December Edition 2017

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 103 Edition 3

77 salem street December 2017

Lombardi Leaves Megan Downer Editor-in-Chief Tobi Pitan Editor-in-Chief of Web

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Mr. Mastrangelo Serves as Interim Principal

urrent Boyle House Principal of Malden High School Christopher Mastrangelo will be utilizing the nine years of experience he has accrued in the aforementioned title as he transitions into the role of Interim Principal within a few short weeks. This news has sprung in light of Principal Ted Lombardi’s announcement of his resignation effective in early January.

Mastrangelo’s current occupation as House Principal already entails its own challenges and chaotic schedule. He elaborated that “a normal day for a House Principal here is that there is no normalcy at all”. The House Principals for Boyle, Holland, Brunelli, and Jenkins each manage their own section of students within MHS. Mastrangelo specifically is involved with anything that involves “safety, security, and facilities” which includes student

management, maintaining correspondence with parents, observing teachers, and working closely with the Pathways and guidance departments.

In regards to his experience thus far as MHS, Mastrangelo described that “the relationships that [he] builds with students and families are the most rewarding to [him]...seeing them accomplish things that they [did not] think they could [is] tremendously rewarding”.

He added “above everything [he] does, to watch the reactions of the students and families [makes] [it] a really fun day.

Prior to beginning his MHS career, Mastrangelo taught physical education for 12 years in Wakefield before moving onto a Dean position in Peabody where he also coached basketball. His time as a basketball coach in Peabody familiarized him with the

atmosphere within Malden. The diversity within Malden was one of the factors took into consideration while applying as House Principal at MHS as well.

When Lombardi began his job as principal, he and Lombardi “connected right away”, although “Lombardi came in [at] a tough spot” in filling the position following Principal Brown’s retirement from MHS in 2016. Still, Mastrangelo described Lombardi as a “very smart guy and a very nice person [who] genuinely cares about [his] students and their achievements”. He went on to say Lombardi is “very positive and zen-like” and he builds “strong relationships with students and staff” which made him a “very good fit with Malden”. On a more personal level, Lombardi was “very funny and [they] had a similar sense of

fter a short couple of years as Principal of Malden High, Ted Lombardi has announced his resignation from Malden High School. January 4, 2018 will be Lombardi’s final day as Principal of MHS and Boyle House Principal Christopher Mastrangelo’s first day as Interim Principal.

For Principal Lombardi, this decision has been quite a hard one to make and for the students and staff the decision had come quite suddenly. He stated that “this wasn’t [his] intention to have things be so sudden, it [was not] at all what [he had] set out to do” and continued by explaining that “sometimes in . . .

Continued on page 15 humor”. Mastrangelo described how Lombardi gives him and the remaining House Principals “full autonomy” and was “always willing to listen and learn” from them as Lombardi was new to Malden High’s staff. The House Principals all consult with Lombardi about decisions regarding students, staff, and curriculum.

Lombardi “was very good about bringing [them] in to be part of discussions around decisions that [were] made” said Mastrangelo.

Mastrangelo is sure that his transition from House Principal to Interim Principal “is going to be huge”. He is currently tasked with managing around 500 stuContinued on page 11 maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 103 Edition 3 December 2017

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Staff maldenblueandgold.com

The Blue and Gold December 2017

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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Interactive maldenblueandgold.com

Once on This Island, Once in Ti Moune’s Life Submitted by Sherley Maximin

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ACROSS:

DOWN:

3. ________ Ilebode was awarded the Peter Donoghue Golden Eagle scholarship.

4. _______ Bezzat is the youngest girls’ Basketball captain.

8. Malden High School’s _______ Club hosted the 32nd MHS Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony.

10. The Indoor Track Team will no longer compete with Cambridge or ________.

12. You must be _______ years old or older to donate blood.

13. Agatha _____ is one of the swim captains.

14. Paul _____ is the advisor of Haitian Club.

16. _____ Van is the MHS Wrestling coach.

17. The Malden Holiday pop-up shop is run by Ose ______.

18. The female lead character in Once on This Island.

20. Monday of Spirit Week was _________ Day 21. Charlie _______ is the MHS Athletics Director.

22. Katie __________ is the coach of the MHS Gymnastics team.

23. Pep Rally began with __________

1. _______ Almeida is one of the seniors on the MHS Gymnastics team.

2. Jessica ______ is a swim coach.

5. David ______ is the Indoor Track coach.

6. The Annual Holiday Parade ended at the _____.

7. How many wrestlers are on the MHS Wrestling team?

9. Red Cross Club’s advisor is Chris ________.

10. The Malden-Medford Thanksgiving Day ended with a score of twenty_______ for Malden.

11. The Life Cycle of ______ News 14. Malden High School hosted a dramatic reading of a Christmas Carol by Charles ______.

15. How many captains are there for the girls basketball team?

19. Scott ________ is the girls’ basketball coach.

ovember 16th, 17th, and 18th were three consecutive nights in which Malden High School Play Production graced the stage with an exquisite musical, delicately reproduced with an incarnated artistic finesse. This musical created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty was first showcased on March 6, 1990, on Broadway. Though, it took twenty-seven years before landing on the Malden High School scene, it was worth the wait.

The story takes place in the Caribbean, specifically Haiti; named the Jewel of the Antilles.

The musical shows that life on the island is good: the sun shines bright, the trees sing an incessant chorus, the birds recite lullabies, the water cradles the souls of the peasants and their troubles, but also contributes to the realization of their dreams, even the most daring. With the help of Erzulie, the goddess of love, one of the offspring of these peasants has dared to set their sights on Daniel Beauxhommes—a great son who has lost the self-proclaimed royalty of Armand Beauxhomme.

Ti Moune, the main character, is an orphan that was rescued after a terrible storm by two peasants too old to conceive children. The very epitome of theatrical play lies in the hope ... continued on page 9

“Facing The Deadline” by Carolina Cuevas

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The Blue and Gold December 2017

Editorial maldenblueandgold.com

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The City of Malden in Unity

ach year Malden High School’s Play Production puts on a musical. This year the musical was Once on This Island.

Once on This Island takes place in Haiti, and follows a young girl Ti Moune as the Gods guide her through her journey to find love. Unlike others on the island Ti Moune believes that love can reach beyond any social, economic, and cultural difference. I felt so fortunate to experience this show because of its inspiring message that was so relatable to many. The cast did an amazing job, capturing the hearts of every audience member; this was evident in the roaring applause and standing ovation at the end of the show.

It was noted, that Play Production and the Haitian Culture Club worked diligently together to make sure that the show was as authentic as it could be. While watching the show, I couldn’t help but notice the appreciation of the Haitian culture throughout the play. The Haitian Culture Club members were very involved in all aspects of the show.

They put forth their knowledge of Caribbean culture to help Play Production pick costumes, design the set, and check the historical pieces of the show. .It displayed how important it was for them to portray the show as one that was both culturally and historically accurate.

This is a combination of

Senior Ariana Teixeira as Ti Moune in “Once On this Island”. Photo by Jesaias Benitez two of the things that I love most to the Caribbean culture that was about Malden High School. The presented by the show. fact that students with different As we were bringing everyinterests were able to come to- thing together for the coverage gether to make something beauti- of the play we thought that we ful. And also how the MHS staff would be able to link Once on and student body do everything This Island with other things in their ability to make sure that that have been going on with the every culture is accepted and cel- news on a national scale. Within ebrated. This is why we felt that our selection of articles on Once it was so important to expand on This Island, we also decided the Blue and Gold’s coverage of to feature an opinion piece about Once on This Island, because it Donald Trump’s decision to force was so much more than a high Haitians that are in the United school musical. It was a perfor- States through Temporary Promance that was so personal to a tected Status to leave the country. lot of the members of the Malden After the natural disaster that community, as they could relate destroyed most of Haiti in 2010,

Editorial Policy

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

We strongly encourage readers to respond to material printed in the form of signed letters to the editors. No libelous, malicious, defamatory, obscene, or unsigned material will be printed.

The Blue and Gold reserves the right to edit the letters. Names may be withheld upon request. Not all letters will be printed.

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

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

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

59,000 Haitians were granted TPS and were able to come to the United States to create a new lives for themselves. The Haitian population in our city has grown in recent years becoming a large part of the diversity of Malden.

It is important for us to acknowledge this change in policy because it has the potential to affect many in the Malden community.

We felt that it was imperative to report this adverse piece of world news alongside the uplifting coverage of the production of Once on This Island to display that we might not always notice this but Malden is a city that is one of a kind. Malden encourages diversity, encourages the unity of people while never forgetting where you came from. We wanted people that may be affected by recent news to know that they have a whole city backing them up. Once on This Island is just one example of the many clubs, events, and more that Malden has to offer for those that want to share their culture with other people.

The overall message of Once on This Island is that the power of love has the ability to bring very different groups of people together. I can’t help but connect that concept to the mentality of the City of Malden. Malden thrives off of its ability to include all different cultures within the community, making this city one of a kind.

Anna Powers

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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Obituaries maldenblueandgold.com

Obituaries Brenda Senders Submitted by Leila Greige and Taylor Winters

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renda Senders, daughter of a forester: a person in charge of a forest and caring for trees, was born in 1925 in Sarni, Poland.

She was a resistance fighter and

Romi Cohn Submitted by Leila Greige and Taylor Winters

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orn in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, on March 10, 1929, Romi was only ten when Germany invaded his country in 1938.

“When mass deportations of Jews from Slovakia began in 1942, his family was granted an ‘economic exception’ and allowed to stay.”

Realizing that staying there put him and his family in a dangerous position, Romi was eventually smuggled over the border into Hungary.

Romi was unable to speak Hungarian. He knew that if he were to open his mouth, he would be exposed as an illegal refugee. When mass deportations of Jews from Hungary began, Romi returned home to Czechoslovakia. There, he used connections to help find housing for Jewish refugees and to supply them with false Christian papers.

Later, Romi was arrested on suspicion of carrying false documents. Eventually escaping, he decided to join the partisans hiding in the mountains. By the

bodyguard. She was someone who fought for freedom against the Soviet control when they occupied Sarni in 1939 and in 1941.

When the Germans invaded, they forced the Jews of Sarni into a ghetto. In 1942, the ghetto was closed and the Nazis sent the remaining ghetto inhabitants to a death camp.

While in the camp, Brenda, her sister, and hundreds of other prisoners managed to escape because someone secretly brought in a pair of wire cutters into the camp and cut a hole through the fence. Although many of the prisoners who escaped were caught, Brenda and her sister were lucky enough to be hidden by a local Christian family who knew their father. As time passed by, they would have to flee into the forest.

Brenda and her sister spent many months hiding out in the forest. After a long period of time, Brenda connected with a large Soviet-backed partisan unit, made up of 1,600 people. Determined to fight, the local forests convinced the partisan general that she was fit to join.

Benda left her sister in hidtime he joined the partisans, “the Germans were already in retreat, and his brigade drove them back westward, while capturing, interrogating, and executing SS officers.”

Today, Romi lives in the United States, and has written a book about his wartime experiences.

Harry Burger Submitted by Leila Greige and Taylor Winters

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arry Burger was born in Vienna, Austria on May 10, 1924. Throughout his child his family had lived a comfortable life until Germany annexed Austria. Harry and his family escaped to France only for Germany to

ing with a local peasant. She learned how to shoot a gun and how to ride a horse. She joined the partisan cavalry, and became one of the general’s bodyguards.

She also served as a courier, aided by her knowledge of Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.

The unit she was a part of was constantly on the move. They occupied villages, conducted ambushes, shot passing German troops, blew up bases, and obliterated bridges and train tracks.

They caused a lot of trouble for the Nazis.

When the war was over, Brenda left Russia. She escaped through Slovakia into Austria.

She ended up in a displaced persons (DP) camp in Braunau Am Inn (the birthplace of Adolf Hitler), where she was reunited with her sister. In the camp, Brenda met her future husband, Leon Senders. They got married in 1945 and went to Italy. They eventually immigrated to the United States in the same year.

Together, they had three children and seven grandchildren. Brenda and Leon both passed away in 2013.

conquer France in 1940.

While his father was sent to Auschwitz him and his mother were sent to a “makeshift ghetto” in Nice, France. When the Italians who occupied Nice left France for Italy Harry and his mother decided to follow along with 700 other Jewish people. While en route back to Italy they received information that the Nazis were coming to “collect” the Jewish people. Harry and his mom had escaped capture and lived in a barn on the Italian-French border.

When a group of Italian soldiers approached them Harry had asked to become a soldier and was handed a rifle on the spot.

Harry became a partisan for the “First Alpine Division” in which he used his fluency in German to interrogate captured soldiers.

At first the First Alpine Division was under equipped but through their allies were able to get munitions and clothing. When the war was over he was reunited with his mother in France and stayed as a photographer for 5 years. Eventually Harry moved to the United States where he has one child and four grandchildren.

Sam Lato Submitted by Leila Greige and Taylor Winters

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am Lato was born on February 24, 1925 in Baranovichi.

Until the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Sam did not have “direct contact” with the Nazis.

Once his hometown became occupied his family was sent to the ghetto where he became part of the resistance there. He made cigarette lighters to barter on the black market.

Sam was spared from death when the first major massacre bagan in Baranovichi. When this happened again he decided to flee into the forest. Multiple people had the same idea and once he found a partisan camp he learned that there were already more than a hundred Jews from Baranovichi in the brigade. On one of his missions, he met a female partisan who soon became his wife.

Sam’s brigade suffered from not having enough supplies or weapons. In the spring of 1943, Moscow gave them direct support. They were given new clothes, weapons, and medicine

by Russian planes and Soviet paratroopers. Sam was chosen as a paratrooper auxiliary, and followed the Russians on their missions. In the year of 1944, Sam was liberated by the Russians and joined the Red Army in their “advance to the Baltic Sea.” Both Sam and his wife remained in the Soviet Union for many years. They eventually decided to flee to West Germany and then immigrated to the United States, where Sam lives today.

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Local News maldenblueandgold.com

ONCE ON Sabrina Monteiro Lead Reporter Neden Bernadin Lead Reporter

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alden High School students from playpro, performed the play “Once On This Island” on November 16th, 17th, and 18th. This play takes place in Haiti where a young girl named Ti Moune rests ashore from the ocean and is taken in by a couple. One day, she encounters a wealthy boy and instantly falls in love with their divided cultures keeping them apart. The four gods, God of earth (Asaka), God of water (Agwe), God of love (Erzulie), and the God of death (Papa Ge), are trying to shake some sense into her that she can’t be in love with the wealthy boy, Daniel who is from entirely different world. But Ti Moune refuses to believe that and goes after the boy. Unfortunately though, it isn’t a happy ending for the two lovers because he is forced into an arranged marriage but fortunately enough Ti Moune finds peace and turns into a tree.

The faculty members from Malden High have worked extremely hard on making this play come alive. With the help from Sean Walsh, Miranda Libkin, Erin O’Brien-Mazza, Todd Cole, Allen Phelps, members of the Haitian club, the actors in the play, and many more, it was definitely a beautiful performance.

MHS Choral Director, Todd

Cole was responsible for the all the singing and preparing the soloists, lead characters, and ensembles in the play production. He found the “music to be so wonderful” that it was easy for him to teach and learn it.

For other shows, he usually has to “ switch things around and tell [the students] who’s singing what part which can become confusing, but specifically for this show, it was created in a way where Cole could “ teach exactly what’s in it and [he] doesn’t have to be changing things to adapt to the voices.”

Director and Choreographer, Miranda Libkin says “it was really fun to put it in front of an audience and see the way [they] reacted. That’s always one of the best parts of any show.”

Libkin states that the number one strength is “the willingness of the haitian culture club and then the haitian community in Malden to help [them] and guide [them] and really make it a production where [they] were celebrating that culture and [she] thinks that’s very special.”

Paul Degenkolb, the advisor of the Haitian club says they’ve given some background about Haitian culture and taught the people taking part in the whole process, about “the music, dance, and history for [them] as [they] plan the play.” Degenkolb also says the experience was fun but it was more of the students who took part in it and “all [he] was really doing was facilitating so that the haitian students could have a voice in the planning of

The Blue and Gold December 2017

The Blue and Gold December 2017

Local News maldenblueandgold.com

THIS ISLAND the play.”

Junior, Nathaniel Tortorella Silva, one of the people who are head of costumes says “It was a really good experience” considering it’s his first year in playpro.

They decided on the style and colors of the costumes by “talking to the Haitian Club and asking [them] their opinions on things and [they] wanted to make sure it was culturally accurate” and with the help from a seamstress that’s familiar with the Haitian culture. Silva is looking forward to “seeing [his] hard work pay off and seeing the costumes that [they] worked on, come to life.”

Upon playing the lead role of Ti Moune, senior Ariana Teixeira wasn’t too fond of being labelled as lead because she felt that “everyone in [the] show played an important role in telling the story of [her] character.”

What she loved most about playing the role of Ti Moune was the fact that she was able to interact with the audience along with sharing a moment with everyone apart of the cast which made the show even more special for her.

Although playing the lead role was considered difficult, it got easier for her to combat this role because of her classmates and directors.

Teixeira explained that “throughout the show Ti Moune is focused on getting out there and chasing [her] dreams and [she] doesn’t care about the obstacles [she] may face because [she] truly believes that [she’ll] get where [she] wants to be.”

All photos by Jesaias Benitez.

So, it was extremely important for Teixeira to have bodied the confidence of Ti Moune and where she was coming from. It was also found difficult for her to act out these emotions on stage when she felt “uncomfortable” or wasn’t feeling confident at times.

Now, although she can’t say that she was satisfied with her performance, she was at least happy that it was able to “put a smile on people’s faces.”

Whenever Teixeira has to perform anything she tends to get nervous, but this year she recalled being “way more calm” and her “ heart was racing” as usual. Since this was a musical, she was more nervous due to the fear that she might sing a wrong note or sing flat out horribly. That fear once went away because of the audience, she found out that with the audience, “ everything changes and that can be a good thing or a bad thing, but as always, it was a good thing.”

If it wasn’t for her “peers and directors and the Haitian Club”, she believes that she wouldn’t “have been able to perform Ti Moune as people saw [her]” and found that character in herself.

She found Ti Moune to be “such an amazing character and [she] honestly doubted that [she] could play” without the help of others.

The purpose of this play isn’t about a peasant girl and wealthy boy who fall in love, it’s about realizing you don’t need to fall in love to be happy and that life isn’t always planned out the way you want it to, and that’s okay.

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The Blue and Gold December 2017

Local News maldenblueandgold.com

Once on This Island Director’s Note Submitted by Director and Producer, Sean Walsh.

Haitian Club’s Involvement in “Once on This Island” Neden Bernadin Lead Reporter

J Cast of Once on This Island performing group number. Photo by Jesaias Benitez.

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efore any production, a directorial team needs to ask itself two crucial questions: Why? And How? Why this story at this moment in time? And, how should we tell the story?

First, the why. For the team, Once on This Island provided two major components: a compelling story about universal ideas and an opportunity to engage in a conversation about culture and equity in our theater program.

The show culminates and reveals its theme in the final song Why We Tell the Story. Here, the lyrics point to the universal power of storytelling and how telling stories is a way for us to remember and reclaim the past while looking forward with hope. Furthermore, in discussing to choose a show set in Haiti, we recognized that not all MHS students were involved in the theater arts. Our demographics of the class do not match the demographics of the school. The show pointed to work to be done to ensure that more young people had access to the power of telling stories and learning from the stories of others.

This final realization lead us to some difficult hows. How do we stage a powerful story about storytelling? How should we as a cast and teachers tell this particular tale with fidelity and respect? How can we invite and involve Haitian members of the school and into the process of the storytelling to build understanding and community? How can theater be more participatory across different groups and cultures within the school?

In answering the how, we understood the challenges of putting on a show about a specific culture that deals with matters that are both universal and

particular. The first hurdle was casting and the issue of race and color. Gone are the days of colorblind casting, and that is a good thing. Cultural and racial representation is vital. As a class and school, we have a diverse, multicultural population - one that is not limited to students from Haitian backgrounds. Our focus on casting was to find ways to represent the cultural differences in ways that did not only divide along racial lines. Within a school that values and celebrates multiculturalism, the directorial team has the privilege of working with a diverse cast creating performances and moments that helped deepen our understanding of Haitian culture. Yet, we had to do our homework. We know that people from Haiti bring unique differences, and telling a singular story with a singular and limited cultural vision would be problematic and inauthentic.

Last June, the directorial team and students from the Play Production class met with Haitian Cultural Club leadership to first discuss how the theater program could strive to be more inclusive and representational.

We had open and frank conversations that challenged teachers and students alike.

In late July, the two groups met convened again with Erga Dormavil from Community N’Unity to deepen the discussion around particulars in the show.

In early September, a group of students from the Haitian Club offered to serve in an advisory capacity for the production. Every week, students from the club and students from Play Production met to discuss choices in the production, questions about the script, and concerns about representation.

In working on the design of the production, the directorial team reached out to Marie Coulanges to help construct costumes and Jean Appolon of Dance Haiti to choreograph particular numbers. As the show approached, members of the wider Haitian community were invited to see elements of the production and helped shape choices in the end.

In this production, you will see students of all colors portray villagers and grand homme and use the language of racial prejudice and colorism. This may feel jarring, but I would argue that is the point: that language subjugating people for the color of the skin should feel jarring and out of place. We also felt strongly as a team that we didn’t want to divide the cast along the lines of race, but rather that the scenes play organically as meant in the script - with actors taking on different roles throughout regardless of race, gender, or class. Theater, when done safely and with proper intentions and without caricature, allows young people to explore being the other to gain appreciation, a strong sense of self, and more significant connection to the community.

Yet, after all of this, the educational work of this production is just beginning. That is a good thing. Overall, what we hope you see tonight is not only a beautiful, moving musical performance but a start of a conversation that is not limited to Play Production and the Haitian Club. Instead, we see this as an opportunity for how we as the Malden community can participate in the power of storytelling and how through the process of making art together - we can learn about each other and ourselves.

ust last month, the Malden High School Play Production had another successful performance with their recent fall showcase, “Once on This Island”, which centers on a young girl that falls in love with a wealthy boy from a completely different culture.

Senior Sherley Maximin was one of the advisors from the Haitian Club that took part in the making of the play. She explained that her role was “essentially to help [bring] a caribbean soul to the show.” Maximin and the other leaders took part in choosing the costumes, critiquing, and giving advice on their performances, “ sharing some historical facts” for them to incorporate them in the show.

During last year, club advisor Paul Degenkolb set up a meeting “between the members and the Play Production team” about the idea and it attracted many of them from the start. She went on to add that they “eventually had an internal meeting and discussed the type of commitment that [ these types of projects]” would bring. She also found it interesting how everyone was on board with this idea considering how difficult it would be to combat it.

Although Maximin was not certain about the challenges the cast had to encountered, however she realized “from a human perspective that any great realization brings pitfalls that have to be overcome” because great shows like these didn’t have easy steps to get to the final product.

From that start, Maximin always thought that the play would of been a success “because people from the Play Pro are [artists by heart]”.

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Opinion maldenblueandgold.com

... continued from page 3

Once on This Island, Once in Timoun’s Life

Trump ends Temporary Protected Status for Thousands of Haitians Rebeca Pereira Head of Local

Submitted by Sherley Maximin of the peasants, hope in its most exciting and aggressive forms. A little girl condemned to be a cursed peasant who invokes the Goddess of the Earth (Asaka), Goddess of Love (Erzulie), God of water (Ague), and that of Death as well (Papa Ge) so that she can join Daniel, after saving him from a car accident in a storm like the one she was rescued, Ague. In this world, a peasant woman to take cares of a perfect stranger to the point of wanting to exchange her life for the sake of saving his.

Humanity is mainly recognized by the complete forgetfulness of oneself, of one’s own interests for the benefit of the other. This moment when hope turns to complete forgetfulness of one’s person, accurately shows the generosity of peasant life.

Hope... hope in all its quintessence, all its dimensions. Rare as the philosopher’s stone. The hope that transcends, exalts, gives birth to this fiery courage that allows confrontation of the worst in order to reach the best, the dream, the love.

Ultimately redirected to the worst, one can argue, but the bittersweet price of chasing a bold dream would be more accurate. A hope embalmed by the sun of the tropics, the sun of the Caribbean, which originated from the love of a “Negresse”, “Une beaute creole” the famous Haitian poet Etzer Vilaire would say.

Ti Moune’s enthralling love, enhanced by the generosity of Asaka, the delicacy of Erzulie floating in the foolhardy waters of Ague, triumphed over the abyss of Papa Ge, turning into symbol of peace, fertility, rejoicing and life.

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n January of 2010, CNN published the following assessment of the United States’ response following the devastating natural disaster that plagued the small, already disadvantaged island of Hispaniola: “U.S. wants to turn Haiti tragedy into opportunity”. The idea is the American Dream in practice, it transformed Lady Liberty’s beckoning of freedom from an idyllic appeal into palpable action.

That year, the US provided a safe haven for over 59,000 Haitians who found themselves amidst a natural and humanitarian crisis, which qualified them for Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, which ensures legal permanence for victims of natural disasters or armed conflict. TPS has been previously granted to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and still remains in place for nations including El Salvador, Honduras, Syria, Nepal, and Yemen. Temporary is in the name, an important acknowledgement of the inevitable, but for Haitians, many of whom have established themselves and regained a sense of stability in their new home, the inevitable has arrived sooner than expected and rather abruptly after seven years of adaptation.

Haiti, since its inception as an independent state, has had a troubled economy and relatively little standing in the global arena due to its correspondingly little mobility from its superlative as the Western Hemisphere’s most destitute country. The reliant cycle Haiti has made earnest but ultimately futile efforts to break away from has plagued it since its slave uprising devolved into a 12-year conflict with France in 1804 which left the newly

formed nation war-ravaged and indebted. Slaves not by name, but slaves nonetheless, just shy of a century later, in 1900, Haiti was still spending 80% of its national budget to meet reparations demanded by their Napoleon-era French motherland.

The nation was not spared a series of unfortunate events which kept it entrenched in its low status and another century later, Haiti was still experiencing economic instability with its unemployment rate at 50% in 2010, just before the devastating earthquake which left about 400,000 citizens displaced from their homes.

Seven years later, the reality for many Haitian TPS holders has become remarkably different. 69.2% of these recipients are employed and actively contributing to the American economy and the Center for American Progress reports that ⅓ of Salvadoran, Honduran, and Haitian TPS holders own mortgages. The Haitian government recently asked the current administration for an extension to the current protected status not without cause.

The Haitian government also benefits economically from the presence of employed Haitian immigrants in the country which yielded in 2016 alone $2.36 billion in sums of money sent back to relatives still on the island, known as remittances.

TPS holders often leave many of their relatives behind in the slowly deteriorating conditions which they themselves escaped which introduces a nuanced sentimental and humanitarian element to the current dilemma.

27,000 Haitian TPS holders have US-born children, citizens who will remain so despite the eventual termination of their parents’ legal residence in the US. When TPS is rescinded, as it was one month ago for 2,500 Nicaraguans, recipients can either return to their home country or remain and risk de-

portation as illegal immigrants.

As dusk nears on July 22, 2019, this heart wrenching, impossible decision will be made by 59,000 Haitian immigrants.

Temporary is in the name, but the expectation of a nearing end hardly makes the choice any easier for parents and patriots who have come to cherish the land that extended its right hand in compassion for their sorrows.

Elaine Duke, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, is cognizant of the fragile and complex nature of the work she inherited from John F. Kelly, the President’s current Chief of Staff who abrasively warned Haitian TPS holders six months ago that they should begin “thinking about returning”. Duke has not succumbed to White House pressure to rescind TPS for Honduras or to endorse Kirstjen M. Nielson, the President’s new appointee to the secretary position. The Senate Homeland Security Committee held Nielson’s confirmation hearing on November 8th but postponed the vote, leaving additional uncertainty for many.

Still, one thing remains frightfully certain. The government periodically reviews each country’s status, gauges their need for assistance, and decides whether to continue offering protections under TPS. In spite of vehement opposition from Democrats and even from Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen who tweeted that she could “personally attest that #Haiti is not prepared to take back nearly 60,000 #TPS recipients”, Haitians will be asked to return to Haiti, an island still ravaged and inadequately equipped to receive them home. It’s not only a hindrance to the economic growth and resilience the world hopes is still in store for the small country but a terrifying fate to face for individuals and their families.

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Local News

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Malden Arts Hosts Pop-Up Shop

MHS Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony

Athletics Director Charlie Connofrey photographed with MHS Principal Ted Lombardi. Photo courtesy of Charlie Connofrey.

An assortment of ornaments and jewelry for sale. Photo by Cristopher Correa.

Christopher Correa Reporter Gabe Matnog Reporter

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or the second year in a row, Malden Arts hosted a Pop Up shop at 480 Main St in Malden, MA. The shop is open from November 16 to December 24, which is longer than last year’s open dates. The whole operation is run by Ose Schwab. When asked about the inspiration for creating the shop she stated “It all started last year. This space has been open for many years, and an artist in the community suggested creating a gallery in this space. It also helped the need of local artists to exhibit their work.” After a few phone calls, they were able to acquire the space and open up the shop.

Although this year, they plan to provide a creative community space where there is art and performances. Schwab stated, “This creative space is meant to inspire and stimulate the community.”

There are more artists in the shop this year with a total of 72, while last year’s was a total of 54 artists.

A big difference in the shop is the addition of performances, which they host every weekend. They also have much better marketing in the shop, which they hope helps them get more sales than last year.

The items that are on sale in the shop are mostly handmade by the artists themselves, however there are also items that are made in other countries and then brought to the shop. When asked about the items that are on sale, Schwab stated, “[We] have hand printed clothing, quilts, silk screen prints, collages, glass blown items, ornaments, jewelry, textiles, baskets from Uganda which are sold by a non profit organization called Project Have Hope. [We] have photography, mosaics, books, CD’s, and wood art.”

Schwab believes that, “More marketing and getting the word out to more people, and merchandising is something that [they] look to improve on this year.”

They also want more artists to come to the shop and be present to the public. Schwab also wants to even out the duties between every volunteer so that she is not the one doing all the work.

Most of the art that is on display is from local artists, fine artists, or artisans from different parts of the world such as Zimbabwe. “It ranges from people who rely on their art as a living to those who have jobs but are skilled in a craft and don’t have the time to put their art on exhibit.”

When the shop closes, Schwab is going to sit on some citywide committees that discuss arts planning, such as possibly creating more pop up programs in different parts of the city.

“We’ll be expanding the business and expanding the Malden Pop Up’s program.”

Recipient of the the Peter Donoghue Golden Eagle Award, Patrick Pereira, giving his speech. Photo courtesy of Paul Hammersley.

Sidney Rodriguez Lead Reporter

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n November 18, Malden High School’s Tornado Club held their 32nd Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony.

Distinguished leaders from Malden were all present at this event, including the Mayor of Malden Gary Christenson, the Superintendent of Schools John Oteri, and the Principal of Malden High School Ted Lombardi.

In addition, many of Malden High School’s alumni attended to the event and were recognized.

The Golden Tornado Club now has 245 members, including the seven 2017 inductees. One being former Physical Education teacher, and current Athletics Director. The other inductees were Paul Frazer, Paul Miller, William Roderick, Corey Johnson, Shelia Nanjenjo, and Stephan Verdi.

A scholarship for $1,000, the Peter Donoghue Golden Eagle Award, is given to a Malden High School athlete every year.

Last year, basketball player, Nathaniel Ilebode was given the scholarship. This year two people

from the senior class of 2018 was awarded with the scholarship, Patrick Pereira and Harrison Zeiberg.

Patrick Pereira has played soccer since middle school, and has continued his soccer career for all four years while being at Malden High School. He stated, “It’s not just playing the sport,” to him soccer has been a pivotal point in his life. He added that he will always “remember the amazing records set, the moments created, and all the other fun activities that occurred during the season”. Pereira believed that the relationship with his team members and Soccer Coach Jeremiah Smith “made [his] essay a little more meaningful”.

In addition to the Peter Donoghue Award, two people were given the Distinguished Service Award. The two individuals were Henry Dorazio, Jr. , and James “Jimmy” Dorazio. Also, Harry Mehos and Dick Vaughan was given the Golden tornado Club Alumni Award.

Aside from awards, current Officers, Board of Directors, and past Presidents were honored at the event.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

Opinion

11

maldenblueandgold.com

Mr. Mastrangelo

Serves as Interim Principal

The Life Cycle of Inflammatory News Tobi Pitan Editor-in-Chief of Web

Tobi Pitan Editor-in-Chief of Web ...continued from front page. dents and around 30-40 teachers in Boyle House alone; once he becomes Interim Principal his responsibilities will only compound themselves into the job of managing over 100 teachers and close to 2000 students. He admits though, that his responsibilities will be “coming at [him] from different ends” as he has never had “as much contact with Central Administration and interaction city-wide” as he will now.

“It is rare that somebody leaves in the middle of the school year...it’s uncharted waters,” explained Mastrangelo. Conversely, Mastrangelo explained that if “you look globally around the district, there are two principals that are leaving within two weeks of each other”; There is a new Interim Principal at the Early Learning Center as well as an Interim Principal at the Beebe following Dr. Vatalaro’s retirement.

Mastrangelo believes that the fact that he “has been [in Malden] for nine years, [and] [that] [he] knows a lot of the teachers and [they] know [him],” will bring stability to MHS during this uncertain period. As Mastrangelo moves on to occupy the Interim Principal role, there will be a new Interim Boyle House principal, and as of now the position has been posted.

Whether or not Mastrangelo will return to assuming the role of Boyle House Principal subsequent to his time as Interim Principal “remains to be seen”. In regards to how he feels about filling this challenging position so suddenly, Mastrangelo said that “he thinks [he] [is] ready” and that “[there is] always some fears and concerns, but those are very similar emotions to excitement”.

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other people’s disdain, other people’s general feeling of deflation and hopelessness. A part of me also felt like Trump would never see this proposed Military Ban through. There would have to be some sort of external governmental power that would block Trump from following through with this potential decree. If not, then why would we even have a

et’s flashback about four months back to when President Donald Trump posted one of his many nebulous threads, or a string of tweets, on social media site Twitter on July 26, 2017 at 8:55 am. This particular series of tweets barred the United States from “...[allowing] transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. military…”.

Trump then went on to describe the involvement of transgender people in the military as a “burden” and a “disruption” concluding that their participation in the military Photo from WikiMedia. may soon government to begin with? come to an end.

Flashback a hair to about And so, a palpable state of gloom settled over many American a month ago to when a federal citizens perturbed by the various judge suspended Trump’s ban implications that this mere 100- on transgender people in the word statement would have on military. I hadn’t heard of this news anywhere on Twitter–my the United States of America.

Fittingly enough, this main source of news. I hadn’t melancholia projected itself the heard a murmur of a reaction to most deeply through my twitter it from anyone, online, or even account. I consider myself to be on TV. It genuinely seemed like a fairly Liberal person when it nobody cared in comparison to strictly comes down to a label, so how impassioned the public was inherently the twitter accounts regarding the topic only a few I follow all fall within the same months prior. I had only heard category. On the morning that about this news more recently Trump released the so-called and in all honestly, my initial “Trans Military Ban” tweets, response was “Well, that was there wasn’t a single tweet on my anticlimactic.” Of course, I felt timeline didn’t have a mention of deeply relieved knowing that our it. When I first heard the news, I government had pulled through immediately thought that Trump and succeeding in stopping the and his team of politicians had ban. I felt personally victimized succeeded in provoking a reaction by the initial tweets about the from the general American pub- ban due to my close identification lic and that vehement responses with the transgender community. would linger for a while. I also When the news settled in, it truly felt like I couldn’t really react to felt like a slap in the face, knowthe news itself. I only felt like I ing the our nation’s President could react to its reactions–react openly stated that he essentially to other people’s indignation, viewed the needs of transgender

people as a illegitimate and burdening. I heard the voices of my fellow transgender siblings in voicing their opposition toward the tweets loud and clear, yet I hadn’t heard a peep of celebration over the ban actually being overturned.

A piece of news such as Trump’s military ban should have incited more than just heated debates and quippy remarks. The ban was a easy vehicle for people to feed into the cycle of reacting to inflammatory news yet not caring about it a few days later. It’s simply not healthy for people to have this relationship with news; this type of behavior only breeds more sensationalism into journalism, news, and politics instead of being productive and promoting the change and action that it should. Part of the reason why I find politics so hard to digest is because the news itself is never really presented in its raw form. It’s often clouded with the opinions and sentiments of other people before I view it with my own two eyes.

Political news has never truly felt honest to me. A large reason why headlines such as these are so incendiary is because they create a spark from which their viewers can react to as opposed to presenting the news in its bareness. News has the potential to be more than that and ultimately it should.

When I consume news, I actively make an effort to see what I can do with the information I have the privilege to consume. I try to consider others viewpoints and think outside the political box I have put myself in.

Maybe from this, the changes in my day to day life will actually encourage me to one day maybe call my senators and protest vocally. The most powerful forms of news spark reactions, but those reactions should entail actions as well.

12

Local News

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Israel Arbeiter Speaks to MHS Seniors Sideny Rodriguez Lead Reporter Antonio Tarantino Lead Reporter

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arlier this week, former president of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston, and survivor of the Holocaust himself, Israel Arbeiter revisited the accounts of his life in front of the seniors and faculty of Malden High School. He spoke about tribulations he overcame as a slave under the Nazi regime in Auschwitz.

With his arrival, groups of seniors greeted Arbeiter on stage.

Some students introduced themselves, and all were thanking him for coming out of retirement of public speaking to come speak to them. One student, in particular, senior Taylor Winter, who also took a field trip to the New England Holocaust Memorial in Boston where she first met Mr. Arbeiter, thanked him for coming to the school. Winter felt that it was “quite special for the students to listen to a Holocaust survivor tell their story for themselves”.

As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, Antonetta Remedi-Brown expressed that “hearing another person’s ordeals [was]resonating”.

She said that the “horrors” Arbeiter brought up in his story, “[were] the devastating reality of many Holocaust survivors, like [her] grandfather’s”. Realities like, divisions of families, starvation, and slave labor.

Israel Arbeiter was born in a city called Plock in Poland. He was declared a slave at the age of 14 when the German army invaded the city of Plock in September 1939. He and his family were then transported to a ghetto in central Poland called Starachowice. The ghettos were used to give the German military an easy way

From Left to Right: Seniors Grace Lugo, Barbara Castro, and Shirley Maximin speaking to Arbeiter after the event. Photo submitted by Mayor Christenson. to keep all Jews in one place so they could transport them once the German government figured out what to do with all of them.

Arbeiter, and two of his brothers were then forced to work at an ammunition factory to work for the German military. Arbeiter also had to work for the Gestapo which was the Nazi police force.

He was forced to do things such as shine the officer’s boots. This went on until 1942.

Israel Arbeiter went on to ask the audience to raise their hands if they have taken a Holocaust history course, which resulted in nobody raising their hands.

He then went on to describe how he pictured the decision to exterminate the Jews was made by a bunch of drunken high ranking SS officers.

Arbeiter explained how in the beginning the Germans would drive the Jews around in buses and trucks in which they connected the exhaust to the inside of them so that they would die of carbon monoxide poisoning. But because this method was too slow, the Germans came up with three ways to exterminate the Jewish people fast. They would lower their food rations, make them work hard labor with minimal food, and also use the gas chambers.

On October 26, 1942, a special unit came into Arbeiters’ ghetto and rounded up the Jews for selection. Arbeiter and two of his brothers were placed on the

left side while his mother, father and younger brother were placed on the right. He tried running to their side so that he can be with them wherever they were going but his father told him to go back to the other side and to carry on the Jewish tradition. His mother, father, and younger brother were later murdered that day.

He expressed this day to be “The darkest day of his life and [it] will continue to be until [he] [dies]”.

After that, Arbeiter and his brothers worked at the ammunition factory. He described the treatment they got resembled to animals. There was, however, a doctor because there was an outbreak of typhus within the camp. If a prisoner got sick then the Germans would kill them because they didn’t want to take the time to heal them. The doctor would aid in the spread of the disease because he would not wash the thermometer he used to check the patients. Arbeiter was among one of the people infected and was put into quarantine.

When the quarantine barack got too full, the Germans would kill the infected in the forest to make more room.

In his second night in the barrack, a camp commander of whom which Arbeiter testified against after the war, came in and ordered the 87 people in the barrack out. Arbeiter managed to sneak out but was still dead according to the Germans. This meant that he got no food ration.

Arbeiter was helped hidden in one of the barracks in the camp by some of his friends. The risk of hiding somebody was that they would kill anyone doing so, plus 25 other people.When that barrack was searched, they didn’t find him. Arbeiter was however brought back to the quarantine barrack by a Jewish police officer in the camp that promised he would bring him food and help him hide if needed later. Also, a woman who worked in the kitchen who Arbeiter was friends with stole extra food for him as well.

As a result, Arbeiter got stronger and healed from typhus.

After a while, Arbeiter was forced to leave the Starachowice slave labor camp he was at and went to a number of different camps. At one point he was put on a death march where the Germans took a number of Jews around to different places and tried to find a place to keep them.

He was liberated in the middle of this death march in the black forest on his twentieth birthday.

Arbeiter explained that he did not know what to do after his liberation. He was taken care of by a German family after that. But he wondered where his family was. He expressed the confusion he felt for being liberated after being a slave for five and a half years during his teenage years.

His life was halted at the age of fourteen. He explained that he had no guidance from anybody and was not able to grow up normally due to all of this.

Arbeiter told the story of how he later stole a high ranking Nazi’s motorcycle. He said that this motorcycle was his lifeline.

With that motorcycle, he could find his family and reconnect with the women who saved him from starvation. Who later became his wife, Chanka Arbeiter.

Lastly, Arbeiter pointed out a poster hung in the halls of Malden High School which displayed the statement saying “Stop Bullying”.

He used this to express how the student of Malden High should know the power of resilience, and the importance of standing up to bullying.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

13

Local News maldenblueandgold.com

Holiday ParAde Angelina Prum Reporter Quyen Le Reporter

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s the holidays start to creep up, the City of Malden hosts the 14th annual Holiday Parade. The parade launched off at Salemwood on Waite Street Extension, then marched up onto Maple Street, and made a left turn onto Salem Street. The parade finished off at the Malden Teen Enrichment Center, located next to Malden High School.

On Saturday, November 25, 2017 families and friends came together to celebrate the upcoming holidays with all the other residences of Malden. Residents of Malden dressed up for the event, a Santa Claus could be seen roaming around the parade, Malden’s Fire Department’s own Sparky the dog was seen with the firefighters and policemen.

Malden High’s mascot, Nedlam, was also present giving viewers highfives and bringing joy to all the children.

All the floats that participated in the parade played their own songs. On one of the floats blasted the classic Christmas jingle “All I Want for Christmas”

by Mariah Carey throughout the parade. The bands of the Malden Public Schools also played their own songs. Salemwood’s middle school band played the theme song from the series “The Pacific”, and the hit song “Believer”

by Imagine Dragons. The Salemwood band was led by Matthew Tavares, Salemwood’s band director. Before the parade, he expressed how excited he was for the parade, “[He] [loves] doing what [does] and [he] [has] a lot of fun doing it” he said. He later on explained, at events like this, “you will never know what will happen next, so you will need to be able to think on your feet when a new challenge [arises]”, which is something he enjoys.

Tavares believes the biggest challenge is not teaching the students how to learn their instruments; in fact, it is actually the easiest part. The biggest challenge as a band director is making sure the band cooperates with each other to sound good as a unit. Tavares expected a good day out of the band and he believes that people

can feel a good performance. He stated “you can tell people a lot of things, but what really convinces them is the performance”. Donald Ford, one of the lead pianist for Salemwood Band, is excited to be a part of the parade, fiercely stated “confidence means power”. Malden High School’s band played “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. Band members stated that their was experience “tiring but well-deserved.” The Malden High band members practiced hard for two months.

The parade had various of floats and programs marching.

A program the library was hosting was the Malden Reads. During the parade the Malden Reads instructors gave away free books to children. This organization is run by the Malden Public Library and encourages kids to open up a book and read! The organization of Malden Reads quotes on their banner “one city, one book”. Local business also banded together in the parade to perform. Such as the Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy. They performed their annual Dragon Dance. Dancing studios from Malden also came to perform their choreography at the parade.

Throughout the parade, you could find floats from the Malden Public Schools. All of the floats had their own school quotes on them. Beebe’s school quote was “Building the future child by child” and their float was designed with a huge banner, with students from the Beebe school sitting on top of the float.

Forestdale’s school quote was “The Forestdale School future leaders”. Their float was designed with a nest filled with eggs and their mascot on top.

The audience of the parade was very satisfied and happy with the turnout of the parade. Families, friends, teachers, and students were present and were amused to watch this event, they definitely enjoyed the different and unique floats, the music and the performances.

Freshman Brendon Santos is a student at Malden High School, who watched and followed the parade from the beginning to end. “[He] [thought] the parade was very cool and amusing”.

Santos is a drummer himself, and he stated “Watching the bands perform made [him] want to be a part of the parade as well”.

Chess Club

Members of the club playing chess. Photo by Antonio Tarantino.

Antonio Tarantino Lead Reporter

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hess, a historically highly regarded game of strategy, has found its place at Malden High School. On Tuesdays, Malden High School Chess Club meets to compete against each other and practice on bettering their skills in chess. The club includes and accepts both proficient chess players as well as people who would like to learn how to play chess. In total there are about 15 to 20 members in the club.

The idea of the club came mainly from a senior at Malden High School named Dylan Duarte. Him and friends such as Matheus Pereira came up with the idea in the Malden High School Library while they were playing. They thought it would be a good idea to start an actual club for chess since so many people enjoyed playing it in the library.

The club is run by senior Matheus Pereira who is the president of the club. The club is currently looking for a Vice President, which they will choose by having a tournament within the club. The club is open to regular

chess players as well as anyone who has never even played chess before. The club offers to teach anybody who wants to learn and who is willing to put the effort into it.

There are competitions within the club but members do not have to be apart of the competitions to be a part of the club.

Members can also join just to play chess recreationally as well. The club does plan on growing and competing against other schools in the future. But since the club is new and many of the members are not proficient enough in the game, they are waiting for the club to grow as well as the skill set of their members in order to actually create team that is competitive enough for other schools.

The chess club was not created for competition. The club was started mainly for recreation and for an opportunity to create a good community of people who enjoy playing chess. Any sort of competition is optional if you are a member of the club. As said by the president of the club Matheus Pereira, “Honestly, our goal is to have fun, meet great new people, and get better at chess. Simple as that”. Chess club is always accepting new members to make sure all of that happens.

Chess club is now open on Tuesdays after school in the Malden High School Library.

14

Local News

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Red Red Cross' Cross' Annual Annual Blood Blood Drive Drive Jennica Ruan Reporter

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ed Cross is hosting it’s annual blood drive on Thursday, December 7 at Malden High School. Sign ups started a week or so before the actual drive.

Malden High has supported the Red Cross Club for many years with the different fundraisers [we have] held. The club is advised by math teacher, Chris Giordano.

Red Cross is a fundraising organization that donates to help “provide relief and support to those in crisis”. Red Cross Clubs are based in schools all over Massachusetts to help students and young adults develop leadership skills by volunteering to help and interacting with one another. The Red Cross Clubs started at Harvard University, the first college in Massachusetts to collaborate with Red Cross. The clubs then continued at Boston Latin academy as the first high school with Red Cross Club in 2001.

Senior Max Weng, is currently president of the club here at MHS and has been apart of it since his freshman year. His role as president includes being a spokesperson for “the executive board and the club”, which includes organizing meetings and keeping the club active and growing. One of his motivations for participating in the club was the legacy of the work his family has done with Red Cross. Weng is now president like his older cousin who started the club at Malden

High as president along with other members of his family. He stated that “[he is] grateful to be able to say [he has] also become a president and [continues] to do the work that [his family has] done”. Weng plans to continue his work with Red Cross after high school and “throughout his lifetime”, even though he will not be as active.

Junior Erica Mei is also involved as the club’s historian. As

a historian, Mei takes pictures during the times she is volunteering of the students helping those in need. She started out during her freshman year and will continue her work after high school because “volunteering is fun and doing a good deed makes [her] happy”. Her future goal is to “help those who need help” whether it be volunteering or donating.

Malden High has hosted

many food drives and blood donations like last years when we ran a blood drive at Fenway park during 9/11. The purpose of Red Cross in Malden and at our school is for students to get involved at an early age and start being aware of the problems around us. After natural disaster, Malden High School is one of the first clubs to act and help by starting fundraisers.

Although the blood drive is for a good cause there are restrictions on who can donate. The blood has to be safe to use so it has to go through several processes. Restrictions can include tattoos, weight, diabetes, anemia, and age. Tattoos must be at least a year old from when you first got it, depending on the facility it was regulated in. Your weight is depended on your size and gender. Anemia patients are not necessarily ineligible to donate, it mostly depends on your circumstance. Finally, you must be 16 or older to donate.

After the blood is taken from the drive there is a process to ensure the safety of its use.

The blood is starts with being scanned then separated different groups that depend on what they are made up of which includes red cells, platelets and plasma.

There is an individual process for each of the separate groups since each serves a different purpose.

Finally, it is put into tubes and tested to check for diseases and other factors that help serve the patients compatibility. Not all the blood donated is used though, if it is not used the blood is tossed away and the donor is notified and informed why.

Christmas Arrives at Malden Reads Angelina Prum Reporter Queyen Le Reporter

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he Malden Christmas Carol reading is an event held by Business teacher Beth Horwitz and the Malden Reads organization. The event was held at the Jenkins Auditorium on Saturday, December 2, 2017. During this dramatic reading of the Charles Dickens novel, people who were

performing dressed up as characters and acted out the scenes from the book. They also had sound effects to allow the audience to feel more connected to the storyline.

A Christmas Carol tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come. After their visits Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man. The format of this dramatic reading was like a play. People in the dramatic reading dressed

up as characters in the book.

Slideshows were featured in the background, but these weren’t just any slideshow:, the slideshows had a variety of special effects such as special noises like church bells. After each chapter, there were special appearances from the school’s choir, who sung Christmas songs in between each chapter.

In the auditorium there were tickets that was distributed for a chance to win MHS T-shirts. During intermission, cookies and cider was served which was “very

delicious” Vicky Pham stated.

At the end there was also a special appearance from Mayor Gary Christenson. He participated in the dramatic reading by reading the last chapter of the book. Freshman Phone Thu stated that “It was the perfect way to end the reading”.. He also said this event was “very interesting”, and it was “very relaxing”. To end this event, everybody, the staff and audience, gathered around to thanked everyone for coming and finally the whole auditorium sung a song.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

15

Local News maldenblueandgold.com

Mr. Lombardi Resigns as Malden High School Principal Continued from front page...

life things happen in a weird order of events and you have to make decisions that you never thought you [would] have to make.”

Principal Lombardi had an original intention, which “was to do the rest of this year and see that out and have more of a normal transition” However, his intention was put to a rest due to an opportunity that was presented to him which not only “allows [him] to do the work that [he] really care[s] about, to work in urban education, but also to do so in a job that allows [him] a little more control over [his] time and allows [him] to spend more, in quantity and in quality, time with [his] family too.”

During the Summer and Fall, Principal Lombardi had spent much time contemplating the decision to leave MHS. He explained that “[he] was an assistant principal and a principal very early in [his] career, very young, and what [has] ended up being the negative end of that is that [he] now [has] a job like this at a point in [his] life where [he has] two really little children at home.” With that thought to consider, Principal Lombardi had realized “that [he] just [was not] around enough for them, [he was not] there enough for them” and sought a change to this.

Mayor Gary Christenson commented that “[he] thought [Principal Lombardi] was going to be the perfect fit… [and that Lombardi] was going to be here another 12, 13 years.” Similarly to Lombardi’s earlier comment, Mayor Christenson also stated that “life throws you a ton of curveballs and this was one of them, for [Lombardi] and for [the community]. We had thought [Lombardi would be at Malden High] for years to come but again life is not an exact science as evidence by this news.”

Although Principal Lombardi “[knows] this is the right decision for [him] and for [his] family, [he is] really sad for the decision for [his] MHS family.”

When Principal Lombardi joined MHS a couple years ago, he felt the community “really welcomed [him], and [he] felt instantly very connected to and really in awe of the things that happened here.”

During his time here, Principal Lombardi has come to “really love it here.” He finds that “the kids are wonderful” and there is an “amazing staff here.”

Principal Lombardi strongly believes that “[MHS has] the most wonderful study body you could ever imagine here. [He thinks] this is such a unique place, to have the most diverse high school in the state, to have so many amazing cultures, religions, whatever, represented here, in a place that really values that is something [special].” This is the reason why Principal Lombardi originally wanted to be here. He also describes that “[MHS has an] incredibly talented group of students.”

Principal Lombardi is also impressed with the academic talents of the student body of MHS. He stated that “[he is] really proud that [MHS is] among the highest enrolled schools in AP classes and in the state. [He thinks] if you look at the other schools that are on the top of that list, [they are] all very wealthy suburbs or exam schools -- and [that is] not [MHS] and [MHS is] still right there with them.”

Principal Lombardi is not too worried about the survival of MHS with such a sudden change, as he takes comfort in the resilience of the community. He noted that “[he thinks] in schools [people] get wrapped up in, and for good reasons, the impact that one person or some people can have on things, on lives. And that is 100 percent a good frame of mind, but the things that happen [at MHS] or the spirit of this place is much bigger than any one person or any small group of people.” This belief is what Principal Lombardi “keep[s] harping on or the one thing that gives [him] comfort in leaving in the way [he is], that Malden High School is Malden High School and there will always be these wonderful things about it and regardless of

Ted Lombardi with his wife and children. Photo courtesy of Ted Lombardi. who is in [the principal chair].”

One of Principal Lombardi’s favorite phrases is “be the best version of yourself” due to his belief that “trying to fundamentally change people is a bit of a fool’s chase.” The question that Lombardi “always want[s] kids to ask themselves [is] “what would your best self do’ and in this day and age there’s a lot of conflict, political unrest and a lot of things going on in the world. “[He finds] it’s important that [Malden continues] to develop students here that have a real strong ground in who they are as people and what they believe and what they can truly do for others.”

After his time spent here, Principal Lombardi is confident that “[people] will always talk about Malden High School being this beacon of hope, where students from all over the world can come together and be unified and still have all these crazy unified pep rallies but all these wonderful exhibitions of culture and celebrating who they are. All that stuff in [his] eyes goes into… celebrating our uniqueness and our identity and [he thinks MHS] will always do that.”

Beginning in January, the community of Malden will be searching for a new principal to permanently fill in next school year. Going into the search process, Principal Lombardi stated that “truly knowing the student population is something that has to be a value and a priority of any principal of any high school, of any level, particularly of a place like [MHS].” He expressed that “[MHS has] 1900 students and you have 1900 unique souls among those 1900 students and that has to be priority one [for a principal].”

The search will be “very student centered” according the Mayor Christenson. Students will have a say in the search “even more so, [and after] speaking with [Superintendent John Oteri], [it is evident that] his initial thinking was to have even more students than last time as part of the process,” in accordance to Mayor Christenson.

Mayor Christenson stated that “[he] would like to see someone that is going to give [the position] the attention that it deserves.” He expanded that “[he has] always been impressed with the caliber of students at Malden High School… [there is] just something about that school that [he thinks] it deserves more than just a typical 7-3, 8-4, 9-5, job. It requires a day-in and day-out effort. [He thinks that is] what [Malden] students deserve.”

“Students are critical to the success of our communities as well” stated Mayor Christenson. He is confident in the community’s resilience in such a time and encourages MHS to “just keep going straight ahead. The foundation are [students] and the teachers and families. Keep collectively doing what you’re doing and the future seems bright.”

Principal Lombardi believes the search committee should focus most on “[finding] someone who is going to enable the staff to be innovative with what they do in the classroom and most importantly someone who is really going to be there, to be an advocate for students and know the student population as well as they possibly can.” He stated that MHS is “fortunate to have a very skilled veteran staff of teachers here” and he looks forward to seeing them continue to keep MHS an innovative and unique school.

Looking into the future, Principal Lombardi had “honestly envisioned [himself] being here for the next 20 years or retiring from here,” however, “life takes all sorts of twists and turns and you end up making decisions that you never thought you’d have to make.”

Lombardi is excited to “get to be a fan instead of being involved with everything day to day.” He said that “[he is] encouraged by the fact that [he knows] this place will always be this place… and as sad as [he is] to be leaving, [he is] really happy that [he] had the opportunity in life to be a part of this for the time that [he has] been and [he is] very fortunate to have that.”

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Local News

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

MALDEN HIGH SPIRIT WEEK Ronald Batista Reporter Jennika Ruen Reporter

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alden High’s spirit week occurs annually the week of Thanksgiving break and the Malden vs Medford Thanksgiving game. Spirit week consists of Pajama Day on Monday, Wacky Tacky Day on tuesday, and closes the week off with our annual Pep Rally, also known as Blue and Gold Day, which occurs on Wednesday. All grades can participate in their designated spirit team by signing up during lunches before spirit week. Teams are selected at random with around 16 students per team to represent their grade.

Tradition is a big part of the

history behind spirit week and how it has grown to be such an important at Malden High every year. Heather Northrop, a freshman guidance counselor at Malden High, has been involved with the helping of spirit week since she came here eight years ago.

This year celebrates 130 years of Malden vs Medford which is “ the second oldest rivalry in the country”.

Each grade has its own class advisor who helps their class through the activities planned throughout the four years of high school. The class advisors lead the team through spirit week, helping with any challenges and creating the banners. Each class has its own banner to creatively show the school’s spirit.

With help from the National Honor Society, all the scores are tallied up each day for each of the activities that are held. Paul Marques states “Spirit week started almost twenty years ago

Junior Geneveive Murphy competing in the tug-of-war competition. Photo by Jesaias Benitez.

by some people who have retired and [he has] helped enhance it and over the years it has become what it is”.

Beginning the week on Monday, the seniors took the lead on Pajama Day. Behind them were the freshman, then the juniors, and finally the sophomores. On the second day of spirit week, the seniors continued in the lead for wacky tacky day. Behind them came the freshman, sophomores, and finally the juniors. On the last day of spirit week, The seniors took home the grand win, with 40 points, then the juniors, with 35 points, behind them were the sophomores, with 27 points, and last but not least, freshman, with 17 points.

The Pep Rally started with each of the spirit teams playing volleyball. It then proceeded with the singing of the National Anthem, sung by the school’s chorus. After that, three different groups performed. First, the Step

Team came on and started off the pep rally, followed by the breakdancing group, Airbound. Finally, the Malden High cheerleaders brought a great performance to end the show and begin with the final round of activities.

After the performances, all of the classes competed in a basketball free throwing competition, Then led to the next activity, human pyramids. Each pyramid consists of ten people with four people on the bottom and less people as they go up. After the pyramids, each class competed in an over-under competition. This game is exactly what it says. A basketball is passed over someone’s head to the next person who has to pass it from under their legs onto the next. The final competition was tug of war between the juniors and seniors and ended with the two classes going against each other for the top spot where the juniors finished the pep rally with a win.

Senior Tiffany Tortora competing in the free-throw competition.

Photo by Jesaias Benitez.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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maldenblueandgold.com

Anna Silva Reporter

and getting them the win in the 130th meeting between the second longest high school football rivals in the country.

another touchdown for Malden, increasing their lead 13 - 0 with 2 minutes left in the 1st quarter.

Bazile ended the game with five

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nding the season on a positive note, Malden High’s football team defeated the Medford Mustangs with the score of 27-22 at the Hormel Stadium. Although the Tornadoes had their struggles this season, the game against Medford was an important one with a 130 years of history behind, and a victory earned them some bragging rights against their rivals and concluded the season in a good way.

Malden controlled the game during the first and second quarters with some huge chunk plays.

During the 3rd quarter however, Medford started to improve and outscored the Tornadoes, seemingly shifting all the momentum in their favor. However, with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, nearing the end of the game, Malden scored a clutch touchdown

The Football team photograph with Mayor Christenson after their Thanksgiving Day victory. Photo courtesy of Marcus Simon.

In the first play from scrimmage, malden scored an 80 yard touchdown to take a 6-0 lead Malden. The tremendous start to the quarter continued when senior Edouard Bazile scored

Malden team members in an intense play against Medford. Photo courtesy of Marcus Simon.

carries for 84 yards, including that touchdown, while sophomore Wootchy Pierre Rene took five carries for 109 yards and a score himself. Before halftime however, Medford replied with

a touchdown of their own reducing their deficit to only six points going into the half.

During the second half, Medford scored with five minutes remaining in the third quarter and made the score 13 - 12 Malden. Malden soon responded with a touchdown of their own, but a safety by the Mustang defence brought the scoreline to a narrow 19 - 14 lead for Malden with 2 minutes left in the game.

A couple minutes left in the 4th quarters, and the score changed to 27 - 22 Malden and everybody cheering for Malden to score, the football team got a big stop on the 4th and 9. 2 minutes left remaining for the game to be over and the score still 27 - 22 Malden, the team got another stop on the 4th and 10 and the stadium was loud and Malden fans started cheering on for Malden football team to score. The time is over and with the score of 27 - 22 Malden, the Malden Tornado football team score their first and final win and this topped their season with good note for themselves.

Junior Raushad Moore playing defense aganist Medford player. Photo courtesy of Marcus Simon.

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Sports

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Girls Basketball Jemisha Syliant Lead Reporter

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unior Salma Bezzat, who is the youngest captain of the MHS Girls Basketball team, is hoping for this season to be more like a “family” as well as having everyone the same page, which is to win states. She states, “[She knows] [it is] in [the team], [they] just need to work and practice like it is the day before the game, or [it is] all on the line.”

Bezzat explains her experience last season as a sophomore on the varsity team allowed her to have a different experience in the sense that there was a whole different coaching staff who were also new to the program. She continues to explain her first ex-

perience on varsity and says that she got a “high” from the feeling of being on varsity. She continues to say, “it just overpowered the bad things that [should have] been fixed last year.”

Although MHS girls basketball had only been able to win five games last season, Bezzat makes clear that there is still room for improvement. However, regardless of the record, she adds that she was able to get along with everyone on her team.

Becoming a “family”, beating the record from last season, and making it to states is the goals that Bezzat plans on achieving by the end of the season. She adds that personally she wants to feel more confident as a basketball player.

Sophomore Meley Ephrem,

who plays the position shooting guard on the varsity team, mentions that Bezzat is the youngest captain on the team and explains that she encourages the team to do better as well as pushing them to try their hardest.

Ephrem explains that she hope the season goes well and hopes to have a close relationship with all of her teammates. She is looking forward to playing a successful season and making it to finals at TD Garden.

Bezzat adds that she herself is looking forward to the leadership responsibility, now that it is her first year being captain. Bezzat states, “[She is] excited and both terrified at the same time and [she is] also looking forward to [the]new team and what [they] have to bring.”

Ephrem describes that the team will all grow and expand as a whole, including their basketball knowledge and their friendships.

Although there are new members to the team, there are also new members to Bezzat as well. Losing three seniors allows for the junior varsity players to be able to prove their point that they deserve it and were put on the team for a reason. She continues to explain how her teammates will push her as she pushes them to do better as well. She states, “But [it is] all for the better of the team, and to beat [their] goals.”

Now that the season is coming to a start, the girls are determined and ready to persevere through the upcoming games that are soon to come.

Mackenzie Furlong Julie Yu Reporter

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enior, Mackenzie Furlong is one of the three captain on the MHS varsity girls basketball team, she plays as the leading point guard. Furlong has been playing varsity since her freshman year, and has been playing the sport since she was six years old. Furlong stated that “it carried in her family”, her sisters and father were big athletes.

She explained that although she made varsity during freshman year, “the first two years were rough”. As time went on the program got stronger and she started to get the hang of it.

Despite her struggles, she stated that “[her] father has [motivated her] a lot to become the best athlete [she] can be”. Her father, alongside Coach Scott Marino, boosted her confidence and contributed to her athletic abilities.

Other than basketball, during the spring season, she plays on the varsity softball team.

Fellow senior captain, Tiffany Tortora stated that “[Furlong]

MHS’ Girls’ Varsity leading point guard, Mackenzie Furlong. Photo taken

by Julie Yu. is a compassionate, funny, and authentic person”. She was not only relied on for her skills but she was also “the type of person to bring you up when you were down” said Tortora. She went further to explain that Furlong is the reason why “our team connects [so] well”. Win or lose, she never gave up, and always works hard 100% of the time.

Junior captain, Salma Bezzat said that “she thinks of everyone’s opinion before making a decision”. Bezzat also explained

how she has two different personas, which vary depending on whether or not she is on or off the court. Bezzat also stated that “...[Furlong] gives the team a big boost of confidence when she is present”.

Furlong’s presence impacts the team’s mindset and the way they play. Physically, Furlong is a strong and gifted player, who brings lots of competition to the court. Mentally, she gets keeps the team optimistic even when they’re losing. “She is a dominant

player” said Bezzat. The team looks up to her, and her attitude carries out among the team.

Furlong’s goal for this season is to make it to states and improve their record. In order to achieve these goals, the team has to work together. In the last season, the team only won five game in total. Their goal this year is to build up their relationships and have one big family. Bezzat stated that “we see each other 6 out of the 7 days in a week”, so it will be much easier to connect with each other, due to the fact that they see each other more often.

Bezzat believes that because of her, the team is better at communicating with each other.

She stated that Furlong was one of the reasons why she ”felt so welcomed during [her] first year of varsity.” Furlong is always acknowledging her team mates, whether it’s at practice or during the school day.

The team respects her as a captain, and think of her as a strong role model. The amount of respect she receives is certainly not just because of how skillful she is. She brings lots of personality to the team and impacts the way they play.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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Sports maldenblueandgold.com

Boys Basketball Jemisha Syliant Lead Reporter

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s the boys basketball season comes to a start, the team as a whole are hoping to make it as far as possible throughout the season. Last season, the MHS boys basketball team had an overall record of 16-6, which consisted of tremendous effort from all players. Although the team fell short during the playoffs with a lost during the first round of the tournament, they are ready to advance further throughout the season.

Senior Malik Bissett recaps last season to be an exceptional season. Despite falling short in the playoffs, the team was able to put up a tough fight in every game. Coming prepared and mentally focused every game is what the team must do to continue to improve upon from last season. Bissett continues to explain communicating more on defense and tightening on defensive possessions also needs to be progressed further by the team.

Bissett mentions two newcomers on the team Tyler Holness, who is from Medford and Thomas Redwood from Everett.

Senior Thomas Redwood admits that although he is a newcomer himself on the team, he is definitely going to do his part on the help and contribute as much as possible.

Redwood adds there are other newcomers on the team as well who will make important contributions. Sophomores Cameron Lloyd and Brutchel Hyppolite being few of the many on the

team who show great aspects as taking to experience a successful a player. According to Redwood, season.

Both Bissett and Redwood Cameron is described as a great shooter, plays defense, and runs agree that they’re hoping this the floor well. Additionally, he season goes well. Bissett hopes explains that Brutchel contribute that this season will be a good one, taking to the team into acwith the count that it ability to may be the shoot and final one for get resome. bounds.

SophoB i s m o r e sett expects Brutchel the team Hyppolite to make recalls that the touralthough naments last season again while went well, being more it should prepared not have as well ended the as taking way it did. one game He makes at a time. clear that Personally, the team Bissett conshould have tinues to beat Somerexplain for ville in the himself he first round hopes to be and kept better than Senior Fern Berard shooting the ball at pracadvancing last season rather than considering tice. Photo by Jesaias Benitez falling short he now has an important role on the team. He early on in the playoffs.

In spite of the fact that the hopes to contribute any way possible, points, rebounds, assists, team is strongest in running the and defensive possessions. He floor, Redwood believes that the states, “Doesn’t matter, we just team needs to improve in executing plays. Personally, he hopes to got to keep working as a team.”

During practices, the team improve in his mid-range shootrun through the sets every pack- ing, ball handling, and getting to age as well as competing and the basket strong throughout the scrimmaging. Giving it their all course of the season.

Since this season consists at practice and with the help of their Coach Don Nally condition- of a variety of different players, ing them, are steps the team are Hyppolite expects the team’s

Collage of the 2016-2017 Boys Basketball Season. Collage from The Blue and Gold archives.

chemistry to slightly improve. He states, “I feel like we are more talented than last year because we have more guys with shooting abilities but we need to continue being tough to progress further.”

Despite the fact that the season began with a scrimmage against Woburn, Redwood concludes that the team is still getting into the “flow” with everything and getting used to how one another plays, seeing what they can and cannot do. He states, “We’re getting used to each other and the more we play, the better we’re going to get.”

Both Bissett and Redwood are looking forward to the game against Everett. As a former player from Everett, Redwood is looking forward to competing with previous teammates and with a “rival school.” Bissett adds that last season, MHS lost to Everett twice, so it is “nice” to be apart of the rivalry.

When asked whether the change of divisions will impact the outcome of the season, Hyppolite answers by saying, “Not at all. I actually think it will help the outcome of the season because I feel like all teams on our schedule are teams we can beat.”

Senior captain Fern Bernard is looking forward to a successful season with his teammates, with the exception of doing better than last season. With such leadership, he wants to lead his teammates to a successful season. He describes how he wants the team to be known as “hard workers.”

Overall, the team as a whole is hoping to dominate every team they and hopes to go undefeated.

388b Eastern Ave Suite 3, Malden, MA 02148

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Sports

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Boys Boys HOCKEY HOCKEY Michelle Yin Reporter

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he Malden and Revere High School ice hockey teams have set off the season better than the last, with many goals in mind.

The merged team has entered this season with a prepared mindset to triumph, and to gain more wins than previous years.

Although the previous season did not make it into states, Michael Giordano a senior and captain has mentioned that “ Although we missed the the tournament last year, it makes us kind of more pumped for this year.

We want to win more and make it”, the team has already won 1 out of two of the games they have played and tied in the other game.

One of the games that Giordano is excited for is their last

game with Peabody’s Hockey team, he explains that he has never beat peabody with all the years that he has played for the Malden high School team, ” I just think that they are a good team and by then we would probably have begun the tournaments, and playing that game would get us ready and hopefully we all would work together well. “ and he adds on that he has high hopes for the team to win against peabody this season.

Junior Zac Rufo’s goals for the team this season is to “make it into states”, he also hopes that he as a individual c a n also make it into states.

Giordano adds on to that by expressing that he hopes the team “ For the team, I want to see up win as much games as possible, I see us going possibly far into tournament and just I see us being a group that is really together and for myself I want to do what I did last year but even better.“ in hopes that this year

the team would make even bigger accomplishments.

Sophomore Corey Rufo also mentions that the team has a new assist coach, John Papasodora that had played in the Malden High School team a few years ago and is now back to help the team grow as a whole.

The team chemistry is “ Very good, The merge b e -

tween t h e revere team and malden is really well, we all get along, we all kind of know where each of us are on the ice without really needing to say anything” say Giordano, although the team is created by two different schools they all get along well and has

the same mindset in help e a c h other become stronger and improved.

There are a few new members of the Hockey team, four new members from Malden and one from Revere, they all are becoming important members of the team, and contributing much into the wins.

The hockey team is more than ready mentally and physically to win their place into states.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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Girls Girls Girls HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY Carolina Cuevas Reporter

everyday.

The Medford-Malden ice hockey team consists of nineteen members in total but only seven girls are from Malden High School. Terrell Pesaturo (Junior),

(Freshman) and Sarah Whitehouse (Freshman).

The coach of the Girls Ice Hockey team is Rayanne Forbes.

Forbes is described as fun and straightforward. Terrell Pesaturo,

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s winter approaches, so does Ice Hockey, specifically Girls Ice Hockey. Ice hockey is a fast contact sport played on an ice rink between two teams of six skaters, who attempt to drive a small rubber disk (the puck) into the opposing goal with hooked or angled sticks. As a sport itself, hockey takes a lot of hard work and dedication to play. Ice hockey is considered as a masculine sport so not many girls play. But for the few that do play, it just goes to show how passionate they are about the sport.

Since not many females join hockey, Malden shares a team with Medford. That way, they have a more complete team.

Practices take place at the Loconte Rink in Medford almost

Junior Jessica Crugnale and Junior Terrell Pesaturo. Photo by Carolina Cuevas.

Jessica Crugnale (Junior), Sophia Casaletto (Junior), Brianna Swanson (Junior), Bethan Taddeo (Sophomore), Alaina Giuliano

starting goalie for the team, stated that “she knows what she’s talking about” and that “she’s relatable.” Rayanne would tell

stories of when she was in college on her old hockey and the players could just relate to it because they are going through the same experiences.

Tryouts involved a lot of skating, puck work and drills.

Not many girls tryout for the team so they did not make any cuts. Pesaturo also stated that the players are “really nice” and that “they have all excelled since [they] started.” “They’re very good players.”

What goals does the team want to achieve? Well the first response was by Jessica Crugnale, winger, saying to “win a game.”

But Pesaturo said “[they] want a better record than last year” and that “[they] want to have fun.”

The Girls Ice Hockey team works hard every practice and works together to make the most of what little appreciation they get. Come to the first game Wednesday (12/13) at the Loconte Rink at 7pm to see these girls rock the ice.

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Sports

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

GYMNASTICS

Photo of the 2016-2017 Gymnastics Season. Photo from The Blue and Gold archives.

Sara Zakaria Lead Reporter

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alden High’s Gymnastics team has begun its 20172018 season. New members have already been practicing with the older members, and everyone is excited. Sophomore Kelly Zhou, who joined the team as a freshman, said that this year, the “team completely expanded, almost tripled the amount of people [they] had last year” and “[she is] really excited about that”. Zhou added that the new members of the Gymnastics team are “all very adorable”, and she admires how the new members are not afraid to “step out of [their] comfort zone and try new things during practice”. She added further that they “[are not] afraid to help each other, have fun, fall or laugh around and [they are] very hardworking”. Senior Thays Almeida asserted that the team is excited for the new members joining the team this year, “especially since [the team is] looking forward to expanding the program. Currently, [they] have a lot of seniors and so the new members will not only help this year but the years to come as well.” Almeida said.

Last year’s season was “amazing”, as Almeida described it, due to the fact that the team won their last Greater Boston League (GBL) title before moving onto a new league. “The overall chemistry of the team was also good which helped [them] a lot”, Almeida added. For Zhou, she admitted that she was “very nervous and uncomfortable” when it came to making mistakes, due

to the fact that “[she] was afraid to be embarrassed and [she] felt like [she] wasn't as good as [her] teammates”. It all worked out in the end, since “[her] teammates were very nice and [they] made [her] feel appreciated even though [she] fell and messed up”.

This year, the team expects to win as much as possible, even though they are in a new league.

Zhou said the team also expects to “help each and every one [on the team] improve in skill, communication and as well as being comfortable with each other and making new friends”. Almeida stated that the team hopes to improve on their gymnastics skills and “step out of our comfort zones because gymnastics is a hard sport and it does take time to adjust and be comfortable”.

This year, the team also has a new coach, coach Katie Bowdridge, and they already adjusted. Zhou said that the new coach, Coach B, is “super supportive” and “[Bowdridge’s] smile makes [Zhou] feel accomplished and that [she did] well”. Although the team is going strong, they still have room for improvement, even as individuals. Zhou said that she “definitely needs to improve in not being nervous and scared about falling or being embarrassed because that is part of learning and growing as a person and as a gymnast”. Relating back to the new members, Zhou said that “seeing the new members this year makes [her] feel very nostalgic and [she] is really proud of them for being out on the floor and tumbling and falling while having fun at the same time”. She believes the team’s main strength is that they are all committed and “strive for success, while being supportive of everyone.”

Wrestling

Photo of the 2016-2017 Wrestling Season. Photo from The Blue and Gold archives.

Carolina Cuevas Reporter

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s the fall season ends, so do the fall season sports. No more football, soccer, field hockey and other fall sports. So as the winter season approaches, so does the winter sports, and that includes the wrestling season.

Wrestling is one of the many athletic activities the Malden High School has to offer. It is the sport of grappling with an opponent and trying to throw or hold them down on the ground, typically according to a code of rules.

Tryouts began from November 27th to December 1st after school. The number of members on the wrestling team are incredibly low. The numbers on the team have been dwindling throughout the years so anyone who is interested in joining will make it. But whether or not he or she competes is up to Rin Van, the coach of the wrestling team.

Rin Van is quiet yet effective leader. He is experienced at wrestling from when he was a student at the Malden High School and was on the wrestling team himself. Jeremiah Smith was Van’s coach at the time and continues to work at the school as an English teacher. This is his second season coaching but had growing pains last year “mainly due to highly amounts of paperwork necessary for wrestling” said by Athletics Director, Charlie Cone-

frey. “Overall Rin has done a very good job” and is “highly consistent in helping the kids.”

Wrestling practices are after school from 2:30 to 5:30pm on Monday through Friday and 10am to noon on Saturday in the wrestling room across from the weight room. The Malden High School has created a new website where everyone in the school is eligible to see the winter sports schedules. Here, you can also see the wrestling schedule and be up to date with competitions and so forth. You can also get notified on whatever sports you choose whenever through text or email. Just make an account to get started and you can see when your next game is coming up.

So far, the wrestling team consists of seven wrestlers, six males and one female. Two of the males are captains, Carlos and Seth. two freshmens joined this year while the rest are returning members. Two of the members made it to state finals last year but hope to go farther as the season goes.

“Winning an overall match will be difficult for us this season” said by Conefrey because of the little amount of members.

But with the team’s hard work and dedication, they’re sure to make up in what they lack. They hope to build the youth program to help younger students want to love wrestling as much as the high schoolers do and encourage students to come to Malden High School.

The Blue and Gold December 2017

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Sports maldenblueandgold.com

SWIM SWIM

Track

Photo taken from The Blue and Gold archives 2016-2017.

David Cartledge Reporter

Sandra Rivadeneira Reporter

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t the end of the season last year, the Malden High School swim team had a perfect record in the Greater Boston League. This year, the team is going to be competing in the Northeastern Conference and Coach Bisson is hoping to “put in a lot of effort and improve, be a very close knit team, and have fun”.

The team is coached by both Jessica Bisson and Paul DeVincentis.

This year will be a pretty strange year for the swim team because they are joining Northeastern Conference, but they are hoping they can “Rebuild this year, because (they) have lost a lot of good swimmers and are going up against a whole new competition” said Coach Bisson.

Last year’s expectations for Coach Bisson were to be a “close knit team, that has successful meets, brings a large group to states, and break records”. They managed to meet all of those expectations by winning all of their meets and making it to the top ten in states. This year, Coach Bissons expectations are “Rebuilding, putting in a lot of effort, being a close knit team, improving times, and having fun.”

This season will be pretty difficult for the swim team because they have lost a few of their strong swimmers and the team is smaller this year, and because they are in a new league against more teams that are stronger, it will be difficult to rebuild and get to the strength that they were at last year, but they seem excited and up for the challenge.

Agatha Silva, who is one of the MHS swimming captains this year, said that she would like for the team to “try to be better and win at least a couple of their meets.” And she seems “excited for the challenge of a new league” and hopes to make it to states again this year.

M

alden High’s track team is one of the school’s most popular and successful teams and they are ready to start another great season! With a new league to start competing in and huge interest and turnout for tryouts and practice, the athletes are ready to put their all into practices and their season.

Besides the new team members that will be joining and helping the track team out, there are more differences coming to the track season. Last year was the team’s last season in the Greater Boston League (GBL) and they will begin to take part of the league called the Northeastern Conference (NEC). This signifies that there will be more cities to compete against such as Beverly

and Danvers, but the track team will no longer have meets with Cambridge or Somerville, whose rivalries will be “very much missed” according to Coach Londino.

It’s great to hear that the track team’s season has officially started and after their first practice, Coach Londino happily reported what he saw was very “promising” and that “people seem to be coming into the season in good shape.”

Track is a complex sport with various different categories such as the high jumps, the 1000 meter, and the 4x400 relay. Every event requires a varied skill set that includes strength, speed, endurance, and agility which all depends on the participator. A very important feature is talent which appears like many who have the desire to take part in the sport certainly are displaying.

Besides talent, track members are also expected to have “the willingness to work hard and the desire to win,” with these qualities, the team will be able to go very far once again. In order to prepare and to beat these new

Senior Oussama Ourich leading the race. Photos by Sandra Rivadeneira.

competitors, they’re building “strong work habits” and “balanced workouts.”

Track is “the type of sport that really gets [someone] working,” freshmen Iloni Taylor expressed. She continues to add how the sport interests her because it gives her the “right motivation the challenge herself.”

Practice really pushes athletes with stretches and workouts and then spending the rest of their time really focusing the events they’re interested in. Similar to many other Malden High sports, they practice for two hours a day with coaches seeing how they do and helping out with techniques.

Luckily, the team has such great and experienced coaches such as Coach Londino that will take them far once again There’s a huge anticipation to meet the new team members along with seeing the returning ones show off their skills once more. A buzz of excitement for the future meets fills the minds of these dedicated athletes. With all the effort and dedication seen so far, this is sure to be a great season for the indoor track team.

24

Sports

The Blue and Gold December 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

MIAA Sportsmanship Summit Ajithaan Sathiyendra Reporter

T

he 24th Annual MIAA Sportsmanship Summit was held at Gillette Stadium with over a thousand participants this year. The MIAA Sportsmanship Summit is an event that is held to honor and educate those who give priority to sportsmanship in their schools and continue to try to improve the athletic culture in high schools all over Massachusetts. At the Summit was Holland House Principal and president of the MIAA Marilyn Slattery, Malden High Athletics Director Charlie Conefrey and 11 MHS student athletes.

Slattery had learned about the MIAA from the previous school she worked at as the school’s team was in the MIAA Super 8 tournament. Throughout the tournament, she had gained “a better understanding of how the organization worked” and

thought it was a “really good organization”.

Slattery has “learned a lot” as the President of the MIAA as she was “never an athlete during school”. Being a part of the Board of Directors of the MIAA, she was “a founding member of an inclusion committee, which is working to open up athletics for everybody”.

Slattery had a “very nice experience” at the Sportsmanship Summit. One of the best parts of the event for her was seeing MHS students as she didn’t know they were also coming. As she doesn’t like speaking in big groups, having people from MHS had “made it so much nicer and comfortable.”

Marilyn Slattery in her office. Photo by Jesaias Benitez

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During her speech, Slattery had talked about women and sports. This was brought up by a recent controversy in the MIAA where a female golf player had gotten the highest score on the men’s golf team, and “as a result, she could accept the team award, but could not accept the individual award and go forward with that” stated Slattery. The MIAA is taking a look at the issue to see if the rule should be changed. Slattery mentions that “It’s really exciting to be a woman and be part of the MIAA right now” because she believes that there are a lot changes coming.

Slattery mentioned how it is interesting to look outside of what is done at MHS as she knows people who are a part of the MIAA that live on the other side of Massachusetts, and their concepts of team sports and what they do and how they work is so different. Slattery also mentioned that “the whole experience, as a non-athlete representing athletics” is kind of crazy, but kind of good.

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