By FELICIA FALLANO

Since freshman year, Daniel “Danny” Gould has been a dedicated student at Malden High School and member of the track team. Unfortunately, this is Gould’s last season with his team as he is graduating and heading off to college this upcoming fall.

Leaving MHS on a good note and attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Gould will be majoring in political science. He hopes to have a career in politics and to “get a better understanding of how countries are run by people.” He aspires to get “as involved in the future as possible.”

Gould has been involved in track for four years, but he is not entirely sure he is going to continue the sport in college. Gould says he is, open to the idea but whatever he chooses to do he will never stop running.  He originally decided to join track because he, “felt it would make [him] faster for soccer but soon found [he] enjoyed it far more and had much more opportunities in the sport.”

English teacher and boys and girls track coach, David Londino, believes that Gould had a great season. Londino stated that, “his practices were really strong and he had 100% effort 100% of the time.” Londino said he specifically recalls Gould’s best race which won their two mile event in a meet against Somerville where he ran a time of 10:09. Londino says he wouldn’t tell Gould to do anything differently. Gould says his biggest influence in high school was his coach.  “[Londino] always made sure I was putting effort into what I did. [My coach] saw potential in me and gave me the chance to be a leader and a role model,” Gould  says appreciatively.

Gould feels that his most memorable year was his sophomore year because it was not only his first full year of running but he also decided to take his first AP class.  This experience has helped Gould develop his time management skills as well as develop close relationships with his teammates.

According to friends of Gould, his coach isn’t the only one who sees a great leader in him. Besides working hard during practices and meets, Gould also connects with many members of both the boys and girls track teams.

In agreement with Hannafin, member of the boys track team junior Nahom Ghile says that Gould, “shows everyone that they have to do what they have to do in order to do well.”

Although Gould is departing with his team this year, he is eager to start a new chapter in his life. He believes that his most important goals that he achieved in high school were, “performing well in [his] AP classes and being named captain of cross country [his] junior year because they were both accomplishments [he] could not have seen [himself] achieving just a few years prior.”

He has had a memorable experience at MHS not only as an athlete but as a student.  As Gould departs from high school he leaves with many grateful lessons that he could only have learned at MHS.

By AMANDA DE MORAES

A rigorous student, Nidal Hishmeh will be taking much more from high school than academics. Despite taking a total of 11 Advanced Placement classes, Hishmeh also was able to balance many other clubs and activities as well as enjoying his time in high school and not feeling like he was “under any stress.” He attributes this to the fact that all subjects he studied were subjects which he had a genuine interest and passion for.

A prominent member of the wrestling team, Hishmeh claims that going to practices and matches was both one of his favorite experiences during high school as well as one of the most demanding, “both mentally and physically.” Wrestling did teach him, however, the product of hard work, and Hishmeh states that “seeing the fruits of [his] labors while wrestling was always a fulfilling experience.”

During his time at Malden High School, Hishmeh never felt the need to “step out of [his] comfort zone,” and only “did things that [he] wanted to do or found interesting,” which he believes is a contributing factor to his lack of stress in high school. His philosophy is that only doing things which one has a genuine passion and interest in will not seem like a chore, but rather fun.

As he leaves MHS and continues on his academic journey to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, he will not forget his humble roots and the school that greatly shaped who he has become, as a student as well as a person. The main lesson he will be taking away from his time at MHS is that “whenever you want something, you should work for it,” while still enjoying the process and remembering that high school is an experience which is only experienced one in a  lifetime.

Despite leaving MHS with a heavy heart, Hishmeh is also excited to move to the “Nutmeg State” and begin a new chapter in his life. Although he will definitely miss his friends the most, Hishmeh will also miss the unique experiences that high school provided him with, as well as the staff who significantly impacted Hishmeh, including, but not limited to, Brad Gelling, Sean Walsh and Brian Morrison, the teacher of Hishmeh’s favorite subject: physics. He looks forward to continue to work hard at Yale and to have the opportunity to meet more “awesome people,” in an entirely new environment.

Hishmeh is grateful for MHS and the preparation it has provided him with for college; he claims that “unlike smaller schools, [MHS] has its fair share of distractions.” Over the years, he has developed the ability to balance everything and hopes that this skill will carry over to college and his future, where he hopes to pursue an MD-PhD and become a medical researcher. In regards to underclassmen, Hishmeh advises them to “open their minds” and be aware that “just because someone is older than you doesn’t mean he or she is right.”

By NICHOLAS BRAMANTE

In every class of graduating seniors, there are always those who prize learning and education as an important value in life. Ricky He is no exception, as he has truly made the most with his time at Malden High School, pushing himself to his greatest potential and furthering his education to the best possible extent. He explained, “I felt that engaging in new subjects and experiencing variety was what drove me throughout school.” It is this work ethic that has pushed He into the top ten of his graduating class.

He plans on attending Boston University for a college education. “My cousin went to [Boston University], and she enjoyed it very much.” He plans on majoring in electrical engineering as He has always taken a special interest in electronics. He explained that “electronics have always fascinated me since my childhood.” As a child, He enjoyed taking apart and reconstructing old computers and electronics.

As with any student, however, He’s MHS career required bounding over many obstacles. One such obstacle would be going out of one’s comfort zone. High school is an erratic change from life when you first meet it, and delving out of one’s comfort zone is a critical part in the acclimation process. He explained that “[he is] not a very social person, so when [he] did the science night in eleventh grade, [he] was a little nervous.” He faced this challenge head-on, however, and eventually stepped outside his comfort zone in order to do what had to be done. “After the first hour, my nerves started to ease. [In the end] I was enjoying it and regretted having to leave.”

A memorable portion of He’s senior year was “sitting in AP study or directed study reading and listening to music; [this] consisted of at least half my senior year.” A simple pleasure in the hustle and bustle of a busy senior’s life, no doubt. He also recalls the most difficult and frustrating parts of his time attending MHS: AP exams. “The worst time of any year is when AP exams come around. If you weren’t studying throughout the year, the exam [would] eat you alive.” Again, AP exams are not exactly something commonly found within most student’s comfort zones, so overcoming them was an important feat achieved during He’s time at Malden High.

He has met various different figures while at MHS, but one person who stands out among the rest is Martin Berryman, a chemisty teacher here at the high school. Berryman was an important influence to He as he prepared for leaping the hurdle that is college applications; “[Berryman pushed] me to start the college process. I still remember when I was sitting in his direct study with nothing to do, and he urged me to go to my guidance counselor. I’m always a slow starting person, so he was the catalyst I really needed to start.” He also gives a shoutout to Wayne Ameen, “the best engineering teacher” at MHS.

In his time at MHS, He has learned many lessons regarding education and preparation. Learning from his own experiences, He also puts great emphasis on early preparation for college applications and decision making. As one last piece of wisdom to hand down to upcoming seniors, as well as underclassmen, He implores students to “Get started on college applications early. Don’t wait until senior year to start. It will add a lot of undue stress in addition to any other classes.”

By JAMES MAZARAKIS and FELICIA FALLANO

Even after years of being a devoted track runner, senior Guan Chen, known as Raymond, did not see his road to #2 in his class as a race to the top.

“You can’t do work every day and expect to maintain a low stress level,” Chen explains in regards to his ability to steamroll his way through high school without missing a step. Being on the track team was “a huge part” of his stress management strategy, which he attests is the most important part of getting through high school.

A dedicated student and member of the track team at Malden High School, Chen is sadly departing from the team this June. Even though he is leaving his team, he is eager to start a new chapter of his life.

Chen is attending UMass Amherst in the fall and is double majoring in in Computer Science and Electrical Computer Engineering. Chen says he is “excited to go to college and gain independence as well as study classes that [he is] passionate about.” His goal is to “learn the necessary material to prepare [him] for a job in the engineering / computer science field and get the results necessary for [him] to get [his] masters degree in grad school.”

Chen has been “pretty successful this year.” But regarding track, he personally feels that he “[has not] had a great season.” Chen says he hasn’t set any personal times but he has “kept in shape and had fun with friends on the track team.” Chen says his “goals this season [were] the same as for every season I’ve done track: to set a personal time and to stay active and fit.”

Even though Chen believes in hard work, he also likes to stay relaxed. He says that he thinks it is “most important to have fun and not be weighed down by stress.” He believes the most important thing he learned in high school is “how valuable friendships are,” and they have helped him “find balance between academics and having fun.” He feels that “the most important part of high school is not to get straight A’s or ace every exam but to nurture one’s talent.”

He also feels that all of his teachers and friends have impacted his life in many important ways. Most importantly, Chen has learned from his teachers that “[he is] responsible for [his] own success,” and “happiness is success and ultimately, those who are the happiest are those who follow their passions and engage in activities they enjoy.”  According to Chen, “every teacher” he had influenced him in some way. He particularly appreciated Computer Programming teacher Paul Marques’ strategy of having students manage their own time, forcing him to be “more responsible.”

According to Chen’s track coach, David Londino, he is “a good senior leader,” and his “work ethic and dedication to the team is a model for our younger runners.” Londino thinks that Chen’s confidence has developed and he “knows what he is capable of.” He says that “he leads by example and will do anything in his power to help the team.”

Chen has been inspired mostly by his coach throughout his high school experience. According to Chen, Londino “has a very clear outlook on life and he applies his values when coaching. He constantly reminds us about the importance of perseverance and discipline.” Chen believes that these concepts are “not only essential in improving as a track athlete, but also as a person,” and Londino “emphasizes techniques to develop one’s character.”

Chen advises that students to “try different [things]” and find where they are comfortable so that they may “do what they are good at.”

Even though this is Chen’s last season on the track team at MHS, he wants to keep his passion for track going. He still plans to run on his own time to keep in shape. When asked if he had any advice for Chen, Londino said, “You only go away to college once, so work hard but don’t forget to have fun.”

By LUCIA QUESADA NYLEN

Since sophomore year, senior Rene Rivera has been a key player to the Malden High School boys lacrosse team. Rivera decided to play when “[his] friend Devin Fitzpatrick suggested the idea to him”. And currently playing his last year of high school lacrosse, Rivera is “one of the three starting defenders [for the team].” Fellow lacrosse teammate Mateus Ramos states that “[Rivera] is fearless on the field; he blocks everything for his team.”

In addition to lacrosse, Rivera has been apart of the MHS football team. He played sophomore and junior year.

Rivera has lived in Malden for five years, since eighth grade, when he moved from Everett and before from New York. Rivera moved to New York from El Salvador as a child, where he was born.

Throughout his high school career here at MHS, Rivera confessed that his favorite classes have included Advanced Placement (AP) chemistry and AP physics taught by Martin Berryman and Brian Morrison. Rivera explained how “[the classes] taught [me] to look at things in different ways and from different points of views”. After taking the courses, Rivera explains how “you start seeing things in a more complex way; a falling apple is not just a falling apple anymore, but a series of forces acting against each other.”

Next fall, Rivera is planning to attend the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. Unsure of what he wants to major in, Rivera does hope to become either a mechanical or electrical engineer. He doesn’t plan on pursuing lacrosse in college, though “maybe for a club team, but [he] wants to make sure [his] studies are first,” which is an attitude that many students have going into college.

With his final high school lacrosse season now ending, Rivera reminisces about his career here at MHS. Stating that “[his] favorite thing about high school was definitely just the people [he] surrounded [himself] with and all the people [he] got to meet and interact with, teachers and students both”. In addition, his most memorable moments being all the pep rallys during Thanksgiving time, which Rivera commented “[that] you don’t forget things like that”, the atmosphere, and the people.

By AMANDA DE MORAES

Kevin Bahn

A first year  member of the Malden High School tennis team and future member of Brown University’s Class of 2018, Kevin Banh has been an avid tennis player since 7th grade. He originally began playing as a result of his friends who played tennis; despite usually playing basketball, Bahn decided to opt for tennis instead one day and ended up really enjoying the game. Once he started, Bahn would play nearly every day in the summer with friends but when freshman year of high school started, he “drifted away from tennis and focused more on track.”

Bahn states that one of the many things he has learned from tennis is the importance of “sportsmanship and dedication.” In his opinion, tennis is a “gentleman’s sport and has taught [him] much about respect,” as well as the importance of support for ones team, which he experienced this season after injuring himself along with fellow teammate and sophomore Edward Gui.

From being part of the team, Bahn has been able to experience the extreme competitiveness of the sport. Nobody on the team “ever accepts defeat” and it is critical that each player can learn from their mistakes. Because of this, everyone on the team pushes one another to do their best and to improve, which allows them to win “tough games in which [Malden] is down.” The easiest part of playing tennis for Bahn was learning the forehand because he claimed it just felt natural to him and the hardest part about tennis was definitely consistency and the backhand which he still continues to work on today.

In regards to next year, Bahn will be attending the prestigious Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island and will be majoring in applied mathematics. He hopes to continue playing tennis in college, although much more casually than he does now, perhaps on an intramural team. Tennis is a sport in which an individual is able to grow with, as Bahn has. Although excited for what the future will bring, Banh will also dearly miss MHS. He stated that once the year comes to a close, he will no longer be seeing friends who he now sees on a regular basis, as they will all be going their separate ways.

Bahn advises underclassmen to continue working hard and also to simply enjoy high school. He also stated that it is in their best interest to “try their best to challenge themselves whether it’s physically in sports or academically in the classroom.” Bahn believes that it is never good to be satisfied with being just “mediocre at something, always strive to be the best.” While Bahn begins his life outside of high school he wishes the team luck as they continue in their seasons to come.

By AMANDA ROSATONE

In my opinion, every school year begins with the motivating advice of “work hard, play hard”, and as a senior counting down the minutes until I walk across that platform at graduation with my diploma, I can honestly say, this clichéd statement holds a lot of truth.

The bottom line of any high school experience is that we all face challenges; sometimes they are a. academic, b. personal, c. social, or d. all of the above. However, regardless of the obstacles that we face each and every day as we walk into school (at that unjust hour of 7:45 in the morning), we have to remember that by taking risks and by challenging ourselves comes great, well-deserved rewards.

High school, in my opinion, is the perfect combination of successes and failures. Whether it is pushing yourself academically by moving into a more challenging class, or even trying out for a new sport team to test your skills, taking chances is a vital part of having new and memorable experiences, which is an important aspect about our high school years. Now, don’t get me wrong: I am not saying to take a million and one AP classes and to try out for every sport out there every season. My message is much more simple: taking risks is often unnerving, but by investing one’s self into whatever the endeavor may be, we can be rewarded.

Although taking risks is a scary part of high school, it is also a necessary aspect of living. Next year, when I am in college, I am going to feel like a 1st grader on her first day of school, the only difference is that I’m not going to be holding my mom’s hand and she won’t be saying “I’ll see you at 3:30.” The situation will be much different. However, regardless of the emotional part of transitioning into college, I feel confident in myself heading into this part of my life, mainly because of everything Malden High School has shown me about hard work, dedication, and putting myself out there.

In the future, I may never be able to shake the feeling of that little 1st grader inside of me, and the reality is that anyone who can is pretty lucky. However, in the same way, I am glad that I may not be able to shake that feeling because it will remind me that although the future is unknown and often scary, it should not stop me from making the most out of life.
For all of you who will be in my position next year, and all of who will be moving into a higher grade, my wish for you at Malden High School is simply this: that you remember high school as being the best part of your young adult life; that you realized the countless opportunities you have available at Malden High School; that you took advantage of them, and gave your best to every challenge you faced, because great things can happen.

By KRISTEN LEONARD 

The website is down. The widgets, apparently, need to be updated. How do I update the widgets on WordPress. “Sumya, can you google how to update the widgets on WordPress?”

Where is the memory-card reader? “PJ, can you assign someone to take football pictures Saturday?” “James, did the article on Syria get published?” “Grace, the field hockey video looks great, can you put this video on YouTube, please?”

Of course, now the school network is down.

“Ok, Amanda and Vicki, we need to figure out what to put on the front page.”

“Football?”

“No, they have the back page in color.”

“The Marching Band?”

“Yes, that’s good–they won their competition.”

 “Let’s turn the Harvest Moon Festival into a full color spread. We can also start the girls soccer article on the front page. We can also add small pictures at the bottom showcasing articles from the World, Entertainment, and Local sections.”

Why are the fonts in Indesign highlighted in red? They must not be recognized on this computer. 65 broken links to fix! I’m going to have to transfer pictures from a flash drive.

“Ok everyone ,we go to print tomorrow. Make sure you are staying after school if your page is not done!”

Four years ago, when I stepped into J387, Mr. Gallagher’s room, I never expected to be where I am now, Co-Editor in Chief of The Blue and Gold, the student newspaper at Malden High School. As a freshman, my job was to be a reporter, write articles, take pictures, and do layout and design. But year after year, more responsibilities were added.

This class has taught me how to manage my time, learn how to be independent, and how to be a leader. As one of the editors, I now have a huge responsibility, not only to the newspaper staff, but also to the community and the student body because the paper is a way to give the students a voice through submitted writing pieces, interviews, quotes, and even pictures. Our school newspaper shows off the diversity of the student body and showcases a great sense of school pride. Journalism is a way to give people the news, offer different opinions and provide critical information.

In the end, regardless of all the stress that newspaper deadlines can bring, the reward is opening up the paper on distribution day. Hearing students in the hallways say, “Wow that picture is so cool,” or “Look! Look! My name is in the paper!” and hearing compliments from teachers such as “Well written editorial,” or “That Op-ed you wrote was very interesting,” is all it takes to make all the stress of running the paper melt away.

By NICHOLAS BRAMANTE

As the Jenkins House doors slid open May 29th, a nostalgic silence was set over Malden High School’s auditorium. Family members, faculty, and MHS students alike gathered within the Jenkins auditorium to once again pay respect to and remember a now missing piece of Malden High School: Paul “Fam” Famiglietti.

The dedication ceremony was held in order to commemorate the completion and reveal of a plaque, an immortalization of the man that was Paul Famiglietti. The eerie quiet was soon replaced with the soft, yet joyful chatter of family members, students, and faculty alike. An energy of hope flowed throughout the halls of Malden High School as people truly remembered who Paul Famiglietti was and what he brought to the community, rather than the fact that he is now gone.

“He meant so much to Malden High School” explained MHS principal Dana Brown. The completion of the plaque now present in Jenkins Auditorium, means that Malden High School will never forget the name “Fam.” In his time at MHS, Famiglietti contributed an incredible amount to a full spectrum of Malden High’s programs and events. Even as new generations of students are admitted to MHS who have never known Famiglietti, his memory lives on forever both now in spirit and within the school itself. “I miss him to this day, so doing this tonight was the very least we could do for him.”

By CANDELA DIAZ

All around the school, flyers and posters represent the beginning of a new campaigning season at Malden High School. Every year, each class is allowed to simulate a real life experience and vote for the people they want, to give them power over the rest. Positions such as president, vice president, and others are available, and every one can run for whichever one they want.

This experience was new to many freshmen who did not have presidents in their middle school classes. After many rough weeks of campaigning and getting advocacy from people, the election came to an end. For the class of 2017, Alansky Ulysse was voted president over other candidates such as Sumaya Aden, Blue and Gold member Tatyanna Cabral and Grace Melo. Rachel Tran won vice president, Vivian Nguyen for secretary, Tenzin Ngawang for treasurer and Caroline Fitzgerald for historian.

Fellow classmate Aden explained she felt “happy for [Alansky]” and congratulated him. Cabral was “happy [she] was that [Alansky] won, but how upset [she] was that [she] did not win”, she said while giggling. Treasure Ngawang advocated for change: “enough with the car washes; [they] do too many of those.” Her goals include raising money, and having a “fun prom.”

We congratulate those who won, and hope the best for them. There are more years yet to come for those who did not get the position they wished for, but we wish them the best of luck in the future. It is a fun experience to interpret a real life government, and an excitement to see what our classmates can do to improve our class.

By MYLE NGUYEN

By MANALE ZOUHIR

This year, Malden High School went all out for their prom to make it the best end to senior year that there could possibly be. On May 31, 2014, the New England Aquarium was filled with MHS students from all grades, as long as they had someone to accompany them from the senior class. The class of 2014 has been raising money since their freshman year in 2010, which has clearly paid off.

Senior Patricia Seun expressed that, “some highlights were definitely the atmosphere. Being able to be seated by the animals made the prom experience much more enjoyable.” She added, “[they] were able to hang out with good friends and cute aquamarine animals.”

This year’s prom included a photo booth that allowed the guests to capture the memories from the night, as well as the basic necessities that any prom would be incomplete without: music, refreshments, and decorations. Senior Tracy Tran also added, “the senior class worked really hard to make that night really special, and it definitely was. [They could not] have asked for a better prom night.”

From Malden High School Prom 2014, posted by The Blue & Gold on 6/11/2014 (69 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher 2

By EMMA CEPLINSKAS

Come next year, when students return to Malden High School in the fall, they will see a new face in the Jenkins House office. Kevin Kilbride, currently a teacher at MHS, will be taking on the position of house principal.

Kilbride has worked for 15 years at MHS and has taught grades 7 to 12 in the Malden community.  “Courses ranged from geography, civics, law, sociology and history,” described Kilbride. He has received a (BA) Bachelor’s degree in History, a (MEd) Master’s degree in Education and a (CAGS) Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in School Administration.

The process of becoming a house principal started with an application that included over 100 applicants. If chosen, the applicant is interviewed by 9 members of the interview committee asking the same questions to 10 candidates. From there, three are selected to be interviewed by Principal Dana Brown. “He had the final decision and [Kilbride is] thankful he chose [him],” expressed the newly chosen assistant principal. It was a few years ago after seeing one of his colleagues make the transition from effective classroom teacher to administration that Kilbride began to think of life outside the classroom.

Before pursuing a career in teaching, Kilbride had found an interest in Criminal Justice, Political Science and History in college.  He attended education classes as a concentration to the History Major he had chosen where the classroom experience and the field work influenced his decision to become a teacher. “[He remembers] thinking [he] can make a living, help people and stay young at heart…what a great career,” stated Kilbride.

Thirty years later, “[he is] making a good living and [he hopes he has] helped a few people,” expressed Kilbride. There will be a new teacher to fill Kilbride’s position, as well as the addition of three more new teachers in the Department of Social Sciences next year, informed Kilbride.

Kilbride “[hopes] to continue the work that Principal Brown and his team have done [at MHS] and help in every way [he] can.” His goals include attending many extracurricular activities, building trust with the students and staff,  and “maintaining a positive culture of mutual respect mixed in with some humor.”

“[MHS has] a great staff here and [Kilbride has]  built many close relationships with the adults in the school,” mentioned Kilbride. He has learned both about himself and the world from working at MHS based on the diverse student body, which he added is his favorite thing about the school.

Retiring house principal, Diane Klibansky, believes Kilbride will be an “excellent choice to replace her” based on his “consistency,” “fairness,” and “his knowledge of the school [which gives] him a huge advantage in the position,” Klibansky stated. She informed that the “biggest challenge of an administrator is to know how to have difficult conversations with all constituents, students, teachers and parents” but  his “consistency” and “fairness” will help him to gain respect. As a closing statement, Klibansky advises Kilbride to “work hard but make time to relax and be with family.”

“The first time [he] entered MHS was in September of 1977 and [he] could not have imagined still wanting to be here 37 years later,” expressed Kilbride. He stated that “… [he] had little idea … how important teaching would be to keeping [him] ‘young at heart’” and “would make the same choice again.”

By TATYANNA CABRAL

On June 25,  2014, the students from the Pathways Program received awards for their hard work in different subjects. Greetings were given by Mayor Gary Christenson and Superintendent David DeRuosi. Awards were given out by the Pathways teachers. Congratulations Class of 2014!

By FELICIA FALLANO

The year at Malden High School is coming to an end, but there is a new sports team that is just starting to develop. After many years, the school is finally establishing a new hockey team with Revere.

In the past, MHS has had a co-op team with both Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School and Somerville. Daniel Keefe, the athletic director for Malden High School, said that the co-ops in the past have not been as successful as he have liked them to be. Keefe hopes that this new team will be “more successful than our co-ops in the past,’ and that “it [will have] a long term sustainability.”

Even though there were 20 students that signed up, Principal Dana Brown is worried that “[they cannot] sustain it because [they] have such a small number of students interested.” However, he is “happy for the students that are participating.”

Keefe said the hardest part was getting everyone to agree about deciding whether Revere or Everett would be the better school MHS can team up with. Keefe explained he had “multiple meetings with the mayor, superintendent, and the principal of MHS.” Even though they had to approve, it was also important that the school committee agreed with the decision. There were financial issues involved in creating the co-op team, which made the six month process hard to put together. Although Everett was an option, Keefe said that Revere was  “a more viable team.”

Brown thought the idea of this hockey team came from the “small number of students interested in playing hockey.” In the past co-ops, according to Keefe, there have not been many students willing to play hockey each year. When asked about the past co-op teams, Keefe said he was “surprised that there [was not] a hockey team established.”

According to Brown, there will approximately be twelve students from Revere and six students from Malden. Because of the small amount of Malden students participating, Revere will be the home team. Brown hopes that there will be additional new sports next year, such as boy’s volleyball team in the spring. The school is “always looking for ways to explain what [they] offer.”

By CASSANDRA REYES

The fourth annual Malden High School Knowledge Bowl was hosted this year on June 6, 2014. Knowledge Bowl is a competition between all freshmen in all four houses of MHS. The freshmen represent their house by competing in various challenges. Students and teachers dress in colors corresponding to their house. Signs are plastered in the halls and posters are made. Whether it be a push-up competition or solving a quadratic equation, the competition is intense.

The day-long event consisted of many events, such as dance competitions held in the auditorium, free-throw shooting in the gym, and tasks that tested their intelligence. Boyle House freshman Lucia Ramos said that “[the dancing] was the most entertaining part.” Knowledge Bowl volunteer and sophomore Melyssa Ferreira said “volunteering at Knowledge Bowl this year brought back so many fun memories from last year.”

After being doubted by their peers, Brunelli House made a comeback by being crowned Knowledge Bowl champions, for the first time in school history. Brunelli House freshman Andy Tham said that “Knowledge Bowl was a great way to test [everyone’s skills].” Tham also expressed that the competition “helped [him] see how much of a competitor [he and his peers] are.”

Blue and gold member and freshman Felicia Fallano expressed that “winning for the first time made everyone in Brunelli House feel really proud.” Although the Class of 2017’s Knowledge Bowl experience is over, it gave them an exciting way to wrap up their first year at MHS, and the school tradition is sure to continue.

By TENZIN DORJEE

Malden High School offers many programs for students to attend, not just during the school year, but during the summer time as well. These programs challenge and support the foundation of students’ educations and help further them in their academics.

One such program is the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System program led by mathematics teacher Katy Kwong. The program began in 1999, but did not become as important until 2003, when MCAS became necessary to pass for graduation. This program was designed to “help raise the passing number [of students],” Kwong explained.

The program is available not just in the summer, but is offered during the school year as well. The program is free of charge and available to students that “will be taking [the MCAS and had] failed” their last recent one. This program is also helpful for the appeal process for students who don’t pass the MCAS by senior year, as if the student shows they tried their best and attended the program, the requirement of MCAS for them can be waived. Kwong has been a coordinator for the program since about 2004 as well as a tutor and as of this year became in charge of the whole operation as she now writes the grants that are received from the state of the commonwealth of Massachusetts that help fund this ingenious program.

Another program to help students academically is Summer Math Enrichment program that is currently spearheaded by math teacher Nick Lippman, who has coordinated it for the last four years, but the program itself has been running for over 10 years ever since it was founded by retired math teacher Christine Nagle.

The summer course is very intensive and teaches students at a very fast pace a school year’s worth of math in a single month. To attend the course students have to pay a tuition cost of $260, if not a MHS student, and $235 if they are one. Lippman recommends that students be “motivated and independent,” but adds they “don’t have to be the strongest math student.” The course offers Algebra 1 & 2 and Geometry, all (except algebra 1, which is not leveled) at college preparatory and honors levels. The purpose of the program is help students get ahead in the school year to come. Though, some lucky, hard-working pupils, if able to obtain around an 85 and is seen to be able to understand all the material taught throughout the course, can obtain a credit for the course and move onto an upper class for the school year to come.

These programs have helped the academic career of many of Malden High School’s students for many years and will continue to do in the years on.

By LUCIA QUESADA NYLEN

With the summer of 2014 just around the corner, the class of 2016 is all set up and ready for next year with a set of officers. A mix of new and old officers, the student council includes president Samantha Forestier, vice president and Blue and Gold member, Cassandra Reyes, secretary Sreypech Tham, treasurer Lily Chen, historian Alexandra Lombardi, and head of leadership council chair Jilian Molokwu and Rory Milan.

Forestier, Lombardi, Molokwu, and Milan are all new, while Reyes, Tham, and Chen are returning officers. The class advisors include Principal Dana Brown and PACE teacher Dorothy Levine.

Forestier explained how taking on the role of being class president “[makes her] feel glad that [she is] able to be representing the class of 2016.” “[She is excited to raise more funds and being to organize many projects that will impact the next two years of [this classes] high school [career],” explained Forestier about her feelings towards being in charge. When asked her goals for the class next year, Forestier responded with “having many successful events, and making Junior Varieties one to remember.” With high hopes to “involve more people in class activities to create tightly bonded group of students” Forestier looks forward to taking over.

Reyes responded that she is “excited for junior year” because “[she is] hoping that the class will undergo a change and realize the potential [they] have.” Through organizing fundraisers and other engaging activities, Reyes hopes “to create lifelong memories.” Reyes is now in her second year as vice president and assists the other officers with anything they need help with, keeping everyone in order.

Tham reflected on how “since [she is] been secretary it’s helped [her] work on [her] leadership qualities.” With the job of being secretary to keep records and plan out appointments, Tham hopes to make “prom and senior year the best yet.” Tham looks forward to organizing activities with the class. “The key part to bond with classmates is to be approachable, trustworthy, and loyal,” explained Tham when asked to give advice on her position.

Lombardi is coming into the group of officers with a clean slate and a new camera. Since she is the historian, Lombardi says she plans to “document the next two years of our class”. When asked what her goals were for the class as well as her individual goal for upholding a leadership position, Lombardi explained how she “wants to make [the class of 2016] one of the most memorable classes that have ever walked the halls of MHS.”

As treasurer of the class, one’s expected to only care about the money, however, Chen has and expects to be doing so much more in addition for the Class of 2016. Not only does Chen wish to add more to the funds, “[she] wants [the] class to be more involved in the community, rather than focused only on money.” Chen “wants to make a good name for [the] class”, and hopes that everyone puts in the effort and collaboration that “[they] can be satisfied with the biggest moments in high school.”

A new addition to the Leadership Council is Milan, who is one of the two chairmen along with Mokulu. The Leadership council is an open council to all students looking to volunteer at events and fundraisers. Milan “hopes to get more people to volunteer some of their time to [the] class and help at events so [they] can organize more.”

The other chairmen and last new edition to the Class of 2016 election winners, is Mokulu, whom is an “advisor to those who aren’t on the student council but still want to be involved.” With high hopes of being “able to say that we were able to do all that we wanted to accomplish during our time at [MHS],” Mokulu wishes to make MHS history as a class. “[She wants] this class to be a model class for future classes to come,” confessed Mokulu as a dream.

The new and returning members of the Class of 2016 officers are more ready than ever to make the upcoming two years the best that they can. With high hopes for having a successful year, their upcoming year is full of key fundraisers like Junior Varieties.

By NICHOLAS BRAMANTE and ANDREW COGLIANO

A quiet shuffling of feet and soft chatter filled the Jenkins auditorium, followed by the mellow notes of a piano; it was the night of the Malden High School’s annual band concert. Seats had been filled as the clock struck seven and the lights in the auditorium dimmed. First up were the opening acts, complete with renditions of modern songs such as Alicia Key’s “If I Ain’t Got You.” Aside from the presence of mentor John Natelli, the performances were all student-driven. That being said, the quality of the performances rose well above simply “student-driven” as they were executed on par with professional expertise.

The performances took a nostalgic turn as a tribute to The Beatles was initiated, with versions of  songs including the famous “Hey Jude.” Each song was followed by a roar of applause, as spectators clearly enjoyed the trip down memory lane. At times the crowd even joined in on the performance by rhythmically clapping along in usual Malden style. As the final notes faded into the air, small introductions in between performances usually gave way to laughter as Natelli broke the already thin ice. In a change of tone and style, Malden High School’s famous jazz group followed the throwbacks.

The mellow tones of jazz were suddenly broken at times by the occasional guitar or drum solo, which often filled the crowd with energy and were followed with roaring applause. The final performance that would close the show that night would be Malden High’s very own Golden Tornado Concert Band. As the curtains were pulled away, the Band was unveiled. Before the performance, Natelli took the time to honor the leaving seniors calling them “a wonderful group of kids.” With nicknames like “The Mellow Master” and “Future Congresswoman,” the powerful bond shared within the Golden Tornado Concert Band was clearly expressed that night. With percussion and wind instruments gleaming in the limelight, the band began and finished its performance.

This year’s concert was no easy task to put together, as the transition to a new mentor and instructor proved to be an interesting task for the band to say the least. Even with all the troubles the band faced this year, mentor John Natelli was more than pleased with how everything came together. “I’ve been teaching for eight years, and I think this show meant more than anything else,” explains Natelli, as this year has proven to be both an emotional and difficult ride. He explained that this year has been “challenging” because of the sudden introduction of a new instructor. “You have these kids who are used to a certain style of teaching, and they have to acclimate to your teaching just as you have to acclimate to them.” These challenges however, are what made this year so important to Natelli as he believes “those challenges make for a better learning experience” both for himself and for the band as a whole. Natelli is “absolutely”looking forward to his next years at Malden High School, and is prepared for whatever new obstacles may come the band’s way.

By JULIA PARKER

The Chapter 70 education aid formula is the Massachusetts Commonwealth’s program for distributing its budget money for K-12 public education equally into the state’s 328 local and regional school districts. This formula ensures that each district has the correct amount of money it needs to sustain its education for all students, and it also considers the amount of ability each government has to contribute to the funds. Basically, wealthier, non-crowded districts get less money than the districts who need the money more. The formula tries to have an equalizing effect on the state of Massachusetts.

The Chapter 70 education aid formula was created by the Education Reform Act of 1993, a landmark legislation that responded to growing concerns about the funding adequacy and equity in Massachusetts schools. Prior to Fiscal Year 1994, the state contributed less money to K-12 education, leaving school districts more heavily dependent on the local property tax. The Education Reform Act also served as the Legislature ‘s response to the State Supreme Court case McDuffy v. Secretary of the Office of Education, which found on behalf of a group of students from communities with low property values that the state was not living up to its obligation to provide an adequate public education to all children in the state.

Both Lynn and Newton have used the Chapter 70 education aid formula and reached different endings.

There are simply four basic steps to the Chapter 70 formula, which does carry sub-steps, but are not too important to the true process.

1. The Massachusetts State Constitution states that the total spending in each district never declines below the amount that is needed to produce the required education for each student. Lawmakers made this formula to ensure that this situation never happens. A district’s budget is calculated by multiplying the number of students at each grade level (and the income levels of those students) by a set of a set of categories of education spending, such as salaries, building maintenance, etc., and then finally adding together those total dollar amounts. The foundation budget is designed to represent the total cost of providing an education, which is often expressed as a per-pupil foundation budget by dividing the total budget by the amount of students.

2. Once the total foundation budget is settled, the state calculates each city and town ‘s ability to contribute local revenue towards the operation of all the schools. Local ability to contribute varies based upon the incomes and property values of different cities and towns. The state expects that each residency can contribute the same share of local resources to the budget by setting uniform contribution rates. In FY 2011, for example, local contributions were determined by adding 0.3 percent of each town ‘s total property values to 1.4 percent of the income earned by residents of the town. The required local contribution is basically a measure of how much local tax revenue a city or town can reasonably raise and dedicate to the operation of its schools.

3. Chapter 70 education aid is then determined after step two by filling the gap between a district’s required local contribution and its foundation budget. Calculating state aid from the difference between steps one and two ensures that every district can afford the funding that the total baseline education determined appropriate by the foundation budget.

4. The actual required local contribution is only the minimum amount that cities and towns absolutely have to contribute to their school districts, and many wealthier communities opt to contribute significantly more. For this reason, the Chapter 70 formula provides a baseline school budget, but it does not ensure equitable total funding across the state. This is where it hurts the City Of Malden.

The main reason Chapter 70 works against Malden is because of our current real estate rate and pay. Since we have an abnormally high real estate rate, the lower the amount of money is given to us each year to support the students. At this point in time, each year the City Of Malden is receiving less than half of what we actually need, while other towns and cities receive nearly double. The Chapter 70 formula is something that needs to be updated, because it is not working for the cities who get barely any money.