April 2014

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com

Malden High School Volume 99 Edition 7

Our 99th Year April 2014

Mr. MHS returns again

From left to right: Seniors Jensen Ayuk, Darrell Workman, Bobby Madden, Jioanhi Cherenfrant, and Glen Richardson during the opening dance at the 2014 Mr. MHS competition. Photo by Tatyanna Cabral. Article on page 12-13.

From top to bottom: Mr. MHS winner Robert Madden, runner up Glen Richardson and second runner up John Dovan. Photos

by Tatyanna Cabral.

cultures at MHS

From top left down: Senior Jackie Bouley running during an event in a meet against Somerville. Photo by Jonathan DeCicco. Senior Kevin Noel trying to get open for the ball. Photo by Lucia Quesada-Nylen. Junior Eugine Szeto preparing for a match. Photo by Pj Montzuma. Junior Meghan Doherty catching the lacrosse ball. A dancer at Multicultural Night. Photo by Amanda De Moraes and Sumya Mohiuddin. Sophomore Hamza Mena throwing the disk at the meet against Somerville. Photo by PJ Montezuma.

Above: Dancers at Mutlitculural Night showing off a traditional dance from their culture to the crowd.

Photo by Amanda De Moraes and Sumya Mohiuddin. Article on page 10.

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Editorial

maldenblueandgold.com

Malden High School

The Final Stretch

The Blue and Gold 77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148

The Blue and Gold was established in 1915.

The Staff: Editors-in-Chief:

Kristen Leonard ‘14 Vicki Ngan ‘14 Amanda Rosatone ‘14 Head of Local:

Amanda De Moraes ‘15 Sumya Mohiuddin ‘15 Head of Op / Eds, Politics & World:

James Mazarakis ‘15 Head of Sports:

P. J. Montezuma ‘15 Head of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:

Casey Lyons ‘15

Head of Multimedia:

Grace Stathos ‘15

Managing Editor of Local:

Julie Lam ‘15

Managing Editor of Op / Eds, Politics & World:

Jessica Lynn Depaula ‘15 Managing Editor of Sports:

The Blue and Gold April 2014

W

hen I was a junior I heard about the tale of senioritis, but honestly just thought it was the seniors’ way of being overdramatic and or trying to scare underclassmen. Last year, “the struggle is real” would be the most common phrase that would leave from a seniors’ mouth and now being in their shoes I finally realize that they were not exaggerating when they said that senioritis is real.

I’m not sure whether it is because seniors have had to do homework and classwork and tests and quizzes for four years and finally reached their max capacity of doing school work, or if it is just the thought that they will be out of high school and set out for a new point in their life, but somehow almost all of the seniors are dropping like flies when it comes to motivation to do any work.

I will proudly raise my hand and admit that I, in fact, am a victim of senioritis. I think because I know I am accepted into college, I feel like my high school career is done and there is no point in doing anymore work, and I know I am not alone in this thought process. Yeah, yeah, yeah mom I know that I still have to try because colleges can take back my admission, but I refuse to let school work ruin the last part of my senior year. Though senioritis is hitting me hard right now, I have learned to look at the positives of what comes up in the final stretch of senior year.

Probably the thing I am looking forward to the most (excuse the cliche) is prom. The truth is, most girls dream about their prom. They want to have that one night where they are all dolled up and feel beautiful. They want everyone to swoon over them when they walk down red carpet and take a bunch of pictures with their friends. Coming from someone who’s senior year wardrobe has become a majority of yoga leggings and sweatshirts, this is a time when I can show that I am not always a scrub.

If I could, trust me, I would fast forward through AP exams and go right to red carpet, where I’m walking up the stairs (trying to avoid tripping) and taking pictures in the courtyard and being in the limo with my closest friends having a great time. Besides all of the dolling up and picture taking, prom is really what you make of it. Even

if the prom was in some alleyway in Boston or in the gym, if you are with your friends and dance and everything, it should be fun. And do not forget you and your friends can do stuff after the prom like stuff your face with pancakes at IHOP or go away on a mini vacation.

I honestly cannot wait for prom and I hope (knock on wood) that it will be one of my favorite memories when I am older.

I am also starting to think about college now that June is fast approaching. Even though the whole college process is wicked stressful, applying, waiting for your acceptances, and obviously one of the most important parts, your financial aid package, once you know where you’re going the stress will melt away and you can focus on being excited for next year. I am already starting to scope out some bed sheets and accessories for my dorm because I cannot wait to be able to decorate a new space for myself.

I cannot forget looking forward to other aspects of senior year such as the senior barbeque and of course the day that ends it all, graduation. This is the day where all of your four years of hard work have finally paid off. I keep picturing myself throwing up my cap in the air (then casually trying to find my cap after words) and I cannot help but seem like it is never going to happen. I really do not feel like I am 18 and I am growing up and that my time at Malden High School is coming to an end. I am going to be that person who goes home from graduation acting like nothing just happened, like I did not just graduate high school, and it really will not hit me until I sit down in one of my fall semester classes on a college campus, waiting to hear the MHS morning announcements or Mr. Brown’s voice on the intercom and when this does not happen, I will finally realize, high school is over.

Kristen Leonard Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Decicco ‘15 Managing Editor of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:

Myle Nguyen ‘15 Reporters:

Crystal Day ‘15 Nicholas Bramante ‘16 Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 Andrew Cogliano ‘16 Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 Ashley Leung ‘16 Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Candela Diaz ‘17 Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Felicia Fallano ‘17 Karina Matos ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17

Advisor: Ryan Gallagher Established in 1915

Editorial Policy The Blue and Gold is an open forum for student expression. It is produced by students for the school and the community. The views presented in this paper are not necessarily those of the advisor or the school administration. The views presented in the editorials are those of the editors-in-chief or guests. The goal of The Blue and Gold is to inform and entertain students as well as the community regarding issues that we feel are important.

We strongly encourage readers to respond to material printed in the form of signed letters to the editors. No libelous, malicious, defamatory, obscene, or unsigned material will be printed. The Blue and Gold reserves the right to edit the letters. Names may be withheld upon request. Not all letters will be printed.

Although The Blue and Gold appreciates the support of advertisers, we may refuse any advertisement that violates the above policy or that promotes products questionable to student use.

Any correspondence concerning this publication should be directed to Mr. Ryan Gallagher’s room in J387 or to his mailbox in the main office.

The Blue and Gold c/o Malden High School 77 Salem Street Malden, MA 02148

Editorial Page 2 Opinion Pages 4-6 World pages 7-11 Local PAges 12-17 Entertainment Pages 18-21 Sports Pages 22-24

The Blue and Gold April 2014

Interactive

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maldenblueandgold.com

The Blue and Gold Crossword Puzzle It’s getting a little hot in here!

Background photo: Scene from Malden High School Play Production’s Oklahoma! Photo by Julia Parker. Crossword puzzle by James Mazarakis using Crossword Forge.

Congrats to the MHS Robotics Team for Winning Fourth Place in the New England Botball Regional Tournament

Visit The Blue and Gold’s Youtube Channel on April 17th to watch the first episode of our VidCast...

HISTORY RETOLD A Re-enactment of the Ukraine Crisis in 2 Episodes

Starring Andrew Cogliano Nicholas Bramante Julia Parker James Mazarakis

*Stay tuned for a bloopers video!

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Opinions

The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

Give Peace a Chance... But Can We Give Lennon One Too? Jessica DePaula Managing Editor of Opinions

F

ew music icons are as revered and accepted as the late John Lennon, the former Beatle who came to symbolize the anti-war, propeace movement of the 1960’s and 70’s only to later be fatally gunned down by crazed fan Mark David Chapman. Throughout his tenure as both a Beatle and one of the most controversial solo artists of all time, Lennon was consistently in the spotlight, immediately hailed as a tragically misunderstood talent far beyond his time. A mystical, almost cult-like belief that John Lennon was a man of pure peace and love began to brew as soon as his death in 1980, and this image is the one that the majority of music fans will cite when voicing their praises of the late artist.

That concept of peace-loving, free-thinking John Lennon is also the primary reason why most music fans are floored when they discover that Lennon was, according to the testimony of several women and his son Julian, a violently abusive hypocrite who seemed physically unable

to keep his temper under control.

According to his first wife, Cynthia Lennon, in her memoir “John,” her famous husband did express feelings of genuine love and devotion to her and their young son, but was more often than not controlling, insecure and downright cruel, forcing her to try LSD and bleach her hair Bridgitte Bardot-style. Cynthia also details an incident where John refused to speak to her for weeks after she innocently danced with a friend of his at a party.

She bluntly sums up her feelings towards the failed relationship by saying:”If I’d known as a teenager what falling for John Lennon would lead to, I would have turned round right then and walked away.”

Later, John would also be accused of hitting and abusing various other women, including his second wife, Yoko Ono, and a female photographer; in addition, his mistress, May Pang, alleges that he attempted to strangle her in a California hotel in her own memoir, “Loving John: The Untold Story.” John even nonchalantly admitted to his abuse, but appears to have never seeked professional help for his obvious anger issues.

The one who appears to have

suffered the most from this egregious behavior is Julian Lennon. Virtually abandoned by his father at the age of five (grueling tour schedules and recording sessions made it difficult for John to visit often, and Cynthia did not trust sending her young son out of the country alone with his unstable father), Julian claims that his few memories of his legendary parent were of a distant, intimidating man who was “fun one moment and violent[ly] angry the next,” and who verbally abused his preschool age son, mocking his laughter and appearance and becoming enraged by the child at the drop of a hat.

When John died in 1980, it was revealed to Julian that he had been completely eliminated from his father’s will save for a trust fund that had been established in his name as an infant; while inheriting money could not have possibly eased the grief the seventeen year old felt at the loss of his father, he later said he would have liked to have been offered some personal mementos rather than be forced to purchase them from auction houses for thousands of dollars.

Lennon’s younger son, Sean Ono, has similar memories, though fewer in number due to his young

age at the time of John’s death; he has spoken of a monstrous temper and recalls an incident where his father screamed into the then-toddler’s ear so loudly Yoko fearfully brought the child to the emergency room.

Now, I would have never expected John Lennon to be perfect, but I have a question for whoever it is that decides which public figures are worshipped and which ones are ostracized for blatant misdeeds: in the year 2014, why is this outrageously talented yet downright nightmare of a human being treated like a martyr? When Chris Brown was accused of domestic assult in 2009, he was shunned by the public, his career in tatters and his reputation destroyed. John Lennon abused not only one woman, but several, and his young sons as well. Some theorize this is selective ostracism is a racial issue, while others condemn Brown and shrug off Lennons abuses by detailing his own childhood traumas: orphaned, povertystricken, an outcast at school. I don’t have any logical answer for this, myself, but I can’t excuse years of domestic violence and emotional abuse to children for the sake of preserving rock and roll’s most famous hypocrite.

Nobody is Sure Where 21st-Century Music Comes From James Mazarakis Head of Opinions

H

istorically, different genres have come to define passed decades. For the 1920's, it was jazz; the 1940's, swing; and after the rise of modern pop music in the 60's, we often associate classic rock and disco with the 70's, new wave with the 80's, and rap with the 90's. Even though there were always different genres – the rise of punk being a great example – they were easily traceable, down to the root artist.

Since the turn of the century, however, it has been hard to trace these movements. Even Alternative rock has been confused; if we had used 2013 as an example, we would assume this decade was strongly 80's-influenced; but with the moody returns of Beck and Coldplay and anticipated U2 material, it is no longer certain that this is the case.

Even Foster the People's new album Supermodel, has critics citing all kinds of bands, from Radiohead to the Flaming Lips to the artist's own word of the Clash.

Stranger still is the unchanging continuities that have been affecting our musical tastes for years. Ever since rap and hip-hop became the center of attention in the 1990's, the genre has received international attention, and markedly becoming more of an asset to the music industry than ever before. Rappers join pop and alternative bands to fill in

instrumental sections of the song, join other artists for a number of singles, and by now the art has been (controversially) adopted by a more diverse variety of artists, with the rise of Macklemore and Nicki Minaj.

It has been the strongest part of the pop industry for many years, and it does not appear to be crumbling.

I wrote in our December edition about the rise of Alternative music that seemed apparent at the end of 2013. Though I stand by my points, I admit that it is hard to be sure that the styles prospering in alt/indie will continue to climb to a national stage. Music is a melting pot of differing musical styles from every previous decade, and even if it were possible to site which ones are most influential today, there is no predicting what will come next.

As we saw with Lorde, any kind of music can be made popular with the right pop star. If Beyonce, for example, stumbled upon a polaropposite band like Vampire Weekend or Avenged Sevenfold and was unexpectedly inspired by it, there is no doubt in my mind that she could bring that influence to a national stage if she so chose.

One explanation for this is simple: the Internet. Starting at the end of the 20th century, communications allowed followings of every music type to co-mingle. Since the music industry has recently been accustomed to relying on the internet for new artists and for a platform

An iconic mid-70’s to early -80’s craze with a distinctive style is recognized today as the “Disco.” Drum beats, dances, and high-pitched vocals defined these few years, which were characterized by some of the soulful cultural trends in history. Today, fake Americanized dances like “twerking” and the “Harlem Shake” (which in no way resembles the New York-style Harlem Shake) seldom last more than a few months. Photo from Wikimedia. for production and transaction, it makes sense that everything in the past is more important in musicology than it has been in the past.

Anything could happen in this industry, and changes are no longer bound by decade markers. Only

time will tell what will be regarded as the most important musical advances of the 21st century – and though it may be hard to find new ideas, there is certainly room for innovation and cross-influencing that may shape tomorrow's music.

Remembering

The Blue and Gold April 2014

Opinions

the Marathon maldenblueandgold.com

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ONE YEAR AFTER THE BOMBING Julia Parker Reporter

O

ne year since an event that felt like it happened just yesterday. I remember the day that the finish line of the Boston Marathon was bombed in full detail.

I’m on my way to a friend’s house when my mom gets the call that there was an explosion in the city. Just a bit worried, I continued to my friend’s home, who had a news channel on playing footage of the explosion.

Even more worried that the criminals were not caught, and still unknown, I feared that somehow they would get to me. Now today, I realize how lucky I was in that event, just because of one picture.

On a recent newscast there was a report on the one-year anniversary. My dad, who had been avidly watching it, suddenly pulled out his phone and took a picture of the screen. Later on, he explained that in one of the featured pictures stood one of his co-workers, someone who works very closely with him. I can honestly describe that moment one of- if not the singlecreepiest moment in my life.

What made the fact almost terrifying was just the thought that the two men who caused so much pain that day passed by someone that I know personally.

To think that she could have gotten hurt really just emphasizes the reality of the situation, even 365 days later.

I wonder if she had felt that something awful was going to happen as they passed by. Or was she completely indifferent, all of her focus on the runners? If she was just totally unaware of what was going on, it only serves to prove how close people are, on a daily basis, on tragedies like this. How can anyone know if they were safe or not if explosions are going on in what is typically a safe, secured event?

Seeing this picture, I realize that I was so lucky to have gotten through that without friends or family getting hurt. I see videos of people being discharged

Above, Top to Bottom: The Boston Marathon before and after the bombings. Photos from Wikimedia. from the hospital, up until the last one, for the fatal injuries they experienced.

It is still a funny thing to realize how these things work. Moments

like the few seconds I looked at my dad’s phone could hit you harder than anyone could ever think. This was my lesson this month, and much more is sure to come this year.

Budget Cuts: “When [Money’s] Gone, Where Does It Go?” Sumya Mohiuddin Head of Local

T

he reasons as to why Malden is experiencing a 2.5 million budget cut are concerning; many students and teachers have been left questioning the state of Malden High School’s various programs in the upcoming school year. The chances that something like the art department could disappear, or that thirty of our favorite teachers may have to say goodbye, frightens the community altogether. Thirty teachers and one hundred and twenty central office positions are set to be uprooted statewide. However, with a chance of great change means a chance of great adaptation.

It is no secret that Malden has a diverse community. Maldonians are attributed with a certain kind of compassion that may not be evident in other cities; the sense of community that is within our reach at all times ensures that Malden will come together no matter how deeply the potential budget cuts could affect the future state of our city.

Budget cuts are complex: the process

and thinking involved requires many demanding steps to be taken from local leaders. How can we be sure if applying these potential budget cuts will provide any benefits? A lot of people will be affected by these budget cuts.

Many argue that the budget cuts will definitely lead to a less diverse community.

Will students who are art-oriented might lose the opportunity to take free classes in high school? Will the play production lose its ability to put on great shows every year?

Will this year be the last with The Blue and Gold as a proper class? MHS could change, for the worst. Classes will probably grow in size; students, as well as teachers, will have to accomodate for new spacial challenges.

The further separation between student and teacher could be inevitable once the budget cuts slices through the city of Malden.

Classes today are somewhat evenly distributed, but an increased class size will result in confusion and distractions.

Superintendent David Deruosi argues, through an article by boston.com, that Malden is ahead of other cities because students

are a part of a PARCC exam stimulation.

However, the complications with the exam raises more questions. Where will Malden receive the computers necessary if we are already experiencing budget cuts?

These changes do not only affect Malden, but Massachusetts as a whole. Conversations about cutting MBTA services began late February, according to boston.com. Sixth graders will have a definite seat on the bus, but seventh and eighth graders will have to qualify for a MBTA pass, which will result in $11 million savings. Parents are concerned undoubtedly about the safety that future transportation holds.

The possibility of avoiding the budget cuts is nonexistent, so it is better to not loom on the possible negative effects. Budget cuts will, unfortunately, help the government control their spending as to not make heavy budget cuts in the future.

The only thing constant in life is change, and hopefully the impending yet necessary budget cuts will still allow Malden and MHS to continue to grow and be a strong community.

An open-forum subcommittee meeting will be held in city hall on Thursday, April 17, 2014, at 4:30PM regarding budgeting.

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World & History

The Blue and Gold April 2014

“You’re Wrong!” - Exploring maldenblueandgold.com

There is a fine line between cultural identity and stereotype; in fact, some of the most popular national stereotypes are often assumed to be fact. While some have historical and cultural signifigance, others are violently incorrect. In this spread, we discuss the nature of some cultural stereotypes, why they exist, and how fair it is to say they are “true.”

DISCLAIMER:

Is England the Land of Tea? Julia Parker Reporter

A

nother contradiction to an international stereotype goes towards the British for their consumption of tea. It is highly known that the British are the people who are always drinking their tea, since day one. However, the drink actually did originate from Southeast Asia. While the drink is the most consumed in that nation today, they were not always that way.

There is actually one popular Chinese legend,Shennong, the legendary Emperor of China and inventor of agriculture and Chinese medicine was drinking a bowl of just boiled water (due to a decree that his subjects must boil water before drinking it) some time around 2737 BC, when a few leaves were blown from a nearby tree into his water, changing the color of the liquid.

The emperor took a sip of the brew

and was pleasantly surprised by its flavor and restorative properties. A variant of the legend tells that the emperor tested the medical properties of various herbs on himself, some of them poisonous, and found tea to work as an antidote as well.

Also Laozi, the classical Chinese philosopher, described tea as “the froth of the liquid jade” and named it an indispensable ingredient to the elixir of life.

In 59 BC, Wang Bao wrote the first known book with instructions on buying and preparing tea. In 220 AD, famed physician and surgeon Hua Tuo wrote Shin Lun, in which he writes on tea’s ability to improve mental functions. The Chinese alone have consumed tea for thousands of years, the tea plants growing in their country, and have much history with it.

Chinese + Math = Genius?

What Some People Think:

According to stereotypes, Asians are considered inherently smart, particularly in math and arithmetic. The Chinese in particular are targeted.

While we wish to shed light on factual information, we do not condone the generalization of people based on nationality.

There’s variety in all kinds of people!

What Some People Think:

English people drink tea every day. Their day revolves around tea. If they see tea, they will drink it. They are all obsessed with tea.

James Mazarakis Head of World

Above: Painting of the British Tea Clipper Titania, a 19th-century vessel used to transport tea crates, by Jack Spurling. Photo from Wikimedia.

I

t is often assumed by many students that the sheer characteristic of being Asian makes you smart.

While this is not necessarily true, there is something to be said about the differences in processes by which native speakers of foreign languages do math that may lead to different levels of understanding.

According to an NBC article, it is possible that those who speak Chinese as a first language may “perform problems in a different manner” than those of English. During a study featured in a 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers discovered that English speakers used a part of their language processing area of the brain, while Chinese speakers used some of the visual area.

NPR discusses this difference

Read the numbers to the right... then cover them up and see if you remember them!

in the context of Chinese language.

Numbers are far more simple in Chinese, with short phrases like "yi," "er," and "san.” The next striking difference? They do not have phrases equivalent to our “eleven,” “twelve,” or “seventeen.” Instead, the numbers are listed as sums of a ten and a single-digit number – for example, 10-1 is eleven, and 40-2 is forty-two. This allows long strings of numbers to be memorized more accurately and efficiently.

For this reason, NPR writer Robert Krulwich says, Chinese speakers can “download nine numbers in two seconds.”

That being said, having better number recall cannot help one solve every kind of problem. Still, there is something to be said about this stereotype having some – albeit misunderstood – psychological basis.

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World & History

The Blue and Gold April 2014

International Stereotypes maldenblueandgold.com

France Lose their Pants?

T

he French, known across the international community for croissants, romance, and oh yeah- immense cowardice. One of these things is not like the other; the origin of the French’s apparent cowardice is difficult to track. What is more easily seen however, is how this claim is completely contradictory. One example can be found right within the French national anthem. Where one might expect to find empowering statements of freedom and symbolic liberty, the French national anthem is just a bit different. To get to the point, it is helpful to look at a few lines from the current anthem. “Grab your weapons, citizens!

Form your battalions! Let us march! Let us march! May impure blood Water our fields” Hm. The French Anthem seems a bit aggressive if not anything else.

Well, lets take a look at a few other lines.

“Fight with your defenders! (repeat) Under our flags, let victory Hasten to your manly tones! May your dying enemies See your triumph and our glory!”

Alright France, we get the idea. Another piece of French history that highlights the contradictory nature of the stereotype of cowardice is the French Revolution. Now many countries around the

Nick Bramante Reporter

world have seen their own revolution, so what makes the French one so special? The guillotine was a fan favorite at the time of the French Revolution, meaning decapitations were sort of a normal thing. So it’s no surprise that when the French finally overthrew their rulers, this was the preferred path of proceedings. What was Above: Storming of the Tuileries on 10. Aug. 1792 during the French Revolumore shocking, tion, a painting by Jean Duplessis-Bertaux. Photo from Wikimedia. was when French crowds danced came from the heads. Now thats not something you around with the decapitated heads of see every revolution. I think it’s safe to say at this their former rulers and then dipped point, that the French are not to be underestimated. their handkerchiefs in the blood that

What Some People Think:

Historically, France has not been the bravest of countries for many centuries.

Is America the Global “Hero”?

What Some People Think:

Julia Parker Reporter

T

hroughout history, the United States has been known as that country you would beg for help in war, or the ones who are forever to be fighting for freedom. However, this isn’t always true, for Americans aren’t always the good guys. For one example, there was an incident in Iraq around the year of 2011 where American troops shot up to ten Iraqi, including an elderly woman and a five-month old infant. The later autopsies told officials that the dead had been handcuffed before getting killed. Among the group was four women and five children of five years old or younger.

There are many events

like this throughout history, just as many as the good happenings. Sometimes the US is pictured as the country of innocence, but black marks like this is spread throughout the years as a country. The murder rate in the United States alone is higher than nearly all developed countries in the world.

Our crime rate rises more and more every year. Obviously, America isn’t the most innocent of countries.

With our crime rates rising more and more, and just more incidents such as the recent shooting in Fort Hood continue, America’s stereotype is only contradicted more and more.

While it is understood that the US isn’t the worst country, the country is definitely not the best, given the situation.

America is the world’s biggest superpower, and they use this power to protect the other nations from global harm. Or... whatever the problem seems to be.

Scene from the Iraq war. General Lee lies on its side after surviving a buried IED blast on April 15, 2007. Photo from Wikimedia.

Take our survey on the “American Way” and speak your views on the nature of the United States’ foreign and domestic choices!

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International

Case of Taj Mohammed Raises Concern over Arranged Marriage

Malaysian Airplane MH370 Update

Cassandra Reyes Reporter

T

here are numerous sacrifices a parent makes for his or her child. In one situation, this concept has had to been taken to another level: A family once living among refugees of Afghanistan share their story of the shocking measures that had to be taken for their own.

After having to $2,500 to pay off his ill wife’s medical bills, Taj Mohammad faced another dismal conflict. Mohammed had no one to pay the lender back, and Mohammad was left with a life-changing decision. In a case he felt he had no options left, he was to offer up his six-year old daughter, Naghma, to marry the money lender’s 19 year-old son.

Although arranged marriages are still a custom in some countries - including Afghanistan - Mohammad expressed to CNN reporters that the circumstances that had to be taken were unpleasant. An anonymous donor paid off the debt and an American lawyer, Kimberley Motley, worked with the family, getting Naghma out of the marriage. The depths where some have to go for their loved ones can sometimes be mind-boggling. Mohammed and his family walk past judgment from other families as they try to hold their own.

People like Motley should make others question their role in less privileged countries like Afghanistan, where children are having to sacrifice themselves in many ways. While the parents are the ones who mostly take on the financial hardships, children are out there losing their childhood, their innocence, and much more that comes along with their lifestyle.

Motley continued to assist Naghma and her brother in pursuing an education, and she continues to help other Afghan women. Motley serves as a role model for people, worldwide, to make efforts towards assisting those in need.

maldenblueandgold.com

Prime Minister says there is “work to be done,” but the likelihood of survival is low Nicholas Bramante Reporter

O

ver a month after it began, the search for flight MH370 resumes as faint signals believed to belong to the plane’s “Black Box” were received in the Southern Indian Ocean.

Four “pings” were received by a US Navy “Pinged Tower Locator” and suddenly the search area became a much narrower part of the ocean. Black Boxes typically have batteries built to last nearly thirty days, and flight MH370’s box is well overdue. Search forces are fairly confident that the Black Box is fading, and so they are attempting to gather as much information as possible before the signal loses power.

With Australia leading the task force in searching for missing flight MH370, their efforts have not gone unnoticed by the Malaysian and Chinese governments. However, just a day after Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott expressed optimism towards the search for flight MH370; he is now confident to state the search will most likely continue “for a long time.” While Australian searchers were able to narrow the search area down significantly, it is still increasingly difficult to locate anything sitting on the bottom of the ocean floor. In a sobering statement, Abbott explained “There’s still a lot more work to be done and I don’t want anyone to think that we are certain of success, or that success, should it come, is going to happen in the next week or even month. There’s a lot of difficulty and a lot of uncertainty left in this [case].”

School Stabbing Shocks rural community

Emergency personnel are seen outside of Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Penn., where twenty people were injured -- at least four seriously -- in multiple stabbings this morning inside the high school, April 9, 2014. Most of the injured were students. (Darrell Sapp/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/MCT)

Julia Parker Reporter

I

t was just a regular day in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, when teen Alex Hribal rampaged through his school, allegedly stabbing random ongoers in the hallways. Twenty teens and one adult were left with stab wounds; however, four of the injured students remain in critical condition.

The school district, which serves roughly 3,600 students from the communities of Murrysville, Export and Delmont, posted the fol-

The Blue and Gold April 2014

lowing statement on its website: “A critical incident has occurred at the high school. All elementary schools are canceled, the middle school and high school students are secure. Additional information will be released as soon as possible. Please keep our campus clear of traffic.”

That Wednesday Hribal stormed through the hallways with two kitchen knives, the stretching from eight to ten inches. It started with a nearby freshman before moving on, slashing any student that was

too close. Witnesses say that the boy wore a blank expression throughout the entirety of the attack. Eventually, the boy was tackled and subdued by the vice principal and a security guard before the police arrived.

One witness, sophomore Mia Meixner, described the attacker to a CNN reporter immediately after the event as someone who was “really shy” and “always kept to himself”.

Also, the teen “ [did not] talk to many people.”

Another witness, fifteen-yearold Nate Moore saw the first attack around 7 a.m. He stepped in, trying to calm the boy down, when he slashed him across the face with one of the knives, and the gash required eleven stitches. “It was really fast. It felt like he hit me with a wet rag because I felt the blood splash on my face. It spurted up on my forehead,” he said to a reporter from a local paper.

Dr. Chris Kaufman, a trauma director at Forbes Regional Medical Center, describes the wounds he saw as “large in [his] experience, even an ice pick wound can be lethal ... but these were all impressively large holes in each of the patients that [he] saw,” he stated at an afternoon press conference.

Police Chief Thomas Seefeld described the scene as vast and would take several days to process.

He mentioned during an interview that one teen, Nate Scimio pulled

the fire alarm after the first attack.

“The fire alarm being pulled probably assisted with the evacuation of the school and that was a good thing that that was done,” he said.

Another student, Ian Griffith, who bravely assisted in holding the attacker down, had been walking down the stairs when the act happened, and had been face-to-face with the boy. A teen girl, whose mother was a medical care professional, saved many lives by applying pressure to other students’ stab wounds.

Morris Hundley, a father of one of the high school students, wanted to raise her daughter here for a safe environment. However, he would never have expected this to happen: his daughter called to tell him that one of her best friends was a victim. “She was just frantic. I never heard her talk like that,” he said to the station.“That’s why I got off the phone right away and came here as soon as I could.”

The high school students were evacuated to the middle school, and the parents of children in the town’s elementary school were asked to reunite with their children.

Eight patients, aged 15 to 60, were taken to Forbes Hospital. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center treated a dozen patients; as of this printing, four remained hospitalized in critical condition, and classes were set to resume April 16.

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Multicultural Week: From Our Country to Yours

Amanda De Moraes Head of Local Chaimae El-Adlouni Reporter

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he multicultural festival is a big event in Malden High School celebrating cultures from all over the school by enjoying oneself in a new delectable food from another country. The multicultural club is hosting it, and will provide the winner with a generous prize of $500.

“A great deal” of money attracted many people to participate according to senior Maha Krourikchi. The award to the winner was $500, the first vote was within the audience allowing them to vote for the best dish, and the second was with 3 professional chefs that tasted and judged on the best dish as well. The

generous donations of $500 came from Stock Pot food trucks in Malden. Malden is community made up of multiple cultures around the world that not many schools or cities have, the event is meant to bring those cultures together in a fun, and delicious way. The night was full of laughter and joy. People enjoyed the food and had an amazing time learning and exploring new cultures. Some of the foods featured on Friday were main courses, desserts, and drinks, which all came together as a full and delicious meal.

The whole week had been full of diversity and a broad education of the world. Around the high school had been flags that explained a fun fact about that country. The point of the week was to “educate the students as well as the community” as explained by Yahaira on the rich diversity of Malden’s community. This being the second year of Multicultural Week, as well as the Friday night Multicultural

Celebration, there were many more attendees in the Finn Gym stands, watching performances. Marquez states that another purpose of the week was to “make use of our rich culture and colorful nationalities.”

Students were also excited about the festivities and decided to represent their cultures in a positive way by wearing their traditional clothes.

The acts, the night of, varied from Salvadoran dances to Chinese influenced dances. The first day consisted of small facts about each country that went from European countries to South American countries. Posters of flags from countries were posted and gave information about that country. On the second day, artifacts of different cultures were displayed to the student body, including masks to decorated cups that symbolized the country. On the third day, students came in their representation of their cultures, and the student’s representation was expressed to their peers and faculty to

learn of diversity. On the fourth day, places were set up for students to enjoy activities such as writing chinese characters or applying henna.

On the fifth and final day, performances from all different cultures were displayed.

According to several students and citizens in the audience on Friday, Multicultural Night, the night was a “huge success,” as stated by junior Roberto De Oliveira. The tradition is scheduled to continue for next year, and expand the knowledge and diversity of Malden even further.

Make sure to check out the video of the performances on maldenblueandgold.com

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Spread to Word to End the Word: “LET ME WIN. BUT IF I CANNOT WIN, LET ME BE BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT.” Sumya Mohiuddin Head of Local Julie Lam Managing Editor of Local

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n Friday, Apr. 11, 2014, Malden High School hosted their fifth annual “Spread the Word to End the Word” assembly. “Spread the Word to End the Word” is a national campaign against the use of the “rword”. MHS hosted the assembly to educate others about the misused word through speakers and an award ceremony for the members of the Unified Sports Program.

Principal Dana Brown began the assembly by addressing the strong relationship between the Unified Sports Program and PACE students in MHS. Principal Brown expressed that the MHS community makes sure that “every student in Malden High School [is] treated with respect and dignity.” There is no doubt that one of MHS is composed of unique qualities, one of which includes the large cultural diversity, but the dramatic culture climate changed when all MHS

students “started treating the PACE students as part of [MHS],” stated Brown.

Along with Brown’s introduction, Mayor Gary Christenson spoke briefly. Mayor Christenson stated that he could not pass up the opportunity to be apart of the assembly. Throughout his small speech, Mayor Christenson emphasized that “[everyone has] a purpose, role, and obligations,” in the world and applaud MHS students for their dedication towards this event.

Mayor Christenson is “one hundred percent certain that the future is in good hands.”

Afterwards, MHS senior and Unified Sports volunteer, senior Robert Madden, educated the students apart of the Captains Council and others about the “r-word”. The abused word is an “ignorant word,” with “negative connotation that is taken out of context,” informed Madden. The goal is to replace the “r-word” to raise respect, allowing the MHS student body to be more accepting.

Kamisha Heriveaux, a former participant of Unified Sports, and current volunteer, mentioned that

“[we] are a family and accept all the differences.” Heriveaux also emphasized that we must “educate [others] and explain why it is a wrong word to call people.” No one wants to be treated differently than others and the members and volunteers of Unified Sports helped emphasize that.

Similarly, junior Kaitlyn Weng wants to make a difference through Unified Sports, as well as MHS as a whole. In life, no one should ever “take what [they] have for granted.

[The students in Unified Sports] will never get to play on a sports team or do the things that [other students] do.” PACE students are “the same as [other students]”, and they deserve to be treated equally.

Junior Paula Armentor, who has worked with Unified Sports for three years, views the members of Unified Sports as a family. No matter the day, “when someone’s down, [they] all come together like a family and pick them back up.”

Towards the end of the assembly, Unified Sports members, Madden, senior Haley Sutera, Kaitlyn Weng, and senior Keirra Sexton announced the awards that were given to the Unified Sports participants.

The awards highlight each individual’s qualities and accomplishments.

The ceremony ended with Madden leading a chant: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” The chant rings true for students of Unified Sports, but also others who deserve to be recognized in any degree of accomplishment.

Principal Brown deems this assembly as his favorite; he “loves to see the reaction of both the athletes who are disabled, but also the abled athletes.” When comparing the attitudes of the students’ behavior in his time, and the students’ behavior in our time, Brown can see the positive change. If a student in the PACE program passed by any of our students, “it would be surprising to see [him/her] make fun of the PACE student.”

The Spread the Word to End the Word assembly is very important to Malden High School. It shows how proud the MHS community is and how all students are important.

“Let’s make a stand,” suggested Heriveaux.

Top: Mayor Gary Christenson provides information about why Unified Sports is a great contribution to Malden High School and the community as a whole.

Bottom: Senior Robert Madden helps former participant of Unified Sports, Kamisha Heriveaux to give a few words to the audience. Now, as a current volunteer, she has nothing but positive words to say.

Ashley Leung Reporter

Poetry Out Loud

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alden High School’s Poetry Out Loud representative, junior Fitzgerald Eloi, has gone far in the competition. After passing semi-finals, Eloi said that he was very proud of his performance; he felt that he had put a lot of time practicing his performance and did the best he could. Eloi especially felt pressure during this round, as his mother was in the crowd to support him as well.

Eloi passed the semi- finals and emerged as one of the top six finalists in Massachusetts. Being able to hold the title of sixth in the state, and to be the first person from MHS to ever go so far in the competition is “an honor” and he is proud to say so. Although he wishes he could have gone father, “[it is] still a great feeling to have gone this far.” Principal Dana Brown complimented Eloi, saying that he “was poised, articulate, and a great representative of his family and of [MHS]”.

For preparation, he and English teacher David Londino searched through multiple poems to find the ones that would be able to grab the audience’s attention most. The three poems they ended up choosing were “very relatable, allowing the audience to connect to them on different levels.”

Comedy Night

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eing hypnotized is something a lot of people want to try someday. On Apr. 29, 2014, a few students from Malden High School, as well as members of the community, had the opportunity to be hypnotized. The 29th was marked as Comedy Night, hosted over at the Malden Teen Enrichment Center (MTEC). The event featured famous comedian and hypnotist Joe Devito, and many people who went to watch the show found it an enjoyable night. Many audience members from MHS enjoyed the show greatly, and some even got to participate in the show as volunteers in order to be hypnotized.

Comedy Night was a fundraiser planned by Dana Marie Brown, and was the first major fundraiser held by the MTEC. The funds from the tickets sold for the show are going toward the programs offered at MTEC. Devito was hired and performed in Malden many years ago before as well, so it was not his first time here. Although there is no set date for Devito to come back, Devito does love coming to Malden to perform.

The show had positive feedback; if there was another show in Malden, the audience members would “definitely come back again.”

Principal Dana Brown said that the show “was great fun,” and senior Annie Woolley said that she “[had not] laughed like that in a very long time.” She wishes that more students had been able to go, as she thinks “they would have loved it as much as [she] did.”

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The Class of 2014 Presents:

Chaimae El Adlouni Reporter

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he annual Mr. Malden High School contest evoked a sense of excitement and celebration. The entire student body writhed in anticipation for this event, which occurred on Thurs., Apr. 3, 2014.

Seven contestants were chosen weeks before the event.

The contestants must be male seniors. Factors influencing the decisions of those who chose the contestants initially included academic and disciplinary qualifications.

From there, the “names [were] put into a hat and picked at random”, expressed senior class advisor Jennifer Rogowicz. The judges consisted of Mayor Gary Christenson, nurse Maureen Vona, Jenkins House Principal Diane Klibansky, Malden Recreation Director Joe Levine, and former contestants of Mr. MHS 2005, Anthony Scibelli and Josh Landon.

The seven contestants included Robert Madden, Darrell Workman, John Dovan, Abdallah

Hassan, Glen Richardson, Jiovanhi Cherenfant, and Jensen Ayuk.

The acts included a talent portion, teacher impersonations, swimsuit contest, flex offs, and others. English teacher and Maldonian Yearbook advisor James Valente reiterates that the audience, including himself and the judges, “[didn’t] know [what was] going to happen or when [it was] going to happen” in the show.

Not even the teachers or advisors knew what the students would say or do.

A determining factor that helped the show gain great success was the pool of unique personalities. Each contestant surprised the audience in different ways, and that is what makes the event exciting.

Valente stated that, “there will be kids that are outgoing, and there will be some that are really quiet.

[It is] just going to make the show interesting.”

Mr. MHS was crowned at the end of all the performances and

Madden graciously received the honor of winning, followed by Richardson, and Dovan. There were three different prizes for each winner. First place winner, Madden, won two free prom tickets. Second place winner, Richardson, won $50 towards his tuxedo rental. Third place winner, Dovan, won $35 towards the corsage for his date. The audience, as well as the judges, were on their feet for the next surprise the contestants had in store.

The show was hosted by seniors Isaiah Clemons, Danny Gould and Simon Luong. For their beach, casual, and formal wear, the contestants were accompanied by their escorts who posed with them at the front of the stage. There were occasions when some of the contestants came in with their escorts on their backs or in their arms.

A performance that came back over four years ago is meant to untie the students for a night of laughter and joy. While watching these boys

From left to right: Darrell Workman making his proclamation. The three hosts Isaiah Clemmons, Danny Gould and Simon Luong. Robert Madden posing with Abdallah Hassan, John Dovan, Jiovanhi Cherenfant and Jensen Ayuk.

Cherenfant serenading Elessa Lee. Glen Richardson posing with his escort, Nicole Pereira. Cherenfant wearing his beach wear. Richardson and Cherenfant in the opening number. Dovan in his beach wear.

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Mr.

Tatyanna Cabral Reporter

compete for the crown, Valente explained that he “thinks that the kids have been able to expand on what they want to do as well as their own talents,” even though there were less contestants this year.

The audience anticipated the spontaneous performances by the contestants. Richardson commented that it was in the “last 10 minutes before…when [he] really felt the stress.” They had all looked at each other and said, “game time,” a signal that it was time to go out and give the audience a show that would be unforgettable. Once the music started playing, the show began and the contestants were ready to give it their best and have a good time.

The boys came out in alphabetical order. For their talents, each contestant had a different and unique style. Ayuk made tacos in a Doritos bag and gave it to Landon and Klibansky; many people begged to have one. Cherenfant danced to “On The Floor” by IceJJFish around

his escort, Elessa Lee. It had the crowd cheering and laughing. Dovan came out in a leopard print outfit and danced with two girls from the Azonto dance group, earning a lot of laughter from the audience.

Hassan wowed the audience with his miming skills. Madden mesmerized the crowd with his poem about baseball. Richardson danced to some throwback favorites in what he called “The Evolution Of Dance.” Workman brought back many childhood memories, singing the song “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You,” from the movie “Mulan.” The performances proved that MHS will always be full of surprises, and they left the audience in awe.

Last year was filled with glee and different performances with the surprise prom announcements at the end, but this year the contestants were “a great bunch filled with enthusiasm”, commented Valente. Each senior added their own style to the act and they all came

together to make it a great night, but “the best part was everything,” exclaimed Richardson; this was because of the boys’ dedication to the event. Many had the same answer when asked what they loved most, including Madden, who loved “the opportunity to be on stage and just have fun”.

Mr. MHS had been a great success: countless tickets were sold, and the funds will be going toward the Maldonian Yearbook, and the senior prom. Valente said, “...the buzz around school [had] been really good.” He had seen many students stopping by and looking at the posters that had been put up and laughing. There was a feeling that this year was going to be a good year.

Everyone had a blast, especially Richardson who stated that, “it was all about living in the moment and just having a fun time with everyone who was apart of the show.”

From left to right: Hassan in his casual wear. Madden, Dovan and Cherenfant showing off their skills. Ayuk in his formal wear with Justine Rose. Richardson in the talent portion. Workman in his beach wear with Stivia Demiri. Cherenfant doing his teacher impersonation of Lucia Musilli Madden doing his teacher impersonation of Jamie Green. Hassan in his beach wear with his escort Cristina Discipio.

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Local Art

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The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

The Blue and Gold Art Gallery Candela Diaz Reporter Felicia Fallano Reporter

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Students at Malden High School were able to display their artistic talents at the annual Blue and Gold Gallery. Students had the opportunity to share their hard work not only in conventional methods of artistic expression, but also in the fields of digital art and ceramics. Viewers from the Malden High School student body, as well as the community, had the chance to see the artistic personality MHS has to offer.

he Blue & Gold Art Gallery presents all the illustrious works of the hardworking art students of Malden High School. Principal Dana Brown expressed that “[the gallery] is another display of their talent,” and he believes it is a “privilege to work here” in a school with such diverse students.

The gallery displayed extravagant artwork as usual, but this year’s gallery unveiled the Ceramics and Digital Art artwork from the students of MHS for the first time ever.

According to Digital Art and Studio teacher Joseph Luongo, “the show will represent more types of art than before,” and “it is a well rounded show because of the two new classes.” The variety of artwork that was displayed in the gallery represented many different types of art students, and the audience was able to view all the approaches to art. Ceramics and Foundations of Art teacher, Julie Mullane, had similar believes as Luongo: she is “happy to get ceramics out there.”

As stated by Mullane, “it is really hard for teenagers to be judged by their artwork on the wall,” the same artwork that is visible to the eye’s of many strangers. According to Mary Ann Seager, a Studio teacher at MHS along with Luongo and Mullane, stated that the art

pieces were decided “by jury,” and chosen because “the work shows progress.” Also, Mullane explained how “art is practice, so [they] take that into consideration when choosing the artwork.” In agreement with both teachers, Luongo said that the students’ work was able to “[satisfy] the objectives of the lesson.”

Because senior Mateo Coronado was awarded gold keys nationally for his portfolio and art work alone, he received an outstanding round of applause. Another astonishing achievement by Coronado was receiving a scholarship that is worth 75,000 dollars. Coronado thinks, “[it is] a compliment,” to be part of the show, as his general goal is to, “be successful.” Coronado describe Seager as one of “the greatest human [beings he has] ever met,” and, was “honored,” to be taught by her.

Along with Coronado, senior Sudan Zhuang will also be graduating this year. Her work “Technology Changes Me” was acknowledged nationally, winning first place. Regarding the Blue and Gold Gallery, Zhuang believed it was a, “great opportunity for the kids [and her] to exhibit [her] artwork.” Zhuang, also a student of Seager, received help from her teacher when choosing which artwork to submit. Although

her “[ideas were] kind of different from the teacher’s idea, [and she sometimes got] frustrated,” it was all worth it, revealed Zhuang.

The talented artist trusted Seager’s suggestions because of the amount of experience Seager obtained over

the years. The art staff and students were excited for this year’s gallery and, according to Luongo, they were excited for “the variety of work” displayed. The artwork will be on display from April 11th to May 10th on 350 Main Street, Malden.

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Business Department Builds Leaders Business classes at Malden High School provide real world experience for high school students. Taking a business class prepares students for work and problems that they may encounter. The business classes offered at the high school are plentiful, and attract different types of students. The business department offers students vast opportunities to get ahead in life after high school.

Andrew Cogliano Reporter

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here are many reasons why MHS is a unique school, but the business department is often overlooked. Despite many of them being semester courses, except for accounting I, II, and III, these classes help many MHS students build vital skills that will look great on their transcripts. Taught by three capable teachers, the courses vary from tourism to finance to social media.

For skills in the workplace, MHS offers classes like Oral Communications, Integrated Business Applications, and Career Prep and Technology Management. These courses build skills like public speaking and resume writing, which come in handy even when searching for a summer job. Being able to speak clearly and communicate effectively in the workplace is required to convey important messages, and in Oral Communications, taught by Debra Buckley, students learn just that. They practice speaking not only at the podium, but also via telephone and in one-on-one conversations. In Entrepreneurship, also taught by Buckley, aspiring businessmen and women learn marketing strategies and leadership skills designed to help market and sell product.

In the finance section of the business department, Timothy Lane teaches Personal Finance, Business Law, and a new class Stocks, Bonds, and How to Invest. Working in the financial industry since 1994. Lane has been employed at several different organizations where his skills came into play, notably at John Hancock Financial. Lane expressed that he feels that the business department is important because “lots of students want to pursue business careers.” On Personal Finance, he adds that “individuals have to make decisions daily on how to manage their money,” emphasizing the importance of proper money management.

Beth Horwitz teaches many of the newer classes in the business department, including Hospitality and Tourism, Social Media Connections, and Mul-

timedia and Web Page Design.

Social Media Connections explores building a “social media resume”, where students use the power of Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr to create appealing profiles for employers. Horwitz adds that the new Social Media Connections was essentially built by the students, and the curriculum revolves around what students deemed to be worth learning. Participants also trace their “digital footprint” which shows how anything put on the internet will stay on the internet, and can even reduce potential employment opportunities. In Hospitality and Tourism, students even take a field trip into Boston to examine the managerial practices of hotel staff.

Combined, the business department at MHS arms new graduates with skills that greatly increase their marketability.

Buckley’s classes teach students to be creative, powerful speakers, as well as clever entrepreneurs and marketers. Lane’s classes offer valuable insight into where and where not to invest, and also where to put your money once you’ve earned it.

Horwitz’s students learn how to use the internet to their advantage, in addition to mastering the hospitality skills necessary for hotel managers and tourism coordinators. Since most schools don’t offer business classes, teachers urge students to utilize the many learning opportunities that exist at MHS.

Business Classes at Malden High School

Accounting I, II, III Business Law Business Managment Entrepreneurship Freshman Technology Management Social Media Connections Stocks, Bonds, and How to Invest Hospitality and Tourism International Business Multimedia/Web Page Design I Oral Communication Personal Finance/Managing Wealth School-to-Career Program Senior Internship Study Program

From top to bottom: Debra Buckley’s period four class learning about business. Buckley teaching her students. Charles Bowers period four class uses computers. Photos by Amanda De Moraes

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WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PLAY PRODUCTION Tenzin Dorjee Reporter

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hat We Talk About When We Talk About War, a play performed by the Malden High School Play Production, got the team to the semi-finals of the third annual Massachusetts State Drama Festival, an achievement that English teacher and Play Production director Sean Walsh called a “great experience.” Although they did not make it to the finals, he and the students are “not upset,” but rather, proud of their product.

The members of Play Production are all “talented actors,” especially many of the “underclassmen [who] stepped up,” said senior Ramy Riviere. He is “proud of the maturity” of his fellow actors.

Sophomore Sarah Bendell commented saying that she believed, with obvious agreement with her fellow staff, that the performance was a “really strong show,” going on to say how “proud of all the work that went into [the play]” she was.

However, Play Production is not all about the acting. The people behind the scenes are equally important: “the tech crew works just as hard, if not harder” than

From left to right starting at back: Justine Rose on standby. Alana Burdine, Stefaun Tallent-Maldonado, Ramy Riviere, Michael MacIntyre, and Jennifer Alves saluting at the end of the play, proclaiming that they’re “proud to serve!” the actors themselves because they “help run things smoothly.” Without them, a play simply cannot go on; Walsh confidently confides that this year’s crew is the “best tech crew [they have] ever had.”

The inspiration for the story of the incredible play came about during “improvisation [sessions, whilst] just spitballing ideas” and “everyone seemed to roll with the soldier idea,” and with a little more work, ‘What We Talk About When We Talk About War’ came about.

Walsh explained the title’s main inspiration came from the 1981 collection of tales by author Raymond Carver called “What We Talk About When We Talk About

Love.” Walsh felt the book was “quick to the point, but at the same time addressed deeper themes,” which he felt was very much like the idea the Play Production students had come up with, and thus, the name “What We Talk About When We Talk About War” came about.

Riviere explained that he felt “a sense of pride, a pride in [his staff],” to have been able to do so well, a sentiment that echoes to the other members of Play Production. The students of MHS’ Play Production “put together such a powerful piece of art [and because] so many minds can come together and collaboratively make

something that can touch so many hearts,” a fact that is just simply, “unbelievable.”

Scan the QR code above to check out the video that goes along with this article and behindthe-scenes action!

From top to bottom, left to right: Stefaun Tallent-Maldonado, in character, bidding farewell to Kamila Regelado Urrutia, also in character. Tallent-Maldonado greeting Urrutia upon his return from being in the service. Kasya Jensen leading Amari Wilson, Anjayla Boyle, Alana Burdine, and Joylyn Norris in typical army formation. Elijah Jean-Baptiste snapping at another actor, who is not pictured.

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Mark Your Calendar!

This spring 2014, there is going to be plenty to do. Be sure to mark your calendar for any upcoming events so you can stay tuned for these upcoming movies, concerts, and album releases!

Upcoming Concerts in Boston

Iggy Azalea: April 23, 2014 House of Blues Boston Calling: May 23/24/25 City Hall Plaza Justin Timberlake July 19, 2014 TD Garden Lady Gaga June 30, 2014 TD Garden OneRepublic June 24/25 Blue Hills Bank Pavillion MIA and A$AP Ferg: May 5, 2014 House of Blues Foster the People: May 9, 2014 House of Blues Hunter Hayes: May 9, 2014 Paradise Rock Club The 1975: May 10, 2014 Royale Boston The Chainsmokers: May 16, 2014 Umbria Prime The Fray: July 30, 2014 Blue Hills Bank Pavillion Bruno Mars July 2, 2014 TD Garden Katy Perry and Capital Cities August 2, 2014 TD Garden

Manale Zouhir Reporter

Album Releases

Iggy Azalea The New Classic Lana Del Rey Ultraviolence Neon Trees Pop Psychology Lil Wayne Tha Carter V Coldplay Ghost Stories Frank Ocean River/Lake Pharrell G I R L Ingrid Michaelson Lights Out Chris Brown X Michael Jackson Xscape Austin Mahone The Secret

Movie Releases

Adventure: The Amazing Spiderman 2: May 2 Malificent: May 30 Comedy: Walk of Shame: May 2 Neighbors: May 9 Horror: Stage Fright: May 9 The Purge: Anarchy: July 18 Action: Godzilla: May 16, X-Men Days of Future Past, May 23

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Entertainment & Style

The Blue and Gold April 2014

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The Soundtrack Casey Lyons Head of Entertainment and Style

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n under two hours and twentythree minutes, the Divergent movie was a complete success with covering the key aspects of the hit trilogy that has been sweeping fans from when the book was first published until now. Fans have been anticipating the arrival of this movie since the release date was exposed but now with phenomenal reviews and raving fans, a new interest, in those who have not heard or read of the trilogy, will make them eager to find out what is so thrilling about this growing triumph. Not only did the movie break box office records but the cast was well chosen and the plot of the movie stayed true to the first novel of the Divergent trilogy, although we will have to see if the following movies will satisfy as much as the first.

become top ten in order to pass initiation to remain Dauntless.

Through a series of battles and competition, Tris encounters defeat as well as victory. Also, instructor Four takes an interest in Tris that she returns back rapidly and soon enough a compelling relationship between the two forms. Once Tris passes

Actress, Shailene Woodley initiation, she soon discovers a plays the role of fearless Beatrice twist that puts her closest friends, (Tris) Prior who lives in a postfamily, and even Divergents war Chicago that is separated in jeopardy and she must act into five factions, which is immediately to protect the lives determined by virtues, to of her loved ones. maintain peace. The five factions Not all movies will be identical consist of Abnegation (the to the novel but Divergent does selfless), Amity (the peaceful) an adequate job at excluding , Dauntless (the brave), Erudite scenes without it being such a (the intelligent), and Candor commotion. Yes, some minor (the honest), where Tris was born into the Abnegation faction along with brother Caleb, played

by Ansel Elgort. Both, sixteen, are to choose to remain in their faction or to switch completely on Choosing Day but first have to take aptitude tests to determine where they belong. To Tris’ surprise she discovers that her tests came back inconclusive and that she is Divergent, meaning that her results consisted of three factions and that her life is in grave danger. Evidently, Tris chooses Dauntless where she adjusts to the new fearless, lifestyle and has to fight to

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scenes and characters are not included throughout the movie but there is a limited amount of time and whatever is most important has to be included before minuscule details. It was very disappointing at first but all factors of creating a movie has to be taken into consideration such as the time restraint, a possible future plan for a character not included yet, and more. The costume, design, action, computer additions, and more substitute the lack of minor details because aside from that tiny aspect the movie was spot on with costume design and the setting of the futuristic but rundown Chicago.

Divergent was an accurate portrayal of the novel and succeeded at bringing the author’s vision to life. To many fans, the movie was satisfying because although some parts were left out, the scenes that were included displayed the book in a good light.

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.’ -Dauntless manifesto p. 206

To accommodate with the bellicose mood as well as the romantic aspects, the Divergent soundtrack pairs well with the movie. From Ellie Goulding to M83, the soundtrack is very diverse and ranges from various artists and genres.

Many up and coming artists are also recognized on the album, such as seventeen year old, Pia Mia who sings “Fight for You” featuring Chance The Rapper.

The amount of tracks focused on both action and romance balance each other out perfectly because the album does not seem focused on only one aspect of the movie. From tracks focused on the brewing romance between Tris and Four to tracks focused on the distress forming between Erudite and the Abnegation, the album covers the most significant elements of Divergent.

Track Listing: 1.“Find You” Zedd featuring Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant 2.“Beating Heart” Ellie Goulding 3.“Fight for You” Pia Mia featuring Chance The Rapper 4.“Hanging On” (I See MONSTAS remix) Ellie Goulding 5.“I Won’t Let You Go” Snow Patrol 6.“Run Boy Run” Woodkid 7.“Backwards” Tame Impala featuring Kendrick Lamar 8.“I Need You” M83 9.“In Distress” A$AP Rocky featuring Gesaffelstein 10.“Lost and Found” (ODESZA remix) Pretty Lights 11.“Stranger” Skrillex and KillaGraham featuring Sam Dew 12.“Dream Machines” Big Deal 13.“Dead in the Water” Ellie Goulding

Entertainment & Style

The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

Casey Lyons Head of Entertainment and Style

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Prom 2014

Get the 1920s Look

Gather your pearls and feathers, this years prom is taking everyone back to the 1920s! The roaring ‘20s was all about stunning and captivating jewelry and hairpieces and for guys start looking for bowties and suspenders. It is simple if you want to capture this theme, as long ago as it seems the original and classic feel of the 1920s will never get old.

Guys: Forget the neck ties and grab a boy tie! When it comes to color and design, you can never go with solid white, red, or black for a old, vintage look. Designs can get difficult to work with but plaid or always works well. Suspenders as well as pocket hankerchief also add a nice flare to the roaring ‘20s Girls: It is almost here, the morning of full preparation is coming closer and closer. If you are interested in dressing up to match the theme slightly or completely, start off by perfecting the 1920s hair which mainly consists of the finger wave and the pin curl. Both styles are timeless and have been seen on many celebrities more recently.

If you have already picked out your dress and shoes it is easy to add a few accessories that will go with the theme such as pearls or hairpieces,barrettes, that clip to the side.

These products could be found at various stores such as H&M, Forever 21, Steven Madden, Urban Outfitters, Macy’s, and T.J. Maxx.

The Finger Wave and Pin Curl

These vintage curls and updos are not difficult to mimic at all. They are the modern day versions of the 1920s hairstyles and would go well with any style dress. Each has a classic feel with a modern day trait or captures the 1920s look completely. Below singer, Taylor Swift and, actress, Amy Adams nail the the faux bob and classic finger wave updo. Meanwhile, model, Gigi Hadid and, actress, Shay Mitchell flaunt loose curls pulled to the side.

Depending on how much you want to achieve the theme, each style will be perfect for any dress and style you are going for. For an extra roaring ‘20s feel add an elaborate and detailed pin or barrette on the side!

Finger Wave Steps: 1. Start off by curling your hair all in one direction 2. Loosen curls by applying oil and brushing it out 3. Make a side part and find a starting point, right at the top of the scalp 4. Comb hair in a C shape to blend hair together 5. Use your index and middle finger to hold hair in place 6. Place a fine tooth comb below your finger, comb and drag your hair towards your face, making sure the comb is close against your skin 7. Flatten the comb to create a finger wave ridge/bump 8. With two fingers hold down and pinch the bump in place then take a clip or bobby pin and place it right below your finger, continue in rows and gradually work downward 9. Every time you complete a row of finger waves remember to hairspray it Pin Curls Steps: 1. Curl small individual curls inward, towards your face 2. Coil foil around your finger and pin it together with a clip 3. Release curl after it has cooled off 4. Hairspray the curls when you are finished

Hey Seniors!

Don’t forget to order your year book and to hand in AP exam money to the main office!

Cut this coupon out for $5 off haircuts at Mandi’s Hair Salon

Entertainment & Style

20

The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

Come Get Your Caffeine Fix Locally-owned coffee shops have much more to offer than the typical chain Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. Although chain coffee shops may be more convenient and inexpensive, there are various reasons why one should choose an independent coffee shop over the chains. Many local coffee shops offer a better selection of food over those available in Starbucks. Small coffee shops bake fresh, delicious pastries daily, rather than the food that is processed and shipped to your favorite coffee chain. Another big bonus that local coffee shops offer are their warm and inviting atmospheres. While every Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts look and feel the same, these small independent coffee shops are unique. The comfortable booths, beautiful art, and friendly baristas are some of the qualities that make local coffee shops much more appealing than the chain shop.

Next time, instead of just grabbing a quick cup of coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, visit a local coffee shop. Boston is filled with many great independent coffee shops where you can hang out with a friend, study for an exam, or just enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.

Boston Common Coffee Company

Myle Nguyen Managing Editor of Entertainment and Style

Locations: 515 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111

Thinking Cup Locations: 165 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02111 236 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113

97 Salem Street, Boston, MA 02113

Thinking Cup is a very unique from other coffee shops. It features a warm atmosphere with dim lighting and comfortable brown booths. Both shops are beautiful decorated, with tables that feature old pages of Boston newspapers sealed under a clear resin. The Thinking Cup focuses less of technology, and more on intimate conversations with one another. There are a limited number of plugs and there is no wifi for laptops to connect to. Upon entering the shop, you first see a variety of delicious pastries. They offer everything from French macarons to tiramisu. Along with their wonderful pastries, Thinking Cup also has food such as gourmet sandwiches to delicious Belgium waffles. Overall, the Thinking Cup is a great place to get away from the busy bustle of the city and just relax over a beautifully crafted latte.

Boston Common Coffe Co. is a very different type of coffeshop compared to the other two mentioned. Although the shop has great coffee and food, the atmosphere is not as cosy as what Thinking Cup and Pavement are like. They have a lot of seating and outlets avaiable but the tables are more for sitting down and doing work than relaxing and enjoying the ambiance. The coffee shop does have some comforable couches but usually, they are taken.

It is a great place for one to grab one of their specialty iced coffees.

They feature a variety of unique flavors such as s’mores and Junior Mint. The Boston Common Coffee Company also has more than just coffee. They have amazing pressed paninis and wraps as well. Boston Common Coffee Co. is a great place to stop by for some good coffee

10 High Street, Boston, MA 02110

Pavement Coffeehouse

Locations: 1096 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215 286 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115 44 Gainsborough Street, Boston, MA 02115 736 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 Pavement Coffeehouse is a fun cafe that is always filled with many students. The atmosphere of the coffee shop is welcoming and homey.

There is a variety of seating around the cafe that ranges from big booths, plush arm chairs, and stools around a big table. The interior has a lot of exposed brick and there are many unique photographs hanging on the wall, giving the coffee house a cool vibe. Pavement has a variety of delicious breakfast bagels and sandwiches and their drinks are great as well. If you happen to stop by, make sure to order their specialty Spanish Latte that is made with condensed milk. All their lattes are beautifully crafted because the baristas here are quite talented with latte art. Outlets are plentiful for you to plug your laptop into, but keep in mind that the wifi is only free for an hour. Overall, Pavement is a great place to hang out and try to get some homework done.

The Blue and Gold April 2014

Sports

maldenblueandgold.com

21

Back on track

Outdoor track includes a variety of events from sprints, distance, hurdles, shot put, high jump and many more. The many events offered pon entering a new season of suits all different interests. “You do track, the girls outdoor track not have to be the very best runner team is anticipating great things for to be [there],” admitted senior Cristhe season. The girls indoor track tina DiScipio. Dedication and a hard team won their first ever Greater work ethic keeps the team moving Boston League title for the girls this forward. The new members to the past winter. They continue to strive team have stepped up to fill open for success and hope to gain a GBL positions. title for girls outdoor track.

The team’s first meet took place

Emma Ceplinskas Reporter

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on Apr. 10, 2014 at MacDonald Stadium against Somerville. By the end of the meet, it all came down to a relay (4 by 4) with freshman Cleverina Cong, junior Chrissy Josephs, and seniors Jacqueline Bouley and Joviana Morin. The four were able to secure the win for Malden with a final score of 69-67.

Running really helps to “clear [her] head,” mentioned DiScipio. Morin added that she has “learn[ed] how to physically and

mentally push [her]self.” The team continues to improve and looks to satisfy their “hunger,” as Morin explained, for a GBL title.

“qualify for states and push [himself] to run as competitively as possible.” He is inspired by “the runners who were on the team when [he] was a freshman” and “want[s] to live up to the standard they helped set .” Senior captain Richard Mulo has overcome a torn hamstring he received from indoor track and looks to “make a big comeback,” he mentioned. He looks to make nationals in both 100 meter and the 200

meter. Kibazo has hopes to “place at the divisional state meet and get [his] race times down as much as possible,” he stated. Coach David Londino has greatly invested in the track program and inspires the runners on the team “because he dedicates so much time to the program and without him the team would not be half as successful as it is,” expressed Gould.

Running to win

Emma Ceplinskas Reporter

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fter winning the title of the Greater Boston League (GBL) champions for indoor track, the boys outdoor track team is confident that their efforts will yield great outcomes as they did during the indoor track season. Many of the runners participate in more than just one season of running which has accounted for the “unity and teamwork” they share, mentioned senior captain Daniel Gould. The persistent efforts from hardworking “ jv team members to the top varsity runners” will help make them “a stronger team and keep everybody focused on the same goal” of winning the GBLs for outdoor track, Gould remarked.

Track teaches “discipline, character, and how to push yourself even when you think you cannot,” expressed senior captain David Kibazo. The sport is demanding and requires full focus as well as strategy in order to be the first to cross the finish line.

New additions have been made to the team who have shown “natural abilities and strong work ethics which allows them to compete and play a vital role in scoring at the

From top left: sophomore Wentana Ghile, Deborah Kibazo and senior Jacqueline Bouley sprinting the first lap of the 800 meter race. Bottom right: junior Amalika Lucien and sophomore Carine Exume prepre for their race. Photos by Pj Montezuma.

Senior captain David Kibazo sprinting towards the finish line. meets,” explained Gould. Before the season started, the time trials helped to display the enthusiasm and talents of new runners. The younger players have stepped up to fill the slots on the team left open by last year’s seniors.

The team’s first meet took place on Apr. 10, 2014 at MacDonald Stadium against Somerville.

Excellent efforts were displayed by each runner. The final score was 61-70 but the team looks to improve their times to grasp the win.

They continue to propel forward towards their end goal of becoming GBL champions.

Gould personally looks to

Memeber of the MHS track team peparing to start the race. All photos by Jonathan DeCicco.

Sports

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Boys Tennis

The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME Pj Montezuma Head of Sports

T Jonathan DeCicco Managing Editor of Sports

Junior Eugine Szeto ready to receive the serve. Photo by PJ Montezuma.

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he boys tennis team started the season off on a good note. With a win against Malden Catholic on April 10, 2014 the team is excited for this upcoming spring season. After a tough previous season with only a total of two wins, this year’s team is hungry for redemption. Lead by senior captains Danny Chen and Danny Yu, the team is proving to be a tough competitor in the Greater Boston League.

The team is filled with a lot of great and diverse athletes this year. This factor makes it difficult to decide who is going to play in the matches but to have the options is great. The team is also able to learn a lot from one another as they endure challenging practices. The team

is motivated by their will to win and this drives them to do great in every aspect of the sport.

The team’s record is 1-1, with a loss against Cambridge on April 14, 2014. Despite this loss the team is not discouraged, looking at their success against MC and hoping to continue to put that effort into future matches. With this motivation, Chen explains, “we can only get better from here as the team continues to develop.”

The team is very goal oriented this season with intentions, “to be GBL champs and to hopefully make it into states,” Yu says. The optimism that has infected the team seems to be having a great effect as they continue to strive for success during the rest of this spring season.

Girls Tennis serves “Love” Karina Matos Reporter

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reak out the rackets and get ready for a new season of tennis. Senior captain Hanh Pham says that, “this season, [they] hope to maintain [their] [Greater Boston League] title for the third year. [She] thinks [their] biggest competitors are Boston Regional Latin and Lawrence, however they will really help [them] strengthen and sharpen [their] skills for the actual GBL finals, if [they] make it” Pham expressed hopefully. The other senior captain Christine Le agrees that, “after winning [the GBL title] in 2012 and 2013 [they] are hoping for [that victory] three years in a row.”

This year Pham believes that the teams biggest competition will most likely be, “Boston Regional Latin, and Lawrence.” She thinks this because, “These two teams have had quite the reputation for tennis. The players have played tennis for many years since they were in middle school.” However, Le disagrees and believes that Cambridge will be their biggest competition since, ”last year [they] tied with them for GBL champs.”

What’s different this year compared to last year, in Le’s eyes, is that, “this year [they] are definitely more focused on playing versus conditioning. While building endurance and strength is still important, [they] are making sure everyone is getting enough court time to properly prepare for a match.” Pham agrees in saying that practice now is, “more about strategy and imagining that you are winning the point, if you don’t have the mindset of winning then that could really hurt you during a match.”According to Pham, while the team is, “pretty goofy,” and they are also, “able to laugh at each others jokes,” they are also, “very supportive of one another.” Le says that even though, “half the team is brand new,” she

can tell every one of them made the team because, “they were willing to work hard and put their all into being a great tennis player and a dedicated team member.” Coach Diaz, according to Pham is, “very motivational.” Also that she, “reminds [them] that there is always room for improvement, and so [they] always train and adapt to succeed against [their] competitors. Coach Diaz instills in [them] that [they] are the ones who limit [themselves], so we have to step out of our comfort zone and really go for every ball, for the points and for yourself.” Le mentions as well that Coach Diaz is, “amazing!” That she is also, “incredibly dedicated and organized. She’s constantly helping newcomers and returners with technique, endurance, and just plain motivation.”Pham also says that Coach Diaz, “would tell [them] not to cheat [themselves],” when doing sprints, “if [they] really want something, [they] have to fully invest [themselves] in it and take that extra step to finish what [they] started. Her words of encouragement really pushes [them] to finish strong and win a point with determination.”

An inspiration to the team besides the coach, surprisingly is, themselves. Pham believes that whenever, “[she] want[s] something [she has] to go for it with 110% but first [she has] to plan on how to do so, otherwise [she] end[s] up losing because [she hasn’t] thought about the consequences. [She has] to be willing and confident in [her own] judgement, [she] really [has] to want it in order to succeed.” Le, says that she is motivated by, and most of the girls on the team are motivated by is, “[her] love for tennis.” She says that, “[they] are all just girls who love tennis and that is what brings [them] together.”

he smell of hot dogs, peanuts and cracker jacks fill the air along with the obnoxiously loud fans of the Boston Red Sox made a return to Americas most beloved ballpark on April 4. Being a die hard fan, I got the chance to not only go to my first Opening Day Game but also witness my first World Series ring ceremony. I have gone to many Red Sox games over the years, even to a Yankee game, but the atmosphere of that game was different. Usually there is a mix of hatred betweens fans, but this time everyone shared the same appreciation for what the 2013 Red Sox team had accomplished. From being the worst team in the American League East Division in 2012 to winning the AL East in 2013 and later going on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, winning the World Series in Boston for the first time in 86 years.

The gates opened at 11:30 for the ring ceremony at 1:00, walking to Fenway Park from the train station the crowds of people looked like waves of red, white and blue. The streets filled with people trying to sell tickets, people trying to buy tickets, and just some eager fans waiting to see their heroes get their recognition.

The ring ceremony was a heartwarming experience, which all started with victims and family members of victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing bringing the World Series rings onto the field. Then there was a tribute to the journey the team endured during the 2013 season, with the ups and downs.

After all of the team received their rings, they raised the new 2013 world series banner alongside Boston firefighters days after the tragedy. Which is a well deserved banner after all the hard work the team did to make their city proud and live up to the slogan “Boston Strong”. Boston sports fan base is like no other, we live through our teams and their achievements.

To end the ring ceremony, the national anthem was sung by the Dropkick Murphys who sang during the last game of the World Series. Then a legendary sight was on the field for the ceremonial first pitch. Former Boston Mayor Thomas Menino was accompanied by former Red Sox players Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek and Pedro Martinez, former Celtics player Leon Powe, former Patriots players Tedy Bruschi, Troy Brown, and Ty Law, as well as former Bruins player Mark Recchi all holding their respective championship trophies. Then Menino handed the baseball off to current Mayor Marty Walsh who then throughout the ceremonial first pitch to David Ortiz.

Although the Red Sox did not walk away with the win against the Milwaukee Brewers that day, the ring ceremony was worth spending hours in the cold weather.

One item I can now cross off my bucket list.

The team may not be off to the best start of the season that people would expect the returning World Series Champions to be at, but the season is young and a lot can happen in 162 games. The true Red Sox will shine bright like the potential they have as the season begins to unravel.

Sports

The Blue and Gold April 2014

23

maldenblueandgold.com

Girls lacrosse Face Off

Jonathan DeCicco Managing Editor of Sports

T

he Malden High School girl’s lacrosse team is back and ready for a win. With the arrival of spring comes a group of very dedicated and hardworking athletes. Lead by senior captains Monica Joseph, Winnie Chen, and junior captain Gabriella Silva, the team is pushing through adversity and improving with each and every practice and game.

The team is getting a fresh start

this season after losing 11 of their seniors from last year. With such a high number of girls graduated this gave younger athletes the chance to play on the varsity level. This is great, “but it is also hard because we need to learn how to play together and help each other improve,” Silva explains. Joseph and Chen are the only returning varsity members from last year and have done an amazing job of helping the team through such a difficult transition.

The more playing time the team gets together, the better, as they strive to work as a cohesive unit.

New to the team and school

this year is junior Meghan Doherty who is playing offense on the varsity level. Previously playing lacrosse, “it amazes [Doherty] how welcoming and motivated the girls on the team are.” The overall character of the team is great as they continue to push each other through difficult practices and games. Continuing to strengthen not only their skills but bonds with each other the girls are on their way to success.

With a current record of 0-6 the team has yet to win a game. Facing off against some strong lacrosse teams, the girls are even more motivated for a win. While the team is

facing a rough patch, this does not deter them one bit. With each and every game the girls are showing signs of improvement. With the guidance of Coaches Emily Prickett and math teacher here at MHS Hava Daniels the team is more focused than ever. The MHS girls lacrosse team continues to persevere through the rest of their season, not backing down from any challenges they face.

Above left to right. Junior Meghan Doherty. Senior Monica Joseph facing off against opposing team.

Boys lacrosse takes the turf Lucia Quesada-Nylen Reporter

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he Malden High School boys lacrosse team is striving for success this spring season. With a current record of 0-5 the team is hungry for a win, well prepared with a coaching staff consisting of English teachers Brendon Maney and Jeremiah Smith. In addition, the team is being lead by senior captains Devin Fitzpatrick and Dirir Muhammed.

With it being only the beginning of the season and having only played four games, there’s still plenty of time left in the season for the team to come back around. The

bumpy start is sure to change with the proper training. Maney stated that “[the team] has come a long way in a short time.”

Alongside the two captains, the varsity lineup is full of many new players, including some from the junior varsity team as well as “some who have never played [before]” stated Maney. The team has a rather young roster with the majority being sophomores and juniors and a couple of seniors. However, grade doesn’t define the ability to play. Maney explained how “[the team] has a few more athletes in the program this year,” however “that will translate into growth down the line.”

Since some cities have youth programs for lacrosse that work and prepare the players for high school lacrosse, Malden is at a disadvantage against some of its opponents like Melrose and Medford. However, with the right mindset and proper training, there are high hopes that MHS will come out on top.

Although the team has had a rough start, both coaches and players have high expectations for the rest of the season. Maney explained how “[he doesn’t] ever want to say that a number of wins is a goal for [the team] because competition is about so much more than winning.”

However, he does hope that returning players continue to improve

From left to right: Senior Kevin Noel trying to get clear to recieve the ball. Team huddle before a game. Senior Dirir Muhammed running with the ball during a game.

their skill sets, and new players learn the game.

Sports

24

The Blue and Gold April 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

BASEBALL: A New Generation PJ Montezuma Head of Sports

W

ith the swing of a bat, America’s favorite past time makes a return to Malden High School. The boys baseball team, lead by coach Kevin Carpenito is headed for yet another promising season.

The team has become well equipped with talent spread across a variety of ages. This year, the team has many new faces with sophomores making their way up to the varsity team due to their immense talent.

Some new faces include sophomores Liam Elliot, Brian Batting, Nicholas Andreucci, and Ronald Luke. The new talent at such a young age will set the team up for future success however, there are also many talented seniors on the team such as senior captains Bobby Madden, Philip Glynn, and Nick Ward. These

Left to Right: Senior captain Nicholas Ward pitching. Sophomore Ronald Luke holding a man on at first base. Bottom right: Senior captain Robert Madden at bat. All photos by PJ Montezuma three returning players are hopeful for an overall successful season and plan to lead their team to success.

MHS has started the year off with a record of 1-3, needing just eight more wins to clinch a playoff berth in the state tournament. The Greater Boston League has potential for high levels of competition this season for MHS, including Cambridge Rindge and Latin who will be playing their final season in the GBL before the switch leagues.

Expressing his thoughts on the season thus far, Luke explains that the

captains “are doing a great job with leadership and they do not let anyone on the team keep their head down. They really understand the concept of a team and they make all of [them] see each other as one.” MHS’ first win came in their game against East Boston with a score of 12-5.

However, the team fell short to Lawrence, Melrose and Cambridge throughout the first few games of the season. With a lot of baseball to still be played, the team looks forward to the rest of the season and hope for it to be another successful one.

Sliding into a new season ing practice can allow the girls to achieve these goals.

There are multiple games left in the season, and with the group of girls the team has this year, that means there are multiple wins left in the season. The seniors on the team are also working to set examples for the underclassmen who, although are not at the varsity level yet, will soon be the new leaders of the team.

The future of not only this season, but the upcoming years, are looking bright for MHS softball.

Cassandra Rayes Reporter

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ver the past few years, Malden High School’s softball team has made a city-wide name for themselves. The girls have given their community more than enough reason to take great pride in them.

Although each year very talented seniors are lost, new talent arrives, allowing to the team to remain successful and optimistic. At the start of a new season, this year’s team is working vigorously at practice, being coached by John Furlong, and

Above, left: The MHS Varisty sofbtall team in a huddle. Above, right: Junior Jaime Macdonald is up to bat. Bottom right: Junior Robyn Santo waiting on her pitch. Photos by PJ Montezuma. it’s showing in their games. is [her] goal to lead [all] of the softA few games into the season, ball players] and to motivate them the girls hold a record of 3-1; defeat- in order for all of [them] to have a ing Saugus with a score of 6-0, de- memorable season.” feating Melrose with a score of 7-1, Like all sports teams, the girls suffering a loss to Beverly with a share a common goal they plan on score of 8-4, and making a comeback achieving by the end of the season. defeating Cambridge with a score of Varsity sophomore player Alexis 7-3. Allowing a loss to put a damper Brown identifies two of their goals on their spirits is unacceptable. as “[making] it into the tournament This year, the team is being led and [competing] for the Greater by senior captains Keirra Sexton, Boston League title.” The chemistry Haley Sutera, and Julie Bourgea. among the team and the universal Sexton expresses that “as captain it work ethic they all possess dur-