The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 99 Edition 3
Our 99th Year December 2013
SPIRIT WEEK
Editorial Page 2 Opinion Pages 4-7 World pages 8-10 Local PAges 11-17 Entertainment Pages 18-24 Sports Pages 25-28
The senior spirit team during the tug of war event at the Spirit Day Pep Rally. Photo by Sumya Mohiuddin and Amanda De Moraes. Article on pages 14 and 15.
Oklahoma
Remembering Mandela
Article on page 8
Article on pages 12 and 13
in this issue: Holiday DIY
Thanksgiving Day Game
Crafts Fair
Page 21
Page 28
Page 11
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Editorial
Malden High School
The Blue and Gold 77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148
The Blue and Gold was established in 1915. The Staff: Editors-in-Chief:
Kristen Leonard ‘14 Vicki Ngan ‘14 Amanda Rosatone ‘14 Head of Local:
Amanda De Moraes ‘15 Sumya Mohiuddin ‘15 Head of Op / Eds, Politics & World:
James Mazarakis ‘15 Head of Sports:
P. J. Montezuma ‘15 Head of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:
Casey Lyons ‘15
Head of Multimedia:
Grace Stathos ‘15
Managing Editor of Local:
Julie Lam ‘15
Managing Editor of Op / Eds, Politics & World:
Jessica Lynn Depaula ‘15
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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More Than Just A Game T
he whistle blows. The clock starts winding down. This is the moment that matters the most. This is the moment where you have to put yourself to the test. All of those hours spent at practice. All of those drills. All the conditioning that you thought would kill you, but actually made you stronger, and no, I’m not trying to be Kanye West. High school sports have, without a doubt, shaped my personality. As a senior now, looking back on my high school memories, most of them revolve around sports at my school, whether I was playing in a game or at practice, or if I was supporting another team. Now, here comes the corny part. I’m going to be honest, sports has taught me a lot. It has taught me commitment, responsibility, communication, teamwork, leadership and most importantly to never give up. I recently ended my final field hockey season of my high school career and it was one of the saddest moments in my life. My team and I had gone through a lot; we had a rough season, but not once did we give up. My coach, who we all call Barbs, always gave us these cute motivation quotes to try to get us pumped up for the game, and, honestly, it always worked. The game where we first played Everett on their turf was probably my favorite game of the season because we all went as hard as we could because we had to put up a fight against our rivals. This was the game I was most proud of my team; no one gave up and we all worked together and gave it our all. This year one part that was different with the season was that I was one of the captains of the varsity team. My co-captain Julie and I had to take on the challenge and learn quickly how to become leaders and keep the team spirit up, even when we lost games. This experience, for me, was unforgettable because I learned to be a leader and felt like an important part of the team. Besides leadership, high school sports also gave me the chance to meet new people. Ask me my favorite memory of high school and I would probably answer my freshman year basketball season. I met two of my best friends on that team, Hanna and Maha, and got to play with one of my other best
friends, Amanda. Every practice we had was a blast, a perfect balance between hard work and fun. We actually won a lot of games, too, and we all got along really well. I’ve even had some great memories watching other games with my friends. Don’t ask me to count how many football games I have been to, because I think I have lost count. I’ll never forget sitting in those bleachers at the stadium at one of the games this year, when my friend Courtney and I looked like burritos, all wrapped up in blankets I bought. I’ll never forget sitting in those same bleachers for a lacrosse game with Nicole, or sitting in the bleachers of a boys basketball game or watching the softball team place second in the State during the championships. There’s a reason we all play sports: for the love of the game, and also to represent our school. Bringing home the W for Malden, and cheering for our teams to achieve it, seems to bring everyone together. It’s all about representing “The Den.” If you have not played a high school sport yet, or even tried one, I strongly suggest you try. I’m sure you have all heard it a million and one times, but trust me, you won’t regret it. One thing to remember, though, is that being a student athlete is more than just playing a game. It’s all about carrying yourself as a respectable individual because your actions reflect on yourself, your team and your city. When I go off to college next year, and even when I’m 30, and people ask me what I did in high school I will proudly say, with a smile on my face, “I played Field Hockey and Basketball for Malden High School.”
Kristen Leonard Editor-In-Chief
Managing Editor of Sports:
Jonathan Decicco ‘15 Managing Editor of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:
Myle Nguyen ‘15 Reporters:
Crystal Day ‘15 Nicholas Bramante ‘16 Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 Andrew Cogliano ‘16 Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 Ashley Leung ‘16 Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Candela Diaz ‘17 Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Felicia Fallano ‘17 Karina Matos ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17
Advisor: Ryan Gallagher Established in 1915
Editorial Policy The Blue and Gold is an open forum for student expression. It is produced by students for the school and the community. The views presented in this paper are not necessarily those of the advisor or the school administration. The views presented in the editorials are those of the editors-in-chief or guests. The goal of The Blue and Gold is to inform and entertain students as well as the community regarding issues that we feel are important. We strongly encourage readers to respond to material printed in the form of signed letters to the editors. No libelous, malicious, defamatory, obscene, or unsigned material will be printed. The Blue and Gold reserves the right to edit the letters. Names may be withheld upon request. Not all letters will be printed. Although The Blue and Gold appreciates the support of advertisers, we may refuse any advertisement that violates the above policy or that promotes products questionable to student use. Any correspondence concerning this publication should be directed to Mr. Ryan Gallagher’s room in J387 or to his mailbox in the main office.
The Blue and Gold c/o Malden High School 77 Salem Street Malden, MA 02148
CORRECTIONS Grace Stathos’ name is misspelled on page 1 (“Bringing Home the Trophy”) Head of Sports PJ Montezuma is addressed as Reporter (pg. 9,“2013 World Series”) Jason Drapinski is not mentioned as a former Blue and Gold member (pg. 10,“Rodgers and Hammerstien’s Oklahoma!”) Michelle Foley is not mentioned as a junior (pg. 10,“Rodgers and Hammerstien’s Oklahoma!”) Freshman Hezel Haehnel’s name is misspelled (pg.21,“Measuring Their Final Goal”) Nobody is credited with the article written on pg. 23 (“Kim Du”) Junior Piero Pocobene’s name is misspelled on pg. 23 (”Putting Away the Clubs”)
The Blue and Gold December 2013
Interactive
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The Blue and Gold Crossword Puzzle Welcome to the Issue of holiday traditions!
Background photo: Scene from Malden High School Play Production’s Oklahoma! Photo by Julia Parker. Crossword puzzle by James Mazarakis using Crossword Forge.
Attorney Nancy L. McPheeters Elder Law and Probate Attorney
For consultation, please call: Office (781) 388-1021
Opinion
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James Mazarakis Head of Op / Eds
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
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Collage of various album artworks from Portugal. The Man, Grouplove, MGMT, Chvrches, The White Stripes, Phoenix, The Naked and Famous, Two Door Cinema Club, Radiohead, and more.
t was a hot July 20, 2012: a Friday. I was tuned into 101.7 FM, listening to the Cure’s “Let’s Go to Bed” - WFNX’s last-ever musical broadcast. After nearly 30 years, the alternative Boston-based radio station was bought out. It turned into static at exactly seven o’ clock PM, and then it was over. For Boston, an entire genre of music turned off its lights. This was a big deal for me, because I have always thought, possibly correctly, that my music taste is almost taboo for my age group. Contrary to many of my friends, I cannot distinguish between most pop songs. Whenever I meet someone else who likes “my music,” I get far too excited. And whenever I hopped into my mom’s yellow punchbuggy, you would never hear Katy Perry or Eminem; you would hear the bass of a Red Hot Chili Peppers song or the White Stripes blasting “real” jams. I had come to accept that it was the norm for me and not the rest, and I was cool with it. When I hear people talk about how the new, commercialized 101.7 is their new favorite station, it stings like hearing the name of your ex. And since the possibility of friends “stumbling” on my music was gone, it hurt even more. But that was the past. It is almost 2014 now, and while car rides are still far less exciting, I still have confidence in my home genre - and perhaps next year, it will no longer be as lonely, for the better or for the worse. Ironically, alternative music, as a collective style, is somehow starting to climb into the mainstream. It
is hard to tell whether this is because more bands are climbing from indie to fame in the age of technology, the popular alternative bands are starting to become pop, or if alt/indie rock is being noticed to the point of which it is influencing popular culture. I hope for the latter, fear the second, and ponder the former, but ultimately, it is not my place to say. What I do know is this: for we indierock, grunge kids, this will either be the greatest decade for music or the worst ever. First off, we need to define a few words. A prerequisite for alternative music is not to avoid the radio - nor take it over - but to originate
Scan this QR code to listen to an hour of Alternative and Indie music from Chvrches, Foster the People, Lorde, and more! Visit https://soundcloud.com/the-blue-and-gold if you do not have a smartphone. in the same genre. What binds the alt rock genre together is almost inexplicable. There’s an unorthodox sense of freedom tangled in alternative music that separates it from the mainstream. For me, alternative music is defined by this freedom. I am excited to see what happens to alternative music, but I am also concerned. While I would love to hear my friends sing along to Chvrches or Portugal. The Man (my own favorite band), I fear the conse-
“There’s an unorthodox sense of freedom tangled in alternative music that separates it from the mainstream.”
from outside the genre. The reason for this confusion is that “alternative” as a genre means something other than what it refers to; when it should mean simply “not pop,” it is actually an evolved compilation derived from 80’s new wave, grunge, and more. Indie rock, meanwhile, is not quite a genre but a status - the group records with an independent, non-corporatized industry. Because of its flexible meaning, alt rock is a very diverse, but also very selective genre -- some songs sound sort of like pop, others like country, or even hip-hop or metal. It’s hard to believe while listening to AWOLNATION’s “Sail,” where Aaron Bruno is perpetually screaming over trance-inducing electronics, and Of Monster and Men’s “King and Lionheart,” a delicate, country-influenced and emotional serenade, that they are
quences of popularity. After all, part of the appeal of this type of music is that it is not controlled by these very industries. Ideally, I want to see people supporting independent labels and have the fat cats in the music industry to keep their hands off. But this is America, so that will not be happening any time soon. The other issue is more personal. Many people hold this type of music close to their heart in part from its low status in the industry, and for this reason, it is not widely shared. Several people, including myself, see it as “their” music, defining, celebrating, and eulogizing who they are - which happens in all genres, of course, but since only a handful of others are aware of the music itself, it gives us audible space to be ourselves, alone, without having to change for other people. Ironically,
this is a recurring theme in many alt rock songs - as Imagine Dragons says in their song “It’s Time” (which I consider to be their classic), “I’m never changing who I am.” That’s why I am attracted to alt/indie rock. You change who you are when you accept pop music. This is not to say you absolutely cannot appreciate any pop song, of course, but as a genre, it teaches you to act in ways that others may want you to act. It teaches you that believing in equality or standing up for a belief can only be done by the brave when we should be learning how we can do it ourselves. It teaches you the worst of America’s prejudices. Come on, the number one song of the summer taught us that refusing sex is a “blurred line.” Even if you claim not to accept it, hearing it will affect every decision you make. Alt/indie rock teaches you nothing of the sort. Instead, it teaches you about yourself. When you look inside, the only voice you will find is your own. Because it is the people who speak for themselves, not for their superiors, that are, as the band Grouplove puts it, “just like you.” Climb aboard RadioBDC, the “spinoff” of WFNX, an online streaming radio hosted by Boston.com. I found countless new bands, from indie rock to all the faces of alternative.
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“I’m Stupid!” - An American Guide to Educating Youth Andrew Cogliano Reporter
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or years, America’s education system has been regarded as one of the best in the world. By being one of the most developed nations in the world, we have the ability to spend our time and effort on things like professional teachers, new supplies, and safe buildings. We are nothing like the third-world countries, where the schools are as scarce as the food, and the life expectancy does not exceed 35 years. We, along with nations like Finland, South Korea, Japan, and England, have the privilege of being ranked one of the best countries for education. But what happens when the scantron sheets and number two pencils begin to harm students more than they help them? The results can be harsh, cold, and downright inhumane. Education is definitely important in order for one to have a good life, that is undeniable. You can’t expect to be a doctor or lawyer without proper schooling, and good grades. But in recent years, students have been facing extreme pressure not only from their parents, but from teachers, and even the government. Ask any high school student (even the ones at MHS) how they feel about school. Most of them will say “it’s okay” or “I’m doing well”,
Left: Original photo via MCT. Edited by Jessica Lynn Depaula and Tenzin Dorjee.
A main part of the problem is standardized testing. Nothing sends more chills up a student’s spine than hearing the word SAT or ACT or PSAT. In the past years, the intensity of these tests have increased at a steady rate, even to the point where students have become enslaved to the guide books and prep courses. We are told by everyone, the government, our parents, even our friends, that these tests are the most important exams we will ever take. If we fail them, we are doomed to live an unsuccessful, unhappy life. In 2003, the state of New York increased the difficulty of its stan-
Above: The AP Psych Test, Section II Free Response Booklet. This is returned to students two days after the exam's conclusion. (Via Wikimedia) but notice that nobody will say they love school. It is true, the social interaction is great; we love seeing our friends for five days per week. However, every other part of school is taking an incredible, unseen toll on students, in both America and around the world.
dardized tests, after much pressure from the state government. The results were horrendous. In K-8 schools, there were reports of students “giving up...slamming their heads against their desk... shouting ‘I’m stupid’.” In another school, students “complained about
the long test hours...began vomiting…[and] lost control of their bowels” (the Daily Caller). In a statewide address, the secretary of education issued a letter to all parents in apology, and announced that the students would retake the exam without the difficulty enhancement. This issue was widely ignored by national press, for an unknown reason. It seemed like a story worthy of national headlines, right? Apparently not. This may seem disturbing by American standards, but in other countries, especially Japan, China, and South Korea, the effects are much worse. Students in Japan have become so immersed in the “book-to-brain” ideology that they get only three to four hours of sleep at night, and have been found to lack serious creative and critical thinking skills. According to Donald W. Farmer, who studied Asian education systems, “students are not rewarded for creative interpretation. The correct ‘answer’ is always the interpretation presented by the teacher.” Standardized tests aside, students face a ridiculous amount of stress in their everyday classes as well. We are pressured into taking Advanced Placement classes for the sake of our GPA, and end up spending our weekends locked in our bedrooms, drowning in homework. Over vacations, teachers assault us with multiple projects and piles of assignments. A popular survey taken by psychologist Robert Leahy reveals that “the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950s.” Many students across the country often deal with sleep deprivation, anxiety attacks, and moderate depression because of the overdose on education. Perhaps the nation has forgotten that it is dealing with human beings. Students are not some beast of burden you can load pounds of work onto, or a machine that cannot feel. Is it really worth all the stress and devastation, so that America can hold the coveted title of “Smartest Nation”? In an imperfect world where perfection is so highly sought after, maybe we need to take a look at things through a student’s point of view.
A Generation of Learners Amanda de Moraes Head of Local
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family is sitting in the living room for dinner. The TV is on, phones are in hand and homework is laying on the floor, temporarily forgotten. They eat hastily, still focused on their previous tasks and are already anticipating the next thing which must be done, before the first is even completed. America has been criticized for many things; our fast paced, electric lifestyle being one of them. A trait which can be attributed to our extensive urban development, American society has grown to value one word above all others: “Go.” We have become obsessed with living five minutes into the future; nothing can ever be done fast enough. This mindset has wormed its way into every aspect of American life, plaguing our minds. The single greatest example of this plague is the birth of a child. As perverse as it may sound, there is logic behind this statement, I assure you. Within days of a child being born, parents, relatives, and family friends begin to plot her future. I cannot count how many times I have heard parents proudly say, with a twinkle in their eye: “She’s going to Harvard Medical School!” before their poor child can even open her eyes. While it is more than understandable for parents to have hopes and dreams for their children, we cannot overlook the fact that this is a human being. The life of a person is not determined by their accomplishments, but by what they learn. We never finish learning in our lives. Learning is a process which will continue until our very last day. Perhaps not in the sense which we normally think of as learning, but learning nonetheless. Our fast paced mindset is constantly thinking of tomorrow, six months from now, next year. I am more than guilty of partaking in this myself; always thinking, or rather, obsessively worrying over of my future. Which university will I attend? What will I major in? Where will I work? Where will I live? The list is endless. After many sleepless nights lying awake and going over these same questions time and time again, I had an epiphany. It is just plain stupid, for lack of better words, to waste time now worrying about tomorrow. That is not an excuse, by any means, to justify reckless actions with phrases such as “YOLO,” but quite the opposite.
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Redefined Identities Jessica Lynn DePaula Managing Editor of Op/Eds
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uthor and autism advocate Stuart Duncan sums up the role of families in an autistic child’s life to a tee: “Having a child with autism can mess with your head: you feel like you can move mountains for them, yet you’re powerless at the same time.” Being a primary caregiver for my 6-year-old cousin, Dante, has given me a lot of insight into this quote; diagnosed in April 2013 (coincidentally, Autism Awareness Month), he’s at the Forestdale School now, in an high functioning ASD-centric class which he loves and is miraculously adjusting to. The problem is, he wasn’t really given a proper diagnosis. The fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), released in June 2013, essentially combined four vastly different forms of autism: DSM-IV’s autistic disorder (autism), Asperger’s syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS). Additionally, the criteria for receiving a diagnosis of autism has changed; the three main criteria, called the triad model-impairment in social interaction, impairment in social communication, restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activitieshas now been combined into two categories: persistent deficits in
social communication and social interaction and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Before, one must have met two out of the three criteria; many of those previously diagnosed with forms of autism, specifically Asperger’s syndrome, met the criteria for social impairments and repetition, but not in speech delay. Now, speech delay is a must-have for anyone seeking out an autism diagnosis. If your child has been exhibiting symptoms of Asperger’s, but wasn’t diagnosed until, let’s say, August of this year, they would be given a diagnosis of, not autism, but social communication disorder. Others could wind up in another category altogether: disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders. Out of the six diagnoses in this new category, all but one consists of virtually the same exact symptoms and criteria as the DSM-IV’s autism. Autism advocate Temple Grandin, in a scathing May 2013 article, denounced this, saying, “I smell a strong case of ‘If we label them that, then we don’t have to give them ASD services and we can just let the police deal with them.’ The DSM might as well call this category Throw ’Em in Jail.” To many kids and adults with autism, particularly in the Asperger’s community, their diagnoses are
a critical part of their identity, and, with this new spectrum, feel as if a piece of them has just been ripped away. The DSM-V is being criticized by scores of parents, autism advocates and, most importantly, those with autism themselves, for not only implementing this new broad spectrum, but for an apparent lack of unbiased and thorough research when altering the definition of autism, as well. Allegations have been made of the APA only using young, white children in a critical study used to determine the new criteria and spectrum; this suggests an ignorance of the needs of older children and minorities with autism, groups which make up a large percentage of students with autism. What is interesting about Grandin’s opinion is that, unlike other clinicians, biologists and psychologists that have voiced support for the DSM-V’s new autism spectrum, she is autistic, has undergone the discrimination, prejudice and frustration Dante and millions of other children experience every day of their lives.
tions to this, the only ones who are speaking out against the DSM-V are those who suffer from autism themselves or have a child or relative with autism. We were told by Dante’s pediatrician that, if not for the new DSM-V criteria and specifications, he would have received a diagnosis of PDD-NOS. Instead of having a concrete diagnosis, he was simply “slightly autistic.” Luckily, we live in Malden, one of the best school districts for kids with special needs, and have had no problems acquiring special education services for him; a last-minute change of schools was made available to him when it became apparent that the program at the Forestdale would be a much better fit. But other families aren’t that fortunate. I have heard horror stories from parents who have been forced to relocate their families to receive services through more empathetic schools or pay massive amounts of money for more accepting private education. As a primary caregiver of a child with autism, and a pretty awe-
What this new “autism spectrum” comes down to is services; if the criteria for autism is made more specific, a smaller percentage of people will be diagnosed with autism, and, therefore, schools and employers will be required to offer less accommodations to less people. Worse, many in the medical community, the very doctors, psychologists and behavioral health specialists that are supposed to be there for us and our children, appear to be going along with this trickery. Aside from notable excep-
some child with autism, at that, I recognize that, especially with the ridiculousness of the new spectrum, the families of ASD kids need to step up and educate the rest of the world, because nobody else has the understanding or experience to. Above left: 6-year old Dante Harr. Above right: Dante’s biggest supporter, his 9-year-old sister, Savannah. Images used with permission by Linda Harr. Below: Play area at the Beebe school. All photos by Jessica Lynn DePaula
Opinion
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A Nation on Fire Tenzin Dorjee Reporter
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hat is self-immolation? It is an extreme act of protest by lighting oneself on fire when all other methods of resistance seem futile. The first self-immolation in Tibet happened following the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Now over 100 self-immolations have occurred, each martyr crying out for the freedom of Tibet. These freedom callers don’t fear death; they are past the point of fright. Peaceful protests aren’t enough. That is the mindset of the Tibetans that have self-immolated. Many of the deceased are monks and nuns. Tibetans are being oppressed and stripped of their natural human rights by the Chinese communist government. A land with no religious freedom, Tibetans live in a world where they aren’t allowed to pray freely and openly own a photo of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. Doing so will lead to Chinese officials beating and torturing people who commit this “crime.” China’s crackdown on Tibet isn’t just a recent occurrence, it has been happening for many years, only intensifying as time goes one. It’s gotten to the point that the self-
Map of Tibetan Self-Immolations, Updated April 25, 2013. (via Wikimedia) immolations have happened outside of Tibet. Chinese policies, strict laws that are the government’s doing, placed upon Tibet are unfair and unjust as they are slowly killing the Tibetan identity to extinction. China proclaims that Tibet will be worse off independent and that it is simply
helping the Himalayan land to prosper, when in reality it is the reason for this peaceful home to many’s deterioration. Outside media isn’t allowed inside Tibet. Journalists and other tourists are restricted to where in Tibet they can travel, which places suspicion on China’s description
of a so-called “harmonious society [with] a good environment,” as said by President Xi Jinping. The president goes on to say that “[Tibet’s] people are happy and healthy,” which is clearly a lie, as many have died for their belief that Tibet isn’t ‘happy and healthy’.
“It’s not [What Comics Are] underneath, but what [They] do that defines [Them].” Nick Bramante Reporter
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atman: sneaking around and putting an end to crime since 1939. He is the night, he is vengeance and the greater good... right? Many of us like to believe that characters such as everybody’s favorite black-clad bat are as simple as black and white. As simple, as defining characteristics such as evil and good. What most people don’t realize is that, in reality, the Dark Knight’s morals and character have much more to teach us than just the idea of good and bad. The Dark Knight himself is a walking puzzle, one full of psychology and idealism. His enemies are just the same, and once these puzzles can be solved, they hold many secrets that teach as much as they show. If nothing else, Bruce teaches us the true meaning and value of selflessness. In a city where everyone has taken the easy way out and preys on each other, Bruce puts everything he has on the line every night, in the hope that some good may come out of it. If you cannot see how selflessness plays in, you can at least see the bravery and courage Bruce shows indefinitely. Bruce does what no one else dares to do, he goes against the grain and truly stands up in what he believes in. It seems
many people in today’s world, could take a lesson or two from the Dark Knight. Even the so-called “villains” that run amuck in Gotham can teach us all something about the world and ourselves. Let’s take the most well-known example and examine him: The Joker. The Joker himself is the exact opposite of Bruce. Where Bruce is logical, the Joker is random and unpredictable. Where Bruce has morals, the Joker’s only morals involve using insanity as a sort of mercy-door out of reality. So what can a truly psychotic man teach us? In DC’s “The Killing Joke,” we learn just that. As a reader, we learn how vulnerable we can become, no matter how strong we may think we are. We also learn how the world can be a dangerous place, and that if we are not prepared to deal with what it throws at us, we may just end up hurting others as well as ourselves. While grim, the lessons themselves are important to learn
as they are really some of the simplest fundamental values available, even if many people today are missing them. Another famous character from Batman’s world that we can learn from is the infamous Two-Face. After half of Gotham’s District Attorney’s face is horribly mutilated, Harvey Dent goes from respected hero to insane villain; particularly one with a split-personality disorder. Such a disorder itself is very apparent in today’s world, and while it is not an evil thing to have, we can see just how much it can affect someone by watching Dent’s (now Two-Face) actions. The most important lesson Two-Face can teach, however, is what is more important: what is fair, or what is right. Fair and right are two different things, of course, “fair” follows the idea that all should be treated equal, while “right” is doing the morally better thing despite the odds. Which is better is a philosophical question itself, but Two-Face certainly brings our attention and consciousness to
the idea, and lets us decide for ourselves. A lesser-known, yet still just as important character found in Batman’s life, is that of Harleen Quinzel. Quinzel was a psychiatrist charged with the evaluation of the Joker, who had been captured for the first time. Through manipulation and charisma, the Joker was able to transform Quinzel into his own partner-in-crime: the twisted Harley Quinn. The following years for Quinn were filled with abuse and emotional agony, and even if she did partake in hurtful schemes, one might say that Quinn is really just the victim of the Joker’s manipulation. We can learn from Quinn’s mistake, and see the danger of letting one person control you and abuse you to the point where you are no longer yourself, but a shell of your former self. While it may take quite a bit of digging and thinking, there is a lot more we can learn from The Dark Knight than we ever thought we could. Both Bruce and his fellow comic book members may seem trivial at first, but with enough thought anyone can learn much more about life from these fictional people than most people ever thought possible.
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Candela Dias Reporter Felicia Fallano Reporter
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
2013: keeping
Julia Parker Reporter
e l s o n Mandela was well known to the world as a brave and generous man who changed South Africa and the hearts of many. Putting racial and cultural issues aside, millions came together in a moment of silence honoring his recent death on Dec. 5th, 2013. Known for his work against segregation in African countries, a great number of lives were changed which makes him a majorly loved historical figure today. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Mvezo, Union of South Africa, on Jul. 18, 1918. Known for his revolutionary stand against racism in his home country and around the
The Loss of a Legend:
world, Mandela spent 27 years of his life in jail because of his disagreement with the government of South Africa during a period of time called apartheid. Mandela was married three times. His first wife, Evelyn Mase, was married to him from 1944-1958, having two sons (Madiba Thembekile and Makgatho Mandela) and two daughters (both named Makaziwe Mandela). The two divorced when Mase asked Mandela to decide between her and his work in the African National Congress Liberation
President Bill Clinton with Nelson Mandela at the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA, July 4 1993.
Nelson Mandela
movement. He attended the University of Witwatersrand, where he began his studies in law. There, Mandela met many people like Anton Lembede, who later went on to inspire Mandela to put an end to apartheid. Making up only about 10% of the population back then, whites controlled the country of South Africa in what was known as apartheid. A series of laws were made affecting people by their race. Colored people were put in a different place to live with others of their same race; it created separate beaches, buses, hospitals and schools for those who were white. Education was affected, as negroes were being designed to grow up to become laboring men and women. His first imprisonment happened in 1962 for “leaving the country without permissiom,” where he was held in Johannesburg’s Marshall Square prision. Later, in 1964, Mandela and a colleague were sentenced to life imprisonment; afterwards, they were transferred to a prison on Robben Island, where they spent the next 18 years. By 1975, Mandela was a Class A prisoner, meaning he could receive more letters and visits. Mandela began writing his autobiography, which he secretly sent to London. It was not published, and once prison authorities found out about it, Mandela’s study privileges came to an end for four years. As his fame grew worldwide, Mandela was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town. Him and seniors from the African National Congress (ANC) believed they were brought to that prison to isolate their influence on young activists. For two years, Mandela resided in Victor Verster Prison. When president of the
1918-2013
ANC, P.W. Botha, suffered a stroke, he was replaced by F.W. de Klerk. Anti-apartheid president de Klerk released all ANC prisoners, except Mandela. Later, de Klerk organized a meeting to discuss the release of Mandela, and later met with Mandela before officially legalising and releasing him. On Feb. 11, Mandela stood in front of millions, giving a speech declaring his actions “against the violence of apartheid” and his fight to negociate with the white minority but to also bring peace to the black majority. After being freed from prison, Mandela began a tour to encourage countries to help end apartheid in South Africa, and held a benefit concert known as “Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute to Free South Africa.” From American president George H.W. Bush to Pope John Paul II, Mandela did his best to include as many international countries around the world as possible. In Dec. 1991, as a part of the Convention for A Democratic South Africa (CODESA), Mandela began meeting with heads of important companies. Later on, de Klerk and Mandela went to meet with then-President Bill Clinton. They both received the Liberty Medal, and were awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway. Years passed, and the election of 1994 was on its way to a huge impact. The first black president was elected by South Africa: Mandela. Mandela’s reign lasted for five years, as changes in the political party were crucial to end apartheid. On Apr. 26, 1994, the first multiracial presidential election had an attendance of more than two million people at the ballots. For years, Mandela wished to gain rights for black South Africans. Mandela used his non-violence philosophy to end apartheid in South America. He believed that people weren’t born to hate, they are taught and if someone can learn to hate, then they can learn to love. Four years after he got released from prison and became president of South Africa he chose white man, F. W. de Klerk, to be his vice president. Lying in his grave, finally at peace, Nelson Mandela will forever be remembered, not just in textbooks, but in the hearts of millions. As blacks in South Africa are given their full freedom and their rights as people, his work is finally done.
International
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memories alive Chaimae El Adlouni Reporter
Jessica Lynn DePaula Managing Editor of World
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any of the stars the world once knew and admired have left the world, and although that sounds depressing, it gives the world the opportunity to reminisce on their past heroes. Many memories a person has are intertwined with a sitcom or movie. Adults look at actors as the heroes from their childhood; children gaze in awe as they watch their favorite actors; teens feel both ways. Singers are the angels of music, as actors are the angels of the big screen. Listening to music is paradise for the ears, as for every note heard, a bit of heaven is given off. Every famous person’s name has
Ashley Leung Reporter
Andre Cassagnes Died: Jan. 16, 2013
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ne of the most popular childrens’ toy of all time, the Etch A Sketch had brought a smile to thousands of children all around the world since its creation. The inventor of the Etch A Sketch, Andre Cassagnes, died on Jan. 16, 2013 in a Paris suburb at the age of 86.
Hugo Chavez
Died: March 5, 2013
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ormer president of Venezuela, Chavez died at the age of 58 of cancer. He was best known for his reform efforts and strong opinions in government. Chavez served as president from 1999-2013, and was removed from office in 2002, only to be reelected back into office in 2004 to finish his term. Because he implemented socialist policies and allied himself with communists, diplomacy with the United States was strained, but his reform efforts still changed the direction of Venezuelan politics.
Annette Funicello
Died: April 8, 2013 lso is mostly know as a mouseketeer, died last year, after her 2 year fight with multiple sclerosis. Many fans might have known her not by name but by legend: an amazing teenage prodigy who was personally discovered by
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been mentioned on the news, or any other type of worldwide media; the sad part is they are listed off as if they weren’t even human. Although all of the glamour may blind the public to see otherwise, in actuality if you strip a few layers of fame, famous people are like everyone else. When the public hears of their favorite actors’ or singers’ death they mourn their loss, but true fans who have stayed by their music, films, etc. feel empty inside. Many famous people have parted from the world in the past, leaving behind their music, their legends, their families and their loyal fans.
Walt Disney himself. Every little kid and his friend know about the Disney Junior show, “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” but few of them knew the original “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” that including 24 teenagers (not animated mouse characters), a sensation that swept America in the 50’s. Funicello was known as America’s sweetheart from then on. A highly watched movie that has been adapted, “Zorro,” stars Funicello. Although these were many years ago, she has not been forgotten, especially the organization inspired by Funicello to raise money for diseases similar to Lou Gehrig's disease, The Annette Funicello Research Fund for Neurological Diseases.
Kriss Kross Died: May 1, 2013
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ump Jump” was the timeless, trademark song of Kriss Kross (Chris Kelly), a sensational former child star who amazed all, although his life was short-lived. At 13, he was discovered along with his friend, Chris Smith, by Jermaine Dupri at a shopping mall. The duo went on to sell over four million copies of their first album “Totally Krossed Out” in 1992; the hit single, “Jump,” reached the Billboard Top 100 and stayed eight weeks. Later on the video for “Jump” went on to be the number 1 video for MTV. Along came their own video; they even went on tour with Michael Jackson and helped edit some of his most popular videos. The two also helped with the soundtrack for “The Rugrats.” With a few gold and platinum albums the two were on top until they separated. Kelly had an addiction problem that may have led to the demise of his life.
Bull in the film “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” Schellenberg was nominated for an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Movie.
Lou Reed
Cory Monteith
Died: Aug. 27, 2013
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onsidered the father of Alternative music, Lou Reed started his music career in 1964 with a unique perspective. Lead singer of band the Velvet Underground, he started his solo career in the 70’s with hits such as “Perfect Day.” His music contributed to the rise of punk and introduced a wide variety of new musical talent. He died on a Sunday morning - the title of his debut track. Died: July 13, 2013
Paul Walker
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unique talent ripped from a promising future as an actor, singer and husband, Monteith was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room in midsummer. With 4 seasons on the hit television show, “Glee,” as well as films such as “Sisters and Brothers,” “The Whisper,” and the upcoming “All The Wrong Reasons” and “McCanick,” Cory’s short but sweet career will be remembered for years to come.
August Schellenberg Died: August 15, 2013
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ree Willy,” one of the many movies that brought its audience close to tears, lost one of its actors in the movie, August Schellenberg, who played the role of protagonist’s Native American mentor. Schellenberg died peacefully at the age of 77, surrounded by loved ones as he ended his long-time battle against cancer. Schellenberg had played in all three “Free Willy” films, and often found work as Native American roles in other famous Hollywood films. For his role as Chief Sitting
Died: November 30, 2013
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he star of the wildly popular The Fast and Furious films, Walker was tragically killed in a 30-car pileup wreckage during Thanksgiving weekend. Fans were left confused and angry during the first few hours following the accident, as initial reports suggested that Walker was not really dead but, in fact, the victim of an online hoax. Walker’s abrupt, violent death has left Hollywood devastated.
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Malala Wakes Up to Change Chaimae El Adlouni Reporter
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alala Yousafzai has been an inspiration to the world since her fight to live after the Taliban shot her in the head and neck made international news one year ago. Her struggles have been life-changing to the people of the world. In America, no one is refused an education, but yet so many take it for granted. Malala is essentially a young teenager who is fighting for her education. This brave girl began to speak out earlier in the year and was silenced for a while to recover from her fatal wounds. The Taliban tried to shut her down, but their actions only rose a movement, to help young girls like Malala receive the education they rightfully deserve. She has fully recovered and is even louder than before, and this time there is no silencing this young girl, as well as the rest of the world. Malala has made a difference in the world, raising headlines in the papers with calls to action; who would believe someone so young and innocent could have such a big voice and impact? She certainly did not think that it would, but she fought anyway. “It seems that Malala's courage has awoken Pakistan's silent majority who are no longer prepared to tolerate the threats and intimidations of the Pakistani Taliban," said former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, a U.N. special envoy
The Blue and Gold December 2013
As the ages pass, the nature of women’s issues calls for a new way to empower them. With the new media, young girls like Malala Yousafaszai are able to speak out against crimes that would have gone unnoticed as few as 150 years ago.
for global education, in an article published by CNN in June 2013. The country and people are coming to a realization that they are sick of this overpowering organization controlling their life, and it is plain that they are sick of it. This girl has been through so much, but continues to raise awareness for the cause that means so much to her; allowing children to have an education and contribute to society. Malala woke up from her coma and without any second thought her first public statement was her reason for fighting, "...to serve the people. [She] want[s] every girl, every child, to be educated." Malala goes to school in Birmingham, England and tries to raise money to educate others that are in the same situation as her.
United States President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughter Malia meet with Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012, in the Oval Office on 11 October 2013.
American Rippers: 18 Years Later Andrew Cogliano Reporter
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Victorian-era Cartoon criticising the police for their inability to find the Whitechapel murderer (Jack the Ripper). Reads: “Blind-Man’s Bluff (as played by the police): Turn round three times, and catch whom you may!” Image via Wikimedia.
hen murder and prostitutes mix, one usually thinks of the infamous Jack the Ripper, who terrorized the streets of London in the late 1800’s. But recently, in the quiet military town of Oak Grove, Kentucky, the cold case regarding the slaying of two prostitutes has now been reopened. The prime suspects of the 1994 case were never fully tried, and later released due to insufficient evidence. Ever since then, the crimes have weighed heavily on the community, with citizens remaining (reasonably) fearful of another attack. The accusations began when the madam of the brothel to which both murdered women belonged to made a shocking statement during a City Council meeting 19 years ago. She boldly accused two corrupt police officers of murdering the women, which prompted the local authorities to initiate a full scale investigation that didn’t do much. In 2006, the police reopened the case and started a new investigation that lasted seven full years. The two police officers, as well as a third man, were named as prime suspects once more. Members of the accused include a detective who appeared at the crime scene originally, and two policemen who have since left the force. Edward T. Carter, Frank J. Black Jr., and Leslie Duncan were all accused of the murders within three months of each other. Duncan, 50, is currently incarcerated
for a three year sentence after he plead guilty to tampering with physical evidence in the case, reported Kentucky State Police. Black and Carter are both being held in custody with a court issued bail of one million dollars. The two prostitutes, Candace Belt and Gloria Ross, were both shot in the head and had their throats slit. Furious, the madam of the brothel, Tammy Papler, noisily accused both Duncan and Carter, claiming that “[they] already had dirt on them.” It was true, the New Life Massage Parlor where Papler’s brothel was stationed did have a reputation of giving sexual favors to police officers. Another prostitute, Patty Balew, announced that this was the norm at the time. Balew was quoted as saying “If they were police officers, that’s what we had to do whether we wanted to or not, which we didn’t like,” in a 1997 interview with CNN. “It was devastating,” Papler adds, “One was breastfeeding her baby. It was just a few weeks old.” Duncan’s attorney, Stephanie Richie, says that his client “maintains his innocence,” and “denies being involved in the murders.” As for tampering with evidence, Richie includes that “He expressed remorse and regret to the victims’ families,” and also apologized for the mistakes he made as an inexperienced detective. All three men have been charged with two counts of murder, and are all being held in separate facilities within the state as they await transportation either to a court or to a state penitentiary. Papler made further accusations later in 1994, but by then she had already quit being the madam of the brothel.
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Annual CRAFTS FAIR at Malden High School Andrew Cogliano Reporter
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he ability of the citizens of Malden to work with their hands truly shined on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013 during the annual Crafts Fair, which took place in the Disano and Tornado cafeterias at Malden High School. Local artisans from all over Malden, as well as members from the Fine Arts Club, sold a wide variety of goods, from paintings to woodwork to edibles. To contribute to the holiday spirit of the season, as well as to contribute to the profits from the fair, the Fine Arts Club also set up a booth to wrap the items which their customers purchased. “[It is] really a great festival,” remarked Malden resident, and attendee Christine King, because she believes that “businesses and people can show what they can do.” King believes that locally made goods are a wonderful asset to Malden and contribute immensely to both the economy and the culture of the city. She also commented on the fact that the the timing for the fair was
perfect because it was “just in time for the holidays!” Many businesses from within and around Malden sold their products at the fair, which resulted in a great variety of goods, including, but not limited to baked goods, bracelets, cookie dough and stuffed animals. The Crafts Fair has been occurring at MHS for the past 31 years, and is an important fundraiser for the city. The school collects money from all outside participants’ tables, which is then evenly distributed throughout the four classes. One hundred dollars profit, for example, will give each class $25. Tables can be rented out for $35 each, and each crafter must donate one item for the raffle basket, which is then given to the winner at the end of the fair. Students are also encouraged to give their own time and volunteer to help the crafters. The fair is a great opportunity for both veteran and novice crafters of all ages to try to sell their wares. Both cafeterias were flooded with tables, where anyone could purchase made-to-order dresses, cashmere scarves, license plates, and
books. Tables in the entryway had many Malden themed items, ranging from MHS lanyards to books on the city’s history. MHS’s very own Fine Arts Club also participated in the fair, under the direction of Mary Ann Seager. They sold “...scarves and [MHS] lanyards,” stated Seager, in an effort to make up for missing the fair last year. The club admits that
although they made some money, unfortunately, the funds collected did not exceed $150. The Crafts Fair presents a wonderful opportunity for business owners to sell their products and holiday shoppers to buy presents. In anticipation of the next annual Crafts Fair, MHS anticipates the arrival of exciting new products and the crafters who sell them.
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FROM MASSACHUSETTS Julia Parker Reporter
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alden High School presents the fall musical “Oklahoma.” Students, and teacher, Sean Walsh, from the play production class at MHS are proud of the turnout. With months of preparation, the musical debuted on Nov. 21, 2013, and lasted until Nov. 23, with four showings. The twentieth century musical focuses on complicated romance of two love stories. The musical also shows the difficulties residents face as Oklahoma has just become a state. Curly Mclain is a crowd favorite. Cowboy Mclain is in love with a farm girl named Laurey Williams. The love story of the two was a crowd pleaser, along with the other lovable characters. Sophomore cast member and dancer Sarah Bendell described being apart of the play as “the best experience [she] ever had.” Late nights at the school turned out to be more than worth it in the end. Bendell said “the cast and crew became a family... the show had so much energy.” The energy and connection
among the cast definitely rubbed off on the audience. Walsh states that “[he has] been more than impressed by everyone in the production”.
songs. The play showed people from different worlds coming together, a great concept for a high school like MHS, due to the wide range
“[I have] been more than impressed with everyone in the production.” -Director Sean Walsh After the first showing, students walked around MHS the next day singing a memorable song from the play, “O What A Beautiful Morning.” Some spectators claim that they went back to view the show a second time because it was “that good.” The musical was full of romance, joy, and controversy. The cast kept the crowd interested with the dramatic scenes and beautiful
of culture and backgrounds among its students. With such a great concept, the actors related very well to their characters. Laurey, played by senior Jessie Memmolo, constantly argued with Curly, played by senior Ramy Riviere, and was coveted by the character Jud, played by senior Craig Powers, an aggressive and pushy character. On the other hand, there was a decision to be made by Ado An-
nie, played by senior Cori Malone, concerning who she is to marry: cowboy Will Parker, played by junior Sebastian Patino, and the Persian merchant Ali Hakim, played by junior Elijah Jean-Baptiste. Caught frolicking with Ali Hakim by Will Parker on multiple occasions, the entire love story is filled with humor, giving the audience a laugh. Ado Annie could not decide which was better: a Persian goodbye or an Oklahoma hello. As the Play Production members packed up the props and the costumes, the thrill of the performance of Rodger and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! came to an end. “Preparing for the show has been… hectic,” said Malone. Performing the play over and over in their rehearsals, and performing to the public four times, the cast feels down about letting it go. Now is the time to look forward to the next musical they will put on.
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TO OKLAHOMA! Cast
Curly McLain: Ramy Riviere Laurey Williams: Jessie Memmolo Aunt Eller: Julie De Souza Will Parker: Sebastian Patino Ado Annie Carnes: Cori Malone Ali Hakim: Elijah Jean-Baptiste Jud Fry: Craig Powers Andrew Carnes: Jonathan Chipman Gertie Cummings: Michelle Foley Ike Skidmore: Michael Howe Cord Elam: Stefaun Tallent-Maldonado Vivian: Sarah Viera Ellen: Jennifer Alves Virginia: Kasya Jensen Kate: Alana Burdine Slim: Noah Milan Fred: Jason Drapinski Joe: Mateo Coronado Tom: Michael Lane
Featured Dancers:
Justine Rose Stivia Demiri Robyn Farrell Joylyn Norris Sarah Bendell Sarah Foster Mateo Coronado Jason Drapinski
Ensemble Justine Rose Stivia Demiri Robyn Farrell Joylyn Norris Sarah Bendell Sarah Foster Mateo Coronado Jason Drapinski Michael Howe
Ensemble (continued) Stefaun Maldonado Noah Milan Michael Lane Sarah Zeiberg Bailey Reed Sarah Viera Jennifer Alves Kasya Jensen Alana Burdine Meghan Brown Sabrina Kumar Amari Wilson Ali Fletcher Bridget McCarthy Samantha French Kaitlyn Weng
Directed: Mr. Sean Walsh Technical Director: Mr. Allen Phelps Music Director: Mr. Todd Cole Choreographer: Ms. Taylor Lombard Assistant Director: Ms. Angela Keefe Percussion: Anthony Torres Stage Manager: Ellie Cordero Costumes: Jilian Molokwu, Sajeannah Cadet, Anjayla Boyce, Hazel Rodrigues, Kamilla Regalado Urrutia Set Design and Master Carpenter: Zackory Barreto Carpenters: Zach Foster, Alex Silva, Sam Collins Scenic Painting: Mateo Coronado and Tammy Tan Shift Crew/Fly System: Zackory Barreto, Michael MacIntyre, Alex Silva, Sam Collins Properties: Lyndsey Martin Sound Design and Operation: Corey McFeeley Lighting Design and Execution: Ashley Yung House Manager: Katie Harbeck Spot Lights: Tenzin Tseyang and Kamilla Regalado Urrutia Seamstress and Costume Supervisor: Ms. Anne Drapinski Poster Design by Zackory Barreto
Pictured: seniors Julie Souza, Ramy Riviere, Cori Malone, Jessie Memmolo, Robyn Farrell, Justine Rose, Jason Drapinski, juniors Jonathan Chipman, Sebastian Patino, Elijah Jean-Baptiste, sophomore Sarah Bendell Layout and Design by Amanda De Moraes, Sumya Mohiuddin, and Julie Lam
14 Amanda De Moraes Head of Local Sumya Mohiuddin Head of Local
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Break out the
Julie Lam Managing Edior of Local
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he 126th Thanksgiving Day football game 16-0 victory against Medford was the highlight of another successful Spirit Week. Football fans all over the school prepared themselves for the annual Malden v. Medford Thanksgiving game by participating in a three-day week dedicated to showing Malden High School spirit. This year marked the 126th anniversary of the anticipated event. The week began with pajama day, the only Monday of the year that students are glad the weekend ends and flock to school. Students of MHS entered school fully equipped with slippers, teddy-bears, and even pillows, dressed in their comfiest bedtime attire. On Tuesday, the students celebrated Wacky Tacky day, where mismatched clothes were worn and ridiculous personas were adopted. Some students take advantage of the endless possibilities. For example, wearing their underwear over their pants. Statistically, most people enjoy participating on this day. Freshmen class advisor Heather Northrop stated that “along with many others, [she looks] forward to seeing what outfit Principal Dana Brown is sporting on the morning of Wacky Tacky Day.” Students wondered if Brown would be able to outdo his wacky tacky day get-up from last year, when he dressed up as Nicki Minaj. The song “What Does the Fox Say” by Ylvis was playing repeatedly before the start of school, and anyone walking by the main office understood why. Brown, dressed as a fox, was dancing with a number of seniors. So in layman’s terms, he proved successful. The final day of spirit week is the shortest school day of they year, but it is the day filled with the most spirit. The pep rally is a day of both competition and unification at MHS. For pajama day, wacky tacky day, and blue and gold day, each class receives points for the number of people who dress up and participate. Further points are won at the pep rally by the spirit team and the can drive collection contest. Sophomore Maggie Rose O’Callaghan “[thinks it is] important for staff and students to participate because it brings the school closer together as a
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blue & gold community.” The traditional of the banners also emphasized the creativity of each class. All four classes word exceptional hard after school to make sure their banner is perfect. Class advisor for the juniors, Paula Valente expresses that “watching the kids work on the banner” is one of her favorite parts about spirit week. Air horns, blue and yellow faces, and banners occupied the gym at this erratic time in the school. The band was on one side of the room, next to the choir, ready to begin. Not to mention the other 1,800 students in the stands. Shouts, cheers, and laughter ricocheted off the walls of the gym. Four spirit teams, chosen by the National Honor Society, represented their respective class in a series of games and events. The national anthem was performed by the MHS chorus, which is led by choral arts teacher Todd Cole. The cheerleaders performed as well as the MHS Project BBoy dance team and step team, who had the honor to perform at another school’s pep rally. Then, senior cheerleaders and football players proudly raced through the arch made by their teammates for all to see; they were high in energy and of course, tornado spirit. Both senior captains, Matt Delaney and Jensen Ayuk, were cheered for by the school as a whole. If one team wins, the whole school wins. After many basketball shots, pull-ups, and under and over races, the victorious class was announced. The seniors dominated the school, with the sophomores second, the juniors third, and the freshmen ending in fourth place. The outcome was not a surprise, seniors win every year but underclassmen do not seem to mind. Winning spirit week is an experience everyone has before leaving MHS. After three years of being the underdogs, the senior class deserves it. Although the ending has come for another successful spirit week, MHS spirit continues to thrive always.
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Malden High School Bids Altovino Farewell
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Bread of Life Hosts Thanksgiving
Felicia FellanoReporter
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fter many years of educating and motivating students to achieve their highest goals, Josephine Altovino is now retiring and saying goodbye to Malden High School. In 1978, Altovino’s career began in Brockton High School. Over the years, she has taught at Tufts University, Forestdale Elementary School, and other schools. However, MHS was where she settled for 23 years because of the welcoming community and inspiration by the staff. Altovino has enjoyed her job as a teacher, watching her students, “flourish into beautiful, intelligent, mature adults, [and] the progress and the maturity that they showed.” She has seen many changes over the years. Reflecting about the past and present, Altovino realized that “the changes are not bad.” She thought “because of technology, the focus has changed and that brings some challenges to the students and their work, [but] that will temper down and at the end; they will find their balance and do well.” Now that Altovino has moved on from her years of educating, the staff and students of MHS will miss the hard working teacher and wonderful woman that she was. A fellow foreign language teacher at MHS, Mar Marjomaa, views Altovino as a “solid contribution to the foreign language department,” and she will “miss her very much.” When asked about Altovino, Raisa Herrera, another Spanish teacher at MHS, showed her appreciation for Altovino’s impressively educated students and said, “I wish her the best of luck in her retirement and I will miss joking around with her at lunch and getting her kids the following year because they were always really prepared and knew a lot of Spanish.” Principal Dana Brown referred to Altovino as “a dedicated teacher and also an advisor to our Latino Club. She had a special place in her heart for our newer immigrants and worked hard to ensure they had a good experience here. We wish her good health and good fortune in her retirement years.” Altovino leaves the school with one piece of advice: “nothing is obtained without hard work.” Now Altovino has a Real Estate career, which she has been working in for 25 years.
Top: Students from MHS came to volunteer on Wednesday night for the Thanksgiving Dinner that was held on the next day. Left: Volunteer helped pour drinks after setting up the front of the cafeteria. Right: The drink table was located at the front of the cafeteria. All photos by Lucia Quesada Nylen Lucia Quesada Nylen Reporter
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s Thanksgiving time rolls around, families come together to give thanks for one another. Thanksgiving also means the time for the Bread Of Life (BOL) organization yearly tradition of hosting their annual Thanksgiving dinner. For the 21st consecutive year, the BOL hosted their Thanksgiving dinner at Malden High School. The dinner was hosted in Cafe DiSano otherwise known as Cafe A. The dinner was held on Thanksgiving day beginning at 12 p.m. and lasting until 2 p.m. The dinner is known as ‘Don’t Be Alone on Thanksgiving’ which was open to homeless families and people in need. A full turkey meal was provided. Volunteers from all over came to help including students from MHS, and local people from all over came to help serve and clean up. Everyone attending the dinner had the choice of being served of getting their own plate. Volunteers walked around with plates of food and offering drinks. In addition to the sit down dinner in the cafeteria, to-go dinners were available and delivered to the elderly. Various members of MHS’s Captains Council showed up with leader Barbara Scibelli on Wednes-
day night to help prepare the cafe. In addition sophomore Anjayla Boyce showed up Wednesday night to help set up for Thursday. Boyce stated how “[she] love[s] helping people that really need it” and that helping out “makes [her] happy that [she] was able to help give people somewhere safe to be on Thanksgiving.” Kathleen M c K e n n a “serve(s) on the Board of Directors & Volunteers for various programs [in the Bread Of Life.]” McKenna stated “I have been with Bread of Life for over 25 years and it continues to be a privilege to be involved in this mission that “feeds the
body and nurtures the soul,” when asked how she felt being apart of the BOL. The dinner was made possible by the help of various organizations. Sponsors included Anthony’s restaurant in Malden, the Forestdale
Community Church in Malden, the Malden Lions Club, Marty’s Caterers in Stoneham, the Knights of Columbus IC Council, and the Mayor Volunteers Emilie Whittier and Nichole Faggiano.
of Malden, Gary Christenson. The dinner was a success with an outcome of a cafeteria full with tables of families and individuals eating and enjoying each others companies on one of the most warm hearted holidays of the year.
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powderpuff: Raining on their parade Cassandra Reyes Reporter Candela Diaz Reporter
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s Thanksgiving approached and football season came to a close, Malden High School school students participated in Spirit Week events, from pajama day to pep rally. Junior and senior girls prepared for the annual powderpuff game throughout the month of November. The girls were coached by football players from their respective grades and the competitive attitudes enveloped the girls.The seniors wanted to take this last chance to win before they graduate, but the juniors wanted nothing more than to crush the seniors’ dream. The game is a way to get the football players pumped for one of their most important games of the season, Malden vs. Medford. Senior football captains Jensen
Despite the rain that threatened to cancel the Powderpuff game, both the senior and junior teams trudged through what turned out to be an event to remember. The tradition of the Powderpuff game began many years ago, but the legacy of the competition and fierce attitudes continues to live. Ayuk and Matt Delaney coached the senior girls, and varsity junior football players Jodens Didie, Jaymes Pomare, Joshua Bessey, and Isaac Bethea coached the junior girls. During practice, the girls were taught the concept of football and tried out playing at different positions. The girls and the coaches took the game seriously and wanted to win, but assured one another to have fun at the same time. Didie felt confident about his team going into the game due to the athleticism among the team. Didie and the other coaches put the junior girls in positions where they thought they could contribute to the team best. Before the game, Didie was confident that “[the team was] ready for [the seniors].”
On game day, Nov. 27, 2013, rain poured as MHS students were in the school’s gym for the annual Pep Rally. Word went around that the game was potentially going to be cancelled or held in the gym. The ultimate decision was that the game would be held at McDonald Stadium, similar to previous years. Despite the harsh weather, both teams pushed through the game. Senior player Nicole Kelly says “[the weather] had little effect” on the way she and her teammates played. On a general note, Kelly added that “[her team] had to stay positive even with the mistakes on both defense and offense.” The girls even had to endure weather issues during practice. Junior player Monique Bailey said
the girls practiced “whenever [they] could get together, even when it was freezing.” This showed the true dedication of both teams. Senior Keirra Sexton won the game for her team with her touchdown in overtime. The final score was 6-0, a sad turnout for the junior girls, but a great experience for both teams. Senior Catalina Arredondo was a memorable offensive player. Senior Courtney Kilgore and junior Charlee Ruddock played as quarterbacks for the entire game. Juniors Jaime Macdonald and Robyn Santo played a significant role in giving the seniors a tough game. The game was a fun way to bring the two grades together with all of the school spirit in the air.
From top to bottom, left to right: Senior Courtney Kilgore trying to recover a fumble. Seniors Elessa Lee and Asmaa Hatal celebrating after a good play. Seniors huddling during the game. The seniors’ offensive line up for a play. Senior Catalina Arredondo preparing to blitz. The senior team preparing to run an offense. All photos by Candela Diaz
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Entertainment and Style
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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Checking it Twice Manale Zouhir Reporter
Gift Ideas on a Budget
1. Pour a few hot chocolate packets into a jar to fill it halfway. Add things such as marshmallows, chocolate chips, candy canes, or Hershey’s kisses. Decorate the jar. 2. With a small container, create an easy allpurpose scrub. Mix equal parts of sugar and honey, adding a little bit of olive oil for more moisture. Add peppermint oil for a festive touch. Stir, put this into the container, then you are ready to give it away! 3. Go to Starbucks and simply ask for an empty cup and lid in a grande or venti size. Add a packet or two of hot chocolate mix, seasonal Hershey’s kisses, candy canes, or whatever else you want inside. If you would like to spend more, add a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts gift card as well. Tie a ribbon around the rim of the lid. 4. Add some goodies from Ulta, Target, and Lush to a gift bag to give a busy person the gift of a relaxing night at home.Ideas include minicandles, bath bombs, tea packets, face masks, fuzzy socks, body butters, body scrubs, etc. You can adjust this to your price limit, and if you are willing to spend more, include a gift card to stores like Bath & Body Works or The Body Shop.
2013 Christmas Wishlist Tights/leggings $5-15 Forever 21
Scarves, beanies $10-15 Forever 21, H&M Finger-tip touch gloves $5-20 Target Phone cases/accessories $10-30 Apple Bath bombs, melts, etc from Lush $5-20 Candles $10-20 Bath & Body Works Mini Portable Charger $20 Best Buy Disney on Ice tickets $25 ticketmaster.com Hoodies $20-40 Urban Outfitters, American Apparel Perfumes: Marc Jacobs Honey, Flowerbomb Crystal, Miss Dior, etc $50-100 Macy’s, Sephora Polaroid camera: Urban Outfitters, amazon.com, Target $100 Headphones $10-200 Concert tickets $25-350 ticketmaster.com iPad air $499-929 Apple Store
5. Find festive, inexpensive mugs at stores like Target. Fill one with holiday-themed candy and include a gift tag or a homemade card. This is an inexpensive gift, yet the person you give it to will think of you whenever getting their daily caffeine fix.
Stocking Stuffers
Hot chocolate packets Starbucks giftcard Lotion, body spray, body lotion iTunes gift card Travel-sized makeup products Magazines Mini hand sanitizers Peppermint bark/candy Knee-high socks/leg warmers canes fuzzy socks Mini candles Jewelery items (rings, earrings, Headphones bracelets, necklaces, etc) phone accessories Mini perfumes/rollerballs beanies Nail polish/Nail tools EOS lip balm
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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Entertainment and Style maldenblueandgold.com
Fa La La La Let’s Listen To Christmas Music! Myle Nguyen Managing Editor of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle
Thanksgiving is officially done and over with and now we’ve transitioned into December. December means that it is finally acceptable to crank up the Christmas music without being judged. Tis’ the season to be jolly right? And there’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than blasting songs about little drummer boys, silent nights, and bells that jingle. So, here’s a list of some great Christmas songs and albums that you can snuggle up to with a mug of hot cocoa.
Christmas Playlist
All I Want For Christmas Is You -Mariah Carrey Christmas Lights -Coldplay Cold December Night -Michael Bublé Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight) -The Ramones Baby It’s Cold Outside -Chris Colfer and Darren Chris Mistletoe -Colbie Calliat Shake Up Christmas -Train Believe -Josh Groban Snow in California -Ariana Grande My Only Wish -Brittany Spears Last Christmas -Wham! The Chanukah Song -Adam Sandler Jingle Bell Rock -Bobby Helms
Notable Christmas Albums Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas: Merry Christmas has been on the top of the charts every holiday season since it’s been released. The album includes a variety of cover versions of traditional Christmas tunes as well as original songs.
Michael Bublé’s Christmas: Christmas, released in 2011, recently became platinum, officially selling over three million albums in the United States. A combination of jazz and rock makes it one of the most popular Christmas albums around.
Leona Lewis’ Christmas, With Love: Christmas, With Love was recently released in 2013. It consists of three songs co-written by Leona Lewis herself along with other traditional songs sung with a motown twist.
Taylor Swift’s Sounds of the Season: Swift’s EP was so successful when first released in 2007, that it re-released twice the following years. The six songs on the EP cause listeners to desire a full Christmas album by Swift.
Justin Bieber’s Under the Mistletoe: Under the Mistletoe, released in 2011, was one of the best selling albums of that year. With originals, such as Mistletoe and traditional songs with famous collaborators, Bieber’s albums was a sure hit.
Christina Perri’s A Very Merry Perri Christmas: Perri’s EP delivers a dose of nostalgia, making listeners think of drinking eggnog around a toasty fire. These six songs show that Perri’s successful attempt at a Christmas album.
Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped in Red: Wrapped in Red consists of pop, jazz, country, and soul music. The album’s unusual track selection along with other traditional Christmas songs sets the standard for other Christmas albums in the future.
Zooey Deschanel’s A Very She & Him: Deschanel’s first Christmas album features several covers of classic holiday songs. The album consists of twelve indie pop songs that are calm, simple, and easy to listen to.
Mary J. Blige’s A Mary Christmas: A Mary Christmas is full of soulful renditions of classic Christmas songs. Although her songs are not warm and fuzzy, the beautifully composed music provides easy listening.
Glee’s The Music, The Christmas Album: The album consists of six songs that were featured on Glee’s Christmas episode “A Very Glee Christmas” The album only features remakes of traditional holiday songs.
Entertainment and Style
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
maldenblueandgold.com
Holiday Recipes To kick off the winter season, try out these recipes that are sure to bring warmth and holiday cheer into your home.
Manale Zouhir Reporter
White Peppermint Brownie Truffles Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease your prefered baking pan. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and salt. Whisk in 3 eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients, flour and cocoa powder.
Ingredients 1 ½ cup sugar 1 1/2 stick melted unsalted butter pinch of salt 3 eggs 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup flour 1 tablespoon water 1 package white chocolate (preferably baking chocolate) 1 package peppermint hard candy or candy canes ½ container of frosting in your preferred flavor
Pour batter to the baking pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let this cool for 15-20 minutes. While this is cooling, prepare your peppermint candy. If
you prefer bigger chunks, place the candy in a ziploc bag then take a rolling pin and go over it until you have the right consistency. For an easier method, pour in a food processor and pulse until you get the desired
texture. This makes the texture a lot finer. When the brownie pan is cooled, transfer it into a large bowl and mash it up into all crumbs. Then add the frosting and mix it together
Holiday Rice Krispie Treats Emma Ceplinskas Reporter Ingredients: 1 box of Rice Krispies cereal 3 tablespoons of butter 1 bag of regular size marshmallows or 4 cups of miniature marshmallows optional: M&M’s, sprinkles, candycane shavings, chocolate chips
Rice Krispies treats are a quick and easy snack to make, but to add a holiday touch, use cookie cutters in the shapes of candy canes, Christmas trees, sleds and whatever other festive shapes you have available. Ingredients to make this delectable treat include a box of Rice Krispies cereal, a bag of either regular sized or miniature marshmallows and butter. As for equipment, you will
Then, measure out six cups of Rice Krispies cereal and pour it in with the microwaved marshmallows. Stir together until the cereal and marshmallows are fully combined. Take the spatula and empty the mixture onto the rectangular pan and level it out. Take the cookie cutters and begin to cut the mixture before it is fully cooled so that it is easier to handle. Place the finished
need a large microwavable bowl, spatula, rectangular dish and spoon. Start by placing one bag of regular sized marshmallows or four cups of miniature marshmallows in the large bowl along with three tablespoons of butter and put it into the microwave for two minutes. Stir the mixture and place the bowl in the microwave for another minute and stir once more until smooth.
holiday treats on a tray and share with friends and family. For some side tips, grease the pan, spatula and cookie cutters beforehand so that the treats are easier to remove. If you are still having difficulty cutting into the mixture with the cookie cutters, use a knife and trim around the shape.
with a large spoon or your hands. Add more frosting if necessary until you have a moldable, clay-like feel to the mix. When this is done, line a flat baking pan with wax paper. Then roll it into small balls that are all about the same size. You can also use a cookie scooper to get a more precise measurement. Place the tray in the freezer to firm up for 10-15 minutes. Melt your chocolate in the microwave or with a double boiler. Carefully, with a toothpick or skewer, dip the balls into the chocolate until fully covered. Place back on to the baking sheet and sprinkle with peppermint. Let this cool off, and serve right away or later on. Keep refrigerated.
The Blue and Gold December 2013
Entertainment and Style
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maldenblueandgold.com
You SNOW You Wanna Try It SNOW GLOBE: (no liquid)
Karina Matos Reporter
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he cold air is here and so is winter. That can only mean one thing, snow. Whether it snows this year or not, here are two crafts that will prepare you for (hopefully) a white Christmas (or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.)
Supplies: - Mason Jar -Hot glue gun (or strong glue) -Mini christmas tree, or ornament (or whatever you want in your globe) -White Glitter -Red ribbon (or any color) (optional)
This craft is pretty easy, and is an adorable decoration for the winter time! First glue the tree or little figurine to the lid of the mason jar. Then fill the jar with the white glitter. After that screw the cap on tightly (make sure the glue is dry!) and there it is! Tying ribbon around the bottom of the globe (where the lid is) and tying a cute little bow is an option. SNOWMAN KIT: Supplies: - Red felt - White felt - Black hat (foam or fabric, can also make one) - Red ribbon - Buttons (big) - Carrot (real or fake) - Snowflake stencil - Hot glue gun (or needle and thread) - Needle and thread (or hot glue gun) - Black Acrylic paint - Scissors - Pencil - Stones (optional)
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hile snowmen are always home-made, this cute little kit is a perfect gift for those who love the snow! The first thing is the scarf. Buying a scarf is an option, or knitting one could give a more personal touch. Another way is to buy two squares of red felt, then cut each one in half the long way. Then either sew the pieces together or hot glue the ends to make one long red scarf. To make is look a little more decorative, cut fringe on the bottom of the scarf. Next, take a piece of white felt and the snowflake stencil, and trace the outline. Then cut out the snowflake. After that sew or hot glue the snowflake to the end of the scarf above the fringe. It is possible to do one snowflake on each end or just one snowflake at the end. The top hat is much easier, just take the felt or rubber hat and ribbon. Tie the ribbon around the hat and then make a bow. Making your own hat is an option as well. For the eyes, either use the buttons (colored ones can be painted black). Or use stones and paint them black like coal eyes. The rest of the buttons are for the snowmans chest. Lastly, the carrot. Now it is pretty hard to find a fake carrot nose, if its possible, include a real carrot. But if this craft is going to be given as a gift remember to warn the receiver that the carrot will eventually spoil. If this craft will be a gift, also make sure to include a little tag saying “Just add Snow!�
Have fun making these crafts and have a Happy Holiday!!!
Entertainment
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
maldenblueandgold.com
Complete the New Year’s Look Casey Lyons Head of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle
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hen it comes to finding a New Year’s dress gold is always the go to color but this year try something different. Black and white print is always easy to accessorize and although it may seem plain it allows you to focus more on the makeup. With a plain colored dress you could easily go all out with sparkly eyeshadow or colored lipstick because the attention would be brought to your face so it would be best to make your makeup the most prominent aspect of your New Year’s look. Shoes can be as flashy and colorful as you want since it would not overdo the subtle look of the dress. As for accessories, it should stand out and include a lot of detail and shimmer to keep your outfit more lively and festive. But if you prefer colorful clothing, bold colors such as emerald, red, silver, and blue are perfect colors that stand out on New Year’s. With a colorful dress you would want to worry less about the color of your shoes or purse/clutch because the dress is the main attrac-
Dressy Ideas
tion therefore your makeup can be neutral and light. For shoes it is safe to stay neutral and plain and for jewelry it would be best to choose a necklace or bracelets with some captivating details and rhinestones (which could be found at stores like Francesca’s or Forever 21). Also, when picking out your dress keep the weather in mind and where the location of the event is. Long sleeve dresses are very fashionable and appropriate for New Year’s since it will most likely be cold or snowy. Halter and strapless dresses could still be appropriate for the weather if paired with the right
colored tights and jacket (which can vary from leather, peacoat, etc). There are endless ways to style your dressy outfit for a New Year’s event so keep color, design, and weather in mind!
Holiday Make up and Nails
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Makeup Suggestions: Stila Holiday Essential Kit ($20), Sephora Enchanting Eye Palette ($22), Burt’s Bees Party Lips Neutral ($15) Colors Suggestions: OPI A Good Man-Darin is Hard to Find, OPI Nicole The Next CEO (gold), OPI Nicole Make a Comet-Ment, Formula X for Sephora (sparkly) Gold, Deborah Lippmann Best of Both Worlds Pop Rock Mini Duet ($19 Sephora)
Casual Ideas
M
aybe the event you are going is not fancy or formal but you still need something casual yet appropriate for celebration. Casual for New Year’s is still somewhat dressy because everything still consists of sparkles and festive colors. Colored pants or cutout skirts are your best candidates because they are both versatile and fit any kind of event. Colored pants can vary from colors
such as maroon, military green, or even prints but overall they are appropriate for a fun event. Tights also are perfect for New Year’s because it adds on some extra detail to your outfit. For shirts it is always safe to settle with a sequined sweater or tank top with a jacket or cardigan over it. For shoes and accessories stick to a cute pair of military boots and subtle jewelry.
ursts of color and confetti are huge representations of New Year’s so when deciding what to do with your makeup keep it vibrant. Since it is winter your complexion may be lighter than usual so your makeup will be more prominent and should be solid tones (and it is important to consider the color of your clothing and which you want to focus more on). Red lipstick is always the perfect color to pick for its bold hue but if you want to stray away from red, solid tones are perfect for winter because lighter tones are better suited for spring and summer while darker tones are suited for fall. With a wide variety of color, just remember that it is more
than appropriate to add shimmer and sparkles. New Year’s makeup should have a lively and festive approach.
Reds, golds, and sparkles are bright and classic for celebration in general which makes them perfect for the New Year. Most colors can be found at your local Target, CVS, Walgreens, Sephora, and definitely online. Be sure to check before you go to the store to buy it though because some colors are seasonal and are sold at certain times of the year so it is more likely that you will be able to find them online as opposed to in stores.
Entertainment
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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maldenblueandgold.com
Creative Ways To Stay Warm This Winter
Julia Parker Reporter
As we move further and further into the winter season, the temperature becomes lower and lower. Now, as most hope for a white christmas, no one looks forward to the shivering and chattering teeth part of the winter. We look to heavy blankets and hot food to our main source of warmth, there are more creative and fun ways to stay out of the blue this season. The cold actually triggers bad moods, while the warmth lifts our spirits. It is Christmas time, so lets keep the emotions up and the smiles on our faces. This winter, let’s stay warm!
1. Turn Your Bed Into Your Desk You never want to leave under the covers on a cold afternoon, so why should you? Grab your homework and do it there! 2. Use A Snuggie Now I know these things haven’t been around for a long time, but they do keep you warm. Also, try making a fashion statement with them, by belting it, or getting one in every color. 3. Cuddle With Your Pet For those who do have a pet, cuddle with them, they have fur for a reason. The dog or the cat’s fur is super warm and not to mention, it has a really cute face! 4. Try Sleeping More On The Weekends By catching more ZZZs, you won’t notice the chill of the winter mornings
Tatyanna Cabral Reporter
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and afternoons. Also, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your bed as often. 5. Watch Only Warm Weather Television Yes, it is weird, but if you only watch the television shows and movies where people are rocking out on the beach and wearing t-shirts, your brain is bound to ignore the chill of the season. 6. Eat A Lot Of Spicy Foods Just because a meal comes straight out of the oven, doesn’t mean it will warm you up. The best thing to do is to put hot sauce or chili peppers into your foods to spice up your winter. 7. Wear Multiple Jackets You may feel bulky at first, but you will appreciate having the extra layer in the long run. Also, don’t be shy in borrowing your friend’s jacket! Though they might not appreciate it…
It is the perfect movie to get into the Christmas spirit. This movie is about a young boy who is awakened on Christmas Eve, by a magical train that came out of nowhere, called the Polar Express. He hesitates to go on the train, but he gets on. There, he finds many other children about his age on the train and that they are all going to the North Pole. On the ride, the kids are surprised with different magical tricks the train has up his sleeve. It is also filled with dangerous, yet adventurous encounters. When trying to fix the headlight of the train, the train gets stopped by a herd of caribou. Later on, the train goes over a frozen lake and right before the ice cracks the train makes it to the other side of the tracks.
9. Wear A Hat, ALL TIME OUTDOORS Most of your body heat is supplied in your head, and you will feel a lot warmer if you keep your head warm. So that biology did come in handy in the end of it all…
Using these methods will keep you nice and warm at home, and outdoors, and they will reduce that teeth chattering. Stay warm and happy holidays!
10. Use A Heating Pad Heating pads and blankets will definitely keep you warm after walking home after school. Heat one up in the microwave for one minute, and put it on your arms, shoulders, or anywhere, really.
Christmas Classics
The Polar Express
ant to snuggle up under the covers, and need a good Christmas movie to watch? The Polar Express is a great choice. It is based off of the children’s book, The Polar Express written by Chris Van Allsburg. It was released on November 10, 2004 and it was directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis.
8. Have Plenty Of Hot Fluids Yes, have the hot chocolate by the fire, just like those cheesy movies you see around the Christmastime. Although it is typical, it does work.
When the train finally makes it to the North Pole, the protagonist stays on the train, with his new friend, Billy and another one of his friends. They end up getting lost in the cart of the train, but make it by in time to see Santa Claus. When they arrive, the protagonist then receives the first gift of Christmas, a bell. In order to hear it ring, he has to believe in the magic of Santa spirit of Christmas. Once he admits that he believes in the magic of Santa, he does hear the bell ring. This movie has great adventures and great songs. It will bring up the Christmas spirit and fill our hearts with happiness. It could bring back the good Christmas memories from your childhood, and how you were always excited to see all the presents underneath the Christmas tree. Waking up to see that Santa has eaten all the cookies and drank the milk you left out for him. Coming together with the people you love, and spending time with them, seeing everyone’s faces once they see what they have received from Santa.
Home Alone
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be home alone? If you watch Home Alone you will. Home alone is a classic Christmas movie to watch with your family.The movie was released in 1990, it was written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is one of the most popular Christmas movies.
The movie is about an eight year old, Kevin McCallister,and his family going on a trip to Paris for Christmas vacation, and Kevin was not very eager to go. The morning they leave to go to the airport his mother counts all of the children they have with them and completely forgets about Kevin. Kevin wakes up to an empty house, and a lot of freedom and opportunities. He is glad that they are gone, because he does not get along very well with his family.His family later realizes when they are already in Paris that Kevin is gone. Meanwhile at the house two burglars Harry and Marv try and break into the McCallister’s home. In Paris, Kevin’s mother was trying to find a flight back home so
she can go see if her son is alright. Kevin overhears Harry and Marv discussing their plan to rob his house. Now he knows that he must get prepared. Even though Kevin is only eight years old he manages to protect himself with booby traps he had made himself. Harry and Marv go through all of the traps that were made and got a lot of injuries. Kevin called the police and the two of them were arrested. Kevin’s mother returns home, and he is glad that she is. He thinks that he can not stay home alone any longer. After the last couple of days Kevin did miss his family and he needed them. This movie makes you realize how important family is and how important it is to spend time with them. Kevin never spent that much time with his family, that is why he never got along with them. When you strengthen your relationship with your family, the less you feel alone. You will not feel like you are worthless and ignored, and you will feel much happier.
Entertainment
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
maldenblueandgold.com
a year in review 2013
Kristen Leonard Editor in Chief
February 24- Jennifer Lawrence wins an Academy Award for Best Actress
March 15- 20/20 Experience by Justin Timberlake was released
April 5- Paramore album released June 3- Miley Cyrus controversy began when We Can’t Stop was released
June 15- North West was born
July 13- Death of Cory Monteith
July 22- Royal Baby was born
September 17- Release of Grand Theft Auto 5
September 18- IOS 7 released
September 21- iPhone 5s was released
September 29- Breaking Bad Finale
October 3- American Horror Story Coven aired October 23-30- Boston Red Sox Wins World Series against St. Louis Cardinals November 5- Call of Duty: Ghosts Released November 3- First ever Youtube Video November 19- Assassin’s Awards Creed IV: Black Flag November 11Lady Gaga Release comeback with the release November 30- Death of of Art Pop Paul Walker November 22- Catching December 5- Premiere Fire released of short film: Tropico by Lana Del Rey
December 10- Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
Moe’s Cafe
Cut this coupon out for $5 off haircuts at Mandi’s Hair Salon
781 - 321 - 0051 114 Ferry Street, Malden MA
October 11- New Album released by Paul McCartney
Sports
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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Cambridge Leaves The Greater Boston League Lucia Quesada Nylen Reporter
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very sport has their fellow rival. Whether it’s the Red Sox and the Yankees or the Patriots and the Jets, the competition between two teams are ongoing. Here at Malden High school all sports teams are in the Greater Boston League otherwise known as the GBL. This league consisting of Malden, Medford, Everett, Somerville, and Cambridge. Every different sport at MHS has its own rival. For football, it’s Medford, soccer it’s Everett and the list goes on. However one of the most mutual rivals is Cambridge Rindge and Latin. The competition from CRLS is tough in various sports, and it’s always a great game when Malden goes head to head against Cambridge in any sport. However after the school year of 2013-2014, CRLS will no longer in the GBL. Earlier this year representatives of the GBL talked about extending the Dual County League by joining with the GBL. However, heads of the league decided that they didn’t need to extend. In the end the GBL will remain the same except Cambridge will be leaving and joining the Dual County League. Leaving only four teams left in the GBL, competition for the GBL title will be tough in all three season sports. Already being a small league, some sports had competition come easy for them, GBL wise. In some aspects like track and swimming, Cambridge was the only real competition for MHS, other than non GBL teams. Without Cambridge in the picture , GBL titles may be easier to dominate but for some May just be a walk in the park. In addition to the lack of competition, with only four teams in the GBL, it shrinks the chance of many teams at MHS being able to qualify for states. MHS athletic director Daniel Keefe states how “with a league of five or more [teams] there’s an automatic state qualifier if you finish in second [or first] place, and [MHS] loses that now.” Which is what happened this past fall season with the MHS football team, finishing in second place in the GBL following Everett. This means that the only way for any team to qualify for states is being first place in the GBL. Four teams left in the GBL, also affects the schedules of all sports. Being able to only play in league teams twice, leads to Keefe having to try and organize 14 non-league games for sports like soccer, football, field hockey, basketball, and softball. With some sports like basketball “where the maximum amount of games [the team] can play is 20 and the minimum being 3” not being able to have the sport isn’t an option, because even if non league games can not be scheduled, the GBL offers six games. However, it does take away from the season, because being an athlete myself the games are probably the best part about the season. In the past the GBL has presented themselves in front of various larger leagues like the Middlesex league, Merrimack Valley, and the Northeast Conference, were the option of them expanding their leagues with the GBL. Unfortunately in all cases, the leagues didn’t want to expand. The GBL agreed that all five teams were going to stick together, that if they were going to expand or join another team, they would move as a whole. However, Cambridge’s actions have said the opposite.
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Team Spirit Gone Too Far Sports fans have taken the term “fanatic” to another level
Junior Ashmeal Brun posing to show how some sports fans react to sporting events. Thanks to Ashmeal Brun for letting the Blue and Gold use his image for this article.
Nicholas Bramante Reporter
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ports--America’s favorite pastime. Any way you look at it, if you live in America, chances are that your daily life is affected by some kind of sport in some kind of way. Even the most jaded sports viewers get excited for the “big game” once in a while. In today’s world, it is almost impossible to live life without sports being in there somewhere. And let’s all be honest, sports are fun. Whether it’s watching, playing, or going to an event, sports can be great places to bring people together in support of their favorite team. Such a supportive environment seems like it would harbor positive actions and thoughts. This is true for the most part, but happens when people start to root for their favorite team or player more intensely each year? Usually, this just results in something very natural that serves only to spice up sports themselves: competition. This can spawn a great many things, one of them being fans that are willing to support their team in more and more compelling ways each year. But with all things, such as a cold scoop of icecream or your favorite television show, too much can prove to be harmful. There seems to be a certain trend arising in sporting events in America that has proven to be quite dangerous. This trend, is the increase in overzealous fans found in stands, who take the love of a sport too far. Of course everyone loves to sit down and scream with thousands of people in a stadium, it’s in human nature to get amped and rowdy once in a while. The only problem with being rowdy, is when people do not recognize that enough is enough. Sadly, there have been far too many instances in the past where people have been hurt, killed, or humiliated in the name of sports. This practice has gone on for much longer than we realize. In ancient times, the Aztec people had a sport, in which two teams pitted against each other for the title of champions. The losers? They were decapitated in a sacrifice not long after the games. Of course this is not to say that today people around the world
are being mutilated in such a way over sports, but it just goes to show that people have been very serious over some sports for a long time. The fact of the matter however, is that when we follow the same practices the Aztecs did, and end up hurting each other over sporting events, we are reduced to what we were thousands of years ago. It wasn’t too long ago that the U.S won the Stanley Cup and brought home the title of NHL champions. While this was an amazing achievement for the U.S, it was also a time of almost animalistic behavior. While most people rejoiced with champagne or victory dances, some decided it was better to assert their dominance. In short, after the winners were announced that fateful year, there were literally riots in different parts of Canada, and even some violence in the U.S itself. Riots are very scary things. Should we really be creating such dangerous and scary situations for people, over a title? Of course winning means the title, a possible trophy, and bragging rights. All of these are great things, but the problem is that they are themselves only things. When we end up putting our things before our own people, we become a very sad species indeed. Many sports fans are willing to put things on the line for sporting events, whether it be money, clothing, or even dignity. All of it is of course in good fun, but when we lose people because of arguments over things, it’s unforgivable. Theres always another year to claim the title, but we will never get those people back. Everybody loves a good intense game, and everyone loves to have the pride of having a winning team the current season. However, the fact of the matter is that whether or not our team is the world champions or not, our lives will most likely not be affected much further beyond a couple of awkward conversations with people who were rooting for the other team. Sports are amazing events that can truly bring people together, and we should never let them tear us apart.
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
maldenblueandgold.com
w e i v e r P r e t 4 1 n i 0 2 W 3 1 0 2 “[There are a lot of] talented new and returning swimmers we have this year...we are always really close since everyone on the team is here because we all care about swimming.” - Senior Bestine Cong
“[The team wants] to win as many league meets as possible and have good performances at invitationals...We have a lot of great talent this season so it’ll be exciting to see everyone grow.” - Senior Captain David Kibazo
“We are looking forward to a great season...There was a lot of athleticism in the room and that had everybody excited for the season.”- David Londino
“My ultimate goal for the season is for the team to win GBLs. I also would love to see improvements in every member of the team, including myself. We have many people joining the team this year who are new to gymnastics so I think that is definitely possible.” -Justine Rose
Sports
The Blue and Gold December 2013
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maldenblueandgold.com
Old man winter has blown into town, bearing gifts of snow, ice, and a new season of winter sports. Malden High School’s teams are breeding a new group of athletes in the hopes of bringing home the title of “GBL Champs.” “Basketball season cheering is always so much fun and I look forward to it every year. It is going to be another great season.” - Senior captain Cori Malone
“It is senior year! The team is trying to go all out and we just trying to make a name for ourselves.” - Senior Bryan Rodriguez
“I am really excited about how many girls turned out. It is really important to see how many girls care about basketball, and I am really excited to see them and learn more about them.” - Lydia Coverdale
Upcoming Games: Girls Basketball
Boys Basketball
Wrestling
Swimming
“We are simply looking to improve throughout the season and be competitive in every match. Our team goals are to win the GBL league title and qualify multiple wrestlers for the state tournament.” - Jeremiah Smith Indoor Track
Gymnastics
12/19/13- Home vs. Georgetown
12/16/13- Home vs. Brighton
12/14/13- Away vs. Minutemen Tech
12/16/13- Away vs. Cambridge R&L
12/11/13- Away vs. Medford
1/3/14- Away vs. Medford
12/23/13- Away vs. Lynnfield
12/21/13- @ MCLA College vs. Drury
12/18/13-Home vs. Cambridge R&L
12/18/13- Away vs. Somerville
1/9/14- Away vs. Fenwick
12/27/13- X-Mass Tournament @ Malden
12/27/13- X-Mass Tournament @ Malden
12/21/13Wakefield Tournament
12/30/13-Away vs. Malden Charter School
12/14/13-GBL Open @ Tufts University 12/18/13- Away vs. Everett
1/10/14- Home vs. Cambridge R&L
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The Blue and Gold December 2013
maldenblueandgold.com
Malden Vs. Medford The 126th Annual Thanksgiving Football Game
PJ. Montezuma Head of Sports Jonathan Decicco Managing Editor of Sports
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here are two things that one can rely on Thanksgiving day: turkey and football. With professional games televised throughout the day and a wave of high school games competing across the country, this American pastime is debatably the most exciting time of the season. There is no doubt that Malden certainly joined in on the festivities. Devoted fans and students crowded Hormel stadium for yet another year, to support the Malden High School football team as they competed once again for the title. The MHS varsity football team completed their goal for the fourth season in a row, winning the game against long time rival Medford High School. Malden’s rollercoaster of a season ended on a good note defeating Medford 16-0 on Nov. 28, 2013. Despite the chill in the air, the team hardly fell short as they shutout the opposing team. Senior captains Jensen Ayuk, Raymond Sainristil, and Matthew Delaney led Malden to their 62 win against Medford in the 126 year rivalry on Thanksgiving. Malden and Medford have the standing record of the second longest high school rivalry in the country that started back in 1887. Malden has the better side of the rivalry with an overall record of 62-54-10 against Medford. Ayuk and Sainristil finished their high school career with a bang, both scoring a touchdown. Sainristil ran in for a touchdown whereas
Ayuk scored off an interception. Malden missed one of the kicks after scoring, but after the second touchdown got a two point conversion. MHS later got a safety bringing the score to 16-0. This win brings Maldens win streak against Medford to 6, with Malden outscoring 137-19 . A bittersweet moment for the 16 seniors who are hanging up their jerseys after playing their last football game for Malden High. The seniors include Sinristil, Ayuk, Delaney, Yves Alaby, Sameer Thompson, Lovenge Fransois, Andolphe Joseph, Jose Morales, Maurice Vance, Jhordy Mazo Gallego, Travis Clarke, Karl Lamothe , Jeff Corney, Nick Mason, Keyshawn Bridgeman, and Kelly Jean-Charles. Malden ended their season with a record of 5-6, finishing the season below .500 for the second year in a row. Improving from last seasons record of 3-8, the team is improving slowly but surely. With the loss of seniors, there are a lot of talented juniors, sophomores, and even some freshman who will step up and play a major role in next years team to try and turn the team around. The support for the football team did not start that day, rather a week. With the pep rally and other activities, the anticipation for the game rejuvenated the school with spirit. The cheerleaders led the rally, performing one of their many routines with one goal in mind; to get the school pumped up for the game. The seniors from both the cheer and football teams were celebrated
Clockwise: From top left Senior Kevin Noel running through the gap. Senior Lovenge Francois running the ball. Noel getting tackled by a Medford player. Seniors Francois and Raymond Sainstril in the backfield with Sophomore Danley Exilhomme. All photos by Jonathan DeCicco
as well. This fun competition between all four grades of the school consisted of activities like tug-a-war, free throw shooting, push ups, and more. All of this done over the constant shouting of the crowd, “GO MALDEN BEAT MEDFORD”. And they surely did.
Use this QR code to watch the video of the Malden High School Foootball team.