one point, but we got intimidated and lost our shot.

Overall, I feel like everyone played amazingly, and I?m really proud.?

At 8-3 in district play, the Knights are two games ahead of Lockhart (8-5), solidly in third place but looking up to district leaders Ann Richards (11-0) and Anderson (10-1). The Knights look to regain their winning form when they face Travis Friday night at home. ? Kennedy Weatherby

Junior safety Jake Hissey celebrates a fumble recovery inside the Knights 20-yard line after Liberty Hill's fourth down attempt.

While the Panther offense put 278 rushing yards on the Mac defense the unit held Liberty Hill to one fourth-down conversion in five attempts. "We made some sloppy mistakes," Hissey said, "but they are a really good team with a good offensive scheme.

Gave us a lot to learn."

Photo by Grace Nugent.

30 oct 2020

The Cross Country team had another successful meet at Del Valle on Thursday. For the first time all year, the varsity boys got to race first. Despite race conditions Chris Riley was able keep up a torrid pace with time of 16:27 and a first-place finish.

Following Riley's victory varsity girls runners Helena Finos finished 12th with a time of 22:11, and sophomore Julia Husted at 15th at 22:30.

The JV boys race was close with the top two runners finishing literally within a millisecond of each other. Adrian Shiquango finished second at 19:53, coming up short of first by a tenth of a second.

The JV girl capped off the day where Sydney Safarik jumped out with an early lead and dint look back. Safarik finished first with a time fo 22:51, almost two minutes ahead of another runner.

The team was able to come away with three medals and a slew of successful times for some of the members. ? ThomasMelina-Raab

Tennis team ends fall season with bi-district loss The tennis team completed its fall season on Monday with a 10-2 bi-district playoff loss to Pf lugerville, the No. 1 seed from District 18-5A. The Knights earned the right to play the Panthers by placing fourth in the District 17-5A tournament the week before. The team entered the tournament seeded No.3 after winning three dual matches against district opponents Lockhart, Navarro and Crockett earlier in the season.

The Knights opened the district tournament with a 10-0 beatdown of Navarro, which advanced the Knights into the Final Four of the tournament. ?This team is the best we?ve had in all the years that I?ve been here,?Bobby Currie said. ?We always had a few good players but now we?re all pretty good.?

Currie and his teammates were optimistic heading into the semifinals but after losses to eventual district champion LASA and third-place finisher Lockhart, the Knights finished fourth, good enough to advance to bi-district during the fall team tennis season.

Junior Lily Christie said that she has seen a positive shift in the team dynamic this year and enjoyed the chance to get closer to her teammates during the fall season. ?We?re a lot more tightly bound this year, mostly because it?s our Freshman Isabella Aleman-Ward serves during her match against LASA in the only social interaction,? she said. ?We have a lot more chemistry, district semifinal.Photo by Liliana Rodriguez. and we?re all getting to know each other a lot more.?

The team faced a couple of adjustments. They not only had to adjust to coronavirus restrictions but also to a new head coach, former assistant coach Christopher Purkiss. ?Purkiss is great,?Christie said. ?He transitioned to the role of head coach really well.? ?He?s doing a good job of navigating COVID-19,?Currie said. ?He and Coach [Andrew] Cooke have been really good about being safe. Screenings, temperature, masks, distancing, all that stuff. They?re handling it really well.? ?I?m so pumped! At the very least we?re gonna achieve our personal best,?Christie said before bi-district.

Christie and company will be back on the courts in the spring for the individual tennis season. ? Evelyn Griffin

Panthers pounce on visiting Knights The varsity football team opened up district play with a 42-0 road loss to the Liberty Hill Panthers on Friday at Panther Stadium. The Knights were scheduled to play Marble Falls the week before, but it was postponed, and the week of practice leading up to the game was also canceled.

The Panthers offense sprinted to the line of scrimmage out of the huddle and used decoys on each play so it appeared as if two of three different players might be the ball carrier. The scheme helped the Panthers run effectively. Liberty Hill gained 278 rushing yards for the game. While Liberty Hill outgained McCallum on the ground, the Knights won the air battle, amassing 120 passing yards to the Panthers' 24. The biggest offensive gains came through the air from junior quarterback Jaxon Rosales to junior wide receivers Brock Fanning and Nate Davidson.

"We may have gotten beat but we played as a team really well," Davidson said. "We also passed the ball a lot better than last week."

Senior corner back and captain Jake Allison agreed but looked ahead to this week's game.

A hard week of practice, he said, would help the team succeed Thursday against Navarro.

"We got to be consistent but we played with a lot of courage," Allison said. "We never backed down even when we were losing and I'm proud of that." ? Grace Nugent

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Winning on court starts with bond off it Team co-captain Brienna Martinez cherishes moments with senior teammates most of all The Shield: What got you int o volleyball?

Brienna Martinez: I have always been around the sport because my older sister played too. I would watch her practices and games, and when I was old enough, I started to play myself. I first played in a league at the YMCA and did some camps. Then I started playing on my club team, Total City Sports, in sixth grade and am still playing volleyball there. I also played my seventh and eighth grade years at Kealing Middle School.

TS: What has volleyball t aught you over t he year s?

BM: Volleyball has taught me good teamwork skills because that?s an essential part of the game. We each have roles to fill on the court, and when we do our part, we can come together as a team and be successful.

TS: How has volleyball shaped your high school car eer ?

BM: Volleyball is a big part of my high school career. During the school season, I would play volleyball Monday through Friday and had weekend tournaments in preseason.

When high school volleyball was over, I would practice twice a week for club volleyball, with tournaments on the weekends. I love the sport, and I never felt as if I was missing out.

TS: Do you like being a capt ain?

BM: Yes, I like being a captain, and I love being co-captains with my favorite teammates.

It is an honor to be one.

TS: How is being a capt ain dif fer ent f r om just being a player on t he t eam?

BM: Being a captain is extra responsibility and puts us in a leadership position, especially for the underclassmen.

Our coach comes to us for input on some things, and we make some decisions for the team, like what jersey we wear for home games, etc.

TS: What is challenging about being a t eam capt ain?

BM: I wouldn't say it is challenging, but coach expects a lot from the captains, like working extra hard at practice and being a leader to the other players.

TS: What have you lear ned f r om playing at a var sit y level?

BM: Playing at the varsity level has way higher expectations compared to the freshman and JV teams. I have learned to have better commitment, discipline and patience.

TS: What is challenging for you about t he t eam's cur r ent sit uat ion (r egar ding COVI D-19)?

BM: One of the most challenging things is that we don?t have fans at our games. Some parents get to come, but only at home games.

Everyone on the team can agree that fans help keep the energy and excitement up, which helps us play better, so we have to make up for that on our own.

TS: How is t he t eam's at mospher e dif fer ent f r om past year s?

BM: We have a lot of new varsity members with different personalities, mixed with the returning players. We haven?t got to bond as much as previous seasons, so we?re still trying to learn to play together.

TS: What ar e some of your expect at ions for t his season?

BM: I think we have a strong team this year.

I want to get first in district and make it past the first round in playoffs.

TS: What ar e some of your coach?s expect at ions for t his season?

BM: I think coach [Brodbeck] has the same expectations: getting first in district and winning our first playoff game. I also believe she wants to prepare the underclassmen for future seasons since we have nine seniors this year.

TS: Do you t hink t hat it is impor t ant t o have a st r ong t eam bond in or der t o be successf ul on t he cour t ? Why/ Why not ?

BM: A good team bond is one of the most important aspects because volleyball is a big team sport. If we have good team dynamics, we're more comfortable with each other when playing, and it builds our trust.

TS: I f so, how do you build t hat t eam bond, especi ally wit h all of t he r est r ict ions f r om COVI D? BM: We haven't gotten to do any out-of-practice team bonding, so we try to utilize practice to get closer to each other. We also have a group chat where we can bond out of volleyball.

TS: How is t he t eam making t he best out of t he t eam's sit uat ion, given t he cir cumst ances?

BM: We are keeping our attitudes positive and focusing on winning our games. Even though our season was cut in half, we are grateful that we get one.

TS: How has playing at McCallum changed you as a player ?

BM: It has given me new experiences and new challenges I have had to overcome. It made me more versatile in my skills, I came in as a setter, and now I'm a libero/ defensive specialist.

TS: What do you like about t he Mac volleyball pr ogr am?

BM: My teammates, especially my fellow seniors, have made this a delightful experience. I'll miss them the most when we all go to college.

TS: What is your favor it e memor y from playing at McCallum?

BM: I've had so many great memories. One of my favorite memories would be in junior year when we went to an overnight tournament in Kerrville. That was when our team truly bonded, and my favorite part of the trip was our inside jokes. [That junior season team] is my favorite team I have ever played with.

TS: What is your pr oudest moment f r om playing at McCallum?

BM: My proudest individual moment was getting District Defensive MVP junior year.

My proudest team moments are winning first place in the silver bracket at a tournament junior year and winning a challenging game against Anderson sophomore year.

TS: What ar e you most excit ed about t his season?

BM: I am excited to play with my team for one last season and have fun. I'm also excited about making playoffs, and hopefully, this year will be when we make it to the second round. ? interview by Kennedy Weatherby

"We each have roles to fill on the court, and when we do our part, we can come together as a team and be successful."

? Brienna Martinez

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Brienna Martinez bumps the ball to one of her teammates in the Lady Knights' game against the LASA Raptors. "A good team bond is one of the most important aspects,: Martinez said. "If we have good team dynamics, we're more comfortable with each other and it builds our trust." In the first varsity meeting between Mac and the newly independent LASA, the Knights prevailed, 3-0. The JV and freshman A teams also won. Photo by Kennedy Weatherby.

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Bogus regulations not fraud disrupts democracy One ballot drop-off per county is blatant act of voter suppression

POPPY GRIMSLEY-RIDENOUR guest columnist

TOBIN WINE staff reporter The state of Texas is one of the toughest states in the country to vote in, and that?s no accident. Restrictions, rules, and systems have been put in place to reduce voter turnout and disqualify votes, under the guise of preventing voter fraud and upholding the credibility of the election. While these actions are always classified as safety and security measures, in reality, they are more effective as tools of voter suppression and are continuously used to disrupt elections in Texas.

Voter suppression is defined as any action that prevents or discourages certain groups of people from voting. Government officials use voter suppression to stay in power by blocking the votes of people who are likely to vote against them.

Historically, Texas has always lagged desperately behind other states as far as voter turnout. In the 2016 presidential election, only 42.6 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. The 2018 midterm elections saw a slight increase in turnout, enough for Texas to rise to the 42nd ranked state for highest voter turnout. Even with this rise, this still puts Texas in the bottom 20 percent of state voter turnouts.

Restrictions that make it more difficult to vote help contribute to this lack of participation.

Compared to Maine?s standards, the nationwide leader with 72.8 percent turnout, Texas?s registration and voting systems are much more rigid. In states like Colorado that have historically had higher than average turnout, all eligible voters are mailed an absentee ballot, and any valid ID is accepted at the polls. Here in Texas, the process gets a little more complicated.

IDs must be one of seven specific photo ID options, or you risk being turned away. As for absentee ballots, if you plan on being out of town during the voting period, you must apply for one in advance.

One would think that during a global pandemic, the government would go to greater lengths to give citizens more options to exercise their right to vote in a safe, convenient manner.

Instead, Texas politicians, largely Republican incumbents, have seemingly embodied the opposite priority. Texas polls show that voters are split almost evenly between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican incumbent Donald Trump, the two current presidential candidates.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has begun to make restrictions that target highly populated areas like Houston and Austin- areas with a higher number of voters who lean Democratic.

Recently, he has ordered the closure of many mail-in ballot drop off sites, purposefully creating an obstacle for many voters in these urban areas.

The order restricts counties to one drop-off site each. Not only does this create problems for people who live far away from their county?s drop-off site, but it also bolsters the risk of spreading and contracting COVID-19, especially in urban areas that are highly populated.

Abbott has also made restrictions on mail-in ballots tighter, forcing many voters to brave the polls and a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

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Reflecting on the perils of online school

Cartoon

by Anna McClellan.

Unless a voter has an illness, is overseas, is in jail (but still allowed to vote) or is over the age of 65, they must vote in person and risk exposure to the virus.

When a lawsuit was filed against the order on the grounds of voter suppression, the Texas supreme court upheld the governor's decision. They claimed that Abbott's order provides more options for voting than the election code and ?does not disenfranchise anyone.? These restrictions, however, make absentee voting or voting by mail a less attainable option for many, leaving in person voting, and the risk that comes with it, the only readily available choice.

The fear of voter fraud that is used to justify these restrictions is legitimate but exaggerated. While there are some instances of voter fraud coming to light , there aren?t enough to warrant such heavy restrictions, especially ones that create more obstacles to voting during a pandemic. Dr. Brian Smith, a professor of political science at St . Edwards University, told KXAN that ?The amount of [voter fraud] tends to be very, very small,?

and in Texas?s case, not nearly enough to swing an election the size of the general presidential race.

Voting should be accessible to all, not just to those who agree with those in power. Any person living in the United States has the right to vote safely and without intimidation. By restricting voting drop-offs, Gov. Abbott is working to take away the rights of U.S. citizens and limit participation in our democracy. His actions, therefore, should not stand.

Unfortunately, there is no remedy for the issue of voter suppression in the 2020 presidential election, or a better option for voting on the way anytime soon.

For Texas anyways, the time to comfortably cast a ballot by mail is over. All mail-in voters who have not yet sent their ballots in should instead drop them off at any polling place so that your voice will still count.

Dropping off your ballot can also save you some time and risk of exposure. In the meantime, the best way to combat voter suppression is, ironically, to vote and what's more to make sure your vote is counted.

I haven?t at tended in-person school in 202 days.

This year, my schedule starts every day when I wake up between 7 and 8. I get dressed and eat breakfast, set up my computer and school supplies, and wait around if I have time.

Then, as class starts at 9, I?m in for a day of Zoom meetings and activities on Blend. I get out at 4:40. If I?m lucky, the Zoom classes won?t be long, and I?ll have free time to work on my own before the next period begins.

It?s hard to express just how different school is this year. Not only is everything online, but I?m transitioning from eighth grade to high school. Plus, many of my favorite parts of school are gone. I no longer have much chance for exercise during the school day as there are no classes or buildings to walk between. Consequently, I?m more restless during the day and less motivated in the evenings. Working through my assignments feels burdensome, like a heavy weight has been placed upon my shoulders, and it?ll be lessened a little when the day is over.

Another part of school that?s pretty much been eradicated for me is the socialization.

When I wasn?t enjoying in-person school at times, I kept going because it meant seeing friends and having fun. Now, most of my real social interaction comes from messaging friends outside of class.

Since virtual school isn?t a very socialization-friendly environment, I don?t really know many of my classmates. I don?t even know everyone?s names.

My favorite part of school is asynchronous learning since I can work at my own pace.

However, this is a bit of a double-edged sword since I tend to put big projects off when I don?t get some class time to work on them.

As for my least favorite parts of online learning, buckle up, because I have a lot . For one, guitar class is infinitely harder. We can?t practice as a class due to the audio delay, and it ?s harder to get specific help on a minor problem.

Another issue I have is with the structure of the schedule. It seems like they?re trying to recreate in-person school without all the pieces that made it enjoyable and convenient.

I wish teachers could understand that it ?s difficult to do a lot of Zoom classes and interpret vaguely-worded assignments, especially right off the bat . It is especially hard to keep your camera on all of the time.

Personally, showing my face on camera all day activates a lot of my anxiety. I?m always hyper- aware of the way I?m looking, and it ?s generally exhausting.

I hope after the pandemic, people will continue to wear masks, especially during flu season. Another change I?d like to see is the introduction of a more organized online system. Even during fully in-person school, it?s good to have a place where all the assignments are listed so things won?t be forgotten or missed and virtual assignments can be turned in easier.

Distance learning has definitely changed my outlook on school and learning in general. I wasn?t enjoying in-person school a lot last year, especially right up before quarantine started. Now, though, I wish I?d appreciated it more.

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It's time to back off, not speed ahead We want to go back more than anything, but if we rush it, we risk wasting precious time Cartoon by Anna McClellan

SHIELD STAFF We?re not ready to take the next step in reopening schools.

Pressure from the Texas Education Agency?s threats to cut funding has prompted the district to advance on their school reopening phase-in plan. Starting Nov. 2, in-person students, who are currently learning in small, confined learning groups, will begin rotating between their classes as they would in a normal school setting.

This plan comes from a place of concern for student?s educational needs but will end up causing even more problems. Absent from the plan are the two things we need to prioritize right now in the reopening debate: safety and sustainability. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the only way we can effectively return to a conventional school system is if we can minimize the spread of COVID so that safety isn't at risk when social distancing can't be guaranteed.

With COVID cases continuing to rise nationwide, coupled with weather cooling off and flu season lurking right around the corner, the risk of spreading the virus is already greatly multiplied. Add in shared classrooms and hallway traffic during passing periods, and this risk becomes much higher. When students begin rotating classes in person, athletes, who already have high contact with other teams will be unable to stay in specific "team pods," and will be in contact with much wider circles within school.

Safety aside, this plan puts teachers who are already spread-thin in an even more difficult position, where they will not only be teaching to a Zoom screen, but to in-person students as well.

A responsible return to in-person learning is a hefty task during an unprecedented and unpredictable time. But, while virtual school is definitely the safer option, it doesn't come without drawbacks of its own. If they haven't already, parents and students alike are starting to feel the negative effects of virtual learning.

It?s been almost seven months since McCallum students have been in a conventional classroom setting. The technological inequities, mental health strains and educational quality concerns that come with online school have raised valid concerns. Without the interactive aspects of

school, students are missing out on emotionally formative learning experiences.

This is especially troubling for the transitional years? kindergarten, sixth grade and freshman year? students go to school not only to learn the curriculum but to learn how to collaborate and interact with their peers. As we get older, school helps us develop a sense of independence and self-sufficiency that is critical to our growth into successful adults.

Online school simply cannot provide this as well as in-person school can.

These are issues that must be addressed as quickly as possible, but rushing the process of reopening now is not the way to do that. For

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one thing, more exposure now will surely lengthen the time that we spend in this gray area between quarantine and post-COVID life.

While there is deliberation between where to go from here, most everyone can agree that this current lifestyle isn?t working. If we take the next steps too quickly, we?re going to continue to perpetuate this awkward state, lengthening the time left to endure the challenges of a global pandemic.

For now, we need to rekindle the same urgency we had back in March, when we seemed aware of the gravity of our situation.

Instead of spending time and money on the logistics of returning in-person, AISD should

focus its efforts on giving teachers the resources to continue to create a positive virtual experience for their students. While in-person learning helps to combat the inequities of virtual school, switching classes is an unnecessary risk for all involved.

In the end, no amount of money or planning on behalf of the district will excuse the fact that advancing in-person school, especially in a critical time for the virus, is not a safe option. So please, TEA, stop putting us in greater danger by forcing schools to pretend we are in post-COVID times when we most assuredly aren't. Let us all stay safe so we can return to school without risk to our health when the time is right.

A.N. McCallum High School 5600 Sunshine Drive Austin, TX 78756 (512) 414-7539 fax (512) 453-2599 contact.macshield@gmail.com

editors-in-chief ELLEN FOX AND BELLA RUSSO assistant editors advisers ALYSA BIJL-SPIRO, EVELYN GRIFFIN, LUCY MARCO, ANNA MCCLELLAN, GRACE NUGENT, MADELYNN NILES, SAMANTHAPOWERS,THEOROE, ELISHA SCOTT JENA WEBER DAVE WINTER reporters MARLEY ANGLE, EVIE BARNARD, KATE BOYLE, JOSIE BRADSBY, OLIVIA CAPOCHIANO, THOMAS MELINA-RAAB, CALEB MELVILLE, ESME MORENO, JESSICA MONTOYA-MORENO, CARRIE ANNE MURFIN, LILY PRATHER, SOFIA RAMON, LYDIA REEDY, ALICE SCOTT, JAVIER VELA, LOKI WILSON, TALULLAH WILSON The Shield is published by journalism students in the newspaper production class.

Although students work under the guidance of a professionalfaculty member, the student staff ultimatelydeterminesthe content.

Students may not publish material that is obscene, libelous or that which will cause a ?substantial disruption to the educational process.?Content that may stimulate heated debate is not included in this definition.

26 editorial

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.

Letters to the editor are encouraged and must be signed. Positive identificationmay 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 informationthat may stimulate heated debate will be published.

Letters that contain malicious attacks on individual reporters, the adviser or the principalwill be rejected.

Anyone interested in purchasing an ad should contact adviser Dave Winter at (512) 414-7539. Ads published in The Shield do not necessarilyreflect the opinionsof the staff.

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

30 oct. 2020

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30 oct. 2020

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5600 Sunshine Drive Austin, Texas 78756 MACJOURNALISM

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We are a pleased to introduce to our print edition ....

"Fish"

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by Kai Kirkham We post a new strip every Friday to our website, macshieldonline.com.

Subscribe to Kai by installing the Source App available in iOS and Android app stores.

30 oct. 2020