October 2015

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 101 Edition 1

77 salem street October 2015

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Pg. 22-23 Pg. 21 Top to bottom: The field hockey team on the field against Everett. The Golden Tornado football team huddles before making a play. Senior captain Mateo Ruperti shakes hands with senior Alexandre SilvaFilho after a good play. Junior Nicholas Ansaldi preparing to hit the ball. Photo collage by Cassandra Reyes and Manale Zouhir.

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Above, from left to right: Mayor Robert Garcia of Long Beach, CA raises a Rainbow Pride Flag on June 26, 2015 in honor of the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. People at Chicago Pride Parade celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriage. All photos taken from MCT Campus.

LGBTQ+ Community: The Never-Ending Battle for Equality Ailin Toro Reporter

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ver the summer, a monumental decision was reached by the Supreme Court. On June 26th, 2015, gay marriage became legal everywhere in the United States. This, a huge day in history, was celebrated and #LoveWins trended on twitter with 2.6 million tweets. It seems like you could not go on any social media site and not see people talk about it. By the next day, though, there were already articles talking about how this does not mean that everything regarding LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and any other identities and sexualities along the spectrum) rights in America is solved and that there is still a lot left to do.

Gay marriage being legal now is a huge issue. It had a huge reaction and everyone heard about it, that cannot be argued. What is not talked about enough is that the Supreme Court vote to legalize it was 5-4. If one person had flipped their vote, gay marriage being legalized and the surge of support from it would not have happened. If the decision was 9-0 or 8-1 it would have showed how much the United States has progressed. Instead it was one person who had the deciding vote on whether everyone could have the right of getting married. June 26th could have easily been a day full of disappointment if one person had decided against it.

In the United States it is still legal in various states to fire people based on their sexuality. Not only that, but there are other problems including LGBTQ+ kids not getting enough sex education and no gender neutral bathrooms. There is also the fact that â…“ of agencies would reject an LGBTQ+ lesbian family. LGBTQ+ people are usually treated poorly in foster homes and violence is more likely to happen against them. Although when people look to other places they are warranted.

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Volume 101, Edition 1 / 8 October 2015

Editorial

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Malden High School

The Blue and Gold

What Matters More, the 5 or the Lesson?

77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148

Staff

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or any student that takes Advanced Placement classes, you Print Editor-in-Chief know well before the class begins Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 what to expect. An insane amount of homework and a whole lot of studyPrint Managing Editors ing, but what’s it all for? The first Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 day of class, the teacher introduces the infamous AP test that doesn’t Web and Mobile Apps Editors- even take place until May, eight in-Chief months in advance. From then on Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 anything and everything taught in Andrew Cogliano ‘16 the class is referred back to the test.

I bring this up in relation to a Head Copy Editor thought that I had all last year and Nicholas Bramante ‘16 even this year. Sitting in my AP Web & Mobile Apps Managing Spanish Language and Culture class Editor last year as I was researching and Jasper Haag ‘16 comparing topics in the U.S to those in Latin America I stumbled upon Art & Design Editor an article that pretty much breaks Ashley Leung ‘16 down how in many countries, in South America, and many others Multimedia Editor ,teachers salaries are a lot higher Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 than any other occupation. During the class discussion I brought up the Heads of Local News point of how education is a lot more Felicia Fallano ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17 appreciated in other countries than compared to the U.S. This isn’t to Heads of Sports News cause any uproar about how AmeriTatyanna Cabral ‘17 cans are unappreciative to education Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 and school, but more so caused me to question why I was in that class.

Nedlam’s Corner As I was sitting in the AP Karina Matos ‘17 class I thought about my reasoning to take it. I knew that I needed my Lead Reporters third year of a foreign language and Abdul Ali ‘16 Alexis Brown ‘16 as I am a native Spanish speaker I Liam Elliott ‘16 just thought that AP would be pretty Marly Loreus ‘16 easy. I never thought how much I Haley Mallett ‘16 was going to learn about numerous Megan Downer ‘18 cultures and even my own. Why do Leila Greige ‘18 we take classes on topics that don’t Ana Bia Kerr ‘18 even interest us, more specifically Anna Powers ‘18 college level courses? I understand Lead Photographer Meghan Yip ‘18

Lead Videographers Stacey Wong ‘16 Samuel Martinez ‘18 Staff Artist Ziqi Zeng ‘16 Reporters Gabriella Onessimo ‘17 Tatum Skiffington ‘17 Christina Appignani ‘18 Ryan Hames ‘18 Alysha McDevitt ‘18 Ymanika “Monica” Nicolas ‘18 Nada Tuffaha ‘18 Cameron Witham ‘18 Jesaias Benitez ‘19 Neden Bernadin ‘19 Vivian Dang ‘19 Joanna Li ‘19 Cedrina Missamou ‘19 Abhishek Rana ‘19 Sydney Stumpf ‘19 Ailin Toro ‘19 Kristy Yang ‘19 Advisor ryan gallagher

The Blue and Gold October 2015

that in order to graduate Malden High School and any other high school there are the core classes that are required in order for a student to graduate, however, as time has passed it seems like school in general is a nightmare when in reality it should be a dream.

The amount of times that I scroll through my Twitter feed in homeroom every morning and see the constant complaints of students and how they don’t want to be in school is insane. A lot of what I believe is lacking, is passion. I can’t say that I’ve never complained in school because I woke up at 3 am to finish a paper that I got a bad grade on, however, I don’t think that’s the issue.

The fact that AP classes are even offered in high school is so beneficial yet I don’t think that students realize it. You are taking a college level class that is free compared to when it’s actually offered and has a price.

Coming from someone that has taken AP classes since sophomore year it didn’t hit me how much we take our education for granted until this year. Two of my AP classes this year are two of my favorite classes that I have ever taken. One of the first things that the teachers told the class is how they don’t see the goal of the class as to get a four on the AP exam, and that they hope we learn and take something away of value that sticks with us. I took this into consideration as I was out with my friends one night and some talking point came up and I was able to engage myself into the conversation

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because of the material that my class had covered. That feeling of satisfaction that for once something you learned in school comes in handy is so great that any student can agree with. As corny as it sounds, think about it. What value does something have if all that matters is a number grade? Sure the grade transfers as a credit for college if the grade is eligible, but that’s it. Nine times out of ten you won’t remember your prompt from your AP English Language and Composition class in seven years. The material that sticks with you is the kind that counts.

Although many argue that the blame goes towards the teachers, I know from experience that some teachers wish that they could, and some even do, lean away from the set curriculum. Some have the same mindset and believe that as mentors to the youth their job is to do more than just teach and to provide knowledge. If you break it down that’s how the evolution of things are done; someone has the knowledge of a process or system and decides to adjust and make changes to it. So the next time that you’re complaining about the workload for a class or stressing over the grade on a quiz think about the big picture and realize what you’re really getting out of it. Does the 5 really matter or does the experience?

Lucia Quesada Nylen Lucia Quesada Nylen Print Editor In-Chief Class of 2016

Want to submit a letter to the editor? Email theblueandgold@gmail. com for a chance to be inlcuded in the next edition of The Blue and Gold!

The Blue and Gold October 2015

Interactive maldenblueandgold.com

The Blue and Gold Crossword Puzzle

3 Mars, Rediscovered Nicholas Bramante Head Copy Editor

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Crossword made using Crossword Forge. Clues by Nada Tuffaha and Alysha McDevitt. Photo taken by Meghan Yip.

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hile the most recent Kardashian drama is storming the nation (I’m assuming anyway, because really who has time to keep up with them? Oh, right.) scientific discoveries of cosmic proportions are being made on Earth’s sister planet: Mars. News so astounding, so groundbreaking, so worldview altering it could literally rewrite everything we think we know about life in the universe. So far what has the reaction been? Well, mostly a lot of internet memes.

In all seriousness, the discovery of water on Mars by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is possibly the single greatest astronomic/exploratory discovery this century, nevermind this decade.

Rivaling that of the discovery of the “New World” in 1492 by Columbus or the discovery of heliocentric solar system by Nicolaus Copernicus in 1543, this discovery opens up countless new questions (and more excitingly) countless new possibilities for answering the question on everyone’s mind: are we alone in the universe? Water has been known to exist on Mars for years in the form of polar ice caps, but it has only recently been discovered that there is actual running (and salty) water on Mars. Liquid water is basically essential for any and all life as we know it, meaning that there is a very real possibility that alien life exists just inside our cosmic backyard.

This is seriously the stuff of science fiction.

So why aren’t people excited, and if you aren’t, why should you be? Well mostly it boils down to the fact that most don’t truly understand what this discovery actually means right now, and what it could mean in the very near future.

Basically, this discovery first and foremost means that it is not only possible that life exists on Mars, but also bordering the spectrum of likely. If that alone isn’t enough to get you excited about this discovery, consider the implications of future missions to the Red Planet. If life can be supported on Mars, that may mean that somewhere down the line it might not be impossible for Mars to become another home for humanity. The word terraforming (taking an uninhabitable environment and making it Earth-like) is thrown around often in works of science fiction, but as this discovery proves, every day more and more science fiction is turning into science fact.

For more (wordy and in-depth) information on the topic, here’s a post from the people over at NASA who made the discovery in the first place: https://www.nasa. gov/press-release/nasa-confirmsevidence-that-liquid-water-flowson-today-s-mars

International News

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Colorado: Life After the Legalization of Marijuana Sydney Stumpf Reporter

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controversial topic in modern day government, recreational marijuana has been legal in Colorado starting in 2012. There, the medical use of marijuana has been legal since 2001. In the past three years, you have probably heard something on the matter, considering it is not recent news.

It has been popular for decades. Woodstock, although a music festival, was fueled by weed back in 1969. American society’s fascination with marijuana has gone back and forth between sides, the debate switching between whether or not the substance is acceptable both socially and legally. There are still those who oppose this law and everything that falls under it, however there is no ignoring the fact that Colorado has had positive changes in its time since legalization.

Movies revolving around teenage stoners and those like “Halfbaked” have fueled the fire that keeps the controversy hot. Even scenes in popular, non-based television shows have included references to the recreational drug, “How I Met Your Mother,” among them. Other shows have based their entire plots around the distribution of marijuana, including the series “Weeds.”

Cultural effects not only extend to television and the big-screen but also events and activities in Colorado related to marijuana aspects. Events such as “Sushi and Joint Rolling” is just one of the many events hosted in Colorado. We are accustomed to fairs and festivals with amusement park rides and carnival games but Colorado has marijuana and hemp festivals, with awards and marijuana-infused snacks.

As popular as seen on TV and executed in fairs and festivals, marijuana remains to be recreationally and medically illegal in the majority of the United States. States including Colorado, Oregon, Washington state, and Alaska are the few with laws permitting recreational marijuana usage to anyone within state limits. Massachusetts, California, and New York are among states where the medical use of marijuana is legal, while states like Tennessee and Texas are two of many with the only law regarding marijuana is the one where it is illegal in all forms.

In Colorado, especially, the weed business is booming. The first year alone, 148,000 pounds of cannabis flowers were sold. Later the Marijuana Enforcement Division said 700 million dollars worth

of medical and recreational marijuana was sold. 386 million of that was made from medical marijuana, while 313 million was made from the recreational use. Included in the sales were 50 million pot-edibles, such as THC-infused candy and drinks.

Sellers and growers are not the only ones benefiting off of the sales. 12,811,437 dollars were collected in marijuana taxes, licensing, and fees, meaning the government got 12,811,437 dollars richer. As of Jul. 2015, 826,146 dollars have been distributed at jurisdictional level, out of the almost 13 million. Because of the success in sales and revenue, marijuana prices have decreased by 40 percent. Formerly ranging from 50-75 dollars, units are now priced ranging from 30-45 dollars. This price decrease will spark an increase in sales, because people will be more inclined to buy cheaper weed, and continue to purchase it regularly.

The economy in Colorado is blossoming, being named the number one fastest growing economy by Business Insider, which is extremely well considering it is located in one of the most severely damaged economy-stricken first world countries. Jobs are becoming more and more plentiful, and the government is bringing in so much tax revenue, that they can put it into schools and programs, ironically, against the use of marijuana in youth.

Since the unemployment rate is down to four percent as of Apr. 24, 2015, jobs must go somewhere other than dispensaries and growers. Jobs have gone into hotel business along with other tourist hot-spots, like restaurants and amusement attractions. More customers visit these places for the specific reason of legal marijuana. The more customers there are, the more jobs are required to successfully handle all of the consumers.

In 2011, before the legalization, the unemployment rate was more than double than it is now. An 8.6 percent compared to today’s exact 4.2 percent. This although not all stemmed from, but mostly, is from the marijuana business.

The government has taken the majority of taxes, revenues from the industry, and distributed it amongst the local governments. The whopping 28 percent tax rate on sales have made the Colorado government rich and powerful, more so than usual.

But, where are the rest of taxes going if not to local governments? The

rest of the taxes collected go into programs and documents showing the risks of marijuana in youth and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

The programs in schools extend to alcohol and prescription drug abuse prevention, however.

The government created the School Based Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention, (SAPI) that funds schools, non-profit organizations and community based health organizations. These findings are meant to improve the health behaviors in youth regarding drugs, legal or not, and alcohol. After a long list of demonstrations an organization must show is approved, SAPI will fund the organization, courtesy of the marijuana tax dollars. This may or may not have contributed to the significant drop in teen marijuana use in the state, significantly.

The business life of a pot-grower or dispenser is not all big profits and easy money. These workers face hardships that come along with their workplaces and independent businesses. Starting with their grow houses, trouble usually comes early on in a business. The unusually low industrial vacancy rate of 3.1 percent is making grow houses a rare commodity.

A recreational retailer also must get a retail license, which is an extensive process with inspections and applications. Marijuana products sold in retail, must also comply with a list of regulations.

The time it takes to get to the point where you are a retail marijuana shop owner or retailer is long and hard -- who is to say that they will even grant someone a license or not?

If less precautions were taken, more retail marijuana shops would open, the more the already low unemployment rate would drop.

The amount of marijuana legal to cultivate is 1,800 plants, as long as it fits the rules provided by the government. It must also be in a controlled warehouse, and used for the sole purpose of retail. A proposal stated that retailers wanted to double the number of plants allowed be grown at once, but the proposal was denied promptly. The government says they have this limit, this “production cap”, so that growers do not grow more than they are allowed to sell, nor too much that there will be too many overgrown warehouses, and the substance would no longer be an exclusive substance, if it became too abundant.

On top of all of the growing

and dispensary problems and long processes, once they are in business, making a living, the bank denies their deposits. Due to federal tax rules, dispensaries and growers are unable to put their profits in the bank. Groups pushing to have “potspecific credit unions” were stalled when the federal government went against the idea that would open so many new opportunities, market and job wise. The existing banks or pot specific banks could be significantly more beneficial, to not only growers and dispensers, but the banking system also.

A problem that does not involve a seller or grower, but the consumer of the product is the ingestion of marijuana infused food or drink products by a curious child. Advocacy groups have been working to put a ban on pot edibles due to the hospitalization of several children, brought in with the effects of THC, the substance in marijuana responsible for the psychological effects.

This is a problem since the average adult is obviously much larger than a small child, the effects would become more apparent and possibly harmful in a child. This is not the law’s fault, however. Irresponsible parents, leaving their marijuana products laying around are the reasons that children so often ingest them.

The marijuana jurisdiction in the government already regulates the amount of THC within each pot edible. 100 mg is allowed in each item’s serving. The amount of THC a person has in their system will also decide if the person is impaired enough so, that driving or operating machinery is not safe. These regulations, rules, and punishments are very similar to those of alcohol.

‘Colorado, though not the first to do so, has, by legalizing recreational marijuana, may have paved the road for the rest of America.

States like Nevada have taken a large influence by Colorado, and will take the state’s current law and government to legalize their marijuana.

Senator Patricia Farley likes and takes notice of the Colorado tourism and economy boost. “I think we can benefit from it”, she says in an interview back in May. She also believes that medical and recreational marijuana will do very well, especially in Nevada.

Arizona, California, Maine, Nevada, and the District of Columbia are all predicted to legalize marijuana, recreationally, by 2016.

The Blue and Gold October 2015

Opinion

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Youth In Politics

Continued from page 1.

Ailin Toro Reporter One of the problems that is a popular topic of discussion in the LGBTQ+ world is the fact that gay men are not allowed to donate blood. They are put in the highest risk blood-donor category which is accompanied by people like intravenous (IV) drug users and people who have been in a country for more than 5 years that has a deadly disease. That may already seem unfair to you, but it might spark your interest that in 40 states people can donate blood immediately after getting a tattoo or being treated for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and genital herpes within that past year. The ban put up in 1985 states that you can not donate if you have had homosexual intercourse since 1977.

This is just one of the things that LGBTQ+ people still have to face.

In the context of the world however, blood donation in the United States is a small concern.

There are a lack of LGBTQ+ rights everywhere in the world, although it is different in each individual country. In Europe, only 12 out of 50 countries have legalized gay marriage. In 27 countries there is either no recognition of gay marriage or there is a constitutional ban placed.

It is not only the government at fault though, people are often discriminated against for being gay and are not comfortable doing things as simple as holding hands in public. Just in 2013 when Montenegró was trying to have its first pride event, the participants were attacked. There were hundreds of people shouting “kill the gays” and throwing glass or rocks at the people attending the event. There is also the problem of homophobic bullying at schools.

In a survey taken it showed that at least 65% of openly gay people in schools face bullying, and the school heads do not do much to help.

Topics of concern also span into South America. Only 3 out of the 13 countries have gay marriage legalized and support for LGBTQ+ people is only above 50% in 3 countries.

In the country of Guyana homosexual acts could be punished by life imprisonment, LGBTQ+ marriage is illegal, and same-sex adoption is not permitted, even for a step-child.

Same-sex relations in the Caribbean have a possible 15-year jail sentence in Antigua and Barbuda.

Asia has barely any rights for LGBTQ+ people besides same-sex sexual activity being legal, and not even all countries have that. Recognition of same-sex unions, same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex couples, LGBTQ+ military service, anti-discrimination laws concerning sexual orientation, and laws concerning gender identity and expression are basically nonexistent in Asia. There are 18 countries in Asia

Andrew Cogliano Online Editor In-Chief

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From top to bottom: Terrence Hall, left, and Christopher DeCaria holding their marriage certificate after being able to marry in Mecklenburg, a region in Germany. People celebrate during the 45th Annual San Francisco Pride Celebration & Parade on Sunday, June 28, 2015, two days after the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. All photos taken from MCT Campus. that do not allow homosexual activity with a minor punishment being one year in prison and a major punishment being the death penalty. In a poll, 23 countries showed their opposition to homosexuality while only 10 showed their support. The countries in opposition included North Korea, Bangladesh, and (further West) Saudi Arabia, and the countries supporting included Thailand, South Korea, and Japan.

In Australia gay marriage is illegal everywhere. Transgender people are required to have a sex-change surgery in order to be able to change their gender almost everywhere, and if a person is transgender and they are married, they would have to get divorced to legally change their gender. Same sex couples cannot adopt children in Queensland, Victoria, the Northern Territory, or South Australia. Same-sex step parents cannot legally adopt their partner’s children in Queensland, South Australia or the Northern Territory.

In the Australian Marriage Amendment Act of 2004, it says “marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.”

Africa is extremely conservative with gay rights compared to most places in the world. In Mauritania, Sudan, and northern Nigeria, homosexuality is punishable by death, and in Nigeria there is a law that states that if you support homosexuals or know about homosexual activity and do not report it, you could receive a 10-year jail sentence.

At least 34 out of 54 countries have outlawed homosexuality.

In Uganda, both male and female participation in homosexual

activity is illegal. In 2012 the speaker of Uganda’s legislative body, the Parliament of Uganda, said that they were going to make a revised anti-homosexuality bill that would include harsher penalties against people who were suspected of being LGBTQ+. The punishments would include long-term imprisonment and the death penalty for people who have been caught multiple times. Individuals that promote LGBTQ+ rights would be fined or imprisoned.

There are also places in Africa like Senegal, where it is illegal for both women and men to participate in homosexual activity. Rumors surrounding the possibility of one being homosexual could land them in jail. Their punishment could be anything from 1-5 years of imprisonment and a fine up to $2,600. In recent years, there have been waves of arrests, detentions, and attacks.

Recently, less attacks have happened but that is suspected because people are too scared to be open about their sexuality. If they were, they could face rejection from their community as well as violence from their family. According to an article written

by Colin Stewart, a prosecutor on a case about gay men, said “There are acts that our society will never be ready to accept,” talking about homosexuals.

Although there are victories worth celebrating, that does not mean that we can disregard all of the problems that LGBTQ+ people are still facing. It will take a long time for the world to be on a proLGBTQ+ position surrounding these rights, but hopefully it will happen in our lifetime.

n Tuesday, October 13, the Democratic Party held its Primary Debate. All five Democratic candidates, including Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, made an appearance.

It is well known that young adults and teens are part of the age group that does the least amount of voting. While the cause of this is generally unknown, I believe that the younger generation of this country needs to become more involved in its politics and government. Some people believe that their vote does not matter, that they are only one person. It is at this point that I would like to remind them that in 1960, John F. Kennedy won the popular vote by .2%. I encourage any young person to watch the news, to browse the politics section of CNN and see what’s happening in the current presidential race. Don’t feel as though you are bound to a single political party, choose the person who believes what you believe, regardless of their alignment.

Teenagers and Mood Swings Emma Ceplinskas Online Editor In- Chief

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ood swings are common among teenagers based on their minds and bodies yet to be fully developed. “Cognitive control systems lag behind emotional development” (Shallcross) for teens, accounting for adolescents having difficulty in coping with their emotions. Other contributors to emotional instability include the transition to high school and all the pressures that accompany it.

But “as teens get physically and mentally more mature” there is a “gradual stabilization in moods across the teenage years”(Shallcross).

Although, there are cases where emotions continue to be unstable due from mental illnesses such as schizophrenia that is often not detectable until later adolescence.

Anxiety remained a variable throughout teenage years, the highest levels being at the start and end of adolescence. One reason to help explain such levels can be accounted for in a teen’s progression from middle to high school and then the years after high school in his transition into adulthood.

To read more on this topic visit npr.org.

International News

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The Blue and Gold October 2015

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Insight on Syrian

Refugees “Declarations and good intentions do not feed the starving and they do not shelter refugees. The harmful consequences of such a situation risk having very profound impacts of Syrian society, as well as on neighbouring countries.”

-Salam Kawakibi, Syrian political scientist, December 2012 Survey results on whether Americans should provide refuge for Syrian refugees. Tribune News Service

Nada Tufffaha Reporter Alysha McDevitt Reporter

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yria used to be an extremely beautiful country, filled with historical mosques and temples. What is now left of Syria is nothing compared to the beauty it used to contribute to the world prior to the war.

The Syrian conflict first sparked in May 2011, when citizens in Daraa started to protest against President Assad. With on-going protests that continued to spread all over different cities around the country including the capital, Damascus, the Syrian Government started to fight back against its own citizens.

Throughout this war between the Syrian citizens and the Syrian Government going head to head, both sides have committed an immense amount of war crimes, and damage to what used to be so beautiful.

With the persistent protests by the Syrian citizens, the Syrian government decided to use even stronger weapons than just armed weapons, and used chemical weapons which killed a significant number of children. With the use of extreme violence by the Syrian government, a total of 85,404 civilians and 200,000 people have been killed. Aside from the civil war at its rise, the actions of the Syrian government forced many citizens to leave their homes, and become refugees in many different countries.

Over the four years of the ongoing intense civil war, a huge amount of people including children, and

adults are refugees and have had to leave their homes, whether they were forced to or chose to. Unicefusa.org states that there are about 2 million child refugees, and according to syrianrefugees.eu, 9 million refugees around the world total. The Syrian conflict has been exceptionally difficult not only on the citizens of Syria, but also on the citizens of countries who are allowing Syrians come into their countries as refugees. According to newsweek. com, the Middle Eastern countries have been “remarkably generous” with the number of refugees they have been allowing in. Europe has also made a great impact of refugees by allowing them in countries such as Germany, and Sweden. The syrianrefugees.eu website continues to explain that the countries in the Middle East that have allowed a great number of Syrian refugees in are Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, and the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Both Jordan and Lebanon’s statistical data of population has changed quite significantly since they have allowed Syrian refugees in. Most Syrian refugees that are in Jordan are located in the Za’atari refugee camp, which holds about 650,000 refugees.

Turkey now holds about 1 million Syrian refugees since 2011. Lebanon holds about 3 million refugees, and is one of the countries that holds the most. Iraq is one of the Middle Eastern countries that doesn’t hold as many refugees as other neighboring countries. Iraq’s main refugee camp which is registered with The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), holds about 2200,000 refugees. In total, the Middle East alone holds a little over

4 million Syrian refugees. Countries in Europe such as Germany and Sweden have about 50,000 asylum applications each, all of which are from Syrian refugees.

Many countries in the European Union, as well as other countries within proximity of Syria, are extremely opposed to any refugees moving into their countries as they fear the refugees will ruin their economies; while others have welcomed the refugees with open arms.

Hungary alone received 150,000 this year. Germany has taken in a large number, and is expecting many more. Obviously many countries are allowing refugees, but there are still millions of people looking for a new place to live safely. One would think that these countries would want to

help these innocent people, but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Most of these countries are worried about the Syrians harming their economies and their people, but most of these refugees are hoping they will find jobs and once again be able to make a living in their new countries as they did before the war. Countries are worried about the crimes the immigrants may commit, but when given a new home and opportunity for a new life, the odds of refugees turning to crime are unlikely. These people have lost everything; their homes, friends, families, jobs; they need these countries to help them build the foundations so they can rebuild their lives again. Without help, they are more than likely have to commit

Syrian refugee Fadi Adris, center, and his sons Abdel Hamid, rear, and Osama are adjusting to life in Chicago. They are seen in their North Side apartment on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune/TNS)

The Blue and Gold October 2015

International News maldenblueandgold.com

It is estimated that 9 million Syrians have left their homes since the “outbreak of civil war in March 2011” (syrianrefugees.eu).

“No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land.”

-Warsan Shire Excerpt from the poem “Home” globalcitizen.org Samar Bitar, Renata Alkurdi and her husband Nizar Alkurdi. The Alkurdis created Narenj Tree Foundation two years ago to offer aid to the millions of people displaced by Syria’s civil war. Bitar, of Damascus, Syria, came to America about a year ago and has volunteered with the charity, which sends shipments of used clothes, new books and medical supplies to Syrian refugees. (Michael Matza/ Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS) crimes in order to survive; countries will be better off helping them start their new lives on the right track rather than leaving them in horrible living conditions.

ISIS has also been attacking civilians in Syria everyday including women & children. The occurring events are horrific, and without help, unavoidable; everyday, every breath, could be their last. Syrians are living their lives in fear, praying that everything will eventually get better. Those that are lucky enough to escape Syria must then take several more dangerous, possibly fatal, journeys; all in hopes of a better future for themselves and their families. Often times, in order to pay for the journey, they have to work for months on end before they have the money to flee; forcing them to stay in warzone until they can afford to save themselves. The families of Syria did not choose to live in these circumstances. No child should miss out on an education. No parents

should fear sending their children to school. Families should spend their days making happy memories, not simply trying to survive. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Syrian families. Syria has become a country of ghosts- there is no longer life there.

Many people are blessed to have the lives they have- to be fortunate enough to have a home, and know that they are safe. It is now the duty of the more fortunate to help the refugees so that they are able to rebuild their lives and contribute to the beautiful things in the world once again. They must be reminded that the world is indeed a beautiful place, and that there is more out there than the horrible things they are living through right now. Life does get better, but they can’t do this on their own. The fortunate must help the refugees, or the good in the world will surely be lost.

Map showing number of Syrian asylum applications to European nations.

Tribune News Service 2015

Visit syrianrefugees-bg.tumblr.com for updates on the crisis in Syria and to learn more about it!

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The Blue and Gold October 2015

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malden high school talks college affordability

From left to right: State Representative Steven Ultrino, Mayor Gary Christenson, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and Principal Dana Brown are pictured posing outside of Clark’s College Affordability Workshop event on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015 at Malden High School. (Congresswoman Katherine Clark/Facebook)

Haley Mallett Lead Reporter

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ongresswoman Katherine Clark, a believer in turning “those dreams and aspirations” of affordably attending college into “a reality”, recently contacted Principal Dana Brown to sponsor a college affordability workshop for the students and parents of Malden High School.

To begin the night, Mayor Gary Christenson of Malden spoke on behalf of Brown. “Prior to [Brown’s] arrival, this type of workshop was never given” said Christenson. It is often said that a higher education is the key to success, and Christenson made sure to proudly note that “anyone who says the future is uncertain, hasn’t gotten to know the students at MHS.” Christenson then introduced Clark, who spoke highly of the “outstanding students” at MHS. She reminded the students and parents in the crowd that “[these students] are the workforce of the future” to be a part of “our economy, and wonderful community”, and that starts by attending college. Although, Clark does understand that student debt has a financial “draw” on students, and “drags [the students]” down, hence why sponsoring such a workshop is important to her.

Joining Clark to speak was John Drew, the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Jonathan Hughes, the Customer Service Team Leader at MEFA, otherwise known as the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. Bentley University, Bunker Hill Community College, Framingham State College, and Tufts University were also present.

Drew first spoke of FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which indicates how much the federal government believes you can contribute to your college tuition. The FAFSA is available to begin filing on January 1, 2016, and is extremely important for all students and parents to complete by the deadline. Drew advised not to wait for acceptances to come in, but to file not long after it opens because there is only a set amount of aid to give out. Hughes also commented on FAFSA and receiving merit stressing their importance, whether it is in the form of grants and scholarships, or need-based work studies and student loans.

Drew and Hughes also mentioned that when students compile the list of colleges they plan on applying to, it consists of safety and reach schools. Students should also make sure they have financial safety and reach schools, so they know

they will be able to affordably attend at least one.

Financial aid eligibility is determined by subtracting the expected family contribution from the cost of attendance. Incoming college freshman can also receive up to five thousand five hundred dollars in federal direct student loans.

This is only part of the process, but one of the most essential. This money is awarded through FAFSA and specific colleges that offer merit aid; not all colleges do. In order to receive this aid, you must be making satisfactory progress in school. The importance of maintaining a decent GPA (or grade point average) was also stressed.

UMass Boston and MEFA both strive to help families plan, save, and pay for college. In UMass Boston’s most recent data collection, they show that they met ninety percent of student need, which is a total of one hundred fifty six billion dollars including over five million dollars in merit scholarships.

Hughes, representing MEFA, stated that “after tonight, MEFA is available to help. It doesn’t end tonight.” Between 2013 and 2014, MEFA provided over one hundred eighty four billion dollars in undergraduate student aid, the most popular sources being 34% federal student loans, 25% federal grants, and 21% institutional grants and scholarships.

To wrap up the night and leave students with something to ponder on, Drew left the students with eight tips of advice, which were: Take the SATs more than once.

Generally, students’ scores improve the second time.

Utilize admissions and financial aid staffs. They are there to help.

The first time you receive aid is not the last time. You can reapply every year, and typically the amount of aid you receive increases.

Do not be scared away by a school’s price or its reputation.

There are always options for financial assistance, and only you can form your own opinion of a school.

Explore AP and dual enrollment classes. They look impressive on your transcript.

Have fun with the process.

Even though it can be stressful, exploring campuses and learning more about schools allows you to spend quality time with your parents or friends. It is a memorable experience, and should not always be stressful.

You can work in college, but college is a job in itself. It is your priority. If anything, explore a work study program to help pay for school.

Use a net price calculator. All

schools provide one on their websites, and they will give you an idea of how much you will have to contribute to your overall tuition, room and board, and fees.

If you did not attend Clark’s College Affordability Workshop on Wednesday night, there is still time to research this information to help you learn more about affording college. Take this seriously; the process does not end after being accepted into schools. There are always people to help you, whether you contact a school’s financial aid staff, such as UMass Boston, MEFA, or even your own high school guidance counselor. College can be affordable for everyone if the process is done right.

Malden High School Class Elections Class of 2016: Seniors Class Advisors: Mr. Brown and Ms. Dorothy Levine President: Samantha Forestier Vice President: Cassandra Reyes Secretary: Sreypech Tham Treasurer: Lily Chen Historian: Danielle Copson Leadership Council Chair: Jilian Molokwu Special Advisor: Lily Tran Class of 2017: Juniors Class Advisors: Amy Cianci and Heather Northop President: Vivian Nguyen Vice President: Rachel Tran Treasurer: Danny Chen Historian: Leah Tramandozzi Junior Varieties Coordinator: Nicolas Acuna Social Media Chairperson: Tori Macdonald

Congratulations to all the elected officers!

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New Staff at Malden High School

The Search for a New Principal Continues

Jenkins House Principal: William Shevory

Abdul Ali Lead Reporter

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principal is a person with authority in a school telling students what to do and to lead them to the right path, an extremely tough

Librarian Mary Liberge Joanna Li Reporter

position to fill.

Malden High Schools students may have noticed that former Jenkins House principal Kevin Kilbride has left MHS to become the principal of the Beebe School. Now taking place of him in the Jenkins House office is William Shevory, one of the latest additions to the Malden High School staff. Shevory is expected to add a huge impact to the teaching staff and the principal staff at MHS. Shevory expresses apart of his reasoning for assuming his current position is because of “the reputation MHS has had with Dana Brown and [he wants] to get more experience with a high school that is well renowned in the state.” Shevory’s plan is to help out students to make sure they pass and end up graduating. “The most important thing for me is graduating students,” expresses Shevory.

Before coming to MHS, Shevo-

Freshmen Guidance Counselor: Nada Bourji Vivian Dang Reporter

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alden High School is giving a warm welcome to new librarian, Mary Liberge. Before making her way to MHS, she was a librarian at the Ferryway School. Liberge originally had wanted to pursue teaching, but her passion for books steered her towards being a librarian. She loved fiction novels as a child and continues to today.

Liberge aims to be an understanding, respectful, and fair teacher. She enjoys talking with students about books and loves to see that students enjoy reading and working hard. Liberge expressed the importance of “[becoming] lifelong readers” and added that “a book will always be a good friend.”

Freshman Vivian Dang described Liberge as “nice and doing a great job as a new librarian.” Senior Matt Le is in agreement about Liberge’s approachability, commenting that she is willing to “help students and will do the same for this school.” In addition, Principal Dana Brown stated that she has “done an excellent job by transferring from a K-8 school to high school.” Liberge looks forward to the rest of the year at MHS.

ry was a physics teacher at Marblehead High School. This is not his first time being a principal, seeing how he was the assistant principal at Salem High School. Shevory also taught science at a middle school which connects to his loves for science and physics. Teaching was one of his biggest dreams growing up and he fulfilled it.

Prior to being an assistant principal and teacher, Shevory attended Endicott College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst majoring in mechanical engineering. He has had over 23 years of teaching administrating experience. Shevory enjoys watching sports in his free time, specifically the Boston Red Sox and the Celtics. In addition, he loves to fish and spend time with his family. Shevory is going to do an excellent job as the Jenkins House principal this year and the years following.

ith a passion to work in a school setting, Nada Bourji joins the Malden High School staff as the new guidance counselor for the freshmen in Brunelli and Jenkins house.

Bourji originally grew up in Canton, Massachusetts, and has recently moved into Malden.

During her childhood, she grew up in a second-generation Lebanese household. Growing up, she visited her relatives in Lebanon and went to school in America. Bourji feels that because of this she receives the “best of both worlds”.

Her passion for helping students drove her motivation to become a Guidance Counselor. “[She comes] from a family of teachers.” says the Guidance Counselor. Bourji feels excited to be in Malden, she especially wants to help students academically and support them throughout their high school years, believing that this is the best part of being a Guidance Counselor. “[She has] always wanted to work in a school setting,” commented Bourji.

Bourji expressed that when she was in college, “[She] really liked [her Psychology class and my Counseling Theories class, so [she] combined two interests together and decided to become a Guidance Counselor.”

This is Bourji’s first job in counseling after recently graduating from college.

She is happy that the culture at Malden High School and the city of Malden is highly diverse in culture, and her goal at MHS is to solve various issues and help out the students of the Jenkins and Brunelli house through difficult times. Her time adjusting is smoothsailing, for Bourji finds the staff extremely friendly.

Bourji believes that her goals here at MHS is to gain more experience and learn more about her profession. She feels “extremely grateful and excited to be here.”

Bourji says that, “Guidance Counselors are here to help and support you through your decisions,” and to help students to not be, “be overwhelmed by college.” She would like to like tell to students who are stressed about their future after High School “to look for help from their Guidance Counselor.”

Principal Dana Brown addressing the panel. Photo by Jasper Haag Abdul Ali Lead Reporter

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t will be the end of an era for principal Dana Brown who has been the principal of Malden High School for 12 years. Brown has contributed greatly to the school as well as the Malden community.

With Brown leaving, MHS is tasked with finding a new principal.

The Principal Search Committee is responsible for the process of finding a new principal. The purpose of the committee team is to recommend 1-3 candidates to the superintendent to be the next principal for MHS. The committee team is separated into four different section, consisting of the Community Committee, the High School Committee, the Search Committee and the Interview Committee.

The Community Committees asks the community on the qualities they believe the next principal should have. Concerning the High School Committee’s job, they take into consideration the MHS staff’s recommendations for the new principal. On the search committee, members recommend potential candidates to the Interview Committee.

The team has already met three times. During the meetings the committee has addressed as to where they should look for candidates.

The interviewing process starts in December and the superintendent has planned to choose the new principal by the beginning of 2016.

MHS students and staff will be sad to see Brown leave this year but he has made a lasting impact on the school and the Malden community as a whole.

The Blue and Gold will continue to cover this process. There will be A Day in the Life video of Mr. Brown coming soon.

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The Blue and Gold October 2015

maldenblueandgold.com

New Staff at Kurtis Scheer, History Teacher Tatum Skiffington Reporter

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his school year, Malden High School is giving a warm welcome to one of the new additions to the staff, history teacher Kurtis Scheer. Scheer began his journey of teaching history at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he received his Master’s Degree in Teaching.

Scheer was a student teacher here at MHS, working with history teachers Rick Tivnan and Dana Marie Brown. His love of history began while he was in high school. Scheer described about his high school history teacher who made history “fun, exciting, new, and interesting.”

He added that growing up in the Boston area also furthered his love of history, as Boston has a historical atmosphere.

“He’s a good teacher, and he has a great attitude,” says Ashanti Baptiste, a member of Scheer’s

first period history class. Baptiste also states that she enjoys the “throwbacks” in his class, as well as the current events. As a student of his, I believe that being in class with Mr. Scheer is exciting, informative, and professional.

Royal Temple, another student of Scheer’s first period class, adds that Scheer listens to him, and that he’s fair. Temple states that, “period one history has the biggest impact on me outside of class.” Scheer’s students appreciate him and believe that he is flexible, unique, and full of knowledge.

Although history is one of Scheer’s top priorities, he also has several other exciting hobbies including outdoor activities such as snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking, and longboarding. A previously sponsored skateboarder, Scheer still loves skateboarding though his days of “ollie-ing and kickflipping” are

in the past.

The rise of industry in the United States, more specifically the rise of the entrepreneur, is among Scheer’s favorite sections to teach. He looks forward to teaching potential future entrepreneurs as well as inspiring students to become entrepreneurs.

When talking about teaching at MHS, Scheer commented that so far it is going “fantastically.”

He added that he could not be happier with all of his students classes.

Scheer hopes to teach in Malden for his entire career, stating that even though he has traveled across the globe, teaching students around the world, Malden is still his favorite place to be because of the endless diversity and the great group of students that keep him excited. Scheer is excited to “see where we’re going, and how we’re going to get From top to bottom: Kurtis Scheer teaching a class. Photo by Meghan there.”

YIp.

Stephen D’Entremont, English Second Langauge Teacher Haley Mallett Reporter

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fter spending many years educating others overseas, Malden High School warmly welcomes Stephen d’Entremont as a new addition to the ESL department, and to our staff.

Born in Winthrop and raised in Brookline Village, d’Entremont attended UMass Amherst where he studied journalism and history.

Shortly after graduating in 1992, d’Entremont packed his belongings and moved to Athens, Greece, and later on to Saudi Arabia. He has taught ESL, which stands for “English as a Second Language”, since graduating, and has done so all over the globe. Besides traveling, he also has a passion for drawing, and many of his pieces are displayed around his classroom. He moved back to Boston only a few years ago to be close to home, and has now found himself a position at MHS. This year, d’Entremont is teaching three different classes: sheltered history, ESL one, and ESL one and a half. Many students may be unfamiliar with the courses d’Entremont teaches.

Sheltered history is a class de-

ESL teacher Stephen D’Entremont. Photo by Meghan Yip.

signed specifically for students immigrating from other countries who instead of learning United States history, learned their native country’s history. At the same time, these students are trying to acquire English, a difficult task d’Entremont says we “take for granted.”

There are so many differences in the English language when compared to others, such as how “we write from left to right” but “they might write from right to left, or top to bottom” as d’Entremont points out, making the language much harder to learn than we think it is.

The ESL one, and ESL one and half classes are also designed to help foreign students learn the English language. Because students often enroll at MHS anytime throughout the year, the ESL department has established various levels to suit each student’s needs; whether they have to start from the basics, or their skills in the language are more advanced. MHS is known for being the most diverse high school in Massachusetts, and part of the reason why is because of the strong foundation our ESL department has built that gives foreign students from all over the

globe the opportunity to learn.

One of d’Entremont’s goals in the classroom, along with the rest of his department, is to “acclimate [his students] to how things are done here as quickly as possible,” and show them “how [they] can be successful here.”

Since he has worked with students from all over the world, he has first hand experience to help them succeed not only in school, but to assimilate into our culture.

Outside of his classes, he simply hopes to become acquainted with more of his co-workers, and figure out where everything is located in the school. He compared MHS to drawing because “a French painter always said you should break things up into geometric shapes. So if you’re going to draw the door, it’s a rectangle” and that “simplifies things.” d’Entremont feels that starting out “modestly, and expanding from there” is the best approach in any situation, but especially in a school as big as MHS. d’Entremont is excited to unravel MHS during his first year, and also “contribute in a way [he] enjoys” to our school’s community.

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Malden High School Caitlyn Quinn: Holland House Guidance Counselor Gabriella Onessimo Reporter

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alden High School is excited to welcome Caitlyn Quinn, the new and enthusiastic Holland House guidance counselor. Originally from southeast Connecticut, Quinn moved to Boston following her college years at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.

She has resided in the city for the past three years, participating in the Americorps for a year and the Boy and Girl’s Club, where she was a teen director for three years. This sparked the beginning of Quinn’s experience with teenagers, a passionate interest she always harbored as she was consistently interested in working in a school environment.

From having an innate connection with students and a fondness for one on one settings, Quinn decided that guidance was the right path— so she joined Malden High School in the fall, a few months after finishing her Masters degree in Guidance.

her loved ones. She is also eager to dabble in new hobbies such as cooking (inspired by the cooking shows she adores).

Aside from adopting new pursuits, Quinn is especially keen on developing relationships with the many student of MHS. Quinn states, “In these first couple of weeks [she feels] like [she has] met so many students, even if it’s only for a very brief or quick question or schedule change, but [she feels] like in that instance you learn so much about kids and how different they all can be.”

MHS Holland House guidance counselor Caitlyn Quinn. Photo by This year, she looks forward Meghan Yip. to getting to know her students Transitioning to Malden unique and stimulating events wholeheartedly. It is an opportunity that she loves having as High School has been a busy that happen here. and engaging experience, but In her spare time, Quinn en- a guidance counselor, as every the helpful and amicable nature joys participating in lively activi- individual at the school is followof the student body has made it ties from exercising in the scenic ing their own aspirations. Quinn an easy process for Quinn. She is city to exploring all of the flair and loves witnessing the diversity in already an active member of the amusement Boston has to offer. her students from their identities school and is ready to encounter Her friends and family also make to their goals and finds enjoyeverything Malden High School up a significant part of her day as ment in assisting them with their has to offer, particularly the many she enjoys being surrounded by future planning.

Kathlyn Hill: English Teacher Christina Appignani Reporter Megan Downer Reporter

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athlyn Hill is Malden High School’s newest addition to the English department. Hill is from Anchorage, Alaska and earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She also earned her master’s degree at Willamette University in Oregon. As a child, doing summer school with her five younger siblings every year sparked her interest in education.

This is Hill’s ninth year of teaching overall and she has wanted to become a teacher ever since she was young because she “really loves people and English, and that it’s great to be able to put them together”. This year, Hill is teaching English 9 CP and Honors to freshmen, as well as Dramatic Literature to seniors.

Although she believes that naturally every subject is important, she really considers English a very valuable and useful subject because you “learn how to express yourself in writing and think for yourself, question things, enables you to understand what you read and what the text is saying and how it applies to you as a person”.

Because English class allows

English teacher Kathlyn Hill. Photo by Meghan Yip. students to talk about their experiences and how they are relevant to what they’re learning, Hill gets the chance to see who her students really are, and how their relations to the material can be very important.

In her free time, Hill enjoys hiking, spending time with friends, cooking, traveling, playing the kazoo and air hockey.

One of her favorite poems is “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S Eliot, and she likes the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. Even though it is a story of the destruction of a civilization, she appreciates the book because the

author’s writing “helps us understand that culture, and understand that sometimes things we dismiss are not important and what we don’t understand actually has a lot of worth.”

Hill is extremely impressed with MHS and describes it as “wellorganized” and says that the teachers here as “positive and putting students first.” She enjoys having students from all over the world in her classroom who are mostly motivated to learn and appreciate their teachers. Hill is thrilled to be a part of such an upbeat community of educators and learners.

Visit maldenblueandgold.com to read the rest of the new teacher profile articles and view an upcoming video!

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The Blue and Gold October 2015

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MHS Art Gallery Sale

All artwork was done by various MHS student artists from different grades that were submitted to be sold. All photos by Gabrielle Onessimo.

Gabriella Onessimo Reporter

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he annual Blue and Gold Art Gallery is a tradition of Malden where student artwork is showcased for the public at Commerce Place on 350 Main Street. The Summer Show was an exhibit that ran from August 3rd to October 7th, organized by the Fine Arts Department at Malden High School. This summer marked its first year, but the Blue and Gold Art Galley occurs at the same location every year in April.

Out of approximately 1000 student works to choose from, and about 300 selections from the 2014-2015 year were displayed and for sale. The show features artwork entirely from Studio students of MHS from all grades and levels. The Blue and Gold Gallery has consistently attracted new Studio members for the reward of exhibiting creations and commonly felt among the students, as stated by Mary Ann Seager, who has been teaching art at MHS for 20 years.

As a teacher, Seager enjoys learning something new from her students through the variability of ideas in each individual’s art, which is demonstrated in the works at the gallery. The artistic skill and ability of the pupils is unquestionable, but their individual perspective on art is the most exciting and impressive aspect of the gallery.

The process of developing the show is a large effort made possible by its supporters.

Orchestrating the overall event engages many helpers such as workers from the Mayor’s Youth Employment Program who assisted in assembling the artwork to major contributors like MHS principal Dana Brown who allow the art showing to take place. The moment when the gallery becomes public is an exciting feat for everyone involved. Seager describes the opening as, “having a party and hoping somebody will come!”

Artists and staff dress formally and anticipate visitors who soon file in to enjoy the showcase, a particularly special moment for art teacher Julie Mullane who expressed, “[They are] so impressed with it and we look at it everyday but getting it out in the public takes on a professional look,” says Mullane. Both Mullane and Seager agree that the sharing of the students’ work and self-expression in a polished setting is a significant payoff.

The availability of wonderful art for the whole Malden community is something valued by all participants and illustrates the importance of prioritizing the arts. The art sale helps fund Malden High School’s Fine Arts Department, enabling the program to continue and thrive. Its wide support from faculty and students demonstrates the strong involvement of the arts at MHS and promotes how crucial the option of art is in education.

On the subject of art’s essentiality, Seager states, “Art is very important to the education of a well rounded person and it helps with divergent and creative thinking. Art develops your idea of deductive reasoning, creative thought. It’s important to showcase that Malden High School has a strong commitment to creative thinkers.”

Whether making or appreciating it, art deserves a communal presence in a school as it develops productivity and creativity in students who can achieve great merit with artistic expression. As art teacher at MHS, Joseph Luongo expresses, “Art is very important. It’s not a matter of just making pretty pictures. They help students as far as critical thinking and creativity. When you look for jobs in the future what people are looking for is people who have innovative solutions to problems and that is what art helps develop.”

The next Blue and Gold Art Sale will begin the week before April vacation at Commerce Place on 350 Main Street.

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The MHS Art Sale was a gallery that was located at 350 Main Street, at the Commerce Place in Malden. Art pieces were selectedfrom students at MHS, displayed and up for sale.

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The Blue and Gold October 2015

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The 2015 Harvest Moon Festival Joanna Li Reporter

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ellsmere Pond Park is a popular place for both Malden and Melrose residents alike. On Sep. 19, 2015, the park hosted its annual Harvest Moon Festival . The festival included a live concert, bouncy house, food trucks, stands from established businesses like the Monkey King Tea, and even budding entrepreneurs who wished to the word about what they do.

The festival usually ran place from about 11am to 4pm. The Malden High School Interact club, MHS principal Dana Brown, and many other groups and individuals attended the Harvest Moon Festival to help the the even be set up and run the smaller booths such as face painting and pumpkin carving for children.

All around the park during the Harvest Moon Festival, there were always children jumping around in the bouncy house, people buying food like fried dough and ice cream from various restaurants and caterers from Malden, and enjoying pony rides. Every Harvest Moon Festival has a new atmosphere each year with different people, food, events, and performers each time.

The Harvest Moon festival this year marked its 11th year. The festival was started in 2004 by the Oak Grove Improvement Association, who have been serving the community since 1897. The festival’s purpose is to benefit Maldonians and to help bring the community together.

The Harvest Moon festival is an annual event in Malden, and many people were in attendance at the festival. With some of them being newcomers. Brown has been an attendant of the Harvest Moon Festival for a long time, even going as far as to express how “[he loves] the festival because it brings family together, brings out a lot communties and a lot good informational tables, communities partners, the music over there is always good, the dances are good, food is good.”

At the event, Brown walked around to engage in conversations with the people at the Harvest Moon Festival. Brown wishes that, “more groups [would] get involved,” and he thinks it is, “a really great event.

It’s good to give back to the community, to volunteer, and to have a great time.”

The Harvest Moon Festival will be an event that will be continued to be enjoyed for years to come.

ANNUAL fundraiser for MTEC Tatum Skiffington Reporter

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he Malden Teen Enrichment Center (MTEC) held their second fundraiser on October 2nd, 2015. The fundraiser was held at the Irish American Club in Malden for a night of music, food, raffles, and fun.

MTEC opened around four years ago. “The teen center is driven by the students,” says Mayor Gary Christenson. Talking with valued MTEC teens Ariel Garnett, Omar Khoshafa, and Jason Supris revealed that all of them believed MTEC was about engaging the community. MTEC holds various programs for teens, including peer tutoring, jewelry making, movie nights, and karaoke.

The MTEC task force states in the Executive Summary found on the City of Malden’s website, “According to the 2010 U.S. census data, the City of Malden has a population of 59,450, including 3,336 teens between the ages of 15 and 19. [...] as they struggle to navigate through [life] issues, they must also deal with society’s unresolved stereotyping of teens.”

The task force also states that the Teen Center would be a place the youth in Malden could go to for

guidance.

MTEC’s mission is to engage the community, care for youth inside and outside of school, and give students a way to relax and have fun, while getting homework finished.

When the teen center was being discussed, there were many different issues to choose from. Mrs. Marie Brown (Principal Brown’s wife, who is also the president of the board) came up with the idea for MTEC. Mrs. Brown mentions that the center receives great support, and that the fundraiser this year was the most successful.

At the annual fundraiser, the teens involved at MTEC attended, along with the heads of the board of MTEC, Principal Dana Brown, and Mayor Christenson. “The teen cen-

Malden staff members gather for the fundraiser. Photo taken by Tatum Skiffington. ter is one of the best things Malden has ever done,” says Mr. Brown, after expressing how important he sees MTEC for the community of Malden. Ms. Brown says that she hopes to see more people from Malden’s city government at the next fundraiser. Ms. Brown also thanks “everyone who attended and helped out, it was a very successful night”.

Regarding the future of MTEC, Ms. Brown would like to expand their programs, and continue to plan fundraisers.

The Malden Teen Enrichment Center is a place very important to Malden, and very important to the teens who go there.

Opinion: Why this election matters to the youth of malden Haley Mallett Lead Reporter

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s the 2016 Presidential Election quickly approaches, the majority of Malden High students will have the opportunity to vote for their candidate of choice. Although, many students would be surprised by the amount of United States citizens, including young adults, who do not vote.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in 2012 only thirtyeight percent of young adults aged eighteen to twenty-four voted. That thirty-eight percent of young adults are doing a justice by voting to represent their age group. Many people do not vote because they do not think there is a reason to, but they are wrong; there are endless reasons to why you should vote, especially for those living in a highly populated urban city.

Malden is affected by most of the issues consuming party debates and the media, including immigration, foreign affairs, and affordable education to name a few. With the right to vote comes along the responsibility of being educated about the candidates and their standpoints in order to

Left: Donald Trump speaking at debate in Washington D.C. Right: Hillary Clinton speaking in a campaign event with Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Photos taken from Wikimedia. make an informed decision when filling out the ballot next November. It is important that the youth of Malden, more specifically the students of Malden High, start paying attention now.

Our country has a democratic system of government, so in order for it to function the people must vote to be represented. If people of a specific age, race, or gender do not vote, our system becomes underrepresented.

Young adults still have time to find their place on the political spectrum, which is where they can identify with a party based on their ideas and beliefs. Even though no one is required to have party identification, following a specific party

helps to narrow down and focus on fewer candidates that spark your interest.

For young adults who immigrated from foreign countries, those planning on furthering their education in college, or joining the military, this election concerns you.

You are affected greatly. Even if you do not fall under any of those categories, that does not mean you should not vote. It is your duty that you owe to not only this country, but yourself, to become involved because our political system allows us to create the change we want.

So next November when the Presidential Election comes around, do yourself a favor a vote. You will not regret it.

The Blue and Gold October 2015

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Ymanika Nicolas Reporter

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ast year Malden High School allowed students to sign up for a new elective in the makerspace workshop. Over the summer many of the teachers at MHS collaborated to clean the space as well as became well-versed in the many tools the workshop offers. Because of this, the staff is well equipped to teach there. The space is currently open on Tuesdays and Thursdays where both a Tufts aid and an MHS teacher are always present to assist students.

The Tufts student will be there to help with the more complicated parts of students’ projects. If is one is having trouble to program a robot or fix a circuit, the Tufts student is the one to consult.

Brian Gravel, Tufts professor, and Chris Giordano, MHS have high hopes for the space. They hope students attend the workshop to experience the innovative workshop. Teachers may bring the students down to work there so as to introduce a new, hands-on teaching style. It has caused hype amongst teachers and students alike.

Students such as sophomore Khaya Ashley, who enjoys going to the space, is currently assembling

a Deadmau5 head, inspired by the mask the artist Deadmau5 wears.

“It is a cool place where [he] can [go] and make something.” Ashley enjoys the atmosphere and the helpful staff and students. Ashley believes more students should join because “it is a great place with great people”.

Other students including junior Victoria Savini-Burke, who is making a Game of Thrones chest, has similar thoughts on the makerspace. Burke stated “[She] like[s] the space because it is filled with [her] friends” where she can collaborate with them for projects.

Some of the things students can partake in at the space include, but are not limited to: 3-D printing, painting, and robot construction.

One could make whatever he wants within reason. If one is not one for group work, then he can take on an individual project.

Burke, Ashley, Giordano and everyone else involved in the makerspace workshop hope for more students to experience the seemingly endless opportunities there.

The workshop will start opening on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays later on in the year.

From top to bottom: Several 3-D printers in the Makerspace, a close-up of one 3-D printer in the Makerspace, an aerial view of the Makerspace.

Photos by Meghan Yip.

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Dear Nedlam,

Even though school has just started, college doesn’t feel that far away. Besides the fact that I’m totally freaking out about what I need to do in school to get into a good college, are there things I should be doing outside of school?

Thanks,

College Crazy

Fall into Autumn Check out these fall activities in the area to get you in the autumn spirit!

Manale Zouhir Managing Editor of Print

Dear College Crazy,

F

irst of all relax and take a deep breath! Even though the college process can seem overwhelming it’s important to take your time and think about the steps you want to take and the things you need to do to get where you want to go. A lot of college applicants believe that colleges are looking for a particular kind of person, someone who gets straight A’s, does tons of volunteer work, is in the National Honors Society, you get the idea. But that’s not true. While colleges do value good grades, they aren’t looking for another stereotypical “smart kid.” They want to see what you care about, the things that make you uniquely you. Don’t focus on what colleges want to see, focus on who you are and give your all to the things you care about. If you love music, show admissions officers that you are committed and are part of things like the band, choir, or music theory, and stick to it for a few years to show you can commit yourself to something and give 100%. If you love sports, play on a team, but also practice on off seasons to improve, and maybe bump up to varsity, show that you love what you’re doing enough to work hard and get better at it. Volunteering, even in small ways, is a great way to display that you care about things outside of yourself and want to make positive contributions to the world. The key, I think, to know what to do outside of school, and how many things to do is to take a look at yourself and at how much is going on in your life. If you are really interested in soccer, but have been doing gymnastics for three years, which would you personally regret more, having never tried soccer or having given up gymnastics? Of course for some people there is enough time to do both, but pay attention to your health and grades, because although colleges want to see that you have a variety of interests, they don’t want to see that you are doing too much at the expense of your grades and/or health. If you are already feeling overwhelmed, or you still feel like you need a second opinion talk to you guidance counselor about what’s going on. He might also be able to help you find colleges that meet your interests instead of trying to measure up to another college’s values that are too overwhelming or dissatisfying for you. Remember, don’t stress too much about this stuff, because no matter what you should care about your emotional and physical health above all. After all, does where you’re going college matter more than what you are going to do after college with the education you’ve received? Hope this helps!

Submit your questions to the school’s favorite mascot anonymously at ask.fm/maldenblueandgold!

Haunted Houses: - Factory of Terror 33 Pearl St Fall River, MA or 344 Franklin St Worcester, MA Adults $22.00 online, $22.99 at the door - Fright Kingdom 12 Simon St Nashua NH All Ages $24 - 446 Raymond Rd, Candia, NH 03034 All Ages $17 Apple Picking/Pumpkin Picking - Honey Pots: 138 Sudbury Rd, Stow, MA 01775 - Connors Farm: 30 Valley Rd, Danvers, MA 01923 - Tougas Family Farm 234 Ball Street, Northboro, MA Corn Mazes -Mike’s Mystery Maze: 23 South Main Street, Sunderland, MA 01376, Ages 13+ $12 at the maze, $10 online -Marini Farm Corn Maze: 259 Linebrook Rd Ipswich, MA 01938, Ages 3+ $10.95 -Sauchuk Farm Corn Maze: 53 Palmer Rd., Plympton, MA 02367 All Ages $11.95

The Blue and Gold October 2015

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A Par-fect Start to the Season

Visit our Facebook page to view a photo gallery on the MHS golf team!

Ryan Hames Reporter

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he Malden High School varsity golf team swings into a new season, lead by senior captains and returning players Brian Batting and Nicky Andreucci. Coach Richard Malatesta also returns to celebrates his 27th consecutive year of coaching MHS golf.

Andreucci confesses how “the team is very new this year.”

With there only being three returning players from the last season, Andreucci explained that this season “is [one of] transitioning,” due to the team being stacked with a lot more new members than old.

Both Andreucci and junior Nicholas Ansaldi agree that the team has great chemistry, even with the team being so new and inexperienced. This is due to most of the players have known each other for a long time prior to golf. Nick Ansaldi explained that “[some] of [them] also play on the MHS baseball team and have been playing together for the past eight years,” long before being a part of the golf team.

Ansaldi is confident in his team and saying that they “have a team that can compete well in most games.” Though, Batting, while sharing his teammate’s sentiments, also commented how “the season is a hard one in comparison to years past, considering [they] only have six people to play in matches, when [the team] actually [needs] eight.”

Despite their lack of numbers, the team still works their hardest while still maintaining the fun of the sport.

For most of the athletes on the golf team, the goal is win the Greater Boston League and become a GBL All-Star. For golfer Ansaldi though, he exclaims “[his] goal for this season is to better [his] game overall.” Ansaldi wishes to be become “a more efficient golfer,” and to “develop a deeper love for the game,” in order to be able to help his team. Ansaldi also mentions how he would like to “improve [his] techniques to help bring [his] team and [himself] to victory.”

As the captains, Andreucci and Batting both wish the best for their

team. While winning matches and making it to the state tournament is always a goal, the priority for the golf team is to instill in the players a love of the game, and for them to be able to let golf be a game of a lifetime. Though, Batting and Andreucci also wish

From top to botom: Junior Nicholas Ansaldi placing his ball down. Behind him, senior captain Nicholas Andreucci taking practice shots. Seniors Rory Milan and Liam Elliott and Andreucci discussing their match-ups. All photos by Ryan Hames. Figure desin by Ziqi Zeng. he loves that golf is a sport where to maintain an average score of 40 time-old game of golf. To Batting, you mostly “rely on yourself and strokes or less throughout the sea- “golf is a simple, yet hard sport,” that it’s always up to you to score son. Like their teammates, the duo meaning while it is easy to learn, it’s the points.” Ansaldi confessed his also wish to make it to States. a difficult sport to master. Though, love for golf was due to it being “a Everyone on the team has a the challenge is the very reason why game of skill,” while also adding in great deal of love and respect to the he loves it. Andreucci explains how how just in general “it’s extremely fun to play.” He loves how “there’s never an end to learning the game of golf.”

Currently, the team stands at 0-8, though the team is still working hard this season after losing many key players to last year’s graduating class of 2015. The team strives to build itself back together into a new, better team. MHS awaits the results of this new season of golf.

From left to right: Andreucci takes a hard shot at the ball. ; senior Blue & Gold member Liam Elliott taking aim; Senior Rory Milan shooting the ball. All photos

by Ryan Hames.

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maldenblueandgold.com

girls cross country: striding into a new season of success

Abhishek Rana Reporter

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ast season the Malden High School girls cross country team won the Greater Boston League title and went to the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year.

With the championship win under their belt from last season, the girls are expected to improve as a team.

Fueled by returning veterans and exciting new talents the odds seem to be in the team’s favor in winning the GBL title again. This has been evident all season as the girls have gone undefeated with a record 4-0.

The team has done incredibly well and is looking forward to the GBL championship.

Coach Londino stated that he “appreciate[s] all the hard work that [the] [team] [has] put in to get to where they are.” He further explained that they are “always very aware of what other teams are capable of before [they] go against them” so that they are prepared before facing off.

The team looks to win the GBL and to improve their performance from previous years. The arrival of new runners talents will help to achieve this goal. One particular game changer is the introduction of sophomore Allie Russo to the team.

Russo was a track star last year and since joining the cross country team she has caught the admiration of Londino. Running almost three miles in under seventeen and half minutes, Coach Londino believes she has the ability to go on to the allstates round.

What makes this team such an exciting thing to be a part of is the girls’ incredible bond with each other. Most newcomers describe it as the closest team they have ever been a part of. Willcox views her relationship with the team as more of an “[actual] family. [They] try to make the newcomers comfortable

because there is only about twenty of us so [she] [doesn’t] see why [they] can’t all be friends. The best part about cross country for [her] is being around all the girls.” This special bond is something that the girls, along with coach Londino, are incredibly proud of, and it only positively impacts the girls dedication to their team.

According to Willcox, one of the most terrifying experiences in life is to compete in a state tournament with almost two hundred other girls. The girls are not expected to win states. They are not part of a program where you start running in fifth grade and by the time you get to freshman year you are amazing.

They are not like that. Those are the teams that are expected to win states. However, when the girls face GBL opponents, and win, it gives the girls hope that they can be on par, or even faster, than the thoroughbred runners. Just because they are not the favorites at the states, does not mean they can not set goals for themselves to reach the highest potential that they can.

From top to bottom, left to right: The girls team set off for their two and half mile race. Sophomore Racheal Eaglin. Junior Asma Soltani, senior captain Deborah Kibazo, junior Phoung Nguyen, and senior captain Gillian Willcox race againt each other. Junior Adela Dzaferagic perservering until the end. Junior Leah Tramondozzi runs towards the finish line. All photos taken by Abhishek Rana.

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Boys Cross Country: Crossing New Boundaries Cedrina Missamou Reporter

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he Malden High School boys cross country has had victories, made memories as well as lasting friendships. Last year’s team achieved plenty, having not only won the Greater Boston League championship but also, as Coach David Londino puts it, “breaking the drought.” The team has done really well this season. Currently, the team stand at an undefeated 4-0. The boys are looking forward to running in the GBL championship next.

Although last season was successful, all the current members of the team agree that there is room for improvement. Senior Steven Ao believes that with hard work and effort, improving from last season is definitely a possibility, explaining that “[their] team’s top runners are all around each other’s range in running ability,” meaning that they could push each other on more easily to progress in the GBL and improve individually as well. Ao confessed, “This was not the case during last year’s season of cross country, where there was more of a

From top to bottom: Jeffrey Song running towards the finish line. The boys team start running at the sound of the race. Freshman Christopher D’Entremont running towards the finish line. All photos taken by Abishek Rana. gap in running ability between the guys.” Ao concluded that the team is “more well-rounded and it helps that there are a lot less injuries, compared to last year.”

When asked what helps the team to work so well together, senior James Ao replied, “The most

important thing that helps [them] is that [they] are very competitive, even with each other, and they do not like anyone getting too far away from [them].” As a result, this helps to improve the strength of the team overall.

This season the MHS boys cross country team hopes to decrease their average running times, but their primary goal for this and every season is to bring home yet another GBL title. Sophomore Temesgen Tsige commented that being a GBL champion in a prior year makes “it [even more] important that the team continues to work hard and put all of its effort to keep the title that [they have] all been working so hard for.”

As with anything, it is impossible to reach a goal without motivation, drive, and most importantly, support. When it comes to cross country it is impossible for an individual to reach a goal without his teammates. Going to the practices everyday allows the runners to realize the importance of a strong relationship between teammates is for the sport. The team encourages and pushes one another to work harder, improve and stay on task, all the while running towards a common goal; winning.

As a testament to teamwork, when asked what drives him to work hard and improve as a runner, Steven Ao explained that “[his] teammates [are what] drives [him] to work hard as a runner.” He added, “Not one single person on the team can win a race by themselves, due to [their] teammates being so important to help win the meets.”

The team encourages Ao, making him unable to “let [his] team down and try as best as possible to secure the placements [they] need.

Although teamwork is an important in the sport, one cannot deny the hard work of all the individuals.

Each and every member of the cross country team have their own reason for joining and their own goals. Of course, all of them want to improve their speed and endurance, but not all them have the same reasons or motives.

MHS cannot wait for what the boys cross country team makes of their season this fall.

“Not one single person on the team can win a race by themselves, due to [their] teammates being so important to help win the meets.”Senior Steven Ao

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Above All is a Team Jesaias Benitez Reporter With a fresh new start to the year, comes a fresh new team. Starting the season with new and old faces, the Malden High School’s field hockey team starts off the season with everyone poised and ready.

Facing teams such as Lawrence, Saugus, and Lowell, allows the players to take on challenges that make the players much more determined.

The entire team is excited to begin the season with many great returning players, including several new potential talents. As the captains for this season, it is up to seniors Katie Howe, Haley Hoffman, Terrica Dang to step up and take responsibility and lead this new team.

Senior captain Deng explains how “it is [a] different [experience for her] going into the season as a captain, [since] there is so much pressure to make this season the best season yet.” To captain Deng, field hockey means “working hard, learning [how] to be apart of a team, and finding out what [one’s] limits are.” Across the 3 years Dang has spent playing field hockey for MHS, she has always played furiously no matter what her position.

The team is strongly encouraged by their coaches and teammates, making them even stronger than they could imagine during games and practices. Dang also confessed how “[they] had a rough season so far, but [they are] doing [the] best [they can] to make it better and memorable” while they create new friendships with each other.

Old and new members bond as the experienced players often go out of their way to help out the rookies on the team, no matter what their skill level is.

Currently, the team is 0-16, but that does not do justice to the true

skills and potentials of the team.

During their game against Lowell, sophomore Ashlyn Fitzpatrick was able to score the first goal of the season for MHS. Now they prepare to score even more everyday by practicing harder and harder, never failing to put in more than the required effort.

Head coach Kimberly Barber helps the team out by instilling in them the will to push on and persevere. The senior members of the field hockey team aim to make memorable memories before the end of their high school athletic career. As advice to her underclassmen for the seasons to come, Hoffman says that the team should always ”keep [a] positive [attitude] and just try [their] best to keep the team up, and work hard.”Howe also gives advice to her underclassmen, saying that they should “never get discouraged.” The team should “see challenges as a way to grow and get better at the game rather than give up and be upset.” [How’s] perspective is that attitude is a huge part of being a part of any sports team.”

When Howe was asked what her favorite aspect of field hockey was, she answered it to be “learning, growing, and just spending time with the team. From the beginning of the season to the end, “[she loves] seeing all the improvements [they have] made together as a team.” As a captain, Howe always wants to make sure she is there for her team in any way she can be.

The team is training hard every day to keep bettering themselves not only as an individual, but also as a strong, cohesive team. With the team working so hard, MHS looks forward to the rest of the field hockey season.

Last Two Games of the Season: Saturday- 10/24/15 vs. Melrose @ Malden @ 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday- 10/27/15 vs. Lawrence @ Malden @ 4:00 p.m.

From top to bottom: The field hockey team defends the Lowell offenders. MHS player fighting for the ball. The Golden Tornado field hockey team charges up the field. MHS player faces off with a Lowell opponent. All photos taken by Jesaias Benitez.

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Alexis Brown Lead Reporter

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Setting Up the Season

hen the Malden High School girls volleyball team began holding tryouts, they did not know what to expect from their upcoming season. They had to adapt to a new coach they had never met nor played for before.

Having a new coach was intimidating. Senior Captain Brianna Grant confessed that “none of the returning varsity players knew who the coach was going to be and having it be [her] senior year [she] was nervous because [she] knew [the team] had the potential to be a great playoff team.” With such talents on the team, Grant explained how “[the girls] didn’t want to have a new coach [who would] affect how [the team was] going to do this season.”

After meeting new head coach Dan Jurkowski, the nerves and tension soon went away once the girls realized that he was all about his team and bettering them. Senior Victoria Tortora admitted how “[she] didn’t know what it would be like having a new coach [during her] senior year, but coach Dan has proved that he is more than acceptable.”

The new style of coaching that Jurkowski brings to the team helps to motivate the girls giving them confidence to make smart plays and

work together. On the first day of tryouts Jurkowski got right to business informing his team of his goals for the upcoming season. These goals include winning the Greater

more round in states compared to last year. Overall the team is likely to have a dominating season better than any other.

Now almost halfway through

team has already made school history giving them their best record in recent history. If the girls are able to continue this streak, there’s nothing the girls will not be able to accomplish this season.

If the hard work and determination persists, the girls will surely soon break even more school records and exceed their own goals. At the pace the girls are going at, the girls will not only be able to reach the 2nd round of the State tournament, they are likely to go even further. The girl just need faith in themselves and the belief in their skills and potential. MHS can’t wait for what is in store for its girls volleyball team.

Above: Girls varsity volleyball team warming up for a game. Photo by Ana Kerr.

Boston League and making it to the second round of states.

Last year the girls tied for the GBL title with their rival school Medford High, but with nine hard working seniors on the Malden High team currently, hopes are high for a solo victory this year. These seniors also plan on making it one

the season the girl’s goals are within reach. With a great standing so far in the Greater Boston League, their hope for a solo victory of the league seems to be becoming a reality. After having beaten several strong teams, the girls have advanced their record to an overall of 12-3. Having twelve wins under their belt, the volleyball

“This season has faced us with many challenges, but we are still working hard as always.”

- Senior Sabrina Harrath

Left to right: Senior Pema Kunsal setting the ball. Senior Michelle Huang setting the ball. Senior Victoria Tortora setting the ball. Photos submitted by James Mac.

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Girls Soccer Kicks off the Season Liam Elliot Lead Reporter

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he Malden High School girls soccer team has made progress this season with a current record of 6-8. Many players have returned from the previous seasons, but there are also several new talented faces on the team this year. The team wishes to continue last season’s successful run and possibly exceed it.

The team is coached by head coach Enrique Caceda and his daughter Anita Caceda.

There are five designated captains who have all been vital members to the team’s success. Senior captain and Blue and Gold member Lucia Quesada Nylen along with senior Sabrina Barreto hold the fort down on defense accompa-

nied with strong forwards led by senior captains Jacqueline Smith, Alexandra Lombardi, and Kristina Gilbert. Lombardi’s main position is defensive midfielder, while Smith and Gilbert both play as offensive midfielders.

The team has leadership coming up as well, with junior Felicia Lombardi being a breakout star of the season. Felicia Lombardi has become the mainstay of the Golden Tornadoes offense as a leading scorer. Felicia Lombardi views herself “as being a [part] of one big family,” creating for a sense of camaraderie on the team. With three freshmen, Jill Tramondozzi, Alyne Coninck, and Angela Tejada-Soliz, on the varsity team, the amount of younger talent being contributed shows a lot

of potential for success in the future seasons.

The main goal for the team this year is to win the Greater Boston League championship and qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association State Tournament. No other MHS girls soccer team has ever won the GBL title, so if they do win, the current team will forever leave a legacy at MHS. According to Alexandra Lombardi, Caceda “enjoys watching the girls have fun as much as he enjoys winning.” With an attitude that emphasizes less stress, the girls are able to play without fear of making a mistake. This is all thanks to Caceda having created an atmosphere that is perfect for winning and achieving the goals for the season.

The girls are 6-8 on the season so far, but that does not take their eyes away from the prize. With a good attitude and sweltering confidence when taking the field, the girls can easily take their dreams and make them a reality. With fellow GBL teams Somerville, Everett, and Medford all vying for the prize as well, the team will certainly have some competition.

If the girls continue playing as well as they have been then there is no doubt that they will steamroll the competition in the GBL and the State Tournament. With strong leadership, talented players, and a strong coaching staff, the girls have all that they need to make some noise this season and truly go down in MHS history.

From top to bottom, left to right: Sophomore Izabelly Barros chases the ball. Junior Cleverina Cong. Senior captain Jacqueline Smith kicking the ball. Senior captain Sabrina Barreto clears the ball. All photos by Liam Elliot.

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striking into the season “We are a family; spending time together and having a good time means more than the games we win or lose.”

-Senior Guilherme Silva

Ana Kerr Lead Reporter

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he boys soccer team is starting out the season strong with a current record of 9-2-2. The team has done extremely well so far this season. All the players are in agreement that being a part of such a great team has been an unforgettable experience throughout the years that they have participated in soccer.

The boys on the soccer team have different inspirations for joining the team as well as different perspectives concerning soccer. Senior Nicholas Santos explained that his father and grandfather were his inspirations for playing the sport.

Santos explained that “[his] family always grew up loving soccer. [He remembers his] grandfather taking [him] down the street to the field to kick the ball back and forth for hours.”

Senior captain Bruno Da Silva is passionate about soccer, mentioning that “[his] favorite thing about soccer is the fact that [he] can have fun doing something [he is] in love with while being competitive at the same time.” Da Silva added that “[he forgets] all about [his] problems once [he steps] onto the field.”

As the season progresses, the games keep getting harder and harder. This weekend the boys had played a total of three game against Lowell, Lawrence and Medford.

Without a doubt these games have been the top 3 hardest of the season, having due to the one lose, one win and one tie against all three teams.

Losing to Medford affected the team as a whole and went home heartbroken. Senior Ricardo Melgar mentions, “One minor mistake can lead to a lot. Seeing my brothers on the field, on the verge of tears really

hit me. It is more than a game when you are truly passionate about it. I feel that as a team we are going to take the loss as a stepping stone on doing better.”

In addition, Senior Guilherme Silva has played on the team for the past three years. Some of his best memories have been with his teammates. Silva commented that his all-time favorite memory was when “Malden played against Saint John’s Prep. [The team was] heartbroken because [they] had lost the game, but that did not stop [them] from celebrating. [Senior captain] Mateo [Ruperti] had told everyone to go to his house to have one last team event. This day will stay with [Silva] forever because even though [they] had lost, it was a fond memory because [they] had an amazing time with each other, like [they] were with family.” Silva added, “[The group] is more than just a soccer team, [they] are a family and spending time together meant more than the games [they] won or lost.”

The players consider each other brothers, not merely teammates.

Ruperti expressed that “[he loves] having the responsibility of leading his ‘brothers’ because the boys are able to trust [him].” Having the responsibility and trust of his teammate drives him to “try [his] best to be a good example for them.”

The boys soccer team has one of the closest bonds out of all the teams at MHS. When one joins, he does not just learn new skills, techniques, but he also gains a family. All around, the team is excited to begin another exhilarating year of soccer at MHS. MHS wishes the boys all the best for the rest of the fall season.

Clockwise:The team huddles after the game. Senior captain Mateo Ruperti preparing for a free kick with senior Gutemberg Peixoto Dos Santos guiding him. Senior Alexandre Silva-Filho defending an Everett player. Junior Johnathan Guimaraes heads the ball. Junior Felipe Cypriano running across the field. All photos taken by Ana Kerr.

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tornado warning Leila Griege Lead Reporter Cameron Witham Reporter

“We plan to hopefully make it to Gillette [Stadium for playoffs], but at the end of the season all that we really want is to come together as a family.” Senior captain Robert Green

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he Malden High School Golden Tornado football team kicks off the year with a great start. The team is being led by four senior captains: Danley Exilhomme, Djorggenson Exilhomme, Robert Green and James Knox.

According to Danley Exilhomme, the season so far has had its ups and downs. Though, Danley Exilhomme claims it is “mostly all positive. [They] lost to Lawrence 120. It was a tough loss, but [they] look

to regain positivity by winning.”

The team’s goal is to be making a run in the playoffs, which has always been the overall goal for the team in the recent years. The team has made it to the playoffs in the past two years, but this year, the boys hope to establish themselves by leaving a mark on the field.

Djorggenson Exilhomme claims that “[they] definitely expect to have more wins than losses this season, [since] [they] just need to bring our team together more and get everybody on the same page to get everything really going.”

Malden had a close game against city rival, Malden Catholic, but lost with a final score of 14-7.

Djorggenson Exilhomme states that “personally [he] [feels] like [they] are going to have a better season, not only because of [their] the coaching staff, but also during [the] [current] [senior] [class’s] freshman year [they] had an undefeated season, so [he] [feels] like [they] have the same kids coming back who will give [them] the same results.”

Danley Exilhomme agrees with his brother, saying how since “[they] [have] been together since freshman year, [they] [have] created a bond, allowing [them] to fight for one another and just hold on together and get the job done together.”

All the captains have taken up different responsibilities than years past towards the team. “We have inner leadership” say captain Rob-

ert Green. Djorggenson Exilhomme says that this year the role of captain is “different because [they] don’t usually tell people what to do as a leader. So now [the] [team] [has] to step up and perform well even though it might not benefit some of their [teammates].” As captain, they have to “lead by example; what that means is that [captains] always have to do the right thing, because [the] [team] usually [follows] [their] example. In games, especially the underclassmen, the team look up to [the] [captains] to make good plays in order of come out with a victory” explains Danley Exilhomme.

The captains and the rest of the players among the Class of 2016 look forward to this final year at MHS and in football with a bit of sadness. Although it may be their last time as a Golden Tornado football player, the seniors are proud to have spent their time as they have.

Sophomore Jared Martino explicates how “playing for this team has been a great experience we have some really good leaders. I’m defiantly gonna miss these guys.”

MHS looks forward to the rest of the season that is to come.

From top to bottom: Malden player being tackled after a good gain. The team in a huddle before a play.

Senior captain Djorggenson Exilhomme shakes hands with a Malden Catholic player on the field. Sophomore quarterback Jared Martino faking the handoff to senior captain running back Danley Exilhomme. All photos taken by Cameron Witham.

cheerleading: Squad Goals Leila Griege Lead Reporter

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ith the Malden High School football players giving their all on the field, cheerleaders have been working just as hard. The girls practice long and hard and senior captain Brenna Murray confesses how the captains always aim “to do everything as perfect as possible because it is not fair [to the team] if the captains are the ones doing something wrong.”

The team has been doing well , with senior captain Danielle Copson saying how “everyone seems to get along for the most part, so it has been a good season so far.” Murray is a bit more critical, explaining how she feels the season has been “alright, other than having a few struggles.”

The girls this year have put in a lot of work into the season so far.

The team has a “solid routine and [they] are working really hard

The Golden Tornado cheerleaders supporting the football team on the sidelines. Photo taken by Cameron Witham. on it” explains Copson. Murray expresses “the goal this season is to be back-to-back Greater Boston League champions and make it to States.” Murray and Copson, are truly motivated to lead their team to greater heights than years prior.

As such, the girls confess that while in years past, they may not have

always been the most punctual to practices, but now they are renewed and “actually show up to practice on time,” as they wish to meet their goals and set a good example for the underclassmen.

Murray wants to be able to “make it a good last year,” since she “[has] been cheering for Malden

since [she] was four.” To go along with those sentiments, Copson expands upon Murray’s words, saying how during senior year, “[we] can’t be afraid to put [our feet] down sometimes. Even if it means being rough on the girls, it’s what’s necessary to get things done sometimes,” and “the games are more enjoyable, because they are [their] last ones.”

There’s been a lot of changes in the competition routine, but there’s always those people at practice that just keep a positive attitude so that helps a lot. Senior Kamila Regalado expresses how “[she] believes that since the captains are different this year the dynamic in the team is different. It is like a new environment.”

Regalado explained how “there’s so much trust involved in cheering that [one] can’t help but develop good relationships with them.”

With solid leadership and every one of the girls driven, MHS expects a lot from their cheerleading team this year.