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April 5, 2015: Boys Lacrosse (Malden vs Everett)


Debating Tomorrow’s Issues Today

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A proud member of Malden High School’s National Honor Society, senior Eugine Szeto is the driving force behind a recent NHS project encouraging public speaking and societal awareness in the MHS student body. To put it simply, Szeto wishes to push students involved in the project to “be more informed.” Located at the Malden Teen Center, he has lead the creation of a variation on MHS’ debate team, where students come together, discuss topics relevant to today’s society and their own lives and form educated opinions and even resolutions to some of today’s pressing societal issues.

Senior Eugine Szeto on the tennis court.

Senior Eugine Szeto on the tennis court.

In the first few test runs of the project, Szeto took a direct approach, guiding participants in the right direction in analyzing topics applicable first to their own lives (and later worldwide topics,) discussing the implications of said topics. Now that the first few discussions have ran successfully, Szeto is taking a step back from this direct approach by introducing an idea and letting the students take over the discussion. He does not like revealing his own thoughts on the various topics discussed, as he likes to give participants the “chance to form [their] own opinion[s]” free of potential bias created from hearing Szeto’s opinion.

Some examples of topics that have either already been discussed or are hoped to be discussed in the future include the “right to be forgotten from internet searches”; the earthquake that devastated Haiti; and the status, quality, and effects of MHS’ school lunches. Clearly, topics can reach quite a broad spectrum, from only directly affecting MHS’ student body to an issue that potentially spans the globe. Full disclosure: Szeto is also aided by current Blue & Gold member Jasper Haag (co-author of this article) and Omar Khoshafa, former Blue & Gold member, who help host these meetings at the Teen Center, providing valuable assistance to Szeto.

Lasting around half an hour, these discussions that Szeto forms and leads introduces topics that hopefully help to “develop skills” in debate and analysis of today’s issues, whether they be local, political, societal, global, etc. Szeto has many hopes for the project he has forged, but above all he simply wishes for “it to continue.” Working with a “distinct group” of participants in the Teen Center, Szeto relishes in the chance to help develop the skills he has grown fond of in his own time on the debate team and wishes to create more informed individuals for today’s world. Szeto urges people to watch out for future meetings of the project which may be advertised in the form of morning announcements and flyers posted around MHS (although Szeto has expressed his distaste for said flyers.) One of the various projects of NHS, Szeto is leading participants in a different and distinct direction, aiding in the development of more informed people ready to take part in the daily societal struggles of today’s world.

Cyclone Pam Devastates Vanuatu

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On March 13, 2015 one of the worst storms hit the Republic of Vanuatu. This cyclone was one of the worst that the chain of islands has seen in all of history. The island republic is located 1,200 miles northeast of Brisbane, Australia. With only a population of 224,000, the widespread community was dramatically affected by this horrific incident.

Named “Pam” by weather officials, the storm was not to be taken lightly. According to the Weather Channel, tide levels rose 2 feet higher than their usual height. As an island, the high waters amplified  the destruction of the storm, leaving entire towns flooded. In addition, winds up to 165 mph blew throughout the night and into the next day as the storm approached Vanuatu. With winds this strong, it could be considered a Category 5 wind. The Weather Channel explains that the most common destruction done by category 5 winds is “some complete building failures,small utility buildings blown over or away, severe and extensive window, door damage, complete destruction of mobile homes, all shrubs, trees, signs blown down.”

Although the chain of islands is made up of 65 inhabited islands, with numerous citizens spread across the archipelago, the death toll according to CNN was 11 people. CNN also claims that “Vanuatu’s President Baldwin Lonsdale has called Cyclone Pam ‘a monster,’ saying it has set back the development of his country, already one of the poorest in the region, by years.”

As fortunate as it is that the destruction of the horrible Cyclone Pam is over, the impact that it has made on the suffering communities is one that they are just beginning to recover from.

Pam

A bird’s eye view of Cyclone Pam as it fully covers Vanuatu. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

 

 

A Preseason Look at the 2015 Boston Red Sox

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The Boston Red Sox start their season off with a six game road trip against the Philadelphia Phillies and their long time rival New York Yankees. But the real fun starts on April 13 when the Red Sox return to Fenway Park against the Washington Nationals for their home opener.

Last season the Red Sox finished the season with a 71-91 record being 25 games out of first place in the American League East. Being apart of Red Sox Nation is a roller coaster of a ride these last few seasons. Starting in 2011 having one of the most disappointing team, crashing and burning in September right before the playoffs, losing 20 out of 27 games. That bad streak continued into the 2012 season where under new manager Bobby Valentine finishing their season 69-73, 26 games behind first place Yankees, giving the Red Sox their worst season record in 47 years. Then shocking the world, the boys of the summer went from “worst to first” winning the World Series in 2013, giving the Sox their third championship in nine years, in which David Ortiz was a part of all three. The team went into the 2014 season with the high expectations that came with being the returning World Series champions. However the season was yet another let down being 25 games out of first place in the AL East.

Photo of Fenway Park taken by PJ Montezuma

Photo of Fenway Park taken by PJ Montezuma

During the offseason, the Red Sox made power moves getting big name players. Signing San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo “Kung Fu Panda” Sandoval who was a free agent for a five year $95 million contract. On that same day the Sox signed free agent shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who started his Major League Baseball career in Boston in 2005, for a four year $88 million contract. Then recently on March 13 they signed Cuban prospect 19 year old infielder Yoan Moncada for $31.5 million.

Along with the addition of those players, this season we will see a healthy and returning Dustin Pedroia, Shane Victorino, and Mike Napoli who are key fielders and swings the Sox needed. Last season Victorino only played 30 games before he had to receive surgery on his back ending his season. Victorino had been a switch hitter, hitting from both sides of the plate, but after the surgery he feels that it will be best for him to just hit right-handed. Napoli had a surgery to help his sleep apnea condition he faced. Pedroia underwent season ending surgery on his hand in Sept. which he had injured earlier in the season sliding into a base.

A bigger benefit the Red Sox have is a healthier and sturdier version of Ortiz who gained more muscle. Mookie Betts who is returning to the Red Sox for his second season in the big leagues is in a battle to make it as a starter among the many outfielders the team has including Victorino, Rusney Castillo, Ramirez, Brock Holt, Daniel Nava, and Allen Craig. As of now Betts is looking like the potential starting center fielder and the leadoff hitter for the Sox due to his outstanding performance in Spring Training.

Being a diehard Red Sox fan since birth makes looking forward to this new season even more exciting due to the new faces and teams potential. The team has a chance to go from worst to first again this season, maybe even win it all and take home another World Series trophy. The wait will soon be over, the first pitch will be thrown and baseball season will be in full swing.

Malden High School Offers Internship Opportunities for Seniors

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Malden High School seniors are taking on the opportunity to intern at different local places in and around Malden. Through internship, the students look to gain experience to apply in their future career paths after graduation.

Before they leave their high school years behind them, MHS seniors have the opportunity to obtain an internship in a field similar to one they plan on studying. Eligible students will leave the high school during the day to work on their assigned profession. Under the instruction of a trained guide, seniors can get internships in Accounting, Business, Hospitality/Tourism, Medical Field, Social Work, Marketing/management, Athletic training/physical therapy, Environmental Science, Automotive technology, Real Estate, Computer Science, Medical secretary, and Outward bound/outdoor education.

The senior internship committee is led by special education teacher Patricia Laidley and guidance counselor Taryn Belowsky, along with MHS English teachers Pasquale DiBenedetto, Abbey Dick, Robin Doherty, Beverly Nyman, and Jill Suskind, science teachers Ashley Freeman and Brian Morrison, business teacher Beth Horwitz, Spanish teacher Mar Marjomaa, guidance counselors Susan Lessard and Victoria Lipinski, librarian Lucia Musilli, and Jenkins house principal Kevin Kilbride.

Students began their internship on April 8th and end their work on May 22nd. The guide is a specialist who is knowledgeable within the intern’s field of interest. Each intern is required to seek the assistance of a guide. The guide will work closely with the intern and will share his or her expertise and knowledge, in which both the student and guide will benefit from each other’s diverse ideas and perspectives.

After a week at an intern site, students are required to fill out log sheets to keep track of their performance and work hours, which they will then render into a four to five page paper and presentation.

According to Laidley and Belowsky, the paper will be required to have “a description of their internship and the steps taken to complete their project or tasks performed at intern site,” as well as “a description of the reasons why they chose this project or intern site, a description of any difficulties encountered during the course of their project or at the intern site and how they solved them” and “a conclusion of the final results of their project and what they have learned from the experience.”

The presentation can be displayed in many different mediums, such as a video, a musical selection, a thesis defense, a three dimensional model, or any other physical and written representations of their project.

A Senior Internship Exhibition will be held on May 27, 2015 in the Finn Gym from 9:00 am to 12:00 p.m. Seniors will share their learning experiences from their internships in their aforementioned paper and presentation, detailing their various experiences and outcomes.

Because getting an internship is one of the best ways to prepare a person for the post-graduation world, MHS students are fortunate to have these opportunities at their fingertips.

 

Colby Sawyer College Welcomes MHS Senior: Kaitlyn Weng

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Photo by Lucia Quesada Nylen

Photo by Lucia Quesada Nylen

Senior Kaitlyn Weng is a very involved student at Malden High School. As she graduates this spring and heads into the next step of her life, Weng expects to continue her education in college.

Weng is one of the two students from MHS that was awarded the Colby Sawyer scholarship that the Colby Sawyer College offers at MHS. The scholarship pays for the four years of school, not including room and board.

enior Kaitlyn Weng is a very involved student at Malden High School. As she graduates this spring and heads into the next step of her life, Weng expects to continue her education in college. Weng is one of the two students from MHS that was awarded the Colby Sawyer scholarship that the Colby Sawyer College offers at MHS. The scholarship pays for the four years of school, not including room and board.

Weng explained that this particular scholarship is mostly “based on community service, diversity, and leadership.” She claimed her initial reaction to when she found out she had received the scholarship is that she was shocked, and was “so happy [she] was jumping up and down.” Colby Sawyer offers this scholarship in order to build more skills for leaders.

Weng is anxious about going away from home for college, and since Colby Sawyer is in New Hampshire, the drive from Malden is long. She stated that college is “scary, because [she] is going away to a school without knowing anyone,”

However, she will be attending school with the other MHS senior Nico Quesada Nylen. Weng and Quesada Nylen have been friends even before their acceptances, however Weng explains that she is “fortunate enough to have someone she knows going to school with her because [she knows] that [they] will have each others backs.”

Weng hopes to pursue Education while attending Colby Sawyer. At MHS she is involved in various activities such as volleyball, Captains Council, Special Olympics,  Summer Search and Unified Sports.  At her time in Colby Sawyer, Weng intends to join various clubs and become thoroughly involved, organizations like the Community Service Club and Relay for Life are two that interest her greatly. Weng hopes to continue various activities within her college career as she did at MHS.

This upcoming fall, Weng is “excited and afraid” from being independent from her family. Other than her Summer Search trips, she has not been away from her family all of her life. Despite being nervous, Weng is extremely lucky to have the opportunity to go to college with the majority paid for as a result of her hard work that she’s performed throughout high school, and now she begins the next chapter of her life at Colby Sawyer to continue her education away from MHS.

Colby Sawyer College Welcomes MHS Senior: Nico Quesada Nylen

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Photo by Cassandra Reyes

Photo by Cassandra Reyes

As senior Nicolas Quesada Nylen spends his last weeks as a Malden High School student, he has locked down his college choice on Colby Sawyer.

In college preparation chaos of senior year, Quesada Nylen, along with senior classmate Kaitlyn Weng, was awarded with the Colby Sawyer scholarship.Quesada Nylen read the letter sent to his house notifying him that he got the scholarship, “[he] really thought [he] was dreaming.”

Although Colby Sawyer was not on Quesada Nylen’s  list of colleges, after he heard about the school and visited the campus, it quickly became an easy decision that he would apply for the scholarship. Quesada Nylen plans on majoring in business during his time as a Colby Sawyer college student, with dreams to move on to culinary school and one day own a restaurant of his own.

Another senior year highlight for Quesada Nylen was being part of the MHS boys soccer team, who went undefeated in the regular season, won the Greater Boston League championship title and made it to the third round of states. Despite an ankle injury that didn’t allow Quesada Nylen to play for a major portion of the season, he expresses that “[he is] grateful to have worn a uniform and still be considered a part of the team.” Quesada Nylen also gives credit to his teammates and coach as the reason he will be playing soccer at Colby Sawyer this upcoming fall.

Along with being a member of the boys soccer team, Quesada Nylen had the privilege of being a Summer Searcher. Quesada Nylen describes his sophomore year trip to Wind River Range in Wyoming as “life changing.” Quesada Nylen grew to become a great leader in the Summer Search program for the underclassmen and says “[he will] always remember the two trips and what [he has] learned from the program.”

With the end of senior year close by, Quesada Nylen knows that “it is time to move forward.” Despite the fact that he will be living away from his family and friends, Quesada Nylen admits that “[he is] excited to live in a place other than Malden.” In his preparation for college, Quesada Nylen is “excited to see how [he] can leave a mark on Colby Sawyer.” Until then, he will be making the best of the time he has left at the place that has been home for the past four years, MHS.

A Day in the Life Studio Art

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Season 1 Episode 5: Follow Roberto De Oliveira and Katie Mai through their documentation of students who are enrolled in a studio art class.

 


Cyprus Criminalization

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The devastated city of Adana, Armenia following the Adana Massacre of 1909. Photo from of Wikipedia.

The devastated city of Adana, Armenia following the Adana Massacre of 1909. Photo from of Wikipedia.

On Thursday, April 2, Cyprus made it a crime to deny that the Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenian Turks in 1915, a move that was most likely to rile up their old rival, Turkey. The modification was made unanimously by parliament on the occasion of a visit to Cyprus by Galust Sahakyan, the president of the Armenian National Assembly on Thursday. This new law is penalizing denial of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, all while modifying existing legislation, which required some further involvement with the government in order to make the denial a crime.

The Armenian genocide was a very violent time for the Turks. The nature and scale of the killings remain vague to many. Most historians are saying that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed, but many are still admittedly unsure of the real number of casualties.

Turkey accepts that many Armenians died in partisan fighting beginning in 1915, but they still deny that up to 1.5 million were killed, and that denial is what has brought about the issue. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic states that “those who have tried to exploit the events of 1915 at every opportunity by using base political calculations have not been able to achieve any result until now and won’t do so in the future,” meaning that this rising need for truth is a time of change.

While all this has been happening, Turkey has not participated in the issue. Rather, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has considered the modification “null and void and not worthy of comment.”

Partially why this event is becoming so intense is the fact that it has been 100 years since the genocide has happened. “[The new law] allows parliament to restore, with unanimous decisions and resolutions, historical truths.” says the speaker of the Cyprus parliament Yiannakis Omirou.

The issue has long been a source of tension between Turkey and several Western countries, including the United States and France, both home to large ethnic Armenian populations. Cyprus too has a sizable amount of Armenians, which explains the need for the modification.

Altogether, the tension between the countries is only continuing to rise, and it is a matter of whether or not Turkey will accept the modification, and if Cyprus will follow through and draw the answer that they want.

 

 

Friday Updates: April 10, 2015

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Here are updates for the week of April 13  on current events in Malden.

This is information pulled from morning announcements and the Tornado Times.

 

  • Seniors: There will be a mandatory meeting for those participating in the Senior Fashion Show at the Gallery on Monday, April 13 at 1:45All must attend; if not you can not participate. 
  • PARCC exam for 9th graders on Monday, April 13 
  • PARCC exam for 9th graders on Tuesday, April 14
  • If you are interested in donating blood to people in need, stop by the Red Cross table at any of the four lunches to sign up for the upcoming school blood drive on April 14.
  • Class of 2017 will be having an open class meeting on Tuesday, April 14  after school in café A.
  • Senior Fashion Show on Thursday, April 16 at 7pm. Tickets will be sold during all 4 lunches. 
  • Got nothing to do on the Friday, April 17? Come check out the YMCA Leadership Corp’s Fire and Ice dance on April 17th, from 7-10PM. Tickets will be $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Look out for friends and officers of the Y for details.
  • ACT on Saturday, April 18. Doors open at 7:30 am at MHS and do not forget all required papers for the test. 
  • APRIL BREAK: APRIL 20-24
  • Seniors: Pay for cap and gown ($10) and AP exams to Ms. Sullivan at the main office ASAP
  • Seniors: $40 off a tux rental can be yours when you log on  to menswearhouse.com/prom. Take advantage of this offer! If you have questions ask, see Ms. Valente in the gallery.
  • The Starr Center is open every Monday & Wednesday for all of your health needs and questions! Located in the nurse’s office, the Starr Center has a doctor and health counselor available at no cost to you. 
Please join us in the Jenkins Auditorium on Thursday, April 16, 2015 for our senior fashion show.  We will be showing off all the newest dresses and tuxes all around.  Flyer by Josh Cronin

Please join us in the Jenkins Auditorium on Thursday, April 16, 2015 for our senior fashion show. We will be showing off all the newest dresses and tuxes all around. Flyer by Josh Cronin

Nedlam’s Corner

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Nedlam corner logoonline

Dear Nedlam,

Recently my friend just told me that she doesn’t want to be friends anymore. She asked me a question about a kind of controversial topic, and I had a different opinion of it than she did. I really want to still be friends with her, but I also think an important part of being friends with someone is knowing that they might have different opinions on things and the both of you still accept each other. Do you have any advice on how to handle this?

Thanks,

Hurt

 

Dear Hurt,

The first thing you need to know is that this isn’t your fault. It is your right to have your own opinion on things and you are correct when you said being friends is about accepting each other. That is  also a part of  being human; no one is perfect, there will  always be things you will want to change about other people, and there are things that they will want to change about you. But life is about dealing with the fact that everyone is who they are and it is our job to be who we are and respect eachothers opinions.  It is also important that you don’t feel like you need to apologize for your opinion. If you reacted rudely to her or him, that you can apologize for, but aside from that they were the ones who wasn’t respectful to you. To end a friendship, especially a long and close friendship, over differences in opinion about one topic, especially if the topic has nothing to do with either you or your friend, is immature and not a quality of a good friend. Since I don’t know the specifics of the situation, if the thing you had a difference in opinion over did have to do with your friend, then try to calmly express your opinion, and be mindful that it does affect her/matter to her. There’s always a chance she won’t talk to you about the way she feels, if she does talk to you remember to respect her opinion and explain how much you still want to be friends, but you don’t want her to get upset again if you have another difference in opinion. Ask if next time you could just discuss it calmly, and be okay with what the other says, or just not talk about the topic again. If your friend won’t talk to you, remember to give her some space. Hopefully if you two were close she will miss being friends with you and will come back and apologize and want to be friends again. If that doesn’t occur, then they are the ones being completely immature about the whole situation, and maybe you weren’t really good friends in the first place if she is willing to cast you aside over one little argument. Good friends are the ones who are able to work through their disagreements, no matter how tangled. Also keep in mind, that perhaps her getting angry at you actually has nothing to do with you, she is just expressing her anger or emotion about something else and is lashing out on you because she is powerless in her other situation. She could be dealing with issues at home, in school, etc. Or she could be experiencing jealousy that is either related or unrelated to the topic you were speaking of, maybe you are really good at something she isn’t, and even though she is talented at other things, she is jealous that you are gifted in an area where she isn’t. Think back if you might have done anything to upset her. If you have, apologize for doing that thing, but only that. DON’T apologize for your opinion, and make it clear that if something was upsetting her she could have come and talked to you about it (but don’t ask her if she’s jealous or if something is wrong at home). Just remind her that whatever the reason, you are her friend, you would never intentionally try to hurt her feelings, and that you want to stay friends. Hope this helps!

 

MHS Welcomes New Softball Coach: Rachel Timmons

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MHS welcomes the new softball coach Rachel Timmons.

MHS welcomes the new softball coach Rachel Timmons.

New varsity softball coach, Rachel Timmons is ready to fire up the girls for a great season this year. Timmons has gotten to know the girls very well, “[she] knows their strengths and weaknesses,” and is reading for team building. The whole team has personal goals as well as team goals, and Timmons is prepared to help them achieve them all. “[She] has such a love for the game and [she] likes to be a positive impact for the girls,” and she wants to push them to be the best they can be.

Timmons has played softball and baseball for most of her life. She played baseball until she was ten years old, on the Malden Youth Little League, and played on the Malden High varsity softball team all four years of high school. After she graduated in 2005, Timmons continued to play in college at Framingham State University, Timmons was captain her junior and senior year and played catcher.

Staying focused is important to Timmons and the team. She wants the team to remember that, “when [they] are in a game, every play matters,” and she wants them to notice the little things and if something bad happens, “[they] have to move on.” Timmons is excited for the season and can not wait for the girls to get out on the field.

Opening Day for MHS

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After the never ending winter, the Malden High School varsity baseball team is more than ready to bring out their baseball gloves and dust off their cleats. Head coach Kevin Carpenito takes a new approach having no captains this season, this young team with a bunch of returning players plan to make it to the state tournament once again. The team missed the tournament last season, being just three games short from qualifying ending the season 5-13. Not being in the state tournament since 2013, the team is striving to get back on track and have a successful season.

New faces to the varsity team consist of freshman Jared Martino, whose older brother was on the 2013 varsity team that made it to the second round of states, and sophomore James Pandolfo who is a Malden Catholic transfer student. Both are the middle infielders, playing shortstop and second base bringing a new young talent to the team along returning sophomore Joshua Simon and first time varsity player sophomore Matt Geer.

With only six seniors, Joshua Bessey, Mark Leonard, Zack Sousa, Kyle Gillis, Michael Morris, and Nick Hames, making MHS a young team this season. In which Carpenito, who is returning for his 16th year as varsity coach, sees potential in the chemistry the team has because most of them are returning players from last season. Carpenito stated that “the underclassmen are our strength,[and] the junior class is full of potential.” The juniors on the team consist of Ronnie Luke, Liam Elliot, Brian Batting, Robert Collins, and Nicky Andreucci.

The team has opened their 2015 season with games against Melrose at Pine Banks, in what is called the Mayors Cup, on Apr. 11 at home, and lost 10-6. Luke took the mound with Elliot behind the plate, Luke finished with five strikeouts. Lukes’ goals for the season consist of “to just play hard and have a winning record when I pitch and help my team out as much as I can on the field, on the mound, and at the plate.” Gillis came up strong for the Golden Tornadoes at the plate hitting a homerun over the left field fence during his first at bat of the season. After a well fought game, the boys ended up losing, however they are more than ready to improve this season.

Making a MARC on Malden

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Malden High School volunteers gathered to pose for a picture (seniors Anthony Bouley, Alyssa  Figueiredo, junior Kevin Irungu, freshman Alyssa Ardai, senior Blue and Gold members Piero Pocobene, Amanda De Moraes, and Meagan Sullivan, freshman Blue and Gold member Ana Kerr,  junior Blue and Gold member Emma Ceplinskas, senior Blue and Gold member Julie Lam, and senior Samantha Dorazio.)

Malden High School volunteers gathered to pose for a picture (seniors Anthony Bouley, Alyssa Figueiredo, junior Kevin Irungu, freshman Alyssa Ardai, senior Blue and Gold members Piero Pocobene, Amanda De Moraes, and Meagan Sullivan, freshman Blue and Gold member Ana Kerr, junior Blue and Gold member Emma Ceplinskas, senior Blue and Gold member Julie Lam, and senior Samantha Dorazio.)

On Jan. 30, 2015, members of the Eastern Middlesex ARC (EMARC) gathered at WS Parker Middle School in Reading, Massachusetts for the annual Snow Ball Dance. EMARC is a nonprofit organization that works with people with developmental disabilities and helps to involve them in their communities. EMARC serves over 1,000 families from Everett, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, and Wakefield. In addition, the  organization also includes members and volunteers from local high schools including the Helping Hands club at Malden High School.

The Snowball Dance is just one of the many events hosted by EMARC. They hold other dances throughout the year but the Snowball Dance is the most formal out of all of them. Other dances held during the year include the Halloween Dance in October, Spring Fling in May, and the Summer Sizzler in July. Helping Hands member and Blue and Gold member senior Julie Lam started the Summer Sizzler for the organization.

Volunteers arrived at the school an hour in advance to decorate the cafeteria at WS Parker Middle School with snowflakes, lights, and other festive winter decorations. The members joined them soon after in formal wear ready to dance and mingle. From 7 o’clock until 10 o’clock, members and volunteers danced to music provided by a disc jockey. Helping Hands club member junior Kevin Irungu stated, “the dances are a fun way for everyone to socialize and get involved in their community.” He also added that he enjoyed “volunteering and doing [his] best to make a difference, not just in Malden but throughout Massachusetts.”

The dances started about 10 years ago by a mother of a teen with special needs. The dances allow children and teens with special needs to be able to have the same social experience that one would have at a school dance. EMARC dances have support available from workers and volunteers to help them with their social skills and to involve them in their community. EMARC helps people with and without disabilities to get involved and gain a greater sense of confidence through their programs.

Junior Kevin Irungo, EMARC participant, senior Blue and Gold member Amanda De Moraes during a dance with EMARC member.

Junior Kevin Irungo, EMARC participant, senior Blue and Gold member Amanda De Moraes during a dance with EMARC member.

Loss of Living Legends

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LivingLegend

Weaver (originally born Gertrude Gaines) was born in southwestern Arkansas, near the Texan border. Photo taken from Wikimedia.

Within a week, the world said farewell to two very lived supercentenarians. Japanese woman Misao Okawa passed away unfortunately on April 1, 2015. Following her is African-American Gertrude Weaver, who passed on April 6, 2015.

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Jeralean Talley is at 115 years old and is now the new titleholder. Photo taken from Wikimedia.

From June 12, 2013, when the oldest living man Jiroemon Kimura passed, till her death, Okawa held the title of oldest living person. Okawa was born in the Tenma district (present-day Kita-ku) of the Japanese prefecture of Osaka on March 5, 1898. In 1919, Okawa married her husband Yukio Okawa. Yukio Okawa died on June 20, 1931. At the age of 99, Okawa began living at a nursing home in Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka. Okawa’s death happened in her nursing home and is attributed to heart failure. After her death, Tomohiro Okada, an official of her nursing home, commented how “she went so peacefully, as if she had just fallen asleep,” and that they “miss her a lot.” Officially, Okawa was a tremendous 117 years and 27 days old at the time of her death.

Okawa credited her ability to “watch out for [her] health” as a secret to her longevity. Okawa always had a healthy appetite, as she loved to eat mackerel sushi. A month before her death, on her 117th birthday, she was even gifted by an Osaka government official with a bouquet of flowers and wished her many happy returns. While reaching such a daunting age may seem like a long journey to some, Okawa claimed it to have “seemed rather short.” Okawa’s memory lives on in her 2 elderly children, 4 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.

While her reign was short, after the sudden loss of Okawa, Weaver was awarded the title of oldest living person.  Weaver (originally born Gertrude Gaines) was born in southwestern Arkansas, near the Texan border. On July 18, 1915, Weaver married her husband Gennie Weaver. After breaking her hip, at 104 years old, Weaver finally moved into Silver Oaks Health and Rehabilitation in Camden, Arkansas, but returned home after recovering. Later, she went back and moved in for good at the monumental age of 109. When Weaver was awarded the title, Kathy Langley, administrator at the rehab home, explains how Weaver “knew that she was the oldest person in the world, and she enjoyed that distinction greatly. She enjoyed every phone call, every letter, every comment.” At the age of 116 years and 276 days, Weaver passed away due to pneumonia.

livinglegend3

Japanese woman Misao Okawa passed away unfortunately on April 1, 2015. Photo taken from Wikimedia.

To Weaver, “hard work and loving everybody” helped her reach the grand age that she did. She explains that following God and her ability to “be obedient and follow the laws and [not worrying] about anything” also had helped her. After the heart-wrenching loss of Weaver, Langley comments how the elderly lady “was an amazing woman who [they] deeply loved, and [they are] incredibly saddened by her loss.” For her longevity, Weaver received a letter from President Barack Obama himself and her birthday was declared “Gertrude Day” by the mayor of Camden.

With Okawa and Weaver out of commission, Jeralean Talley, at 115 years old, is now the new titleholder. Talley is an African-American woman from Montrose, Georgia residing in Inkling, Michigan. Like Weaver, Talley claims her strength to live “[comes] from above.”

 


Conquering the Summer of 2014

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“This was during the two day, one night backpacking trip. Seven of the kids, including me, and two instructors, backpacked six miles to this location in Glacier National Park. It’s called Cracker Lake. Right after we arrived and set up our tents, the mountain goat descended upon us and just kept walking around our tents and he wouldn’t leave. He was still in the vicinity the next morning.” -Meitong Huang

“This was during the two day, one night backpacking trip. Seven of the kids, including me, and two instructors, backpacked six miles to this location in Glacier National Park. It’s called Cracker Lake. Right after we arrived and set up our tents, the mountain goat descended upon us and just kept walking around our tents and he wouldn’t leave. He was still in the vicinity the next morning.” -Meitong Huang

Leaving Malden, Massachusetts for a summer adventure in Browning, Montana shows signs of courage and open-mindedness. Senior Meitong (Mei) Huang of Malden High School branched out during the summer of 2014 on her trip to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana and brought back valuable lessons about perspective and culture with her.

Through the help of  VISIONS Service Adventures, a program where students travel to different parts of the world and complete community service projects, Huang met people from many different backgrounds.

Although Huang was apprehensive at first, she knew the nature of her trip would be different from her last Summer Search adventure in Colorado. (The Summer Search program at MHS allows students like Huang to venture out to places they otherwise would not have likely visited.) The trip to Montana was more about “leadership, adventure, and cultural immersion,” rather than physical pursuits and self-awareness, like her trip to Colorado.

“In the town where I stayed, Browning, during the second week of July, they hold a celebration called North American Indian Days. This was a part of a parade during the last day. These people were just in the beginning. Also, the Canadian flag is there because the Blackfeet Nation extends into Canada.” -Meitong Huang

“In the town where I stayed, Browning, during the second week of July, they hold a celebration called North American Indian Days. This was a part of a parade during the last day. These people were just in the beginning. Also, the Canadian flag is there because the Blackfeet Nation extends into Canada.” -Meitong Huang

With eighteen other kids and five instructors, Huang grew close with the others during the five weeks in Montana. VISIONS Service Adventures is all about “building relationships,” which Huang did through the various activities the group participated in. Along with bond-building exercises that took place several nights a week, the group spent approximately three weeks building a wheelchair ramp for an older citizen. Because it was her first time, Huang “found that it was really rewarding to build something with [her] hands from scratch.”

Living in another state, whether it is five years or five weeks, takes a lot of mental preparation, but Huang was “ready for a new beginning.” Along with her group, she stayed on a ranch, and although the area was unfamiliar, she felt “welcome” and comfortable. The small community consisted of about 5,000 people, so weekly gatherings were a recurring tradition that the group was able to participate in.

After her trip, Huang realized she “liked it a lot more than she thought it would,” and she would not change her mind of going. Meeting new people is always rewarding in some way, and she is glad the “people worked well together.”

“A horse’s nose is really soft. The caretaker for the ranch that we stayed on also had his own ranch. His name was Dale Pepion. So to thank him, we decided to help him on his ranch that day but Dale is this super nice old dude and it didn’t really matter to him. He was “or you guys can just watch TV”. I was really tempted. He had cable and I hadn’t watched TV or used any electronics in weeks. During lunch time, he showed us his horses and apparently horse noses are very soft so we confirmed it.” -Meitong Huang

“A horse’s nose is really soft. The caretaker for the ranch that we stayed on also had his own ranch. His name was Dale Pepion. So to thank him, we decided to help him on his ranch that day but Dale is this super nice old dude and it didn’t really matter to him. He was “or you guys can just watch TV”. I was really tempted. He had cable and I hadn’t watched TV or used any electronics in weeks. During lunch time, he showed us his horses and apparently horse noses are very soft so we confirmed it.” -Meitong Huang

Blue and Gold Wins Award at Suffolk University’s Greater Boston Newspaper Competition

Winter Color Guard Takes Gold

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On Mar. 29, 2015 and Apr. 4, 2015, Malden High School’s winter color guard team won consecutive competitions and brought back the gold for the school. The winter guard team pushed their way through many competitions, making their way to the finals.

Color guard is defined as a uniformed group who parade “with the spinning of a flag, rifle, or sabre associated with marching bands and drum corps.” However, this school’s team has made it so much more. The team has practiced day after day for hours in order to achieve the wins that they have scored recently. Although the work has been tiring, the teammates still state that they do not want the season to end. Even though the practices are tough and the effort is maddening, the team still expressed they will especially “miss practicing, hanging out and just being with [each other],” as stated by senior captain Jasmine Kelly.

Kelly experienced her last meet at the finals on Apr. 4, 2015. While the event was sad and something no one wanted to let go of, Kelly stated that she “really just thought about having fun and enjoying the time on the floor spinning with the girls that [she has] been with for a long time.” Kelly described the team as her “second family”, and the “sweetest people [she] could have ever met.”

Altogether, the team aimed to make a mark upon the audience. They achieved that goal by winning first place. “[Kelly] thinks … most [about] making sure that the audience is having fun.” She focuses “on bringing life to the show in a way that the audience can interpret and enjoy.” The MHS Winterguard has definitely made an impact on their audiences this season, drawing cheers from the crowd after every competition.

The Winterguard had trouble at the beginning of the season with having only six returning performers, a tough case to form a show around. However, as the team worked to get some instructors and new members for the team, they solved the oncoming issue, though it had been a very late start to the season. The team did not let the issue set them back, and they fought to get back to where they would be if they started on time. In finality, the team went above and beyond what was expected of them, despite experiencing their biggest challenge of the entire season from the start.

 

Lines Connecting Lines

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Another eventful night at MATV played out on Thursday, Mar. 26, 2015 through the Lines Connecting Lines gallery currently on exhibit through Apr. 24, 2015. The gallery is showcasing artwork inspired by poems that the artists selected to be their muse. On Mar. 26, 2015 there was a reception that honored the poets and artists featured in the gallery.

The artist and poet reception allowed for anyone and everyone to come to the gallery and interact with the featured artists and poets. At the beginning of the night, the artists and poets that collaborated stood by their work and discussed the meanings and beauty of the displayed work with passers by and admirers. Later throughout the night, the artists and poets walked around the gallery, greeting and chatting with those who were in attendance to support the arts.

A popular part of the event was the poets’ reading of their poems. Tucked away in a large room, the poets graced the stage with great inflection and effortlessly recited their poems. The poets received praise from the enthused crowd who attended their performances.

The creators of the art and poems made the work come to life through their stories and background information on the work and themselves.

The featured artists and poets all had fascinating stories to tell, making the night even more enjoyable. Every corner turned, there were new pairs of artists and poets that had collaborated and had connected stories based on their work but also their lives. Some of the pairs had only met each other the night of the event, as an attempt to not let the views of the poets interfere with the artists’ interpretations. The artists and poets tended to have quite similar views of the meaning and their interpretations of the poems presented.

Poet Christopher Hickey expressed the purpose of the event to be a time “to celebrate how art can form other art.” It amazed Hickey “to see how you take something from your mind and put it on a piece of paper and see how someone else interprets that with their art.”

The event was enjoyable and if there is another event similar to this in the future it is recommended to attend it. It is also recommended to visit the Lines Connecting Lines gallery at MATV before it is taken down. A visit to view art and poetry will not be a waste of time and to truly find meaning in the work will be a blessing to individuals’ lives.

Boys Lacrosse Profile: Steven Sexton

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Sophomore Steven Sexton is a vital member of Malden High School’s boys lacrosse team. Sexton has been on the team since his freshman year and is an attack.

Sexton began his journey into the fast-growing sport during the “summer of eighth grade to freshman year.” He was introduced to lacrosse by a friend who lended him one of their sticks and from then on, Sexton’s life changed.

The more he played, the more he began to fall in love with the sport. The harder he fell, the more intensely he began to dedicate himself to bettering his skills. Sexton loves how thanks to lacrosse, he is “able to spend time with teammates and being able to work as a whole and get better as time goes on.”

To Sexton, lacrosse “is a gracefully violent sport that is entertaining yet serious at the same time.” This is very evident in his how he plays as he is very aggressive and puts forth maximum effort in all his plays.

Sexton confesses lacrosse “means a lot to [him]” and before the season began, he was anxious for it start. He wishes for the team to improve its record from last year, which was met after the win against the Everett Crimson Tide.

The best part of the sport for Sexton is how it has allowed him to “meet new people and [let] [him] work with [them] to gain team chemistry” and lasting friendships.

He advocates for the sport and says “anybody who is interested” should definitely give it a try. He would love to “spread the sport as much as possible” to share his love of lacrosse to others.

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