January 2015

The Blue and Gold maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 100 Edition 4

77 salem street January 2015

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Girls Basketball

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maldenblueandgold.com Malden High School Volume 100 Edition 4 January 2015

Editorial

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A Generation

Malden High School

The Blue and Gold

in Love With Disorder

77 Salem St. Malden, MA 02148

Established in 1915

Celebrating 100 Years of School Reporting Staff Editors-in-Chief Amanda De Moraes ‘15 Casey Lyons ‘15 James Mazarakis ‘15 Sumya Mohiuddin ‘15 Managing Editors Jessica Lynn DePaula ‘15 Julie Lam ‘15 Heads of Op-Eds & World Nicholas Bramante ‘16 Andrew Cogliano ‘16 Heads of Local News Emma Ceplinskas ‘16 Manale Zouhir ‘16 Heads of Entertainment Chaimae El Adlouni ‘16 Ashley Leung ‘16 Heads of Sports Lucia Quesada Nylen ‘16 Cassandra Reyes ‘16 Lead Sports Writer P.J. Montezuma ‘15 Lead Photographers Piero Pocobene ‘15 Meagan Sullivan ‘15

Reporters Jasper Haag ‘16 Tatyanna Cabral ‘17 Maria Da Silva ‘17 Candela Diaz ‘17 Tenzin Dorjee ‘17 Felicia Fallano ‘17 Karina Matos ‘17 Julia Parker ‘17 Ana Kerr ‘18 Megan Downer ‘18 Leila Greige ‘18 Samuel Martinez ‘18 Anna Powers ‘18 Meghan Yip ‘18 Contributing Senior Reporters Julio Da Silva ‘15 Roberto De Oliveira ‘15 Jonathan DeCicco ‘15 Katie Mai ‘15 Amanda Nguyen ‘15 Advisor Ryan Gallagher

The Blue and Gold January 2015

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or centuries, it has been a stereotype that teenagers are foolish, naive, and have essentially nothing figured out. While this may or may not be true, in recent years, teenagers have started to embrace this negative stereotype rather than try to fight it as past generations have. It seems that we have lost all ability to fight and have accepted this preconceived notion that we are all lost souls.

Anyone with a somewhat regular presence on social media can attest to this. On all social platforms, it has become a fad of sorts to be “a mess.” From Twitter bios to Tumblr posts promoting this, our generation has glorified the idea of being confused, lost, and having nothing figured out. It is easy to fall into this trap, as it seems that all TV shows center around twenty-something characters who are constantly making foolish and “cool” mistakes, brushing them off with the excuse “I’m a mess,” or “I don’t have anything figured out, I’m just 20.”

While nobody quite expects young adults to have everything figured out, by promoting this behavior, we are all enabling a generation of under-motivated soon-to-be-adults who watch several seasons of Netflix in a day rather than try to solve their problems, and brag about it, feeling a sense of satisfaction as though it is an achievement. And it may all be fun and games now, while we can still live off of our parents’ money, and our failures mean nothing except a bad grade or the loss of a paycheck.

This trend is not only limited to Netflix viewing habits, but also applies to financial stability, and the lack of development of a life plan to guide us through the crucial age which we are entering. By accepting this state of passivity, we are setting ourselves up for years of adjustment to come, when it finally dawns on us that we do in fact, need a real job, a life plan, and to take responsibility that extends beyond purchasing overpriced Starbucks seasonal drinks (another fault of which I am more than guilty.)

While our lives seem like a bizarre joke now, and it may remain one in the foreseeable future, there will be a day, believe it or not, when working minimum

Editorial Policy

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

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

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

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

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

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wage jobs, sleeping until 4 in the afternoon, and living in our parents basements will not be enough. And that is exactly where we are headed by accepting that we are “a mess,” and having nothing figured out, while actively doing nothing to change this.

A large reason for this trend having emerged is the example teenagers are given by the media: from celebrities living their lives with little to no sense of the real world, giving us all false expectations as to what reality will be like, to Twitter pages that encourage this sort of behavior. By making it seem trendy and “cool” we are allowing our generation to become unmotivated and content with living in a never-ending state of childhood. Rather than idolizing celebrities who are making immature decisions and not facing responsibility, we should following the examples of those who take adulthood and all the comes along with it, such as Emma Watson. Despite only being 24 years old, she has transformed from Hermione to an intelligent and mature adult, actively working to improve society with her “He for She” campaign.

Seeing someone so close to my age making so many strides to better the world, is both a wake up call, and an inspiration like no other.

Being a senior and dealing with all the stress that comes along with it, avoiding responsibility is very tempting and sometimes irresistible. Applying to colleges and being asked what you would like to do for the rest of your life is more than enough to send anyone into an ice cream and Netflix coma. The difficulty isn’t having to choose something necessarily, seeing as it can always be changed. The part that is frightening is having to consider questions that before were only a whisper in our minds and letting go of the “mess culture” we have cultivated in our years of teenagehood.

Our generation is the future. As cliche as that may sound, it is a fact. We are the future, and as of right now, the majority of our generation are content being bad adults, and in fact, take pleasure in it. Of course I see the appeal and am guilty of this myself.

After all, who really wants to be an adult? It is a oneway ticket to bills, full-time jobs, and more responsibility than we have ever had in our lives. However, as graduation approaches, and the real word along with it, we seniors must all face the harsh realities of the real world and stop hiding from the facts. It is our duty to break the previous stereotypes and be the generation that takes pride in being adults.

Amanda De Moraes Amanda de Moraes Editor-in-Chief Class of 2015 Please visit our facebook page for the new date for our Blue & Gold 100-Year Event. The postponed date, Mar. 21, has been cancelled and a new date is planned for June. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Below is a QR code for the Facebook page.

The Blue and Gold January 2015

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January Crossword Puzzle

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Opinion

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The Blue and Gold January 2015

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This isn’t your average everyday placement...

This is...

D E C N A V AD T N E M E C PLA Original image from funnyjunk.com

Jasper Haag Reporter

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oday, getting into (a fantastic) college seems to be the most important thing in every student’s life. From the time that we are in middle school until our applications are submitted, guidance counselors, teachers, parents and friends all try to push us down this route, explicitly or otherwise. Because of this, many students at Malden High School take at least one or more AP class in their time here and I believe that this leads to a lot of problems within the school and for the students who are part of the AP program.

For starters, I would like to remind everyone why the levels of classes are designed this way.

The basic course is Academic Preparatory, however this class once offered by Malden High as it is at many other high schools around the state was dissolved years ago. A level above that, and now the lowest offered by the school, is College Preparatory (CP). Above that and at a faster pace sits Honors, what was once the highest that most students went. And finally, the pinnacle of classes is the Advanced Placement, the college level, nationally administered and standardized class.

AP was created for those who are extremely talented and interested in a subject, and it is absurd to have unqualified or uninterested students taking them as they are at

Why the drive for a greater AP program misses the mark for students who love to learn... and those who don’t a disadvantage compared to their peers. But at Malden High, things are different. The students, and to some extent the faculty, push Honors as the basic class, the class that most who are not horribly failing (figuratively and literally) take.

While the school does not plainly say “take more AP classes,” they do rationalize AP as a better choice for students. The mentality is, “better to have a C or B in AP than an A in Honors.” While this is often the case , students who are on the fence about taking an AP often see this an OK for subpar performance in much more specialized and demanding classes and subsequently sign up for a class which they are not fully ready to take. I wholeheartedly agree that pushing your boundaries is beneficial academically and mentally, but students do not realize that a B in Honors does not translate into a B in AP, nor a C, nor any specific letter grade; AP is a completely different animal than any other class. This can catch students unprepared, leaving them floundering with grades that can significantly drop their GPA, act as a black mark on their college applications, and discourage them from taking advanced classes in the future.

Beyond dragging down the students who unwittingly make the mistake of signing up for AP classes

that they may not be able to handle at the moment, pushing for wider AP enrollment drags down the quality of the classes overall. Teachers and students who would normally be able to move at a pace conducive to college level classes must wait idly for those trying to keep up. I am the first to help out in my AP classes when my friends and peers ask for it or need it, but when a chunk of the class is failing no matter what help or advice is given, it becomes a burden and can take away from my

for are realizing the implications of their decision, so I hope to impart some words of wisdom for all students, but specifically and especially those who are currently taking AP classes.

Firstly, do not let a class you are unprepared for discourage you in the future, and similarly do not pass up opportunities for an advanced class you feel passionate about . My weakest subjects do not hold back my strongest, and yours should not either.

“...Students who are on the fence about taking an AP often see this an OK for subpar performance in much more specialized and demanding classes and subsequently sign up for a class which they are not fully ready to take.” experience. And why should that happen? Why should my passion for a subject be hampered by those who lack the same excitement? The answer is it should not . People who aren’t passionate about a subject should, for their sake and the sake of those who are, refrain from taking the AP variant of those classes.

Now as we approach midterms and the halfway point of the year, many people who have made the mistake of signing up for an AP class that they are not suited ready

Secondly, and this applies to all students: do not rush into an AP class for merit only. If you have experienced one, you understand its calibre, and if you have not, take my word along with the word of anyone who you ask. AP classes serve as a resource for those inclined and able to take on their challenges, but as an unnecessary hardship for those who are not.

The Blue and Gold January 2015

Opinion

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Quite Literally Invaluable W

hat goes around comes around.”

Aside from being a line to another high-pitched Justin Timberlake song, the phrase has been and still is thrown around quite a lot in today’s society. It is a wonderful concept, no? - putting faith in the belief that if you go out of your way to make a real positive impact in someone’s life, someone will do just the same for you. Or the idea that those who have wronged you will get what is coming to them eventually. Unspeakable universal laws such as these are great comforts to those who like to believe in a higher power, religious or otherwise. But what if I told you that they were just that at best: comforts. What if I told you that the world is very much an unforgiving and unfair place, and more importantly, what if all those wonderful “values” you have been striving for mean as much as dust in the wind?

Look at any paper or coin currency in the world: the bank note itself is worth next to nothing, but yet it holds value. Why? Because everyone who uses it must agree that yes, it is worth that amount. In reality, the object is only worth as much as the paper it is printed on.

The same can be said about values such as the ones I listed before. Yes they mean something but really it is only because most people agree that they do. In reality? “Values” that

are so promoted by companies and organizations really hold no definite value, and at times hold little value even to those who promote them.

In terms of looking towards colleges, do admissions counselors really care if you are an honest worker? Endless masses of schools will throw in your face that they are looking for more “grit” from their applicants in an effort to attract you; but when it comes down to getting accepted, what is worth more? The GPA and extracurriculars achieved through ruthlessly tearing down others (in the usual Hunger Games fashion that high school competition reaches), or an average student with an above average heart?

The sobering reality in today’s society is that great values are not worth as much as we would all like to believe, and this is a problem. The world favors efficiency over integrity, intellectuality over humanity.

You can have the world’s smartest machine, but in the end does it truly make it human? Is it our ability to create technology and rule the world and beyond that makes us who we are, or the ability to actually show compassion for others and favor morality over efficiency? There is no correct answer, no right or wrong, just as there are no definite laws that keep our lives together. Chance is both our best ally and our worst enemy. You may live a life of great deeds and even greater sacrifice, and

in the end you may be the one who loses the most. Otherwise you may live a life of vice and manipulation, and you could be rewarded greatly for it. The same is true for the opposite outcomes; good may lead to great, bad may lead to despair.

We all like to believe that all things happen for a reason, but it is fact that the mind twists information with its own psychological bias, turning raw random data into patterns that it thinks exist (a psychological phenomenon referred to as “Pareidolia”.) We may very well be seeing and believing lessons that simply are not there. Horrible things happen to wonderful people, and great prosperity can come to true renegades of our lives. How can we explain that? Was there some cosmic reason that a tragedy had to happen, or did it happen simple because it did?

The former is comforting no doubt, but the latter is a paralyzing insight: that the world is not really within our control. Our whole lives we are taught that we can bend the world to our will, that we can do anything if we work hard enough; such is the “American Dream”. But what if you work the absolute hardest you could have worked, believe more than anything in the world that you can be successful , live a life of charity and good faith in others, but still have the world collapse around you ? What have you done

Nicholas Bramante Head of Opinion

to deserve that? The truth is, many give extraordinary amounts and often receive nothing in return.

Believing in a definite but unspoken law of universal justice is certainly the ideal situation, but we live in a world that is anything but ideal. We rose from a world of chaos and installed our own systems of morality, justice, and integrity. Why? Because the world needed them.

And even within our own systems of justice we find injustice, so we must mend the damage done, correct the mistake, and become greater for it. We obsess around the idea of becoming great people, those who can push back against all the evils and injustices in the world. We do this not because we believe in justice but because we have to be justice.

In my eyes, those who are truly “good” in the sense of this ambiguous word are those who strive for these values, those who make a difference, those who look the world in the face and see problems not because of fate but because of mistakes. The people in the world who push for greater things do it because they believe it is right, not because they believe it should be fair. They do this, all the while expecting and sometimes receiving nothing in return. In reality, our values have no real worth. But we can make them have worth.

Maybe They Were Born With It, Maybe It’s Actually Working for Something Andrew Cogliano Head of World

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ou decide to go out to Boston with your friend, a photographer. Together, you enjoy your outing, shopping, eating, and taking plenty of pictures. Later, you notice that your friend edits every single photo with editing software: she increases the contrast of the shot of the lamppost, she mirrors and crops the sidewalk picture, and she even whitens your teeth and brightens your eyes in a selfie you both took.

She later posts these pictures online, and, after receiving a great amount of praise, thanks her “God-given talent”. You sit at your computer, slightly stunned that the ability to use Photoshop is now suddenly a coveted talent.

My point in the scenario above is to illustrate that some people just don’t have talent, and that some people need “crutches” to actually get things done. The problem comes when people act like they did not even use their crutches, and give

off the illusion that they have been blessed with perfection in a specific area. Little to their knowledge, this wreaks havoc on the minds of those who do use their crutches, be it photo editing software or those gymnastics lessons you took when you were six. I have come to tell you, the reader, that this, the idea of true, pure talent, is entirely and utterly wrong.

I am smart enough to know that those reading this are about to criticize me and point out the holes in my argument that I have yet to fill. For example, I preach that talent doesn’t exist, yet I am a pretty sophisticated writer. How do you think I became such a good writer?

Do you think I was born knowing what a thesis is, or what ersatz means, or how to write a five paragraph, MLA formatted essay? Of course not. I had a crutch myself. I read books. And now, sixteen years later, I can write the way I write, but only because I used the dictionary and autocorrect, and because I read Jane Eyre and Lolita. I gave myself

talent. I learned.

Talent is not the magical blessing of God given to souls at random. It is the result attained after years of blood, sweat, and tears, years of honing and refining, of smoothing edges and perfecting imperfections. If you want to play the trumpet, you are going to have to learn what a trumpet is, and how it works. You will also probably have to learn how to read music and what tempo is and how to keep time in a symphony. You were not born knowing that, you developed it yourself. From now on, I implore you to use your crutches avidly, and

to take pride in the fact that you went from knowing nothing, to at least knowing something. Love the fact that you can do anything, you can teach yourself anything. Personally, I think much more highly of someone who went to culinary school and learned to cook, as opposed to someone who popped out of the womb knowing how to cook an egg, they didn’t work nearly as hard. Your mind is a blank slate, waiting to be filled with skills and knowledge you pick up as you live your life. It’s a big, wide world out there. Go get em’.

“Talent is cheaper than table salt.

What separates the talented people from the successful ones is a lot of hard work.” -Stephen King

National News

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Caught in the Act: Allegations of Torture in the U.S.

Meghan Yip Reporter Samuel Martinez Reporter

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document detailing what some call repulsive methods of torture used by the CIA to force answers out of detained prisoners after the tragic events on September 11th was released to the public. This disturbing report includes examples of how the CIA used many “advanced interrogation techniques” to coax answers out of the unfortunate prisoners such as waterboarding and rectal feeding.

The forms of “torture” that are described in the report are forms of interrogation and apparently were not very effective in getting the information they needed.

The ambassador also wrote

in the letter that he believes that the “recently revealed CIA torture crimes committed by the United States, which have been conducted worldwide in the most brutal medieval forms, are the gravest human rights violations in the world.”

One of the methods of torture was waterboarding, or dry drowning, which is when the agent pours water over a cloth on the prisoners mouth for minutes or hours at a time. This simulates drowning and may cause death to the prisoner if not practiced carefully.

To torture the detainees even further, the CIA fed them hummus, pasta, nuts, and raisins rectally.

One officer explained that it was a method of “clearing a person’s head,” and others called it behavioral control. Former vice-president of the United States, Dick Cheney,

justified this by stating that the rectal feeding was for medical reasons, and not to get answers: “I have no problem as long as we achieve our objective.” Several medical officers sent out emails saying that rectal rehydration was a safe and effective way of rectal control.

In addition to sleep deprivation, detainees were chained and hung on walls, often with no clothing on, for extremely long periods of times. Cold water was thrown at them to keep them awake. Basliir Nasri Ali al-Marwalah, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay, stated that once he had to stand stark naked for five days straight. Another man, Abu Ja’far al-Iraqi, experienced swelling in the lower legs due to blood thinning after enduring fifty four hours of prolonged standing.

Are Torture Methods Effective?

P resident Barack Obama spoke about this issue in a press conference, claiming “these techniques did significant damage to America’s standing in the world and made it harder to pursue our interests with allies and partners.” During the press conference, Obama did not speak of punishing the top officials that executed the torture on the detained.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney disagrees: “torture to me is an American citizen on a cell phone making a last call to his four young daughters shortly before he burns to death on the upper levels of the Trade Center in New York City on 9/11,” he said in an interview, refusing to call it torture. “There’s a notion that there’s moral equivalence between what the terrorists did and what we do, and that’s absolutely not true. We were very careful to stay short of torture.” When asked, the CIA regarded rectal rehydration

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was a “well acknowledged medical technique,” which suggests how the administration may have been informed.

CIA Director John Brennan dodged assumptions of rectal feeding at a press conference on Nov. 11, 2014, adding more suspicion to the claims. “In a limited number of cases, agency officers used interrogation techniques that had not been authorized, were abhorrent, and rightly should be repudiated by all,” said Brennan.

“I certainly agree that there were times when CIA officers exceeded the policy guidance that was given and the authorized techniques that were approved and determined to be lawful,” Brennan went on.

“They went outside the bounds in terms of their actions as part of that interrogation process. They were harsh. In some instances, as I said, I consider them abhorrent. And I will leave to others how they might want

to label those activities.”

Cheney was unfazed by the inhumane methods of torture; he said in an interview with Chuck Todd of the Meet the Press, he would authorize it again “in a minute.” He even goes to calling the Senate Torture report released this week “full of crap.”

“The men and women of the CIA did exactly what we wanted to have them do in terms of taking on this program,” Cheney concluded.

“It was not deemed torture by the lawyers, and secondly, it worked.”

Though he stated that the plan was “seriously flawed,” he added that the methods of torture got what they needed, despite the large amounts of backlash and controversy. In regards of George W. Bush, Cheney said that the former president “knew what [they] were doing.

He authorized it, he approved it.”

Alternatives to Torture

orture, by definition, is the act of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment, as well as forcing them to do or say something. Some nations use different methods of torture to get information from someone, while others believe that it is inhumane and violates human rights. Those nations use strategies they consider more humane to peacefully coax answers out of prisoners.

Talking to a prisoner instead of harming them may or may not give the answers needed; there is never a guaranteed result from just talking to the prisoner, but it is always worth a shot.

At times, calmly interviewing, instead of harshly interrogating, will come out with better results.

Also, there are different forms of mild torture, such as feeding someone terrible food; being locked in a dark room alone; and Chinese water torture, a

method of torture in which water is constantly dripped onto a person’s forehead.

These methods will not necessarily harm anyone but can make someone give away answers just to end the insanity.

Negotiation is also another way to receive information that has proven successful. Offering something desperately needed in exchange for everything a person knows can be effective in some cases.

Even though there are some who cannot be bought out, others are willing to be offered different items in exchange for their knowledge. But sometimes this may not be a reliable form of interrogation because many will lie and still receive what they asked for.

Many believe that torture is an unjust form of interrogation that can be replaced with better and more effective ways to get answers. Harming others for answers can cause problems between nations.

Above: Explanation of water-boarding, a torture technique that makes the victim feel as if they were drowning. MCT 2006

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U.S. Torture: The Past, Present and Future

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n September 11, 2001, al Qaeda terrorists hijacked commercial passenger planes, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers and one into the Pentagon, murdering thousands of innocent civilians while the world watched.

In the month of October in 2006, a time period of scrutiny by the CIA report, President George W. Bush stated that the United States “doesn’t torture, and isn’t going to torture.” However, after the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2011, the United States was more inclined to use torture on subjects of interest.

Meanwhile in Dec. 2014, a CIA Torture Report described the cruel, unjust treatment towards detainees in order to get answers after 9/11. These methods of torture included rectal feeding, sleep deprivation, prolonged standing, confinement in small places, and waterboarding or “near drowning.”

Waterboarding was not the first use of water torture for the United States. In the early nineteenth century, former President Theodore Roosevelt, after the nation had tortured Filipino detainees with water torture, said that “nobody was seriously damaged.”

The first occasions of torture in the U.S occurred in the late 1600’s, when nineteen people were hanged at the Salem Witch Trials. One suspect, 81-year-old Giles Corey, who refused to enter a plea, had boulders stacked up upon his chest by local officials for two days until he suffocated.

In 1963, the CIA distributed a guide called the KUBARK Interrogation Manual, a 128 page booklet to interrogation that instructed how to perform various methods of torture. The pamphlet was used by the CIA secretly for many years and even used as part of a LatinAmerican militia curriculum at the School of the Americas from 1987 to 1991.

1975 was the year that it was revealed that the CIA had a secret police based in Chile, the DINA. DINA agents assassinated former ambassador of Chile, Orlando Letelier, and his American associate, Ronni Karpen Moffitt. Also in Chile, a CIA-supported coup led by Augusto Pinochet brought torture and murder to thousands of civilians and left-wing activists.

Following up on Bush’s statement denying the use of torture in 2004, a CBS News report released images, including extremely graphic photos, and interviews illustrating the abuse of prisoners by U.S. military at the Abu Ghraib Detention Facility in Iraq. Another television broadcast, a BBC documentary entitled Torture, Inc.: America’s Brutal Prisons, was released in 2005, highlighting the gory details of torturing all over the United States.

Four years later in 2009, documents released by the Obama administration reveal that the Bush administration had commanded the use of torture against two al-Qaeda suspects over two hundred times during 2003. It is probable that this is only a small fraction of authorized uses of torture in the post-9/11 era.

“These techniques did significant damage to America’s standing in the world...”

- President Barack Obama

“The men and women of the CIA did exactly what we wanted to have them do in terms of taking on this program... It was not deemed torture by the lawyers, and secondly, it worked.”

- Former Vice President Dick Cheney

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An Hour of Code Towards a Future of Enlightenment

12th Annual “Women in Science” Competition

A firsthand account of the weeklong computer programming event

Karina Matos Reporter

The catapult that was built by the MHS team at the competition.

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hroughout history, jobs in science have been dominated by men. Although progress has been made with more women occupying scientific jobs, a recent study published in the New York Times has shown that “physicists, chemists and biologists are likely to view a young male scientist more favorably than a woman with the same qualifications.”

This is why events such as the “Women in Science” competition are so important: they promote an interest in scientific activities, promote communication between girls who share the interest, and introduce them to inspiring women scientists.

Dec. 13, 2014 marked the twelfth annual Women in Science Competition at Bedford High School. Participating in the event were Malden High School students and staff, including seniors Sarah Trinh and Somontha Prum; juniors Joylyn Norris, Alex Lombardi, Jacqueline Smith, Samantha Forestier; along with their mentors Brian Morrison, Chris Bazzinotti, and Deborah Kumar. It left a great impression on them.

“There were four parts to the event,” Morrison explains, “three [of them] were challenges and [there was] the catapult challenge.” The first challenge, he continues, was “to build a scale using known masses and [the team] had to mass an unknown.” The second challenge included puzzles and ciphers. Then, the third involved comprehending knowledge from “all scientific fields.”

The final challenge involved a catapult that all teams had previously built. The MHS team, with the help of Morrison, Kumar, and Bazzinotti, constructed their catapult out of a wooden crutch. Then, once they had their catapult ready, had to launch a small ball five to fifteen meters.

Although the day of the event consisted of many exciting things, Forestier says her favorite was the “Conquer the Wall” challenge, which was the challenge with the catapult. Forestier said that she and her group “worked really hard building a contraption that would be able to launch a stress ball and knock down targets.”

She is also proud that they did, “much better than [they] expected and [that their] hard work was paid off.” However, Prum’s favorite part of the day had to be “lunch time because

[those in charge of the event] put [them] in groups alongside a woman who worked in the scientific field.” Prum also added that the woman explained “what it was like in that part of the [scientific] field,” and that she “found it rather interesting getting to learn about all the possibilities that were involved when going into science, especially as a female.”

As for the idea of women in science, the event has definitely helped these MHS students and teachers to even more firmly attest to the ever-present need. Kumar believes that the event was put on because “females are still widely underrepresented in STEM fields.”

Forestier hopes to “pursue a science related job when [she gets] older.” She says that the event has helped show her “how many young women like [herself] have a love and passion for science.”

Also the fact that the girls were able to meet other “teenage girls [their] own age and talk to them about their interests,” and that they were, “able to talk to mentors who have worked in the scientific field.”

Prum believes that the event has helped her “become more aware of the role women have played in science.” She says that in school there was never much focus on women and that “you saw that this guy did this or that [one]... found that.” However, her participation in the event showed her that “women did [more in science] than [she previously thought]”.

The “Women in Science” event is an opportunity for girls to realize how much women can actually do in the scientific field. Forestier believes that “more and more women are going to be entering the science field and the ratio of men to women will become equal.” Kumar, Morrison, and Bazzinotti all agree that if someone is considering a science related job then they should “research a wide range of topics [or] specialties before going to college.”

Now that MHS is acquainted with the “Women in Science” competition, as long as people are interested, MHS can participate every year. Prum encourages “any girls who are even the slightest bit interested in science [to] take part,” and added that it is a “wonderful and new learning experience.”

Jasper Haag Reporter

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reshman year held a lot of firsts for me. It was the first time I met many of my best friends, the first time I pulled an all nighter, and the biggest in my opinion, the first time I took a computer programming class. I had always been interested in technology and science, and walking into Mr. [Paul] Marques room on the first day, I felt more excited than I had in a long time for what the class had in store for me.

On the first day I was starting the process of learning how to code. As I progress through the courses and my own studies building up my proficiency, I realize that taking that first step during freshman year even though it was in a seemingly different direction than expected was crucial in preparing me for my future in Computer Science.

Even though we rely on computers every day innumerable times for even the most basic parts of our lives, most have little idea of how they actually work. Schools are decades behind in their computer science education, relegating it to a few electives if that and thus depriving generations of people from understanding a part of their lives just as if not more significant than English, math, science, or history. Luckily Hadi and Ali Partovi recognized this flaw in our educational system and so in January of 2013 they established code.org, a website dedicated to, broadly, promoting computer science and technology education worldwide.

Hour of Code, a 1 week long event that encourages students, educators, and general citizens to partake in basic computer programming exercises, is the lynchpin of that plan. As of writing this over 82 million people have participated worldwide in various exercises that the website provides.

These exercises like the first that I did are not hardcore code writing, rather, they are visual and comprised of blocks which makes it intuitive for those who have no programming experience. This approach is what makes the program so successful; people can begin with realistic goals and challenges and it allows them to discover the wonders of programming without the difficulty of learning a specific language.

For the second year in a row, the Programming Club at Malden High School hosted the Hour of Code for any Malden High Students interested in participating, and the event was even more successful than it was last year. Over 30 students attended and took part in the activities for an hour exploring computer science and learning the basics. Everyone who came seemed to enjoy the event, and while there were many who already had some programming knowledge they were still engaged by the interactive puzzles that the website provided. In the future, Mr. Marques and the rest of the programming club hope that the computer programming community and interest in the High School can grow, and with Hour of Code’s reach continuing to spread it will hopefully be helped along.

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The Blue and Gold January 2015

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Poetry Out Loud: One Verse at a Time Every year, all students at Malden High School participate in Poetry Out Loud in hopes to move on to the semi-finals or possibly even the final round. Poetry Out Loud is a national competition for high school students, and has been a tradition at MHS since 2006. Out of all of the schools participating, MHS is the only school where each student is required to participate in Poetry Out Loud. Each student must choose and recite a poem and is scored on their presentation and ability to memorize the poem. Students are also prompted throughout the preparation period to look more deeply into the poem and to try and get a better understanding of what the poet was trying to convey. But beyond the usual English-esque work, it is an opportunity for students to grow personally.

Felicia Fallano Reporter

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Jasper Haag Reporter

very year, all students at Malden High School participate in Poetry Out Loud in hopes to move on to the semi-finals, or possibly even the final round. Poetry Out Loud is a national competition for high school students, and has been a tradition at MHS since 2006. Out of all of the schools participating, MHS is the only school where each student is required to participate in Poetry Out Loud.

Each student must choose and recite a poem, and is scored on their presentation and ability to memorize the poem. Students are also prompted throughout the preparation period to look more deeply into the poem and to try and get a better understanding of what the poet was trying to convey. But beyond the usual English-esque work, it is an

opportunity for students to grow personally.

Jennifer Clapp, one of the staple English teachers in the department, made a point when speaking about her thoughts on Poetry Out Loud to focus quite heavily on the growth that students can see over their time participating. Like the saying goes, Poetry Out Loud is meant for the journey rather than the destination and for the improvements that students can see within themselves after 4 years of participating.

This improvement in such areas as public speaking and confidence can mean a big difference for all students, especially those who have difficulty with those beforehand. As Clapp stated, “any amount of steps is an achievement” when walking down what can often times be a difficult and untravelled road. Still, students must focus on the actual assignment in the long run as Poetry Out Loud is normally

counted as quite a significant grade in English classes.

The culmination of the practice and perfection of student’s poems are the classroom competitions which usually take place the week before winter break in December.

During that time, all students present their poems to their classes and are graded based on accuracy, presentation, and performance. After this, a winner is picked from each period, which is the student with the highest score for their presentation.

These students then meet again in the following weeks for periodwide competitions. During these period-wide competitions, classes of students meet in the auditorium to watch as their friends vie for the top spots from the period in hopes of moving on to the school finals and beyond. Once their poems begin, the orange and purple walls of the Jenkins Auditorium transform into whatever landscape their poem

depicts.

However, some students tend to write off Poetry Out Loud, and instead of trying to take advantage of the opportunity that it provides, they squander it. While students have the right to do however much they want with Poetry Out Loud, Clapp noted that aside from the grades, “[students] will be surprised by its uses in the future,” an important point to consider and just another reason to try one’s hardest when preparing for it.

Even with the weeks of preparation, many students, even those dedicated to doing their best, admit that when the time comes to stand in front of the class or the period, the nerves can become too great to bear and mistakes can appear where there were none before. In the end, the most important part of the process is what each person participating learns from it themselves, not the grade that they get at the end.

Top: Junior Sarah Viera performing. Bottom from left to right: sophomore Paul Araiza, junior Kelvin Chengbo, junior Djamila Dossantos, senior Dominic Pappagallo performing.

The Blue and Gold January 2015

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Santa Sighting at Pine Banks gess even calling Keane “[his] best friend.”

Before Keane, the last Santa was the previous superintendent, anta Claus returned for the 65th Burgess’ father. When Burgess took time to delight the children of over as park superintendent, he the Greater Boston area in Malden felt being Santa its was just “not and Melrose’s very own Pine Banks Park. Children of all ages were able to see old Saint Nicholas himself and tell him what they wished for.

Parents and kids were all lined up to meet Santa on Saturday, December 20 and Sunday, December 21.

The event ran from 4pm to 8pm both days. Park superintendent John Burgess explained that preparation for the event such as “setting up the lights” and “decorating the house” all take only “around a day.”

Even with the afternoon’s chill, kids were patiently waiting for the man in red even before the designated time. One by one, each child entered for [him],” though he “love[s] seethe temporary abode of Kris Krin- ing the kids” every year. With that, gle with their families and got the in his first year running the event, chance to take photos with Santa he ran into the issue of needing a and tell them what they want for Santa. That’s when Keane came in Christmas. and volunteered saying, “I can do Everyone knows Santa, but it,” happily. the man behind the suit is Richard For about 5 years now, Keane Keane, a Malden-bred Tewkesbury takes two days out his year and resident. Keane was able to get the gives back to the community by gig through his connections with donning on the jolly suit and going Burgess, as the two, Keane revealed, to Pink Banks to meet the children. “went to school together,” with Bur- Since Keane has “been doing it for Tenzin Dorjee Reporter

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so many years now, [he’s] gotten used to being Santa and the responsibilities that come with being Father Christmas. Though, easy as it may now be, “the first year he did it, [he] was very nervous,” since he “didn’t prepare at all,” and “didn’t

know what to say to kids.” With time, came experience, and with experience, came comfortability with the persona.

While fun it may be, no work comes without a challenge. Donning on the suit alone “takes about half an hour,” Keane explained. Though, putting on the costume year after year got Keane used to it, and thus a simple matter now. While all the children are excited to meet Santa, some let nerves get the best of them.

The biggest challenge of being Santa “is trying to get kids to be comfortable [enough] to talk with [him].”

To break the ice between him and the unnerved child, Keane often talks about all sorts of topics ranging from questions like if the child had been good that year to listing off different toys that the child might be interested in.

All in all, Keane happily explains that “being Santa is great,” and that “[he] love[s] it.” Keane says that “just the expressions on the kids’ faces” are what make the experience worthwhile. Nowadays, families tend to flock to the big malls for their Santa visits but Pine Banks presents a wonderful opportunity for the children, as “it’s not like the malls,” since “there’s no charge,” and the experience is “much more personal,” explained Burgess.

While the lines aren’t as long as they used to be, Burgess feels “ that they’re “lucky to be able to get the 200-300 children” that they do get, as he loves seeing the children, to the point that Burgess proudly proclaimed they’d run the event “even if only 1 kid” were to come to see Santa at Pine Banks. Malden is truly appreciative of the work of Keane and Burgess in providing children with a loveable Santa Claus.

FAFSA Day 2015

Megan Downer Reporter

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n Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, at Malden High School there will be an event held for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

MHS guidance counselor Erin Craven expressed that “all the seniors from the entire area are welcome to attend.” FAFSA is the form that is needed for all aid at all colleges throughout the United States. As part of the National College Goal Sunday initiative, hundreds of thousands of students attend these events to obtain much needed help on finishing their college financial aid forms.

The event is free, as the program is a non-profit, and volunteerdriven organization. Anyone attending college for the 2015-2016 academic school year is welcome to attend. Students that are low-income and first-generation are especially encouraged.

Attendees are welcome to go to a presentation which will explain what FAFSA is and how it works. If someone feels they do not need the presentation, another option is to go straight to a computer lab. Craven expressed that the computer labs are “where [families] can get one-onone assistance using their personal financial information to enter into the FAFSA.” Present at this event to help families complete the form online,

Visual submitted by Boyle House School Counselor Erin Craven and answer any questions, will be the local guidance team, along with many volunteer financial aid and higher education experts. Families will be provided with one-on-one assistance.

Financial aid is composed of grants, scholarships, loans and

Federal Work-Study. If you receive a grant or scholarship, it does not need to be repaid. Student loans, however, need to be paid off, typically with interest. Federal WorkStudy is a program that helps by providing different opportunities for employment to help with any

educational expenses.

Students that are unsure if they are going to college right out of high school or not are still highly encouraged to come. Filling out the FAFSA early will help students to not miss any deadlines if a student decides to apply for college later in the year.

Completing the FAFSA does not require students to decide on what college they wish to attend, or if they wish to attend college at all.

Craven also adds, “there are many different ways they can kind of utilize the few hours in the afternoon to get free help from financial aid experts.” There are a list of things that people attending this event, or events like this, should bring with them, including a FAFSA pin, social security number, driver’s license number, most recent federal tax return, most recent W-2 or year-end pay stub, untaxed income records, bank statement(s), business and investment records, and alien registration card (if not a U.S. citizen). Both students and parents should bring these items. For those without a FAFSA pin, the FAFSA website contains a link to where you can apply for a pin. Those students who were born before January 1, 1992 are not required to bring any parental information with them.

FAFSA Day is a way for students to prepare for their future, one step at a time, under the guidance of faculty and trusted adults.

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Opinion

The Blue and Gold January 2015

maldenblueandgold.com

A Deeper Look

At Malden High School

The difference between a diverse school system and a diverse student body - and why that distinction is important Sumya Mohiuddin Editor-In-Chief

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reshman year has come and gone, but I will never forget my first impression of the school. It was 2011, and late August arrived; groggy freshman gathered in front of the stairs of the auditorium and awaited the start of another school year. I saw a mixture of old and new faces, but I was more intrigued by the different kinds of students. My thoughts surpassed everyone’s choice of attire and height; I was awed by the racial and ethnic diversity. The diverse culture was not only impressive, but inspiring.

As a new student, I admit that I did not see the bigger picture when I was standing with all my peers. At the moment, it was hard to picture a school so large with all the students it encompasses, and all the encouraging teachers that fit the needs of all students. Malden High School has something to be proud of. When MHS is praised, the diversity of the school is often duly noted, and the intense student participation in school activities that comes along with it.

If diversity is valued, why is it hard to find in the MHS staff and administration?

1. This is not just a local issue.

The need for diversity in school staffs is prevalent throughout the nation due to a major shift in demographics. According to many articles that regard minorities and the education system, fewer people of color move onto higher education than white students, and even fewer get a degree in education. However, as more African- Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans enroll statewide, there will be an easier time “hiring more teachers of color,” mentioned the Boston Globe in a recent article. What makes this less of a national priority?

States around the nation are taking a stance, Massachusetts included. According to a recent Boston Globe article, “over the last two decades, the segment of students who are African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American has grown from 21 percent of statewide enrollment to 35 percent this year.”

We should take this as a sign to start a new path towards a diverse staff.

Where does the problem lie?

According to Superintendent DeRuosi, the city of Malden is “a little more locked,” meaning that more students in the education field tend to drift towards schools in Boston because they tend “to have a stron-

ger recruiting power… They have more at their disposal to pull in teachers of diversity.” The competition, however, does not stop there.

Someone who speaks multiple languages will more likely be hired by a field or organization than someone who does not. The educational field is known for its qualities, not quantities. Despite the heavy competition, there is a plan in motion. As an administration, the leaders have been “guiding students of diversity [in the Bunker Hill Community College dual enrollment program] with the hopes that they will get into the educational tracks, become teachers, and then look back to Malden as a place they would really enjoy being a first year teacher,” claimed the Superintendent.

2. So, what should this mean for Malden?

After spending four years in one place, the smaller details glowed after being in the dark for so long.

Some may argue, why fix something that isn’t broken? However, the cracks in the system are enough to divert some attention to it.

I do not want to take away from the current staff at MHS. It is without a doubt that students are acquiring new skills, and teachers are working endlessly to educate and inspire, which is not an easy

task. Because of Principal Dana Brown’s effective ability of hiring talented staff members, MHS has the privilege of having teachers that are able to communicate their lessons effectively and help students with their work.

This should also not take away from MHS’s many great programs and classes for students who knew little or no English before coming to America. Students have made vast improvements in their abilities, and they participate in school activities along with other students. The argument is not about whether the staff gives enough time or opportunities to students, which they do.

We do not want to replace teachers who have found their rhyme and rhythm in front of a classroom at MHS. It is about prioritizing the hiring of diverse teachers, and making the school a more comfortable environment so students could identify with more teachers.

It is a simple fact that the MHS staff and administration need more diversity. Students should learn from people who are racially and culturally diverse, but also people who can share the world through several perspectives.

Students should not have to wonder what their future will hold when all they have to do is look up.

Having someone with a familiar

background teach at the front of the classroom will not only help students communicate their ideas, but also give them a reason to stay in school and become better versions of themselves.

This is not a new argument.

The struggle to make school staffs and administrations more diverse needs to stop. Now is a better time than ever to make the lives of MHS students more rich and fulfilling.

Superintendent of schools, Dr. David DeRuosi, wants “to recruit more teachers of color because [he thinks] it is important [for diverse students to] see people in those roles whether they are teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, [or] vice principals that reflect the diversity...”

This is nothing to argue with. So, where do we go from here?

3. Going forward. Looking back.

The lack of diversity in the staff may not have been seen as a problem by students in the past, but it was definitely noticed. Upon gathering some research about MHS in the early 70s, I had the chance to interview Diana Jeong, a MHS graduate from the class of 1970. At this time, a strong wave of immigrants entered MHS, and the life there was different. Malden, generally, was “nowhere near as racially diverse”;

TheStatistics However astounding, these statistics can be misleading.

The 31.3% of people considered “white” often includes those of middle eastern and meditteranian descent. In addition, the 20.8% African American statistic includes those of Haitian and north African descent. How does this affect these statistics? For one, the need for this distinguishment speaks to the intersectionality of the Malden student body.

Information gathered at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Charts created by Sumya Mohiuddin and James Mazarakis using Google Charts.

Malden District Student Body

(By Race/Ethnic Group)

5.1%

20.8*% 31.3*% 22.5% 20.3%

Opinion

The Blue and Gold January 2015

13

maldenblueandgold.com

Spirit Week: All Ethnicities on All Sides

Snapshots of Spirit Week 2014. Clockwise, from top left: Juniors Kaitlyn Gibson, Michelle Chung, Madeline Lam; Seniors Tristar To, Nicholas Tang, Joshua Giang; Senior Spirit Team pulling the rope during tug of war; Sophomores pulling the rope; Senior football player Rakeem “Skip” Langston-Sloan carrying their team’s trophy. Photos by Meagan Sullivan and Piero Pocobene.

0.9%

1.6%

3.2% 3.0%

Malden District Staff (By Race/Ethnic Group)

91.3%

she only remembers one African American teacher and a math teacher from the Philippines. The issue of diversity in the staff has been ongoing for decades, as it has been in most parts of the country.

There is no question that diversity in the student body brings unique perspectives and and traditions that would not be possible without the diverse culture the students at MHS exhibit. For example, every year, English teacher Yahaira Marquez prepares the school for Multicultural Week, where the Malden community experiences different cultures through art, dance, and food. The event’s success mirrors the enthusiasm of the community. Imagine the school if the MHS staff was filled with the rich culture that makes MHS exceptional.

Marquez believes that students need a role model in which they “see a reflection of themselves.” Because cultural similarities are visual, it is easy

for students to gravitate towards teachers who “automatically make them feel comfortable.”

There is no question that teachers need to be qualified, but that is not the argument. If there is heavy competition between Malden and other schools, it seems to me that going forward the administration should “find ways to make Malden more appealing.”

MHS does exceptional work with students who have diverse backgrounds, from talking to parents to staying after school to offer extra help.

The hiring process should not overlook the qualifications of potential staff members because of their race, (which does not occur at MHS), but rather it should start actively looking for those qualified teachers that are out there who could add to the diversity of the staff.

In other words, going forward, I think that MHS should make the hiring of minorities a priority.

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Local News

The Blue and Gold January 2015

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“You train hard and then you get to see the final outcome, and how good it can be. It is really rewarding.”

- Erin Mazza-O’Brien

Not So Candela Diaz Reporter

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he Malden High School Choral Arts Society annually host the Winter Concert, around the Christmas holidays. Choral Arts Society consists of Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, and Madrigals. This year, it happened on Thursday, Dec. 18th, in the Jenkins Auditorium.

Directing the band was Erin Mazza-O’Brien. Outstanding performances at the beginning of the show consisted of Halo Theme

by Marty O’Donnel, and Michael Salvatori, and Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed. Highlights from the very famous Disney Movie “Frozen” included a mixture of songs such as “Do you want to build a snowman?”, and the most famous song “Let It Go.” The Malden High School Concert Band ended their night by performing A Canadian Brass Christmas Suite, composed

by Calvin Custer. Being part of the band is “like being on a team.” explained O’Brien-Mazza. “You train hard and then you get to see the final outcome, and how good it can be. It is really rewarding.”

Concert Choir started their performance off by singing the traditional Silent Night. Japanese Snow

Song (Yuki) was then performed by Mixed Chorus, as well as Homeward Bound by Marta Keen, that included solos by Freshman Esther Gilet and Junior Brianna Romero. Traditionally, Mixed Chorus perform Light The Candles (for eight nights) by Sally K. Albrecht, then it is followed by the spanish song Nanita Lullaby.

Sophomore Reanna Pinheiro stated that the choir prepared by “memorizing lyrics for each song we sung” as well as putting emotion into it.

A combination of 17 Juniors and Seniors compose the Madrigal Section. These singers travel all around the cities singing, including their latest appearance at the State House in Boston on Thursday, December 11th. Their performances varied from time period of compositions to even the language. Starting off with something more modern, Madrigal Singers performed Gone, Gone, Gone by Phillip Phillips. The very famous Java Jive was a success for the singers; and to top it off, Il est ne le divin enfant was performed right after. To end their show time, Madrigal Singers performed two holiday songs, Fum, Fum, Fum and Carol of the Bells. “Being part of

Counter-clockwise, from top left: the concert band completes their perfomance directed by Erin Mazza- O’Brien. The concert band performing. Madrigal section with director Todd Cole. Mazza O’Brien directing the band; above picture is another angle. Mixed chorus performing; above, Band poised to begin playing.

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Silent Night this choir is an honor,” states Senior Nick Hames. “we get invited to places. [He has] met a good amount of very nice and amazing people in this group. Everyone is very social and friendly and it’s an easy place where you can just be yourself.”

The ending of the show was performed by the Concert Choir.

Junior Sarah Vieira was one of the soloists for the performance of It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, as well as Seniors Dylan Hamilton and Abigaelle Leblanc; and the performance of Al Shlosha D’Varim contained Junior Joylyn Norris as a soloist. Concert Choir also sang Ain’t a that Good News

by William Dawson, and the famous William Shakespeare sonnet Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind. Many songs from famous holiday movies were included, such as Believe from The Polar Express, and We Need a Little Christmas from Mame. Senior Michelle Foley says the Choir practiced since “the first day of school and ever since,” to prepare for the concert that “has been the best one [they] have done.”

Concert Choir finished the night by performing O, Holy Night,

with solos from Seniors Michelle Foley and Omar Ortiz. “ O, Holy Night is a classic that everybody knows, and at the end, the choir alumni come up and sign it with the current choir every year.” explains Hames. Not only was the complete choir there to close the show, but Cole also introduced to the audience his past alumni and invited them on stage. The alumni as well as the Chorus ended the show by singing altogether. Singing with the alumni is what makes O, Holy Night Foley’s favorite song, since sophomore year.

“Seeing all the old students [she] sang with before” makes the song so special, and “ singing with the alumni is so great.” states Folley.

A notorious night not only for the choir, but for the high school as well. The concert portrayed the amount of talent the school has, and the potential the students have a hold of. The high school hosts this event every year with great pride, bringing joy to families and friends who comer and support.

Inside Concert Choir at the Statehouse Karina Matos Reporter

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s a reporter for the Blue and Gold newspaper, I am also a member of the Malden High School Choral Arts Society, who recently had the privilege of singing at the Massachusetts State House. The choir and I arrived early to tour the historical building and its amazing architecture, including giant Grecian columns, rooms of handcrafted italian marble, original paintings, grand chandeliers, and, of course, the infamous golden dom. Besides the fact that the State House is a gorgeous building, it is also rich with American history, dating back to the beginning of American democracy.

The performance itself was held on the grand staircase, surrounded by poinsettias, and overshadowed by the intricate stained glass window glistening above our heads. After a choir from a different school finished performing, we edged onto the steps, quickly getting into position. The honorable guests were then introduced such as Senator Chris Fallon, who is the reason why the choir is able to perform at the State House each year. Also, Mayor Gary Christenson, MHS principal Dana Brown, other government officials, and alumni were introduced. After a quick and enthusiastic warm up, we began to sing.

The first song we performed was, “I Am But A Small Voice,” composed by Odina E. Batnag and arranged by John Coates Jr. The sound of our voices echoing throughout the hall brought a smile to my face as we melodically and joyfully performed the first song. Afterwards, we performed another song written in Hebrew and composed

by Allan Naplan. The beginning solo of this song was sung by junior Joylyn Norris. In between songs our choir director, Todd Cole, adamantly continued to proclaim how the performance at the state house was “his favorite,” and he with the rest of the choir, including myself, “always look forward to it.”

After the choir sang several more pieces, the madrigals,who are the more elite singing group within the choir, stayed on the stairs while the rest of the choir, myself included, sat down to watch their performance. I watched intently, hanging on to every note of songs like, “Java Jive,” “The Carol of the Bells,” and other beautiful pieces.

Once the madrigals completed their section of the concert, the rest of the choir came back to the steps and we sang the rest of our holiday songs. Tunes like, “We need a little Christmas,” “Believe,” from “The Polar Express,” “Celebrate a Happy Hanukkah,” and “Silent Night,” echoed throughout the statehouse as government officials poked their heads outside their offices to listen to us sing songs of joy and peace. Ending the performance with the song, “O Holy Night,” with solos by Seniors Angelina Carberry and Len Tetta, we received a standing ovation from the audience. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget and I cannot wait to perform at the State House next year.

Local News

16 Jeremiah Smith: Division 1 Soccer Coach of the Year

The Blue and Gold January 2015

maldenblueandgold.com

Teacher Profile: Abbey Dick Felicia Fallano Reporter

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Tenzin Dorjee Reporter

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alden High School congratulates varsity boys soccer Coach Jeremiah Smith on being awarded the title of ‘Division 1 Soccer Coach of the Year’ by the Boston Globe, an achievement few can boast to have even come close to obtaining. Having ended the regular season undefeated, Smith also lead his team to become the Greater Boston League champions for the first time in eight years.

Upon receiving the recognition, Smith admitted that he “was really surprised” and that “it was a tremendous honor.” Recently, his own player, senior Mark Ortiz wrote a scholarship-winning essay about Smith, which coupled up with this award. This made Smith feel the recognitions were “a little unnerving,” as he is “not used to this kind of attention,” since it “seem[ed] like everyday [he got an] email or text from somebody congratulating [him].”

He expressed that he would much rather not be the center of all the attention, as his players “are the ones that really get it done on the field.” Smith confessed that this would not have happened without his talented group of players and he “owes [winning this award] to them.”

Smith’s philosophy on coaching is that “it is not always about being the best player, it is about finding his own level of success and really pushing through limitations.”

Senior Matthew Silva expresses that Smith was “the reason why [the team] made it far,” even when the team “did not [always] agree with some of [Smith’s] decisions on the field,” they, in the end, wholeheartedly “trusted him.”

Senior Julio Salazar goes on to add that having “been coached by [Smith] and getting to know his style of play makes him honored to be on [Smith’s] successful team.” Salazar truly felt that there was no way to make a “duplicate of [Smith],” as he could always “find [a] way to win against pretty tough teams.” Soccer aside, Smith consistently knew “when to make you laugh when nothing seemed to be going right,” Salazar commented. To Salazar, Smith “has been a mentor to him on and off the field.”

MHS and its students applaud the accomplishments of Smith and thank him for the time and effort he puts to better not only himself, but his players as well.

fter her first year of teaching at Malden High School, Abbey Dick is confident that MHS is where she belongs. Although she has tried different careers, she came back to teaching because, “it is so much fun and fulfilling, and [she] meets hundreds of new people every year.”

This year, Dick is teaching Advanced Placement Language & Composition, English 10 Honors, and English 10 College Prep. She is teaching her CP classes along with Mark Ruelle, a special education teacher at MHS. Recently, MHS has been pairing teachers with special education teachers to teach in the same classrooms.

Also, Dick is teaching her first MHS AP class, which she enjoys.

AP Language & Composition is a class where students focus mostly on writing and nonfiction. So far, Dick says that, “[they] need to write more,” and “[she is] excited to do more work with them.”

Other than her AP class, Dick is also teaching sophomore honors and college preparation. She says that 10th grade is her favorite grade to teach because it is, “a really pivotal year for learning because [students have] made it past the hurdle of 9th grade, and now [they] have to really

make some decisions about the future.” She believes her honors class will become better at listening and speaking in class, and also will become better at Dialectical Journals.

This year, Dick was surprised

by Poetry Out Loud. She feels that it went better than last year in all of her classes.

Dick enjoys teaching her technology unit, which includes reading the book Feed by M.T. Anderson.

She feels that Feed is, “so interesting and so engaging for students.”

The technology unit she is teaching includes outside texts that relate to the unit. Dick thinks that the unit is important because, “kids like to talk about technology and it’s very controversial.”

When asked about MHS, Dick stated, “it kind of feels like it’s not as big as it actually is.” She says that she has “never worked anywhere like [MHS].” The diversity of the school is what she finds most important, other than the fact that “everyone here is working as hard as they can.”

She feels that the diversity “benefits everyone in the community.”

Dick appreciates her students because they, “Make [her] work really hard,” and they are, “very honest and give their teachers a lot of feedback.” Dick is sure to continue pushing her students to do the best they can in order to have a successful year as well as years to come.

Zonta Club: Improving the Status of Women

Megan Downer Reporter

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he Zonta Club in Malden was established recently in relation to the international Zonta program.

Zonta Club International has the mission statement of “advancing the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.”

Over the years, the Zonta Club of Malden has provided awards for youth going above and beyond certain criteria. Recent winner of one of the Zonta provided awards is MHS freshman Sydney Addorisio.

Students such as Addorisio have discovered more about the Zonta mission through these awards. It was not until quite recently that the Zonta Club established a Z club for youth. They spread the word about a possible starting of this program to the previous winners of their awards.

The “Z” Club is advised by Carol Ann Desiderio and Dana Johnson. It is set up with a selection of officers. The president of the club is senior Chelsea Sutherland, who attends Mystic Valley Regional Charter School. Sydney Addorisio is the vice president of the club. The club’s historian is MHS student Allia Julien. Freshman at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School Chelsea Shaw is the secretary of the club.

Sydney Addorisio describes

Left to right: Freshman and Z club secretary Chelsea Shaw. Submitted by Carol Ann Desiderio; Freshman and Z club vice president Sydney Addorisio, and Senior and club member Alyssa Figueiredo. Photo taken by Megan Downer. the mission of Zonta Club International as “to improve the status of women in society.” Addorisio also went on to explain that “Z club has just started for reaching out to high school students [in attempt to] make an impact on our society in school levels, community levels, and eventually internationally.”

Since Z club has started this year, the members of the club have participated in various events locally. They have participated in the Walk for Domestic Violence, the Parade of Traditions, and the “I Need Feminism Because...” campaign. For the feminism campaign, the members of the club each created their own unique signs to hold up and convey reasons why they believe feminism is needed in the world, such as “I need feminism because my period does not invalidate my opinion.”

The advisors of Z club were also given letters from kids or parents to Santa Claus. As a unit, the club has worked to complete responses to these letters to bring joy to young children around Christmastime. The letters are received on Christmas each year and make children’s day complete everywhere.

Advisor Carol Ann Desiderio states that “the goal [for 2015] is to give birthday parties to homeless children.” With the new year in store, providing birthday parties for children that would normally not get parties is the club’s new target. “[The club members] have to keep an eye on the prize,” expressed Desiderio.

The club meets every Monday at the Malden Teen Center at 4:30 pm. Z club is always looking for new members to join.

The Blue and Gold January 2015

Entertainment

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INTERSTELLAR: MOVIE REVIEW Maria Da Silva Reporter Have you ever wondered what lies beyond our planet in the great unknown? Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) sure has. The movie Interstellar is a surprising drama that focuses on high-minded science fiction. Throughout the film, the characters debate or explain physics and philosophical ideas, educating the audience and causing them to think deeply about mankind, both negatively and positively.

Interstellar tells a fictional story of Earth being taken over by an environmental disaster called “The Blight.” The Blight is a plague, most likely caused by the destruction of Earth, that will eventually eliminate all food sources other than harvestable crops, such as corn. The Blight must consume Nitrogen to stay alive, and it does this by feeding off of plantlife. As a result of this environmental disaster, mankind has abandoned technology and research and is instead focusing on basic survival.

The main character, former NASA pilot Cooper, is a widowed father of two that must abide to a life of farming, growing corn despite an immense passion for science. However, because of the increasing danger on Earth, he focuses on providing for his two teenage children, Tom and Murph, and his aging father-in-law.

Cooper focuses on farming

until he is reunited with a former colleague, Professor Brand. This is when Cooper is informed of how dire the situation on Earth is, and he makes the difficult decision to leave his family behind and set out to find mankind a new planet through a blackhole, in hopes of saving the people of Earth.

Many viewers believe that the film criticizes the approach humans have to everything, including how we live our lives. At the end of the movie, the conditions of mankind are not ideal, showing that the way the government handled the situation was not the most fitting.

Interstellar is a thrilling movie grasping many ideas of physics and science fiction. Even without a basic understanding of physics, the viewer may still be able to enjoy it with just an abstract idea of the plot, since the characters explain most of the science involved. The plot merges several aspects we all struggle with such as love, family, and doing the right thing. There is something in Interstellar that will appeal to everyone, from young to old.

Don’t get hangry, get healthy Julia Parker Reporter

Often people get hungry in the middle of the night, so they get up to get a small snack. These snacks can usually be extremely unhealthy, but what else is there to eat? However, these healthy alternatives taste great and are really simple to make.

They will satisfy those midnight munchies too.

As an alternate to the usual Skittles, try strawberries dipped in cream. You take off 145 calories while still getting the satisfaction. Not to mention, it is also delicious, and satisfies any sweet tooth while also getting that taste of fruit. If you are really hungry, add some granola to the top.

Craving an icy treat? Instead of ice cream, have frozen yogurt. It is much healthier, and has few calories compared to ice cream. You can add some toppings such as little candies in order to get more sugar, but if you wanted to keep it healthier, add some granola or nuts as a topping instead.

The peanuts are calling your name…

However, you could grab the peanut butter and a banana and get a much healthier alternate. Instead of eating the whole can of nuts, slice the banana, and sandwich some peanut butter between the slices. It is much better for your immune system, and makes you feel more full.

Instead of indulging yourself into a bag of potato chips, have stove-top popcorn to solve your craving for salt. This substitute is much less fattening than potato chips, and is extremely simple to make. Also, adding light seasoning to the top of the batch can make the flavor pop. Ideal toppings could be red pepper flakes, cinnamon sugar, olive oil, and even try your own combinations.

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The Blue and Gold January 2015

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TOTAL BODY WORKOUT (To work off those holiday cookies) Julia Parker Reporter

This workout is guaranteed to work off the extra pounds you gained.

What better way to start the year than a satisfying weight lo? This routine combines a healthy leg, abdominal, and arm muscle b uilding workout that will make you sweat.

Legs: 15-20 Minutes 15 Squats 30 Lunges 40 Calf Raises 50 Toe Touches 1 minute Wall Sit 100 Jumping Jacks 1 minute Wall Sit 50 Toe Touches 40 Calf Raises 30 Lunges 15 Squats

Abs: 15- 20 Minutes 20 Sit-Ups 15 Knee Crunches 20 Cross Crunches 15 Leg Raises (each side) 20 Cycling Cross Crunches 15 Supermen 60- Second Elbow Plank

Arms: 10-15 Minutes 15 Push-ups 25 Tricep Dips 35 Second Side Plank (both sides) 40 Second Full Arm Plank 35 Knee Tucks 25 Burpees 15 Push-ups

Red Velvet Cupcakes Maria De Silva Reporter

Ingredients: 1 package of red velvet cake mix Water Oil Eggs Vanilla/Chocolate frosting

Recipe: • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

• Put in place liners in cupcake pan.

• Make the cake mix using water, oil and eggs in a bowl.

• Beat with an electric mixer or a handheld whisk for two minutes.

• Using a spoon, put in the batter evenly into the pan.

• Bake for 18 minutes.

• Use a toothpick to see if they’re baked long enough - put the toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean then the cupcakes are ready.

• Spread frosting on cupcakes using a knife or the back of a spoon.

• Spread sprinkles and cupcake decorations.

Avocado Smoothies Maria De Silva Reporter A homemade avocado smoothie is a delicious snack that is also beneficial to your health. It is made with simple ingredients: avocados, milk, and sugar, and can be made in under ten minutes using a blender.

It can even go along with both salty and sweet foods; for example, with a sandwich or cookies, but it can also be drank alone. The smoothie contains a lot of potassium and fiber, even more than other common fruits. Avocados are enriched with vitamins, making this drink a great choice as a quick snack at any time of the day. Avocados are also beneficial to the eyes; it helps improve eyesight. They are also proven to decrease the chances of getting cancer.

The avocado smoothie is a tasty way to be healthy and it is quick and easy to make.

Recipe: • Use a knife and cut the avocado evenly in half so that the seed inside sticks out of one of the halves.

• Dispose of the seed.

• Use a spoon to scoop out all of the avocado from its skin.

• Put the avocado into a blender and fill the blender with milk so that all of the avocado is covered; put in more or less milk to change the consistency of the smoothie. The more milk there is the thinner it will be.

• Add a spoon of sugar, or more to make it sweeter.

• Blend the ingredients and pour it into a cup.

Note: One avocado makes one serving.

The Blue and Gold January 2015

Entertainment

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A Wrap-Up of 2014 2014 has been an eventful year, from the spread of ebola to the wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. From January to December, this year has brought an array of emotions and we celebrate it through these events that will surely be remembered worldwide. The year has had its up and downs, but let’s all take a moment to look back at some of the year’s major events.

Azealia Banks released her debut studio album, “Broke With Expensive Taste”, on the 6th One Direction released their fourth studio album, “Four”, on the 17th “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1” premiered in theaters on the 23rd

Nicki Minaj released her third studio album, “The Pinkprint”, on the 15th CIA report published

“The Walking Dead” premiered its 5th season on the 12th Taylor Swift releases her fourth studio album, “1989”, on the 27th

“The Lego Movie” premiered in theaters on the 7th Ukrainian Revolution began

Ellen DeGeneres breaks world record for most retweeted tweet “Divergent” premiered in theaters on the 21st Flight MH370 goes missing

Joan Rivers dies at age 84 on the 4th “The Maze Runner” premiered in theaters on the 19th Emma Watson made her speech on gender equality on the 21st

Robin Williams dies Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora released “Black Widow” MV on the 13th Nicki Minaj released “Anaconda” MV on the 19th Michael Brown fatally shot in Ferguson Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS began “Guardians of the Galaxy” premiered in theaters on the 21st

Ashley Leung Head of Entertainment

Chaimae El Adlouni

Head of Entertainment

Seminoles take BCS championship Chicago’s ban on handgun sales is overturned in Florida Pop singer Justin Bieber arrested in Florida

Total Lunar Eclipse occurred on the 15th Iggy Azaela releases debut studio album “The New Classic”; fourth single “Fancy” becomes international hit on the 21st “The Fault in Our Stars” premiered in theaters on the 6th PSY and Snoop Dogg released “Hangover” on the 8th FIFA World Cup in Brazil began on the 12th Ed Sheeran released his second studio album, “X”, worldwide on the 23rd 5 Seconds of Summer released debut studio album, “5 Seconds of Summer” on the 27th

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West get married on the 24th

Scan the QR code to the left to go to our website to watch our interactive presentation on this year’s most memorable events.

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The Blue and Gold January 2015

Sports

The Blue and Gold January 2015

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Pinning Down the Competition Lucia Quesada Nylen Head of Sports

sprinting to the win Leila Griege Reporter

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ith the new winter season comes a new wrestling season here at Malden High School. Lead by English teacher Jeremiah Smith, who is also the MHS varsity boys soccer coach, the team has a strong backbone. Accompanying Smith are senior captains Johnny Pierre, and Shaun Ahern.

With both a junior varsity and varsity team, the team has a variety of players. With only six seniors, the team has great talent that is forming in the underclassmen. Smith explained how “the team came into the season without much experince, but we have shown great progress so far.” He stated how “this years team is full of new wrestlers who are just learning the sport this year.” Smith added how “[the boys] have a tremendous amount of potential.”

The team is currently 2-4. With the wins against Asma HighSchool and Josiah Quincy High School. In addition to these two teams, the team has had rough losses against competitiors like Salem, Greater Lowell, Minute Man Tech, and Bilerica. The team has been “[playing] competitive in three of the four losses,” according to Smith. In addition to the dual matches, the team has participated in two major tournaments. Key performances included those of both “[Ahern], Pierre, DJ Exoilhome, and Deya Chouiki” stated Ahern. Ahern transferred here this year from Timberline Regional High School in southern New Hampshire. Having been wrestling for eight years, Ahern is a great addittion to the team.

Wrestling is one of the few sports where the players compete both “as a team and individuals,” according to Smith. The team hopes to have a great turnout at the sectional meet in February. For wrestling, everyone qualifies for sectionals, and their performence there determines who moves onto the state tournament. Smith explained “how the goal of the team is to qualify 4-5 for the state tournament, and have some [of them] place at that tournament.”

With still nine more meets in the season, only one meet is a Greater Boston League meet, which is Jan. 14, 2015, where they will face Everett for the league title.

The team hopes to continue improving with their practices and meets, in order to perform their best throughout the rest of the season.

From Top to Bottom: Captain Ahern pinning down a Salem opponent. Exilhomme getting a wrestler down. Sophomore Josue Espada pinning his opponent. Left: Ahern taking down his opponent.

stablishing an undefeated season so far, and working very hard towards earning another Greater Boston League title, the Malden High School’s girls track team continues to grow through their hard work with each practice and meet.

With an undefeated current record of 3-0, the girls are proudly representing the school with victory and honor.

Having their head coach, David Londino guide them in the right direction, the girls have been having a fortunate present season.

As she grew through her life of doing track since her freshman year, junior Gillian Willcox says that “on a personal level,” this year she is one of the oldest people on the team compared to last year when she was one of the youngest. “It’s crazy to me since last year I felt so young.

This year I have much more responsibility.”

As a team, Willcox thinks one big obstacle they have have to overcome is working together as a whole to motivate one another on and off the track at meets and even in practice. However, now she can easily say the team is very close and they all cheer for each other and help one another with everything.

With their most difficult and strongest defeat being against Medford, the girls push through and have allowed everything they have to take over and win.

“They’ve been our strongest competitors so far in the season and in the start it looked like the meet could have gone either way” says Willcox.

The girls have made a great effort to be just as incredible this season as they were as last season. “Every meet we prepare for is an obstacle closer to the team goal” says junior Deborah Kibazo towards their nonstop, common goal of finishing off the season with another undefeated GBL title.

Kibazo compares track to other sports and says that “it’s different from most sports because there are so many things you can do to contribute to the team, you don’t have to be a sprinter or built a certain way to join. The best part is the atmosphere of the team where everyone around you supports you and you know that each and everyone around you is working hard towards a common goal and that you’re apart of that goal as well.”

The first day of freshman year, Willcox started warm up with everyone else and couldn’t even do the first two minutes without falling back. “I couldn’t run for my life basically.” She perseveringly stuck with it and was able to see herself improve over time. Being really happy she joined and stayed on the team, Willcox says “If you don’t think that you can do it, or you’re not the best runner already, you should join anyways because you will get better and shock yourself with how much you can improve.”

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High Bars, Higher Goals

Diving Into A nEw season The Malden High swim team looks for their third consecutive year winning the Greater Boston League championship.

Anna Powers Reporter

Ana Kerr Reporter

ymnastics season has begun again and the Malden High School team could not be more excited. The team has been working hard to develop their skills, but reminds one another to have fun while doing so. A goal that has been made is that team members walk out of every meet knowing that they put in their greatest effort.

The only thing that MHS gymnasts enjoy more than working on their skills is competing in competition. Since gymnastics is a very judgmental sport, when a gymnast does good on a routine and get a great score it is that much more of an achievement. On the floor event he or she is giving about 1 minute and 30 seconds to show the routine with dance, tumbling, and acro. Then there is vault where there is a runway that a sprint down and jump on a spring to help them flip over the fault. The uneven bars are 2 bars ( on high and low) that you complete challenging skills on. Finally the beam is a piece of wood that the gymnast is balanced on and are once again given a certain amount of time to show off what you’ve got.

After losing some amazing athletes last year, this only made the team work harder to live up to their title as GBL champions. With the help of the new additions to the team and all the efforts that they have put in, they are all confident that the team will do just as well as it has in the past.

Junior Jessica Munroe had some advice to younger members on her team “Never feel intimidated because someone maybe be better than you or the judges give you a bad score… You’ll fall a lot and want to give up but never get discouraged just keep working.”

Also junior Kiley Ruelle looks forward to “just having just a stressfree, fun season and to continue to encourage my teammates as well as myself to work as hard as we can in order to finish every meet satisfied.”

Overall the MHS Gymnastics team is looking forward to a great season, and everyone is impressed with the teams hard work and commitment.

nother year of winter sports is another opportunity for the Malden High School swim team to mark their title in the water. The team is currently 3-0 with their wins against Somerville, Medford, and Malden Catholic. Since Cambridge left the GBL there are only two teams other than Malden that participate in the swimming. The team is currently the reigning Greater Boston League champions from last season. The team is lead by senior captains Kelvin Nyguen, Tristar To, and Samantha Dorazio. In addition to coaches Paul DeVencentis and Jessica Bisson.

The 40 plus member team started the season on a great note on Dec. 22, 2014 at their meet against Medford. To says, “Most people from this year are [returning] from last year.” But, “There are also new contributions to this year’s team which are really going to be help us and the team.” says Captain Samantha Dorazio. MHS swim teams goals

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are very high this year and expect to accomplish various things by the end of the season. “We are having a really great season so far, and the team is working really hard and we are hoping to have another great year.” says senior captain Dorrazio.

Swimming is not only a difficult sport to be active in but also to captain and coach. To says, “ It is a lot of pressure especially stepping into the shoes of the previous swimming captains but it is definitely an honor and also a privilege to be in this position and to be apart of a team with so many great swimmers.

“Swimming has its difficulties but benefits too. Dorazio says, “It is definitely a different role in sports but also an exciting role especially because I was learning from such great previous captains.” Both captains have many responsibilities being a captain and trying to help everyone as much as possible. Dorazio also says, “A lot of people have never been in a swimming league, so

there are a lot of questions like how is my dive and a few concerns about the meets and just general questions like that.” MHS’s swim team are not only a bunch of students gathered together to compete in something they love doing, it is a family who is gathered to compete together in what they love doing. Coach Paul Devencentis says, “A couple of guarentees I can make, and you cannot make many guarentees in life. You are going to learn about comitment and the value of hard work, you are also going to learn what it means to work side by side and to be part of a team. They are always going to have your back and you will always have theirs. It is an incrediable learning lesson. We have kids that come down from past years and they are always at the swim meets and supporting us.” MHS swim team is not only a great way to stay fit and healthy but to meet new people and learn lessonsthat will help athletes later on in life.

Sophomore Brynn Kankel gets ready to dive into the water. Junior Alexandra Lombardi swimming in the 1oo yard butterfly. All photos by Ana Kerr.

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stride with pride

Ball up Tatyanna Cabral Reporter

Cassandra Reyes Head of Sports

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nder the guidance of their head coach, David Londino, the Malden High School boys track team continues to make their school proud.

With a current record of 3-0, the team has made strong defeats against Everett, Medford and Chelsea. Assistant coaches Jason Payeur and Chris Kaulbfleisch have worked consistently with the sprinters and throwers of the team to contribute to the successful season thus far.

Coach Londino prides himself for coaching both the boys and the girls teams, for all three consecutive running seasons (cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track). The “continued effort towards bettering themselves and the team as a whole” is what encourages Coach Londino to continue being their coach. In 2014, Coach Londino was awarded the “Division 1 Coach of the Year” title.

Once junior Gutémberg Peixoto Dos Santos joined the team, he realized that being apart of the track team is more than simply staying active. Santos confesses that since he has been on the team he has come to the realization that

Every season we want every member to improve and work toward qualifying for the state meet. As a team we make it our goal to be competitive and win the league championship. ~ Coach David Londino “running helps [him] forget about other problems in [his] life,” which is something many of the runners on the team can relate to. After constantly being pushed by his coach, in order to reach his full potential, Santos has become a great help to the team, seeing how in every race “[he leaves] it all on the track.” For the rest of the season, Santos will continue working to run a qualifying time to compete in the states meet for his main event, the 600 meter race.

Despite the loss of “a number of state level qualified seniors,” expressed the coach, the team has continued to work hard, remaining undefeated. Seniors Kingdolphe Julien, whose main event is the 300 meter race, and Mark Ortiz, the top shot put thrower, have both stepped up this year, setting a good example for the underclassmen and assuming leadership positions through working hard at practice and giving their all to every performance in every meet.

The team goal is to “be competitive and win the league championship,” expresses Coach Londino. Along with working to achieve the team goal, Coach Londino makes efforts to achieve individual goals for members of the team, one of them being to “qualify for the state meet.”

Looking ahead in the season, the team will soon face Greater Lawrence Tech and Somerville.

Both of these competing teams have talented members, explaining why Coach Londino expects these two meets to have “a great number of match ups.” The boys continue to train and prepare for the upcoming meets and take advantage of opportunities to qualify for states.

Above: Sophomore LaDaveya Moise making a shot. Bottom: Senior captain Michaela Ilebode making a free throw. All photos taken by Tatyanna Cabral.

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his winter, the Malden High School girls basketball team is ready to play with the mentality that allows them to perform with hard work and passion. Senior captains Jaime MacDonald and Michaela Ilebode are prepared to lead the girls in the right direction, towards success. There are 10 girls, who range from freshmen to seniors, that make up the varsity team.

Along with the captains, Coach Lydia Coverdale is guiding the team in her efforts to bring pride and success among the girls.

Coach Coverdale was once a basketball player for the MHS girls team. During her time at the school, Coverdale made one of the greatest achievements a high school basketball player can make throughout their time on the team: scoring 1,000+ points.

The MHS staff and the team has gladly welcomed Coverdale back to be apart of the girls basketball team once again.

The girls had their first three home games on December 15, 2014 against Georgetown, on Friday January 2, 2015 against Salem and on Thursday January 8, 2015 against Haverhill. The starting lineup for the first game consisted of Ilebode, MacDonald, senior Samantha Drapinski, sophomore LaDaveya Moise and freshman Mackenzie Furlong. Although they lost the two games,

it will give them a chance to look at their mistakes and correct them, for success in the future games.

Ilebode states that new members of the team “brought height and ball handling skills.” One of the new additions to the team, Furlong describes the team as “hardworking, prideful and strong.” Furlong expresses that “[she is] excited to see what the rest of the season holds for [them].” Furlong hopes to work on strengthening their bond, which is key to having a successful season. Ilebode also expresses that “[they] have definitely gotten a lot closer as a team,” but they are also working on more team bonding. Sophomore Caitlyn Leonard also believes that the team should also work on communication.

The team is very excited for the rest of the season and are prepared to improve their skills. Leonard expresses that, “[she enjoys] spending every day with [the] team and love[s] the hard work and passion they bring to each practice and game.” Improving their skills is one of the girls’ priorities, they always give it their all and put in 110%. Ilebode explains that, “[she] can honestly say [they] have a great relationship with each other, that’s what sets us apart from other teams,” having this great relationship will allow the girls to have a great season this year.

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maldenblueandgold.com

PJ Montezuma Reporter

Hoops of Success

Boys Basketball starts the season off with a fresh young team, led by only three seniors.

Upcoming Games:

1/17 @ Beverly

1/19 @ Boston English 1/21 Lynn Classical 1/23 @ Medford 1/27 @ Everett 1/30 Somerville

2/4 @ Danvers 2/6 @ Tewksbury Memorial 2/11 @ Somerville

Watch the Malden High School boys varsity basketball team tip off against Greater Boston League Rival Medford on Jan. 9, 2015 at the Finn Gym

Above, from left to right: Sophomore Nathaniel Ilebode swats down a lay up attempt by a Medford High player. Junior Jorge Salgado brings the ball up the court. Below: Senior Co-Captain Rakeem Langston fights for the ball in the paint. Bottom photo submitted by James Valente. Other photos by Piero Pocobene.

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ith the blow of a whistle, Malden High School boys varsity basketball tips off their 2014-2015 season.

Making a name for themselves are senior captains Isaac Bethea and Rakeem Langston, the young team consists of only three seniors and the rest are underclassmen. The team started off their season winning their first three games under the guidance of head coach Don Nally, who is returning to coach the MHS varsity team for his 11th year.

The team currently stands in with four wins and three losses, only needing six more wins to clinch a spot in the state tournament for the seventh time in 11 years.

Stepping up this season are sophomore Nathan Ilebode and junior all-star guard Mark Rogers who both have played on the varsity team since they were freshman.

The Golden Tornadoes’ first victim of the season was Revere on Dec. 11 who they beat by 12 points with the final score of 65-53. Then four days later they cruised past Boston English 73-47 with the help of Langston who banked in 25 points that game, scoring 45 points in the first two games this season.

All leading up to the team’s most memorable win so far against Lynn Classical on Dec. 20. Malden held on to the lead to win by only seven points, 67-60, playing an excellent game all the way to the last buzzer. During that game Bethea “noticed that [they] were

not a big team and that [they] would have to work together to get the win.”

MHS went on to lose their next game, giving them their first loss was Tewksbury Memorial, the final score being 80-63. The team was hungry for another win which they got against Revere for the second time on Dec. 27 beating them 77-61.

However, MHS has lost their last two games. The first was against Brookline on Dec. 29, MHS lost 62-49.

The next loss was their first Greater Boston League game of the season in which the team tipped off against long time rival Medford High School. Medford High School got the upper hand in this game finishing the game 65-47, knocking Malden down to second in the GBL. Making Medford High currently in first place of the GBL, followed by MHS leaving Everett and Somerville tied for third.

The team looks forward to playing their other GBL rival Everett which is always a must see game. The game can go either way and it has been that way for previous years with historic moments like buzzer beaters or blowout games in the playoffs. The teams face off for the first time on Jan. 13, being Everett’s first GBL game of their season. MHS has a long road ahead of them this season, but will continue to keep their heads up while facing adversity. The team started the season off with great fashion and do not show any signs of slowing down.