# @macjournalism on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DKBLKc9IeXK
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/30877189-macjournalism-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/bbf951e0df.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-05-24T01:57:05.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** McCallum Journalism (@macjournalism) — https://gondola.cc/macjournalism

## Caption

IN HER OWN SWEET WAY: This morning, Austin City Councilmember paid a surprise visit to McCallum to inform Mac Band director Carol Nelson that the council had officially declared today, May 23 to be Carol Nelson Day in the City of Austin. Nelson has taught at McCallum for 46 years and recently received the inaugural Austin ISD Icon Award for exemplary dedication to her students. 

Current band students just arriving from a recording session at the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center, parent boosters, alums and school officials all showed up to celebrate the pronouncement with Nelson.
The Wind Ensemble, Mac Band’s top performing group, had just finished recording a concert performance at the PAC and had returned on the bus without Nelson on it, prompting assistant band director Ryan Pride to phone Nelson.

“I asked if she was on her way back”, Pride said. “I was worried she was out to get a sweet tea or something. Council member Mike Siegel was already there in addition to campus administration.”

Band parent Janice Bookout set the day’s events in motion, coordinating the scheduling with Principal Andy Baxa and Fine Arts Academy director Dr. Samuel Parrott. According to Pride, Bookout’s goal was to ensure the proclamation was the same day as the recording concert. Bookout gave the first speech, crediting Nelson with allowing her kids to flourish, artistically and as human beings. Then, band senior Sadie Swinney spoke on Nelson’s behalf.

“She was so eloquent”, Nelson said. “She talked about Mac Band and the McCallum community, and I was overwhelmed. I felt so emotional. The way Sadie speaks is just like a dream.”

After Swinney, Band parent Katie Brown spoke. Nelson said Brown’s remarks felt serendipitous because Brown was a junior during Nelson’s first year teaching at McCallum, and is now the mother of junior Lark Thompson. After Brown, it was finally Nelson’s turn to address her public.

“I said, ‘I love y’all, it’s been an honor to teach here at McCallum for the past 46 years”, Nelson said. “My lip was quivering. I told it to stop.”

Caption by Beatrix Lozach. Cover photo by Sophia Manos. Video by Julia Copas, Sophia Manos and Maggie Mass.

#CarolNelsonDay

## Stats

- **Views:** 173
- **Likes:** 461
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 14

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| McCallum Journalism | @macjournalism | https://gondola.cc/macjournalism | Newspaper |
| Julia Copas | @julia_copas | https://gondola.cc/julia_copas | Videographer |

## Tags

carolnelsonday

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