Final April 2016 Malden Blue and Gold

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 101 Edition 7

77 salem street April 2016

Softball pg. 20 ennis T s y Bo 1 pg. 2

pg. 14 pg. 11

Boys Lacrosse pg. 22

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Karaoke Night pg. 15 pg. 23 pg. 14

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Girls Lacrosse pg. 22

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Student-Faculty Basketball Game pg. 8

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maldenblueandgold.com MALDEN HIGH SCHOOL

Volume 101, Edition 7 / 8 April 2016

Editorial

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Every Statistic I am not.

Malden High School

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

Staff Print Editor-in-Chief Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 Print Managing Editors Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 Web and Mobile Apps Editorsin-Chief Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 Andrew Cogliano ‘16 Head Copy Editor Nicholas Bramante ‘16 Web & Mobile Apps Managing Editor Jasper Haag ‘16 Art & Design Editor Ashley Leung ‘16 Multimedia Editor Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 Heads of Local News Felicia Fallano ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17 Heads of Sports News Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Nedlam’s Corner Karina Matos ‘17 Lead Reporters Abdul Ali ‘16 Alexis Brown ‘16 Liam Elliott ‘16 Marly Loreus ‘16 Haley Mallett ‘16 Megan Downer ‘18 Leila Greige ‘18 Ana Bia Kerr ‘18 Anna Powers ‘18 Lead Photographer Meghan Yip ‘18 Lead Videographers ryan huynh ‘16 Stacey Wong ‘16 Samuel Martinez ‘18 Staff Artist Ziqi Zeng ‘16 Reporters Gabriella Onessimo ‘17 Tatum Skiffington ‘17 Christina Appignani ‘18 Ryan Hames ‘18 Alysha McDevitt ‘18 Ymanika “Monica” Nicolas ‘18 Nada Tuffaha ‘18 Cameron Witham ‘18 Jesaias Benitez ‘19 Neden Bernadin ‘19 Vivian Dang ‘19 Joanna Li ‘19 Cedrina Missamou ‘19 Abhishek Rana ‘19 Sydney Stumpf ‘19 Ailin Toro ‘19 Kristy Yang ‘19 Advisor ryan gallagher

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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et’s take a look at the demographics of my life and what that means, or meant, for me. I was born to a teen mother; I lost my dad, which left me to be raised by a single mother; I’m Dominican and Puerto Rican; and, I’m a female. If we take these four general parts of who I “am”, we begin to realize that there were many pre-determined plans on the day I was born for who I would become due to my uncontrollable circumstances.

The superior part of society, in terms of success based on social status, doesn’t share these four qualities with me.

An article done by The Urban Child Institute, titled “How Adolescent Parenting Affects Children, Families, and Communities” states that “teen parenting is likely to hinder a child’s social and emotional wellbeing.” This claim can mean a multitude of things for the child’s future.

Ultimately, children born to teen parents will allegedly struggle to be as successful as other children. Many people agree with this claim due to the difficulty of raising a child and the stress this puts on teen parents. It’s predicted that children born to teen parents will have a harder time getting good grades in school. If this is how children begin their school life, by the time they get to high school, it’s hard to finish the race. With a lack of proper parental support, students may drop out and fail to receive their diploma, which sets them back even farther, making it nearly impossible in today’s economy to have a stable career and maintain a good lifestyle. This should have been me, I mean according to what the article says, right?

Despite age, being a single parent is extremely hard for anyone. Nevermind a teen mom. This just makes things even more complicated, doesn’t it?

It’s been made clear throughout America’s history that females and Hispanics are two minority groups in society. When we put those two together, an even deeper disadvantage is placed. Females are still fighting today to have equal pay and to be equally respected in American culture. Hispanics are constantly having to work extremely hard to have a respected place in society. It’s another “American Dream” when someone of Hispanic descent makes it “big” in Ameri-

can society, because it’s out of societal norms. The fact that we may very well soon have a female president is another piece of big news because society isn’t used to a woman leading them. A hispanic female shouldn’t be close to the top.

After looking at these areas of my life, society says I shouldn’t be where I am today.

I recently got life changing news. I found out that I had received a scholarship that covers full tuition for all four years of college. I had no idea how I would have paid for school if I didn’t get this scholarship.

When I got the news, someone really close to me said “Do you know what this means? You’ve defied every single statistic that was set on you.” In complete shock, that’s when it all hit me. I really wasn’t set up to succeed, I was destined to live a life of struggles, but I didn’t settle for what society had paved out for my life.

After eighteen years of life, I’ve come to realize that there is no perfect home, family or life. Hardships are promised to everyone despite their age, gender, or family circumstances. Sure, things might have been easier for me if my cards were dealt differently. But these are the cards I got, and at a young age, I realized I had no option but to make it all work.

What’s my “secret”? What sets me apart from, or makes me like, others who have had these statistics placed on their lives?

My answer is simple: God. Yes, me and my mom have worked extremely hard to get me where I am today. But what I have actually come to realize is He is actually the one who defied the statistics, not me.

Cassandra Reyes Cassandra Reyes Print Managing Editor Class of 2016

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.

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The Blue and Gold Crossword Puzzle

Crossword clues done by Alysha McDevitt and Nada Tuffaha. Photo taken by Tenzin Dorjee.

Teachers from Haiti Come to MHS

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Know your media Submitted by Senior Terrica Dang.

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he other night, I was watching Law and Order: SVU on channel 7 and during one of the commercial breaks, I saw a 3 political campaign commercials in a row. I thought nothing of this, seeing these commercials all the time; they were just candidates attacking each other because we are getting closer and closer to the states’ primary elections. However, when SVU ended the news started and I saw that 7 News was covering the Iowa caucuses.

On February 2, 2016, Iowa held their extremely weird caucuses which determined which candidates, one Republican and one Democrat, would get the majority of their delegates. By the morning after, Ted Cruz had won over Iowa, coming in 1st place with 4 points above Donald Trump. As for the Democrats, Hillary Clinton had won over Bernie Sanders during 6 coin tosses and after being in a virtual deadlock for the entire night. Regardless of this, the news did not portray it that way.

They declared a victory for Hillary and made it seem like this was a huge accomplishment for her when in reality she won her delegates because of a game of chance.

Like everything else in the world, the media plays a huge part in picking who our next President will be. Although there are many forms of out media out there who will provide neutral information, the biggest, well-known news stations such as CNN or Fox News are known to be polarized or leaned towards one side of the political spectrum. If some people solely rely on one source of media, they are more likely to only have information on one candidate and only vote for them. They media may not outright endorse a candidate but everyone has an opinion and in some news stations, they may be more vocal about which candidate they think is best.

With that said, to be an informed voter, try to receive information from all different kinds of news outlets. Watch both Fox News and CNN and branch out to other news stations like MSNBC. In addition to watching the news on TV, you can also seek out more information by listening to talk radio. By listening to radio stations like NPR or radio shows like the Rush Limbaugh show, you can hear opinions of political experts and use them to your advantage to form your own opinions. Read the Wall Street Journal and compare it to the New York Times. Read the Huffington Post and compare it to National Review.

Learn multiple perspectives. Make your vote at our upcoming primary election an informed one.

The Blue and Gold April 2016

International News

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White House Shifts Ebola Funding to Combat Zika

Brazilian President Faces Impeachment from Office Lucia Quesada Nylen Print Editor-in-Chief

B Andrew Cogliano Online Editor-in-Chief

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n an attempt to combat the rapid spread of the Zika virus, federal officials have decided to shift approximately $500 million from Ebola prevention programs. The shift comes after Congress was bogged down in a two month debate over the approval of a $1.9 billion budget proposed by the Obama administration.

On February 1 of this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the spread of the Zika virus in Brazil was a “public health emergency of international concern”. A major component of the spread of Zika is the fact that those infected display few serious symptoms, which include rash, conjunctivitis, fever, and joint pain. Zika possesses a generally low mortality rate, with those who recover becoming resistant to further infections.

Pregnant women are advised to take extreme caution when visiting Brazil or other Latin American and Caribbean countries where Zika has spread. From August to October of 2015, Brazil’s own Ministry of Health conducted a study to test the relationship between mothers infected with Zika and infant microcephaly, and revealed that in a sample of 35 infants, “71% [of those] infants had severe microcephaly”.

Microcephaly is a severe birth defect that causes smaller head size than average, which can lead to developmental issues, including abnormal brain development.

The repurposing of Ebola funds has caused a divisive split in Congress. Representatives from both political parties are torn between funding the shrinking epidemic of Ebola and preventing the spread of Zika. The current Ebola funding is being used to run trials for potential vaccines and continue to fund treatment centers.

Opponents of the fund transfer, like the director of the Center for Disease Control Dr. Tom Frieden, argue that “it would be dangerous to let our guard down.” Ebola has already resurfaced in the African nation of Guinea, where it has killed five people. Frieden continues to argue with Congress that the removal of health systems in Ebola-stricken countries could have deadly implications. Connecticut Representative

Rosa DeLauro, one of the many Democrats siding against the fund transfer, says “we cannot abandon this fight simply because the threat appears to be diminished.”

As Zika slowly creeps out of the Caribbean and into American territories, including Puerto Rico, Congress has found itself in an extremely difficult position. Among the groups supporting the fund transfer, Republicans argue that there is already ample funding for both Zika and Ebola. Speaker of the House and Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan says “money that is not going to Ebola, that was already in the pipeline...can go immediately to Zika.” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy supports Ryan’s argument, adding “now that the World Health Organization has announced an end to the Ebola public health emergency, it is time to reprioritize and use these funds for today’s challenges.”

Currently, there are 700 Americans infected with the Zika virus, according to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Sylvia Burwell. Of the 700, 325 were citizens in Puerto Rico, where health officials are bracing for a serious outbreak; a CDC health center devoted to studying dengue virus has been repurposed to instead study Zika. In a series of recently published maps, the CDC has shown that the species of mosquito most likely to carry Zika, Aedes aegypti, could be found in major US cities in the upcoming summer months, as far north as New York City and San Francisco. “I think it is a concern for the nation,” says Burwell.

The problem of funding is further complicated by Congress voting to go into recess for Easter on March 23. While in recess, Congress was unable to vote on the proposed budgets, which spurred federal officials to act in a more aggressive manner. Both Ebola and Zika are very much present and active in the world, and an American response has never been more needed. The public health of nations, as well as the personal health of the infected, relies on effective and expedient action, which Congress as of late has been unable to provide.

razilian President Dilma Rousseff is in the middle of her second term and is facing hardship as she is deeply disliked by a huge proportion of the Brazilian population. According to CNN, there has been commission about impeaching President Rousseff.

Aft e r initially being elected in 2011, Presid e n t Rousseff was highly l i k e d amongst the population.

However, after allegat i o n s w e r e m a d e against her in the act of trying to hide a decrease in budg e t s , and her appointing the former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as her chief of staff only days after he was accused and questioned by federal police regarding a corruption incident, many Brazilian citizens began to question her intentions and what she has to offer their country. She is currently facing extreme risks of being impeached from office.

As the summer Olympics are coming up in Rio Brazil is already struggling economically. In addition to the impeachement proceddings, all eyes are on Brazil and their gorvenrment and their expectations and plans for this usmmer.

According to CNN, only half the tickets for the games have been sold, and it’s only four months away. CNN reports that “the lack of sales raises questions about whether tourists will come to the games to make Brazil’s investment to host worthwhile. There are also questions whether the Olympic facilities will be built in time considering

budget shortfalls”. Given the condition that the country’s economic level is already at, all the attention is at President Rousseff to attempt to bring the country up out of their downfall that has reported to be the “the worst since the 1930s”.

This past Wednesday a special commission met in order to discuss the acts of impeaching President Rousseff.

It was decided that the lower house of the Brazilian Congress is going to vote for her impeachment sometime in the next coming weeks. She has been accused of “abusing her powers” as well as not fulfilling her duty as a president. News France 24 reported that after the vote on Monday “The latest survey of the 513 deputies by Estadao daily on Sunday showed 289 in favor, still short of the 342 needed to carry the motion.

The count showed 115 opposing impeachment, with 172 required to impose a defeat.” There have been reports of Brazilian citizens protesting in the streets awaiting the Senate’s decison.

President Rousseff, who is the first woman to be elected to office in Brazil had only a 10% approval rating in December of 2015, recorded by the Washington Post. Many of whom voted for her believed and supported The Workers Party of Brazil- a fairly center left political party, but months into her second term many believed President Rousseff did not share the same ideology.

As Brazil and the rest of the world awaits a decision and the steps taken for the the impeachment, many have hope that the the country will be able to come back from this harship.

Above: Picture of President Dilma Rousseff. Image taken from Wikimedia Commons.

Opinion

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GOP Dug Their Own Grave Liam Elliott Lead Reporter

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olitical polarization is a problem that has stretched across Europe and is now creeping up onto our shores. With candidates like Trump and Sanders, the American people are becoming more and more divided each day. Or at least that’s what we’re told by the media. This isn’t Trump’s fault. Trump has been hung out to dry by the GOP Establishment and Elite. They have done everything in their power to smear his campaign and end it all because he isn’t controlled by them. This is a sad day for me as someone who is a Republican, who votes Republican, and doesn’t have a candidate to vote for all because the GOP didn’t want to listen to it’s base.

The Republican Party is dead.

It’s been dead since the 2010 midterm elections when a wave of self styled new Republicans took office-the “Tea Party.” Their brand of politics, ranging from religious liberty to smaller government to abolishing

the IRS, started at the grassroots level. Before anybody could bat an eye, they had effectively seized control of the Republican Party and even the House of Representatives. And this is where the GOP effectively committed suicide.

The only problem with the Tea Party gaining all of this power is that they are now caught in a Catch 22. Eric Cantor, former House Majority Leader and Republican representing Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, was eaten up by the monster that he helped create. He gained power in the House through his consistently strong conservatism. The only problem was that he thought since he helped create this, his constituents wouldn’t dare vote him out. Boy was he wrong. He lost in the primary and in the weeks following he resigned from his leadership position and then from his seat in the House. The Tea Party has created a monster and it’s only way to survive is to eat from the hand that

feeds it.

Presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz is on the same boat. When running his campaign for the US Senate in Texas, he had to run on a platform that appealed to all citizens. But as soon as he got into the Senate, he became everybody’s favorite Senator to hate. He is the Tea Party poster boy, calling for a flat tax for business and private individuals, calling for abortion rights to be reconsidered, and constantly being a thorn in everybody’s backside.

But now, as he slowly closes in on Trump and puts up a consistently good fight for the nomination, he has to once again go back to running much more moderately if he dreams of being President. He has to appeal to all different walks of life, and not just the Tea Party. He has to appeal to the Establishment, the Elite, and the Tea Party.

All of this added up with an unprecedented constant lead in the polls and delegates from Trump,

and Cruz being the runner up, the Republican Party is in shambles.

They did this to themselves. We are no longer in a two party system. Yes, we are operating a two party system, but we are running this system with three parties. The Democratic, the Republican, and the Tea Party.

I’m not nervous for the party, every party must go through this form of cleansing. The Democrats went through it in the 1970’s. There is a way to unite the party, but the Republican Party has to become the party of inclusion. It has to be the party that welcomes comprehensive immigration form without sounding like a pseudo-Klan rally. It has to be the party that welcomes Conservatives no matter the religion-- Christians, Jews and Muslims. The Arab community is very Conservative along with Latino voters, all because of their strong religious connection.

Use it to your advantage. Unite the people, don’t let the party die because of your insufferable egotism.

Social Media- Confidence Booster or Insecurity Creator?

Tatum Skiffington Reporter

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ocial media is used by millions of people every day. There is constant posting, tweeting, and snapping happening, much of it among teens. Social media is an easy and fun way to communicate and express one’s self, but it has also proved to be harmful based on the freedom people have to post anything they want with minor consequences for their actions. Studies have proved that social media is addictive and endangers one’s well being. Why do we put so little thought into what we post?

The truth of the matter is this; social media is fun and can provide us with endless options to communicate with people from all over the world. Some argue that social media lowers people’s confidence, but a study in The British Psychological Society found that students who are insecure and have low self esteem can take advantage of social media and use it to communicate with people who make them feel better (10 Ways Social Media Affects Our Mental Health).

Social media enthusiast and avid user, Haley Mastropoll, has

roughly 30,500 followers on networking sites. Mastropoll stated that social media has affected her both negatively and positively. “[Her] photography got out there, [she’s] helped people emotionally, and [she’s] made amazing friends that [she] met in person and will continue to meet,” stated Mastropoll.

She claims that people, knowing her story, see her as an inspiration, and she is happy to be viewed as such.

Although Mastropoll has had many positive experiences on the internet, she has also endured criticism. When she was younger, she “let the hate and ignorance tear [her] apart. [She has] met toxic and unsafe people, encountered drama and fights, and experienced cyberbullying.” Mastropoll mentioned that sometimes social media affects her mental health as it can be toxic if one interacts with the wrong people.

But she feels that she interacts with the right people who have “good vibes.” Mastropoll added that it is incredibly important to take frequent breaks from the internet.

Research at the 119th annual American Psychological Association found that introverted

A screenshot of Haley Mastropoll’s insatgram. adolescents can gain social skills through interacting with others on the internet (10 Ways Social Media Affects Our Mental Health). Luna Kutcha, another popular internet user with over 12,000 followers on Facebook stated that she has met many new people on the internet who became her friends quickly.

“They’re not afraid to tell me what’s up, unlike most people in real life,” Kutcha expressed about her friends.

Kutcha also shares her negative experiences, claiming that when “[she] first started social media, [she] was a bit of an attention seeker, and got recognized in a bad way. [She] made very questionable decisions that

[she] wishes [she] could take back sometimes.” Kutcha also agrees that social media has a major affect on mental health. She stated, “[She] always feel[s] like [she has] to keep up with everything, or maintain a good persona. It just takes a toll on [her] sometimes.”

So does social media only have negative effects on one’s well being?

Social media’s impact depends on the extent of one’s usage how seriously one takes social media, and how one deals with criticism. It is best to take precautions when posting while also taking frequent breaks to avoid addiction and insecurity generated by social media use.

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School Committee Meeting 4/5/16 Haley Mallett Leaad Reporter

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n Monday, Apr. 5, 2016, the school committee met for their monthly meeting. After saying the Pledge of Allegiance and having a moment of silence for the veterans, Vice Chairman Lenny Iovino asked the people present to stand in silence to honor the three former Malden teachers that have passed away recently: Nancy Finkelstein, Carol Mastromauro, and Sue Buckley.

During last month’s meeting, the decision to raise school lunch prices gradually over the next two school years was voted on. By the 2017 to 2018 school year, high school students will pay a minimum of $3.05 for a standard lunch, and up to $3.90 for a specialty item, such as a trip to the salad or snack bar.

The subcommittee brought the bill back with language changes and policy updates to be voted on again by the committee. The changes made addressed the policy for negative account balances. Superintendent David DeRuosi claimed that debt can amount to at least five thousand dollars in each school, so clearing up debt is important to do by the end of this school year.

The new policy states that anytime a student reaches a negative balance of ten dollars, the parents or

guardians will be notified through both a phone call and physical mail with instructions on how to pay off debt and apply for free or reduced lunch if eligible. If the same student’s negative balance drops to twenty dollars, a second notice will be sent out, and the student will receive an alternative lunch until the balance issue is resolved.

There are solutions to this problem for families who struggle to make ends meet, such as paying off the balance in stages, for example, ten dollars a week. The committee hopes to have these changes implemented before the end of the school year.

Jodie Zalk, a representative from Malden Reads, was one of the first to address the committee at Monday night’s meeting. She was present on behalf of her work, proposing the idea of bringing librarians back to the kindergarten through eighth grade schools. Malden Reads “is committed to celebrating reading”, and along with Malden Public Library and Malden Access Television, are able to host events every year featuring that year’s book, and promoting reading. The 2016 Malden Reads book is Andy Weir’s The Martian. So far, there have been multiple movie screenings, book talks, and even a night at Boda Borg.

Zalk pointed out that children

from “low socioeconomic” homes have a lower vocabulary range, and “get less enjoyment from reading.”

Studies have shown that there is a “30 million word gap by the age of three” for children “growing up in a low income family versus a more affluent home.” One way Malden Reads hopes to help these children is to bring librarians back into the schools. Even though “[they] know and understand how difficult the budget situation is”, they also “know how important it is to have professional school librarians.”

In Malden, there is a large population of English language learners as well as low income students. According to Zalk’s research, “almost 20% of students in Malden are English language learners” and “40% are socioeconomically challenged”, opposed to the state’s 9% and 20%.

There are many solutions to the proposition of reopening libraries in the elementary and middle schools.

For example, one professional librarian along with interns from local colleges could rotate between all five schools, making it work. The school committee will have a few weeks to take Zalk’s proposal into consideration before further discussion at the next meeting.

Bonnie Page, the president of the Malden Education Association, was also present to address whether

or not the resolution against lifting the cap on Charter Schools in Massachusetts will be signed by Mayor Christensen and Superintendent David DeRuosi.

According to Page, Malden alone is losing 8.4 million dollars to Commonwealth charter schools every year. Unlike the Malden Public Schools system, charter schools fail to assist special needs students, low income students, and English language learners. They even have high suspension rates to drive out students these students that they have no desire to serve.

Page noted that “[they] have to work together to defeat this legislation, and stop it from being on the ballot in November.” The bill’s fate will be discussed during next month’s meeting.

For the full article on the school committee meeting visit The Blue and Gold website at www. maldenblueandgold. com

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Teachers bring home the win

Clockwise: MHS principal Dana Brown coaching the teachers. Math teacher Evan Mauser controls the ball as he prepares to make a play. Sophomore Tiffany Tortora gripping onto the ball. History teacher Jonathan Copithorne looking for a teammate to make a pass to. Guidance counselor Caitlin Quinn preparing to make a free throw. Sophomore Isaiah Likely preparing to make a free throw. All photos taken by Jesaias Benitez.

Christina Appignani Reporter

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he eighth annual Student vs Faculty Basketball game took place on March 16th 2015 in the Finn Gym. The doors opened at 2:45 while the game began at 3pm and ended around 4:30pm. Over twenty teachers and faculty participated in a heated game against the best of basketball players at Malden High School.

This year, the profits from the game were a fundraiser for the Tornado Travelers Club, a club that allows students from MHS to travel all across the globe. The club is run

by Science teacher Shauna Campbell and math teacher Sarah Jones.

Campbell claims that “This year, 352 students attended the game.

[The game] usually has about 350 to 400 students each year.” Campbell explains that each student that is going on a trip through the club “sells their own tickets. The tickets were $3 each, and $2 from each ticket goes towards a student’s actual trip.

The extra dollar goes towards the green t-shirts the teachers wore as a thank you for their participation in the game. Tickets that are sold to teachers or at the door go towards

scholarships.”

The student-faculty basketball game was not always a fundraiser for the Tornado Travelers Club.

Campbell secured the event as a fundraiser for the club a few years ago, as she claims that “the first two games was a fundraiser for [the] graduating class. When that class graduated, [Campbell] asked to make it a fundraiser for the Tornado Travelers.” This was the fifth basketball game that Tornado Travelers have ran.

On participating in the game, Campbell thought that “it was fun to play with the students. [She] coaches crew, so playing another sport with other students is really fun. [She] also thinks it was really fun to play with [her] colleagues because since [teachers] are in our classrooms all the time, [they] never really get the chance to see each other so doing an extra activity with [other teachers] is really awesome.

Students from the game come directly from the boys and girls basketball teams here at Malden High, from freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity. Campbell sent emails to teachers about the game to see if they were interested. Teachers and students alike greatly enjoyed being in the game. Math teacher Elizabeth Gibbons claims that “it was really

fun to practice and play with fellow staff members and students. [She] chose to participate in the game because it’s a fun opportunity for students to watch their teachers do something out of their element. It’s also a great fundraiser.”

The first and third quarters of the game were played by the females, and the second and fourth quarters were played by the males.

Guidance counselor Taryn Belowsky scored the most shots for the female teachers with 22 points, and both freshmen Salma Bezzat and senior Tishia Stroud scored the most points for the female students with 22 points each. History teacher Jonathan Copithorne scored the most points for the male teachers with 23 points and junior Nate Ilebode scored the most points for the male students with 22 points. To entertain the crowd during the halftime intermission, a group of sophomores and juniors along with teachers Kate Haskell, Jessica Sullivan, Rebecca Corcoran, Chris Giordano and Kate Bizier danced to a remixed version of Bell Biv Devoe’s “Poison” and Missy Elliott’s “WTF (Where They From)”.

The final score of the game was 49-48 with the teachers earning a victory, both for themselves and for the Tornado Travelers Club.

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Opinion: Put MCAS in the Past Ryan Hames Reporter

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f you’re from Massachusetts, there’s no doubt that you know what MCAS is. Just incase you don’t, however, MCAS is the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. MCAS is apparently supposed it improve curriculum and instruction, evaluate student and school performance, and to partially determine whether or not students receive high school diplomas.

The system was designed in 1993 by the Massachusetts Department of Education. You can thank them for the hours of hand-numbing writing and studying.

“The MCAS test hurts kids”, according to Paul J. Phillips of the Quincy Education Program. Phillips says, “[Massachusetts] should end it immediately.”

It is safe to say that close to no one actually enjoys MCAS; the questions are confusing, it wastes time and money, it stresses people

out, and many more inconveniences. The question is, why do we still use this system?

The one consistent answer to the question is that standardized testing provides good comparison of schools and students. Besides comparing schools and students, there is no true beneficial purpose

for the exams.

In my opinion, the MCAS does not help me in any way. Students are forced to complete a hour long assessment, and to top it off, have classes to attend after the test. As if students weren’t already worn out from MCAS, after they have sit through classes, which most will

“[MCAS] is helpful practice for [the] SAT but we have the PSAT which is even better practice. It makes even less sense for middle school students to take it.”

-Sophomore Anthony Burnett

still assign work. The system should not work this way. If students are going to be forced to take the MCAS, at least give the students the rest of the day off.

There is also the argument saying that MCAS helps teachers determine what to teach students and when to teach it. This results in teachers “teaching to the test.” This limits what teachers can or want to teach, because they are obligated to teach exactly what MCAS wants them to. It is difficult for teachers to implement fun or useful lessons.

Other than MCAS, there are plenty of other ways that the State can gain results to compare schools and students. There could easily be a much shorter assessment that doesn’t require so much writing and mind-numbing questions. Perhaps even online surveys or tests. The chances that any student or teacher is against removing MCAS is very slim. MCAS, this year, will be 23 years old. It is time to make things change!

Trivia Nightat MHS

Nada Tuffaha Reporter

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rivia night took place on Tuesday Mar. 15, 2016 where students and teachers gathered in teams to compete against each other on a variety of topics. Senior Sarah Rosatone explained, “[They] did eight different rounds on different topics of questions,” including pop culture, history, and science.

Senior Terrica Dang and Rosatone decided to organize trivia night as their service project for National Honors Society. The money earned from the entrance fee was donated to a foundation to support veterans.

Dang commented that trivia night “was more successful than [they] expected” with a total of seven teams in attendance. The trivia competition got very heated and competitive after the first few questions. “[She] think[s] during the third question where teams started to get answers wrong is when it started to get more competitive,” stated Dang.

History teacher Damian Aufiero was on the winning team that included juniors Felicia Lombardi, Phuong Nguyen, Vivian Nguyen, Stephen Deng, and Cleverina Cong.

Overall the trivia night was a success in funding money to support veterans as well as bringing Malden High School staff and students together.

Junior Felicia Lombardi, Junior Cleverina Cong, Junior Stephen Deng, history teacher Damian Aufiero, and Junior Phuong Nguyen participating. Photo by Meghan Yip.

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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mhs band micca 2016

Governer Baker Visits MHS

Jesaias Benitez Reporter

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usic is a way people can convey their feelings and it’s everywhere. The oldest instrument, the flute, dates all the way back to 40,000 years. Made from bird bones, the flute was the best way modern humans could have spent their times.

Nowadays music has been separated into many different categories, from rock to gospel.

The Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) is one of the many opportunities high schools are able to display their talents from certain genres of music.

As the band director Miss O’Brien-Mazza puts it, “[one of our goals] was to improve from last year “. Certainly, there are certain guidelines to the competition as Mazza and clarinetist Sebastian Romani explained, “well in MICCA there are three certain categories you need to choose.”

For instance, “[there are] two requirements you have to follow. [Each band has to] select a certain march, pick a song based on the list of songs [they provide] based on a level, and the last [is chosen by the director].” Each level is based on difficulty, one being for beginners and six being advanced players. O’Brien-Mazza chose to conduct a level four music piece, which is for a band that has good rhythmic abilities and is able to perform music at this level.

Come Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 the Malden High School band woke up bright and early to get on their way towards Hopkinton, Massachusetts.

As they get closer to Hopkinton High School, the band started to warm up and tune. Performing at twelve o’clock on the dot, Malden High School’s band started of with a march composed by John Philip Sousa called The Washington Post.

After performing their arrangement, they moved on to a more formal piece called Amazing Grace composed by Frank Ticheli. This piece was composed and arranged in 1994. As Ticheli explained to Manhattan Beach Music, “[he] wanted [his] setting of [Amazing Grace] to reflect the powerful simplicity of the words and melody to be sincere, to be direct, to be honest - and not through the use of novel harmonies and clever tricks, but by traveling traditional paths in search of truth and authenticity.” Amazing Grace was chosen by O’Brien-Mazza because “it had intonation and was quite different than the other two pieces.”

Variation On a Korean Folks Song was composed by John Barnes Chance in 1965. This musical piece consists many variations on the Korean folk song “Arirang”. Chance composed this song based on the same Korean folk songs he heard while in South Korea with the U.S. army.

After winning a bronze medal at MICCA, Malden High School’s Band would return to MHS to start working on their spring show. As O’Brien-Mazza explained,”[the band will be] starting day at the high school [where] seventh and eighth graders [will improve] playing [with high school students] and get to know each other. [The band] will play at Boston Symphony Orchestra with other schools [and the final thing is a] big secret everyone will have to stay tuned for.” Next year band director, O’Brien-Mazza hopes “to improve on more members [joining because] [the band] only has three main instrument groups [and wants to play more pieces] that include the brass section more. Band wise, [they] need to improve on intonation, blending together, dynamics, and articulations.”

As the year comes to an end, O’Brien-Mazza is grateful that “this year the freshmen [were] very strong and pulled through [to help them] at MICCA this year.” Come next year, a handful of seniors will be in college and MHS’s band will welcome their new members.

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Christina Appignani Reporter

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n Thursday March 24th, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, along with Workforce Development Secretary Ronald L. Walker II, paid a visit to Malden High School. He and many other politicians and educational workers were there to discuss the school’s partnership with the Commonwealth Corporation, as well as the success of both the Youthworks Program and the Signal Success Curriculum, the latter of which is a voluntary career-readiness program that was originally established in urban high schools, but it is now being adopted by schools around the state. Other people in attendance included Mayor Gary Christenson, Superintendent David Derousi Jr., Teacher Kelli Collomb, Principal Dana Brown and others.

Signal Success was first launched in the 2014-2015 school year in Lowell, Malden and the community-based organization Sociedad Latina. Each high school had 25 students participate. During the 2015-2016 school year, the program drastically expanded to 10 high schools with a total of 1,600 participants. Malden High School expanded the program as well, having 300 participants this year because the school had found its curriculum to be extremely beneficial to the success of students .

The Commonwealth Corporation created and administers the program, a quasi-state agency under the Executive Office of Labor and workforce Development. The Corporation is working to expand the program to the 20162017 school year as well. Secretary of Education Jim Peyser says that “The Signal Success curriculum is a great example of collaboration between educators and workforce development partners to improve college and career readiness. The skills students learn through this curriculum can help them be more successful in their education, in their work, and in their life,”.

Mayor Christenson opened up the meeting, thanking Baker for coming to the school and for his “efforts on leading the way on a city like ours, being able to implement and utilize this program” Baker then acknowledges that the Youthworks Program “helps teenagers de-

velop the skills and appreciation for the kinds of jobs the program offers ”. He remembers his first jobs as pumping gas and as an usher in a movie theater, and has always thought that “the earliest work experiences I’ve had taught me a lot of lessons that turned out to be really valuable. [He] thinks that the most important thing about a program like this is that it helps kids figure out exactly how to direct their motivation to be successful”.

The governor also compares employment to meeting new people. He comments that “when you meet somebody for the first time, and one of them knows your friend, your friend’s opinion seals the deal. He uses this analogy to explain that “employment works like this: you get a job you’re organized, you do the things people hope that you do. Then it’s a year later, when you’re looking for next job, you get interviewed by someone in a company, but they don’t know if you will be the things you claimed you were during the interview.

They call the people you previously worked for and they ask about you, and their opinion of you determines your employment”. He claims that “one of the most important things to remember about this is really the way a lot of stuff happens in the job market, and it’s really no different from the way it happens is life. A lot of life is about referrals, and it’s the same way with jobs. In addition to the chance to earn money, referrals will bring people who want to see you succeed and are in a position to make that happen”.

Derousi adds since these teenagers “have grown up in the city, [they] need these skills.

Right now, [the students] are competing for jobs with adults, and any skills we can give [teenagers] academically and with hands-on job training will allow [teenagers] to have a step up”. Secretary Walker claims that “Since taking office last year, [the Baker-Polito administration] has made workforce development a top priority. With Signal Success [the BakerPolito administration] can help young people learn the soft-skills they need to be productive and valued members of a team.”

From top to bttom, left to right: Mayor Gary Christenson speaking to Governor Charlie Baker. Governor Charlie Baker. Principal Dana Brown speaking to the audience of people that teended the event. Photos taken by Ashley Leung.

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

O Megan Downer Lead Reporter Christina Appignani Reporter

n Apr. 7, 2016, the Malden High School Art Department hosted the opening reception for the annual Blue and Gold Art Gallery on display at 350 Main St. Approximately 250 works of arts created by Malden High’s very own art students from classes such as Studio, Digital Arts, Calligraphy & Design, Printmaking and Ceramics, are displayed in the gallery. The three art teachers, Joe Luongo, Mary Ann Seager and Julie Mullane welcomed guests as they

entered the reception. This year’s gallery was dedicated to Principal Dana Brown, as this is the last gallery he will experience as principal of MHS. Seager explained that this year’s art gallery is unique because “the seniors have been studying juxtaposition, and there are some nice pieces included in the gallery. [Some of the art classes] did a study on immigration, and there were three phases to creating art based off of that. First, [students] investigated their own immigration story, [then students] investigated what happened to the Chinese and Japanese immigrants in the 1920’s.

Lastly, [students] studied current immigration issues. [Seager] tried to put some different spins on art this year.” Seager hopes that Brown will be able to see how “his commitment to the art department is reflected in the level of work that the [students] do. Over time, [the art department] has been able to develop a cohesive program that focuses on mastery of skill. [Brown] has helped [the art department] get to where [it is] today.

All of the art pieces included in the gallery were created between

the end of the last school year to now which, according to Seager, is because “there is always one quarter where [students] don’t get to finish their artwork, especially seniors, whose pieces are mostly from last semester. It is a year-long process and is four semesters worth of work.”

Seager, when speaking of some of the most unique pieces showcased this year, referred to “[senior Blue and Gold member] Ziqi Zeng’s juxtaposition work on paper airplanes, Haley Mulligan’s beautiful skeleton, Daria Lee’s exceptional bicycle and Jade Liu’s extraordinary tricycle.”

She also mentioned that there are “beautiful ceramics pieces, interesting digital art pieces and nice Studio 1 pieces, where [Seager] can see the transition of skill level from new students.”

Along with the art department itself, its student artists are what make the gallery so astonishing.

Senior Michael Zhao felt honored to be included in the gallery, as he believes the show “exhibits so many different art pieces of various skill levels. [He] felt surprised at first to hear that [he] had four pieces in the show and [he] was really happy to

From top to botto, left to right: A skeleton drawing from Ms. Seager’s class. A drawing from Ms. Seager’s class. A line pattern project drawn by Mckenzie Vo who is in Mr. Lungo Studio 2 class. Photo of a painting by Jimmy Em titled “Three Monks”. All photos taken by Ryan Hames.

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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hear that [he] was one of the students to be selected to show [his] art pieces to the people that come to the Blue & Gold Gallery, that people would look at [his] art work, and like it.”

To Freshman Kelly Zhou, art means “trying new things and experimenting with new techniques and coming up with [her] own ideas because [she] think that’s what make art, art.[She] thinks art is important because it allows people to see the world in a perspective that makes [them] think about why and what it is about and everybody has different opinions and thoughts that can make a piece of art have 1000 meanings.”

When producing new artwork, Junior Amy Trinh enjoys “the process of seeing everything come together. Being able to see a piece become what [she] envisioned more and more, day after day is truly satisfying.” To Trinh, “art is a translator. It can capture an image, an emotion or a moment in time.

[She] thinks art is important because it has the ability to challenge, and maybe even change the way something is thought about or viewed.”

Junior Serena Nguyen enjoys “the feeling of expression and release when creating art. [She] feels as if lots of tension and emotion leaves [her] and goes into the piece. It feels amazing [to her] to be included with many other wonderful MHS art students and [she] feels very grateful to be included in the gallery”.

Senior Chu Shi stated that “art means a lot to [her]. [She thinks] it’s a gift to have the skill to draw.

People [of her age] are finding [out what] they want to major in college or what to do in the future. But because of art [she has] found what [she wants] to do.” Shi expressed that due to her family’s immigration to America, it can sometimes be difficult to communicate outside of their own language. However, Shi went on to say that “through art [she has] met a lot of friends that [have] the same hobby as [herself]. Art helps [her] speak out for [her]self.

Art is a language!”

MHS art students continue to be exceptional when they start their first art class through the end of their senior year. This year, every senior who applied to an art college was accepted. There were eleven seniors

in total who applied, including Kristina Gilbert, Yiqi Huang, Daria Lee, Jade Liu, Haley Mulligan, Matthew Perry, Chu Shi, Linda Tran, Xiao Ling Wang, Ziqi Zeng and Michael Zhao. The art department claims that “this is an exceptional class. As always, [they] are proud of [their] students”. Twenty art students also won Scholastic Art Awards. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Committee chose 22 artworks cre-

ated by MHS students, which was more than were awarded to the surrounding district high schools combined. The art department revealed that “Malden High School has consistently received Gold, Silver and Honorable Mention awards throughout the years. [They] are especially pleased that the two new programs, Ceramics and Digital Art, have made their mark in the Scholastic Awards.”

From top to bottom, left to right: A photo of a collection of pottery made by Julie Mullane’s ceramics class. More pottery. Vector line drawings of Fetty Wap done by Taylor Soom. A digital image portrait of Principal Dana Brown done by Joe Luongo. Still life paintings done by Maryann Seager’s Studio 3 and 4 classes. All photos taken by Ryan Hames.

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

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Generation Citizen at Malden High School Abhishek Rana Reporter eneration citizen is an organization that encourages and empowers the youth to become engaged citizens. From campaigns of lowering the legal voting age to hosting civics day, generation citizen gives young people a platform to have their voices be heard and help make their communities a better place. It’s a program that has grown in the past few years and now is present in the eastern coast as well as the Bay area in California.

Every Year Malden High’s U.S. History I class’ students use Generation Citizen to address issues that are present throughout the Malden community. Students this year are campaigning for topics ranging from pool renovations to improving the Wi-Fi at the school. One particularly ambitious project is that of U.S History teacher Rebecca Corcoran’s period four class. The class hopes to institute a school day that helps students address all the stress and depression that comes with being a high-school student.

Freshman Matt DiStefano believes that “Almost all high school students experience the stress that comes with all the work and extracurricular that inevitably piles up.” “(They) have researched other high schools that already have a wellness day system implemented and (they) were influenced to implement something similar” DiStefano added. The class plans to create a wellness day system at Malden High School that will help every student learn more about how to deal with difficult situations in their lives.

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Here is how the class plans to enact a wellness day at the high school: - Survey students on what they would need help on or learn about during wellness day.

- Make a petition in support of a wellness day.

- Meet with adjustment and guidance counselors.

- Meet with stakeholders like Mr. Brown, Superintendent Dr. Derussi, and Mayor Christenson.

- Analyse survey results in order to decide the events or stations on wellness day.

- Contact experts to volunteer and present.

- Fundraising - Advertise using social media.

- Plan the spacing as well as everything else needed for the event.

MHS PLAY PRODUCTION GOES TO DRAMAFEST Jesaias Benitez Reporter

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ased on the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty in 1946, Robert Penn Warren published a similar novel called “All the King’s Men.” Malden High School’s Play Production is greatly known for recreating famous plays like Shrek: The Musical but this time around, Play Production created their own version of All the King’s Men with a twist.

Competing against at an average of one hundred-twelve acts produced by other students in the state of Massachusetts, MHS Play Production knew they needed to make an impact. Going into competition within a couple of weeks, the members of Play Production practiced endlessly, fitting every hour as they could.

Senior Sarah Bendell, who played as herself, told Blue and Gold “[her] goals for the competition were to mainly tell people [their] story.”

All the King’s Actors is a play that connects with many people and as Bendell says “connect[s] deep social issues with a cause that is close to all of [their] hearts.” Members of the Play Production “went [into the competition] with the mindset of whether or not they won, [they] had to share [their] story” expresses Bendell. Senior Kamila Regalado expresses that the director Mr.Walsh “makes it a point to make it about the competition and to really make it about working on something that’s important to [them].”

Now come competition day,

Play Production performed and made it to the semi-finals of the High School Drama Festival. As the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild puts it, “The competition is organized [and based] on three levels – preliminary, semi-final and state.”

Each performance is based upon the acting and technical design.

Although they will not be moving on in the competition, on behalf of MHS’s Play Production and Bendell, they “hope that [their] message stuck with [the audience] and [are proud to all have the opportunity] to take part in writing together and showing everyone what Malden Play Production is truly about.”

As senior Brayan Angulo puts it, “[he and the cast] just plan to focus and commit to the next and last play [they are] working on for the year” and intend to impact their audience with this final performance.

With every production that’s put on, Regalado states “[they are] going to connect as a class and be truly focused on executing what [they create].For their final play, Malden Play Production will have a couple changes in their cast. Senior Sajeanah Cadet explains, “Mr.Walsh have given [her] the opportunity to help direct the show [in the spring], [in] which [she] is very excited about!”

All-inclusive, Malden High School’s Play Production performed great at competition,but as the year comes to an end, they intend to create a show never done before.

Bunker Hill’s Informal Session Christina Appigani Reporter

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n Wednesday March 30th, an information center was held by Bunker Hill Community College at the Malden Teen Enrichment Center. The Life Map Center and Student Advising of the college typically holds advising and orientation sessions throughout the year. These sessions are in collaboration with the Department advising sessions during the fall and spring semesters.

The Department of Bunker Hill has two primary purposes; to provide knowledge, training and skill development for persons interested in working in the area of social services with specific educational opportunities and also to serve the community as an information and knowledgebase in the area of social services.

The Department also has four goals within their program of study which are to provide sufficient student competence, to prepare graduates for upper-division collegiate work, to upgrade the skills and knowledgebase of persons currently working with the field of social services, and to participate in community activities in social services.

Bunker Hill Informal Sessions are also held on campus, where people spend time exploring the campus with an admissions counselor. These sessions provide material on Administrations, Registration, Financial Aid, Academics and other opportunities that are available for potential students. They also go over the application requirements, deadlines and the process of transferring into the college.

The session also promotes an opportunity for Malden High School students to take college classes while still in high school. The Dual Enrollment Program enables high school students to earn high school and college credits at the same time. The staff provided students advice on Accuplacer testing, which is required in order to be enrolled in the program.

They explained how the program provides both academic and nonacademic support for students to make sure that they are completing their classes and successfully performing in them. Students take courses that they would be unable to take in high school and they obtain college credit from them.

Informal Sessions from Bunker Hill are held throughout the year and future sessions can be found on the college’s website.

Local News

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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maldenblueandgold.com

Save the Date: Prom: May 20, 2016 Graduation: June 5, 2016 Last Day of School for Grades 9-11: June 21, 2016 AP E x on M ams St a They ay 2, 20 rt 1 test. cost $3 6.

5 M to th oney i per s e ASA main o due ffice P.

Mr. MHS Wednesday April 27 at 7:00 pm in the Jenkins Auditorium, tickets are $8.00

Senior Reminders: 20) due in - cap and gown money ($ the main office - senior barbecue: hased from - yearbooks can be purc Mr. Valente for $80.

May 2, - Prom tickets go on sale ($65.00 each)

Multicultural night may 13

NHS Hosts Karaoke Night

Abhishek Rana Reporter

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n Friday April 8, 2016, the National Honors Society held a Karaoke Night inside of Malden High School’s gallery. The event was coordinated by senior NHS members Jessica Munroe, Pema Kunsal and Michelle Huang.

Tickets were sold for five dollars each as spectators got to come and watch their teachers and fellow classmates perform their favorite songs. Popcorn, snacks, and refreshments were provided for all of the participants and the audience. All of the proceeds from the event were donated to veterans.

Students and teachers performed songs in genres ranging from pop to classical hip-hop. Performing the grand finale was Principal Dana Brown who sang after continued requests from students and other teachers to do so.

Clockwise: MHS principal Dana Brown and senior Jawaan Bacon. Karaoke video playing during a performance. Senior Deborah Kibazo, Italian teacher Adrienne D’Agostino, and senior Pema Kunsal. Math teacher Christopher Giordiano. English teacher Abbey Dick. Photos by Abhishek Rana.

Lifestyle

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

Spring Things: Out With the Old, In With the New Manale Zouhir Print Managing Editor

Spring Cleaning Ideas

Spring Cleanses

As the weather is getting warmer, it may be a nice change of scenery to get rid of your bulky hoodies and jackets and bring some light to your room by cleaning it up.

Spring is also a great time for fresh starts.

Take this time to destroy the negative and bring forth the positive. Cleanses are more than just pressed juice detox challenges, you know.

Create a donation basket in your room. pick out all of the things you don’t wear/use anymore to make some space for new clothes and to regain some space. Try to challenge yourself to get rid of one thing a week. Hold on to only the clothes you need/wear most often.

Clean up your computer desktop. Get rid of all the clutter, delete all the stuff you don’t need, like old memes and photos, and organize everything into folders.

Rearrange your furniture. This could have such a big impact on your room. You may find that something as simple as putting your desk in a different corner or putting your bed against the opposite wall can actually dramatically change your room’s look. You’ll instantly feel refreshed.

Clean out your old items. If you use makeup or cleansing products, I’m sure there are a few expired products you keep around because of laziness or attachment. Mascaras only last about three to four months and most liquid products last up to a year. Throw out empty or old conditioner/shampoo bottles, exfoliators/cleansers, and any other products you have lying around. Get rid of stuff you don’t use, clean your brushes, and make room for new products.

If anything, make your bed. Wash your sheets and comforters, and make a fresh clean bed. This can completely change the feeling and look of your bed. There’s nothing better than freshly washed sheets. If you have extra time, wash and whiten your pillows, too. Dirty pillows can cause pink-eye due to bacteria buildup.

Try some new decor. You’d be surprised how much a simple string of fairy LED lights or a framed poster could change up the feeling of your room. Adding something simple like a tapestry, bulletin board, or calendar can really give your room a whole new feel.

Playlist

Clean out your emails. If you’re one of those people with thousands of spam emails unread, maybe it’s time to go through and mark them as spam, unsubscribe from that newsletter, and read through those emails you’ve been avoiding. This will make it easier for you to see what is important.

Write down all the negative thoughts that you are having and counteract them with positive thoughts. Once you write down your bad feelings and acknowledge them, only then can you move on from them and start fresh. This is an important cleanse as the weather gets warmer and the flowers start to bloom. You don’t want any negative feelings bogging you down anymore.

Clean out your social media accounts. Change your profile pictures and bios to something a little more recent or professional. Go unlike all of those old Facebook pages from 2010. Delete your old tweets that may be inappropriate or just wasting space. Most importantly, unfriend and unfollow those spam accounts or people you don’t talk to--including that one person from your old school who you spoke to once that only posts irrelevant memes and picks a fight with anyone they can.

You can unfriend people in real life too, you know. Anyone who is toxic in your life or constantly setting you farther away from your goals should be cut off immediately. Recognize the signs in your relationships with people that suggest they are unhealthy. People who take for granted their spot in your life do not deserve to have one.

Tatum Skiffington Reporter

We’ve reached the end of this windy and cold winter, and spring is finally upon us! Get ready for the comfortable weather and sunny days with this playlist of relaxing and fun songs to listen to while the flowers bloom.

“Gold” by Marina and the Diamonds “All I Want Is You” by Barry Louis Polisar “Love Me” by The 1975 “Night Channels” by Foxing “Blister In The Sun” by Violent Femmes

“Fireworks” by Radiator Hospital “Brother’s Song (Demo 2006)” by Brand New “I Love You, Honeybear” by Father John Misty “Life On Mars?” by David Bowie “Hannah” by Freelance Whales

Lifestyle

The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

Movie Review

Shin Splints: Protect Yourself Tatum Skiffington Reporter Gabriella Oneissimo Reporter

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rack is a stimulating sport that requires an equal amount of physical endurance as well as mental strength to be able to run at faster speeds and longer distances. The rewards athletes get from track are boundless, from the chance to accomplish athletic goals and build a cooperating system with fellow track mates. However, one universal drawback most track athletes eventually face are shin splints.

All kinds of athletes can suffer from shin splints, such as dancers, military members, and runners in general. There are three kinds of shin splints, the most common being as medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS). It is defined by excruciating pain around the shin bone (tibia).

The other types are called tibial stress fracture (TSF; pain directly over the shin bone) and anterior tibialis tendonitis (around the lower leg bone). It typically arises when an athlete’s physical routine has been rigorously intensified or in the beginning phases as stress placed on an area of one’s hips and legs often result in the pain shin splints induce.

There are multiple causes known to create shin splints, including muscle weakness, difficulty with flexibility, hormonal imbalance, flat feet and uncomfortable footwear.

The primary symptom are achiness and pangs in the shin bone area that occur when participating in physical activities. Additional symptoms include nerve sensations as well as tenderness and soreness on the inner lower leg. Junior Rishtly Desir experienced shin splints from participating in track last year. Although he could walk normally, shin splints “prevented [him] from running at [his] full potential.”

There are many ways to cope and overcome shin splints. Although they can be extremely painful and inconvenient, most cases can be treated with at home remedies and over-the-counter pain reliever.

Many sports clinic websites suggest resting for approximately a week and waiting until the pain subsides to resume running frequently. Other solutions include: Icing the affected area New shoes that fit properly Stretches that alleviate the pain (various instructions can be found online, such as calf stretches and wall shin raises) Shin splints are a common hindrance to athletes. They can be extremely painful, and put their running careers to a swift stop. Without proper treatment, shin splints can progress and become even more painful and threatening. However, with appropriate stretching and footwear, shin splints can be easily avoided as a runner.

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Nicholas Bramante Head Copy-Editor or weeks on end in the recent past there had been one movie people had insistently reminded me of and repeatedly praised without fault: Zootopia. Now to say I was skeptical was an understatement; I was never much of an animation junkie, and Zootopia was no exception. No top of that, I wasn’t exactly too crazy about Disney’s latest animation hit Frozen (while Big Hero 6 came out after Frozen, it wasn’t nearly as big in sales and popularity.) Ultimately it was word of mouth and circumstance that put me in a position to view Zootopia, and it did not disappoint.

I find it especially difficult to pick apart and judge animated movies; qualities such as directing usually don’t make or break a movie, and Disney had pretty much got their animation quality down to a science. As expected the animation looks great, with non human characters showing emotion convincingly and in a more human way than some physical acting in recent movies.

While the animation is really what you would expect from Disney, it’s the art styles that ultimately give the viewer a breath of fresh air.

The city of Zootopia itself in which much of the movie takes place is split into various sections, with each section depicting different animal habitats spliced in with modern technology and architecture found in any major bustling city in the world. I found these locations not only fun to watch, but fit logically

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within the world they existed it.

Said locations were actually believable at times to the point where I forgot I was watching a buddy-cop animation featuring talking animals, and rather was just engrossed in the movie itself.

The voice acting cast of this film knocks it out of the park, with leads Ginnifer Goodwin (as Officer Judy Hopps) and Jason Bateman (as Nick Wilde) delivering both an impactful and convincing performance. Moments in the movie that are intended to tug on the heartstrings rely incredibly so on the performances of these actors, and they don’t fall flat at all. Other smaller voice roles include big names such as Idris Elba, J.K Simmons, and even a well known pop music artist (whose name I won’t release here for sake of spoilers) that left me relatively surprised for most of the movie, watching diligently to see if I could recognize and other voices from other movies I had come to love.

It is not the animation, not the voice acting, nor the art direction that sets Zootopia apart from the rest of Disney’s numerous animated movies in recent years however.

And while the concept of a buddycop animated movie is also a breath of fresh air from the usual classic fairy tale or magical conundrum, the real kicker for Zootopia is the message.

Tackling difficult thematic elements such as racism and stereotyping, Zootopia offers a brilliant take on one of the world’s most preva-

lent and terribly dark problems.

Said problems are framed expertly, offering an experience that is simple enough for young children to understand, and complex enough for adults to enjoy and actually think about. The comedic relief is crafted well in Zootopia and at times is very much needed, as the film hits at times a tone that leaves the audience’s collective heart sinking.

Racism is a theme often tackled but also often not executed well in recent films. Even if it is executed well, it’s in such a dark and gritty form, it isn’t in good conscious accessible to children. Zootopia breaks down this wall, and crafts an incredibly fun yet sad and thoughtprovoking movie, with a message that truly is relevant and topical to today’s world.

In conclusion, while Zootopia may seem to some (namely myself before I actually saw the movie) as just another Disney animation, it very much surpasses that title. The production itself is wonderful as with most Disney animations, however it is ultimately the relevant and heart-heavy writing and message of Zootopia that justifies it as the highest grossing film (so far) of 2016, beating out Zack Snyder’s Batman vs. Superman, what was arguably one of the most anticipated films of all time. Disney skeptic or not, Zootopia is 100% worth the watch and even a purchase on Blu-Ray in the coming months; it’s simply one of those animated movies that will be revered for years to come, and is something you don’t want to miss.

Rainy Day Reads

Ymanika Nicolas Reporter Spring is here, and despite Jack Frost’s tricks, it’s the perfect time to take a seat next to the window and read a good book. Here are a few good rainy day reads: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children - Written by Ransom Riggs,this book is about 16 year old Jacob Portman. After the death of his grandfather he travels to Wales,where he finds an orphanage for “peculiar children” that his grandfather once lived in. He meets Emma,a girl who can control fire. Emma takes him back in time to meet Miss Peregrine and the other children who live in a time loop. At first all is peaceful,but as unexplained deaths begin to occur it becomes apparent that something may be after them. If you’re a fan of horror and dark fantasy then I highly recommend it. And with a move coming out in the fall you’ll have plenty of time to absorb every detail before it hits the big screens.

The Monstrumologist By Rick Yancey - Written in the perspective of a young Will Henry, this book tells the tale of his time as an assistant to Dr. Pellinore Warthrop as he aids in his study of Monstrumology,the study of life forms generally malevolent to humans and not recognized by science as actual organisms,specifically those considered products of myth and folklore. Fans of gothic fiction will love this. It’s a bit gory at times and you might find yourself questioning the morals of the not so good Doctor. Regardless,it’s a great book for anyone who enjoys the darker side of literature.

Ash by Malinda Lo - Hold up kids! This isn’t the Cinderella you know. In this rewrite of the classic tale Cindy is replaced with Ash, a young girl left under the care of her cruel stepmother after the death of her father. She wished for the day her prince,or in her case a fairy, comes to whisk her away. However,Ash meets the King’s huntress and Happily Ever After is no longer as close as she thought. Lo does a wonderful job bring these characters to life and she doesn’t disappoint in anyway. Fans of books such as the Lunar Chronicles would love this retelling of Cinderella.

Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, and A Dream by H.G. Bissinger - A small town in Texas,a football team and a dream. The town of Odessa isn’t the best place,their economic success lays on the shoulder’s of the Oil Business and when it suffers they suffer. If there was one thing they had going for the it was High School Football. Couch Gains knows and he knows a lot is expect of his team,they’re expected to make it to championship. However,the team is facing many hardships. One of them suffers an injury and another has a family member who’s life is slipping away. There’s also some racial tension which should be expected from a town like Odessa. Stuck in a time warp,some people don’t even think that referring to blacks as the “n” word is offensive.This book is wonderful and if you’re looking for a nonfiction story about something that’s as american as apple pie but doesn’t forget that the players have lives then look no further.

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

eSports: A Growing Phenomenon

U.S. Soccer: One Nation, Opinion: But Two Divided Teams? Boys Vs. Girls Lacrosse

Vivian Dang Reporter

Sydney Stumpf Reporter

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ately electronic sports, or eSports, have become a growing phenomenon. Many people have become hooked onto online gaming and competitions worldwide, but one that’s grappled onto over 27 million gamers’ attention is the game League of Legends. The game has caught so much attention as an eSport, that there have been colleges all over America offering eSport scholarship programs to college applicants.

League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena game, or better known as M.O.B.A., which consists of real-time strategy. Developed by the gaming company, Riot Games, back in Oct. 27, 2009, League of Legends has also been constantly compared with another popular M.O.B.A. game called Dota 2, causing fans of both games to debate between the two strategy games.

Esports has been constantly growing larger and larger as well as entering more into the mainstream community. There has been negative feedback towards the esports community as well as esports itself with many people claiming that it is “not a real sport.” But this hasn’t stopped fans and the community from growing in size and popularity.

Colleges, including Columbia College in Missouri have began to offer scholarships to eSport athletes to play League of Legends (6 Types Of College Scholarships). Due to the fact that other colleges such as Columbia College offer a League of Legends scholarship program, it has caused greater publicity for eSport and colleges. More and more colleges are accepting and have started to offer eSport scholarships.

League of Legends is one of the most popular options. According to Riot Games’ Media Relations Manager Bob Colayco, other universities have debated the creation of varsity eSport programs (Mueller).

At the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), a League of Legends club was formed. This club provides an opportunity for gamers to meet and play League of Legends.

UCLA student William Jong expressed that “being a college player not only do you have to commit your time to League of Legends, you also have to commit your time to your career-your studies” Another UCLA student, Daphne Jin stated, “Sometimes it can be a little busy, but overall it’s a really cool bunch of people and I would say that because they’ve been a huge part of my college experience” (uLoL Spotlight: UCLA).

League of Legends has both supporters and critics but it continues to draw in people from all over the world.

A United States forward Crystal Dunn celebrates her goal on Puerto Rico goalkeeper Karly Gustafson during the second half in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Championship at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. (Jae S. Lee/Dallas Morning News/TNS) Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service.

Abhishek Rana Reporter

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or years, professional sports have been a male dominated form of competition and entertainment, with the females receiving not nearly as much of the mainstream attention as the men. While that may still be true to a certain extent, we cannot deny the continuous rise of women sports. With the rise in popularity of female athletes like Ronda Rousey, Serena Williams, and of course the U.S women’s national team, female athletes are starting to become extremely marketable to the public.

The U.S. women’s national team in particular have received enormous amount of mainstream attention in the U.S. The reigning world champions are a dominant force in the sport and are currently ranked number one in the world

by FIFA. That ranking was verified even more as the team recently disposed of Columbia easily with a scoreline of 7-0. The men’s team on the other hand are ranked only 29th in the world by FIFA, and are seen by experts as pedestrian at best.

U.S soccer’s slogan of “One Nation, One Team” has become nothing but a meaningless catchphrase. Not only are the two teams divided in terms of results, there also seems to be a new problem that has put U.S. soccer under heavy fire from the public. The women’s team recently sued the U.S soccer federation, accusing them for unequal pay.

According to them in 2015, U.S. soccer paid them ¼ the salary of the men, despite winning the world cup that same year.

According to ESPN the U.S women’s team were awarded $2 million from FIFA after winning their third World Cup, while the men’s team earned $9 million for getting eliminated in the round of sixteen.

Now this is not an unfair treatment as FIFA simply makes much more in revenue from the men’s World Cup than the women’s. The fact is the men’s World Cup still is so much bigger than the women’s and according to businessinsider.com the

men’s world cup in 2014 at Brazil made $4.8 billion in revenue.

Although women’s soccer might not be the phenomenon worldwide that the men’s game is, in the U.S the two are very close.

In fact, according to the New York Times, the 2015 Women’s World Cup between the U.S and Japan was the most watched soccer game in the history of the U.S., drawing over 26.7 million viewers. Not only that, but according to Forbes magazine, in 2015 the Women’s national team made approximately $5.8 million more revenue than the men.

The women not only generated more in revenue, but they are also significantly more dominant than the men. The women’s team has been around only since 1985 and have already won the World Cup three times. The men’s team on the other hand, have never made it further in the World Cup than the quarter finals despite having existed for longer than the women’s team.

Despite all of this, the women earn much less money from U.S. soccer than the men.

Over the course of one calendar year both teams play 20 exhibition games also known as friendlies.

For each friendly win each women’s player earns $1,500 per win, while each men’s team player earns $5,000 regardless of the result and up to $17,500 if they win depending on the opponent’s ranking.

Female players earn $15,000 each for make the World Cup roster while each male player earns $68,750 for making their World Cup roster.

There is a bonus for tickets sold in a game for each player. For women, the bonus is $1.20 per ticket while for the men, the bonus is $1.50.

With that being said, the difference between the money that the men’s team makes compared to the women’s team solely from U.S. Soccer is ridiculous considering that the women simply are more popular and make more revenue for U.S soccer. It is a clear example of wage discrimination towards women and represents the sexist views of our society.

lthough technically the same sport, boys’ and girls’ lacrosse has many obvious differences, begging for the attention of the possible sexist rules and regulations. Pocketsin-sticks, gear, and contact are some of the major differences that require the attention of everyone who has anything to do with lacrosse.

In 2014, uslacrosse.org published an updated equiptment and rule comparison between the two genders’ sports. The chart expressed the rules in girls’ lacrosse and boys’ lacrosse, with a rationale, hinting at the fact that the lacrosse organization is self-aware of the criticism received because of the unjust rules.

Difference in equipment requirements include a stick with a pocket (boys’) versus a stick in which it is illegal to have a pocket (girls’). Although both sticks have their challenges and benefits, it is the “rationale” which hints at sexist, ulterior motives for the stick differences.

“Pockets impact the ease at which the ball will dislodge from the stick (when shooting or passing or after being checked) and the speed the ball travels.” (uslacrosse. org) I am not someone to take little things out of proportion, and I don’t believe I am; as I say that this has a direct meaning stating that girls’ sticks do not have the pockets for holding the ball as boys’ sticks do, because it’s easier to throw and requires less force and effort to throw the ball. Take it as you will, but I personally take it that boys can handle the extra effort required to throw the ball from a stick with a pocket, while somehow, girls are hardly able.

If you were to put two lacrosse players, one from a boys’ team, the other from a girls’, the obvious differences will shock you if you’re not familiar with the sport. While gloves are allowed but not required and mouth guards and goggles required in girls lacrosse, extensive gear, including: arm pads, shoulder pads, helmets, and thick gloves are required for the opposite gender’s game.

The gear difference makes some sense, once it’s learned that when it comes down to the rules or the game, like contact among players. With no rationale, aggressive stick-checking and body contact is considered illegal in a girls’ game, but legal in a boys’. There is no reason that boys’ should be allowed to make contact with other players, while it’s illegal for girls’ to. One thing about contact that’s on common ground, is the illegality of cross-checking, and the penalties for hitting someone in the head with a stick.

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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maldenblueandgold.com

Skating into Malden Meghan Yip Lead Photographer

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n Apr. 3, 2016, three Malden High School figure skaters competed in the Silver Streaks High School Challenge Competition at the James McVann-Louis O’Keefe Memorial Skating Rink in Peabody.

The group included MHS students sophomore Alyssa Ardai, junior Allyson Kummins, and senior Jessica Spadafora, and was coached by math teacher Elizabeth Gibbons.

“This is the first year that we’ve had a team connected to the high school in some way,” Gibbons, who has been coaching the team since 2015, comments. “The three girls have skated and taken lessons for years. The figure skating association is really trying to build up this high school competition program so this year they started having these competitions where skaters could represent and compete for their high school. It’s a really cool opportunity for the girls to be able to compete and show off their skills, and it’s also a way for them to represent their high school.”

Other cities that competed were Essex Junction, East Bridgewater, Burlington, and Ashland.

Ardai skated to “Belle” from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack in the Pre-Preliminary Freeskate competition and placed third out of four competitors.

Kummins skated to “Photograph” by Ed Sheeran in the Preliminary Freeskate competition and placed first out of four competitors.

Kummins has been skating since 2006. She comments that “[she loves] that [she] can make skating whatever [she wants] because it’s

To view a photo gallery on the figure skating team, visit our facebook page “The Blue & Gold” or go over to our website “maldenblueandgold.com”!

into my life,” Kummins reflects.

“Especially perseverance. In skating, new jumps can take months or years to master. You have to know that you’re not going to get it on the the first try and you’re going to fall a lot. Getting back up and trying again is the most important

Senior Jessica Spadafora , sophomore Alyssa Ardai, and junior Allyson Kummins. (Left to right.) Photo by Meghan Yip. all based on music and movement and what you bring to the table with your individual skating. [She also loves] the constant challenge of learning and perfecting new elements. Nothing makes [her] feel better than skating a clean program or mastering a new jump.”

“I’ve taken a lot from skating

part because getting the jump feels so good in the end. That feeling of accomplishment overpowers of the pain that I feel after so many practices from falling so much.”

Kummins expresses that “[the] team is so different because we all just met recently. I’ve skated with Alyssa for a while but not on a

team. I’d never met Jessica beside quick, awkward hellos. I had Ms. Gibbons for Algebra II last year, and she started coaching me around that time. She started coaching at out Malden and Medford programs so we grew to love her more as we got to know her. Our program director told her about the High School series in October and she passed the news along to Alyssa and I, then introduced herself to Jess who agreed to do it with us. We had a few weeks to get to know each other and bond and we meshed really well as a team. For having been a group for only a few months were so helpful and supportive of each other we’ve become great friends. I’m so glad to be a part of this team.”

Kummins advises to younger skaters that “you can only go as far as your coach is willing to take you, and your skating should be about you and what you want to accomplish in the sport. You aren’t going to enjoy skating if you don’t have a good coach.”

Spadafora suffered from a hand injury prior to the Novice Freeskate competition, and was not able to perform the jumps in her routine. She skated to “Lux Aeterna” from the Requiem For A Dream soundtrack and placed fourth out of four competitors.

The girls placed fourth overall for the season. Congratulations to the team!

Rowing Away From Adversity

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att g e R g n i m Upco

4/19/16 against Somerville/Everett @ Malden

Kristy Yang Reporter

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he Malden High School crew team began their season overcoming adversity with the closing of the Malden river due to bacteria levels being too high. The team is currently training on the Medford river as well as having indoor dryland practices at the high school. Head coaches Sarah Jones and Shauna Campbell are working hard with the team in order to push them to have a successful season and push through the challenges.

Senior captains Michael Light, Samantha Forestier, and Stephen Lafauci have high hopes for the team as their busy season approaches. When asked about his personal views about the sport, Light expressed that “crew seems the most interesting because not many people know what it’s about. They said that it was really fun and interesting and it

sounded like something [he] would like to try.”

The team practices five days a week for about 2-3 hours. There are about 17 different regattas that the team participates in with surrounding cities including Greater Boston League rivals Medford, Everett, and Somerville in addition to other teams like Mystic Valley Charter School. team is to take part in this season. The biggest event is the Moose on the Malden regatta, which is in the end of May. Teams from Massachusetts and Maine come and the MHS crew hosts the event.

Forestier expressed that she “loves the team aspect and it is unique to any other sport in the city.

It’s an amazing opportunity that an urban school like Malden is able to compete in.” She stated that “the crew team is very special” to her and she “enjoys spending [her] time after school and [her] weekends

with all of [her] teammates.”

Forestier says that as a captain, she wants to push her teammates to improve and try their best. She wants a positive atmosphere on the team and wishes that everyone can have a sense of accomplishment at the end of the season. “Crew is different from the other sports because you have to work together as a team to row in unison. It is a team sport and in order to succeed in crew the team, members need to be able to cooperate,”claims Forestier.

From last season, Forestier wants to make sure that everyone is enjoying their time at practice and at regattas. Senior captain, Stephen Lafauci, is aiming for the team to be strong, whether it’s on water or on land. He also wants the team to have a strong relationship. Overall, the team is a really great sport to build a relationship, and make this season a successful season.

4/21/16 against Shrewsbury @ Lake Quinsigamond 4/23/16 Spring Break Mash-Up @ Malden 4/26/16 against Mystic Valley @ Malden 5/7/16 against Lowell @ Merrimack River

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

Batting the Competition Alexis Brown Lead Reporter

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ith the 2016 spring sports season coming up, the Malden High School varsity baseball team are ready to compete towards winning the Greater Boston League and advancing into the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament. An offseason filled with personal practice and working out has prepared each and every player, returning and new, for a promising season ahead. Senior captains Ronnie Luke and Blue and Gold member Liam Elliott along with sophomore captain Jared Martino look to lead to the Golden Tornado back to the tournament after a 6-14 campaign back in 2015. “We look really strong. All of our focus is just making the tournament and winning our league” says Luke.

Similar to last year, the team contains a roster of six seniors, which this year consist of Nicholas Andreucci, Brian Batting, Ronnie Luke, Liam Elliott, Christopher Ansaldi, and first year varsity player Miguel Ortega. Along with the cap-

From left to right: Junior Kyle Twomey pitching. Senior captain Ronnie Luke holding the runner on first. Photos taken by Jesaias Benitez. tains, the seniors will be expected to have leadership as well for the underclassmen. This leadership, along with the skill level among the team, will combine to create a powerful team both on and off the field. Newcomers to the varsity team include freshman Reid Kankel and sophomores Michael Goroshko and Kevin Gilligan. Returning varsity underclassmen for the season include juniors Joshua Simon, James Pandolfo, Matthew Geer and Kyle Twomey.

Both offensively and defensively the team has the confidence and skill that will enable them to go the distance. Defensively the team has pitchers who will be able to keep them afloat almost every game. Geer, a returning starter pitcher, had a stand out year last year on the mound having five out of the six wins. Behind the plate will be Elliott, a three year varsity player, creating an unstoppable battery. At the plate, the team has some key hitters returning including their very

own captain Martino.

As a whole, the team chemistry is at an all time high. This chemistry will translate onto the field creating a solid core. “All guys on the team get along great and there’s no cancers that are gonna bring us down. I’m honored to lead this team and excited to get out there and make some noise” confesses Luke. With their first game being Thursday April seventh, the boys have played in four scrimmages as a way to prepare for their upcoming seasons. They played very advanced and developed teams including: Austin Prep, Methuen, Wakefield and Reading. Although the boys did not come out on top in any of these scrimmages, the end results did not reflect the skills that these boys displayed. They kept the scores in each of the scrimmages close making each game come down to the final innings. These scrimmages give the team high hopes and MHS is excited to see what the boys do this season.

Softball Swings Into the Season Nada Tuffaha Reporter

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oftball is finally in season, and the Malden High School team is ready to play. MHS holds an amazing softball reputation with two previous wins against a long time rival, Everett. The captains this year are seniors Haley Hoffman, Megan Gilligan, and Alexis Brown. The team has many goals this season and is willing to go the extra mile.

A goal that many of the players want to achieve this year is to be the GBL champions. Sophomore Ashlyn Fitzpatrick states that “[she] hope[s] that [they] make it far into the tournament”, “last year [they] didn’t make it far, so [she] hope[s] to make it further and maybe win the whole thing”.

Although the softball team lost many talented seniors last year, this year, “[they are] very motivated all the time, [are] very close to each other, able to help one another out, and pick each other up when needed” as stated by Furlong.

From the many friendships built on last years softball team, Fitzpatrick states that one of things that she learned from last season was “to stick together, play as a team, and

never give up”.

This year, the varsity team welcomed three freshman members, being Jenna Swanson, Taylor Bozzi, and Paige Dow. Swanson gets her inspiration for the sport from her mother who urged her to play at the young age of 7. Similar to Swanson, many other members on the team also began playing softball at a young age. Sophomore Mackenzie Furlong, Fitzpatrick, and Hoffman also all started playing softball around the age of 5.

In previous years, MHS’s softball team made history with two wins against Everett. Both sopho-

mores Fitzpatrick and Furlong’s favorite memory in their previous softball years was when they had their big win against Everett.

Hoffman’s goals include “hav[ing] a strong bond with [her] team and [to] have a good mindset.”

Hoffman will be playing second base and backup pitcher.

Fitzpatrick is also excited to be on this year’s varsity team as a sophomore. She is happy to be on the team because “[they’re] like a family.” Fitzpatrick will be playing in the outfield, alongside Swanson who is also (but not yet confirmed), an outfield player.

Furlong is one of the three sophomores to make it to varsity this year. She will be playing shortstop.

The softball team was supposed to face Lowell on Apr. 6, 2016 in Lowell, but due to weather circumstances the game was canceled. The postponed date for the game between Malden and Lowell is still to be determined. Furlong expressed that “[she] is very excited about [their] first game. Lowell is very talented and it should be a great game for us to prepare for the season.” She continued, “[They] are excited, ready, and focused.” Best of luck to the softball team this season!

From left to right: Sophomore Mackenzie Furlong batting. Senior captain Haley Hoffman getting ready to throw the ball. Photos by Nada Tuffaha.

The Blue and Gold April 2016

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maldenblueandgold.com

Boys Tennis serves wins Ailin Toro Reporter

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he season has begun for the boys tennis team at Malden High School and they have high expectations for the rest of it. The team is coming from a successful season after having won the Greater Boston League last year.

When asked about their hopes for the season, coach and MHS physical education teacher Julie Briggs says that she is very confident about the fact that her team will become Greater Boston League champions once again because “[their] record so far has been great”.

This year the 2016 varsity members are seniors William Yang, Edward Gu, Guilherme Silva, Tri Pham, sophomore Vitya Teague, Rory Milan, and Ryan Wong. The junior varsity team consists of Jingxian Shi, Thomas Tran, Nelson Chen, Nicholas Crowe, Louis Gilbert, and Adam Rached. The captains being Gu and Pham.

As to the relationships in the team, Wong says that “most of [them] are close friends” and that “three of [the team members] even have the same job”. Gu also says that they are “so much more than just a team and have a bond that [he] doesn’t” think other teams would have”.

He expects to get the GBL title again, but he does add that he hopes to do better at states. For the last two years that they have been to states they have been eliminated during their first game so he hopes that this

Sydney Stumpf Reporter

A

year they will be able to make it past the first round. Gu also says that he hopes that “ this team will make it out of the first round in playoffs and make history as that hasn’t been done yet.”

Briggs has been coaching the team on and off for 12 years. She has been doing tennis since she was in high school and during that time she even had a New England Ranking. The boys enjoy having her as a coach. Pham says that “she is like [his] second mother.” He says that she “loves to joke around but is serious and tough when it is needed”.

Gu adds that Ms. Briggs “pushes [him] to [his] limit and at the same time creates a fun atmosphere at the courts”.

Both Wong and Pham mentioned that this will be a tough season due to the teams that they are up against but Pham says that he “still has high hopes for all of [them] and really thinks that they can do well in the end”.

Tryouts were held the last week of March from Wednesday through Friday. The tryouts consisted of matches between two people until one of them hit a certain amount of points.

On Apr. 6, 2016, the first boys tennis game in the season happened and it was a tough game. The game was against Haverhill and was played in Amerige Park. There were games scheduled for the Apr. 4 and 5, 2016 against Lowell and North Reading but they were cancelled due to weather conditions. These games were rescheduled for Apr. 14,

2016 and a later date in May. Before the game the players were paired up and practicing with each other. Then both teams lined up and the coach introduced all of the players. The matches were either played in singles or in doubles.

Before the official match players take around 10 minutes to warm up. The players decide when they are ready to play the match. Although the weather was cold, both teams gave it their all and stayed there until quarter to seven after the game starting at four.

Despite a tough loss, Briggs says that “there were a lot of would’ve, could’ve, and should’ve had but [they] will not make those mistakes again”. The team is hopeful and dedicated for future games to come.

Wong said that in the game “the other team were beginners and [he] was hitting it to match their pace” instead of his own. He wants to work on being “more consistent with [his] hitting ability throughout the season” and says that “many of [the guys] on the team just need to polish [their] game with basics such as footwork, serving, and hitting.

Even though Haverhill came out victorious this time, the team does not think that will happen again any time soon. Briggs says that “[they] will never lose to Haverhill again”. Although the team is a bit disappointed about the loss, they will keep putting in all of their effort into future games. They do not have any worries about becoming Greater Boston League Champions

once again.

The tennis team team will be able to bring home all the wins as the season continues despite this game.

The team practices everyday after school as long as they do not have a game. There will be two games in the second week of April against Lawrence and Medford and the Malden team is ready to work for the win. Hopefully this will be great season to add to the many that the boys tennis team has had at MHS.

Senior William Yang in a game against Haverhill. Photo by Ailin Toro.

Hey, What’s All That Racket?

long with spring and the prospect of warm weather, comes the new sports season. Tennis, one of MHS’ most beloved sports begins again for the spring season, tryouts being last week. This year, MHS’ girls varsity tennis team is led by senior captains Blue and Gold member Emma Ceplinskas and senior Sushan Chen. The team is now coached by Julie Fox. Last year was a great success for the girls’ varsity tennis team. Senior Laura Suarez called it “phenomenal.” The team practiced a lot to become as great as they are, improving on skill, with visible progress.

Junior Sam Tso has been on the team for three years and has “loved every year.” She expects the for new coach to “fit right into [their] team.” Tso credits her joining the team to “not only play tennis, but to have fun.” What sets Malden’s team apart from the others “is how close [they] are to each other.”

Tso’s goals include stop putting so much pressure on herself, while playing, and trying to balance the skill and mentality of playing tennis.

Suarez, who has been on the team since her sophomore year, has a goal “for the team to be GBL champs once again.” Like Tso, Suarez believes the team’s “strong bond with one another” sets their team apart from other teams. “[They] cheer each other on during games and support each other no matter the outcome of the match,” says Suarez, on the closeness of the team. A personal goals of Suarez is to “hone in on [her] skills” and to “reach [her] full potential,” one the courts.

The players expect this year will be as fun as last year and full of effort. With the support of one another and determination of the players, this year will be as good as the last, continuing to be undefeated in the GBL. Last year, the varsity girls tennis team won nine matches and lost only six. The team expects to do as good, if not better than this past season.

Matches were scheduled for Monday April 4, 2016 and Tuesday, April 5, 2016, but were cancelled due to weather related issues.

Upcoming Matches: 4/15/16 against Haverhill @ Haverhill 4/18/16 against Everett @ Malden 4/27/16 North Reading @ North Reading 5/2/16 against Somerville @ Somerville 5/9/16 Triton @ Malden

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

Clearing Their Way Into the New Season Anna Powers Lead Reporter

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ith the Malden High School’s Girls Lacrosse team’s season just kicking off, the team is eager to welcome the new season. Already the team is putting in their best efforts on and off the field. With new talent on the team, the team expects great things for this season.

As far as things go on the field, players are trying to improve on their personal skills as well as communication skills. Many people who have joined the lacrosse team are rookies as this their first time even learning the game. Thus, knowledge of the rules, strategies, and plays is an important thing for the newcomers to gain if they wish to advance

in their lacrosse careers. New players are already getting the hang of things, though only having their first few games.

Senior Sarah Rosatone explained that she wanted to “create a really strong foundation for the girls lacrosse team so in the future we can see it paying off with more wins.”

The team is known to a sisterhood as the team always does their best together and always looks forward to helping improving one another’s skills.

Although the season may have just begun, with the help of their many captains practice, every girl managed to be in really good shape.

There practices were certainly a workout for the girls, but the players will do anything it takes to be

ready for harder opponents they have to face in future games.

This being shown in their first game against Lowell on April 1st.

The girls varsity team fought their hardest, in the end Lowell ended up taking the win. Though team isn’t paying attention to their loss, the varsity team is just looking to win future games.

Even with it being just the start of the season, the girls lacrosse team are always looking towards what’s to come. The senior captains are even starting to prep the team for when they will no longer be there, by working hard alongside the underclassmen. Rosatone mentioned that she wants future varsity teams to “continue realizing the importance of building our team up with a strong

n o s a e S e h t g n i Cradl Leila Greige Lead Reporter

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ith a fresh season on field, the Malden High School’s boys varsity lacrosse team throws it back with commitment and raw talent.

Although the season has only just started, these boys have been working hard since the beginning, as their ambition sets them up for the successful season.

Junior captain Andy Tham describes how “[their] biggest goal this season is to definitely make it into the playoffs, especially this year because [they] were so close last year. If [they] don’t make it into the playoffs, another goal is to improve [their] record and make a new name for [themselves] in Malden High.”

As they progress, the players look forward to improving their skill and obtaining a lot of fun through this year’s lacrosse team. “The Varsity versus JV scrimmage is the main tradition I’m looking forward to because it shows how much the entire team has grown together and play against each other as brothers” concludes Tham. “I’m looking forward to the team’s unification. I love it when our team wins games, but it comes down to how well of a team we are. Nothing is better than being on the field, and seeing the progress and work we put in against other teams. Seeing the guys perform the best they can, is the best sight for any captain” adds senior captain Calvin Woo. Senior Hamza Mena expresses how “[they] have had many promising athletes graduate which has definitely taken a toll on the team, however [they] are still a team full of talent and skill that is more than capable of giving [them] a winning record.”

From left to right: Malden player carrying the ball. Senior Deven Kelley faking a Salem player. All phtots by Tenzin Dorjee.

Although the players admit that they have gotten off to a rough start, they are ready to control their mind set on making the playoffs and improving both individually and as a team. “As of now, it’s going rough, coming off of two losses hurt after having high hopes that we were going to start well” says junior Milton Varanda. Senior Ralf Jean also admits how “it’s been tough to start so far because [they] haven’t been 100%, but it’s always hard in the beginning. Soon [they] will get back into the flow of things.”

“We’re working on it” announces Woo. “It takes time for a team to become cohesively as one.

We’ve been giving great effort on the field.”

Captains Tham and Woo have been committed to setting up the team for success. “As a captain, you become the connection between players and the coach. Coach gives the drills and tells us what to do, but captains are the ones that need to work the hardest, because your peers will mimic your actions, if one slacks off, we all do the same. Players look up to you because the title of a captain isn’t just given” claims Woo. Tham explains one of the most important aspects of the team in order to be successful and make wins.

“Growing the team bond and pushing each other to compete against one another, this is understanding the importance of being a team and the commitment that comes with it.”

Attributes gained this year have made it so far stand out from

last years team. “Our guys this year are a bit more confident. We try to be as aggressive as possible and win lacrosse games, this year we have most of the defense and that experience will help the younger guys learn from the veterans” says Jean. “Compared to last year, this year we’re harder on ourselves to improve after starting shaky” admits Varanda. The team has made it close to playoffs last year, so they are working hard to achieve that same goal. “One thing at a time” says Woo. As for coach Maney, the players depend on him for victory, and look up to him for leadership. Maney constantly reminds them that the game is simple, and that they shouldn’t over complicate it. He helps by reminding them to get used to doing something uncomfortable during practice or a game. “Simplicity is key” says Varanda. “My coach is the man, he never panics in tough situations and as players we tend to feed off of that so I think he will lead us in the right path the rest of the way” adds Jean. Mena tells how “[their] coach will carry [the] team through all obstacles and adversity [they] face throughout the season. In spite of any hardship [they] may perhaps confront, [he] [is] more than sure that [the] coaches charismatic character will eliminate any potential doubts we may have.” Woo concludes by adding that “coach will instruct us of how to play the game, teach us what we need to do, and prevents habits that aren’t for the game. He said himself that he will never play

skill set to be competitive with more advanced teams.” That being said, the seniors still aim to leave their mark on the Malden High School Girls lacrosse team with this season.

Senior Lily Chen added that “[they] want to keep up the energy and not let one bad game or practice get to [them]. With the positive attitude and hard work, [they] look forward to a great season.” The girls lacrosse team’s positive attitude is hopefully going to help them grow.

MHS looks forward to what the girls make of the rest of their season.

Photo by Anna Powers.

a single game, it’s on the team. We need to carry us. We are the ones fighting for the win each and every single time.”

Coach Brenden Maney indicates how “Each year is unique.

Not simply because you graduate as seniors and you bring up new players from the JV and new players try out, what’s unique about it, is them. They are actually in the process of creating their character right now as we speak. It’s about a little short of half way through the season, and we won’t know who they are until the end of May. It’s a younger group of students than traditionally a lot of the players on the team, who are sophomores and juniors. We have a few seniors but most of the team makes up juniors so that makes us unique. All in all, it’s unique because each team has its own individual character.”

Maney lectures about the main goal this season, and prior seasons, are. “The goal remains the same every year. It’s always to introduce someone the sport of lacrosse who’s never played before.” He also adds that he feels it is his job “to give back to the lacrosse community because someone taught [him] how to play and it’s a small club that is growing each and every year…[he] felt the responsibility... to give it back to the next generation of players.” Beyond that, Maney hopes the players learn that winning and losing is inconsequential.

He feels as though being apart of a team means to sacrifice what’s best for you and what’s best for all.

Maney suggests that any sport is like a “microcosm of life. Some of the best lessons you’ll learn, or some of the best lessons I’ve learned, are in defeat not victory. It’s easy to win, and it’s difficult to lose, so when things are at their worst, can you be at your best?”

The Blue and Gold April 2016

Sports

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maldenblueandgold.com

laps towards success

The outdoor track team has been continuously running towards a great season full of dedication and hard work since the beginning of the spring!

Alysha McDevitt Reporter

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lthough they have faced a number of hindrances this season, they are running strong, determined to have a great season. Both the boys’ and the girls’ outdoor seasons started March 21, but both meets have been cancelled so far. The Greater Boston League (GBL) opening meet, which was scheduled for April 2, was cancelled due to snow; the team is still unsure of whether or not it will be rescheduled, while the Malden-Everett meet which was scheduled for April 6, was cancelled as well but was rescheduled for Wednesday, April 13.

After a strong indoor season, the track team is running what may be their last season in the GBL. They have set many goals for individual runners, as well as the team as a whole.

When asked how the weather has affected the team, the individual runners gave a variety of answers. Senior, Angus Mo, claimed that “Personally [he feels] that it is important for [their] team, especially some of the new athletes, to compete with other teams. So, when a meet is cancelled, that removes a really good opportunity for [them] to compare [themselves] to other teams and to create new personal records.” However, sophomore Rachel Eaglin believes that “this year [they] have a lot of new girls who are trying to find their place on the team. So, it was a huge help that [they] had more time to figure out who goes where.” Some members of the runners are fairly undecided on where they stand. Sophomore, Kylie Dimaro, “[has] mixed emotions about the delay [of the meets].

[She feels] happy in the moment due to the fact that [they] as a team have more time to train. At the same time, [she feels] worried and confused, because the season is going to be extended and [they] haven’t had much time to practice on the track due to the weather and conflicts.”

Regardless of any disadvantages the team is facing this season, they are continuing to set high goals and run a strong season. Dimaro “[is] concerned due to the fact that a few of [their] top runners are facing

injuries. [She feels] that this puts a lot of pressure on [her and her] team as a whole, to work as hard as [they] can to make up for this loss.” For herself, “one of [Dimaro’s] biggest goals is to work up to eventually qualifying for states. [She knows] it will be a lot of work, motivation, and dedication but [she knows her] teammates have similar goals, so [they] can all work together as a team and eventually achieve [their] goals together.”

The team is remaining optimistic and determined, still armed with a large number of talented runners. “[Mo believes] that the team’s biggest challenge this season is to pull together talent in the right places to create a competitive team and bring out some extraordinary performances. For [himself], [he thinks his] biggest challenge is aiming to qualify for the state meet.”

The runners have been practicing hard, in the cold and the rain, preparing hard for the upcoming meets, refusing to let the weather prohibit them from succeeding.

Along with the hours of practice he’s put in this season, “[Mo hopes] that with the work [he] put in during [his] past 11 seasons, [he] can qualify for states, if not run a respectable personal best. [He] also [hopes] that this season goes well for the rest of the team since [they] are missing some important scorers that ran in the last season.”

Other than the weather, the team is facing a number of other expected challenges, such as finding everyone’s place on the team and practicing hard. Senior, Daryl Loreus stated that the hardest part of the season “would probably be getting everyone on the same page as far as how [they], as a team, should carry [themselves] and behave whether [they’re] at practice or in a meet. Most of the team is made up of underclassmen so immaturity is usually a problem, but it isn’t something that can’t be changed.”

The team has a number of upcoming meets that they are preparing for; the seniors preparing for their last season. Go support the team in the upcoming meets!

g n i m o c Up : s t e e M

4/20/16 against Everett @ Malden 5/4/16 against Somerville @ Malden 5/12/16 against Medford @ Malden 5/18/16 GBL Qualifier @ Somerville

Sports

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The Blue and Gold April 2016

maldenblueandgold.com

Serving the Competiti n Ana Kerr Lead Reporter

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lready in gear, Malden High School’s boys volleyball team is ready to succeed and make this a memorable season. With it being only the second year for MHS’ volleyball team, it consists of different goals and different team members.

This year’s boys volleyball team is led by captains junior Germano Fidelis and senior Lin Wunna.

Players have left, but many have come to make new memories and make a name for the team. Although many of last year’s members have now graduated, this year’ team still consists of a talent pool. Various players on the team are made up of basketball players, returning volleyball players as well as new members. Junior Nathaniel Ilebode mentions that he, “wanted to get out of [his] comfort zone and play a different sport besides basketball.”

The bonding within the team is very strong, and the connection on the court is even stronger. The little time the boys have had together has created a strong intimacy within the players and they already consider one another as if they were to be each other’s second family. Ilebode also mentions that, “being a part of a team with a good group of guys,” is a great way to start off his first year playing volleyball, as well as for many of the other teammates.

Any improvements that can be made and that’s the team’s top priority. The team is vibrating with high energy for what is yet to come in the season. Last year’s record was 7-9, this year’s goal is to have a record of 10-10 so that the team has chance of being able to compete in the state championship. With dedication to the team and to themselves, the team has a great chance of getting father

with the season than last year.

Returning member sophomore Manuel Quesada Nylen sees a significant amount of improvement for not only the team but for individual players themselves. He mentions, “[he has] definitely improved from last year. [He is] not an all star or a natural at it, but it is safe to say that [he] sucked at the beginning of last season. Now; [he gets] playing time, [he makes] less mistakes than [he] used to, and [he makes] smarter plays.”

With a the new coach, Dan Jurkowski for 2015-2016’s boys volleyball team has a great vision for the season. Expectations and goals are set very high, even though it being his first time coaching the boys team. With such a huge transition in sports, going from coaching track to now coaching both boys and girls volleyball, with just two weeks getting to know the team, Jurkowski is already connecting with the boys as if it’s been years of him coaching. A key factor that intrigues Jurkowski about the team is the diversity. He mentions, “[they] are a group with many different backgrounds and experiences, and coming together as a team had been a fun process.”

Not only is a the team as a whole full of potential but the two captains chosen by Jurkowski. He mentions, “this year, Wunna and Fidelis really stood out with their willingness to lead the team on and off the court.”

With a mutual agreement between Jurkowski and the team thinking that both captains will led the team focused and ready to win.

With three games already down and many more to come, the boys are ready and set to make this a season with amazing victories to never forget.

From top to bottom left to right: Junior captain Germano Fidelis passing the ball. Junior libero Anthony Woo. Sophomore Arthur Kossoski getting ready to serve the ball. Three Malden players waiting for the ball to be served. Senior captain Lin Wunna serving the ball. Photos taken by Ana Kerr.