26 minute read
Shield reporters take a journey across Austin to five different taco locations, rating each on taste, presentation, ambiance and cost
An informal Capital of Texas taco tour Some tortillas are luckier than others. Read this review to see which tacos shredded the competition. shield the
OLIVIA CAPOCHIANO staff reporter With avid taco eaters Bella Russo and Ellen Fox by my side, I was ready for the Battle for the Best Taco to begin. In one corner, corporate chain Taco Cabana; in the other, food trucks, Arlo’s and Kitchen for the Soul, and opposing them, local franchises Tacorrido and Taqueria Los Jaliscienses.
For a chain with taco in the name, the taco selection was lackluster. The tacos come naked, not even a shred of lettuce to grace the chicken fajita. For 40 cents, add vegetables. For free, add salsa.
“The salsas are free, but in reality they take away value from the taco.” Russo said. “They’re watery, bland and do not make up for the fact that literally nothing but meat is inside the $3 taco.”
As recommended by our cashier, the steak taco was above average. Simply put by Fox, “It delivers.”
The brisket taco chosen by myself, was below average. Flavor and texture were hardly stunning.
“This is a lot of tortilla. The meat-tortilla ratio is off,” Fox said.
Taco Cabana provided the bare minimum to us. It reminded me of what a serf would eat in the 1500s if they were lucky, an unflavored carbohydratemeat combo. We deserve better in 2020.
The ambiance, however, was better than at other fast-food restaurants. The patio was nice and offered an unbeatable view of Lamar and the empty lot next door. The undeveloped field is a picturesque break from the industrial mess of the street. The bustle of the Lamar and North Loop intersection provided calming white noise adjacent to rain sounds.
Taco Cabana rated on taste is underwhelming. However, the location is great. Points for proximity to school. If you’re looking to catch lunch during the 40 minute allotment, Taco Cabana is fine, but if you have other choices, we wouldn’t recommend it.
As we opened our tacos in Russo’s Honda Odyssey, they seemed to glow with natural light. It might have been 1 p.m., but these tacos were experiencing golden hour. The al pastor taco in particular was arresting, with colorful reddish meat. “A little spicy, a little tangy,” Fox said. “That’s a good taco.”
The barbacoa was delicious as well. Covered in cilantro and onion, this taco is a classic.
“Not too crazy but that is enough for a great taco,” Russo said.
The chicken fajita was our least favorite. The chicken was chewy, and the simple toppings did not save it.
“Maybe it was just my bite, but I didn’t love the chicken fajita,” Fox said. “In general, it was good.” The atmosphere of Tacorrido doesn’t stand out, but its proximity to McCallum is stellar. We made it back with time to spare.
Tacorrido is relatively cheap, although the tacos are small. Compared to other Austin meals, they’re cost effective.
After searching the drag for “Cool Beans,” an unfindable vegan food truck, we found ourselves sitting down at the picnic tables next to Arlo’s. Arlo’s is a plant-based food truck stationed next Spider House Cafe.
First, we struggled with the price and content of the taco. We ordered the “Street or Chik’n” taco, which included a meat substitute called seitan. We later learned that seitan is pure gluten, much to the dismay of our gluten-free reporter. I still do not understand what “Street or Chik’n” means. Is “Street” a different taco than “Chik’n”? Look, I hate vegan food as much as the next guy, but the seitan taco was delectable. Perhaps to make up for the lack of meat, the substitute was beautifully flavored. The accompanying chipotle ranch was so good that Russo took it home. “I’m not missing the meat,” Russo said. “Wait, I’m actually impressed.” Fox said. “And the corn tortilla is freaking good,” Russo added.
Two tacos for $7 was certainly a reasonable price, especially considering the quality of our meal.
a&e 1313 feb. 2020 Across from Arlo’s was another plant-based food truck, Kitchen for the Soul. The jackfruit al pastor taco was almost absurd.
Inventive, I would say. It was definitely the farthest away from a traditional taco out of all the sampled meals.
The first thing that stood out about the $8 tacos were the ingredients. Shrouding the jackfruit was a heaping of avocado, sprouts and a sweet sauce.
The jackfruit mimicked meat in texture but not in taste. If you haven’t had jackfruit, it’s reminiscent of pineapple.
Fox thought that the taco was much too sweet.
“There’s a lot happening here,” Russo added. “The presentation is good until you get to the bottom, and it looks like the Krabby Patty that killed the inspector in SpongeBob.”
The sweetness of the cooked fruit overwhelms the taco, so it’s more of an innovative salad than anything else.
I personally have no beef with this taco, considering there’s no meat. The chef just took creative liberty with it.
As for ambiance, I find it important to point out I could distantly hear the buzz of a tattoo needle from next door.
Is that a health code violation? I looked down to realize I had begun eating without pausing to photograph the barbacoa taco in its full glory.
It was just too tempting. The tacos, barbacoa, al pastor, and chicken pechuga, were all good. They were pretty average tacos.
“It’s very much like a stewed meat,” Russo said about the barbacoa taco. “It’s very fatty.”
“It’s just a chicken taco,” Fox said about the pechuga. “It really is just a chicken taco.”
The corn tortilla from Los Jaliscienses was light but didn’t crack. It complemented our tacos well. The highlight of Taqueria Los Jaliscienses was the horchata, which was served in a gargantuan Styrofoam cup that looked like a prop from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
That cup had a larger gravitational pull than Pluto.
In taste, the horchata had a distinct cinnamon flavor.
All in all, Taqueria Los Jaliscienses was an average authentic Mexican restaurant.
The winner of the McCallum taco tour is Arlo’s. Arlo’s was impressive in terms of creativity and taste. If you’re wallet is feeling light and you don’t want to be late to third period, however, Tacorrido might be your best bet. TACO ABOUT A DREAM STORY ASSIGNMENT: (1) The chicken pechuga taco from Taqueria Los Jaliscienses, located off Airport Boulevard. (2) Plant-based jackfruit tacos from food truck Kitchen for the Soul. (3) Chicken taco from Taco Cabana. (4) The chicken, al pastor and barbacoa taco from El Tacorrido. (5) The vegetarian taco made of seitan from Arlo’s food truck. Photos by Olivia Capochiano. 1 2 3 4 5 Taco Cabana El Tacorrido Arlo’s Kitchen for the Soul Taqueria Los Jaliscienses
Baughman titled Teacher of the Year shield the Students, colleagues praise forensics teacher for her innovation, differentiation and empathy
KRISTEN TIBBETTS & DAVE WINTER editor and adviser The response to Ms. Hosack’s announcement that the faculty has voted Ms. Elise Baughman to be the 2020 Teacher of the Year has drawn widespread approval from students in her forensics science classes.
Senior forensic science student Henry Winter touched on some oft-mentioned themes when he shared why he thought Baughman deserved the TOY nod.
“You can tell she cares,” Winter said. “She genuinely tries to make the class the best possible environment for her students to learn in.”
As an example of her efforts to differentiate her classroom so her students could succeed Winter mentioned one Baughman innovation: the playlist, where students can choose the sequence of activities and how much emphasis they place on each one.
“The playlist allows students to do [activities] in any order they want and [to do] whatever they think will help them out the most,” Winter said. “It’s very cool.”
Another forensics student, senior Ella Irwin also mentioned the playlists as an example of how effective she is as a teacher.
“She makes time for every student to have check-in with her, where we are able to ask her for help or ask any questions we might have,” she said. “I think that’s a good example of how she cares for each of her students as individuals and really wants to make sure we understand the material.”
Irwin also said Baughman brings an enthusiasm to the classroom that sets her apart. “One of the things that I think that makes Ms. Baughman such a special teacher is how much energy and work she puts into her lessons and labs,” Irwin said. “As a student I always have felt supported and cared for by Ms. Baughman. She believes in each of her students and gives them all her time and energy in helping them to be successful.”
Junior Nadine del Gallo echoed the same refrain in her assessment of Baughman’s teaching. “She’s very helpful and she always tries to interact with you,” del Gallo said, “and she makes the class very accessible and easy because it’s on Blend. All the quizzes are on Blend. All the notes are on Blend. And if you ever have a question, you can come in during lunch and she’ll help you. I’ve had so many questions, but she’s always been able to answer them.”
Senior Janael Copeland also said that Baughman cares about more than just how her students perform in class.
“She continuously checks on her students to make sure they’re doing OK both inside and outside of the classroom,” she said. “She’s extremely open-minded to feedback from her students on how she can better help them with their work.”
Copeland also emphasized Baughman’s ability to connect with her students.
“She’s also able to joke around with her students and have a good time during class and
Wearing a cap to honor Jackie Robinson, Baughman explains the procedure for a forensics lab to senior Sam Sherrill. “[Baughman] believes in each of her students and gives them all her time and energy in helping them to be successful,” senior Ella Irwin said. Photo by Dave Winter.
Elise Baughman receives her Teacher of the Year certificate from principal Brandi Hosack and assistant principals Tamara Stone, Larry Featherstone, Andy Baxa and Sophia Sherline. Photo by Dave Winter.
seems to always be in good spirits,” she said. “She’s by far one of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and I’m very glad to have her as a teacher.” According to athletics director Thomas Gammerdinger, Baughman is as kind with her coworkers as she is with her students.
“First of all, Ms. Baughman is awesome and was my original nomination for [Teacher of the Year],” he said.
Baughman has allowed the football team to use her classroom for Tuesday and Thursday morning meetings.
“We have morning meetings ... to install offensive and defensive schemes,” Gammerdinger said. “She has graciously allowed us to use her room to teach these things in an academic setting.”
Baughman’s Teacher of the Year award reflects the fact that not only her coworkers, but her bosses appreciate the work that she does.
“Today is your day,” Hosack told Baughman when presenting her with the award on Jan. 21. “We want you to be celebrated for all that you do.”
Hosack stated that she hears good things from both students and faculty about Baughman, and that has had the opportunity to see them for herself. “Continue to do what you do because we are in awe every time we come into your classroom,” she said. “Thank you for being amazing.”
Mrs. B gets an A-plus
“Ms. B always makes sure every student is set up for success by providing the resources for every unique learner to do their best.”
—senior Lilah Guaragna
“Her ability to make connections with students, passion and fun personality makes Mrs. B’s classroom a fantastic place to be.”
—senior Austin Rummel
“When I thought my life was ending, she slowed me down and told me it was OK. No one else succeeded like this. A goddess among mortals.”
—senior Zion Flores
“She really gives kids a chance. One day, we were doing a Socratic seminar, and I didn’t bring my notes, and she didn’t even blink twice. She didn’t make me feel bad for forgetting my notebook. She just nodded and allowed me to continue on and join the conversation.”
—senior Stella Shenkman
“Ms. Baughman is a teacher’s teacher in my world- she’s generous, humble, and REALLY helps- WANTS to help me- when I need help with Blend; I suspect she’d help with anything in the world though! It’s just how she rolls.”
—teacher Jennifer Wood
Formerly taught, currently teaching
Elder returns to McCallum as assistant orchestra director
KRISTEN TIBBETTS co-editor in chief
A decade ago, eighth-grade Lamar student Erika Elder walked into the McCallum Fine Arts Building with her violin, nervous but ready to audition for the Fine Arts Academy in front of orchestra director Ricky Pringle. Flash-forward to just last summer, and Elder walked into the same school, perhaps even more nervous, but ready for her first staff meeting as the McCallum assistant orchestra director, now working alongside her former teacher.
““I walked in and immediately the smell of the school just took me right back,” she joked.
Elder began playing violin when she was five years old. Before being a part of the Fine Arts Academy, she played at the Monarch Suzuki Academy and performed with the Austin Youth Orchestra. Elder credits her decision to go to McCallum to her older sister, Elise.
“She was part of the orchestra program also, and she was also part of the theatre program, which everyone knows is outstanding,” Elder said. “I remember going to all her concerts and theatre productions and loving it and wanting to come here.”
At McCallum, she spent her first year in the freshman orchestra and then moved on to chamber, the top orchestra, as a sophomore.
“She was very kind, she was very courteous, [and] very polite,” Pringle said. “She worked hard.” Outside of class, Elder participated in nearly every performance or event she could. From playing in the pit during theatre shows to playing 13 feb. 2020
ABOVE: Elder conducts a piece with the orchestra during the program’s holiday concert on Dec. 17 in the MAC. Elder feels that they were successful, particularly because the time restraint didn’t stop them from organizing and preparing the entire event. “I think we did well, especially considering that we didn’t have a lot of time to learn the pieces we played,” she said. “I learned that we can work as a team to put a concert together in a short amount of time.” Photo by Kristen Tibbetts. LEFT: Elder (Class of 2014) plays violin as a MacOrchestra student. She credits part of her career decision to her former teacher, now co-worker, Ricky Pringle. “I remember Mr. Pringle saying there will always be jobs for music educators because they’re always looking for good music educators,” she said. “I think that was kind of the turning point for me.” Photo courtesy of Pringle.
scores from popular movies in Mueller Park, she earned a reputation as a student deeply involved in the orchestra program.
“I think the cool thing I learned from those events is that there’s just so much more to being a musician than just what happens here in the classroom,” she said. “There’s a wide range of things that we can do, from classical to fiddling to pop music and rock.”
Elder also states that the orchestra program at McCallum reignited her passion for music.
“Right before I came to McCallum … I was starting to feel a little burnt out, kind of disinterested,” she said. “But, when I got [here], I was introduced to [a lot of] new stuff that I didn’t even know we could do, that was a huge thing for me.”
By her senior year of high school, Elder knew that she wanted to pursue music in college, but she didn’t know what she would major in until the end of the year.
Elder attended Stephen F. Austin State University and graduated last spring with a bachelor or arts degree in music education. Before coming to McCallum, she gained experience by student teaching at Kealing Middle school and LBJ High School. When Georgeann Shockley, the previous orchestra director, decided to retire last year, she and Pringle reached out to Elder and encouraged her to apply.
—Erika Elder
“I knew that she was student teaching at LBJ and Kealing, and so I asked the teacher over there how she was doing,” Pringle said. “She said she was doing great. Things just kind of worked out. … She went through the application process and did a great interview for the job. We knew that she was the right fit.”
For Elder, the interview, led by former principal Mike Garrison, was accompanied by a mixture of nostalgia and fear.
“I think I blacked out,” she joked. “It was my first real job interview because I just graduated college, but everyone was so nice. … [Garrison] was principal when I was in school here too, so it was very comforting to see [him].”
Pringle and Garrison were not the only familiar faces that Elder saw during her transition back to McCallum.
“I remember the first thing I did was come on campus for a staff meeting and immediately walking into a room full of teachers that used to be my teachers,” she said. “It was kind of scary, I’m not going to lie.”
Though excited, Elder also felt intimidated on her first day teaching.
“I was terrified. I didn’t know any of the kids yet,” she said. “I felt like I needed to put on a show. I just went in there thinking, ‘I’m going to try to build as many relationships as I can.’”
As the year has progressed, Elder has become more and more comfortable in her teaching role. “When she first came, she was very nice and was a little bit more soft-spoken, but she is finding her voice,” Pringle said. “She tells them things that she remembers [from when she was a student].”
Pringle also stated that Elder has brought more to the program beyond her ability to relate to the experiences of her students.
“She came in with her own skill set that was unique to what Mrs. Shockley had and what I have, so it’s really good,” Pringle said. “She brings something new.”
Though she may be biased, Elder believes that there is something special about McCallum and McCallum students.
“This program does way more advanced music than almost any other school in Austin,” she said. “Now I’m coming back and teaching to younger people the same kind of musicality [that I learned here].”
Even though she might not have known it when she was a student first walking through the faded blue doors of the Fine Arts Building, Elder is happy with the place she has found back at McCallum.
“I love music, so I love bringing all these kids together to create music,” she said. “I can’t wait to work here for a long time.”
Slow jazz spilling softly from the record store down the street. A violinist, case open for tips, pouring melodies onto the sidewalk. That monthly summertime magic of Blues on the Green on the cool grass of Zilker Park and losing your voice as you scream the lyrics along to your favorite artist under the moonlight at Stubb’s, or Emo’s, or at your neighborhood bookstore. Living in the Live Music Capital of the World, music is something nearly inescapable. Whether it be sold-out shows of world-famous performers or underground gigs by high school students, the Austin culture is undoubtedly drenched in pursuers of music, both creators and lovers — and, at a school like McCallum, with a Fine Arts Academy that encourages students to study, make and perform music — connecting with that larger culture is natural and essential.
For many students at Mac, a passion for music extends far beyond the Fine Arts Building, with a handful of students even producing original albums and playing gigs around the city. The Point, a musical duo consisting of seniors Joe Roddy and Jack Montesinos, is a prime example. Although they were in the same kindergarten class, Roddy said that the two really became close and started making music together their sophomore year of high school, playing more than 130 gigs since between beat sets, DJ sets and live performances of their originals, as well as recently releasing a record. But for them, it’s not about pocketing a little extra cash after school.
“It’s so cool to see people buy our record, not because they’re paying for it, but because they went out of their way to listen to our music,” Roddy said. “No one [at McCallum] is really old enough or professional enough to just be in it just for making money, so it’s really just for fun — making music for music.”
When asked about their creative process, the boys laughed as Roddy shared that “there’s a lot of yelling at each other.”
“He’ll come over to my house, sit down at my computer where we have all the instruments, and we’ll just go from there,” he said.
The two agreed that after this initial creation process, their favorite part of making music is the live shows.
“We do a lot of DIY shows where we organize everything and do it in a weird spot like a coffee shop or a bookstore, and we fill that place up,” Montesinos said.
Roddy added that connecting with people in these more underground shows is “much more intimate,” and that it is what they plan to do more of going forward. Montesinos also encouraged students to look out for some music videos in the future, as Roddy is hoping to branch into aspects of film.
Headed to Belmont University in Nashville next year as a major in songwriting, senior Cora Jordan has also turned tunes into a lifestyle, with her biggest inspirations close to home.
“I am so, so grateful that I grew up in Austin,” Jordan said, smiling. “First of all, it’s just a good place to grow up, but second, my parents will just buy tickets to random shows, and that’s how we found some of my favorite artists like Jade Bird.”
She went on to describe how fun it has been for her to dive into the live music scene, even if she’s never heard the artist before, just to “feel the music.”
Jordan also expressed her admiration for the McCallum music community, which she connected with during her first performance at Coffee House — a biannual showcase for student musicians, spoken word poets, and visual artists hosted by the school literary magazine, Excalibur. (The next Coffee House is eighth period today.) “Looking around, I was shocked,” she recalled, laughing. “I knew that a lot of people wrote their own music and played a lot here, but it was just so cool to see other people play their songs and get into it. I kind of looked around and realized ‘Man, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life. Look at all these cool ass people doing what they love.’”
Moving forward, Jordan hopes to put some of her songs together to release an EP, with help from her computer-savvy little brother, and to keep experiencing what she describes as her favorite feeling.
Junior Jay Mathias, another artist at McCallum, has also come to the conclusion that music is something he will always have a passion for, creating what he describes as indie-electronic production.
“I go home and I spend hours on my computer making music,” he
For these high school musicians, living the Knight life means immersing themselves in Austin’s rich music culture.
Story by Madelynn Niles
Music to Mac’s ears
STRINGS ATTACHED: At the inaugural Micro-Moon Festival held last fall, junior Will Dooley, takes center stage as he performs on his electric guitar. Music is a really accessible art form,” he said. “It’s just something I can sit down and do and can connect with.” Photo by Risa Darlington-Horta.
MELODIC MERLIN: Singer-songwriter Marlee Foster, who performs as the musical artist Merlin, sings out at the Micro-Moon Festival. “I love being able to look into the audience and see that people are actually affected by what we are doing,” she said. “If people are actually affected by my songs, that’s what makes it all worth it for me.” Photo by Risa Darlington-Horta.
—Joe Roddy
said. “That’s just what I do.”
Living in Austin, Mathias feels, is not only a shaping factor in terms of the live music scene but also the people that came for it.
“My parents, my friends, my friends’ parents, they all influence what I listen to,” he said. “I’ve also seen a ton of really good concerts here in town. It’s inspiring to be around.”
When asked about other performers at Mac, Mathias excitedly described his experience working with The Point.
“I love The Point, absolutely love them,” he said. “I’ve done work with them, and they played at my concert. … It’s awesome having a community at school. I think everyone here is really honest with each other and just wants to make good music.” He also mentioned his gratitude for working with another musician and close friend of his at school—junior Will Dooley.
Dooley, another Mac-based artist, is a part of the musical duo “Phonie” alongside Georgia Boutot, who, after graduating last year, moved to New York.
“She sings and I do … basically everything else,” he said. “We met through tech theatre — she was friends with one of my friends, and one day Georgia texted me. I didn’t even have her number, and she was like ‘Do you want to make music?’ and so I said OK, and that’s how it all started — very random.”
Since then, the two have put out two albums and played several gigs thanks to Dooley’s co-creation of Five Pin Productions, a record
shield
story by Madelynn Niles
Music to Mac’s ears
label and production company for musicians at McCallum. He has also collaborated with some of these other artists, such as Mathias and The Point.
“The Point and Jay and I collectively are a set group, and we play shows together,” he said. “Everyone [at McCallum] is always helping each other out. Shows that I’ve gotten opportunities for and couldn’t play I’ve given to Jay and vice versa. It’s really nice to be a part of.”
Junior Marlee Foster has also grown to be a part of the Mac musical community, as well as the industry itself, with two released singles — “Red Eyes” and “Boys Club.”
“When I was little, I used to like writing songs, and it just became something I was obsessed with,” she recalled. “I’ve always been
ALL SMILES: Senior Cora Jordan smiles as she performs one of her original songs at Coffee House, a biannual showcase held in the library for McCallum artists and creators of all types. Jordan said that her first time playing at Coffee House served as a turning point in her admiration for the Mac community. “I kind of looked around and realized ‘man, this is what I want to do with the rest of my life,” she stated. “Look at all these cool-ass people doing what they love.” Photo by Risa Darlington-Horta.
MASSIVE NIGHT OF MICRO-MUSIC: Sporting his festival T-shirt, junior Jay Mathias dances on stage at the Micro-Moon concert held last fall at the Austin Film School. The festival showcased Mathias as well as a variety of other musicians at Mac including Marlee Foster, Will Dooley and The Point. “I had always wanted to perform music, sort of a pipe-dream type of thing, and we threw our first concert, and it just felt so great to do that, even if it was a little rough,” Mathias recalled. “That’s when I realized: I have to do this.” Photo by Risa Darlington-Horta.
THE POINT STRIKES A POSE: Showing off the prestigious MicroMoon, seniors Joe Roddy and Jack Montesinos of The Point pose for a picture with Dalton James, whom they call their manager. “It’s cool having your own product that you like listening to and that others like to listen to,” Montesinos said. “It’s like painting something and having someone look at it and saying it’s awesome and making them want to paint.” Photo by Risa Darlington-Horta.
a singer, so it just kind of became my dream to become a singersongwriter. … it’s just something I’m always gonna do because, well, I can’t stop.”
Foster also expressed her gratitude for living in Austin, specifically for the opportunity to have been introduced to a recording studio, which she discovered through a fellow musician. When asked if she had anything to add, she said that if anyone is even considering starting to release music, “it is a process, but it’s 100 percent worth it.”
And, of course, this isn’t to say that these are the only creators at Mac — other musical groups including Deva, Flip 45, Pit Punch and Pax among them — also reflect this passion for the
—Cora Jordan
music community, and countless students participate in fine arts classes through the school. From basses to beats, late night musical theatre rehearsals to afternoon Coffee House showcases, the culture in which our school and city is rooted surrounds us in our day-to-day lives, and for these students this music has become not only an aspect of life, but a lifestyle itself.
