October 2010 by The Blue and Gold

The Blue and Gold http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Malden High School Volume 96 Edition 1

SENIOR CLASS ELECTIONS ON PAGE 11.

Our 96th Year October 2010

Football Team Fights Through Injuries

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on page 15.

Senior Teddy Francois catches a ball. Photo by Lauren Benoit. See article on page 18.

In This Issue: MMSI & AP Scores Page 3

Senior Matt Howe lines up a shot to hit out of the fairway. Photo by Reginah Sanyu. See article on page 22.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Page 6 Chilean Miners Page 8

The two eldest female and male alumni present at the homecoming brunch were Muriel Cosgrove, graduate of the Class of ’29, and Marshall Soderblom, graduate of the Class of ’33. Photo by Lauren Benoit. See more pictures on page 9.

Homecoming Page 9 New Teachers Pages 12 + 13 Dress Code Page 16 Cross Country Page 20 Field Hockey Page 23

Kathy Griffin and others at a protest against the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. Article on page 5. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

Jeri and Phil’s Adventures on page 3.

Opinion 2-5 World News 6-8 Local News 9-15 Entertainment 16-17 Sports 18-24

Editorials

The Blue and Gold October 2010

http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Our Competitive Education Malden High School

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

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF João Nascimento Nidale Zouhir MANAGING EDITORS Brittany Foley Alexandra Mathieu HEAD COPY EDITOR Brittany McFeeley ONLINE EDITOR Omar Khoshafa HEAD LOCAL NEWS WRITER Cristina Peters HEAD WORLD NEWS WRITER Dan Holmqvist HEAD ENTERTAINMENT WRITER Reginah Sanyu HEAD SPORTS WRITER Alfonse Femino HEAD OF BUSINESS Alexander Gennigiorgis HEADS OF PHOTOGRAPHY Lauren Benoit Sharon Lee HEAD OF SPECIAL PROJECTS Kayla Bramante COPY EDITORS Haley DeFilippis Catherine Poirier Megan Kelly Natalie Fallano Paige Yurek Joshua Kummins REPORTERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Rebecca Broomstein Kaela Bryan Freddie DiPhillipo Johanna Lai Kristen Leonard Jacob Martino Vicki Ngan Amalia Nylen Timothee Pierre Amanda Rosatone Joel Stevenson Lesley Ta ADVISOR Ryan Gallagher Established in 1915 Check out our online edition: http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

aiting for Superman, began to expose the inadequacy and failure of the American public school system to, as of now, a very appreciative audience across the country. Throughout the movie, we watch promising students in large metropolitan cities trying to flee their failing public schools to enroll in charter schools, most of the time with little success. These students hope to flee their overcrowded schools along with their inattentive administrations, and unqualified teachers. Guggenheim’s film is of indispensable value not because he is able to pinpoint political and governmental inefficiencies in dealing with the public school system, but for hinting that the source of the grim and embarrassing testing statistics (America only ranks at 25th in Math and 21st in Science among 30 developed countries) of the country may be internal. It is worth noticing that today, the spending per student has increased to $9,000 as opposed to the mere $4,300 of 1971, yet the average student rate proficiency of most states remains between 20 and 30 percent. It is not difficult to notice the immeasurable contrast between some of the failing schools portrayed in the movie and our very own Malden High School. While some schools are overcrowded and in precarious condition, we are undergoing a $77 million renovation, while the national testing averages are going down, we have the secretary of education of Massachusetts visiting us, congratulating the student body for their performance on their performance in the 2009 Advanced Placement exams. Such a disparity between public schools is alarming and carries endless anti-democratic implications, but, what exactly in our educational culture contributes to an environment that inhibits, rather than develops, student intellectual growth?

As students, we are told so frequently that college is the only pathway to success that we lose sight of what we can learn in classes and begin to shape our educational path around the rigid set of standards higher education institutions set out for us: high class rank, high SAT scores, plethora extracurricular activities. We are told to manufacture ourselves to attend a college, but it can come at a high cost. We leave High School as robots, being able to figure out an answer for a calculus problem but not knowing how and where to apply it. Our current approach to education, which is perpetuated by higher education institutions and our own obsession with them, has inevitably left out a large population of students who may have a different idea of what an education should be, or may even be incapable of immersion in our orthodox system. These students are large contributors to the high dropping-out rates and low test scores. Now in my senior year, I see that high school has unfolded as a competition because it is formatted like one, and there are certainly pros to the ranking system we use at MHS: motivated students, aspiring to be number one, are encouraged to study longer, work harder, read more. But to attach a number to every student, at instances, puts us against each other and fosters antagonism rather than productivity, jeopardizing the learning environment. Waiting for Superman helps to shed a light on the concrete problems that plague our educational system, but there are other forces that debilitate what I would consider to be a good educational environment. There is no reason why we should wait until college to engage in meaningful discourse with our peers, exchange ideas, and create new ones as a community.

João Nascimento 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 C339 or to his mailbox in the main office.

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

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Corrections:

Email corrections to theblue andgold @gmail.com Corrections to the editor can be submitted to theblueandgold@gmail.com

The Blue and Gold October 2010

Democrats Still Losing Ground

Opinion http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

MMSI Raises AP Scores in Massachusetts

Dan Holmqvist Head World News Writer

ith the vitally important 2010 congressional midterm elections rapidly approaching, it is looking bleak for Democrats across the country. First off, it is increasingly likely that the ruling party in Washington will lose their many of their seats, and possibly the majority, in both the House and Senate. Secondly, the radical Tea Party, which has already won several GOP midterm primaries, is dragging the American political spectrum to the far-right. If the Republican Party were to gain a majority in Congress, what would this mean for the Obama administration and the rest of the country as a whole? In 2008, when President Obama’s approval ratings were consistently upwards of seventy percent, it seemed unlikely that the Democrats would be in this position one month before Americans cast their ballots. But a recent surge in support for a far-right protest group, the Tea Party, has changed the playing field dramatically. This is where things currently stand: 40 Democratic senators are not up for reelection, another six Democrats are likely to be reelected, and 19 seats remain in contention. The FiveThirtyEight blog’s model predicts that the there is a 72 percent chance that Republicans will take over the House of Representatives, and Republicans are expected win between 47 and 48 Senate seats come November. These numbers, however, derived from polls across the country, are subject to change from week to week. This year, many people are also discussing the role that a significant

“There is a 72 percent chance that Republicans will take over the House of Representatives.” “enthusiasm gap” between the left and right will have on the elections. The “under-30” age group that gave Obama a significant boost during his 2008 presidential election is unlikely to return in the same numbers. According to the Pew Research Center, only “27 percent of young Democrats report giving a lot of thought to elections, compared with 47 percent at about the same time in 2006,” when they voted in the previous midterm elections. On the other hand, enthusiasm on the right

continued on page 4

Nidale Zouhir

Brittany Foley

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

espite its wealth and (albeit rapidly fading) superpower status, the United States is known internationally for having one of the most sub-par educational systems in the industrialized world. The public education system is, though not necessarily broken, definitely not nearly as rigorous and encouraging as it should be. The National Math and Science Initiative seeks to change that. It finds various problems with the American system of education and, instead of letting them fester or arguing over them in Congress the way the American government has done, sets out to solve them. It zones in on the largest problems – that the US “recently finished 15th in reading, 19th in math, and 14th in science in the ranking of 31 countries” according to nationalmathandscience.org, and uses whatever resources it has to increase not only literacy but also Advanced Placement enrollment. The current high school generation has grown up with affirmative action, with colleges accepting students whose less-than-stellar grades were more the result of poor socioeconomic standings than a lower intelligence level. Affirmative action aims to increase minority enrollment in higher education institutions. NMSI wants to change that; instead of an America where affirmative action is necessary to keep colleges diverse, NMSI foresees a US that has smaller minority and gender gaps. “Programs like this are all about closing that gap,” explained Massachusetts Secretary of Education Paul Reville. And NMSI’s resources trickle down to Massachusetts schools; over the last three years, the Massachusetts Math and Science Initiative has sought to increase AP enrollment at schools in Massachusetts, including Chelsea High School, Peabody High School, and, of course, Malden High School. “Outcomes mean the same thing whether they’re in Malden or Melrose or Weyland or Springfield,” explained MassInsight president William Guenther at a congratulatory presentation at MHS on Sept. 8, 2010. Guenther, like many Americans, feels that the government has failed its students, at least in terms of agreeing upon education funding. “We need bipartisan leadership...to get things done,” he expressed, adding that “Partnership...is exactly what this is all about.” Interestingly, President Barack Obama recently tweeted, “As long as I’m President, we’re not going to let Washington politicians sacrifice your education for a tax cut we can’t afford.” This

politicization of education is precisely what Guenther is attempting to curb; instead of politics, Guenther and the rest of the MMSI claim, we should be focusing on raising the bar, on continuing MHS’s (and the United States’) upward leap toward better education for all citizens, not just the very wealthy. The MMSI’s efforts have begun to yield staggeringly positive results. Over the past two years, there has been a staggering 96% improvement rate on the AP exams taken by students of MMSI schools, with the number of scores of 3 or higher jumping from an original 1042 to an impressive 2044. In the MMSI Cohort Schools specifically—these include Malden and eight other high schools from the surrounding area—there has been an 80% rise in scores of 3 or higher on math, English, and science exams, while the national score increase is only the equivalent of 13.6%. These rates of increase not only represent the growth of the AP students behind them, but also the growth of their chances of getting accepted to top-notch schools. According to Guenther, “AP courses are the middle class ticket to competitive colleges.” MHS students are already far along the paths towards acceptances at these schools. This school year, MHS holds an AP enrollment record of 364 in courses of any of the English, mathematics, and science focuses. According to MMSI statistics, this number is expected to increase to 525 by 2011. Already, the increase in influence to enroll in AP courses is evident. On their first day at MHS, during freshman orientation, the incoming class of 2014 was encouraged to enroll in honors courses and then AP courses as soon as possible by student and staff speakers, the idea of “grit” being drilled into their minds still today. According to Malden’s superintendent of schools, Sidney Smith, this maxim of “grit” refers to “the passion and pursuit of a longtime goal,” particularly, in MMSI’s opinions at least, the goal of success in AP courses and correlating success in the college applications process. “Our goal is to make sure that every student graduates from MHS with a ticket to a four year college,” Smith affirmed. Still, despite this new competition of sorts towards post-secondary success and prestige, the motives of MHS and Massachusetts school officials remain genuine. Reville understands that academic success is “not just about tests and test performance,” and wants students to feel “inspired to do something because [they] are curious about it, [they] feel enthusiastic about it.” With these new crops of intimidating AP exam results, many are starting to believe that these courses help contribute to that enthusiasm, and as enrollment numbers rise, it is evident that students understand the potential power of these courses as well.

Opinion http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Once Again, the Wealthy Get the Advantage Alexandra Mathieu Managing Editor With the school year now in full swing, seniors have to deal with the ever-encroaching future, more specifically, college. Those who are planning on attending college, especially a four year one, have to decide between over 4,000 colleges and universities, and that is just in the United States. To make a good decision, careful research must be done on each institution: What majors does this college offer? Is housing same sex or co-ed? Is it out in the boondocks or in the heart of a major city? And, most importantly for many Malden residents, how much financial aid can I receive from this school? The admissions process can be daunting on its own, but what if applicants applying to top tier universities had the odds more against them than they could ever imagine? In his book, The Price of Admissions: How America’s Ruling Class Buys its Way Into Elite Colleges and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates, Daniel Golden paints a picture of a world that is both shocking and at times disturbing to read. Golden describes how the children of wealthy families are often given preference over other applicants due to the likelihood that their parents will make a hefty donation to the school. “Top universities ranging from Stanford to Emory say they occasionally consider parental wealth in admissions decisions,” Golden writes. “At New York University, the associate provost for admissions, the head of fundraising, and the president’s chief of staff meet every Monday to discuss a three-page list of about forty applicants whose parents are leaders in business, politics, media, and entertainment.” Many would suggest that this offsets the advantages minorities receive due to affirmative action. For those unfamiliar with the term “affirmative action,” it is the “positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded,” as defined by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. However, Golden comments that “while minorities make up to 10 to 15 percent of a typical student body, affluent whites dominate other preferred groups: recruited athletes, alumni children, development cases, and children of faculty members.” However, even these

statistics that Gordon offers are a bit misleading. Darryl Fears, a writer for The Washington Post, writes in his article “In Diversity Push, Top Universities Enrolling More Black Immigrants” that “white educators are skirting long-held missions to resolve historic wrongs against native black Americans by enrolling immigrants who look like them.” This sleight of hand that the universities employ not only helps bolster their racial diversity, it also puts money into their pockets since these immigrants tend to have the money in order to pay for their tuition, room and board. University admissions officers would also like the public to believe that the SAT Reasoning Test evens the playing field for middle to lower class applicants. However, even this gives the affluent an unfair advantage. The SAT functions to test the literacy and mathematical skills needed to succeed in college. However, children of the wealthy tend to attend expensive preparatory schools like Phillips Andover Academy and The Groton School, schools that have the funding and resources to give some of the best education in the nation. Therefore, top scores on the SAT tend to have a positive correlation with the amount of money a family has: the more money the student’s family has, the higher the score. Of course there are exceptions to this and many of the claims that Golden makes in his book. However, exceptions only exist if a rule is in place, and with admissions, there is definitely a rule: those with the most money get the most privileges. Sounds morbid, but sadly, it is the reality of the world outside the walls of high school. So what does this spell out for Malden High School’s seniors? Well, for one it means that the application process will be harder than they had ever expected. It means that wealthier students with lower grades and that are less involved will most likely get accepted into colleges that more qualified MHS seniors might get rejected from. Should this prevent seniors from applying to those top tier schools? Not at all – because these unfair advantages have always been in play and many MHS students have been accepted into great schools regardless of this imbalanced system. Still, it is best to consider this information and prepare oneself instead of remaining “blissfully” ignorant.

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The Blue and Gold October 2010

continued from page 4 is increasing; according to a Washington Post poll, only 43 percent of Democrats are “very enthusiastic” about voting this year, while 57 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of Tea Party members feel the same way. All of this could mean spell disaster for Democratic voter turnout this year. But why does this all even matter? What would change if the Republicans were to gain a majority in Congress? For one, many Republican candidates are pledging to “defund health care,” citing concerns over exorbitant costs related to the newly passed legislation. Because Republicans are unlikely to gain a two-thirds majority necessary to repeal “Obamacare,” their strategy is to try and block the President’s 2012 budget request in February, which would essentially cut off all money going towards the health care bill. Many far-right Republicans are also talking about implementing a “government shutdown,” by standing off over the federal government’s budget. This would, accord-

“Interest in reducing the size of government is at an all-time high.” ing to Republicans, force Democrats to revise spending measures in the proposed budget, thus scaling back the scope and size of government — which is one of the ideological tenants behind conservatism. This midterm election bears a striking resemblance to the congressional midterm election of 1994, when then-President William Clinton, a Democrat, saw Congress transition from a Democratic to a Republican majority. In 1995, the Republican majority did follow through with a “government shutdown.” The results, however, were not what they expected - many Americans considered this tactic to be too radical, and majority leader Newt Gingrich was forced to concede ground and cut a deal with Clinton. This does not necessarily mean that next year will have the same outcome; the voter frustration and interest in reducing the size of the government are at “an all-time high” in 2010. Nevertheless, a change in Congress might not be a bad thing for Obama. Following the 1994 midterm election, despite a weakened Democratic party, Clinton was able to pass welfare reform, reduce government spending, balance the budget, and become reelected in 1996. Perhaps a shakeup in the Senate and the House will force Obama to re-evaluate his current approach, which has only resulted in political deadlock. Maybe in the next two years, the Obama administration will be able to further substantially more of their political agenda than in the last two years.

The Blue and Gold October 2010

OPINION http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Military Secrets Kaela Bryan Reporter

orty-seven years ago, the United States fought for equal rights for people of all races, and now it is illegal to discriminate against and to segregate people based on race. Yet, discrimination on other levels still exists today. The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) law, put into effect in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton, prohibits current and aspiring soldiers – male and female – from sharing their sexual orientations with fellow comrades. No one serving in the United States military is permitted to tell anyone about that side of their personal lives, nor is anyone allowed to ask. In the 1990s, there was great controversy about whether or not to allow gay and lesbian soldiers into the military. At the time, Clinton thought the law was the perfect compromise: if sharing information about a person’s sexual orientation while they served their country was something a majority of America could not handle, then why not make sharing it illegal? With this law in place, it was assumed that everyone would be able to serve if they

Repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law, may cause homosexuals to become targets in the military. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia. wished without causing a scuffle. While things seemed to die down for a while after this law was put into legislature, the excitement concerning the issue carried over into today’s America and is still a heated debate. Once more, opposition arose; people began speaking out against the DADT law. According to Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, “treating gays and lesbians unequally because of their sexual orientation just does not make sense.” In fact, some officers in the military have gone so far as to search through soldiers’ e-mails and letters in an effort to ensure that

Bigotry and Breakfasts

no one is breaking the DADT law in any way. The obvious problem is that this violates a person’s right to privacy, and it only contributes to the controversy. Malden High School senior and co-president of the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Debbie Ly states that she is disappointed that the law was not repealed. Ly reveals that she is saddened by the fact that “many times the gays in the military cannot even have any pictures” of their partners while on duty because of the law. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell isn’t just about ‘protecting’ the life of the gay soldier,” stated Ly. “In many

A Deadly Drive

Kaela Bryan

Reporter

nother topic that contributes to the public discrimination against the gay community takes the form of a recent study. The study shows that one in every eight bed and breakfasts (small inn-like hotels that serve breakfast to people who usually stay for only one night) across the nation openly disallow gay travelers. Thirteen percent say it would be “unacceptable for a gay or lesbian couple to share one of their double rooms.” According to another related study, seventy-five percent of gay and lesbian travelers say that they worry they will be turned away from accommodations during times that are supposed to be happy and worry-free, like holidays and vacations. These are times when all they want is to rest easy somewhere for a night to be able to continue on to their families and friends the next day. Another MHS student who wishes to remain anonymous fervently asserts that what some bed and breakfasts are doing is “just like segregation. It’s like keeping a black person out just because they’re black. It’s wrong.” Ly also commented on the offense that bed and breakfasts are committing. “Anything that discriminates against sexual orientation, sex, race, and etcetera is wrong,” claims Ly. She explained that “it is along the lines of racism.”

In response to all this controversy, a new website has been launched to support gay and lesbian travelers and to combat the acts of discrimination of bed and breakfasts. The website was founded by a young gay couple who also encountered problems with hotels because of their sexual orientation. Their webpage has established “handpicked” sites across the nation that offer rooms for all travelers, gay, lesbian, and straight. Whether people are prohibited from being open about their sexual orientation in the military or they are denied admission to hotels for it, it is irrefutable that these practices are a form of discrimination. Despite the DADT law and the discrimination of bed and breakfasts, it seems that with each new generation comes a growing openness and acceptance of all people; those in the older generation of today are less accepting of gays and lesbians than those in the younger generation. In 1992, a national survey showed that 40 percent of America opposed gays and lesbians to be open in the military. Yet in 2009, the same survey showed that only 26 percent opposed it; 69 percent were in favor. This leads some people to question: will the discrimination against gays and lesbians in this country will ever dissipate?

ways it destroys the moral[s] of the people.” Ly elaborated further, recalling a story about a soldier in the military who had to change the name of her partner into a masculine name “because she couldn’t tell anyone she was a lesbian.” Phedorah Rosiclair, another MHS senior and member of the GSA, believes that one’s sexual orientation is “irrelevant” information. Knowing someone’s sexual orientation “doesn’t inhibit you from fighting,” claims Rosiclair. “If you want to risk your life for your country, you have every right,” no matter your race, religion, or sexual orientation. On the other hand, a student at MHS who wishes to remain anonymous feels that the DADT law is a good thing, and asserts that if the law were to be repealed, “it would only cause more turmoil.” This student insists that “if a gay man or woman would like to not be criticized for their lifestyle than they should indeed keep it to themselves,” and also pointed out that “hazing and judgment would be guaranteed.” The student insists that, although he is “against homosexuality,” he sincerely fears that “something horrible might be done to someone if they revealed their sexual orientation.”

ullying is ever-present in today’s America. One in every three students in the USA admit to either being the bully or being bullied themselves. According to a 2001 study, over 16 percent of children in schools say they had already been bullied in the first term of the school year. Moreover, nine percent say they are bullied as frequently, even daily. Some types of bullying transcend the classrooms and hallways and encroach into children’s home lives. In most cases, bullying produces tragic results. Children develop low self-esteem and sometimes become afraid of going to school, which jeopardizes the child’s right to an education. Sometimes, the result is even more tragic: a life is jeopardized. According to another study, eight percent of children and teenagers across America commit suicide because they are bullied. Very recently, an 18-year-old young man, who had just begun his first year at Rutgers University in New Jersey, allegedly drove an hour out to a bridge and left his car, his wallet, his cellular phone, and his life behind. His name was Tyler Clementi and he jumped off the George Washington bridge on Sept. 22, 2010. What could have instilled in him the drive to end his life, a young violinist who was just beginning to taste true independence, a new chapter of life? Clementi’s roommate recorded

him and another man in what police refer to as a “sexual encounter.” Clementi was not “out” yet -- he was not openly gay. And once his “encounter” with another man hit the internet, he could not live with the thought that his family and friends may see him. He could not live with the thought of people he knew and loved knowing that he was gay. So he decided not to live with it. Before he allegedly made the hour-long drive out to his death, he updated his status on Facebook. Had his roommate not recorded something that was meant to be private, as all intimate scenes are, gay or straight, would Clementi have committed suicide? Had his roommate not, essentially, bullied Clementi into feeling so betrayed, exposed, and vulnerable, would Clementi still be here with us?

Exposing another’s sexual orientation can cause deadly repercussions. From Wikimedia.org

WORLD NEWS

The Blue and Gold October 2010

http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Zuckerberg gives newark schools $100,000,000 But What Are His Intentions?

Paige Yurek Copy Editor

F Mark Zuckerman, founding father of Facebook. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Newark School of Fine and Industrial arts. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commonx

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orming relationships, distracting students, educating, connecting, uniting and reuniting people of the world are only some of the many ways the world’s most famous online network, Facebook, is used. Since its launch in Feb. 2004, over 500 million people worldwide have created and maintained active accounts on the website. This phenomenon would not exist without its founding father, Mark Zuckerberg, along with six other board members and about 1,700 other employees. On Friday, Sept. 24, 2010, Zuckerberg announced on The Oprah Winfrey Show that with all the profit being made from Facebook, he is going to give back by granting $100,000,000 to the Newark school district in New Jersey. Zuckerberg has recently created The Startup: Education Foundation in hopes of helping students get proper educations. According to Zuckerberg, “every child deserves [an education] and right now that’s not happening. I’ve had a lot of opportunities in my life and a lot of that comes from having gone to really good schools. I just want to do what I can to make sure that everyone has those same opportunities.” Mayor Corey A. Booker of Newark and Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey are also involved supporting the foundation’s cause. Christie said to have witnessed a mother in the district of Newark waiting for a lottery to decide on whether her son would make it into a charter school or public school, comparing the wait to anticipating on “whether he would go to college or to jail.”

“No mother in America should have to sit there...and have something decide that [by chance],” Christie stated about the mother’s situation. Today, in such a technologically advanced world, getting an education is a vital component of accomplishing success, in holding capabilities for various jobs, to go to college, and to maintain and excell in particular careers. If Zuckerberg holds true to his plans, he will be helping out a lot of students in need. But are his intentions, in fact, for the improvement of the school system or are they just to promote the Facebook name? Students from Malden High School voiced their opinions on the matter. In favor of Zuckerberg’s donation, senior Vienna Coughlin commented, “I think they are good intentions, because every learning system is in need of money.” The great amount of money given to Newark by Zuckerberg could be used to help children afford to attendschool, as well as for supplying materials for school such as writing utensils, art supplies, paper, and hand sanitizers. A constant issue, especially towards the end of the school year, is being able to afford such supplies. Junior Amanda Adams, however, shows quite a different perspective, stating, “It’s really generous of him to donate so much money to the school but it makes you wonder if he is doing that to make himself look good or because he actually wants to help the school.” Coincidentally, Zuckerberg has recently been portrayed in box-office hit The Social Network, released on Oct. 1st. Could it be possible that his intentions are to promote both his world famous site and upcoming film?

“Every learning system is in need of money.”

“It makes you wonder if he is doing that to make himself look good.”

The Blue and Gold October 2010

WORLD NEWS http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Type A Text, Take a Ticket On Sep. 30,2010 Massacusetts was the 29th state to enact an Anti-Texting Law..

Although there is a new law, some people ignore the dangers of texting while behind the wheel. Photos by Lauren Benoit.

Lauren Benoit Head of Photography

exting while driving is a dangerous and difficult habit to break. The consequences of holding a messaging conversation while driving could result in a disaster. A new law will attempt to decrease the number of distracted drivers significantly, although police officers admit that it will be a challenge trying to restrict people from texting behind the wheel. Health teacher Kathy DeVito agrees that it “would be really hard to police the law... students text in class with the phone on their lap, the teachers don’t catch them, so it would be even harder if they were in a vehicle.” A driver caught texting while in a car will be given a $100 fine. If caught a second time a $250 fine will be imposed, and a third offense will result in a $500 fine. If drivers under the age of 18 is caught texting while driving, they will face the same consequences, in addition to a 60-day license suspension, and to attending a mandatory “attitude course” before getting back behind the wheel. If caught a second time, one must

face a 180-day license suspension along with a fine. The third time caught the driver would receive a 365 day license suspension along with paying the fine. Many celebrities have joined the cause of preventing texting while driving, and have pledged to the “X the TXT” campaign by the insurance company Allstate. A few popular celebrities include talk show host Oprah Winfrey, American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, Today Show host Meredith Vieira, professional wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald, snowboarding champion Shaun White, and the Jonas Brothers. These popular icons’ thumb prints are forever imprinted on the “X the TXT” banner hanging outside of the Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA. The approach of gaining the aid of celebrities is said to reach out and grab the attention of the public and engrave an impression that texting while driving is wrong. Celebrities are looked up to, and grasp the attention of both younger and older drivers. The Jonas Brothers are also starting a new trend wearing “TXTNG KLLS” rings on

their thumbs for them to always remember their thumbs should not be typing while they are driving. To alert the Malden Community about the danger of texting while driving, DeVito teaches a segment on it in her health classes. She expresses that it is “a law to protect us, especially inexperienced drivers.” During an interview in one of DeVito’s health classes, some students who already drive said that it will not change their habits. “People still drink and drive, and there is a law against it, so they still will talk on the phone and drive” are one

PTSD Rates Sky High Among Pilots Freddie DiPhillipo Reporter

Gypsies Get Their Futures Told Megan Kelly

n the past three years, there have been an astounding number of United States pilots who have attempted to commit suicide. 292 pilots have admitted to suicidal thoughts, and also there have been another fifteen pilots who have been diagnosed and treated for schizophrenia. This was all brought to attention after a pilot from Jet Blue threatened to harm himself an hour before take off at Logan Airport in Boston. After being apprehended by state police, he was found in possession of a gun. However, there were no charges for illegal weapons possession because there is a Federal Flight Deck Officer Program, which allows certain pilots to carry guns. After reviewing the FAA’s medical records, from 2008, 2009 and 2010, there have been 2700 pilots being treated for alcohol abuse, and almost half of those pilots are diagnosed with alcoholism. 1,377 pilots have been found abusing drugs and 94 of those pilots are known as drug dependent. There were also 23 pilots who have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and 80 more pilots suffering from different very affective disorders and conditions like bipolar disorder and paranoia The FAA has not been able to confirm the number of pilots who have been suspended or grounded. Pilots are also forced to go

students thoughts on the law. Whether the texting law fails or succeeds, or having the addition of more popular icons, texting while driving will always be a serious matter that could result in a serious consequence.

Copy Editor

Two Airbus from Grupo TACA on the runway at Juan Santamaria International Airport in Costa Rica. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons through medical evaluations every year, and when they turn forty years old, they must take two medical evaluations every year. The FAA also states that if a pilot is an alcoholic they will be disqualified from flying and they will have to go through extensive, medical rehabilitation and other programs before they are able to fly again. Those working in the Armed Sevices can also suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. There are reports that claim that one out of eight returning American soldiers suffer from PTSD. Some soldiers have had shell shock or combat fatigue. Symptoms of PTSD can also include nightmares, irritability, flashbacks, feelings of detachment, having trouble concentrating, and sleepiness. The graver problem is that a lot of these troops are not seeking any medical attention, be-

cause they do not want to hurt their career. These alarming statistics have now been recognized because this does not give people a sense of safety. It is important to note that the “Boston Pilot” threatened to hurt himself, but not to crash the plane or harm anybody else. After interviewing Jessica DeSousa of Springfield, Massachusetts, about the amount of pilots that are being affected, she says that it gives her a sense of “stress and discomfort”, now knowing that when she is on a plane the pilot may be mentally ill. She also claims that knowing this will give her second thoughts about flying. The Boston Jet Blue pilot is currently still held in a facility undergoing psychiatric exams while the whole incident is still under investigation.

tereotypes surrounding gypsies typically caricaturize them as fortune-tellers who travel around in brightly colored wagons, but the term is often used around Europe to describe the ethnic minority of the Roma people. Over the summer, the Immigration Minister of the country, Eric Besson, deported massive amounts of the Roma to Romania under the orders of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. According to the French government, deportations are an attempt to reduce crime around the country, where the known stereotype of the minority is that Roma camps are a common ground for prostitution and exploitation of children. However, organizations such as the Roma Rights Network attempt to separate the myth from the truth on their website, which states, “Roma Travelers communities are statistically under represented in the main stream prison population. Just as in any other ethnic minority, some Gypsies are involved in crime.” The Roma are similarly treated in the rest of Europe; Jamie Green, a history teacher at Malden High School, spent his childhood in the United Kingdom and has much Continued on page 8.

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continued from page 7. knowledge of how the minority is treated in the UK. While in France the Roma can be arrested and deported, the Roma of the British Isles are given the right to stay on private property. Green explained that many property owners of the UK are annoyed that their property can be destroyed and even overtaken by the Roma and that they have no way of stopping them: “Imagine a group of people setting up in the courtyard of MHS. There’s people’s laundry just hanging around, people using the bushes as bathrooms and their trash is spread out everywhere. And you don’t even have the right to get rid of them.” Green believes that the actions the French government is taking are understandable. “It’s not about racism, it’s about how it is affecting people’s everyday lives,” he explained. Many see the Roma affecting their lives by making their cities look bad by begging on the streets or standing around idly during work hours. However, this is not necessarily the fault of the Roma; though some choose to live off of their host country’s welfare, many are overlooked for jobs because they are seen as unfit to work. Without having a proper job, they are unable to afford proper housing and end up

“It’s not about racism, it’s about how it is affecting people’s everyday lives.” in slums, where basic services such as water, waste collection, and education are unreachable. A part of the push-pull factor of the theory in human migration is that people are pushed from where they live because of lacking health care, education, and joblessness. The Roma, who are mainly from Eastern Europe, where poverty is widespread, are examples of how the model works, they are pushed away from the poverty and drawn to areas that can provide basic needs for them. Many countries in Western Europe are seen as havens for them. Whether they really are causing trouble or the French Government is just claiming that they are a hot spot of crime, the effects of the segregation are not only going to decrease the Roma population of France, but increase the population of the returning Roma to Romania and Bulgaria. Increasing the population of Romania will not help the Roma or the people of Romania, where poverty abounds. The immigration of people to wealthier nations is not a strictly European issue; immigration policies have long been contested in the United States as well. As Stephen Colbert, who spoke to Congress on Sept. 24, 2010 about immigrants in the US, stated, “We still invite them to come here and at the same time ask them to leave.”

The 33 of us are doing well in the shelter. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

Rescue efforts in San José de Copiapó on August 10, 2010. Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Natalie Fallano Copy Editor

ould you be capable of holding yourself together mentally if you were trapped underground for four months? 33 Chilean miners have been put to this test since they were discovered alive on Aug. 5, 2010, 2,300 hundred feet below the ground. Their lives will stay on hold until December, when it is expected that one of the three drills digging through the ground will reach and rescue them. The miners are not sitting around waiting for the rescue. They are exercising and have activities as well as helping their own cause. The miners have started to clear away 4,000 tons of rock in order to be rescued. This is part of the reason they have to stay in shape, which is why they have a personal trainer and training program via video feed. The other reason is that they must have a 35 inch waist or smaller to fit through the hole being drilled for their rescue. The miners are also staying busy by a number of other ways. They have fiber optic cable, an iPod, dominos, poker, and more. The living conditions are actually better than one would expect. The rest of Chile, especially their families, are trying to make life in the entrapment as easy as possible. They receive food and cigarettes everyday. They even have a phone system to talk to their loved ones.

One of many things the miners are missing in their life is sunlight. Scientists have proved that sunlight is a necessity to an individual’s health because it tells the body when to wake up and go to sleep. Sleeping, eating, and exercising in a routine are crucial to one’s health. Darkness is a major cause of depression which puts the miners at risk. They do have large bright lights set up as substitutes, as well as daily routines that dictate when to work and when to participate in activities. The miners also are taking supplements that provide Vitamin D, which is usually received directly from the sun. The 33 miners were recently informed that they would be trapped for three more months. They were never sure of how long they would be trapped until now. This could either mentally break them or hold them tighter together. Certain people would rather not know when they would be out and just take it a day at a time. Others would rather know a specific time so they do not feel like they are waiting forever. The real issue that confronts the miners is their mental stability. There is hope that is still keeping them alive. One of the miners, Ariel Tiscona, just became a father. His wife, Elizabeth Segovia, gave birth to their daughter Esperanza, which is Spanish for Hope. The birth not only excited and brought hope to her father, but also the 32 other miners trapped with him. Malden High School students answered differently when asked if

they would survive in a similar situation as the miners’. Sophomore Iris Feng stated “I think I could survive, but the situation in Chile is worse. Those men don’t have enough oxygen or food, and it’s over 90 degrees down there. It’s a miracle they’re still alive.” Other students were more negative about their survival skills. Sophomore Mohamed Anwar explained, “I’m claustrophobic. I’d survive but go insane in the end.” Sophomore Kelsey Conti had similar thoughts, she stated “Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine that. I would barely be able to move, and complete my daily tasks. I don’t think I would be able to survive in that kind of situation.” Sophomore Lisa DeLacey agreed that the miners have been handling their situation extraordinarily well. DeLacey stated, “being able to survive an extensive period of time in such conditions within itself, is quite impressive.” They all agree on one thing though. The miners are in a tough situation that most couldn’t imagine being in, and bravery and hope will help keep them alive. The main drill is very close to reaching the miners. When it finally reaches, a tube will be put down the hole. Each miner will be individually rescued by being brought up in a capsule. This rescue mission is going much faster than the original estimated time of four months. If the mission continues at the rate, the miners could be out as early as Oct. 15.

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homecoming

(From top to bottom, left to right.) All previous class officers from the alumni and current class officers that attended the Homecoming Brunch are Class of 2013 Publicist Danielle Aguinaldo, President and member of The Blue and Gold Sharon Lee, Alumni Virginia Perrin, Muriel Cosgrove, Gary Christianson, Carmella Nelson, George Holland, Class of 2013 Treasurer Caitlin Cala, Class of 2012 President Nina Ho and Vice President Harris Zhao(from left to right). Joan Duffy and Pauline Ross look at several high school yearbooks and photos. Patricia Bonaiato looking at the Class of ‘54 yearbook. Gary Christianson, graduate of the Class of ‘05, and Mike Aliberte, graduate of the Class of ‘71 talk amongst friends. Beverly Morando, graduate of the Class of ‘68, and and Sal Morando, graduate of the Class of ‘69 are reacquianted at this year’s brunch.

(From top to bottom, left to right.) Seats from the Jenkins Auditorium, prior to renovations, are now being sold with plaques as a memorable item. Alumni Muriel Cosgrove appreciating her birthday cake presented to her to celebrate her 100th birthday just last month on September 11th. The Brown family at the Homecoming brunch. Photos by Lauren Benoit, Brittany Foley, and Sharon Lee.

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Cultural Intersections Rebecca Broomstein Reporter

illed with entertainment and pony rides, the Harvest Moon Festival was the place to be on Sept. 25, 2010. The festival attracted a great diversity to the crowd. Partnered with the Chinese culture, the events mainly focused on Asian traditions, essentially giving it the name “Harvest Moon Festival.” To follow up the Asian theme, the Malden YWCA made Chinese paper lanterns with everyone. Malden High School junior Skye MacDonald stated that the paper lanterns are “important in Chinese culture, fun and creative.” Three years ago, Malden Access Television was asked to video tape the entertainment at the festival. MATV sent down on Cox to use the cameras and has been the returning person since the video taping began. But this year, Cox was asked to host the entertainment and he was thrilled. Another addition to this year’s festival? It was video taped with three different cameras, allowing MATV to interview people from each stand. Cox’s favorite part of the festival is that “it really shows the diversity of the community through the entertainment.” The Bad Rabbits, a family

based band, took the stage for a returning second year. Guitarist and MHS sophomore Crystal Araiza began singing since she was very young and began playing guitar at three years ago. She also plays the piano, flute, and tenor saxophone. The youngest boy, Paul Araiza, has been playing bass for roughly three years, and Andrew Araiza, the middle child, has been playing bass for four years. The Bad Rabbits have been a band for three years. Young martial artist from Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy poses with traditional lion Their favorite part of dancing heads. Photo by Cristina Peters. the Harvest Moon Festival was “en- the fest five months ahead of time ply because without their dedication tertaining their friends,” along with because it takes so much planning. it would not be possible. Melle’s fathe fact that it is a local event that is This year, they actually had to cut vorite part of the fest it being able to close to home. back on the entertainment because “walk around and see that everyone The president of the Harvest they had way too many groups who is having a good time and being able Moon Festival and the one who wanted to participate. Melle said to bring out the community.” makes the magic happen is Carol that “the students from [the MHS] Melle. Usually the Oak Grove Im- Key and Interact Clubs are such an provement Association organizes important part of the festival,” sim-

Don’t forget to order your Malden High School 2011 edition of The Maldonian!

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Class Elections 2011:

Nidale Zouhir Editor-in-Chief

“When I found out that I had been re-elected again I was not only pumped, but really really grateful that everyone had believed in me enough to vote me back into office for our last and most important year of high school, so thanks to all for the support! We have a difficult but fun year planned ahead of us from spirit week to college preparation, senior barbeques to prom, but the class of 2011 and I plan to be there every step of the way! I hope since it is our last year together that everyone is taking it upon themselves to get involved in fundraisers and the planning of class events, its never to late to start making memories! Although our lovely advisor, whom I miss dearly Mrs. Cepp will be absent for a few weeks class events are still up and running thanks to our temporary advisors Mrs. Votaw, Mrs. Eby, and Mr. Fam.” - Kerri Shuman, President

“I’m very happy to be re-elected as the vice president of the class of 2011. I’m excited for this year and the upcoming events. This should be a great year.”- Heather Thompson, Vice President

“Getting re-elected was a struggle for me because I did have former friends running against me, and I didn’t think I would make it, but I kept hope. I had a lot of supporters and when they called my name, I couldn’t believe it. As far as goals, I want to keep everybody informed, regardless of whether I know them or not. I’m looking forward to a spectacular year.”- Alisha Hines, Secretary

“I’ve been involved with the class since freshman year so to endoff my high school career and still be in office is a great feeling. this is going to be such a great year for us. Seniors!” -Monika Bashallari, Secretary

2012:

Cristina Peters Head of Local News

“My goal for this year is to have a lot of fun while working hard to get the job done.” - Nina Ho, President

“Our last couple of years at Malden High aren’t just about Junior Varieties and Prom alone, but its more importantly about coming together as a class, working hard, and getting everything done.” - Harris Zhao, Vice President

“I am extremely excited about being elected this year. I’m very grateful that my classmates throught that I could do a great job. I ran because I wanted to be part of something great and this class is great. We are going to have a great year and a lot of activities.” - Medjine Lucien, Secretary

2013: Johanna Lai Reporter

“For the upcoming year I will empower the student voice by creating a stronger connection and better communication amongst all students. I am proud to say I see a very bright future for the sophomore class.” - Sharon Lee, President and member of The Blue and Gold staff

“Well I really wanted to help out our class this year, so I decided to run for VP. As VP this year, I plan to help coordinate events and come up with fun ideas to help bring our class together.” –Natalie Melo, Vice-President

“I have pretty big shoes to fill this year and I think that I will do a great job at trying to filling them. I think that the leadership council could use fresh ideas and I will be very organized and very reliable.” -Devon Moran, Secretary

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Rosedale Travels to Malden Vicki Ngan Reporter

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I’m really excited to be here. I’m looking forward to the adventures,” expressed Lynn Rosedale, an English Language Learner teacher in Malden High School. Diverse, urban Malden was exactly what she was looking for in a community; “the students have great personalities…they’re working hard,” she explained. Rosedale works with the freshman through senior classes and loves being a teacher. Although originally from New Hampshire, Rosedale’s family moved to Texas, Rosedale’s birthplace, because of her father for one year before moving back to their beloved New England home. Her parents were supportive and involved, a positive influence on her during her childhood. Graduating from Bob Jones University and Simmons College, Rosedale majored in psychology. She knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was an undergraduate counseling in China, a destination which she said was once her “lifelong dream” to visit. Waking up at eight every day is certainly not anyone’s favorite task, but Rosedale did so. “I knew that I wanted [that] job when I was able to wake up...every day and just teach.”

A lover of outdoors, Rosedale found the Stone Forest in Yunan to be the best part of her trip to China. Large, unusual rocks covered the paths and Rosedale was given the chance to stay with a minority group in a village close to a river. Their houses were propped up on large support beams made of wood to prevent floods from destroying them. “They asked me what I wanted to have for dinner, I think I answered chicken, and they immediately went out to kill that poor animal,” Rosedale said as she explained her experience there. Rosedale did not only travel to China to teach. A golden opportunity arose: she was asked if she wanted to teach in South Korea. “The food there was delicious,” Rosedale recalled, and her favorite place there was Kalbi, which is surrounded by mountains and relics of Buddha. Visiting so many countries, she had to learn their languages, and with time, she did. “It’s the kind people there who used facial expressions,” Rosedale explained. In addition to the outdoors, Rosedale loves reading. Her favorite book is A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. “It has a good

Lynn Rosendale showing off a student’s double helix project. Photo by Lauren Benoit comparison of different aspects of life.” Rosedale explained. Rosedale is “very enthusiastic about teaching,” MHS Principal Dana Brown stated. ELL teacher Eun Han added “[Rosedale] is qualified.” “I believe in something and fight hard for it.” Rosedale said, who was also described as being outgoing, friendly, and a perfectionist. After school, Rosedale goes

running with her husband, or walks her dog, Tungsten, a three year old boxer who was named after the type of metal that makes up her husband’s wedding ring. As for her future plans, Rosedale wants to make learning English an enjoyable experience and hopes to get to know everyone in the Malden community as well.

Northrop Fills in for Lipinski Amanda Rosatone Reporter

he start of this year has been very busy, not only for the students at Malden High School, but also for the new staff members. One of the new staff members this year is Heather Northrop, A-house guidance counselor. One of Northrop’s passions in life is helping other people, especially students. “Helping others helps me grow as a person,” Northrop stated. She appreciates all of the support and respect that result from her efforts. Northrop has been at other schools working in the field of guidance, so she is very experienced. Not only can she help students with school related problems, but she enjoys helping them plan for the future. Northrop was chosen to be part of the MHS staff because she is very familiar with the school as she interned as a guidance counselor last year. Northrop “relates to students very well,” stated MHS Principal Dana Brown. Not only do Northrop’s open and friendly ways make her the perfect choice for the job, but she has also attended Eastern Connecticut State University and Suffolk to gain her Bachelors Heather Northrop in her office. Photo by Sharon Lee.

and Masters Degree in education. Northrop states that so far the year has been challenging because there is a lot of responsibility in helping the students academically. There is a lot of planning as to what kids go through in their years of high school. Northrop keeps busy, helping students with their scheduling, MCAS, college applications, and many other aspects of their academic lives. Although she helps all her students in whatever they may need, Northrop has come to realize that each different grade is faced with different problems. Northrop stated that freshman have a hard time transitioning from one school to another, so she helps them cope with the change. Northrop helps sophomores and juniors stay motivated and to get them to “think about their future at an early stage in their life,” she explained. As for seniors, Northrop is dedicated to guiding them through the collage application process. Whether it is school related or outside of the classroom business, Northrop is a trusted member by students of the Malden High School this year.

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Klayman Follows Parents’ Footsteps Lesley Ta Reporter

lizabeth Klayman can be found in room B208 with PMA: positive mental attitude. From growing up in Merrimack Valley, attending Salem State College, teaching in Andover, and traveling as far as Paris and Amsterdam, Klayman has graced Malden High School with her presence. Wise and friendly, she is a valuable asset to teaching as an English Language Learner support teacher. She works with students daily to improve upon their reading, writing and vocabulary. “I really, really tried not to become a teacher,” Klayman laughed. “Both my parents were teachers. A couple of years into high school, I wanted to become a writer. But teaching came naturally to me. I realized that I was good at it.” In order to pursue her dream of teaching, she graduated college proudly with her first major in Elementary Education. This would her fifth year teaching holding a second major in history. In addition, she has earned her Master’s Degree in moderate disabilities and is currently working on receiving her CAGS (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study) in reading (which is more specific than a Masters). Back in high school, she took Spanish and Latin classes. “Taking Latin was one of the best things I ever did,” Klayman expressed, smiling. Going back to school and becoming a better teacher and reader is on her list of long term goals. After retiring, Klayman seeks to become a professor. “Sometimes you find what you’re good at, and you just can’t fight it,” stated Klayman thoughtfully. “It’s like how gloves fit.” About MHS, Klayman stated, “It’s perfect, and I’m quite well adjusted.” Living with a healthy lifestyle continues to encourage Klayman in her role as a lifelong learner. She enjoys her job teaching, and is happy where she is, but “there’s always room for growth,” she said.

Kristen Leonard Reporter

Elizabeth Klayman teaches parts of speech. Photo by Sharon Lee.

Bendle Teaches Around The world

Commuting to school every day is not a challenge to Klayman when she has a radio. Although she doesn’t live in Malden, Kiss 108 is one of the stations she’ll tune into and mellow out to during a traffic jam. As an Usher fan, it is not surprising that her favorite song happens to be Beyoncé’s “Halo.” Since Klayman grew up an only child, her father rather than a sibling influenced her love of sports. A football fan as well as a Red Sox fan, Klayman aspires to attend a Patriots game in the summer, much like how she spent last summer relaxing at the movies or watching sports events. Klayman swims and skis for fun, but she wasn’t a competitor back in her high school years. There are always magazines or newspapers featuring current events on her table. When the movie Memoirs of a Geisha came out, she was excited to see it. She is, amazingly, also a Twilight fanatic. A self-considered movie critic, Elizabeth J. looks forward to reading novels then watching the movie based around them. To her, movies are just a visual representation of a good book. With the new school year just stirring, school events have been featured and formed left and right. Klayman looks forward to attending a few MHS volleyball and basketball games as well as marching band competitions. Klayman wants her students and the rest of MHS to “Have a great year. Enjoy the colder months and think warm thoughts.”

ook out Malden High School, History teacher Wendy Bendle is in the house! C-house, that is. Even though she is new to MHS, Bendle has had the chance to work at other schools. Out of her 13 years of teaching, Bendle has taught at St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, Vermont for three years; Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut for five years,; Taipei American School in Taiwan for three years; and Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts for a year. Bendle taught 11 years of history and two years of English. Outside of school, Bendle likes to create pottery and take her 12-year-old dog Lucy for walks. Bendle grew up here in Massachusetts in the town of Sudbury. She attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington; “the city is so nice they named it twice...I loved college because I had awesome history professors,” Bendle stated. Bendle loves being here at MHS and “love[s] coming to work everyday. She “especially love[s] having her own classroom because she has not had one in 10 years.” She also believes that “The kids are awesome.” This year, Bendle’s goals as a new teacher at MHS are to “get to

know the community, get to know more students, to watch some Malden High sports, and to have a great year.” Bendle’s favorite event in history that is not in the curriculum is “The Endurance,” which is when Sir Ernest Shackleton set out on an expedition to Antarctica. His ship became trapped in ice and his crew and himself had to survive on the ice until they were all rescued. Bendle’s favorite historical event to teach is the unit about the founding of the country, the Constitution, and the Civil War. “We should learn about it so it [Civil War] won’t happen again. The more informed we are about the past the better decisions we will make in the present and for the future,” she stated. Bendle’s favorite historical figure is Ghandi, who, she stated, “made the impossible, possible. He was an incredible role model.” She also stated that, “The risks that we should take to accomplish what we believe in is important.” MHS Principal Dana Brown spoke highly of Bendle. “I’ve only known her for a couple of months, but I think she is friendly, enthusiastic, and wants to help kids. Last year she visited MHS and she loved it here. She saw that we had an opening and applied. I had remembered her from last year. She had experience, loved Malden High School and loved our kids,” he stated.

Wendy Bendle helps a student. Photo by Sharon Lee.

Visit www.maldenblueandgold.com for more about new teachers, including articles and pictures!

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Students Host Annual Flea Market Joel Stevenson Reporter

he set-up process for the annual Malden High School flea market began at seven a.m. on a Saturday with students and teachers alike participating. A variety of clubs took part in the event, such as the Fine Arts Club, the Classes of 2013 and 2012, and the Breast Cancer Awareness Club. With a wide variety of items to sell, from Halloween-themed decorations to more unusual items including an inflatable banana as well as a unicycle, the flea market was a great success. These items opened a new light on sales as people were excited to see them. Many questions were asked, but none more so than, “Whose unicycle is that?” Most of the items were gifts donated to help benefit the clubs. The unicycle was donated by Class of 2013 advisor Meaghan Galdos’ father. “He did not know how to ride it himself, he just had it,” she explained. With a bright array of colorful Beanie Babies, shoppers were easily drawn to the table. Sophomore Kelsey Conti, the owner of all the babies, felt proud to pass on and sell her collection, knowing that her favorites still remain at home. “I have

had them since I was a little kid, it was a family, but I’m donating them to help out the class of 2013. I’m not that crazy!” she explained. The Breast Cancer Awareness Club’s table was know for their sweets. They had baked cookies with their logo on them to help raise money for their club, explained president Samatha Saggese. “We raise money for breast cancer charities, breast cancer research, as well as people diagnosed with it.” Competing right next to them was the Fine Arts Club, who had a wide variety of items from beads to fake zombie hands to Halloween masks. All the profits went to help benefit the club and support MHS students’ creativity. As the day when on, the momentum did not slow down. Customers were there all day, and when it came time for sales to close for the day, all the items’ prices were cut in half and even more than that. Students as well as teachers were racing to tables to buy what was left. Beanie babies were now twenty-five cents, as well as a television for two dollars and fifty cents.

Senior Amy Yu, junior Urusa Sheikh, and senior Samantha Saggese selling baked goods for the Breast Cancer Awareness Club.

Junior Ellen Thai purchasing a Beanie Baby from the Class of 2013 table.

Another Year, Another Success Amanda Rosatone Reporter

Photo by Amanda Rosatone.

Local workers serving hot dogs and sausages at the festival. Photo by Amanda Rosatone.

Kayla Bramante Reporter

he weekend of Sept. 17, 2010 was very exciting for those at St. Joseph’s Church in Malden, as well as the Malden community as a whole, for the annual feast was in town. People might assume that the feast is all fun and games, but for the people who really make the magic happen it is always a challenge. Cathy Harless, a teacher at the Mystic Valley Charter School who contributes every year to the event, manages the feast in the financial department. Harless says that the most challenging part of the process is staying organized. Without organization, it becomes harder to know how much money is coming in and on what it is being spent. All of the money raised at the feast acts as a fundraiser for the church, which can be used in more of their upcoming events such as the World Youth Day, which is a trip outside of Massachusetts. Harless is just one of the dedicated members of the team that makes the feast happen, as there are also other volunteers who work together to organize the feast. People like Harless are important during the feast to make sure everything

runs right into place. All this hard effort pays off in the end, because a lot of people attend the fun filled feast and the church gets the sponsorship from the city. The St. Joseph’s Feast is only in town for three days, and this year, many people attended. It ran from four p.m. to ten p.m., and as the night wore on, more people kept piling in and the lines for the rides got longer as the fun increased. The feast caters to people of all ages. It is kid-friendly while also being a place where teenagers can gather together to have a good time with their peers and families. The feast provides entertainment, such as the band Beetle Juice, games, rides, and yummy treats. Some games included the dart at the balloon and the ball in the barrel. Chino Bonet, a junior at Mystic Valley, has been attending the feast every year and stated that “The spirit of it always brings me back.” Autumn Deheulle, MHS junior, expressed, “The St. Joseph’s feast is always so fun and its a good way to spend my Friday night. The food is always good and the rides are worth the four dollars.”

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Quenching the thirst of Ghana Kaela Bryan Reporter

Paige Yurek CopyEditor

Making Strides t o w a r d a

Two young Ghanian girls displaying the change in water quality with and without filtering. Photo courtesy of Rotary International.

hana is a nation on the west coast of Africa with a population of 24 million citizens, yet only half the population has access to safe drinking water, few have access to sanitary facilities; and over 15 percent of the children of Ghana do not live to see age six: most die due to water born disease or disease relating to poor sanitation. The story of the people of Ghana has touched the hearts of the members of Rotary International (RI), an organization that has established about 33,000 clubs so far around the world with the common goal of wanting to improve quality of life. The members of RI are all volunteers who work within local communities as well as internationally to fight against hunger, to improve health, and to promote peace; their mission statement is essentially summed up in their motto: “Service Above Self.” “The Rotary club of Malden is applying for a $40,000 global grant that will provide ceramic water filters and hand washing equipment to poor households who live near the city of Tamale in Northern Ghana,” explained Joanne Cohn, RI member. “We will be working with the Rotary Club of Tamale to coordinate the project. The grant will provide 1,000 households with water filters. Approximately 7,400 people will benefit. The benefits extend beyond just the reduction in infant deaths and infectious diseases to improvements in education and standard of living. Fewer children will miss school because of diarrhea and dehydration and more adults will be healthy enough to work productively.” Cohn went on to express that “many of the local villagers in Northern Ghana can not afford to buy the filters or hand washing equipment. That is why we are trying to get a $40,000 matching global grant for The Rotary Foundation because many of the local villagers in Northern Ghana cannot afford

to buy the filters or hand-washing equipment. To do this, we need to raise $16,500 and hope that the Malden High School Interact Club can help us reach that goal by hosting fundraisers.” This cause reached the Interact Club at Malden High School, which, as it is a high school version of RI, has always been involved in helping other people in the Malden community, across the nation, and also around the world. From building a library in the Dominican Republic to spreading the word about the children of Ghana, the Interact Club is always doing something to reach out to other people. When RI got involved in raising money for children in Ghana, the Interact Club could not wait to get involved with the touching story of children in need. The Interact Club’s short term goal is to raise at least $500 by the end of December, which they plan to achieve by selling reusable water bottles. “The philanthropy of helping is what is really inspiring,” stated Shannon Alexis, advisor of Interact Club. Alexis went on to state that the “idea of an international community, of reaching within and outside of Malden, is very encouraging and motivational.” Junior and member of the Interact Club Henley Theodat said that the Ghana project means a lot to him and to the people of Ghana. “It makes me feel better because I’m helping other people. And I think the whole world should do the same because we all need each other. So why not help out?” Another member of the Interact Club, Sophomore Taela Bonnet, believes that the work being done for Ghana “is very important because many kids in the world do not have clean water to drink. And I know that we take for granted everything we have here in America, and so it is good that we actually think about other people and take action to help.”

w o r l d w i t h m o r e b i r t h d a y s

Sharon Lee Co-Head of Photography

ot only is the month of October nationally known for breast cancer awareness but it is also recognized within the Malden community. On Oct. 3, 2010, the American Cancer Society held its 18th Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. This 5 mile route started and ended at the Hatch Shell Memorial, located on the Charles River Esplanade. With over 40,000 participants, a total of over $3 million was raised to help aid breast cancer research and treatment. This walk, being the biggest and oldest one-day breast cancer walk in the nation’s history, has raised a total of about $42 million within the past 18 years, dating back to 1993. Three of Malden High School’s own clubs participated in the walk: the Breast Cancer Awareness Club, Interact Club, and Key Club. Each club participated and supported by doing various tasks in preparation for and in the duration of the event. Interact Club helped out to package snacks and supplies the day before the event while the Breast Cancer Awareness Club and Key Club cheered and supported the walkers as they completed the course and crossed the finish line. Of the 40,000 walkers, many were cancer survivors, sponsors, or simply supporters. The top team, “Friends of Jill Leary,” has contributed $46,200, and the top sponsor is the “Law Firm Challenge,” which provided about $75,246. Overall, the walk was a success and the continuing support will definitely result in a world with more birthdays.

Walkers at the Making Strides for Breast Cnaer Walk on October 3rd at the Hatch Shell Memorial. Photos by Sharon Lee.

Entertainment

The Blue and Gold October 2010

http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

You Are What You Wear Reginah Sanyu Head Entertainment Writer

ressing up is always nice. Women have always loved to dress up, either dressing up fancy or dressing up casually. And dressing up is fun – so is shopping. Some spend half of their pay check on a pair of shoes, but for what purpose? Scientists have not come up with the answer to that – it could simply be a positive feeling. Shopping can decrease stress (or increase it, if one has bills to pay). But with all that aside, there is one thing that confuses both boys and girls. Do girls dress up to impress boys or other girls? That is a complicated matter, and chances are that the answer will never definitively be found. Girls might dress up to impress other girls or just for the sake of being the center of attention. Maybe there is a girl in your class that always gets compliments from people, and you do not understand why people do not compliment your outfits. You want attention so badly that maybe you start dressing like her. People tend to have a constant sense of competition. But dressing up should not be a competition; in the great words of Edward Gibbon, “Style is the image of character.” In other words, you are what you wear. Sure, that girl is always dressed nicely and yes, she is getting attention, but you are not the same. You can be the center of attention in your own ways, and besides, freedom of expression is essential to fashion. But whether one is trying to out-look that girl in algebra class or get the attention of the whole football team, Malden High School explicitly details its dress code in its student handbook. On page 16 of the school agenda book, there are two paragraphs dedicated to the school dress code. It is stated simply that “Malden High School is a serious place. It is not a dance club, a beach or an amusement park...The school dress code does not allow students to dress in attire that could disrupt the educational environment or serve as a distraction to other students. This includes baseball caps and doo rags. Bra straps and underwear of any kind cannot be visible. Students who break the dress code will be asked to go home and change.” Visible undergarments are not only embarrassing but are also

unflattering. But whoever wrote this dress code does not know how it feels to be a teenage girl in high school. But is it really necessary to break the school code just to get the attention of boys? About 170 MHS boys took a survey, and the results were rather surprising. The boys had to choose which girls they preferred: girls who dressed conservatively, girls who dressed provocatively, and girls who did not gravitate toward either extreme. One who thinks that they have the opposite sex figured out would probably say that most of the boys voted for girls who dressed provocatively. But more than 50 percent of MHS boys who took the survey chose “couldn’t care less, if she is pretty, she is pretty,” while girls who dressed more conservatively came in next, followed by girls who dress provocatively. Part two of the survey was about make up and asked if guys were more attracted to girls who wore too much make up, light make up, or no make up at all. Boys preferred girls who wore no make up at all and very few preferred girls who wore too much make up. The results of this survey were somewhat shocking. Does that mean that boys now focus more on confidence, brains and natural beauty? Some people might argue that maybe those who dress provocatively are comfortable in their own skin. As the saying goes, “If you got it, flaunt it” — but how far should the flaunting go when there are dress codes to follow. There are some things that should be kept private, although some dress for attention to make themselves feel good because of low self esteem which by the way works. In society, one will be treated differently for the way he or she dresses, but that does not mean a girl must lose her sense of fashion. There is nothing wrong with dressing to impress, but the less skin, the better. Even if one is comfortable in his or her skin and wants to flaunt it, it breaks the school code and does not teach our little siblings any good.

Following the school dress code does not mean that you are boring. We can still wear what we want without breaking it. Senior Debbie Ly dresses up her skirt with leggings and accessorizes her outfit with a scarf. with her vintage shoes, the fashion police will never catch Ly. Juniors Raidhirys Ramirez and Amaliena Phonesavanh are both wearing jeans but adding their personal style. Ramirez dressed up her look with a leather jacket and accessorized it with a necklace while Phonesavanh dressed hers with a chic sweater with boots.

Graph showing what the MHS male student body think about makeup. Graph credit to Kayla Bramante.

The Blue and Gold October 2010

Entertainment http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

The Social Network: Better than MySpace

17 New and Old on Fall Television Last year, a group of painfully stereotypical high school songsters captivated audiences nationwide with their classic covers and over-dramatized, ever-intertwining storylines. With teen pregnancy, closet abandoning, and the favorite Romeo-andJuliet-esque forbidden love storylines behind us in season one of Glee, we cannot wait to see what over exaggerated clichés—and coordinating song numbers—we will hate to love next.

Jessie Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Joseph Mazello as Dustin Moskovitz coding Facebook.

Nidale Zouhir Co-Editor-in-Chief

he first scene of David Fincher’s highly anticipated The Social Network reportedly took 99 takes to get just right – but this is barely noticeable (and was therefore completely worthwhile) from the simultaneously hilarious and irritating but eerily natural performance of star Jesse Eisenberg, who was born to play Mark Zuckerberg. The film begins with Harvard College student Zuckerberg and his Boston University girlfriend, Erica Albright (Rooney Mara) having an argument – and then breaking up – in a bar. “Why do you need to study?” Zuckerberg asks at one point. “You go to BU.” And so the viewer is introduced to the nineteen-year-old Zuckerberg’s ridiculously (but deservedly) massive ego – an ego so large that at this point it is impossible to pity Zuckerberg, who is devastated by the break-up and disassociates the same way any self-revering geek would: he goes back to his Harvard dormitory and beer-filled minifridge, blogs about the break up, and creates Facebook. The outcry that follows – both in terms of privacy and copyright infringement – catapults Zuckerberg out of obscurity and into notoriety, resulting in the end of his sole friendship (with Eduardo Saverin, played to perfection by future-Spider-man Andrew Garfield) as well as the acquisition of $6.9 billion. Eisenberg plays a vaguely pitiful, sadly narcissistic, stubbornly unsmiling version of Zuckerberg; whether or not the real Zuckerberg ever smiles is left up to debate (though recent Facebook keynotes would suggest he does – of course, as he is no longer a 19 year old

Harvard misfit without $1000 to his name, this is probably to be expected). Saverin, meanwhile, is the most sympathetic character in the film – his genuine enthusiasm for Facebook, as well as his obvious love for his best friend, make him relatable; the audience is appalled at the way Zuckerberg has wronged him and relieved at the vindication he receives in the end. The Winklevosses are not so lucky. Played by Armie Hammer (with some assistance from Josh Pence – Fincher used technology similar to that used in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to superimpose Hammer’s face over Pence’s, thereby creating a set of virtually identical twins), they are portrayed as stereotypical entitled prep school jocks; their lawsuit with Zuckerberg is presented as one created more out of a desire for money and revenge than out of any real belief in their own righteousness. Interestingly, the real Winklevosses are both now CEOs of online companies; their original idea of an exclusive social networking website, ConnectU, failed miserably in comparison to Facebook. However, their lives cannot be seen as complete failures – they played sixth in rowing at the 2008 Olympic Games. Penned by the legendary Aaron Sorkin (of Charlie Wilson’s War and The West Wing fame) and directed by arguably one of the most talented directors of the 21st century, The Social Network is two hours of pure adrenaline; a typical moviegoer will spend the entire film on an emotional and mental rollercoaster, unsure who to trust or even like: the sleazy Sean Parker (best known for effectively destroying the music industry — surprisingly well-played by Justin Timberlake), the submissive Saverin, or the unnervingly brilliant Zuckerberg. Fincher comes through once again; though it is, naturally,

difficult to beat his most acclaimed films (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), with its beautiful sets and spectacular script, The Social Network certainly comes close. Contrary to expectations, The Social Network does not portray Zuckerberg as an idea-stealing evil villain. Instead, it makes him seem like a misunderstood genius with a prickly exterior who really just wants to fit in. At one point, fed up with the time-consuming Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss lawsuit, Zuckerberg bursts out with what may be the most memorable line in the film: “If you were the inventors of Facebook, you’d have invented Facebook.” And this is the point Fincher and Sorkin seem to have set out to make; yes, the Winklevosses proposed the idea of an exclusive social networking site to Zuckerberg, but they were not the people who made it happen. That much, at least according to The Social Network, was all Zuckerberg – with a side order of Saverin and Parker. Interestingly, The Social Network’s Facebook fan page currently has 97,946 likes – and the real Mark Zuckerberg is not one of them.

After six seasons’ worth of sarcastic comebacks, hateful stares, and incessant flirting between Dr. Gregory House and his boss, Dr. Lisa Cutty, the seventh season of House M.D. finally grants viewers a relationship. With romance and a fresh supply of freakish cases, this new season looks promising—as long as confronted emotions do not have too strong an effect on personality. They say love can make you do crazy things, but House acting like a real human being? That is not only impossible; it is plain wrong.

Returning from the bowels of seventies TV, the once-popular Hawaii Five-0 premieres on CBS this fall decades after its original production and launch. With an attractive new cast, gorgeous setting and promising action-packed storylines, this re-established series about a Hawaii crime-fighting unit has potential, as long as they hold on to main character McGarrett’s signature “book ‘em” clincher line.

The CW has decided to bless pop culture fans with a television series featuring virtually the same storyline as every other cheerleading production ever heard of. Per usual, an outsidermisfit weasels her way onto the squad with her own agenda, much to the disapproval of the jealous, witchy cheerleaders that regularly run the show. But who knows? Maybe the show will surprise us and everyone won’t end up as sickeningly happy trophy-clutching best friends.

sports

The Blue and Gold October 2010

http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

New Coach, New Goals Girls hope to Win the GBL Title Brittany McFeeley Head Copy Editor Haley DeFilippis Copy Editor

Brittany McFeeley Head Copy Editor Haley DeFilippis Copy Editor

Above: Senior Teddy Francois prepares to catch a ball thrown from Quarterback Kevin Valley. Below: Cheerleaders on the sideline, cheering for the boys at the Malden vs. Bedford game; senior Frankie Dunn is tackled at the 18 yard line. Photos by Haley DeFilippis and Lauren Benoit.

ith a record of 2-3, the Malden High School football team is working their hardest to make up for the losses it has on their roster. In terms of injuries, this has been the worst season for the team. Senior Joseph Randolph is out for the season with a broken forearm. Senior captain Frankie Dunn mentioned that Randolph’s injury was one of the most fatal injuries for the team because “he was the starting running back.” But the injuries do not stop there; others such as offensive lineman junior Chris Miller are out for the next couple of weeks due to a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) and meniscus; junior tight end Jamie McInerney had torn his MCL as well but was back on the football field for the Bedford vs. Malden game; running back senior Wesley Bien-Aime is out for the season after he tore his MCL, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) at the Acton-Boxboro game; junior wide receiver Stanley Chan separated his shoulder. Despite these setbacks, quarterback senior Kevin Valley stated that their coaches want them to “overcome the adversity of all of these injuries” and that “people are going to have to start stepping up to these positions.” Without a large portion of their roster playing, the team still has high hopes to win the Greater Boston League title. However, one of Valley’s personal goals for the season is to beat Everett. This is a common goal for the team; Dunn, McInerney, and senior offensive lineman Aaron Samano all mentioned their hopes to beat Everett. Another common goal for the team is to make it to the championship, which is held annually at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.

Many of the seniors this year are planning to play football at the collegiate level. Valley stated that he “would love to play college football.” Dunn is already getting offers from colleges (such as Bryant University), but he hopes to receive more offers from Division I colleges. Samano also plans to play at the next level, stating, “I have a number of schools scouting me at the moment such as Harvard, Duke, and Brown. I’m just waiting as the

season progresses to weigh my options and find a school that is right for me.” Even with the loss of very important players, it gives others a chance to set up and prove themselves. Samano pointed out, “the team is dealing with the injuries as best as we can. I mean it’s hard when you lose some guys that are impact players, but we’re working hard to replace or move people around so that we still can have a solid team.”

ighth grade math teacher Diane Buonopane is the new head coach for the Malden High School cheerleading team. A former cheerleader herself, Buonopane has cheered at almost all levels, cheering for “Pop Warner, middle school, high school, college, and a semi-pro team,” she explained. She was an assistant coach at Merrimack College prior to coaching at MHS. Buonopane hopes to build “a great reputation for the cheerleading program.” She also mentioned that she plans on taking the girls to the GBL competition on Oct. 31, 2010. She believes that with all the talent and skill they have this year that the team will be successful and win the GBL title. At MHS, there has been some controversy as to whether or not the cheerleading program would be considered a sport or a club. Despite this issue, the cheerleading team still follows MSSAA rules and the MHS guidelines. This issue is not only happening here, but it has been a controversy all across the United States whether cheerleading should be considered a sport or not. Unfortunately, due to massive budget cuts at MHS, cheerleading is now recognized as a club. Despite this minor setback, Buonopane is looking forward to “looking forward to being in involved with the MHS Athletics Program, building a great reputation for the cheerleading program, and to taking the girls to the GBL League Competition on Oct. 31, 2010.”

Senior Heather Thompson cheering while in a stunt. Photo by Haley DeFilippis.

The Blue and Gold October 2010

Sports http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Reporter

Malden High School: Bruised and Battered

Alexander Gennigiorgis

Alfonse Femino Head Sports Writer

Spiking Down The Competition Joel Stevenson

Head of Business

Johanna Lai Reporter

he Malden High School girls volleyball team is striving for qualification for the Greater Boston League championship. Senior Jenna Delaney hopes the team will “succeed as a unit” over the course of the season. As of late, the team has not exactly been doing so great, with two wins and seven losses, but they are determined to not let that get them down. This year, the girls volleyball team is faced with some uncommon challenges that could be very harmful to the outcome of the season. Due to the MHS renovations, the volleyball team does not have a home court. Because of this, the team loses home-turf advantage in 14 out of the 18 games. This is an unusual change for the girls, but they are hoping to overcome it as well as their opponents. The team, although willing to get use to the changes, cannot wait for a home meet; they feel those games are where they can really shine. Along with the lack of home games, the team had to switch their practice facility to the Salemwood Middle School gym, a change that could also effect the development of players during practice. The team’s record remains 2-6 since three of the games were not league games. The team believes in improvement and that it would be great to qualify for the GBLs, since MHS is hosting it. The team hopes to improve by working hard and performing drills during practice such as digging, serving, and hitting.

Senior Cynthia Antenor gets ready to bump the ball. Photo by Sharon Lee. The volleyball team may be off to a rough start, but they are not going to let it get them down. As a whole the team is getting closer and closer with every meet. As stated by captain senior Monika Bashl-

lari, “Each game brings us so much closer, we are really connecting as a unit.”

Should Boys Have a Team? Joel Stevenson Reporter Alexander Gennigiorgis Head of Business

Volleyball was invented in Massachusetts by a man – so why is there no boys volleyball team at Malden High School?

hen asked if there should be a boys volleyball team, senior and volleyball player Jenna Delaney stated that, “the assistant coach is a guy and he is very good,” and that there are a lot of boys that are good at volleyball. “If we had a [boys volleyball] team, [it] would be very good,” stated Delaney. The fact of the matter is that there actually are a lot of male students that would love to join, and have the chance of playing in a competitive volleyball league. Last year, some male seniors attempted to start a volleyball club because of the great interest shown by many boys in the sport. Due to graduation, however,

these students never got the chance to start the club, which would have been the first step to installing a boys volleyball team at Malden High School; after the schoolyear ended, so did the club. However, the question remains: did the club end due to little interest in the club or a lack of information about the club? The average student, if asked whether volleyball was a male of a female sport would probably say female. Junior Eliezer Hernandez stated, “Volleyball for guys can only be popular if the public decides it is. I do not think a boys volleyball team is exactly necessary.” If one looks to history, one

would find that volleyball was actually created by a man in Massachuseetts. In 1895, volleyball was created in Holyoke, Massachusetts by William G. Morgan. He created it at the Holyoke Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and at the time called it Mintonette. The game was originally only for males until it was changed a few years later to make it co-ed. Throughout the years, men’s volleyball teams have been the first to go to the Olympics and participate in major events. It is a shame to see that the sport’s own state of origin does not include the game for all genders in most schools.

hroughout the last few weeks, the Malden High School fall athletics, especially the football team has gone through a stretch of injuries that no high school team should ever have to face. Starting off the injury-run was junior Stanley Chan, who separated his shoulder while making a tackle in a pre-season scrimmage, just one week into the season. The separated shoulder, however, was considered a little bump when compared with the other injuries on the team. During a scrimmage with Winthrop, not one, but two members of the MHS team suffered very serious knee injuries. First, junior linebacker Jamie McInerny took a hit to the leg, and fell to the ground thriving in pain. After a number of tests taken on McInerney’s injured leg, results came back that he had a slight tear in his medial collateral ligament or MCL in short, he would be able to return to the team a few weeks into the season. Junior Chris Miller, however, was not as lucky. After a Winthrop player struck Miller in the leg sending him to the ground hard, Miller had to be helped off the field, where he was then taken to Melrose Wakefield Hospital. Later, Miller was informed that he had a slight tear in his MCL. There were other people from the football team who had injuries: Seniors Scotty Jules, Joseph Randolph, Kenny Mettelus, Aaron Samano, and Wesley Bien-Aime. Bien-Aime suffered a much more serios knee injury as he tore his ACL and MCL. Both of these injuries are severe enough to end the season for Bien-Aime. Samano who is the captain of the team tore a ligament in his elbow, however he has been able to play through the injury. “It’s never easy to get a knee injury. I despise getting an MCL tear but I’d rather get a MCL tear than ACL because recovery time will be much longer,” stated Miller. “MCL is still a critical part of the knee. When I will recover? I don’t know. What I do know is I will be 100% in time.” On the soccer field, senior Jessica Lopez who is the captain of the varsity girls soccer team, injured her left foot and had to sit out during the soccer match against Medford High School on Sept. 24, 2010. Lopez stated, “The injury definitely affected the way I played. I seemed to play more with fear instead of concentration. I had to sit out the last game, but it only makes me more determined to work harder to get better.”

Sports

The Blue and Gold October 2010

http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Boys Cross Country Team Sweeps Lesley Ta Reporter Vicki Ngan Reporter

n Sept. 22, 2010, senior Andrew Terenzi, juniors Yusuf Mohamed, Eric Tran, and William Wong, and sophomore Dawit Anynalem came in first, second, third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively defeating Medford in a clean sweep. Wong thought the meet went well due to their score of fifteen points. The boys on the team team, both new and returning members, have been training hard this year. With the school year already started, a number of eager freshmen signed up for cross country, with the team’s roster doubling since last year. The majority of the freshmen on the team are looking forward to competing. “I figured I could run,” freshman Sean Winters stated about the sport. “It’s tiring, sore, but worth it,” he said with a grin. Freshman Robert John Stuart commented that he joined the team because of a strong coach recommendation. “It’s tiring,” he stated. “The coach got me into cross country, I was told, because of my legs.” During their intense, two hour practices, they are expected to give their best in long distance runs and

sprints. A majority of the freshmen agreed that they would be staying on the team throughout their high school lives. At the Greater Boston League (this meet hasn’t happened yet) meet, freshman Phillip West came in 6th place in the freshman race. He was the first freshman to finish the race for MHS this season. Londino has been training the Malden High’s cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams for the last 6 years. A competitor himself back Left to right: juniors Gabriel Piau, Kevin Schlegel, Yusuf Mohammed, senior and captain in high school, he Andrew Terenzi, sophomores Dawit Aynalem and Justin Chen, and junior Eric Tran. Photo by believes that the Amanda Rosatone. team has changed throughout the nitely be a challenge…[The team’s] kind to each other. It’s like a family. course of the years. “The team as a expectations are nothing less than It helps you define who you are as whole has been fantastic this year. winning…Considering the amount a person. It builds determination We will go undefeated,” boasted of talent, I think they had set a very and endurance.” With the strong proud English teacher and cross realistic goal,” stated Londino. trust, bond and confidence that each country coach David Londino, In addition to being an indi- member has for another, the GBL who has high expectations for the vidual’s effort, cross country is a meet in Cambridge is just an easy team this season. “There is no such family in which everyone is close to sprint away. thing as an easy meet and the meets one another. Junior Christopher Li against the two top teams will defi- stated, “Everyone is really nice and

Cross Country: a way of life big family. Not only is the family atmosphere an important factor for the team but assistant head coach Mitch Abbatessa also stated that he wants the runners to “feel like they are part of something”. This year the team’s size has increased dramatically to over 50 people. Londino stated that “the atmosphere of the team hasn’t changed and they still act like a family, expecting the best from each other.” Londino’s and Abbatessa’s expectations for this season are to win a Greater Boston League championship title. Londino said that he wants his team to Left to right: junior Haley DeFilippis, sophomore Haley Dowdie, junior Anna Tse, “try their best and have sophmore Lauren Benoit, junior Amber Polia, and sophomore Tiffany Sabella running fun at the same time.” at practice. Photo by Kristen Leonard. Not only is the team doing their best to live up Amanda Rosatone Kristen Leonard to the coaches’ expectations, but it Reporter Reporter is also very dedicated to the sport. Londino stated that the pre-season didn’t officially start until the last ross country isn’t just a sport, coaching a cross country team is week in August but the team mem“it’s the truest test of a person’s very difficult because he has to take bers worked together throughout character and willpower,” stated on a lot of responsibility as a person- the entire summer, forming bonds English teacher David Londino, al trainer for over 50 people. Usually that could help them out during the one of the head coaches of the cross they have a small team of 30 runners, season. Co-captain and The Blue and country team. Londino says that and the members perform as one

Gold staff member, junior Haley DeFilippis is currently the top runner on the team with a time of 23:05 for 3.1 miles. Following right behind her is sophomore Lauren Benoit, who is a new addition to the team, and also a member of The Blue and Gold staff. Benoit can keep up while running next to DeFilippis. Londino stated that “all runners should try and keep up with the sport by running two outdoor seasons and an indoor season to always keep their training up and to be the best they can be when it comes to competing.’’ Both the coaches have experience in indoor and outdoor track. Abbatessa stated that there is a difference from cross country and indoor/outdoor track. Although both sports are focused on running, there are different drills each sport entails. Cross country is more of a long distance running while indoor and outdoor track requires special training for sprints and mid-distance running. At the first meet against Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, the girls team won. Freshman Vicky Chen impressed teammates and coaches, coming in first place during the meet. In their second meet against Medford, one of the Malden girls was disqualified, unfortunately resulting in a loss, but the team is determined not to let the bump in the road put an end to their goals.

The Blue and Gold October 2010

Sports http://www.maldenblueandgold.com/

Soccer Kicks Off New Season Amalia Quesada Nylen Reporter Catherine Poirier Copy Editor

“

We’re going to play hard every game, by just looking at our jerseys and playing for what we represent…we play with our hearts every game,” stated senior captain Michael Rincon in regards to the upcoming season. Despite having lost many significant senior players this year, the Malden High School boys varsity soccer team has been making a comeback. One of the greatest losses Sophomore Prince Mukala shielding the ball from an opponent from Somerville. of the team was their goal Junior Gerardo Figueroa throwing the soccer ball back into play. Photos by keeper, Matt Rizzo, who gradu- Lauren Benoit. ated last year. The team now not been able to play lately due to an 2010. Malden was winning 2-1 by has three new senior goalies--Zula injury on his right foot. half time, but unfortunately lost Bougdaev, Christian Rizzo, and The team’s current record is their lead in the second half when Emmanuel Betek--all new to the 4-7. The team recently won a match Shawsheen tied the game and then position. Due to the fact that all against East Boston, who shut out scored their winning goal in the last of the new goalies are seniors, the Malden 6-0 last year. Fortunately, five minutes. However, the team team will have to start with a fresh this new year brought Malden sweet in anticipating an exciting game goalie crop once again next year. revenge, beating East Boston 1-0 on on Oct. 18, 2010 against Brookline “They all have really surprised Sept. 24, 2010. Junior captain Dan High School. Holmqvist stated that me, especially the improvement of Holmqvist, a member of The Blue Brookline is “beastly.” Every time Bougdaev during the summer, and and Gold, exclaimed with a huge MHS has played Brookline in the throughout the season,” Rincon grin that “the win felt good.” past, they have lost, but Malden is revealled. “Then we have Christian MHS boys had a hard loss, hoping to redeem themselves this Rizzo following his older brother, 3-2, to Shawsheen Tech on Oct. 2, time. Matt.” Betek, the third goalie, has

New Coaches, New Beginning Kayla Bramante Head of Special Projects Rebecca Broomstein Reporter

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It’s Medford, do I need to say more? They’re our rivals,” explains Malden girls soccer sweeper, sophomore Devon Moran. Malden High School’s girls varsity soccer team’s game against Medford was a close call and it was “most likely our best game that we’ve played,” Above: Christelle Jourdain shielding the ball from the other team. Left: Devon Moran kicking the ball. according to Moran. Just like Mo- Photos by Rebecca Broomstein. ran, the rest of the team is showing a similar kind of spirit, necessary she was four and coaching for four tense plays and was communicat- revenge against Somerville. The not only to win games but to have a years at a school in Nashua, New ing as a whole. Although change girls were also disappointed that fun time playing the sport they love. Hampshire. “My expectations and can be hard to adjust to, with the their game on Oct. 1, 2010 against In Moran’s eyes the game was not goals for this season are to build a new members and the new coach, Everett was canceled. They were a loss but a game that they needed strong knit ‘family’ that believes in the team is already beginning to looking forward to playing against to show everyone what they are all itself,” Leary explained. According perform and act as a family. They the Everett team. to Leary, Malden is the only team are starting to learn each other’s disThe game of Oct. 6, 2010 about she has coached that worked as tinctive manners of play and how against Somerville was an intense This year the girls soccer team hard as these girls have. They show to work together in a way that will and close match. The game ended has a new coach, Lindsey Leary . up to games and practices putting in make the team stronger. in a tie with a score of 1-1. They Leary has been playing soccer since all they have. Leary seems Currently, the team’s record is would have loved to have won, but thrilled to be part of the 0-6. On Sept. 29,2010, center mid- they agree that a tie is better than a team and the family the field, Anita Caceda was told she loss and now they know what they team has built. had to be out of the season for ten have to work on to better the team. Thanks to goalie, days due to a loss of cartilage in her Hopefully this is the sign they were sophomore Tina Ascolillo, knees that has developed over time . looking for to tell them all they can Medford scored only one, Caceda is expected to return on Oct. win and they are getting better. sneaky goal. Her outstand- 8, 2010. This is an important position The team is only a month into ing saves made the game in soccer and these ten days without the season and they seem to be a much closer loss than her pose a threat to the team, espe- having a good start and having fun expected. The entire team cially because the week of Oct. 4, the playing the game they all love. gave their all, making in- team was planning on getting their

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The Blue and Gold October 2010

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MHS GOLF TEAM swings for states

Seniors Matt Howe and Steven Lucey walk across Unicorn Golf Course in Stoneham. Photo by Reginah Sanyu. Reginah Sanyu Head Entertainment Writer Jacob Martino Reporter Timothee Pierre Reporter

otives behind the classic sport of golf vary. Golfers play to enjoy nature, because of the beauty of the golf courses, or perhaps they just love the game. Whatever one’s opinion of the game, it is one of those sports in which size does not matter. In other words, for one to play golf big muscles are not a necessity; what is necessary are skill, precision and determination. “You don’t have to be big and strong, you just have to be good,” explains golf team member and junior Daniel Glynn. The Malden High School golf team started the season with plenty of determination to go to the state golf tournament. With five wins and only one loss, they finally achieved this goal. In two of their wins, the team beat Medford High School after a fifteen-year losing streak. “It was a pretty motivational win,” junior Matteo Pocobene expressed. “During my time at the high school, we never beat them, so beating them twice gave us great confidence that we were going to be able to do great things this season.” The captain of the team, Andrew Delacey, was also surprised by their win, claiming that, “the team has come a long way in the last five years.” Glynn was not only surprised by the wins, but also proud of the team. “Our team has become a winning machine,” he confidently added. Although golf might not be one of the most traditional of high school sports, the players are filled with love and dedication to the activity. “I tried football my freshman year

and didn’t really like it, so I tried golf and I’m still playing it,” senior Matt Howe explained. Despite the fact that there is a golf team, the sport is technically an individual sport. One member faces another member form the opposing team, individual scores are added at the end of the meet to choose the winner. All in all, one is solely responsible for how well the team plays, so “you just have to trust that your teammates will come through because no matter if only one player does really well and the others don’t, it does not do the team any good,” Pocobene elaborated. Knowing that all the players have to do well in order to win does not affect the way the players in any negative light. “That is what makes golf a very interesting game,” Delacey added. “I’m more confident in how I play,” concurred Howe. “Knowing that my teammates are playing hard motivates me to play hard too.” And when one seems to be having a bad golfing day, Howe suggests that “forget about it and keep playing.” Perhaps it is the the beauty of the golf courses that make golf such a relaxing sport. “It’s a little period after school where you don’t have to worry about homework. A kind of way to distress a little bit,” Pocobene described the sport. Moving forward at an intimidating pace, the MHS golf team is eligible to win the Greater Boston League championship. One might think that maybe it’s the change in strategies that Rick Malatesta, the team’s coach, might have changed, but for Glynn, he gives the credit to something else. “The shirts are very comfortable and that’s what helps us win,” he humorously commented. Whether the credit rightfully belongs to Malatesta or the shirts, the MHS golf team hopes to continue their success of this season into upcoming seasons.

Senior Paul Nguyen swings at the ball during the match against Cambridge. Photo by Reginah Sanyu.

Junior Matteo Pocobene lines up the putt during the match against Cambridge. Photo by Reginah Sanyu.

The Blue and Gold October 2010

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Field Hockey developes young Talents Sharon Lee Head of Photography Joshua Kummins Copy Editor

orking hard in the pre-season to get right into action, the Malden High School girls varsity field hockey team is looking better than ever. With senior captains Ashley Powers, Mandy Liao, and Renee Santo leading the team, they are currently holding a record of two wins, seven losses, and one tie. Although the team is smaller this year with only 4 reserves, the “[level of] teamwork and sportsmanship each player offers exceeds what i s

expected,” stated Junior Stacey Sousa. Not only are they psyched to be playing Greater Boston League teams, but the team has also set a goal to compete in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) state tournament. This season’s team is young, with three new sophomore varsity players. Bridget Furlong and Marissa Lally are new to the front line, while Jessalynne Brown joins junior Kiara Amos on defense. The team has a strong front line, led by juniors Rebecca Krigman and Emily Hoffman, to compliment a strong defense, midfield and an experienced g o a l t e n d e r, S h a n n o n Howe. In addition to their solid line up, their main backbone is great teamwork emphasized by all of the players. With the many hours of hard work spent on conditioning and stickhandling skills, the team

has certainly started off the season positively. Back over the summer, the girls participated in several camps to prepare for the season, one of which was a camp run by Malden High School Field Hockey Alumni player, Deena Bello, that focused on the sport itself, and another of which was a separate conditioning camp held by MHS’s Athletic Trainer, Jen Sturtevant. As Varsity Coach Susan Famiglietti guides her team on the field, she reminisces about how it all started. Falling in love with the game of field hockey during her

Far left: Senior Patricia Aguinaldo receiving a pass. Left: Senior captain Mandy Liao running towards the ball before an opponent. Above: Senior captain Ashley Powers passes to a teammate before shooting. Photos by Sharon Lee.

years of high school, she played the wing position for the Medford High School Mustangs. Of course, however, Famiglietti is now coaching for Malden and states “I am always proud to bring the Malden [High School Girls] Field Hockey team to any playing field.”

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Vinnie’s Pizza

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The Blue and Gold October 2010

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Photos by Sharon Lee, Lauren Benoit, and Reginah Sanyu. Layout by Brittany Foley.