March 2014

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 99 Edition 6

The City of Malden:

Our 99th Year March 2014

Changes from City Hall

From cover to cover, Malden Reads Felicia Fallano Reporter

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alden Reads started off the new year with their opening celebration at the Malden Converse Memorial Building on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. Malden Reads is known as a committee dedicated to bringing students and the people of Malden together to read chosen books for all different age groups.

According to co-facilitator Anne D'Urso-Rose, “each year, the program gets bigger and more robust, with more people aware of it, reading the books, participating in events, and being involved in putting this program together. Our Opening Celebration was the most well-attended one so far, estimated at over 300 people in attendance.” D'Urso-Rose also

Article on page 10. Photo courtesy of Kevin Duffy

continued on page 11 From left to right: Juniors Dylan Hamilton and Dominic Pappagallo performing during Junior Varieties (article on pg. 12-13 ). A figure skating pair during an event at the Sochi Olympics (article on pg. 24). Ukraine during a protest (article on pg. 8). The cast and crew of Junior Varieties during the show. A few upcoming artists (article on pg. 12-13). Upcoming artists (articles on page 18).

Ukraine Conflict Escalates Nicholas Bramante Reporter

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A moment of silence on Kiev Euromaidan in memory of “Heavenly sotnia.” Photo from Wikimedia.

ately in terms of world affairs, one country’s name has been a subject of hot topic and countless reports: Ukraine. Many hear variables and coefficients of the situation, but many do not get the whole equation; nor do they know the product to come. To understand the full extent of the tension in Ukraine, one must understand the past conflicts and tensions that follow the country like ghosts. While the border crisis and the questions about Russian

intervention are certainly the main focus of today’s world, Ukraine has seen many hardships before. It is important to understand the past hardships just as it is important to understand relevant modern issues.

The two come together to create one real mess of an issue in the East.

The country of Ukraine is the second largest in Europe, and along its southern borders there exists the Crimean Peninsula. It was called this because you guessed it; it was a Peninsula in Crimea ( an autonomous republic inside Ukraine.) Near the end of World War I Russia had its famous Communist Revolution, and Ukraine sustained a brief

Junior Varieties Draws a Huge Crowd

Article on pages 12 and 13

period of independence in which countless factions fought for control of the region.

After Ukraine became part of the U.S.S.R in 1922, there was a period of quiet, and then Joseph Stalin came into power as one of the world’s most famous dictators. Up until this point the Crimean Peninsula was actually part of Russia and not Ukraine, despite the Peninsula being physically connected to Ukraine but not to Russia. In 1954 the Peninsula was turned over to Ukraine. Flash forward to 1991 with the Soviet Union’s breakup, and Ukraine voted independence from Russia.

continued on page 8

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Editorial

maldenblueandgold.com

Malden High School

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

The Blue and Gold was established in 1915.

The Staff: Editors-in-Chief:

Kristen Leonard ‘14 Vicki Ngan ‘14 Amanda Rosatone ‘14 Head of Local:

Amanda De Moraes ‘15 Sumya Mohiuddin ‘15 Head of Op / Eds, Politics & World:

James Mazarakis ‘15 Head of Sports:

P. J. Montezuma ‘15 Head of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:

Casey Lyons ‘15

Head of Multimedia:

Grace Stathos ‘15

Managing Editor of Local:

Julie Lam ‘15

Managing Editor of Op / Eds, Politics & World:

Jessica Lynn Depaula ‘15 Managing Editor of Sports:

Contradictions of Life W

ords are unsubstantiated, yet they possess immense power. Death is common yet treated as a taboo, unspoken. Relationships are puffs of air, yet meaningful to the brink of self (or mutual) demise. Contradictions run society, oozing from every pore.

Which leads me to question the ground rules laid forth by the school, by our city, by our state, by our nation. Respect, responsibility, honesty, dedication, kindness, and many, many more--why do they exist? Are they simply established to form the foundation and morality by which citizens should live by? But how are the rules kept when the ones who are running them are inherently breaking them? Just this January, AOL chief Tim Armstrong was under scrutinization for his “distressed babies” comment, and need I list the numerous actors and actresses that break them constantly?

Obviously I am overly pessimistic. I do not wish to argue against their purpose. I do not wish to “do anything”, actually. My existence in this piece is to observe, question, and linger, because I do not see the purpose in opposing. I do not see it, because although there are many faults within the system, the cliched “humans are flawed, therefore a perfect system cannot be achieved” excuses them--somehow. I do not see it, because although time has progressed, laws have progressed, and achievements have been made, human morality has not.

Humans are talented complainers. May I ask if anyone has ever gone through a day without whining “this is boring”, or “I am so tired”? In creative, imaginative, or even *gasp* written ways, the human complaint system is overbearing and overused. If you can’t tell already, I’ve “complained” in every single paragraph--there is no saving me, either.

From my limited high school experience, I might complain again that I didn’t enjoy it. Inherent human flaws are excessive and for every plus there is twice the negative. This overly pessimistic piece might even ruin your day, but hey--whereas there are many “joys,” it isn’t too harsh to add more “sad,” is it?

Jonathan Decicco ‘15 Managing Editor of Entertainment, Style & Lifestyle:

Myle Nguyen ‘15 Reporters:

Crystal Day ‘15 Nicholas Bramante ‘16 Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 Andrew Cogliano ‘16 Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 Ashley Leung ‘16 Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Candela Diaz ‘17 Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Felicia Fallano ‘17 Karina Matos ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17

Advisor: Ryan Gallagher Established in 1915

The Blue and Gold March 2014

I do not and will not understand overly sympathetic, caring people. They are aliens to me, and perhaps, if you are not like me, you will not understand this piece as well. You might question “why is she ranting about such abstract concepts” or “what is she talking about” or “is this student depressed?” I cannot understand your feelings, and you cannot understand mine, because as I’ve inferred before--although we might push our ideals onto others and ourselves, there is no true way of “doing.” There are only moments and sparks of connections that must be continuously renewed. Work and effort must be put forth in order to hold connections, to actually feel that “bond”, because there is no such thing as true “bonding” or “connection.” As one scientist phrased it, and I have paraphrased it: bonds are not determined by the strength of the impression that one initially makes or the depth of the feelings at the moment--rather, think of them as “sparks,” in which one must constantly re-initiate the moments in order to keep them going. But, in reality, how far can one really understand another? Even if you reach the point where you are able to finish another’s sentence before it ends, do you think you’ll always stay like that? Of course not-unless you aren’t human, that is. We are ever-changing creatures, and to believe that one will always stay the same is idealistic.

Ah, these contradictions. Or, perhaps they aren’t contradictions. Perhaps it is the fact that, when born, a child learns, through media (T.V., fairy tales, fiction-what do children even do these days?), that idealized relationships exist, in which in-sync emotions, thoughts, and feelings can happen. Maybe it is just that we’ve been lied to all this time and that society has nurtured a breed of either idealistic or cynical children (or even worse: uncaring).

What is more complicated: the complications naturally integrated in society, or the complications that people naturally integrate themselves?

Now, what makes this “thought” different? Nothing. It’s just that it’s been published on paper. I haven’t obtained anything, and so won’t you.

Vicki Ngan Editor-In-Chief

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

Editorial Page 2 Opinion Pages 4-6 World pages 7-11 Local PAges 12-17 Entertainment Pages 18-21 Sports Pages 22-24

The Blue and Gold March 2014

In Memoriam maldenblueandgold.com

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Ayoub Mahhou (4.4.1994 - 2.28.2014) We would like to dedicate this page to Ayoub Mahhou, a member of our Malden High School community in the PACE program who passed away last month. He was a valuable member of the MHS community and will be deeply missed.

“He loved to be called ‘Ninja Dragon Warrior.’ He was involved with Kung Fu classes in Malden Square. He was extremely computer savvy, collected Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and had many friends. He loved to play pool at the Teen Center. He excelled with functional math skills. He was a ‘practical joker’ and had a fabulous sense of humor.”

- Teacher Dawn Frim

Opinion

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The Blue and Gold March 2014

maldenblueandgold.com

Attendance Policy: Pathways Perspective

Coffee Wars: Starbucks v.

Dunkin Donuts Manale Zouhir Reporter

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any might say that a true Massachusetts resident is always a fan of Dunkin Donuts.

However, I am and always will be a Starbucks fanatic. It may seem odd considering the amount of Dunkins throughout the country and also considering the fact that “America Runs on Dunkins.”

However, I run on Starbucks.

There are a number of factors that make Starbucks a better option than Dunkin Donuts for me, the first being the overall aura. Dunkin Donuts gives off a cold vibe that says, “Get your drink and get out.” Cold air-conditioning, bright lights and lack of seating are among these traits.

Starbucks, on the other hand, has a much kinder way about it. Their vibe is more like “Stay, enjoy your drink and get a refill.” Dim lights, comfy couches, free wifi, plenty of seating and outlets. This may seem like a trick to get you to buy more for staying longer, but either way, I would much rather get my drink and spend some time studying at Starbucks for an hour in a comfortable leather couch than try to do the same at Dunkin Donuts with a 30-minute limit on seating and not much table space.

The next factor that compares the two is taste. I find Dunkin Donuts coffee is overly sweetened and has an odd flavor, whereas Starbucks is stronger and more decadent, not to mention they have several different drinks, including the new “caramel flan” latte.

The menu is constantly being updated, and if you cannot find something you think you would enjoy, you can also order whatever you want. You can add different pumps and shots to customize your own beverage. When I try this at Dunkin Donuts, I end up getting an eye roll and a deep sigh. I have never, in my experience, had bad customer service at Starbucks: I am always treated with respect, and even a minor mess-up on my order results in a free drink card and a smile.

Another thing is the reward factor of Starbucks. The rewards program allows members to earn stars for every purchase, adding up to a grand total of a certain amount of stars meaning

you can become a gold level. Becoming gold level makes you receive several benefits such as free refills on your drinks and special offers. You can also pay right from your phone. Dunkin Donuts may try to copy this idea, but it does not work as well as Starbucks.

The food also sets them apart. Dunkin Donuts is filled with breakfast foods including bagels, muffins, cookies, coffee rolls and of course the famous donuts. Starbucks sticks to a cafe-like menu, including muffins, pastries, paninis, minicakes, scones, cake-pops and yogurt parfaits.

These are up to your personal preference; I rarely get any food items with my drink.

The strongest benefit to Dunkin Donuts is the price. A medium coffee there goes for about $2.00 depending on the specific chain. At Starbucks this would be about $5.00, which could add up quickly, but is worth every penny to me.

Also, Dunkin Donuts has more places in the area.

I could easily walk to any location rather than having to make my mom drive me to Starbucks or take a bus for twenty minutes. This is not as convenient but again, still worth it to me.

When choosing between the two, keep in mind the type of drink you want and your price limit. Also, means of transportation come in handy. Many will choose the Dunkin Donuts a block away rather than the Starbucks a mile away.

Once you start getting bored with the medium iced latte everyone seems to love, try giving Starbucks a try. There is a range of choices that surely can please anyone, from iced tea lemonade to chai tea to any preference of coffee drinks.

There is also a wide range of non-coffee drinks. Many do not want to try Starbucks because they dislike the bitter taste of coffee, but keep in mind that you can always get something else.

So overall, if I need a quick pick-me-up, Dunkin Donuts will do the job. However, I would much rather prefer a skinny vanilla latte with two pumps of caramel from Starbucks than any other drink.

Jessica Lynn DePaula Managing Editor of Opinions

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he Pathways proram is one solution Malden High School has implemented to deal with students who have had trouble with mainstream classes, including having attendance issues. MHS’s Pathways Program “offers students an alternative route to a Malden High School diploma if the traditional system is not working for the student”. Is this a model the whole school can learn from?

Pathways adjustment counselor Marie Doehler explains that the program is for “students who need extra support because mainstream classes haven’t worked for a variety of reasons.” While many students in Pathways, which is comprised of about one hundred kids, do sometimes deal with a variety of mental health issues, from anxiety and depression to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), that affect several aspects of their lives, it is not usually their primary reason for being in the program; some students are there because they have had to work during regular school hours to support their families, while others have fallen behind on their credits and have benefitted from earning course credit by passing final exams.

One of the biggest differences from mainstream school that Pathways has is shortened school hours: students are dismissed at about 11 a.m., with teachers staying beyond that time to work with students who are able to stay longer, much like mainstream MHS teachers staying for extra help after 2:15. Night classes and online courses are available to Pathways students as well. Doehler stresses that the program offers a “second chance [to students] if high school didn’t work out...everyone takes a different path [to education].” In regards to attendance, students are allowed six absences per quarter, and have the ability to make up absences by staying after school to work with a teacher; for example, if you were absent and missed English and math, you could go to your English and math teacher, spend time going over class material and the absence would not count against you. There is an appeals board option just like mainstream MHS classes, also, which house principals are not required to be, but have been, a part of in the past.

While this is, inarguably, a unique program that MHS is, and should be, very proud of, it must be stressed that this is not a program for all students; a student with mental health issue, for example, should not need to leave mainstream classes and enter an entirely new program simply to avoid having to deal with a policy that virtually ignores their needs.

There needs to be an alternative policy for those of us who struggle with our inner demons; while Malden High School is simply one high school, in one city, in one state in the United States of America, recognizing the need for equality for the young and depressed of the younger generation must start somewhere. Why not Malden?

The Blue and Gold March 2014

Opinion

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maldenblueandgold.com

“the sat cheated us!”

Andrew Cogliano Reporter

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ince their start in 1933, the SATs have become one of the most important exams for college bound high school students. The tests included a wide vocabulary, a very important essay, and the infamous penalty for wrong answers. But now, the college board, in all its wisdom, has decided to remake the SATs, which are to be administered in Spring 2016.

I can’t be the only one who is angry at this. How can the college board do this to an entire group of high schoolers? The 1600 point format, which was used up until 2005, was dropped in favor of the new 2400 format, which most of us will be taking. But now they’ve gone and switched back to the old point scoring, which essentially means that they made the children from 2006

Julia Parker Reporter

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exism: one word, three syllables, but an idea that has been used a billion times, and an idea that has worked against women in modern day. While sexism was a lot worse in previous times, where women were not allowed to vote, or own property, or even speak out of turn, it has advanced to a level these days where there is almost no common courtesy towards females anymore.

Before society turned towards women being able to have the same rights men do, they were given the type of respect where the saying was “ladies first." There were doors held open for them, their hand was held down the stairs until they were safe on the level ground and more.

to 2015 work way too hard. What’s worse is the removal of the penalty for wrong answers. This feature alone has earned the SATs infamy from Boston to Los Angeles, and it’s going to be gone soon, just not for us. Why did they even bother to tell us so early? America’s entire class of 2016 is being cheated out of a better test grade.

Another new addition is the optional essay. You heard me, optional. Meaning that it isn’t required anymore. Students can take the math and English sections and just skip the whole essay. This also goes hand in hand with the new change of using “relevant words”.

That means you won’t have to stay up all night and pore over an 18th century dictionary, in case the college board decides to ask you what a polonaise is. Instead, the words will be presented in specific contexts that change the definition of the word.

The SAT website gallantly describes this change so that students will “no longer use flashcards to memorize obscure words”. Except the class of

2016; we’ll be the last ones to do this.

The worst offence by far is the removal of the penalty. Ever since middle school, students were told of a huge, important test that was so hard that you lost points for every question you got wrong. Sadly, the people who told us this were right.

When I take my SATs, I will lose one fourth of a point for every incorrect answer. According to college officials, this method was used to “weed out any points you might gain from randomly guessing.” For example, if time was running out, and you absolutely had to guess answer, you could be shooting yourself in the foot. The method of “any answer is better than no answer” doesn’t apply to the SAT; it is a different breed of beast.

My last grievance is with how this change was presented by the college board. Let us not forget that the class of 2016 will be the last class to take the current test. So why bother announcing it now? Why rub it in our faces that the class after us will have it easier? It just seems cruel,

like taunting a dog with food, only to pop it in your own mouth instead.

The SAT website presents their new test in a revolutionary fashion, and simply sweeps us under the rug.

On another note, the removal of the penalty is used so that students are encouraged “to give the best answer they have to every problem,” according to the college board. Does this mean that my best answer won’t matter? In fact, when I take the SATs, nobody will care about my best answer, they’ll actually reprimand me for having the audacity to try and give my best answer.

This is another instance where American education has ignored the feelings of the students. They just assume that the class of 2016 will notice that the classes immediately after it will be given an easier exam, and not feel cheated. I do feel cheated. I think this change is unfair to us, as well as every generation before us that had to kneel before the mighty SATs.

Nowadays, you rarely see people opening the door for someone, even if they do not recognize them.

Women have fought throughout centuries for their rights, and while it did make sense to do at the time, where they wanted to do all the things men could, it was really the fight that has destroyed the world of respect today. Think about it for a moment: when was the last time you have seen a man who noticed there was a woman behind him on the way into a store, and he actually held the door open for her? Or when was the last time you saw a man offer his arm to a woman on her way down the stairs so she wouldn’t fall?

My point is that things don’t

have to completely return to the ways people had adapted to back then, but woman should be shown a bit more respect these days. Women and men should be equal to an extent, where they still have the respect for each other like they once did.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), written by Alice Paul in 1923, was a document that promoted the rights of women and how they should be equal with men. The first visible public demand for women’s rights began in 1848, in a women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls.

In the document, it is repeated how women can survive and work much better than men can, and live longer

even when men aren’t subjected to different environments. These declarations are what Congress took as “Okay, well you can do the work, then.” The ERA may have led to equal rights then, but led to the problems we have today.

The old world feminism has led to a modern feminism, which is that we, as women, should do all the work. However, this version of feminism is not right; all people deserve their part in this world. Today’s expectations from women is sexist in and of itself, and should not be found as “okay.” Now is the time to find that courtesy women once were given, and get it again.

Sexism: A Love Story

This picture displays how people used to make fun of the ide of women being equal to men. This idea was thought of as impossible, and something that would never happen. Ironically, the idea that they once made fun of is now our reality. What the sad part is, though, is that our past selves look down upon our present selves, and possibly our future selves as women. Photo from Wikimedia

Opinion

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The Blue and Gold March 2014

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Metal : hardcore or malleable ?

Nick Bramante Reporter Metal: the word itself implies a material that is hard, cold, and sharp. It would only be fitting that the genre of music named after the material has the same qualities. In many cases this is true. With bands ranging from the infamous Metallica, to the hardcore Slayer and the newcomers Avenged Sevenfold, there are countless metal bands all with their own style and reputation. There are certain vibes that follow each music genre; and metal has quite powerful vibes following it. To the inexperienced listener, a lot of metal can be described as “angry”, “satanic”, “loud”, or even downright “scary.” Now, in a lot of cases of course this is true, bands like Kalmah or Disturbed did not push the envelope in writing polite politically correct poems. However, when you really pull apart even the most hardcore metal bands out there, you find a core a lot softer and meaningful than you would probably ever imagine.

Now that we’ve cut the stereotypes down to size a bit, lets take a look at the genre itself as a whole. It is NOT a bad stereotype that metal can sometimes be a very furious, deafening loud, and sporadic type of music. This is true in many if not most cases, but this is the essence and beauty of metal itself. While other genres may focus

on love, having fun, or break-up drama, metal’s purpose is to really highlight the deepest, darkest, and scariest places in your mind. It uses all the pent up energy and feelings we as humans suppress every day and creates empowering songs in their place. A big turn off to metal for many people is the singing that is found within the songs. To make one thing very clear; not all metal follows the scream-singing style, although that is in art all in itself if you can learn to appreciate it. An extremely important point to hold on to however, is not the screaming itself; but why those bands are screaming in the first place. There are a lot of answers for this question, but in my experience there seems to be one answer that towers over the others: pain.

The experience of pain both physical and emotional is a big part behind many of metal’s most famous lyrics. Pain is something everyone experiences and has to deal with, some more than others. A really big theme in metal is not only the raw feelings and emotions that come with very intense pain, but how the author of the song deals with this pain and how they come about rising above it. Looking at the lyrics of many metal bands, it is easier in some than others to figure out and interpret the meanings behind the music. While there are countless resources I could delve into I am going to dip into a metal band that is fairly easier to understand than others. In short, I'm going to talk about what

I really know and what you can get to know. The band I will be picking apart is a personal favorite of mine; Avenged Sevenfold.

A fairly new group of guys in the metal scene, Avenged Sevenfold has produced various albums, each with its own tone and twists. When I first began to experiment with metal these were the guys I was listening to. At first I just enjoyed the hardcore ballads and relentless deep tones of the music, but as I became more in tune with the band I started to really see who they were. Going past Avenged Sevenfold’s rough exterior (and at first intimidating appearance) we as listeners get a glimpse at both the band’s innermost thoughts and feelings on everything ranging from topics like war to suicide.

These are of course tough topics to even mention, nevermind write entire emotion-fueled songs about. But this is where the true beauty of metal comes to play; when we get past the uncomfortable shell we explore an emotion filled pool that is not found in a lot of today’s mainstream music.

Past all the anger, sick guitar riffs, and loud music we discover individuals who have seen quite a bit of pain and suffering. Have you ever had such a bad day you just wanted to look into the sky and scream? Thats the idea behind metal; it’s taking those feelings that we all lock away and exposing them in their true forms. Once we are able to talk about these experiences, we can learn from them and better ourselves in turn. Many of Avenged Seven-

fold’s songs talk about not only the anger that comes with the turn of a negative event, but the pain with it. To me the song lyrics for songs like “Demons” or “Betrayed” seem almost like poetry. These songs tell a story of sorrow and anguish buried beneath all the metal, and are almost calls out for help as the songwriters battle their own despair.

So what’s the moral of this short story? That metal is a music genre just like pop and rap are. It has its own style, its positive notes, and its bad reputation just like every other genre. Where an outsider may see just some explosive people screaming about their problems, an insider may see a beautiful story worth telling. Metalheads aren’t always the most talkative people, nor are they the most positive bunch either. Our music may be unfamiliar or intimidating, but looking past the book’s cover you can explore an entire novel unlike anything else. This is not just an advertisement to go listen to metal, or even an attempt to explain metal itself. The point here, is that metalheads are still just people. We laugh, cry, and get angry just like everyone else (even if it’s more on the inside than outside.)

In some cases you may find that Metalheads are even bigger softies than the normal person. So the next time you see one of us headbanging away to our favorite song, remember that a Metalhead may seem like a rough lump of coal on the outside; but in the inside you may just find a priceless diamond.

Is It Really an American Horror Story?

Tatyanna Cabral Reporter

W

e all have that favorite TV show that we always watch and tell people about. We all have different opinions on what shows we like and dislike.

One of my favorite shows happens to be “American Horror Story,” which is aired on FX. I absolutely love the show and never came upon the idea that it was not scary. I would always argue with anyone who said the show was horrible until one of my classmates had said that the show is only good at the beginning.

I had thought about what he said, and he was right. In each sea-

son, only the first couple of episodes really get you thinking and are scary, but after that it just seems like a regular TV drama.

In season one, it was the clichéd haunted house, but it was different. Only some of the ghosts were the type that wanted to kill the main characters; the others were very friendly. There were a lot of plot twists, but towards the end all of the characters die and become ghosts. When another family moved in, they tried scaring them to a point where they wanted to move out and it worked. The last episode just was

Above: American Horror Story promotional photo in a cross - a theme in multiple seasons of the story. Edited by Tatyanna Cabral and Andrew Cogliano.

not a good way to end the season.

I remember when they were playing commercials for American Horror Story; it was during an awards show. I had changed the channel when it came on, because I thought it was so scary. The commercials made it seem like it would be so terrifying, when in reality it was not that bad. The second episode of season one was the only episode that really seemed scary.It is the same thing with the opening credits, it has the creepy music and clips of the setting for each season, which look a lot scarier than they really are.

Season two, however, seemed a bit more frightening. This season was called “American Horror Story: Asylum,” and it was about a mental institute called Briarcliff in Massachusetts. There they hire a psychiatrist, who is really the serial killer, “Bloody Face.” It is complete madness and there is a lot of twists and turns, but again, it seems to be a pattern where the second episode is the scariest. Most of the episodes were frightening, but that episode just seemed to be even more frightening. I believe that this season was

much better than the first season; it was a lot more interesting and really made you think. The last episode was one of those endings you would not want to happen. It was very surprising and sad; Briarcliff ends up being shut down, and some of its patients died.

“American Horror Story: Coven” was not scary at all. It was about witches and voodoo priestesses that do not get along. There are other teenage witches who are longing to become the next “Supreme,” who is the most powerful witch in the coven. This season just seemed like a regular TV drama. There was no plot twists or surprising episodes. It is my least favorite season. Season four is rumored to be about a circus; hopefully this season will allow this TV series to live up to its name.

This is my favorite show, and I am not saying that it is a bad show; it is just that it could be a little better considering that it is a “horror” show. Also, just the fact that the commercials make it seem like it is the most terrifying thing on television. It should be called American Not-So-Horror Story.

World & History

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maldenblueandgold.com

Tomb of Pharoah Woseribre Senebkay Discovered

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Andrew Cogliano Reporter

newly discovered Egyptian tomb has Egyptologists worldwide questioning the current written history of the pharaohs. The tomb of Woseribre Senebkay, described on his sarcophagus as the “king of upper and lower Egypt,” was unearthed by a team of archaeologists in January of this year.

Senebkay is unique in the fact that he was an unknown pharaoh that ruled Egypt over 3,500 years ago. Found in the tombs of the Abydos region, this pharaoh also brings to light the question of the Abydos dynasty’s existence. Prior to Senebkay’s unearthing, the Abydos dynasty lacked enough information to even be considered a real dynasty.

Josef Wegner, chief archaeologist and discoverer of the tomb, was thrilled “to find not just the tomb of one previously unknown pharaoh, but the necropolis of an entire forgotten dynasty.” Unfortunately, tomb raiders had robbed the chambers of all gold and precious metals that were sealed in with the bodies.

Senebkay was thought to be five feet, nine inches in height, and believed to have died in his mid40s. Wegner’s discovery also suggests that during the split of Egyptian kingdoms around 1600 B.C., there was a middle kingdom that existed and survived for the next several generations. "Continued work in the royal tombs of the Abydos Dynasty promises to shed new light on the political history and society of an important but poorly understood era of ancient Egypt," says Wegner.

Left: The cartouche of a newly discovered pharaoh, Woseribre Senebkay, inside the king’s burial tomb. Photo from Wikimedia.

Panic! In West Memphis: Satanic Panic in America I

magine being arrested on the false accusations that you were abusing people through Satanic rituals.

Crazy, right? In the 1980s, however, America went through a period of anxiety known infamously as “Satanic Panic.” This special type of anxiety stems from the belief that the people around you are essentially Satanists who are abducting people for human sacrifices, prostitution and pornography.

Satanic Panic can be traced all the way back to the infamous 1692 Salem witch trials, in which 20 people were put to death following accusations of witchcraft. Several teenage girls living in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, had exhibited bizarre behavior not considered socially acceptable, such as barking like dogs, dancing inappropriately and falling into inexplicable fits of hysteria; the townspeople, after administering several tests involving recitation of Biblical verses and close examination of birthmarks, concluded that these symptoms were the result of a dangerous spell placed upon the girls by some sort of witch. The trials almost always ended with a violent death sentence given to a poverty-stricken eccentric or outsider to the town, and were not put to a stop until the leader of the colony’s own wife was accused of witchcraft.

A prime example of modern Satanic Panic-induced hysteria was seen in the McMartin preschool trial of 1983. The court case spanned seven years until finally being closed in 1990, and by then had become the nation’s longest and most expensive case. The trial started at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California, where concerned mother Judy Johnson complained to the police that her son had been sexually assaulted by his teacher, Ray Buckey. From the beginning, the trial was as normal as a typical sexual assault hearing could be; allegations were made, witnesses were called, doctors were consulted. But three long years into the case, more outlandish allegations were made by Johnson; the case also eventually grew to include 360 children being sexually

Jessica Lynn DePaula Managing Editor of World

Andrew Cogliano Reporter

Above: The McMartin Preschool, which was the scene of an alleged sex abuse scandal. abused in the day care center, with three additional accused teachers.

Johnson began making strange claims about Buckey himself. She went as far as saying that Buckey could fly, and that he was a witch. Johnson’s lawyer agreed with her, adding that “children would be flushed down the toilet into a secret chamber where they would be molested,” according to court documents. When the children in the preschool were shown photographs of the suspected attackers, one of them identified Chuck Norris.

Over the years, the prosecutors’ arguments suffered tremendous losses as Satanic Panic began to decline. The trial was lost after the district attorney labeled the prosecution’s evidence as “incredibly weak.” Johnson herself died in 1986 due to complications involving her alcoholism, and it was later revealed that she suffered from a form of schizophrenia. After the judge’s decision, the teachers were all acquitted and, in the end, no charges were successfully pressed. The only person to ever spend time in jail was Buckey, which was when he was held before the case even entered the court. After almost 15 million dollars in legal expenses, the court system was exhausted, as was the defense.

Outside the courtroom and the borders of Manhattan Beach,

the now-nationally recognized trial ignited mass hysteria in the nation.

Other similar cases sprung up in states as far east as Massachusetts. In the Fells Acre Day Care Center, located in Malden, a young girl claimed that she was sexually abused by a clown and a robot simultaneously in a hidden room at the daycare center in 1984. She also added that she was forced to watch as her abuser, Gerald Amirault, sacrificed animals in Satan’s name. Much of the coverage of the trial involved heisitation to believe the children interviewed, as well as criticism of the interviews themselves; many people were, and continue to be to this day, convinced that the children were fed information and then instructed to repeat it on camera. It was said that most of the children denied all of the allegations against Amirault and that much of what they said was coerced out of them; one police officer even said that getting any type of information from this particular group of children was “like getting blood from a stone.”

A few years later, in West Memphis, Arkansas, three Boys Scouts, out by themselves in late afternoon, mysteriously went missing. The children’s families went to the police several hours after the boys were supposed to be home, and organized a huge search party of friends, neighbors and police who eventual-

ly discovered the bodies of the three children, mutilated and tied with shoelaces, the next morning. The authorities quickly arrested Jessie Misskelley, a mentally disabled local teen, and interrogated him without a parent present for several hours; like the young children involved in the Fells Acres case, Misskelley now appears to have been tricked into implicating not only himself, but two acquaintances of his: Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin, also teens, who were huge fans of the band Metallica who came from poverty-stricken broken homes. The three were brought to trial at once, and due to the recorded statements made, under pressure, by MIsskelley and the heavy metal-inspired appearances of Echols and Baldwin, a jury found them guilty of all three murders. Baldwin and Misskelley were given life in prison without parole; 18-year-old Echols, who was alleged to be the ringleader of the trio, was sentenced to death.

Miraculously, a crew from the Home Box Office (HBO) happened to learn of the trial, and, expecting to be confronted with three coldblooded killers, were instead met by a typical case of Satanic Panic. The consequent film, Paradise Lost: The Child Murder at Robin Hood Hills, became a national phenomenon, and scores of fans, many of whom had latched onto Echols as a symbol of the feeling of isolation and neglect that many outcast teens and “freaks” experienced, and celebrities including the Dixie Chicks and Johnny Depp brought attention to the case. The West Memphis Three, as they came to be known, were finally released in summer 2011, after agreeing to an Alford Plea.

Satanic Panic died down in the years following the West Memphis case, and in 2005, some of the children, now adults, from the McMartin Preschool case even confessed to making their testimonies up to avoid embarrassment.

However, history does have a habit of repeating itself, so it is very likely that another wave of Satanic Panic could come crushing down upon us again.

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International

The Blue and Gold March 2014

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Ukraine: Cold War heating up?

Andrew Cogliano Reporter

Nicholas Bramante Reporter

Left: Anti-war demonstrators hold signs which read: “Crimea is not Russia” during a protest action in Simferopol, Ukraine, on Friday, March 14, 2014 (Sergei L. Loiko/Los Angeles Times/MCT). Right: Ukrainian reservists line up for photographers at newly established base near the Russian border (Roy Gutman/MCT).

Continued from page 1.

All photos via MCT 2014.

Following a very volatile series of elections in the country with somewhat sketchy situations, the leader of Ukraine came into power with a Europefriendly policy which of course made Russia furious. The leaders at the time were also just very bad at running a country, allowing Ukraine to fall into massive economic turmoil.

In 2013 Viktor Yanukovych came into power and announced that Ukraine would now focus on strengthening ties with Russia, and not Europe as previously upheld. This led to the famous protests in Kiev, which eventually led to massive riots and the disappearance of Yanukovych from Ukraine.

After the protesters installed a temporary government, in marched Vladimir Putin’s military regime with the job of protecting Russian citizens within the Crimean Peninsula.

In short, we are dealing with a ticking time bomb. While the rest of Ukraine is cooperating with Europe which would bring missiles right to Russia’s borders, the world is debating on how to handle the situation in the Crimean Peninsula.

It may only be a matter of time before Cold War ideals and the “Red Fear” heat up once again and become an international issue. With the word “Ukraine” itself meaning “borderland,” it is important to understand that Ukraine being caught in the middle of European and Russian influence is not a new situation. It is only in recent days that things have flared up following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

With the rest of Europe infuriated by the decisions of Russia, they now look towards the U.K and the U.S as figures to guarantee the security promises made to Ukraine in 1994. As far as military action goes, no other nations have acted or guaranteed intervention this point, with Ukraine’s “appointed” president at the time stating that the country will not use military force to stop the succession (despite the drastic increase in both the military’s size and power after the invasion).

What all this means for the world right now is uncertain, but many are just hoping we do not come into contact with another Syrian crisis. With hope, the world can solve its problems with diplomacy now rather than massive revolutions.

Recently, Ukraine has stepped into the global limelight as the young nation struggles to make a decision that will undoubtedly affect the entire continent of Europe.

With the Crimea Incident still ongoing, and with Putin ordering military action in the peninsula, the rest of the world is watching from afar as the two countries come to terms with their histories. On March 13, 2014, the parliament of Ukraine voted almost unanimously to assemble a national guard force 60,000 men strong. This new force has, unsurprisingly, been deployed almost entirely

around the volatile Crimea region, as tensions there rise to Cold War proportions.

Acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stated in a nationwide address to his country that “[they] are doing all [they] can to avoid war, whether in Crimea or in any other region.”

Despite this seemingly peaceful statement, Ukraine has wasted no time in proclaiming that it currently stands ready to invade should the need arise. Turchynov has also said that “all of civilized humanity supports [Ukraine],” indicating the groundswell of support from Western Europe as well as the United States. President Obama stated in a conference with Turchynov on March 12 that the issue “is not up to the U.S. It is not up to Russia. It is up to the Ukrainian people to decide their fate.”

As far as internal affairs away from Crimea go, protests in major cities such as Kiev have subsided as the anti-government protesters have been subdued by police. An emphasis has been placed on the fact that police force was only used to quell violent protesters, including a small group of NeoNazis who were attempting a coup. Most protests ceased in the end of February, with only minor stand-ins continuing as the citizens of Western Ukraine wait with bated breath to witness the outcome of this feud.

Germany has also become a prominent force in the desire to usher peace into the region.

Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Russia that any actions that were deemed hostile against Ukraine would result in German interference. Poland has also sided with Germany, considering that NATO has shipped a large quantity of fighter jets into the eastern side of the country. Merkel also lamented in a recent and unusually emotive speech that Putin was “dragging Europe back into a conflict about spheres of influence and territorial claims.” Merkel grew up under the Iron Curtain, and is apparently very influential towards Putin, who on many occasions has voiced his respect for her as a “strong leader.” With peace negotiations going underway as soon as Friday, March 14, Europe is beginning to calm as the nations finally sit together to discuss their issues, instead of flaunting military might.

Tuesday, March 18th Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Crimea. As told by Putin to a joint session of Russia’s Parliament, the 97% of Crimean residents who voted to join Russia was “an extremely convincing figure.”

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is calling the annexation a “robbery” and refuses to accept the actions that Russia has taken. After a Russian attack on a Ukrainian military base (one that left one Ukrainian soldier dead, another wounded, and a few captured) Ukraine has authorized its military to open fire if needed. The conflict between the two nations is quickly turning from political to military, and Ukraine is blaming the Russians for this.

The Blue and Gold March 2014

International

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Malaysian Airplane Mysteriously Vanishes Nicholas Bramante Reporter

Tatyanna Cabral Reporter

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rbital satellites constantly watching their domain below, radio waves that reach across the seven seas and constant direct links to the outside world at all times. No matter how hard we try in today’s world, chances are that there are more than a couple of eyes on you at all times. Losing people is nothing new in today’s world, but in our age of information we as a society thought we had finally moved away from the days of entire ships or planes going missing. Unfortunately the world has once again reminded that it is indeed a colossus place, and that we are not always in tune with everything as we would like to believe.

On Friday, Mar. 7th a flight en route to Beijing disappeared without warning. Dropping off the grid completely, a total of 239 crew and passengers are lost in the midst of the world. Flight MH370 departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on the 7th; while still in flight, the plane disappeared just over the South China Sea. No contact has been officially made with the plane since, but one relative to a passenger on the plane did allegedly make contact, however no official report has been made yet.

There were 227 passengers aboard, with 153 passengers being Chinese and the other 38 being Malaysians.

Two passengers were children, and all 12 crew members were Malaysian as well.

So far, there are no reports of any wreckage being found near where the flight disappeared. The only lead so far is from an official at the for Vietnam’s national search and rescue committee stating ““We received information from a Vietnamese plane saying that they found two broken objects, which seem like those of an aircraft, located about 50 miles [80km] to the southwest of Tho Chu Island.” (Tho Chu Island being

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Map of Southeast Asia. Photo from Wikimedia. located in the gulf of Thailand.) Oil slicks have also been found within the vicinity of the South China Sea, alluding to the idea that the flight may have gone down over water.

It is unclear how long the search for flight MH370 will take, with the head of Malaysia’s civil aviation authority stating “It will take as long as it takes to find the aircraft.” This suggests that it may be weeks, months or even years until all the pieces are put together.

There have been many reactions by authorities and civilians alike; many believe that the Malaysians are not pulling their weight in this operation. Some believe it was because of the smaller level of Malaysian passengers in proportion to Chinese passengers. Such beliefs are contradicted by the pledge of Malaysian officials to “care for the families” and to “ [provide] them with timely information, travel facilities, accommodation, meals, medical and emotional support. The costs for these are all borne by Malaysia Airlines.”

There are various standing theories as to why a plane crash would occur, with many of the standing ideas involving less precise thoughts due to the lack of actual evidence to be found. The conditions during the flight were said to be good, with a veteran pilot who had more than 18,000 flying hours backing his career. The jet itself, a

Boeing 777-200ER is considered to be one of the safest jets available with its modern technology. The jet itself was “clipped” in 2012 but completely repaired and certified as safe. Nothing is being ruled out as many are questioning as the plane crash was a result of a terrorist attack. While a possibility, there has been no evidence for such an attack yet.

Jets just suddenly disappearing from radar is not an event that is completely unheard of in the past. In 2009, a jet flying from Brazil to France was lost over the Atlantic Ocean, and all 228 people on board were lost as well. The flight recorder took nearly two years to find, and such a case may not be exempt from today’s world. The latest lead in the rigorous search for the plane is the sighting of possible plane debris in the South Indian Ocean. Using satellite images, searchers have been able to identify debris in the ocean and possible oil slicks that could belong to the plane.

The search is one of great difficulty, with many search party vehicles only having enough fuel to search within small time frames.

Many family members are preparing for any possible news towards the situation. Good news or bad news, for some the worst pain is not knowing.

What Could have Happened to flight 370?

Felicia Fallano Reporter

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China’s “9/11” Kills 29 in Kunming

The UN has declared the disappearance as a crash at sea - but what caused this to happen?

ince the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 this month, investigators and the media have one major question: what really happened in the cockpit of the plane? As the search for the flight continues, new details have been released and various theories have surfaced.

According to the public, the most practical event that could have taken place is that the pilots were unable to fly the plane. According to the editor of Flying Magazine, Robert Goyer, “While there are a small number of possible scenarios at play here, the most likely, it seems to me, is that the airplane was flying on autopilot without anyone at the

controls and did so until it ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean.’

Inevitably, the public has brought up the theory that the pilot and co-pilot intentionally crashing the aircraft or if the two tried to rescue it from danger. Chris Goodfellow, a pilot, told WIred Magazine that there must have been a fire and pilots must have pulled the conductors of the control signals until they had isolated the bad circuit.

Even though there may had been a fire on board, a popular theory that has surfaced around the world is terrorism. Experts haven’t forgotten about the possibility of hijacking. Its is rumored to be more likely a hijacking performed

by a pilot, rather than a passenger, but investigators don’t have much evidence to support this theory. According to the Flying Magazine Editor it could be possible but, “that’s a long way away from saying that there’s any kind of evidence that it did.”

Of course, with the attention of the public, the theory of paranormal activity or extreme weather has also been popular with internet users.

Some may say the plane was struck by a meteor around the time it took off, but to others this speculation is extremely bizarre and ruled as impossible.

n the Chinese city of Kunming, on Mar. 1st, right after 9 p.m., ten people, dressed in black, walked into a train station armed with knives that were said to be two feet long. They stabbed and killed 29 people waiting in line to buy tickets, and many others in the station who were not fast enough to leave. They also left more the 130 wounded. The police had said they had killed four of the attackers and wounded one, but the other five had gotten away.

One of the attackers that they had wounded was a woman who has been taken by the police; the last of the group is being hunted. Many who had left in time had rushed to social media platforms to tell their horrific stories.

Some consider this event terrorism, and others do not. There have been many attacks like this in China, most of them being in schools. They were nothing like this, for this one had had political significance: In the Xinjinag region, 11 terrorists, whom people seem to believe that they were the Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic group that promotes human rights for a region’s minority people, had died, and were involved in violent attacks with Han Chinese people.

Now this leads to people thinking that it was they who had planned and executed this attack. Chinese security forces have reported that they have had many run-ins with this Muslim group.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga of Japan told reporters that the government will be attentive to the situation. Many are keeping an eye out for those who had been involved in the attack, but no one has claimed themselves responsible.

It was said that this was a very organized attack; people are still searching for more evidence and are eager to find out who had done this. One of the pieces that was found was one was the large knives that was used in the outbreak. The knife had been smeared with blood and had been taken for more information.

This event is now being called Chinaís 9-11, a scary scene who have left people heartbroken, afraid, furious and scared. A sudden weight will be lifted off of their shoulders once they announce any more information about this event.

Visit our website for more world news!

Local Politics

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City Hall Is On The Move

The Blue and Gold March 2014

School committee meetings March 10, 2014 • Principal Dana Brown presents this year’s program of studies, which details all possible courses for next year. Program subject to change depending on class demand.

• Salemwood school gets permission to execute the 11th annual Nature’s Classroom trip.

• Preparations begin to adopt the PARCC exam, which will replace the MCAS in 2017 • Discussions begin in preperation for budget cuts in 2014 that may affect high school experience in the future.

Overhead projection of the planned complex replacing city hall. All photos courtesy of Kevin Duffy

Julia Parker Reporter

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Mayor is “Confident” that the move will be successsful and open up Malden’s market

here's been whispers in the streets for years on what is going to happen for Malden's city hall.

Especially since 2010, when Mayor Gary Christenson was elected for the office, and has been pushing for this change ever since, given that the biggest spoken issue about Malden is the downtown, and the fact that it isn’t as vibrant as it could be.

Christenson says that “people [do not] really come [downtown] because of [city hall’s] structure”.

However, the change is finally coming, thanks to Jefferson Apartment Group (JAG).

JAG has paid the city of Malden 9.8 million dollars for the land, and are investing another 80 million dollars into the project. City hall and the Malden police station will be torn down by the company, and Pleasant Street will be reconnected with another street running through what is now one building. Now with the street in the middle of what is now city hall, there will now be a large structure on each side. These buildings will consist of 245 units of housing, 17,250 square feet of retail, and 314 parking spaces. They say that there are going to be new structures as of building, such as having stores turned towards the station, so that our downtown creates more attention.

The city is required to vacate the area by the end of 2015. The city is already making plans for the new location for the station and city hall, researching some architects and designers to move along with the project. City hall will most likely be at 100 Dartmouth Street, land already owned by the city, and will be a much smaller landscape than what it is now. City hall today is 130,000 square feet, but the new plans for the structure will be only 40,000 square feet of space. This plan will be saving the city millions of dollars, given that the price they pay on utilities to keep up the building is nearly 500,000 dollars a year, The plans with the Malden police station are still being determined by city council, but is sure to be on the outskirts of downtown, in a much easier space to get out to the emergencies quickly, which has been another issue with our city for years.

However, Christenson is “confident that with the team [they have] pulled together, that [they] can pull it off”.

As of now, almost all of the plans for this project are ready to come into action. The city is already starting to pack up for the move, and JAG is pull-

ing out the blueprints for the new investment. “[The council] has more hoops, but this is the closest [they have] been” to making our downtown the best it can be. With this project, Malden is now bringing the square into the potential it has, and will soon provide many benefits to our citizens.

Photo by Jessica Lynn DePaula.

Mayor Gary Christenson believes that opening up Pleasant Street like the computer-generated visual above will help promote business in Malden Center by making passing through and parking easier.

Any Writing or art submissions?

Submit them for consideration in the 174th annual Oracle, the nation’s second-oldest literary magazine!

To be part of the collection, submit your work to J278 or email yahaira.marquez@ gmail.com!

Local News/Politics

The Blue and Gold March 2014

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Malden Reads Going Strong 4 Years in a Row

Teacher Profile: Paula Valente Karina Matos Reporter

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Felicia Fallano Reporter continued from page 1 are growing every year.” The program is going into their fourth year meeting to read and discuss different books.

The featured book this year The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. The book takes readers through the journey of a poor tobacco farmer whose cells were believed to be, by scientists and doctors, essential to forming the vaccine for Polio and advances in cloning, in vitro fertilization, gene mapping and exposed secrets of cancer and many viruses. When asked about the book D'Urso-Rose said, “it teaches us that ordinary people can contribute to the world in extraordinary ways,” and, “[the book] explores the wonder of modern medicine and the evolution of privacy rights, civil rights, and economic justice.” D'Urso-Rose also hihgly recommends this book to readers ages 15 years and older.

The companion books this year, including “Wonder” by R. J. Palacio and a picture book selection, is about accepting who you are and accepting other people, which D'Urso-Rose thinks, are “important issues for all of us.” She is happy that the books are becoming extremely popular and are ”flying off the shelves at the library.”

The Malden Reads had a successful opening night. Malden High School’s own Play Production participated during the event.

According to English teacher Sean Walsh, eight students performed an interpretive skit about the book, and they read four excerpts as well.

Malden Reads never fails to host family events and group readings. If you are interested in going to an event, Malden Reads “invites all ages to get involved by reading the books, participating in the events & programs that hold the most interest for you.”

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ut of all the teachers at Malden High School, perhaps the most well known of them all, is Mrs. Valente. Since she teaches study hall, every student at Malden High has, at the very least, met her once. Valente loves the students at Malden High, saying that they are her favorite part about working here because, “MHS is such a great community and [she] loves to see that sense of community extend beyond senior year. [She] loves when former students stay in touch to let [her] know their accomplishments after high school.”

Her impression of the students here is also that they are, “ambitious and passionate whether it’s in academics, athletics, volunteering or the arts.” She says that, “Thats how [she] knows she works in a special place.”

Having lived in Malden for twenty four years, and her kids growing up and going to Malden public schools, Valente has been in this community for a very long time. However, before coming to work at MHS, she attended the University of Maine at Orono a received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Consumer Economics. She then, before coming to work in the Malden School system, worked for Alcan Aluminum, a Research and Development company in Cambridge. Prior to that she was a Field Sales Assistant for Texas Instruments in Waltham. After her children were born she taught for seven years at Rockland Nursery School in Malden.

Later, she went onto para positions in Kindergarten at the Linden, MHS PACE program, and and Salemwood Middle School. She said that she then,

“Found herself back at MHS in 2009 tutoring.” She has been working here at MHS since 2009 and moved from PASS tutoring to study hall.

Outside of school, Valente says

that she, “Loves to travel with her family,” and is hoping that a, “cross-country road trip,” is somewhere in her future.

She also loves going to, “Broadway plays and musicals and going to Bruins and Red Sox games.” She looks forward to spending time with her daughters when they are home from college.

Valente says that three words to describe her would be, “Loyal, because [she] is loyal to her family, friends, and students, and is always there for everyone if they need a hand and [does] not hesitate to offer guidance, advice, or just be someone to listen.” “Passionate,” she said would be the second word because, “[She] is passionate about what she does. Being the [2015] class advisor, [she] puts 110% into everything to give the class a memorable four years of high school,” which also makes her dependable, which is her third word. However, while those qualities definitely make her someone to look up to, someone she

looks up to, would be, “[Her] parents and [her] in-laws.” She says that, “[Her] parents grew up during The Great Depression and [her] Mom had to raise her two younger sisters when their mother passed away.”

Valente says that her Mom then, “got her teaching degree and taught elementary school for forty years, after starting her career in a one room school house making eighteen dollars a week.”

Her father also worked in the school system as a custodian. Her parents were, “hard-working, family oriented, and managed to work full-time, operate and run a farm in Hampden, Maine while raising four kids and giving [them] great childhood memories.” Valentes in-laws are also some of the hardest working people she has ever known. “After growing up during the turmoil of World War II, they migrated to the U.S. from Italy and have really lived out the ‘American Dream’ of being self-sustaining individuals and raising a family to do the same.”

While the students at MHS grow and eventually leave, some advice Valente thinks that you should take with you are, “To be kind to one another,” and to, “Do the right thing.” She believes that “[helping] people out of the goodness of your heart and [making] a positive difference wherever life takes you,” are important things to remember to do throughout your whole life no matter where you go.

School Committee Profile: Pietro Cicolini, Ward 1 Tatyanna Cabral Reporter

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ietro Cicolini is a new addition to the City of Malden School Committee. He is the Ward One School Committee Member. He has lived in Malden all his life and is “a proud graduate of Malden High School, class of 1997.” He then went on to Suffolk University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Administration.

He also enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in 2000, where he was later activated and deployed to Iraq in 2004. He then applied to Suffolk Law School while in Iraq; Cicolini was accepted and attended night classes. During this time, he had been working full time at the Immigration Court in Boston. Cicolini graduated from Suffolk in 2009, and now works for a federal judge in the U.S. District Court.

Cicolini’s decision to run for

office had been a difficult decision for him to make. He says, “for any responsibilty you accept, [he] [believes] you must do it to the best of your ability." If he wanted to run for office, he wanted to be a position that he knew that he could fully dedicate himself to. Being a father made his decision more clear: since his children would soon be a part of the Malden Public School System, the School Committee was the right position for him. Education is an important factor of everybody’s life, and it was something that Cicolini cared about.

When Jen Cabral had decided not to run again for Ward One, Cicolini had decided it was the right time to run. Now that it has been three months, he has been attending all the scheduled meetings and responding to parents when he can; it is clear he is doing his best to everything he possibly can.

Cicolini is also a member of the Technology Student Services Subcommittee, and he is looking to upgrade the schools’ computers, possibly have Ipads and would like to have the schools put on a better network. He sees that the growth in population in the lower grades are increasing, which will drastically affect Malden students. The teachers will have to teach more students, but with less amount of resources.

He says, “the school committee will need to work hard to come up with creative ways to serve this group.”

As for getting involved in the schools, Cicolini is looking to attend events held at the Ferryway School and plans to go to others at MHS and other K-8 schools. He believes that “meeting staff and students and seeing the buildings will help me understand the district better,” and that will result in him making better decisions for the whole district.

Local

12 “There was a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication [that went into making the show].”

- Sophomore Sarah Viera Left to right: Hosts Elijah Jean-Baptiste and Alana Smith along with Nico QuesadaNylen during a skit.

Senior Cori Malone and junior Nick Hames performing “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5. Jean-Baptiste, Smith, and Quesada-Nylen high-fiving. Seniors Bridget Ironuma and Sherri Zhen doing a dancing and singing duet. Azonto 2.0 performing an African Mix dance. Sophomore Ashley Viera performing a Michael Jackson medley. FLASHBACK during the end of the show. Junior Kierra Sweeney performing an Irish step dance. JeanBaptiste and QuesadaNylen during another sketch. Julie Souza, Jennifer Alvez, and Thaiz Da Silva singing a Best of 2012 Mash Up. Junior Mei Huang singing “In Your Arms” by Kinna Grannis. FLASHBACK during the end of their dance routine.

Airbound performing the opening dance act.

Yating Lu and Sukey Lu dancing in unison.

Airbound lights up the Jenkins auditorium in the closing performance. Juniors Alyssa Figueiredo and Aryzona MacDonald. Junior Kierra Sweeney during an Irish step dance honoring Boston. Junior Alex Potocki breakdancing.

Distinct Vybz in a dance act. Juniors Dylan Hamilton and Dominic Papagallo singing “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame” and playing piano mocking principal Dana Brown. One More Time playing a medley of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky”. Cast and crew at the end of the show. Malone and Hames during their performance. Cold Pasta singing “Strawberry Swisher Part 2”

by Dance Gavin Dance.

Sophomore Sarah Viera singing “Glitter in the Air” by P!NK. A skit during the show about Medieval times. One More Time during their performance. Souza, Alvez, and Da Silva during their song. Lu and Lu during their dance.

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THE WARP ZONE: 74TH

Emma Ceplinskas Reporter Manale Zouhir Reporter

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The Blue and Gold March 2014

he junior class worked vigorously to make this year’s Junior Varieties one that was unforgettable. The show was possible due to members of the Malden High School staff, Berenice Diaz and Paula Valente. Cast and crew continually practiced, late into the night, to have a flawless performance, and that it was. “It is very time consuming. There was a lot of tough work, but it [was] worth it,” stated junior Nick Hames. Diaz and Valente commend the cast and crew for working hard and are proud of the entire team.

“Everybody worked together and brought the show together; [she could not] be prouder,” mentioned Valente. Guidance from her and Diaz has been vital to the show’s overwhelming success. Junior Sebastian Patino expressed that “they really push us to be the best that we can be.” Both nights, the auditorium was filled with awaiting people eager to enjoy the show.

Junior Varieties is one of MHS’ most coveted traditions that is always hosted by the junior class. The show is one of the best fundraisers MHS has to offer, as it helps fund senior prom, as well as other events that the class puts on for themselves.

Julia Vanella, a beloved member of MHS’ junior class, had recently

passed away, so the show was dedicated to her in memoriam, along with acknowledgements to another student, Ayoub Mahou, who also passed away earlier in March. The show began with a touching video dedicated to Vanella, reminding the entire audience that though she might be gone, she will forever be remembered. Principal Dana Brown acknowledged Mahou‘s passing in the start of the production, as well.

The show proceeded to open with a number featuring members from numerous different acts dancing to “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

This was very upbeat and proceeded to lift the spirits of the audience after the touching video honoring Vanella.

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ANNUAL JUNIOR VARITIES

13 “[Diaz and Valente] have been really understanding and they’re fun to work with.”

-Senior Cori Malone “We’ve had a lot of fun practicing and we’re making a lot of good memories.”

-Junior Sammantha Dorazio “It was a great show, Mrs. Valente did a great job. This class has a lot of talent.”

-Berenice Diaz “[Practices] get stressful as most things do but it [came] together.”

-Senior Bridget Ironuma “The show was a really great experience and I am so glad I got to be a part of it.”

-Sophomore Kamila Regalado

Junior hosts Elijah Jean-Baptiste and Alana Smith introduced the theme of the production: time travel. Between each act, the duo jumped into their time machine and entered a different time era where they would only become more frazzled and frustrated for trying to find their way back to modern day.

Sophomore Sarah Viera sang a powerful piece by Pink titled “Glitter in the Air.” The dance group Flashback, featuring seniors Kim Du, Naiya Kapadia, Julia Ly, Tiffany Wong, and sophomore Kamila Regalado danced to an energetic routine with creative choreographic moves that kept the audience’s eyes glued on the stage.

Junior Kierra Sweeney performed

a lively Irish step dance routine that incorporated Boston pride. Following Sweeney was Hames and senior Cori Malone, who were on the guitar, singing an acoustic version of “She Will be Loved” by Maroon Five.

Juniors Sukey Lu and Yating Lu performed an insync number that reflected each other’s dance movements with subtle hints of hip hop.

A reenactment of Brown’s performance in the 36th annual Junior Varieties featured junior Dylan Hamilton singing to “There is Nothin’ Like a Dame” by Richard Rodgers, accompanied by junior Dominic Pappagallo on piano.

Overall, the show showed a diversity in grades with one freshman,

several sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Though some seniors were sad that this is the last Junior Varieties they will be able to participate in, they were proud of the show that has been produced.

The show’s finale featured Airbound, who often performs at other MHS events, with an acrobatic hip hop routine to close the show with a bang.

Their performance received a thunderous applause with hoots and hollers.

Junior Varieties embodies the spirit of MHS. It displays the dedication and passion that the students, as well as faculty, have for their school.

It is a tradition that will most likely never retire, as it never fails to bring MHS together.

Scan this code to see a highlight video of the Junior Varieties show on youtube!

Local Art

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The Blue and Gold March 2014

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2014 SCHOLASTIC The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, which is sponsored by The Boston Globe, “recognizes and exhibits, in a central location that is open to the public, student work from all over the state”. The event is run by the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. It began on Mar. 7, 2014 and will end on Mar. 31, 2014, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday at the Boston City Hall.

Candela Diaz Reporter

Tenzin Dorjee Reporter

Seniors Sudan Zhuang, Ly Huynh, and Mateo Coronado’s time at Malden High School is coming to a close, but not without scoring some gold in their artistic careers. All three winners are under the tutelage of art teacher Mary Ann Seager. Zhuang won her gold key with her “Technology Changes Me” piece, which was created through the use of the digital art medium; it helps to describes the mode of creation as “[easy] for [her] to express the ideas and meaning of [her] work.” “Posturing,” an incredible digital work of art depicting a skeleton, was the piece that helped Huynh win her gold key award. Last but definitely not least, Coronado collected an astounding amount of four gold keys. Coronado learned of his many wins “[from] one of [his] art classmates,” fellow gold key winner Sudan Zhuang. He was shocked and surprised, but he “immediately felt truthfully grateful.”

It is truly an applaudable achievement to be selected to receive the coveted silver key. As a first year in digital art class, sophomore Arnaldo Silva, taught by art teacher Joseph Luongo, initially doubted himself since he did not take foundations of art. Silva’s piece “Cat and Fish” however won an outstanding silver key. When Silva learned that Luongo’s task for the class was to create something “surreal”, “the first thing that popped into [his] head was catfish, so [he] decided to spice it up”, says Silva with laughter. In addition to Silva, sophomore Daria Lee also won a silver key. Seen from her artwork, “Manga Man”, Lee has “superior observational skills”, praised Luongo. Along with Silva and Lee, senior Florantine Joseph won the silver key as well. Art teacher Mary Ann Seager expressed her thoughts on Joseph’s art work, saying that “in all of her artwork, she is [able to find] her voice.” .

Left to right: Madeline Lam’s “Pen and Ink Portrait, Arnaldo Silva’s “Catfish”, Mateo Coronado’s “La Calera”, Ly Hyunh’s “Posturing”, Mateo Coronado’s “Thoughts of Winter” and Jeffry Georges’ “B Boy”. Photos courtesy of art teachers of MHS.

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AWARD WINNERS

Left to right, top to bottom: Mateo Coronado’s “Scratch Art”, Rachel Malcom’s “Midnight Rain”, Mateo Coronado’s “Tricycle”, Daria Lee’s “Pen and Ink Portrait”, Mateo Coronado’s “Jack”, Hongchan Chen’s “Al”, Sudan Zhuang’s “Technology Changes Me”, Mateo Coronado’s “Tea”, Jeffry Georges’ “Surreal Self Portrait”, Jade Liu’s “Manga Kid”, Mateo Coronado’s “Safety and Warmth”, Mateo Coronado’s “Self Portrait.”

Also to be noted are the hard working artists who earned honorable mentions for their pieces. Being the only ceramics winner for her “Midnight Rain” piece, junior Rachel Malcolm is described by art teacher Julie Mullane as a very hardworking person who “loves ceramics.” You can find Malcolm in Mullane’s room during any of her free period or whenever she has time after school. Mullane says Malcolm runs into her room “smiling,” ready to work. Both her pieces, “Manga Kid Portrait” and “Line Pattern Portrait” won her an honorable mention key, and based on past teaching experiences at the Linden Middle school, Luongo describes Sophomore Jade Liu as “very talented both as a traditional art student and a digital artist.” With “pretty strong” concepts, Sophomore Jeffry Georges’ “B-Boy” was also an honorable mention piece. Luongo believes Georges is “able to execute his ideas very well,” as seen in all his art work. Along with the art department, the MHS community is very proud of how far the students go and how much effort they put into their art, and although honorable mention winners are not put in display, it is a great feeling and honor that the kids are awarded for their dedication to the field of art.

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Potential Malden High School Collaboration with Salem State creates Opportunities Sumya Mohiuddin Head of Local Julie Lam Managing Editor of Local

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ith many students interested in earning extra credits before they graduate high school, a potential collaboration between Salem State and Malden High School could essentially fulfill their interests and more.

Currently, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) has a satellite campus at MHS, which is a convenience for students who want to take classes after school hours at a familiar setting. Mainly upperclassmen take advantage of the classes offered at BHCC because of the benefits of earning college credits that the high school may not offer alone and the simple college experience.

However, with the addition of Salem State, a more effective “school environment,” according to Superintendent Dr. David DeRuosi, will

emerge. Salemwood is the intended location for Salem State’s satellite campus, where the school will be “open to the whole community.”

Although the partnership is not finalized, many meetings have taken place, and Dr. DeRuosi is pleased that “a few classes will run in the fall,” where the partnership can steadily develop into a full program.

The potential partnership will enhance the dual enrollment program. As a four year college, “students might [be able to] come out of high school with a degree.”

Additionally, teachers will have the opportunity to earn their degrees at a close proximity to the high school.

Not only will the partnership offer new classes, but the “partnership with the university could make the School Department eligible for

a five-year grant from the Department of Labor to be used on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs,” quoted Boston Globe.

Salem State fits into Malden seamlessly; Dr. DeRuosi noticed that “many students seek Salem State at the end of high school,” making the partnership even more beneficial.

According to Dr. DeRuosi, Salem State provides a “good urban education,” which helps the students at MHS because of the familiarity and ease. Salem State will understand the students and provide a more individualized education path.

Earning college credits for free is the most valuable prize for taking classes at Salem State or BHCC. Dr. DeRuosi advises students to do well in high school, and “seek multiple ways to earn college credits [to] save money.” In high school, “smart financing” can put a student ahead for years, and it is important to take advantage of the opportunities offered currently, and the ones that will be available in a few months.

The PARCC Exam takes strides

Emma Ceplinskas Reporter

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he Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) has been around since 1993 and the students of Malden High School are no strangers to the exam. The test travels with students in their transitions from elementary school, to middle school, up to their sophomore year of high school. However, testers are willing to try something new because of the technological period students are growing up in.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MDESE) has considered replacing the MCAS with a different exam called the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).

The PARCC exam is not only restricted to Massachusetts; it will also be administered in 16

The Blue and Gold March 2014

other states, along with the District of Columbia. The exam aims to “measure the full range of the Common Core State Standards” and to pave a pathway towards college and career readiness as mentioned by the MDESE. The exam strives to not only advance accountability, but also support teachers and incorporate more technology.

Similar to the MCAS, the PARCC exam tests English and math skills. In contrast, the PARCC will be taken online to embrace the modern day’s technological advancements.

The online assessment also offers greater innovation for students that a pencil and paper test limits.

Critics of the PARCC exam are worried that schools will not be properly adapt to the new method of testing. Supplying computers that have a guaranteed Internet connection to every student may be difficult, but the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Second-

ary Education hopes to address the issues in the upcoming year. They want to “make better use of technology in assessments” to make a great change in the way children are tested.

Testers hope “these new K-12 assessments will build a pathway to college and career readiness at the end of high school, mark students’ progress toward this goal beginning in grade [three], and provide teachers with timely information to inform instruction and provide student support.”

The PARCC will be trialed during the school year of 2014 and 2015 and if it is equal to or surpasses the MCAS’ purpose of measuring math and English progression, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will contemplate issuing the PARCC rather than the MCAS. MHS students will have to ready for the new assessment.

#WWTAWWTAW Tenzin Dorjee Reporter

“

What We Talk About When We Talk About War,” a play performed by the Malden High School Play Production, got them to the semi-finals of the third annual Massachusetts State Drama Festival, an achievement that English teacher and Play Production director Sean Walsh called a “great experience.”

Although they did not make it to the finals, he and the students are “not upset,” but rather, proud of their product.

The members of Play Production are all “talented actors,” especially many of the “underclassmen [who] stepped up,” said senior Ramy Riviere. He is “proud of the maturity” of his fellow actors.

However, Play Production is not all about the acting. The people behind the scenes are equally important: “the tech crew works just as hard, if not harder” than the actors themselves because they “help run things smoothly.” Without them, a play simply cannot go on; Walsh confidently confides that this year’s crew is the “best tech crew [they have] ever had.”

The inspiration for the story of the incredible play came about during “improvisation [sessions, whilst] just spitballing ideas” and “everyone seemed to roll with the soldier idea,” and with a little more work, “What We Talk About When We Talk About War” came about.

Walsh explained the title’s main inspiration came from the 1981 collection of tales by author Raymond Carver called “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”

Walsh felt the book was “quick to the point, but at the same time addressed deeper themes,” which he felt was very much like the idea the Play Production students had come up with, and thus, the name “What We Talk About When We Talk About War” came about.

Riviere explained that he felt “a sense of pride, a pride in [his staff],” to have been able to do so well, a sentiment that echoes to the other members of Play Production.

The students of MHS’ Play Production “put together such a powerful piece of art [and because] so many minds can come together and collaboratively make something that can touch so many hearts,” a fact that is just simply, “unbelievable.”

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Students and Faculty Go Head to Head

From left to right: Malden Teen Enrichment Center employee Teddy Lou prepares to pass the ball. Taren Belowksy dribbles the ball down the court. Photos by Cassandra Reyes.

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School dosen’t Always end at 2:15

Felicia Fallano Reporter

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Cassandra Reyes Reporter s a high school student, there are not many chances to verse the staff at your own school in a sporting event. Interesting schools, such as Malden High School, are always planning fundraisers which involve the whole community. The students at MHS had the opportunity to go against the staff in a game of basketball. The fourth annual Student-Faculty Basketball Game took place on Mar. 12, 2014.

The event was put together by science teacher Shauna Campbell, Phoung Ho, math teacher Sarah Jones and the members of Crew team. There are many people who look forward to this event every year, hence why it is so successful and has continued.

Head coordinator of the event, Campbell, has been apart of the planning of the game for three years. The profit is divided among the school trip of 2014 to China run

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by Campbell, the 2015 school trip to Ecuador run by Phoung, and for Crew team necessities.

Members of the Crew team are asked to sell tickets and make posters. Campbell expresses that she has to do “a lot of emailing asking teachers to participate.” Along with emailing, Campbell and the other teachers have to go through the process of making t-shirts for the teachers to play in.

Within minutes of the gym doors opening, the bleachers became flooded with students, administrators, and other members of the Malden community; some cheering the teachers on, others cheering the students on. Members of the boys and girls junior varsity basketball teams went head to head with their very own teachers, guidance counselors, and other MHS staff.

Keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats, the two opposing

teams continuously took turns with who was in the lead. Still with less than a minute on the clock to go, there was no huge lead, either team could’ve taken the win. With a final score of 44-37, the students walked away with a win. Senior varsity basketball member Regine Exume says, “it was really fun, every year it is... there were teachers that amaze[d] me.”

Although the Ecuador trip will be over shortly, Campbell continues to host the annual basketball game, also keeping in mind that she will most likely get the task of advising another school trip. Sophomore varsity basketball member Danley Exilhomme expresses that, “[the game is] a great way to bring the school together.” Many people are looking forward to either spectating or participating in the event next year.

From left to right: Guidance counselor Erin Craven prepares to pass the ball. Freshman Nathaniel Ilebode waits to catch a rebound. Sophomore Don prepares to shoot a three-pointer. Photos by Cassandra Reyes.

From left to right: Senior Regine Exume prepares to charge the ball pass girl’s varsity coach Linda Coverdale. A cluster of teachers and students fight for the rebound. Teacher Dana Marie Brown shoots a free throw. Photos by Cassandra Reyes.

tudents from all around Malden, including Malden High School, Mystic Valley Charter School, and the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School are seeking tutoring in various subjects. Luckily, the Malden Teen Enrichment Center and Malden High School, are providing the help that students may need.

The Malden Teen Enrichment Center, widely known as MTEC, arrange a variety of different activities and programs for teens in Malden.

The Youth Activities Leader Malden Teen Enrichment Center,Ted LouisJacques makes sure it is, “a safe and supportive environment for the teens.” Student leaders are providing help for all students in science, math, etc. According to LouisJacques, “students from all grades are being tutored. As long as they need the help and we can provide it to them, they can be tutored.”

Arlene Ceppetelli, the Tutoring Specialist at MTEC, is tutoring along with Meaghann Galdos, a current Malden High School science teacher, in room H416 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-5:30 at Malden High School. They are offering help in chemistry, biology and more. When asked about the program, Galdos expressed that, “we think that there are a lot of students who may need help with completing their homework or studying for tests and quizzes, but are uncomfortable going to a teacher after school. This program provides another avenue for students to get the help they need so that all students at MHS can be successful.” There is also tutoring for math topics as well. Along with Galdos, Nicholas Lippman is also a current teacher at Malden High School and tutoring students in math.

Students are encouraged to come to the teen center after school to join in on activities or receive help with school work. MHS and MTEC welcome all students and, “promote student achievements and celebrate all of our teens successes,” according to Louis-Jacques.

Entertainment & Style

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Emerging Artists of 2014

AMembers:(brothers) JR(BAND)

Adam, Jack and Ryan Met Genre:Indie Pop Brother Adam, Jack and Ryan Met have begun their music journey in 2005 performing on the streets while doing a few covers. The first step into the world of Music was by their song “I’m Ready” when they tweeted it to many celebrities, received much reaction and soon a call from Columbia Records. although not officially signed yet, the record allowed for their song to be broadcasted in many worldwide viewing music channels, and radios.

That such song then became the beginning of their debut.

HLiz Nistico and Louie Diller

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aughty Boy (Shahid Khan) (DJ, Songwriter, Record Producer, Musician)

Genre: RnB Birthday: January 1, 1985 Shahid Khan, more known by his artist name Naughty Boy, is a British singer-songwriter. He is also a record producer who even runs his own music production company called Naughty Boy Recordings.

His debut album “Hotel Cabana”, released in 2013, had featured many top name artists in it, such as Sande, Ed Sheeran, and many others. One of Naughty Boy’s most famous songs, “La La La”, which featured Sam Smith, won ‘Best Song’ and ‘Best Video’ at the MOBO Awards’ 18th Anniversary.

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yrone Griffin aka Ty Dolla $ign (singer, rapper, producer)

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hene Aiko (Jhene Aiko Efuru Chilombo) (Singer, Songwriter)

Born: March 16, 1988 Born: April 13, 1985 Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Hometown: Los Angeles, Genre: RnB Florida Jhene Aiko first began her musical career contribGenres: Hip-hop, R&B uting vocals for boyband B2K, and had featured Ty dolla $ign has taken the in one of their songs, and her song “Dog” was chance to learn as many instrua bonus track on one of their EPs. She had also ments as he can, ever since he appeared in several music videos as well, and was very young. He has made a had some of her own tracks release on some few singles before but his career soundtracks. On March 16, 2011, she released skyrocketed with the song “Toot her first mixtape “Sailing Soul(s),” all of the songs it and Boot it” that he both except “July” were written by Aiko herself. In wrote and produced for YG. 2012 she signed with a new company and was His song “My Cabana” hit the the opening act to the highly-anticipated “Life charts in Complex’s best songs of is Good/Black Rage” concert-tour. In 2013 she 2012 at number 23. If you like opened for rapper Drake’s “Would You Like A Wiz Khalifa, French Montana, Tour?” tour as well. On November 12, 2013, and Trey Songz then Ty Dolla AIko released her debut EP “Sail Out,” which $ign is a great artist to listen to. debuted at number eight on Billboard 200 chart.

oly Child (Singers)

Genre: Pop The new pop duo, who was one of the artists on Billboard’s “Artists To Watch in 2014”, is a Los Angeles indie-pop duo that is definitely going places. They have recently been signed to Glassnote and will be releasing their EP in March. The two met at Nistico’s dance class at George Washington University, and the two partnered up and created music that had high production levels. Many people liked their songs, such as “Best Friends” and “Playboy Girl.” In the future their EP “Mindspeak” will be released and the duo will be going on tour as well.

SBorn: May 19, 1992

am Smith (Singer, Songwriter)

Hometown: Primrose Hill, London Genre: Soul First rising to fame with his feature on Disclosure’s single “Latch,” Sam Smith has been rapidly getting recognition from the public with his voice. He released his debut single “Lay Me Down” in February 2013, and was featured in Naughty Boy’s single “La La La.” On May 26, 2014, he will release his debut EP “In The Lonely Hour” that will also have his previously released singles on it as well.

The Blue and Gold March 2014

Entertainment & Style maldenblueandgold.com

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DIY Your Spring Cleaning Julia Parker Reporter

Supplies You Will Need: - 16 inch x 16 inch Plastic Pegboard (Found at Home Depot for $6) - 2-inch Buglehead Phillips screws (Found at Home Depot for $6/box) - Invisible Hanging Wire (Found on Amazon for less than $5) - Pegboard Hooks (Found at any local hardware store for less than $5) - Soup cans (optional)

For the ladies, a problem you may have is keeping your jewelry untangled and organized, which can be a difficult task. For something that looks so easy, really takes a lot of time and effort to do. A cheap, but very efficient way to make the job much easier is by using of all things, a pegboard.

1. Once you get the pegboard, paint it whatever color, unless you want to keep the pegboard the color it comes in.

2. Next, you have to find the right hardware to hold up the board, since it will be heavy afterwards. So, with your screws, use a phillips screwdriver to put

them into the top corners of the board, about halfway in.

3. Next, you will take your hanging wire, and tie it around both of the screws. It is suggested that you do this twice, in order to avoid the wire snapping.

4. Now that you are able

Let’s Recycle On The Job

Do you have a cluttered desk at home that needs some real organization, but it seems like too much time and work to put into it? Your drawers are messy, and your papers and office supplies spread all over the desktop. Follow these tips, and they will make the task much easier for this year’s spring cleaning.

1. Using a small shoebox, or a cardboard box that came from a shipment in the mail, you use hot glue to wrap scrapbook paper around the box, OR you can paint the box with whatever color or design wanted. This step is optional.

2. With shorter writing tools, you will need to cut the paper rolls with the scissors to accommodate to the correct size.

3. Using the hot glue, attach the rolls, standing upright, to the bottom of the box. At this point, it should look like this.

4. The rest is up to you, in the idea of how you want to organize your supplies. Pens in one area, and pencils in the other, or writing separated from drawing, it’s your choice.

to hang the board, you can take your pegboard hooks, and place them where you wish to have them. Along with hooks, you can also drill holes into old soup cans (you can also paint those) and hang those onto the pegboard, to hold your bigger bracelets or other accessories that won’t get tangled together.

Supplies You Will Need: - A small cardboard box - Scrapbook paper (optional) - Scissors - Paint (optional) - 10-15 toilet paper rolls - Hot glue Other Great Finds To Help Along With Your Cleaning: - Cutlery Trays/ $1 - Plastic Bins 3/$1 - Shower Curtain Hooks $10/12

Entertainment & Style

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The Blue and Gold March 2014

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IN FULL SPRING Casey Lyons Head of Entertainment and Lifestyle

OUT WITH THE OLD: Spring is around the corner and it is time to break out of our winter routines and start fresh. Spring cleaning is awaits and so does a new healthy diet. Also maintan healthy skin and a body. Make spring 2014 the best yet.

SPRING CLEANING: Pull back your curtains and let the fresh air in when the weather gets warmer and begin your cleaning with disposing of anything you do not need, such as: old homework assignments, any overflowing trash cans, close to empty hair/body products, old clothes, etc. Next dust off the surface of shelves, the t.v., computer, and nightstand to have a cleanlier atmosphere. Then stow away those heavy winter sweaters and coats and replace those for your light and vibrate spring wear. Having an organized, clean room also allows your stress and mind to ease a little because rummaging through drawers or piles of cluttered messes will be avoidable.

MAINTAIN HYDRATION AND SKIN: With more sun exposure in our day, as well as humidity and moisture in the atmosphere, our skin begins to adapt to the change in weather. We have to remember to take more care of ourselves by staying hydrated and maintaining healthy skin. Water is essential when the weather transitions from winter to spring because our bodies require more hydration, especially when some start sports or exercising.

We shed large amounts of sweat when exercising and even more when the sun is beating down on you, so to avoid fainting, light-headedness, and exhaustion: stay hydrated. To maintain healthy skin, try out a new face wash. Switch to something that consists of fresh contents (aloe, cucumber, apricot, etc) and that exfoliates the skin. Choosing between scrubs, foams, and gels really depends on the skin type, so read the directions and precautions before buying the product, if you have sensitive skin. Also, stay consistent and use the facewash at least 3-4 times a week for a month and then progressively start to use it four to five times once your skin gets used to it because you do not want to overwhelm the skin. Using a facewash too often can lead to excessive dry skin or small harsh reactions. Products to consider are Morning Burst by Clean and Clear, Purity by Philosophy, Apricot Face Scrub by St. Ives, and Peach Facial Wash by Burt’s Bees.

GET ACTIVE: Get off the couch or unwrap yourself from your Snuggie and exercise! Go on long runs/jogs in the morning or on the weekends to stay refreshed and healthy. It is proven that running/jogging can make you happier because many experience hormones known as endocannabinoids that make you feel good. It also improves cardiovascular health and also increases efficiency of the lungs. Get those muscles tense and the body moving to feel rejuvenated in the warm spring air. Even bike anywhere you go to keep your body in a constant, healthy, movement or begin yoga. When starting any type of exercise it is evident to be consistent and to create a schedule to have effective results. Any type of exercise, in general, will lead to healthier, happier you.

EAT HEALTHY: Spring requires fruit and vegetable intake, because it is important to maintain your health it is essential. If you are not in favor of fruits or vegetables there are ways to disguies the dreadful taste by creating alternatives such as creating a smoothie with heathy components. If you like to cook and explore new dishes, research recipes that make greens more pleasant to eat such as, fruit salad, smoothie, stir fry, and more. Transform your spring into a learning experience with testing new vegetables, fruits, and recipels. Also, making your own drinks or foods would save you money and is healthier than purchasing it somewhere.

Hold back on the junk foods and prepare for a nice summer body or to simply be healthy.

IN WITH THE NEW: Life and stress is easier to bare with when you feel good about yourself, emotionally and physically. Image having a refreshed and clear mind, while still focusing on health, to be able to strong grades fourth quarter so that there is less to worry about before the summer time. The school year is almost over and it is time to step it up if you want to end strong, so take care of your health before anything else because it will lead to a content and peaceful you this spring.

The Blue and Gold March 2014

Entertainment & Style

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maldenblueandgold.com

Spring Chocolate Mint Pudding

Things that you will need....

-1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of sugar -3 tablespoons cornstarch -1 tablespoon and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa power -Salt -1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream -1 and 1/4 cups whole milk -1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract -6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped up (1 cup) -1/2 teaspoon pure mint extract -1 tablespoon and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces -10 chocolate wafer cookies -Garnish with sprigs of mint -6 small clear cups (for the pots)

Instructions to follow...

1. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Combine cream, milk and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup.

2. Pour 1 cup cream mixture into sugar mixture and whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Add remaining cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts, about 1 minute.

3. Remove from heat. Add mint extract and butter, and whisk until butter melts. Quickly divide pudding, whisking as you work to prevent sides from setting up, among eight 4 ounce glass votive candle holders, leaving 1/2” of space at the top.

Refrigerate until set.

4. Just before serving, crush cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Top each with 1 Tablespoon ground-cookie “dirt,” and garnish with a planted mint sprig. Serve chilled.

Spring Season Begins April 5!!

PO Box 513 Malden, MA 02148 Contact us at: (781) 879-2747 info@maldenyouthsoccer.org

Sports

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Spring Sports

“We’re all excited to get started again, its baseball season and we’re looking for a GBL title this year.”

- Senior Nick Ward

“Although we list amazing tennis girls that have graduated, that won’t stop us from improving our new and old members for the season.”

- Junior Michelle Meneses

“As one of the new captains, I hope to help lead the team to victory one race at a team and bring home the dub.”

- Senior John Hastings

Cut this coupon out for $5 off haircuts at Mandi’s Hair Salon

“We just came off a very strong indoor season and we have a lot of talented athletes coming out for outdoor track who will be able to contribute along with the team into having another successful season and hopefully attaining another GBL title.”

- Senior Joviana Morin

“My goal for the team is to grow not only on, but also off the field.” - Junior Gabriella Silva

If you would like to have an ad in the Blue and Gold newspaper, please contact the Blue and Gold at theblueandgold@ gmail.com

Sports

The Blue and Gold March 2014

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maldenblueandgold.com

2014 PReview

The group of girls in this year’s softball program are some of the most hard working, determined people I’ve ever met. We’re expecting a great season throughout all levels freshman to varsity.

- Senior Julie Bourgea

“Coming into this outdoor season I am very excited.

We managed to take down our rival Cambridge Rindge and Latin in the indoor season. Outdoor track will be one to remember with even more running, jumping, and throwing events to comepete in.”

- Senior Claude Bonet

First Games of the Season 3/22/14 Baseball: Malden vs. Methuen @ Malden 10:00am 3/29/14 Boys Lacrosse: Malden vs. North Quincy @ Malden 10:00am 4/1/14 Girls Lacrosse Malden vs. Cambridge R&L @ Cambridge 4:00pm 4/4/14 Softball: Malden vs. Saugus @ Saugus 4:00pm 4/10/14 Outdoor Track: Malden vs. Somerville @ Malden 4:00pm 4/10/14 Girls Tennis: Malden vs. O’Bryant @ O’Bryant 4:00pm 4/10/14 Boys Tennis: Malden vs. Malden Catholic @ MC 3:45pm 4/24/14 Crew: Malden vs. Shrewsbury @ Shrewsbury 9:00am “We’re looking forward to having a successful season.” - Junior Piero Pocobene

“I’m looking forward to this season and I love seeing all these new faces join the lacrosse team.”

- Senior Dirir Mohamed

Hey Seniors!

Don’t forget to order your year book and to hand in cap and gown money to the main office!

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Sports

maldenblueandgold.com

A Heated Profile of LeBron James PJ Montezuma Head of Sports

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ontroversially the most talked about man in the media and National Basketball Association, 29 year old LeBron James has made his mark on history and his career is far from over. On March 3, 2014 James scored his career high 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats who are ranked 7th for defense. Going 8 for 10 from behind the arc, James said “once you get into a zone, you feel like you’re shooting a golfball into the ocean” and that he did,.

Finishing the game shooting 22 for 33, with his 61 points breaking the Heats previous record of points scored by a single player (56 points).

LeBron James is always being talked about, comparing him up to other NBA players and is a main source of arguments whether over social medias, sports talk shows, or even between high school student basketball players. Who’s the best player of all time, Michael Jordan or LeBron James? Who’s better, LeBron or Kobe Bryant? Who should win most valuable player, LeBron or Kevin Durant?

My question is why can’t anyone just talk about LeBron and all his accomplishments? Despite his attitude and ego and his occasional flops, James is a great basketball player and inspires many young children to follow their dreams.

James was drafted first round first pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after his senior year, later going on to win Rookie of the year. Now his accomplishments consist of 2 NBA Championships, 2 Finals MVP, 4 regular season MVPs, 10 NBA All Star appearances, NBA scoring champion(2008), Cleveland Cavaliers all time scorer, and has even played on Team USA 3 times in the Olympics winning a gold medal twice and one bronze medal.

James’ biggest topic on social media besides his receding line up and his flopping skills, is who is the better player: him or Jordan. And the answer is, the world will never know. You will be able to compare their statistics and accomplishments at a certain age, but no one will ever come to a conclusion. The reason is no one will ever be happy with that answer, because it doesn’t matter

you’re a fan of someone, your argument can include stats but it all ends in an opinion. It will all be opinions due to the fact that the two played in completely different time periods and with different styles to the game. However, both had made their mark in NBA’s History and will go down as two of the greatest players to play the game.

Check out many more sports Op-Ed articles on the website. www.maldenblueandgold. com

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From top left clockwise. The American Olynpic team marching at the Opening Ceremony. The US hockey team at practice with their coach.

The Olympic rings. A figure skater performing. Photos from Wikimedia. Collage by Jonathan DeCicco.

There was also some disappointment in the games as well.

Shaun White, a US snowboarder and two time gold medal winner, was competing for a shot to become the first US olympian to win the gold in the same event three consecutive times. Battling a wrist injury he was forced to drop out of the slopestyle and compete in only the halfpipe.

He finished off the medal podium, with Switzerland’s Iouri Podladtchikov placing first.

Other memorable moments of the Olympics included 36-year-old Bode Miller’s bronze in the super-G. What is likely to be his last Olym-

Michael Sam

Lucia Quesada Nylen about the statistics when Reporter

Jonathan DeCicco Managing Editor of Sports ith the built up anticipation of over four years of waiting, the winter Olympics have already come and gone. The end was signified by an intriguing closing ceremony held by the host country, Russia, on February 23, 2014. This international spectacle drew the worlds greatest athletes to compete in Sochi for a chance to win one of the coveted medals and to represent their country. With great hope and pressure put onto the United States, the country placed second, runner up to Russia, with a total of 28 medals– nine gold, seven silver and twelve bronze. With some new events, difficult courses, and surprisingly warm temperatures, the US persevered with some of the most astounding performances.

One of the most highlighted moments of the 2014 winter Olympics was Meryl Davis’s Charlie White’s gold medal performance.

Skating together since 1997 the two have been a pair longer than any other US ice dance team. With high expectations put the duo and the prediction of gold before Sochi, the pair did not disappoint. The two delivered the first ice dancing gold medal in US Olympic history.

Young athlete Mikaela Shiffrin also had a star studded performance placing first and winning gold in the women’s slalom. Shiffrin became the youngest person to win gold in this event and is expected to leave a long olympic history in the future.

The Blue and Gold March 2014

pics, Miller displayed tears of joy with the achievement of his bronze medal. After suffering the tough loss of his younger brother and fellow Olympic hopeful in snowboard cross, Miller and his fans were proud of his accomplishment.

The games were filled with countless other victories, from the bobsled to snowboardcross, the US Olympic athletes worked as a unit to represent their country for this winter Olympics.

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hen you play a sport what’s your biggest fear? Not catching the ball to make a touchdown, missing a goal, or getting disqualified during your race? To Missouri defensive end Michael Sam, up until last year his biggest fear wasn’t failing on the field, it was failing off of it. 24 year old Sam came at a press conference stating that he is gay. Sam told the New York Times that ““just want[ed] to make sure [he] could tell [his] story the way [he] want[ed] to tell it.[he] just want[ed] to own [his] truth” which is why he came out to his teammates.

After much commotion with the National Football League, and whether his sexual orientation would affect his draft pick, Sam stated to New York Times Daily News that “[he’s] surprised by all the support [from the fans]”. Sam like any other athlete was worried about whether he would even be looked upon to be drafted, however several NFL coaches, including general manager of the New York Giants Jerry Reese stated to the Ny Times that “What people do in their personal life, I’m not concerned with that. He’s a good football player.” Earlier that year Sam had won the Southeastern Conference top defensive man of the league award. This promotes Sam to tons of NFL teams.

As any other professional athlete, obviously Sam cares about what his fans think because just as much as professional sports are about the athletic itself, it also involves tons of publicity. Any one thing that gets out can impact or even ruin an athletes’ reputation.

Take former NFL New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who ruined his career and his life by shooting and killing a man. Ever since the incident that took place in the summer of 2013, Hernandez has been known as a killer, despite the successful career that he once had with the Patriots.

Another example is former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. In February of 2009, Phelps was caught smoking marijuana, resulting in a three month suspension from the United States Swimming league.

Even though the incident happened nearly five years ago, and within that time span Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time, people still refer to Phelps as the ‘pothead swimmer’.

With these and many more examples of athletes that are known for anything other than their actual performance, Sam had more than enough reasons to be nervous of coming out. Obviously, in any case no one should be judged because of their sexual orientation, however Sam explained to the NY Times that “[he] didn’t want to be known as the gay football player”.

Sam is the first ever NFL player to come out as gay. There have been other cases where players have came out, however it was either after they retired, or well into their careers.

Based on his credentials to being an exceptional player, Sams’ chances of being drafted are very high. With high hopes to become an official NFL player, Sam has a supportive system of fans and family behind him to be able to succeed with his football career.