Blue and Gold February 2017

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 102 Edition 5

77 salem street February 2017

Historic Comeback or Collapse?

Malden’s Input for Superintendent Search

Abhishek Rana Lead Reporter

S

uper Bowl LI featured one of the most memorable games of all time, as the New England Patriots defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime and captured their fifth Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

The scoreline alone suggests an even back and forth game between the two best teams in the NFL, but anyone who watched the game knows that this was far from back and forth. It was almost as if the game featured two games within itself, one dominated by the Falcons, and the other by the Patriots.

Up until halftime, the Falcons had completely dominated the much more experienced Patriots, and lead 21-3. Furthermore, with 8:31 left in the third quarter, Atlanta went up 28-3 thanks to a six yard touchdown reception from running back Tevin Coleman. However, after this point, the Falcons were shutout for the rest of the game, with the Patriots scoring a seemingly unfathomable thirty-one unanswered points to steal the game away from Atlanta.

The twenty-five point comeback by the Patriots is currently the largest in Super Bowl history, with the second largest comeback also being mounted by the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, when they came back from being down ten points to the Seattle Seahawks. There is no doubt that the comeback in Super Bowl LI was the greatest comeback in the history of the NFL, specially when you account for the stage it oc-

Sydney Stumpf Lead Reporter

A curred in and its significance.

This game once again displayed the greatness of both head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady as well as the “never say die” attitude of the entire New England Patriots’ roster. To most experts and fans, it cemented Brady and Belichick as the single greatest quarterback and

coach in the history of the NFL. While none of this can be denied, and tremendous amount of credit has to be awarded to the Patriots for pulling of this comeback, a lot of the blame should be placed upon ...continued on page 4

s Charles Grandson’s role as Interim Superintendent comes to an end, the Malden community looks for a permanent superintendent, including the possibility of Grandson returning as superintendent. The community as a whole, now, is encouraged to put their input for superintendent in. A committee was put in place to search for a new superintendent, consisting of 13 members, including representatives from the five K-8 schools, and Malden High School.

Representing Malden High in the search committee is French teacher Paul Degenkolb, who was asked by Mayor Gary Christenson to be a part of it.

Degenkolb describes what the committee does when searching for a new superintendent: “The city posts a job description: a little bit about the district, what the population is like, what makes Malden a special place, et cetera.” The description was posted on websites for school administrators. ...continued on page 8

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Malden High School Volume 102 Edition 5 February 2017

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Editorial maldenblueandgold.com

Malden High School

The Blue and Gold

Story of My Life

77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148

THE STAFF: Editor-in-Chief Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Web & Mobile Apps Editorin-Chief Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Print Editor-in-Chief Felicia Fallano ‘17 Managing Editor Megan Downer ‘18 Head of Local News Anna Powers ‘18 Head of Sports News Leila Greige ‘18 Head of Photography Ryan Hames ‘18 Art & Design Editor Tate Skiffington ‘17 Nedlam’s Corner Karina Matos ‘17 Head Copy Editor Gabriella Onessimo ‘17 Lead Reporters Alysha McDevitt ‘18: Local Politics, City Council, & School Committee Christina Appignani ‘18: Local News Ailin Toro ‘19: Local News Neden Bernadin ‘19: Local News Sydney Stumpf ‘19: Local News Abhishek Rana ‘19: Sports News Jesaias Benitez ‘19: Sports News Lead Videographers Nicolle Batista ‘17 Leah Tramondozzi ‘17 Nia Vital ‘17 Lead Photogrpaher Nick Powers ‘18 Manager of Web & Mobile Apps Don Nguyen ‘17 Reporters Subin Bastola ‘17 Rebecca Oliveira ‘17 Toby Pitan ‘18 Kayla Dos Reis Sousa ‘19 Makesha Mercedat ‘19 Rebeca Pereira ‘19 Emraude Bonnet ‘20 Stefany Foley ‘20 Josandy Jeune ‘20 Falyn Kelley ‘20 Sabrina Monteiro ‘20 Man Nguyen ‘20 Ana Pirosca ‘20 Jemisha Syliant ‘20 Michelle Yin ‘20 Sara Zakaria ‘20 ADVISOR RYAN GALLAGHER

The Blue and Gold February 2017

“Stories are compasses and architecture; we navigate by them, we build our sanctuaries and our prisons out of them, and to be without a story is to be lost in the vastness of a world that spreads in all directions like arctic tundra or sea ice.”

-Rebecca Solnit, The Faraway Nearby

I

f you’re reading this right now you are a living, breathing, experiencing, learning, failing, thriving human being. You may be a student with your whole life in front of you, or you may be an educator who has touched the lives of many people. Whoever you are, you are here on this Earth right now, currently living out your own individual, unique story.

It’s so easy to feel insignificant, especially when you are just one kid out of thousands across the country, and you are applying to college. A lot of us in this school are feeling overwhelmed by the college process, and are facing the reality that we are starting over in a whole new setting, and more importantly, starting our adult lives. Everyone always tells you that college is fun and exciting, but no one jumps out of their seat waving their hands to tell you a story about how confused and scared they felt their second semester of senior year. This is period of time is the kind of part of a story that people would usually leave out, but times like this are what shape us into who we are. This time of our lives, whether you’re heading to college or not, is a chance to figure out who you are and what you want. Feeling confused and displaced is inevitable, and even though we may think it is bad, it isn’t.

It’s so easy to feel insignificant, especially when you are just one kid out of thousands across the country, and you are applying to college. A lot of us in this school are feeling overwhelmed by the college process, and are facing the reality that we are starting over in a whole new setting, and more importantly, starting our adult lives. Everyone always tells you that college is fun and exciting, but no one jumps out of their seat waving their hands to tell you a story about how confused and scared they felt their second semester of

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

senior year. This is period of time is the kind of part of a story that people would usually leave out, but times like this are what shape us into who we are. This time of our lives, whether you’re heading to college or not, is a chance to figure out who you are and what you want. Feeling confused and displaced is inevitable, and even though we may think it is bad, it isn’t.

I think it is important to realize that this is just the beginning, and that even though that sounds scary, it is actually the greatest thing ever. You have all this time to do all the things that you always said you were going to do when you were a kid. You also have time to do all the things you thought you would never do. You have all these experiences and enemies and relationships that lie ahead of you. Having a whole life ahead of us is something that all of us take for granted most of the time. Losing someone I love recently has made me put life into perspective and has made me realize that while life is scary, if we look back on our lives as a whole, the transitions and character development we have over time are the most amazing things that happen to us as human beings.

Life itself as whole is pretty amazing.

It’s time for us to stop taking ourselves and our abilities for granted. Your story just as important as the person next to you on the Orange Line or the person ringing up your groceries. We take our own lives for granted every day, and we don’t realize how important and amazing it is to be alive at all.

When college comes around, it is going to feel really easy to get lost in the thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of students on or off campus.

The adult world, college or not, rips you from a your bubble in your hometown and high school where you are surrounded by all the people who you have known or have been following you on social media for four years, to being lost within the plethora of people and new surroundings. Meeting new people is apart of the making of your story. Meeting new people, forming new relationships, and stepping out of your comfort zone is what will shape you. When people look back at your life someday, all the good things they remember about you will stem from every small detail of your story.

Having a positive mindset about college and life after high school is the key to setting yourself up for success. Of course not everyone can control everything that happens to them, and constant positivity is a myth whether people will admit it or not, but going into your adult life hating it doesn’t seem like a recipe for happiness. Terms like “adulting” and the trend on social media of hating being a “broke college student” have grown more popular over time, and are conditioning us to hate our lives before they even start.

Being happy though the hardships of college and the transition from high school to adult life will make it so much easier on you when tough times come around. Keeping your grades up will be easier. Waking up for class will be easier. Going to your job will be easier. I’m not saying that being happy during this transition will always be easy, but you’ll be thankful you pushed through with a positive outlook on the future. Quality education alone is already something to value if you have access to it, but the experiences that come along with it are just as valuable.

Felicia Fallano Print Editor-in-Chief

The Blue and Gold February 2017

Interactive maldenblueandgold.com

Nedlam’s Corner Dear Nedlam, With college coming closer I’ve become really nervous, especially since my grades this quarter aren’t the best and I applied to some top tier schools. Some of those schools are my dream schools and it’s crushing to think that just because I’ve had some trouble this quarter that it will prevent me from getting in. Is there anything I can do to either ease my worries or help my application?

-Distressed and a Mess.

Dear Distressed and a Mess, he first thing I recommend is taking a deep breath. I know it’s difficult to be stuck with a past that you can’t change but you have to first deal with that in order to move on, feel better, and hopefully help yourself improve. The best thing to start with is owning up to both what you could’ve done better and also identifying the factors that occurred that deterred you even if they couldn’t be helped. It’s easy to see why throwing in the towel would be tempting at this point but one setback doesn’t define your whole application. Colleges will be able to see your final grades from the past three years as well as your other accomplishments, your test scores, clubs, and writing pieces that you’ve submitted. However, even with that in mind I know it’s hard to be at ease, especially when applying to schools where most of the applicants seem “perfect”, but you have to remember the unique qualities that make you who you are. Some top tier schools require interviews which provide you with another opportunity to showcase what you’ll be able to bring to the college. Even though grades do matter, colleges want to create diverse communities and if you bring something to their campus that they don’t already have it helps your case.

Another thing I think is really important is to create a plan to do better next quarter. It might not reach colleges in time but the colleges you do get accepted to will be able to see that you’ve worked hard to improve and didn’t just slack off once you got accepted.

The last thing I can really say about this topic is, don’t sweat it too much. I don’t want to be annoying, but in all honesty, grades aren’t everything. Plenty of wealthy and

T

Tulips in Boston Public Garden. Photo by Felicia Fallano.

famous people have gone to community colleges (Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Steve Jobs, Tom Hanks, Walt Disney, Ross Perot Sr.- Texas billionaire, George Lucas, etc.) and in the end, college is about preparing you for whatever your future job ends up being. As long as you enjoy your life and so with it things that make you happy, who cares where you end up? Hope this helps! Good luck! :)

If you have any questions or need any advice, come check out our Ask.fm! Our Ask.fm link can be found on our website at maldenblueandgold.com Questions will always remain anonymous unless requested otherwise, so don’t be afraid!

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Opinion

4

Super Bowl Li:

The Blue and Gold February 2017

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Abhishek Rana Lead Reporter ...continued from the front page the Falcons for their collapse. Super Bowl LI was a flat-out “choke job” by the Atlanta Falcons. It was the single biggest collapse on a big stage in American Sports history.

Throughout the second half, there were numerous occasions where if a single one of them were executed properly by the Falcons, they would have their first Super Bowl title. In fact, according to ESPN Stats & Info, “the Falcons’ win probability peaked at greater than 99.5% following Julian Edelman’s incomplete pass” on a third down trick play in the third quarter.

At this point, the Patriots were down 28-3 and faced a fourth and three at their own 46 yard line with 6:04 left in the third quarter. Brady completed a 17 yard pass to wide receiver Danny Amendola to convert the critical fourth down play. This drive eventually resulted in the Patriots’ first touchdown of the game thanks to a five yard touchdown reception by running back James White, with 2:06 left in the third quarter.

Due to the missed extra point by kicker Stephen Gostkowski, the Falcons still lead 28-9 and seemed to have halted any Patriots momentum after recovering an onside kick on the following kickoff. The Falcons got the ball at the 46 yard line of the Patriots and were almost in field goal range. However, despite the great field position, they were unable to capitalize as they went three and out and were forced to punt.

The Patriots went into the fourth quarter with the possession but were down by 19 points, and only managed to cut the Falcon lead to 16 points on the drive after being forced to take a field goal in the red zone. Although that turned the game into a two possession game, the Patriots still needed two stops on defense, two touchdowns, as well as two 2-point conversions in order to tie the game up.

Then, Atlanta possessed the ball with 9:40 left in the final quarter, and had a chance to chew time off of the clock. Instead, offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan decided to pass the ball on third and one, resulting in a strip-sack by linebacker Dont’a Hightower that was recovered by Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch.

This gave the Patriots offense the ball in great field possession—at the Atlanta 25 yard line—and could have been entirely avoided if the

Falcons would have ran the football.

Furthermore, the strip-sack was a result of a missed blocking assignment by Falcons’ running back Freeman, who was suppose to block Hightower on the blitz, but failed to do so, resulting in the Falcons’ first turnover in the game.

That turnover was the defining play of the game, as it shifted all the momentum in the Patriots’ favor.

The Patriots offense quickly capitalized, cutting the Falcons’ lead to ten points after the touchdown reception by Amendola, and then to eight points after a successful 2-point conversion rush up the middle by White. This turned the game into a one possession affair with 5:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Still however, the Patriots defense needed to stop Falcons’ potent offense one more time. The Falcons drove to midfield, where wide receiver Julio Jones was able to make an inhuman and acrobatic catch at the Patriots 22-yard line, somehow managing to drag his toes and keep both feet inbounds for a 27-yard completion. The catch

by Jones would have been the most memorable play of the game, if not for another that came later in the fourth quarter.

With Atlanta having an eight point lead and possessing the ball near the red-zone, it looked as the comeback by the patriots would fall short. The Falcons were in field goal range and all they needed to do was run the ball, and kick a field goal to make it a two possession game and essentially seal the game Instead, after losing one yard on a first down rush play, the Falcons decided to drop back and pass on second down. This turned out to be a huge mistake, as quarterback Matt Ryan took a critical sack from defensive end Trey Flowers for a loss of 12 yards, a sack which could have been avoided had Ryan thrown the ball away and not looked to get outside the pocket.

Still however, the Falcons were on the edge of field goal range at the New England 35 yard line. A couple of yards would have put them back into comfortable field goal range, but once again they chose to pass on third down and an offensive holding penalty pushed them ten yards further and out of the possibility of getting a practically game-ending three points.

A first and ten at the opposing twenty-two yard line turned into a fourth and thirty-three at the 45 yard line of the Patriots. These last mis-opportunities turned out to be the final nail in the coffin for the Falcons, as the league’s number one offense would not possess the ball

Vs.

for the rest of the game. took a toll of the Falcons’ defense With the ball in his hands as they were completely out of gas and 3:38 left in the fourth quarter, by the time the fourth quarter and Brady surgically drove his team 91 overtime arrived and gave up thirty yards, capped off by a 1-yard rush- one points in the final 22 minutes of ing touchdown by James White. the game. The 82-yard pick-6 thrown Though, the highlight of the drive by Tom Brady in the second second and the game as a whole was the quarter contributed to the lopsided 23-yard reception by wide receiver time of possession of the game, as Julian Edelman, who managed to it meant that the Patriots possessed latch on to a deflected throw and the ball for eight in-game minutes snag the ball less than an inch off the to close out the half. An argument ground. The Patriots completed the can be made that the interception comeback after another successful even helped the Patriots in the long2-point conversion on a pass from run as it continued to fatigue the Brady to Amendola, tying the game Falcons’ defense for the oncoming 28-28. onslaught late in the game.

This sent the game to the first The final time of possession of overtime period in Super Bowl his- the game was New England with tory, where after winning the coin a forty minutes and thirty-one sectoss, the Patriots elected to receive onds and Atlanta with 23:27. This the ball first. Once again, as he has lead to the Patriots running a stagdone so many times in his illustri- gering total of ninety-six offensive ous career, Brady methodically plays, while the Falcons ran a mere drove the team down the length of forty-six. This is another reason why the field. With a second and goal at the final quarter and the 2nd half in the 2-yard line, James White scored general, as well as overtime, turned a walk-off touchdown on a toss play out the way it did. to win the game 34-28 and give the While there is no doubt that the Patriots their fifth Super Bowl in on numerous occasions the Falcons’ franchise history. blew away a chance at their first Questionable play-calling like title, credit has to be given to the PaShanahan electing to run only five triots. After being down 28-3, with times after being up 28-3, as well 8:31 left in the third quarter, New as some key individual player mis- England had to play perfect football takes like that of Matt Ryan taking for the remainder of the game. And the sack late in the game lead to they just that, executing flawlessly Falcons losing their 25 point lead. on both offense and defense. While However, another factor may have Atlanta stumbled, New England been the Falcons’ defense fatiguing took advantage of every mistake in the final one and half quarters. and made history by mounting the Up until the 13th minute of largest and most impressive comethe third quarter, the Falcons had back in any Super Bowl ever. allowed no touchdowns and completely held the number three scoring offense in the league in check. However, despite having not scored a touchdown up until that point, the Patriots had had numerous long drives where they moved the ball, but could not capitalize.

Furthermore, the Falcons’ points came on short drives and their offense had little success on drives that did not result in touchdowns. In fact, their offense only converted one out of eight third downs in the entire game.

Super Bowl statistics by ESPN. Screenshot from This finally @ESPNStatsInfo on Twitter.

The Blue and Gold February 2017

Opinion

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maldenblueandgold.com

What’s the Issue with Sanctuary Cities?

Toby Pitan Reporter

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any controversies have surfaced during the scant amount of days in which Trump has been president of the United States.

One of these has been the issue of sanctuary cities. Trump’s actions against immigrants has resonated throughout various cities in the United States, including the Greater Boston area. This has been posed as a great concern for the city of Malden, whose immigrant population has reached as upwards of 30% with half of the percentage as students attending public schools. Trump’s Executive Orders that target immigrants have potentially severe implications for Malden, Boston, and even the state of Massachusetts in its entirety. Areas that once provided immigrants with safety from potentially harmful immigration officers have now become targets for government crackdown and persecution.

To offer context, a sanctuary city is simply a district that poses as a haven for undocumented immigrants throughout the United States such as local cities like Boston, Lawrence, and Somerville. These sanctuary cities can be significant for refugees who wish for safety on a state level, especially when their lack of citizenship puts them in compromising situations. President Trump is enacting these laws under the guise of a push for public safety which surfaces the question; what

makes undocumented immigrants inherently unsafe? It could merely be Trump’s heavily projected xenophobia, but when I ruminate over this question, I cannot help but think back to the very lesson I am learning in history class, which reflects the political climate that Trump is slowly creating in the United States.

Trump’s Executive Order draws parallels from history which can be alarming considering how much America seeks to progress from its complex past.

Simultaneously, the question of whether or not Malden warrants the label of a sanctuary city can be asked as well. Although Malden is technically not a sanctuary city, mayor of Malden Gary Christenson told Wicked Local that Malden is “a community that’s open and welcome to everyone regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation and status.” There may be a plethora of unspoken reasons to why Mayor Christenson would rather not declare Malden an official sanctuary city. First and foremost, if he did call it a sanctuary city, then Malden would be subject to Trump’s Executive Order that would cut funding directly from Malden. This could be detrimental to the city which supports thousands of immigrants and provides them with resources to better suit them to their lives.

Many citizens find the label of a sanctuary city important, as it has the ability to give immigrants the sense of security that they may be seeking in a new or obscure area.

Being an immigrant is not an easy experience. Some enter the country as refugees, for family, for education opportunities or to start their lives anew. In the process of immigrating, one can face dangerous journeys,

Map of major santuary cities around the U.S. Photo from Wikimedia.

President Donald Trump giving a speech on immigration policies. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Retrieved from WikiMedia. familial separation, painstaking legal procedures, and general disapproval from society.

As a second generation Nigerian, I know secondhand that being an immigrant represents strength and sacrifice. Both of my parents left Nigeria when they were adults, but still young, solely for education. They didn’t leave the country out of fear of violence or war, lack or freedom of religion. They left to enrich their futures. They left family who loved them, places they knew inside and out, as well as secure careers all for a life in an unknown country. It’s a scary experience, leaving a place one knows so well for a place swarming with newness and uncertainty. Conversely, I find it a unique sentiment, knowing that I will live the rest of my life feeling wholeheartedly supported by my parents who chose to safeguard their own educations, thus securing mine.

Support has sprung up all over social media for immigrants since Donald Trump was elected. Many resources have become more available to in regards to what to do if ever apprehended by law enforcement, particularly the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, a federal law agency which operates under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for border patrol and other

forms of national security. There have been infographics that offer advice to not comply with the the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, but instead to fight back.

Protesters have also been supporting immigrants by voicing their opposition to Trump’s ban and wall.

They by no means believe that immigrants pose as a detriment to our society and but that they enhance it instead. Many have pointed out Trump’s hypocrisy in making a ban on immigrants considering the fact that his own wife is an immigrant.

In noting this simple fact, people have deemed this an issue not about safety, but merely about race. Our country has seen already hundreds of years of institutionalized racism that people are still working to fix.

The people will by no means be compliant to the order Trump is trying to impose over our country, many of which is rooted in racism. As long as people have the opportunity to protest and fight Trump’s odious and petulant laws, they will. The public will not stand by and allow immigrants treated blatantly unfairly when many of the contribute greatly to the American economy.

Ultimately, the issue of sanctuary cities in the Greater Boston area extends beyond a label. Sanctuary cities have the potential to serve as buffer to harsh law enforcement and genuine injustice. The pinnacle of these are orders exactly like Trump’s which are detrimental more than just cities; but to immigrants who house the same dreams as the rest of the world.

Local News

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

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Lunar New Year Celebration

Toby Pitan Reporter

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undreds of citizens around Malden and the Greater Boston area gathered at the Jenkins Auditorium on Saturday January 21st to celebrate and support the Chinese Lunar New Year. Performers of various ages and walks of life displayed their musical, dance, and vocal talents as in reverence and appreciation for Chinese culture in this annual gathering organized by the Chinese Culture Connection, also referred to as the CCC. This was also the “most important event of the year” that Malden High School’s Asian Culture Club organized in collaboration with the CCC. The CCC was founded by the Massachusetts Council in collaboration with the Lenny Zakim Fund and the Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation, three organizations focused on bridging together communities in Boston. The goal of the Chinese Culture Connection is to promote diversity in the city of Malden and surrounding areas while uniting Chinese and American communities. The organization hosts various programs for youth and adults and has a big focus on supporting the Chinese immigrant population in Malden. They offer programs such as school and community workshops, Saturday classes and summer camp, cultural dialogue series, and Youth Leadership and Mentoring programs. These programs extend to all racial backgrounds with the aim of educating citizens of Chinese culture. Their next program will be their New Year Celebration at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on February 4th from 10-4pm.

This year’s Malden Annual Lunar New Year Celebration was for the Year of the Rooster as it was displayed on the event’s program.

The event was a four hour long

gathering of citizens and performers of a wide range of ages and extending from Malden Senior Center to the Students of Little Dragon at the Beebe School in Malden. There were also performers from other organizations around Malden such as the Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy, North East Rhythmic School of Gymnastics and Dance, Andover Chinese School Choirs, Malden High School Asian Army, and Malden High School Asian Culture Club, to name a few.

Many MHS students from the Asian Culture Club worked tirelessly to prepare for the annual event.

Some arrived at the building from as early as 11 am and stayed until as late as 6 pm in preparation and conclusion of the event. Many club members doubled as performers: student played guitar, some sang, and others danced such as the Malden High School Asian Army. The MHS is a dance team not in collaboration with the Asian Culture Club.

They performed a number called “Blood Sweat and Tears” by BTS. They were seen in the auditorium from as early as noon, rehearsing for the show.

The Malden High School Asian Culture Club had a large role to play in this event. The event is hosted by the club which is advised by MHS Latin teacher Julie Snyder and is attended by a handful of culturally diverse students. This clubs hosts events such as Sushi Workshops, Noodle Workshops. Head of the club senior Emily Zhou explains how the club “is not limited to just Asians [and] welcomes a lot of other cultures.” Zhou joined the club as a freshman because she wanted to “learn more about [her] culture as well as other cultures.” Zhou said that she believes this year’s celebration “went smoothly considering every year [the event] is crazy and chaotic.”

Clockwise: Chinese Culture Connection’s Multi arts performance troup.

Another dance called ‘Elegance’ by CCC’s Multi arts perfomance troupe. The Books of Songs performed by the Children of Belmont and Andover. Jazz dancer Baifan Zhou of the North East Rhythmic School of Gymnastics and Dance.

The Blue and Gold February 2017

Local News

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Like “Summer in a bowl”

Sydney Stumpf Lead Reporter Rebeca Pereira Reporter

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oetry Out Loud has been a collaborative effort between teachers and students each year.

Poetry Out Loud is a unit of poetry included in the English curriculum where students perform poetry in class and advance to semi-finals and finals.

The 2017 Poetry Out Loud Unit has ended and one student has been chosen to represent Malden High School in the statewide Poetry Out Loud competition. In third place, sophomore Paige Pimentel, in second, Sophomore Sammy Lee, and the winner of the competition was

senior Paul Araiza, who will represent Malden in the next round of Poetry Out Loud.

On January 5th, the schoolwide finals were held in the auditorium during lunch block. First, each student performed a poem, followed by a round of teacher performances, finishing with a last round of student performances.

This has always been the routine, but this year’s POL finals were different. Dedicated to the late David Holland, the teacher competition began on a more serious note.

But in the spirit of the good humor Holland was known for, the competition turned more lively. Head of the English Department Sean Walsh told the crowd “[Holland] was a lover of Poetry Out Loud. He was the winner of the 2015 competition.

He had an ability to deal with serious issues and respond with good

humor and I think, in that spirit, we see some teachers who are up here taking some risks with courage and I hope we have some good humor.”

This year’s teacher competition saw a variety of outstanding performances. Performers included teachers Michelle Filer, Evan Mauser, Thomas Snarsky, Brian Wong, Zachary Kent, and Miranda Libkin, and student teacher Zachary Kent.

Libkin, an English teacher, won the competition.

Miranda Libkin, winning the competition, “[felt] like a rockstar.”

She notes competing as “fun and terrifying”. Libkin says she makes her students do Poetry Out Loud, and it was “really good to be able to put [herself] in their shoes.”

The two judges for the final round of Poetry Out Loud were the Director of Humanities, Abbey Dick and assistant superintendent Carol

2 0 1 7 Keenan. Dick, a former English teacher, had judged her own students, but judging “the best of the best” was a “total pleasure.” Keenan says judging the final round was the “highlight of [her] week.” She notes judging as being difficult, because of all the students who did so well.

Junior Jenny Huynh, who recited “Personal” by Tony Hoagland and “April Midnight” by Arthur Symons, chose both of her poems by “looking through the website and making sure [she] really liked the poem[s]”. Reciting one poem after the other for a large audience can be nerve racking, which is why, she says, it’s important to really enjoy the poems you choose.

Paul Araiza, the winner of the competition comments that as a senior, winning felt like “summer in a bowl”. He’ll be competing in the regional competition next.

Clockwise: MHS POL winner senior Paul Araiza, second place sophomore Sammy Lee, senior Victoria MacDonald, junior Meghan Yip, third place sophomore Paige Pimental. All photos by Leah Tramondozzi.

Local News

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

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Malden Public Library Hosts

Triple Threat Trivia Night Michelle Yin Reporter

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n thursday, January 26, 2017 the Malden Public Library decided to host their annual 19th Trivia night at the restaurant Anthony’s. This is the second to last Trivia night that the Malden Library would be hosting. This year’s Trivia night is dedicated to Dr. George Holland and James Norton, both having recently passed away. The event included a mini band and 4 round, with 5 minute intermissions in between the

rounds. Some teams participating were like, Mayor’s Motttley Crew, which of course included mayor Gary Christenson, MATV, and the winners of this year’s best decorated team, Chambers of Commerce, who dressed like characters from Harry Potter, and more. To start of the game, previous high school students of Malden high school and Mystic valley sang their school song.

And they played games like dead or alive where a representative from

each team had to choose whether the celebrity had passed away or not with the two pads they held. With every penalty that a team makes, they had to pay money. The winners of night would be able to win a ice cream cake. There was also lottery games where each team purchases a arm length amount of tickets. Overall, the night was a success as every group had fun with not only their groupmates, but with their fellow Maldonians.

Clockwise: Table decorated with notes set to guide people playing trivia as well as small treats. Photos of previous MPL trivia night by Ziping Wu and decorated by Carol Woodruff. Harry Potter cosplaying group named the Chamber of Commerce. Malden Housing trivia team with matching Superman shirts on. Pokemon-themed group named the Mayor’s Motttley Crew. First Parish Church group. Photos by Michelle Yin.

Malden’s Input for Superintendent Search, continued ...continued from page 1 What the search committee is responsible for is creating interview questions for the superintendent candidates once the application process ends. Since the application deadline hasn’t closed yet, Degenkolb says that the process of the committee so far has been behind

the scenes, however he believes that it will be a “tiring but rewarding process.”

On the City of Malden’s website there is a survey in which all Malden residents, from students in the Malden Public Schools to Adult residents. The survey was posted on Jan. 17, and is available in eight different languages for the diverse

population of Malden. The survey consists of questions asking how important certain priorities are, and how important certain skills and abilities are for a potential superintendent to have. Concluding the survey are open-ended questions asking about the preservation of aspects of Malden Public Schools, and the improvement of them.

Malden Reads Presents at Senior Center Neden Bernadin Lead Reporter

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n Tuesday January 31st, the Malden Reads Committee did a presentation at the Senior Center to discuss their upcoming plans for their seventh season.

One plan that was discuss was the this year’s book selection titled A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.

Anne D’Urso-Rose an associate director at MATV and a part of the Malden Reads team said that they’re planning on doing the same events from last year such as a community stargazing on Waitt’s Mountain and a Malden Reads Family Night at Boda Borg.

Since the major theme of this this year’s book is getting to know your neighbors, she said they are “looking forward to bringing people together, [who may not necessarily know each other], for those events.”

This year, the team is partnering up with Malden Arts for the “Free Little Libraries” project, where they will create handcrafted little libraries that people can “adopt”and place them near their house on a public street.

D’Urso-Rose mentioned that “the idea is for the public to to take a book & leave a book.” Another plan is creating a local map of all the little free libraries that will be built around the city.

This year’s book choice, A Man Called Ove is a novel written by Fredrik Backman, which centers on a man who recently lost his wife and falls into a deep state of depression and ends up having suicidal thoughts. He is found to be funny and tends to say things that one should not say out loud.

Throughout the novel, the whole neighborhood and community try to pull him out of his sadness and become a part of his life through hilarious incidents. One reason the committee chose this book is to be able to tag along with the theme of getting to know people in your neighborhood and the community.

Every year, D’Urso-Rose said that the team “hope[s] to get more people reading book[s] more than ever before, talking about it with their friends, neighbors and fellow community members, and participating in at least one of the events offered.”

If you want to learn more about the Little Free Libraries project, you can visit the site littlefreelibrary.org or if you want to help out with Malden Reads, contact them at maldenreads@gmail. com.

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New Teacher: Erick Martha-Reynolds

Ailin Toro Lead Reporter

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ecently, Malden High School has welcomed a new Spanish teacher, Erick Martha-Reynolds. He is replacing Diane Brookes while she goes on maternity leave for the rest of the year. Before taking over, he had been in the school for a couple

of weeks, observing Brookes in order to learn the protocols of her class, and then finally took over her classes now that she has officially left on leave.

Martha-Reynolds grew up in Mexico and moved to Los Angeles, CA fifteen years ago.

He graduated from the Mexican Institute of Technology. His hobbies are mainly active ones, including rock climbing, racing, and training at the gym.

When he came to live in Massachusetts ten years ago, he “realized that a lot of hispanic people were living here and they didn’t have the tools to communicate in English, so [he] wants to help those who speak English and do have the tools to learn Spanish, to be able to do that and learn a second language that will help them communicate with a huge group of people they could not have before.”

Martha-Reynold explained that Malden was a good fit for him to teach in because he lives in the area and sometimes when he’s had to take the bus, it has passed by the high school, and he began to wonder what it would be like to work at this high school. That’s why when he heard about the job opening, he was immediately excited. Another reason he was excited to work at the high school was because since learning a language is not required, students at the high school know if they want to learn another language and get to choose which one most interests them, which isn’t true for students in elementary or middle school.

This is actually his first year teaching full-time, but he has been a substitute teacher for the past two years.

He feels that the students are dealing with the transition from Brookes as their teacher to him “pretty well.”

Martha-Reynolds also added that “the language department is very supportive and have offered [him] help, making [his] success feel like a team effort.”

His goal coming to MHS is to be an “exceptional teacher”, and make sure the kids enjoy the subject and benefit from it in the future. He mentioned that since Spanish is one of the most common languages spoken in the United States, it makes it so that knowing the language could be something that could really help them later in life.

Martha-Reynolds can be found in J266.

¡Bienvenidos a Malden High!

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Farewell Dawn Frim

Movie Night

at the MPL

Sara Zakaria Reporter

T Dawn Frim with two of her students, Scott and Ben. Photo submitted by Erica Benitez.

Christina Appignani Lead Reporter

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fter 30 years of teaching Special Education in Malden, Dawn Frim is retiring from the Malden Public Schools system. She has been teaching in Malden High School’s Transition Program since 2005, which provides students with disabilities with practical academic skills, life skills and vocational skills through matching activities and lessons to the student’s interests, abilities and learning styles. She has also taught at Beebe, Forestdale and the Early Learning Center. Outside of Malden Public Schools, Frim taught vocational skills for three summers to special needs adults on an army base in Israel and has written two published books.

Frim’s career began at Forestdale in 1987, where she was a paraprofessional for two years. She says that “[she] has taught at every school [she] attended as a student: Brown Middle School, Lincoln Elementary School and Malden High School.” On her time at MHS, Frim “loves working with 18-22 year olds.

It has truly been [her] passion. [Her] years at MHS have been an adventure with countless memories.” She believes that the Transition Program has been successful because “it takes a team effort to make the program work.” Frim also acknowledges that her co-workers, particularly Roger Roy and Anne Ranieri, have contributed to making her time at MHS so wonderful.

On her retirement, Frim believes that it was time for her to start a new chapter in her life. However, she says that “[she] still has a lot of energy and would like to learn new skills.” Although she is saying goodbye to her career, Frim is “still very

passionate enthusiastic and passionate about it.” After she retires, Frim plans on working a few days a week as a medical secretary in her son’s office, who is a chiropractic physician.

Leaving Malden High School has been very bittersweet for Frim.

She says that “it has been difficult for [her] to say goodbye, since [she] has been teaching for more than half of [her] life.” Being a teacher has allowed Frim to be successful in being flexible, embracing challenges as learning opportunities and having a sense of humor.

he Malden Public Library hosted a movie night in the Maccario Room, from 6:00 to 7:45 pm. The Malden Public Library usually hosts movie nights every month.

The library played the movie Deepwater Horizon, which stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Gina Rodriguez and Dylan O’Brien, and is directed by Peter Berg. The movie is based on the true story of an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Deepwater Horizon explosion in 2010. The event was an explosion and fire on the Deepwater Horizon Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit, which caused it to sink and killed eleven workers and injured seventeen, and also created the large oil spill. The drama/ thriller has a 83 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and is also nominated for two Oscars at the Academy Awards: Best Sound Editing and Best Visual Effects.

A librarian, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was important that the Malden Public Library to continue hosting movie nights. “It helps build a strong community, bringing people together by watching and enjoying a film,” they said. Hosting movie nights also helps people who cannot afford to go to the movies a lot, and don’t have popular streaming sites like Netflix or Hulu. “[The library] like[s] to bring snacks and drinks in to create a nice environment, so everyone can be comfortable and just have a nice, fun night,” the librarian added.

A moviegoer, who also wished to remain anonymous, liked the idea of coming into the library to watch a film. They said how “[they found] comfort in going to the library, because it’s one of [their] favorite places to go to, since [they] was a kid. [They had] never went to watch a film in the library, so when [they] heard about it, [they] decided to go. It was pretty fun, and a great way to spend a night if you have nothing to do and you’re interested in watching a great movie.”

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NHS Senior Projects: Allyson Kummins’ Tutoring Program

Ailin Toro Lead Reporter

O

ne of the senior projects being taken on this year is a tutoring program being organized by senior, Allyson Kummins. She wanted to take this project on because she had the chance to be a tutor sophomore year for a similar project. She also mentioned that Paul Marques, computer science teacher at Malden High School and advisor to NHS, encouraged students to take on this project but nobody had decided to do it.

Kummins agreed to do it and wants to “try to get the job done so it would last after [she] graduate[s], and [become] a successful program.” She was excited to do it since she “had the first hand experience with [tutoring for an NHS project].”

The actual organization of the program is being done mainly online, with the only part that won’t be, being the actual tutoring. She is using setmore.com that allows her to create a separate page for each tutor, and lets each of them make thir own schedule. She is currently looking into finding teachers to become involved.

One of the challenges that she foresees with this project is that “students may not want to admit they may need tutoring, and may

not want to sign up on their own.”

That is one of the reasons she wants to do it online, because she feels that “If teachers go online with the student, and helps them make an appointment, they may be more likely to come because it’s now an obligation given by the teacher, much like any other assignment.”

Kummins noted that “there are always students that need to be tutored,” so her biggest step will be finding people who are free and want to tutor. She is hoping to find students “that can tutor in a wide variety of subjects from Algebra to Chemistry to French.” She is also collaborating with former MHS teacher Arlene Ceppetelli, organizer of another tutor group located in the Teen Center, to see if they can “help each other out or combine our ideas to create a larger program.”

She has hopes that it will be a success, but notes that there’s no way she can be sure until she is done. “[she] will be happy as [as long as] she [makes] progress.”

She is confident that even if it is on a small scale this semester, that “another NHS student in the future may want to build off of the ideas [she] had” or that “Mr. Marques can help continue it in the coming years on a larger scale.”

She says that so far there haven’t been any volunteers, but that “hopefully [she] can get some [people] to join.” With that, she also mentions that there aren’t any

specific qualifications needed to become a tutor. That’s why she reached out to many of the teachers here.

She “asked them to mention the program to their upper level, or upperclassmen classes, and let their students know if they would be a good fit to tutor in a certain subject.” She believes that teachers would know best what subject a student would be of help in.

Also, the reason she hasn’t made a school wide announcement to students is because she doesn’t “want some who wouldn’t be helpful or that doesn’t know what they’re doing to come and say they want to tutor.” She believes that the purpose of tutoring is to help students who need it, and that Senior Allyson Kummins. Photo submitted by doing that “wouldn’t Kummins. help at all.” Another If you would like to get into reason for not reaching out to everyone is that she “also contact with Kummins on being tuwant to make sure I have most of the tored or possibly being a tutor, then details set in stone before I ask for you can reach her at akummins17@ maldenps.org. any tutors.”

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‘

Boston Women’s March held on Saturday, January 21st, 2017. The Boston community marches for “compassion, respect, integrity, equality, and science.” Massachusetts residents and hundreds of thousands of Americans from other cities called for a change in protest to the inaguaration of President Donald Trump.

Jemisha Syliant Reporter

O

n January 21, over 5 million people worldwide came to march, speak, and make their voices heard. An estimated amount of 200,000 people from Malden joined the march in Boston. The City Committee organized a group of about 20 residents who took the train downtown from Malden Center on Saturday morning. The Maldenbased American Association of Arab Women also had strong opinions at the march. Some residents gathered for pictures around a sign that said, “Malden,” and one resident held a sign reading, “Malden Embraces Diversity.” Worldwide, an estimated 5 million people participated in the marches, which came one day after the inauguration of Donald Trump.

What started the women’s march movement was to protest against human rights, women’s rights, immigration policies, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, and freedom of religion. The march was an event with the purpose of standing in solidarity with the groups of people Trump has offended, following the inauguration as President of the United States. This march drew an estimation of 500,000 to Washington and over 4 million people protested worldwide. At least 408 marches were planned in the US, and 673 marches took place worldwide.

This march gained support from many different parts around the world. This march brought many groups working together on issues like climate change, immigrants’ rights, LGBT rights, religious rights, and racial rights, to all come together as one. No arrests were made

Marchers sign “if you demean one of us, you demean all of us.” Women’s March for America held in Boston on Saturday, January 21st, 2017 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Marchers marched from Boston Common onto Charles street.

in these marches. This march is said to be successful and nonviolent. The women’s march movement took place on every continent, even in Antarctica. According to the www. womensmarch.com, their mission is to conduct a women’s march that will be held on the first day of being in the office. This website also states, “We will not rest until women have parity and equity at all levels of leadership in society. We work peacefully while recognizing there is no true peace without justice and equity for all.” Their goal is to send a bold message to the new government on their first day. A quote found on the website says, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.”

Although many people questioned the social impact the march would have, speakers a various

marches encouraged their audience and the world to look at the march as the beginning of a resistance and not the end of one. At the march that began the movement, the Women’s March on Washington, filmmaker Michael Moore urged the women to take action both locally and on a larger scale. While it’s important to engage in open conversation, especially with people with whom you may not agree with, it’s also important to be heard by those who have the power to create political change.

He urged viewers to call their representatives and senators everyday on behalf of the beliefs they hold.

Michael Moore also mentions a way to take action is by calling congress and senators. A quote from his facebook says, “Your calls over the weekend have jammed the Congressional switchboard again and most Senator’s voice mail is now full. “

Marchers sign “disrupt and resist fascism and hate.” Women’s March for America held in Boston on Saturday, January 21st, 2017 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Marchers marched from Boston Common onto Charles street.

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Tens of thousands of marchers during the Women’s March held in Boston chant “This is what democracy looks like!” Protestors began streaming from Boston Common onto Charles Stree t between 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. The Boston community and the rest of America stand for religious freedom, human rights, climate justice, racial justice, economic and reproductive justice.

Clockwise; Marchers walk down the Boston Common holdin a sign stating, “a woman’s place is in the revolution.” Marchers walk down the Boston Common holdin a sign stating, “... you have no idea what you have unleashed...” Protestors on the street and in the school bus chanting. Official Boston Women’s March For America logo. Brewer Fountain decorated with signs in support of Women’s Rights. Marchers walk down the Boston Common holdin a sign stating, “[love] Trump’s hate!” All Women’s March photos by Leila Greige and Felicia Fallano.

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

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A Look into the YMCA Leadership Club

A Review Christina Appignani Lead Reporter

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The YMCA Leadership Club at the Malden YMCA basketball court for an event. Photo submitted by the club.

Man Nguyen Reporter

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alden High school offers a variety of opportunity for students to get involved and one of them being the YMCA leadership club. “It helps building the skills you need to be a leader,” said senior Danny Chen, the president of the YMCA club. He also explains further about how the clubs helps him from speaking in front of people to managing a crowd.

The members also gain volunteer hours which is great for forming their resume, besides being able to connect with more people like them and making new friends. “There is something beautiful about a story of people who barely know each other, come together in one place and...benefit the community,” said junior Brian Tong, a member of the club.

This year, the club faces many challenges, one being that, at the start of the year there were “many new officers” with limited experience in “handling new members and the membership fees,” explained Tong. Another problem is that the majority of officers were in the process of applying to college and couldn’t contribute to the club as much as they did before because, “most of the officers are seniors,” says senior Yining Mao. In addition to members’ schedules being full, the club faces yet another obstacle as “there are a lot of people joined this year, up to a hundred members,” says Chen. Despite the struggles, the leaders try their best to give the members as much

attention and opportunities as possible.

“The club is pretty well and more organized than last couple years,” Chen stated. Chen explained that this year, the club came up with an idea that will help building a club of productive members. Everyone who wishes to be a part of a club will be required to be in an interview in which the leaders will decide whether to keep someone based on their answers. Besides interviewing people to filter out the people who joined, this year, the club improves as its members learn to “balance between [their] schedules and force [themselves] to meet deadlines including going to events and officer meetings,” Mao explains. The club also starts to make spreadsheets for volunteer hours and google docs for outlines for every meeting, making it easier for the members to keep track with what is going on within the club.

The club’s projects mainly revolves around the Malden community. “The more events, the more people we help, the more slime we bring to the community and within the club,” explained Tong. Many events include ones like “the family nights at the YMCA, which is one of the big events,” says Mao. The club does not only help the members becoming future leaders but also the Malden locals as well. Tong expresses that,“[he is] honored to be a part of this club and being able to lead and help others to become leaders in the community themselves.”

he CW’s newest teen drama, Riverdale premiered on January 26. Based on characters from Archie Comics, Riverdale follows a group of teenagers from a mysterious small town that deal with life, love, death and friendship during their high school years.

The series begins at the end of a tragic summer, in which Riverdale High School’s football quarterback, Jason Blossom, dies on the fourth of July, and this event casts a dark shadow on the town. Not only that, but Archie Andrews, a sophomore and arguably the heartthrob of the series, discovers his passion for writing and performing music while romantically connecting with Ms. Geraldine Grundy, the music teacher at Riverdale High.

Unbeknownst to his relationship with Ms Grundy, Betty Cooper, the smart girl next door and Archie’s best friend, prepares to confess her romantic feelings for him at the start of the pilot episode. However, they are interrupted by confident rich girl Veronica Lodge, who becomes friends with Archie and Betty in order to reinvent herself after just recently moving to Riverdale from New York. Despite the tension between them, Archie, Veronica and Betty become the best of friends.

Although the show mainly revolves around the love triangle between Archie, Betty and Veronica, the other characters help create the creepy, angsty tone that the audience gets from the show. For example, Jughead Jones, played by former Disney Channel star Cole Sprouse, narrates the series as an outcast judging virtually everyone from an outside point of view by writing a book about the past summer.

Cheryl Blossom, Jason’s twin sister, is the conceited mean girl next door who hates on everybody for what happened to her brother. The famous fictional band “Josie and the Pussycats” are also in the series as an all-black female band. These characters sway the audience’s attention away from the cliche love triangle and offer conflict and personalities that will potentially make these characters fan favorites.

Despite the many cliches, Riverdale is intriguing to watch and can be surprisingly relatable. The characters go through things normal teens do, such as keeping up grades and extracurriculars for college and discovering themselves through their interests, all while dealing with the angst that comes with being a teenager. Also the cast, although most of them are newcomers to acting, portray these characters in a way that allows the audience to feel for them.

While dead teenagers and student-teacher relationships is a common thing to see in teen dramas, it gives the audience enough suspense to make them come back for a new episode every week. Riverdale, although extremely different from the original comics, provides modern, more grown-up versions of the classic characters that allows teen audiences to not only enjoy watching their stories, but also identify with them as well.

The CW airs new episodes of Riverdale on Thursdays at 8:00 pm.

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HoneyHoney Café Review Christina Appignani Lead Reporter Sydney Stumpf Lead Reporter

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n January, Malden welcomed its newest sweet shop. HoneyHoney Dessert Cafe, located at 480 Main Street. It is owned by Stacey Zhang and Karen Lei, who have dreamed of opening a dessert shop for years. The shop serves a variety of beverages, breakfast foods, sandwiches and desserts, but offers healthier options such as salads and tea.

Christina’s POV: The cafe has a really easygoing, cute atmosphere. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the music. The cafe doesn’t play typical pop music that you’d expect, it played covers of softer, quieter songs from both popular and indie artists. For example, I heard covers of “Let Her Go” by Passenger, “Clean by Taylor Swift” and “Riptide” by Vance Joy. The music really made it feel like a cafe to do homework, read and talk with friends.

The service was exceptional. When I walked in, we were greeted very politely and were told to take our time ordering. The cashier also asked us if we were looking were jobs because they have been looking to hiring teens in the Malden area When I went, I ordered a chocolate chip muffin. The muffin was really well baked and was a pretty good size as well. The Cafe offers multiple kinds of muffins, including blueberry, raisin bran and lemon crumb.

A lot of the bakery goods were on display under the counter, which easily persuaded me to try the muffin.

Along with that, I also shared an order of popcorn chicken with Sydney. It was the best popcorn chicken I’ve ever tasted. Unlike most types of popcorn chicken where it’s frozen first and then defrosted, this popcorn chicken was actually cooked. The smell of it was alluring and the taste was mouthwatering.

Because of my good experience here, I’ll definitely be coming back again soon. I’ll probably order the popcorn chicken again, but I’d also like to try one of their breakfast sandwiches and hot tea. I’d definitely recommend this cafe to a friend, and I’ll be bringing some friends there soon.

Honey Honey is a great place to eat, hang out with friends or do homework in a quiet, friendly environment.

Popcorn chicken from HoneyHoney Cafe. Photo by Sydney Stumpf.

Sydney’s POV: When I went to the cafe with Christina, I was immediately excited.

The cafe was perfectly decorated with modern tables and chairs. The woman at the counter was very nice, and made suggestions. I ordered a vanilla iced latte, like I do at Dunkin Donuts every morning. I also ordered the popcorn chicken. The latte was $4.25 and the chicken, 4.95. It was all reasonably priced, and within my tiny budget.

My latte was made quickly, which was wonderful, because I really needed some coffee. It was a little small, like the lattes you would order at a place like the Thinking Cup in Boston, or any other independent coffee shop. It was really good. I wish I didn’t drink it so fast, but like I said, I was about to fall asleep in my chair.

While I waited for my chicken, I wasn’t bored or uncomfortable, thanks to both Christina and the charming atmosphere of the cafe. The chicken came out in a to-go box, with a stick. I don’t know if I was supposed to use the single stick to pick up the chicken, but that’s what I did. It was a good portion of chicken and it tasted really good. We ate the whole thing very quickly and I debated getting another order to take home. I don’t know how to describe popcorn chicken, it was just really, really, good.

I will definitely be going back there.

Left to right: HoneyHoney Cafe menu. Iced Coffee from HoneyHoney Cafe. Photos by Christina Appignani.

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Sports

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Indoor Track Ana Pirosca Reporter

This year’s indoor track team has been deemed the team of “young and new talent,” as stated

by Jasmine Gray, a junior member of the team. Over the course of the regular season, this new talent has become a part of the indoor track “family,” putting in work and effort to become trained and disciplined athletes.

This year was especially crucial since it is the last year the track team will participate in the Greater Boston League before moving on to the Northeastern Conference next season. The general focus of the team was to win the championship and remain undefeated.

At the start of any track season, all of the varsity runners, as always, wanted to improve their own times and records. Gray herself seeked to qualify for the 1 mile race at the State meet, and although she was not able to meet that goal, she was able to qualify for States in the 4x800 meter team event instead. Junior Oussama Ourich did not originally even have any expectations of being able to go to States, though as the season progressed, he trained hard enough and improved his time enough to qualify for the 1,000 meter event.

As runners trained and raced, records were broken, and accomplishments were made. Not only did the 4x800 girls team, consisting of juniors Gray, Amanda Santorelli, Alexandra Russo, and Kylie DiMaro break the school record, but the 4x400 girls team, made up of senior Taymise Sanders and freshmen Batoul Chouiki, Nour Chouiki, and Olivia Simmons-Normil, broke the indoor record as well, and then the 4x400 team proceeded to break their own record soon after.

Many other athletes also proceeded to surpass their own personal best. Senior Anna Julia Souza, who does shotput, exceeded her best by scoring a 30 meter in her event, reflecting that “[she has been] a constant placer,” but not a “crazy thrower,” as she typically threw around 27 in prior meets, but she was “really proud of [herself],” when she was able to throw for 30.

Due to this personal best, Souza qualified and will be going to States.

Senior David Jean felt that “the team this year [had] more energy and talent all around.” Jean also explained that for every race his teammates are there to push him.

Souza explained that she feels that a key to success is to not “think about it a lot, just go in, remember what you do, and walk out of the circle and [you’re] done.” Jean feels that “your body doesn’t control your mind, your mind controls your body,” a mantra he keeps with him-

self throughout a race or at practice.

Mindsets like these help get the team ready for meets and succeed.

Though at the beginning of the season some people had their doubts about this new team. Gray stated that she “felt unsure about the depth of our team.” As the season went on, hopes went up. Gray began feeling proud of her team as meets came and passed, teams broke records, and many individuals qualifying for States. With the absence of last year’s seniors, who posed as some of the most important people on the team, many freshmen and sophomores stepped up to the plate.

Ourich stated that he “was nervous; [he] didn’t know what to expect,” unlike his teammates Souza and Jean, who were ready and excited to get back in the saddle again.

As athletes reflect on their track experience, everyone came to the conclusion that although training was tough every day, having people that depend on you and cheer you on make it worth it all. Jean explained that he “wouldn’t change anything about track. It’s great the way it is, since there is always people motivating you and telling you what you did wrong [in order to help you improve],” because in the end, “being able to be on a team that feels like family is the greatest thing ever.”

With the regular season coming to an end, the team has only the GBL closing meet and States left.

Clockwise: Senior Brian Tran running a relay during a meet. Senior Pedro Lugo about to run. Junior Jasmine Gray running during a meet. Photos by Nick Powers. Girls indoor track team. Retrieved from Malden HS Sports.

Anna Julia Souza

Senior Anna Julia Souza. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Ana Pirosca Reporter

S

enior Anna Julia Souza is a shot put thrower for the Malden Hight School indoor track team.

Her track and field journey began during her junior year. Upon joining the team, she felt good to find a sport to play to her own strengths.

Along with this, she finds it interesting to see how the team works; how different track is.

After coming a long way, this year she qualified for the States competition. She’s been training to build up muscle for a good throw, and in the state, a good throw is 30 meters out in front. Though the idea of going to states is a bit nerve-wracking to Souza considering that in the past she’s had a hard time easing up before a meet.

“Last year, when [she] first did it, [she] would always get stressed out before a meet,” she explained.

This year, to prepare for meets, Souza tries not to think about it, and stays loose and relaxed and “just [tries] to keep a clear mind,” she stated.

To add onto her plate, Souza explained that just being in the competition is going to be a challenge. She stated that “before [her] last few meets [she’d] go to [her] coach’s room a lot and he’d say ‘No you’re gonna hit a 30, you’re gonna hit a 30,’” and she’s had her doubts thinking, “[she] can barely hit a 28.”

She just barely met the requirement, adding to the strain and is “scared to go in and not be as good as the other people.” Though, Souza remains hopeful and is still proud of the improvement she has made.

Souza hopes that she’d be able to continue her track and field experience outside of high school.

Though right now, she plans on focusing on her strength and posture to get the best throw she can at her last indoor track meet.

The Blue and Gold February 2017

Sports maldenblueandgold.com

Girls Hockey Emraude Bonnet Reporter Jemish Syliant Reporter

T

he girls ice hockey team had a packed season, but most Malden High School students do not know that. The girls ice hockey team has talent and skill, but they fly under the radar compared to the boys ice hockey team. Like for the boy’s team, Malden High School does not have a girl’s hockey team. Instead the girls that are interested in playing are in cooperation with the Medford High School team.

Bethan Taddeo is a freshman on the hockey team, and loves hockey with a passion. This is her interview: 1) How has the season went?

The season had a rough start, but we have started to come back with more goals and wins as the season is coming to an end 2) What do you love about hockey?

I love how in hockey your whole body is sweating, but the cold rink air hits your face when you’re skating full speed and cools you down.

3) What made you join?

My dad played hockey his whole childhood, and is now a fanatic about the sport, as well as coaching. Also, my two older brothers have played since they were little. Being brought up in a hockey family, and spending much of my childhood at my brother’s games influenced my interest in the sport.

4) What’s it like not playing for Malden?

I love playing for Medford. I got to meet people that don’t live in Malden, and be immersed in a different city. However, not many people know about girls Medford/Malden hockey.

5) How does it feel playing on a co-school team, especially in comparison to playing on just a Malden-only team?

Playing with girls from Medford is an amazing experience. I love the mix of Malden and Medford girls. If I had a bad day dealing with people at school, it’s nice to hear about how a day at Medford High went. On a Malden-only team, I almost feel like I wouldn’t be as welcomed as I am on this team. The medford players and coaches always make sure us Malden girls are included. Whereas on a Malden-only team, if you aren’t friends with the players in school, you might not be welcomed on the team.

6) Do you feel segregated from Malden High sports teams?

I feel very segregated from Malden High School sports, as do some of the other Malden girls. This is because no one knows about our team, and the school does not really support or advertise our team the way they do to the basketball team or track team.

7) How can the girls hockey team become better?

The girls hockey team can become better by just pushing ourselves and each other, the way any team gets better. Support from both schools would also motivate us to do better.

8) What are ways to get the girls hockey team more known about at Malden High?

I feel like at Malden High this Medford team is a secret. To make it more known, the school simply has to care more and advertise it more. Malden girls that are interested in joining next year should be more informed.

When I joined this year, I had to get all the information from a sophomore that joined last year. The school did not make any announcements for new players to know about. Next year, Malden High should make sure people know about when tryouts are for people interested.

9) How do you feel about the team?

I love my team. I love the sport. I love the people. Joining this sport was the best thing I could do as a freshman. It has taken up so much of my time in such a good way, and helped me make so many new friends. I just wish Malden High would take our team seriously and support us more.

10) How did it feel not having the girls hockey team not as acknowledged as the boys around the school?

Hearing the boys team announced all the time and not the girls felt like a slap in the face. It isn’t fair that their team receives support and recognition and our team gets put down and forgotten. I have been told by multiple people that Medford is a ‘rival’ of Malden High, and we should not be playing for them.

When it comes to girls ice hockey, we are a united team; I do not care what city we are merged with.

From top, left to right: The team warming up before the start of a game. Medford girls hockey member trying to score. Malden members of the girls hockey team.

Photos submitted by the team.

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Boys Basketball Faces Wakefield High SChool Subin Bastola Reporter

O

n Monday, January 30th, The Malden High School Boys Basketball earned an official berth into the state tournament thanks to their 70-60 victory over the Wakefield Memorial High School Warriors.

Coming into the game Malden had an overall record of 9-4, and had been on a three game winning streak. They went up against the at the time 5-6 Warriors and were looking to extend the streak.

The Tornadoes started the game aggressively, as senior captain Nathaniel Ilebode shot turned into the first basket for Malden in their first possession. The boys had defeated the Warriors 47-45 just two weeks prior and were confident that they would do the same again.

From the tip-off, the boys asserted their defence as well as their offense with high levels of intensity and efficiency. Throughout the rest of the first quarter the Tornadoes continued to play restraining defense as they capitalized on every Wakefield turnover and converted them to a lot of fast break points. The first quarter ended with MHS leading Wakefield 22-11 thanks to a fast start.

The Warriors finally got into

their rhythm in the of the second quarter as they forced the Tornadoes to turn it over multiple times and capitalized with fast break points..

The Warriors’ determined offense, as well as their stifling defense were able to cut the Malden lead to just two points within the first four minutes of the second quarter. However, Malden were able to contain the ferocious run by the Warriors. After their lead being cut to just two points, the Tornadoes for the most part traded baskets with Wakefield for the rest of the quarter, not allowing them to take the lead. The boys went into halftime with 36-32 lead, but giving up their comfortable lead at the end of the first quarter.

The third quarter began similarly to the second, with the Warriors playing tight defense and forcing even more turnovers. Head coach Don Nally was forced to take a time out within three minutes of the third quarter after his team was put into intense pressure by the Wakefield.

When play resumed, senior guard Bernard Taylor took over the game offensively, making a couple of momentum shifting three pointers as well as a few contested layups.

Thanks to Taylor converting tough shots as well as the rest of the team’s ball movement the Tornadoes took a seven point lead into the fourth quarter with the score of 50-43.

The fourth quarter began with

another ferocious run by the Warriors, once again cutting their margin of deficient to two points within the first two minutes. This was the closest Wakefield got to tying the game however, as once again the Tornadoes picked up the pace and never looked back. Thanks to great a great offensive display, the Tornadoes put together a run of their own. With little time left in the game, Malden lead Wakefield 67-53. Junior guard, Fern Berard converted a three point shot to close the game, and give the Tornadoes the win a double digits, with the final score of 70-60.

After the game, junior forward Malik Bisset mentioned that one of his takeaways from the game was that “when the team is up, [they] have to hold on to their lead”. When asked about his thoughts on making

the state tournament, Bisset mentioned that “[he is] very excited to qualify for states” and that “[he] is looking forward to the experience.”

Bisset continued to say that although the team has already qualified for the state tournament, “[the team’s] goal is to finish the strong and win the remaining games in their schedule.

When asked about the team qualifying for states, sophomore guard Robens Garcia stated that “it is only one step” and that “[the team] has to keep working hard so that [they] could improve and get to where [they] want to be.” With six games left, Garcia mentioned that “[the team] can still insure a state a game at home” but to do that “[they] need to continue [their] win streak.

Clockwise: Senior captain Nathanial Ilebode going for a lay-up. Junior Marlon Cook about to shoot a free throw. Senior Bernard Taylor dunking the ball.

All photos by Subin Bastola.

Sports

The Blue and Gold February 2017

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maldenblueandgold.com

Boys Hockey AIMING FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Falyn Kelley Reporter

W

ith the season quickly coming to an end, Malden High’s hockey team continues to give it their all in every game.

Senior James Pandolfo explained that “[the season has] gone pretty well.

[The team is] 6-9-1 right now so [they] need 7 points in [their] final 4 games to qualify for the state tournament.” This season, Pandolfo set himself a goal to become the team’s new captain, which he proudly achieved and put all of his focus on “[being] a leader and [setting] good examples for all [of his] teammates on and off the ice.”

February 24th marks the day of the last game of the season. This highly anticipated match has been creating excitement that floods the team. Luckily for the team, nervousness is a rarity. Enthusiasm is more commonly spread amongst team-

mates making the games and practices a place of positivity.

Pandolfo stressed that the key to success is “playing together and sticking to [their] systems.” A successful game is produced by teamwork and positivity during practices and on the ice. According to Pandolfo, during this season, one of the team’s major improvements was “learning how to play together and put the team first.”

With the goal in mind to be qualifying for the state tournament, like the team did last year, the team remains determined and confident for whatever is thrown their way.

Sophomore Zachary Rufo claimed that what makes this year’s hockey team special is “[the] many leaders. “Everyone wanted [to win] as bad as the next person, and everyone played like it was the last game of the season [in every game].”

Pandolfo also mentioned that “[the team was] able to come back this season, and despite losing a lot of talent and leadership from last season’s seniors, [there

were] players [who stepped] up into new roles and [got] out of their comfort zone in order to help the team succeed.”

With an abundance of games that were just as interesting as the last and just as fun as the next, Pandolfo stated that “the most interesting [game] was the early season game against Everett. It was back and forth during the whole game and [the team] ended up winning with a goal in the last 20 seconds of the game.”

Throughout all the excitement running through the team this season, the last game is coming closer, leaving a “bittersweet” feeling, according to Pandolfo.

The Senior Night game was held on saturday, February 11th but unfortunately ended with the team losing 5-4 against a Saugus team. “Every single player on our team fought hard until the end and left it all on the ice for the seniors” stated Pandolfo.

Don’t forget to support the team by going to this season’s last game, friday February 24th at 4:30 at Cronin Rink in Revere.

Clockwise: Sophomore Marc Giordano defending the goal. Freshman Corey Rufo shooting the puck. Junior Michael Goroshko skating down the rink with the puck.

Senior James Pandalfo. Junior Michael Giordano. All photos by Ryan Hames.

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

Jason

Montezuma

Wrestling

Junior Jason Montezuma. Photo

by Sabrina Monteiro.

Sabrina Monteiro Reporter Josandy Jeune Reporter

W

inter season sports are coming to an end and as it does, athletes have the motivation to try harder and harder as the end is near.

Though the wrestling team didn’t have much luck this year and didn’t get as much wins as they would’ve hoped, the team still continues to progress and try to make improvements for the year’s to come.

First year wrestling coach Rin Van stated the season has had its ups and its downs. He will be returning next year to coach for the wrestling team. Van says the most memorable meet would have to be the Triton meet.

Junior Carlos Parada Araujo has been wrestling for two years now and says the season has been “difficult because team is smaller in comparison to last year and [they] have a new coach as well so it’s been kind of hard to get everyone organized. It’s hard to adapt to these changes, but it is important to keep [their] heads held high in order to move on and do [their] best,” Araujo added.

Araujo has enjoyed the season because he enjoys the sport and is surrounded by good people. The

goal for the team is to get everything organized and as an individual for Araujo, it is to “progress and go farther.” Araujo said he will definitely be doing wrestling again next year as it will be his last year to “see how far [he] goes next year and see if it will be his year to go to states.”

Junior Jason Montezuma has been a member of the Malden High School wrestling wrestling for three years. Montezuma said the year “hasn’t been the greatest, but hasn’t been too terrible because [they] still have people that show everyday and work hard which is a good sign for the future.” For next year, Montezuma hopes to accomplish a more “full lineup” and more wins as a team.

Junior Wisly Pericles has had much individual success on the team, having “hit the winning re-

cord of 14-6.” His most memorable meet was Lincoln Sudbury because he’s wrestled them every time and the opponent he always goes against is a “worthy opponent.”

Junior Hasnat Moughal felt that the season “has gotten better over time, as people became more committed and showed up more often.” Moughal enjoyed the practices and the meets about this season. He overall became a better wrestler, and was able to cooperate more with his teammates.

In Sectionals, Araujo and Pericles were able to get 4th place, thus making it to States. They both hope to be able to make it far to make a statement for the MHS program.

As the wrestling season comes to a close the team hopes to continually progress next year, as well as gain new members.

Clockwise: Senior Deyshawn Beaucicot in side control. Junior Hasnat Moughal taking down his opponent. Junior Carlos Parada Araujo taking down his opponent. Junior Wisly Pericles attempting to take down his opponent. All photos by Sabrina Monteiro.

Sabrina Monteiro Reporter

J

unior Jason Montezuma has been wrestling for three years. Montezuma decided to give wrestling a try because he wanted to do a winter sport and felt “it [suited him more] than swimming and basketball.”

Last year, the wrestling team had more people on the team. However this year, the season has been more challenging as there is a much smaller variety in people to compete against and practice with than in years’ past. Montezuma’s goal for the team is to “make sure that the people that started the year off, [remain motivated and succeed].” Although the team is smaller, Montezuma continues to work hard to improve his skills as a wrestler.

Montezuma believes the year hasn’t been the best for the team this year, but thinks on the positive side, feeling that this year is a period of rebuilding for the team. As an entire team, “[they] haven’t won, but as individuals, there has been many wins,” he stated.

The most memorable meet for Montezuma was when the team went against a team “where there were only four wrestlers on [their] side and three of [them] won.”

In wrestling, Montezuma thinks his strengths will be to help lead his team members in making sure their skills/ techniques are set and are being worked with. He will be able to do this, “since [he] has not been able to compete because of his injury during the second week of the season.”

When Montezuma goes to college, he says “if the opportunity is there, [he will] probably do wrestling, but [for now he has not made a decision],” and he will continue to enjoy his experience in high school.

Sports

The Blue and Gold February 2017

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maldenblueandgold.com

Figure Skating:

Swim Profile: Kevin Ochoa Kayla Sousa Reporter

K

evin Ochoa, sophomore at Malden High School, is in his second year swimming for the school after starting as a freshman. Ochoa remembers swimming as a child from the early age of 5 years old. He credits his start in swim to his mother who was eager to put Ochoa in swimming lessons.

From there he began taking swimming lessons and joined a team. Little did he know that not only would he be able to swim, but would also be able to be a strong component to the Malden High School swim team.

Directly from the start, Ochoa swam in lane 1 as a freshman. From there on out it was full speed for Kevin Ochoa’s swim career. He currently swims in lane 1 and his main events are the 200 freestyle and 100 fly, but due to his endurance he prefers the 200 freestyle as he likes long distance events.

To Ochoa, joining swim has always been “a big dream” for him and felt that coming to the high school was “a great opportunity to represent his school as well as getting involved in sports.”

Ochoa acclaims his sense of leadership and maturity to the team. He believes that the swim team is like a family with no judgement, each individual displaying a great work ethic.

His favorite memory was of his first GBL title and how “after the big win [they] went to the Dockside as a team and enjoyed the title with all [his] team members” and claims that as the season went by, “the swim members became a part of [him],” says Ochoa.

A close friend of Ochoa, Agatha Silva, also a sophomore swimmer, has known Ochoa for almost three years and claims that “[she] honestly [does] not know if [she] would be able to do swim without him” and that “ he is an amazing flyer and watching him leaves [her] in awe because [she] knows how much work he puts into the sport he loves.” Not only is he a great swimmer but also “a person that is always able to make the team laugh and he always checks up on the team if [they] look upset.” Silva states that, “the swim atmosphere would be completely different if [they] didn’t have him on the team.”

Joanne Ho, also a sophomore swimmer, says that “Ochoa is a phenomenal swimmer and is one of the best on the team.” To Ho, Ochoa is dedicated “since he works hard at not one, but two practices a day since he swims for the YMCA Crocs.” She is in accord with Silva stating that “he is so supportive of everyone and is a huge part of why the team has gone undefeated this season.”

Another close friend Olivia Forestier, who is also another sophomore swimmer, says that “whether it be for swim or advice on life, [she] knows that he will always be there for [her].” Forestier not only states that he is an amazing swimmer but also that “he is a crucial part of [the] team and one of the many reasons [she] loves this sport.” To Forestier, “ his hard work and dedication has truly paid off and it does not go unnoticed.”

Outside of school Ochoa participates in the Ping Pong club, the Key club, The Red Cross, Y leaders, band and crew. He also swims for the YMCA club team.

He hopes that his great ambition for swim since the age of five will come true being the ability to swim in college and become recruited.

Winterfest Competition

Rebecca Oliveira Reporter

O

n January 16, 2017, Malden High School’s Figure Skating team competed in an annual competition against the eight other figure skating teams from different cities in Massachusetts. The competition was held in Gloucester at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., hosted by the Shoreline Skating Club. Overall, the figure skating team placed fourth, placing second in their team maneuver with Allyson Kummins winning her free style event, and Alyssa Ardai placing third in her free style event.

Malden High School Figure Skating Club members. Photo taken by Elizabeth Gibbons.

Retrieved from Malden HS Sports.

Elizabeth Gibbons, MHS math teacher and coach of the figure skating team, explained that the maneuvers included, “a couple of jumps, a couple of spins, and a couple of footwork elements,” and later, in order for the three judges to give the teams their scores, “all of the teams send out one representative out for each element, and then they are analyzed.” They are judged based on the quality of their jumps and spins and footwork, the amount of power they exhibit out on the ice, their artistic expression, and by how they interpret the music.

To analyze the elements in each maneu-

ver, the judges have each team perform one after the other. Then for the free-style program, each figure skater can perform with the music of their choice. Kummins skated to a Betty Who cover of ‘I Love You Always Forever,’ and Ardai skated to a cover of ‘I Raise You Up’ by Josh Groban.

When asked about the performances of each girl on the team, Gibbons praised Kummins, saying that, “[she thinks] that Allyson skated her program better than she’s ever skated it before,” and how she was, “really proud of her.” Over the course of the figure skating season, Gibbons said that throughout the season the girls had really improved on their “artistic expression and their power on the ice.” Aside from the athleticism in figure skating, there is also an artistic component that comes into play as well. Gibbons believes in the importance of training both the artistic and technical aspects of figure skating, especially since every program revolves around these two components.

At the competition there was sportsmanship shown by all of the teams, regardless from which high school the teams came from.

Gibbons testified to the sportsmanship, saying that it felt like there was, “a big sense of community among the teams,” and that “everyone cheers for everyone.”

Junior Alyssa Ardai. Photo submitted by Elizabeth Gibbons.

Senior Allyson Kummins. Photo submitted by Elizabeth Gibbons.

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The Blue and Gold February 2017

maldenblueandgold.com

GIRLS BASKETBALL worked on things that contributed to the definition of a successful team, that led them to end the season with Emraude Bonnet succeeding in their goal of not only Reporter improving upon their previous record, but improving their cohesivealden High School’s girls ness as a team. basketball team has definitely The entire team has made such improved from their last season and a drastic improvement from the really proved their placement here previous seasons thanks to the new at MHS. The team had many more coaching staff. Coach Scott Marino wins on their table then last season. has really pushed all of them to strive for success and he has put a lot of stress on unity. The freshmen, junior varsity, and varsity teams are not individual teams, but instead one unified team.

McKenzie Vo is a senior who plays guard on her first year of varsity this year.

The team she wanted to beat was Lynn Classical because they have a great program the really pushes the varsity team to play the best that they can. Her goals for this season were to become more aggressive Junior Tiffany Tortora calling for a pass. Photo by Abhishek and physical in which she has Rana. shown on the They definitely left a lasting court.

This season, Vo expected for impression on the teams they played against for the last time in the GBL everyone to come together as a league. As a team, they definitely team, because in previous years she Jesaias Benitez Lead Reporter

M

Junior Mackenzie Furlong marking her man. Photo by Abhishek Rana. feels like they focused more on the game of basketball than their connections with the team. “Basketball is important, but games can’t be won with a group of individual players.

Teamwork and communication is just as important as talent and skill,” Vo said. The girls varsity basketball team most definitely came together as a team this season with great communication skills on the court that was very noticeable.

When Vo heard that the previous coaches from last year would no longer be a part of the program,

Towards the beginning of this season, Coach Marino said that every guard has to shoot threes and hearing that made her feel small because she was thoroughly convinced that she wasn’t able to do it.

Within a couple weeks of practice, Vo was building enough confidence to shoot and along with her accuracy, she was able to get better.

It felt really gratifying to be able to do something that she thought she couldn’t do for so long.

Throughout the season, the work put in during practices and

Junior Xue Zhou defending against senior Caitlyn Leonard during practice.

Photo by Jesaias Benitez.

Junior Ashlyn Fitzpatrick looking to get past her man. Photo by Abhishek Rana.

she was “prepared for an entire new routine.” She expected the bar to be raised higher, and it was. She explain how she has “actually made an improvement from last year. In [her] previous years, [she] didn’t have enough confidence in [herself] to shoot 3’s and none of [her previous] coaches had pushed [her] as much as [Marino] to do that.

games finally payed off. Especially for the girls who were able to not only set the bar higher, but also improve the girls basketball program throughout the school and district.

This all wasn’t able to have happened without the help and effort of the coaches, assistant coaches, and the players themselves.

The Blue and Gold February 2017

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maldenblueandgold.com

Gymnastics:

Kaytlin Kwong

Champions Once More!

Sabrina Monteiro Reporter Josandy Jeune Reporter

C

oming to the end of the season, the Malden High School’s gymnastic team will leave the Greater Boston League as champions. This achievement is extensive, especially compared to last year where the team was not able to receive this recognition. This year’s team has made many improvements and were able to leave the season with a huge success.

Gymnastics coach and English teacher Melissa Macey thought the season went exceptionally well.

Macey hopes to coach next year as well. This year, they encouraged a lot of the athletes to try a new event and skill they haven’t done before as well as encouraged team bondings.

They had a lot of collaboration and teamwork this season.

Macey would have to say that their most memorable meet would be their first meet against Medford.

“One of the athletes decided to try a new event and ended up do an amazing job,” Macey stated. Leaving the GBL will be bittersweet as the team enjoyed their success, but Macey is excited that the team will be able to face new challenges in the Northeastern Conference that will help the team grow and advance.

Junior Kaitlyn Kwong believes that the season was “amazing and quick, but fun.” Kwong certainly enjoyed this season because the goals she set were achieved. They

Junior Kaytlin Kwong. Photo by Sabrina Monteiro.

Josandy Jeune Reporter

won more meets than imagined, which is something the entire team is proud of. The team’s first meet, against Medford, was said to be their most memorable, as Macey stated. Kwong noted that it was “[the team’s] first win of the season and it brought so much joy to the

whole team.” Kwong is doleful that the season is over. She will have to get used to “not having a sport to do right after school,” like she had been during the whole season. Kwong also mentioned that “it feels nice to be a winning team at the school,” after winning the GBL championship.

Senior Ricky Mei said the season has been “very enjoyable.” This is Mei’s second year as a gymnast on the MHS team. With three wins

and two losses, Mei agrees that the season has been successful, and especially successful if you were to compare it to last year’s. Mei said the team goals were achieved and conquered. Mei’s most memorable meet was the team’s last meet where they went against Medford, similar to their first meet. The meet was the deciding factor in whether they won the GBL title or not. Mei does not plan on furthering his gymnastic career in college. Mei stated that,“those people will be much much better [than him] because they’ve been doing it basically their whole lives,” but appreciates the experiences he’s able to have by being a gymnast for MHS. Sophomore Kevin Phan has competed in gymnastics for two years now. The season was very successful notably because “[they] won GBL and reached [their] goals in terms of trying [their] hardest and never giving up.” Phan is still yet to find out if [he’ll] be doing gymnastics in college.

All in all, the gymnastics team leave GBL as champions as well as leave this season as champions.

They have had a very successful season with three wins and only two loses. They look forward to the season next year in hopes of enhancing their team goals as well as better improving their individual skills.

K

aytlin Kwong, a junior at Malden High School, is a first-year member of the gymnastics team.

Although she was not on the MHS team prior to this year, Kwong is an experienced veteran in the sports, having been done gymnastics for nine years.

Kwong took a year off gymnastics to focus off her studies and her classes. Kwong was aware that “[MHS] had a team, but [she] didn’t have time before, so [she] joined this year.” Kwong enjoys how the sport is mostly an individual and team sport at the same time. She also likes how they have to use teamwork to “get the job done” and get all of their scores.

Kwong has found the experience really different just because she has never been on a high school team before. Kwong stated that she has “found the team very sweet, everyone seems to have really good chemistry.” Kwong does all of the events during the meets which are vault, bars, beam, and floor. She thinks that her strengths as a gymnast is that she is able to cheer on her team members and co-operation.

What Kwong thinks she needs to improve on is not being so hard on herself and allowing herself to make mistakes.

All in all, Kwong has really enjoyed her gymnastic season, and really enjoys how well the team is able to work together.

Top to bottom, left to right: Senior captain Ereeka Metellus on the beam. Sophomore Kelly Zhou balancing on the beam. Junior Giovanna Lanciani arching her back. Sophomore Jenna Vanella doing a split. Photos by Sabrina Monteiro.

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maldenblueandgold.com

Kayla Sousa Reporter Rebeca Pereira Reporter

T

he swim season is coming to a close and the Malden High School swim team is going out with a bang. With MHS heading to a new league next season and the GBL dissolving, MHS has become the final GBL champion, cementing the legacy of the MHS team with a 5th fifth win a row.

Going into the last season of the GBL wasn’t an easy task as many seniors who were extremely talented last year graduated. However, with the addition of many new swimmers with great potential and talent, the swim team dominated all others and were able to exceed expectations. This season, everyone made a substantial contribution to the GBL victory, as swimmers participated in various events.

While this season was challenging in some aspects, it has also been a season full of excitement and enthusiasm. Sophomore Sebastian Romani describes the intensity of each moment spent competing and elaborates on how when they “won all [their] meets, which was such a great bonding moment for all.”

Romani has made personal gains too, dropping his 100 meter fly time by 8 seconds and does not hesitate to credit his coaches and teammates for the help and support saying “[the whole team] did better than expected and [he] wouldn’t have been able to make it through without the support of [everyone].”

In regards to being given the opportunity to swim in more events, he stated it made him “feel like the coaches believe and have faith in [him].”

Pamela Coelho, sophomore swimmer, stated that “this season presented itself with some challenges,” however, “[their] competitors were easy opponents, thanks to the hard daily practice that [raised everyone’s level].” Ultimately, Pamela stated that “the team was [especially] determined to beat Medford, [their] oldest GBL rival in the last GBL season.”

Personally, Coelho admits that “this season was challenging for [her]” as she was put in events “that at first [she] wasn’t comfortable in” like the 200 free. However she was able to get out of her comfort zone with consistent practice helping the event “became easier over the course of the season.”

Agatha Silva, who also is a sophomore swimmer from Malden High School, stated that “[she]

loved the swim season from beginning to end and that [she wished] it wouldn’t end because it means the upperclassmen are leaving.”

At first, Silva admits that the team was “scared for the [first] meet because a lot of the swimmers weren’t really as ready yet, and so, some swimmers were depended on more,” but was pleasantly surprised when they prevailed. Silva is extremely proud at what the team has accomplished this year knowing that they are the last GBL champs for the swim season and has established “a sense of pride that is unimaginable.”

Still, Silva is optimistic in the sense that “new and fresh kids are coming in and [is] excited to see what they can offer the team.”

Senior Captain Vivian Nguyen shared Silva’s feeling about this season. As this is her last year at MHS and on the MHS swim team, she feels great pride in the team and the progress they’ve made saying “being GBL champs during the last year in the GBL league is something [they] are all proud of.” The personal bests that were reached during the season “just means that there is so much more to come with the underclassmen in upcoming years.”

Sophomore Joanne Ho added that “this season was definitely a great season, especially being the last time [they] are competing in

MHS swim team during a meet. All photos by Leah Tramondozzi. Both collages created by Ryan Hames.

the GBL.” She is overall looking forward to the new league next year because “there will be extremely difficult and fresh competition that [they] aren’t used to.” To Ho, her biggest opponent of the year was Malden Catholic as they usually are a tough component, so beating Malden Catholic “was one of the most satisfying [moments of the season].”

Most of the current juniors will bring in 3 years of of MHS swim experience and sophomores two years into the new league next year.

With this amount of enough experience and talent, MHS will definitely become a tough competitors in the new league.

Freshman Haoxi Wang stated that “the most memorable moment for [him] personally, was the first day of practice when [they] all practiced together in one pool.”

He hopes that the camaraderie he has come to value in his team will continue in the following seasons stating that he looks forward to the next season because of “[his] fellow swimmers and friends that make up the team,” thanking them for making the “practices just a little bit easier and more fun to endure.”

Next season, the swim team will be entering the Northeastern Conference. In new league, they hope to keep up their winning streak.