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Hurricane Matthew Devastates Haiti

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BY JOSANDY JEUNE & STEFANY FOLEY 

Without a doubt, Hurricane Matthew has taken a toll on Haiti and has affected the lives of not only the people there, but here as well. Hurricane Matthew is a category five hurricane which has absolutely devastated Haiti, and hit southern parts of the United States. Haiti is a Caribbean country with a population of 10.32 million people (in 2013).

Haiti is in crisis due to the hurricane that just hit on September 28, 2016. This hurricane has destroyed a number of towns and in a matter of a week leaving people without food and a home. The death toll has now risen to about 1,000 people in Haiti.

A  lot of students aren’t aware about what is going on, but there are some that do. Freshman Tyler Crispin being one of them. Crispin finds what has happened to be “very devastating and really emotional.” Crispin feels nothing but sympathy toward the citizens of Haiti.

Crispin doesn’t know anyone personally that has been affected by the hurricane but he and his church have been actively praying for the population of Haiti. Crispin states that he “[hasn’t] done much money wise, but [has] been praying with [his] friends everyday.”

Gaelle Wagnac was going away on vacation when the hurricane hit Haiti. She was visiting her grandma in Chardonière which is in the southern part of Haiti. Wagnac’s family and friends were affected by the hurricane, a lot of their stuff was demolished. Thankfully, no one got hurt. “The hurricane hit [our] house really badly” Wagnac states. Where they stayed the roof came off, they lost one of the walls, and the door fell off from the house. They lost a lot of material.

Destruction after the Hurricane. Photos submitted by Gaelle Wagnac.

Destruction after the Hurricane. Photos submitted by Gaelle Wagnac.

Wagnac believes to help the country you can send goods that the community needs such as clean water, food, materials, etc. She believes “money really isn’t the issue right now, and when they do send money over it isn’t getting to the right people”.

Matthew has clearly affected many lives in Haiti and here in America as well. This is causing people to want to come together and help everyone that has been affected in one way or another. Many companies, communities and individuals have started online funds or fundraisers.

Paul Degenkolb who is the French teacher at Malden High School has been actively raising supplies and awareness on what is going on. He and the students participating in the Haitian Club are collecting supplies to help support a remote community in Haiti called Matenwa. Since last year before the hurricane occurred the Haitian Club has been collecting supplies to ship over there.

The event takes place on Saturday, October 29th 2016 and they will be collecting items till 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash donations are recommended as well because they do need money so they can ship the supplies over there. They will be putting the supplies in big domes that resemble shipping carts and will get them shipped to Matenwa as soon as possible. Others adults involved is James Eliscar the French teacher and lots of Malden High alums that have contacted Degenkolb via email and wanted to help out.

Degenkolb thinks that the hurricane has affected this community in the sense that lots of haitian students and families in Malden and at Malden High School know people that are from Haiti dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane.

All in all, the hurricane has left the people of Haiti with a lot on their plate, and it’s up to communities and people to help out.


Golf: Behind the Strokes

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Originating in Scotland, tracing back to the 15th centuries, modern golf is played all over the world: it spreads all over the 5 continents- America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and even Asia!

Many thought of golf as a basic game with a simple goal- to hit the ball into the designated place nothing more, nothing less. However, little did people know that behind all the simplicity of the rules and the strokes of a golfer is a dignified principle, that it is “a game of honor and respect” explains Malden High golf coach Richard Malatesta.

What makes golf so great is not just the competitive atmosphere but also the core values which it stands for. It is not only a game of logic but also of dignity. In a match, golfers are their own referees, which means it is up to them to be honest with themselves and also other players. This is what makes golf so different and unique to other sports because the players are alone with their own judgement and character. They not only fight with other rivals on the field but also the temptation to win through the meaning of cheating.

Besides honesty, golf also requires sportsmanship and courtesy among the players. Without such qualities, conflicts would be the likely outcome and golf would not be the honorable sport that it is today. In a team, these values come in with much, much more importance. An act as trivial as making the lane for someone else when you are done or give someone else a hand when they needed it can bring the team closer and stronger as a whole.

In addition to those mentioned, another important core value is responsibility. The players are in charge of keeping up scores, calling out penalties and the golf field itself. After a match, all participants are expected to not leave any trash behind and to keep the surrounding as neat as possible. Furthermore, a golfer should also be able to keep up with the pace with the game and repair ball marks on the green. It is the duty that one has to carry as a golfer.

“Golf is another metaphor for life,” explains coach Malatesta, “and one can always learn something new every time one plays.”

             

Humans of MHS 10/21

Truth of Life: Photo Gallery

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Hallway of Jhe's work. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

Hallway of artist Youngsheen Jhe’s work. Photo taken by Ryan Hames.

Check out the Truth of Life photo gallery. To see more, click here

Girls Cross Country Profile: Manel Soltani

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Manel Soltani is a Malden High senior on the cross country team. Soltani has been on the team since freshman year, making this year her fourth season on the team. cross country was not an option for her at first, because she wanted to do cheerleading, however, she joined because she wanted an athletic base, and her sister also participates in cross country. Soltani believes it was fate that brought her to Pine Banks, because “it was the best decision in [her] emote high school career.” Soltani stayed, and continued to be a member of the cross country team, because she found an awesome environment. She found a place that pushed her to work harder than she ever worked before. Cross country and indoor track was “amazing” and her love of running began there.

Soltani’s goals for Cross Country is to bring a team to the Division I state meet on November 12th. Soltani aims for the team to win the GBL title one last time before they join a new league, so they can be undefeated for 6 years in a row. Another goal is to run a personal record to end her senior year of cross country.

Soltani says her most exciting moment would have to be attending invitationals and the state meet. She loves how all of the team’s hard work and efforts come together when they see how much they’ve improved at the end of each season. She loves the vibe and the environment of the meets. “It’s super difficult to describe, because there’s nothing like it, and [she hates] to say this because it’s so cheesy but you really have to be there,” says Soltani.

Her goals academic wise are “very plain,” in her opinion. Soltani aims to get into her top colleges. The cross country team prides itself on having one of the most highest cumulative GPAs of any MHS sports teams, and she excels when she’s around people who truly value their education. She wishes to run after high school, however, she does not know whether or not she’ll be partaking in a college level of running. If not, she plans to join a less competitive team/club. “Running is definitely something [she] will be doing after high school is over,” she says.

Soltani has a plethora of reasons why she loves cross country. It teaches her countless values, such as hard work, sportsmanship, love, empathy, how to be better person, etc. Her coach, David Londino, has said time and time again that running will show your true colors, and that what you do running will be indicative of the person you choose to be in life. If you quit running, you quit at something in life. She holds herself accountable and strives to be the best version of herself in life. She also loves the team. She thinks the success of a team is very much dependent on the relationships built in it. “[She] can easily say [she loves] and [cares] about every person on the team. They want nothing but the best for [her]. [Her] best friends are on the team,” she says. Soltani says that the team has seen her grow and shaped who she is today. Her favorite quote that she loves a lot and recites to herself and her team on game day is “teamwork makes the dream work.”

Field Hockey: Malden vs. Lowell Pink-Out Game Recap

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On Friday, October 14, 2016 Malden High School’s girls field hockey team competed at a game at Pine Banks against Lowell.

Before the game had started there was a ceremony for both MHS and Lowell’s graduates of 2017. MHS senior players included Douglas Alves, Erin Mulcahy, Caitlyn Leonard, and Julia Cocuzzo. Although the team put in their full effort unfortunately they were not able to obtain the win against Lowell, and ended the game with a score of 4-2.

Junior Audrey Goon bringing the ball up the field. Photo taken by Abhishek Rana.

Junior Audrey Goon bringing the ball up the field. Photo taken by Abhishek Rana.

At about 10 minutes from the start of the game, Malden had made the first goal by Douglas Alves. Which kept them in lead until Lowell had also made a goal which kept them in tie. By halftime Malden’s field hockey team was in lead with a 2-1 score. Junior Shakyra Antoine says, “that [was] definitely [their] best game of the season so far! Even though the score may not have shown it but every single player including [herself] walked off the field knowing [they] played [their] hardest and didn’t give up.”

Near the end of the game Lowell had caught up with Malden, and won the game. Antoine had also said “[they] were all super amped to be playing not only for the seniors but for cancer awareness as well.” Even though the game was difficult, the field hockey team still found their way through it and enjoyed the game as it was.

As Alves had said “[he thinks] that [they’re] a young talented team that still has a chance to win games this year, “ and the team has gained not only more determination for the rest of the season but greater team connection.

 

Cheerleading Profile: Savitneed Svay

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Freshman Savitneed Svay, who was self inspired to join cheerleading, has been apart of the cheering team for one season. Svay plays the position of a flyer. Svay decided to start cheering because she says that, “[she] knew it was something that [she] would enjoy.”  Svay also says that she is an outgoing person which is why she also wanted to cheer.

Cheering is very important to her, Svay says, “[she loves] the adrenaline [she gets] when [she gets] on the competition floor and it’s just something that [she enjoys] being apart of. Also, knowing [she] accomplished something with my team is a great feeling after you put so much effort into it.” According to Svay, the season is going in the right direction. “[They] are having [their] competition soon and all [they] can do now is to practice hard and hit everything, making sure everything is clean. So [they] are prepared.” Svay also says how her favorite part about cheering is competing in front of everybody and hitting her routine that she and her team have been working on.

Svay’s goal before next season is to be able to do a tumble. She also says, “That’s something [she’s] weak at. [She feels] like if [she puts] [her] time and energy into something, and is actually determined then [she] would accomplish that goal.” When questioned about the feelings that go through her mind, Svay says, “Once [she gets] on the floor, [she feels] the adrenaline rushing and [she doesn’t] really think about anything else. Hitting the routines and basically entertaining the judges, nothing goes through [her] head besides that.”

Overall, Svay says that she loves cheering and says her experience with cheering can sometimes get stressful but her team always maintains to stay on track. Although Svay comes across tough situations, she says that she has been noticing improvements. “[She has] improved a lot from the beginning of the season because [she has] learned a lot of new things.”

Svay’s advice for those who want to join cheerleading is to have a strong mind set. “It’s a very physical sport. Never think you can’t do something because there’s always a way to fix your mistake. In my opinion, cheering is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. If you don’t have the mentality, it’s not for you.”

U.S Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony

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On Tuesday, the 18 of October, Malden High School held the U.S. citizenship naturalization ceremony in the Jenkins auditorium, hosted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The auditorium was filled with the immigrants to the United States that were going to become citizens. There to support were their families, friends, police officers, people from the military, and high school staff and students.

This was the last step in their journey. Taking the oath with one hand in the air, and finally the process of becoming a U.S citizen was finally completed.

There were immigrants from all over the world, including the countries of: Brazil, China, El Salvador, Haiti, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Venezuela and many more. The atmosphere was electric; filled with pride, ecstasy and admiration. In the crowd were proud kids that were recording their parents, clapping excitedly, and happy watchers that found the whole ordeal interesting.

In the actual ceremony, there was an Opening of the Court which included the judge coming out along with many important people such as the CEO of the Immigrant learning center. There was then a Call for the Posting of Colors / Malden Police Honor Guard presented by Samantha Stoutenburg, while the National Anthem was sang by Jeantilus Gedus. Then the immigrants finally became U.S citizens and said the Oath of Allegiance in a call and response way of Samantha Stoutenburg. The judge then conversed with the new citizens, as well as Mayor Gary Christenson. The whole auditorium then recited the Pledge of Allegiance, then the court closed.

At the end of the whole process, the family members walked out more proud than they were when they walked in, the high school students walked out with a new outlook on U.S citizenship then they did when they walked in, and the immigrants that worked so hard to get to where they were that day walked out as U.S citizens, able to vote, and do so much more. They thank Malden High for hosting their naturalization ceremony and are very happy to be U.S citizens for the rest of their life now.


Fine Arts Movie Night

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BY: REBECCA OLIVEIRA & FALYN KELLEY 

On October 21st, the Fine Arts club hosted the annual October movie night in Malden High School art teacher, Joseph Luongo’s room, H309, after school at 3pm.

The Fine Arts club was selling tickets during lunch block outside the cafeterias. After multiple different suggestions and votes, the Fine Arts club decided to show the movie Coraline due to majority of voting agreeing with the film. The film was chosen because it went well with the spirit of Halloween.

They sold two kinds of tickets: one of which cost $1 for the movie, but the other ticket cost $4 with the added bonus of food and drinks. There were different kinds of pizza–pepperoni, cheese, and chicken–along with kettle corn being served on white paper plates and the beverages included coke or sprite in plastic cups. Just right for staying in for movie night.

Coraline is based off of Neil Gaiman’s 2002 novel. It’s about this creative and adventurous little girl, whose family moves into a creepy new house with a secret door that leads to parallel world. This parallel world is the flip side of her world, where her parents pay attention to her and are happy as opposed to being cranky and oblivious workaholics who never have the time nor patience to deal with their daughter. However, she later discovers that the Other World has dark and sinister secrets, making it the perfect Halloween movie to watch.

The room was pitch black, save for the SmartBoard where the movie was being projected on. Innocently ominous music played as the credits rolled across the screen and these large metal, spindly hands undid a button-eyed doll, before rearranging her into Coraline.

There were about twenty people scattered throughout the room, sitting on stools with their attentions fixed on the Tim Burton movie.

The Fine Arts club tries to do a movie night in the months where there are important holidays, such as Halloween and Christmas. The next movie night will be in December, due to the craziness and business that fills up people’s schedules during pep rally and spirit week.

Any suggestions for Christmas movies will be taken and considered by the Fine Arts club.

Games of the Week of 10/24/16

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We got you the low-down on the showdowns that’s going down this week!

Field Hockey V / Everett

When: Mon, October 24, 4pm – 5pm

Where: Madeline English School, 105 Woodville St, Everett, MA 02149, USA

 

Soccer B V / Medford

When: Tue, October 25, 6pm – 7pm

Where: Hormel Stadium,  Locust St, Medford, MA 02155

 

Soccer G V Home Medford

When: Wed, October 26, 4pm – 5pm

Where: Pine Banks, 1087 Main St, Malden, MA 02148

 

Cross Country GBL Meet / Everett

When: Thu, October 27, 4:30pm – 5:30pm

Where: Everett

 

Soccer B V / Winchester

When: Sat, October 29, 12pm – 1pm

Where: Knowlton Stadium, 458 Main St, Winchester, MA 01890, USA

 

Soccer G V / Stoneham

When: Sat, October 29, 10am – 11am

Where: Stoneham High School, 149 Franklin St, Stoneham, MA 02180

Sophomore Queenie Dang keeping ball away from opponent.

Sophomore Queenie Dang keeping ball away from opponent.

A Look into the Social Justice Club

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Recent events have brought social equality to the forefront and Malden High School’s Social Justice club is making sure to address these social issues, shedding light on a much needed conversation.

Newly formed and inspired by the success of the social justice club run by Summer Search, the Social Justice club works to create a safe and welcoming environment to talk about social injustices and how to address them. To the club officers, this type of club was almost a necessity. Senior Gabby Onessimo recognized early on Malden High’s diversity and the need for a club that both celebrates this diversity and allows students to talk about the struggles related with being so diverse. Onessimo, the president and founder of the club who is also the Head Copy Editor of the Blue and Gold, wanted to build a space that would support a community interested in talking about social justice and making change.

When Onessimo approached seniors Deborah Deapherne and Robyn Jones, both immediately expressed their eagerness to attend and help lead the club. The plan was to create a club where new topics would be addressed every meeting, giving members a chance to contribute to ongoing conversations about recent events, justice movements, and issues in school.

Deapherne, one of the club’s officers, explains that “as [they] start off small and [they] have the conversations in [their] little classroom it’ll eventually grow out and grow to everyone else and people will start feeling comfortable and start correcting others, especially when they are being rude or derogatory.” At its core, Jones, the club’s final president, knows the club is all about the feeling that “they get where [she’s] coming from, and [she gets] where they are coming from,” and what people choose to do with that feeling.

The officers and members are all hoping that this first year yields success. The club is already planning some initiatives to further its mission. While continuing to hold weekly discussion meetings, the club plans to set up posters about appropriation to educate others about the importance of standing up not only for yourself, but for others as well. To inform and educate, the club also urges members and students to use social media for their benefit by following others who advocate for social justice.

The club is also hoping to take the conversation outside of the classroom, bringing the topic of social justice to the forefront in school assemblies and even outside of school events. They want to engage in peaceful protests and other shows of civil disobedience, historically the most influential form of social action, not just to show the importance of the issues being spoken of, but the importance of student’s voices.

Now, the Social Justice club is using student’s voices to address social injustices by providing a space for students to “vent and learn without being completely judged, pushed out, or ignored”, as Deapherne puts it. This is especially important to MHS students, Jones concludes, because “[they] want to have Malden High be aware of everything that’s going on and not be one of those schools that is really diverse but [they] don’t talk about it”. The club meets every Wednesday in Ms. Brown’s room in B328.

Arrangements for City Hall

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       These past couple of weeks, Mayor Gary Christenson and the Malden Officials have moved into temporary workplaces in preparation of the demolition of the old City Hall on 200 Pleasant St. The new building consists of different departments; Human Resources, Malden Redevelopment Authority, Mayor’s Office and others in another temporary workplace up on 110 Pleasant St.  This past summer, 2 or 3 departments relocated out of City Hall into temporary buildings for the time being. The building is right next to the new Chinese Restaurant Ming’s Seafood. Although Mayors Christenson’s office is a lot smaller than his old one, he thinks that it was ¨perfect¨ and that space wasn’t important to him, but more of trying to ¨revitalize the downtown area [not what it once was back in the 60s or 70s]”

Mayor Gary Christenson posing for a photo. Photo by Neden Bernadin.

Mayor Gary Christenson posing for a photo. Photo by Neden Bernadin.

    The demolition of the old City Hall will start up in February of 2017. Mayor Christenson said that main aspect of the development is to, “reconnect Pleasant Street, so it will go straight through¨ to make it easier for people to travel in and out to get to Malden Square. It will take about four months for the demolition before the building process starts up.” Christensen noted that the project had an overall worth of a hundred and twenty-five million dollars. The construction is expected to be completed in the year of 2019.

    Mayor Christenson mentioned that the Police Station is also in process of being torn down. It will be in a more central-like position in the town. He described that it was a main component in the project since they couldn’t temporarily move the inmates. A benefit of the station removal is that it will create more parking opportunities for the residents or people who want to visit. The Malden Teen Enrichment Center will also play a huge as it will be the new location for public meetings for the School Committee and City Council.

     As the project unravels, Mayor Christenson hopes that this new establishment of the city hall is “something that people can be proud of” and describes as a “shot in the arm for [you know] one of the most important areas in our city.¨ As Christenson would like  to say to future colleagues, “in life, hard work and dedication will always be the tendency of success.”

  

Humans of MHS 10/26

MATV Presents: Youngsheen Jhe’s Art Gallery

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MATV has been hosting art galleries for some time now, and from now until November 4th, Korean artist Youngsheen Jhe’s artwork is going to be hanging in the establishment. On Oct. 20, MATV welcomed community members and the artist herself, to a reception for the artwork. Light refreshments were served, and guests had a discussion regarding the art, and what it means to each individual.

Youngsheen Jhe was born in Korea, where as a child, used art to make her everyday life more exciting. Today, she lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, although has connections in Malden, where she participated in a local sketch group.

Poster advertising the gallery. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Poster advertising the gallery. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Jhe calls the city of Malden “very unique,” since it’s community members love to “know something new or interesting.” Malden residents, Jhe says, “know how to celebrate art.” Jhe was “deeply honored to be [there] as an artist,” and truly felt her art was appreciated.

Jhe’s paintings are oil on canvas, and her “Truth of Life” gallery showcased at MATV has a focus on mannequins which were incorporated within human lives.

Painting by Youngsheen Jhe. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Painting by Youngsheen Jhe. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Guillermo Hamlin, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for MATV, said that setting up the gallery was “quite easy and simple,” as he had help from Jhe herself, who labeled all paintings. The gallery was set up in a single afternoon.

While searching for potential artists to showcase at the MATV gallery, Hamlin said that the gallery coordinators looked for art that could “resonate with the Malden Community.” The main purpose of showcasing galleries at MATV, Hamlin states, is to “enrich, educate, and entertain the public,” which Jhe’s provocative and intense paintings do.

Associate Director at MATV, Anne D’Urso-Rose, helped coordinate the art gallery. This is only a small part of her job’s entirety, although it is one of her favorites. In preparation for the gallery, a video was put out highlighting the artist. Those at MATV working on the gallery had to do a lot of promotion in order for the gallery to be a success.  

D’Urso-Rose “loved [Jhe’s] work” calling it “intriguing and very high-quality.” D’Uro-Rose organized a discussion during the artist’s reception, in which guests talked about the art, as the artist sat back and listened to what people thought of her art and what it meant to people. D’Urso-Rose had organized the discussion because of the “narrative [quality] of the paintings.” The paintings “[told] a story although you don’t know what the story is.”

At the reception on October 20, Mayor Gary Christenson was in attendance. Christenson believes that the galleries are a great way to bring together the Malden community, and enrich the community as a whole. Christenson thinks of the art galleries held at MATV to be a “great diversion for [him] from the everyday, tedious, monotonous life that [he says he] leads in [his] capacity as an elected official.” Galleries like the Jhe’s reminds Christenson that there is “more to life than policies and budgets.”

More photos from Jhe’s gallery can be found on our Facebook page here.

A Look Into the Veg Club

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Veg club sign. Photo taken by Kayla Sousa.

Veg club sign. Photo taken by Kayla Sousa.

 

 

The Veg Club is at its second year running after beginning in October of last year. The club consists of a group of students that discuss vegetarianism and veganism in society.

Initially the club began with senior Ariel Gustowski, president and founder of The Veg Club, who wanted to create a “safe environment” for those “who seek support” in their lifestyle. At the age of sixteen she became vegan for competitive reasons as well as becoming a better athlete. She soon discovered the health benefits and the great effects on the environment as well as how the lifestyle “helps replenish our environment”. Her love for animals also helped her make the decision of going vegan and she has never looked back to return on her past eating habits. Ariel Gustowski says her vegan lifestyle has “helped widen [her] perspective of different foods” and become more prone to trying new foods.

Senior member Matthew Savini Burke began his vegetarian journey as a bet at fifteen years old. He was an avid meat eater before the transition and didn’t eat many fruits or vegetables. After researching online about animal cruelty and reasons why to minimize meat intake, he made the decision permanent. This bet became a lifestyle. He initially came across a YouTuber who helped with the transition and went vegan at the age of sixteen. At seventeen he went back to vegetarianism due to health reasons. He states that the transition “was difficult for family due to their high meat diet” but was very surprised at how “inexpensive the transition was” and how not all  “vegan and vegetarian food is bland and simple” but can be flavorful. The transition also helped him “become a more independent person” in his eating habits.

Justine Muir, who is also vegetarian, is the club advisor. She states that “the group consists of a passionate group of students who believe in a plant-based lifestyle” and that is what makes this club different from all others. During the weekly meetings they “spend time discussing and sharing resources with each other like cooking or baking while munching on delicious vegan snacks” and often go to farmers markets and food festivals.

The club itself meets every Friday at 2:15 at H410 in Muir’s room. Gustowski states that they are unlike other clubs because they “are friends inside and outside of school” and regularly “go on field trips to Haymarket and vegan restaurants.” Members ultimately  want to discuss “the vegan world and educate those who come” and “ try to limit the stereotypes on vegans and vegetarians.” Members of the Veg Club often share recipes and bring in vegan and vegetarian food to try out. Advisor and members say  that the club welcomes anyone who is “openminded no matter what diet you have” and are open to new ideas.


Ballot Questions To Be Voted On

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Elections are right around the corner, and as frightening as that may be, it is important to stay informed– by facts, not by biased media coverage. Not only are the presidential elections coming up; voters will be voting on ballot questions as well. Of the 19 proposed ballot questions, only four of them will be up for voting on November 8, 2016.

Listed below are the questions.

  1. “A “yes” vote would allow a second slots parlor to exist in Massachusetts. The 2011 gambling law currently allows for up to three resort casinos and one slots parlor. The slots parlor license is owned by Penn National Gaming, which operates Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville.”
  1. “This proposed law would allow the state Gaming Commission to issue one additional category 2 license, which would permit operation of a gaming establishment with no table games and not more than 1,250 slot machines.”
    1. Put simply, this means that the Gaming Commission would allow one business to be opened in which there can be up to 1,250 slot machines.
  2. “The proposed law would authorize the Commission to request applications for the additional license to be granted to a gaming establishment located on property that is (i) at least four acres in size; (ii) adjacent to and within 1,500 feet of a race track, including the track’s additional facilities, such as the track, grounds, paddocks, barns, auditorium, amphitheatre, and bleachers; (iii) where a horse racing meeting may physically be held; (iv) where a horse racing meeting shall have been hosted; and (v) not separated from the race track by a highway or railway.”
    1. The current location that the Gaming Commission would be considering for the slot parlor is at the Suffolk Downs horse racing track in East Boston.
  1. “The question, if approved, would let state education officials approve up to 12 new charter schools a year.”
  1. “This proposed law would allow the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to approve up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools each year.”
    1. Voting yes on this would enable the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to open 12 new charter school in the state, and enroll more students in the ones already in existence.
  2. “Approvals under this law could expand statewide charter school enrollment by up to 1% of the total statewide public school enrollment each year. New charters and enrollment expansions approved under this law would be exempt from existing limits on the number of charter schools, the number of students enrolled in them, and the amount of local school districts’ spending allocated to them.”
    1. The charter schools already in existence could expand enrollment by 1% of the current public school enrollment. So, say there are 500,000 student currently enrolled in public schools: all the charter schools in the state could increase their enrollment by 5,000 students.
  3. “If the Board received more than 12 applications in a single year from qualified applicants, then the proposed law would require it to give priority to proposed charter schools or enrollment expansions in districts where student performance on statewide assessments is in the bottom 25% of all districts in the previous two years and where demonstrated parent demand for additional public school options is greatest.”
    1. Since only 12 new schools would be permitted to open in one year, districts with the highest demand for them would have priority.
  4. “New charter schools and enrollment expansions approved under this proposed law would be subject to the same approval standards as other charter schools, and to recruitment, retention, and multilingual outreach requirements that currently apply to some charter schools. Schools authorized under this law would be subject to annual performance reviews according to standards established by the Board.”
    1. These new charter schools would be subject to the same rules and restrictions that the currently existent ones are subject to.
  5. “The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2017.”
  1. “This question, if approved, would phase out what advocates say are “extreme” methods of farm animal confinement.”
  1. “If approved, this law would prohibit breeding pigs, calves raised for veal, and egg-laying hens from being held in confined spaces. Question 3 defines confined as meaning that which “prevents the animal from lying down, standing up, fully extending its limbs, or turning around freely.”[1] This law would also apply to business owners who knowingly sell pork, veal, or eggs from animals held in this way, even if the source is outside of Massachusetts.”
    1. This question, if approved, would fight for improved living conditions for livestock.
  2. “Exceptions to this confinement rule include temporary holding cells for transportation, fairs, medical research, veterinary exams, and other purposes.”
    1. The above standards would only apply to permanent residence, not temporary living conditions.
  3. “The state attorney general would administer the new law, which would come with a maximum fine of $1,000 could be levied for each violation.”
    1. Violators would be fined $1,000.
  4. “Supporters such as the MSPCA said that the measure seeks to avoid needless suffering of animals raised for eggs and slaughter, while many opponents say that these practices are generally not practiced in Massachusetts in the first place.”
  1. “ If voters say “yes,” Massachusetts will join Colorado, Alaska, Oregon, Washington state and District of Columbia in legalizing marijuana for recreational use.”
  1. “Question 4 would legalize and create a commission to regulate marijuana in Massachusetts. Currently, marijuana is only permitted for medicinal purposes. Under the new law, Individuals at least 21 years old would be able to use it, grow it, and possess it. The measure stipulates that individuals could possess under ten ounces of marijuana inside their homes and under one ounce in public. They could also grow up to six marijuana plants in their homes.”
    1. This would make marijuana accessible to anyone at the age of 21 or older. Individuals above the age of 21 could grow up to six marijuana plants at home.
  2. “The measure would create a regulatory structure called the Cannabis Control Commission. This body would oversee marijuana legalization and issue licenses to firms that seek to sell marijuana products.”
    1. A commission would be created to control the distribution of marijuana in the state.
  3. “Under the measure, retail marijuana would be subject to the state sales tax with an additional 3.75 percent excise tax. If it chooses, a local municipality could add another 2 percent tax. Revenue from excise taxes, license application fees, and fines for minor violations of this law would be placed in a Marijuana Regulation Fund, which would help to pay for administrative costs of the new law.”
    1. If legalized, marijuana would be taxed.
  4. “If approved, marijuana legalization would take effect on December 15, 2016.”

All of these ballot questions have enormous impacts on the state as well as individual cities and districts. The question that is receiving a great deal of attention is question 2; with it comes a heavy disagreement between public school and charter school supporters. The largest issue people tend to have with charter schools, is that they, unlike public schools, don’t have to report to the local school committee. Public schools are responsible for the education of the whole city, while charter schools are only responsible for a small portion of children.

When asked, Malden High principal Edward Lombardi stated that he “definitely [considers himself] more pro-public school than anti-charter school.” He claimed that the only issue he has with charter schools is that they get a large portion of money from the state that would otherwise be going towards public schools. Public schools could be using that money for building academic programs, broadening choices for electives, and hiring more teachers in order to decrease class sizes.

During election season, it is vital that to know about local elections as well as the national elections. Building a strong opinion on politicians and ballot questions is the key to being satisfied with where you live. In the United States, we the people hold so much power, it is important to use that power to mold the world into one we would like to live in.

Information pulled from BallotPedia State Desk: Jackie Beran, Ryan Byrne, Joshua Donovan, Jessica Dravecky, Rebecca Hellmich, Cindy Kehler, Wes Taliani, Samantha Waldroup.

Check out the ballot questions here

Senior Profile: Q&A Douglas Alves

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How long have you been playing for? And what has made you stay in the sport?

I’ve been playing for 2 years now and it was my friends that made me stay into this sport.

Why did you choose to play field hockey?

I chose to play field hockey because I thought it was a fun sport and I felt like it would be a good experiment.

How do you think the rest of the season will go? Are you guys prepared?

I think the rest of the team will go really well and we will be prepared. We always take one team at a time.

What do you think you need to improve, if so what do you think the team need to improve on?

I need to improve on my dodging and stick skills more because I feel like I can do better. I don’t think we need to improve on anything now because the only problem we had was communication but we fixed that.

What do you like about being part of the team? What do you think about your team?

I like that everyone is always included in things and I also like that if someone on the team is feeling down another player will go and talk to the player that is feeling down.

What goal do you have for the rest of the year?

My goals for the rest of the year is to better my dodging and stick skills and also to score more.

How many wins or loses do you have? And what are your opinions about the games?

We currently have 1 win and 11 losses. There were some games that we could have won some of the games but the other teams are pretty good. Also this is a young program still and we’re just getting stronger.

What do you think about your team?

I think that we’re a young talented team that still has a chance to win games this year.

What are the strengths you have?

I’m a good sprinter and that I’m coachable.

Any advice for the new comers next year? Why do you think they should join?

Be prepared to condition because it’s a running sport. They should join because it’s a really fun sport and it’s a really good experiment to play. Because everyone one there is committed to make the team better.

Invisible Illnesses In Schools

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There is a common belief that mental illness can only strike adults when actually, any given student can be silently combating depression or anxiety.

The statistics are startling. Eight out of every one-hundred students that walk through Malden High School’s halls may have moderate to severe depression. In an illness such as Social Anxiety Disorder, one that affects many students, the typical onset is thirteen years old.

Invisible illnesses such as anxiety and depression plague schools all across the country and a disconcerting amount of people are aware of its potency.

School can be a mentally taxing and physically draining place. As we progress throughout our high school careers, accruing high-level academics and extracurricular activities to our schedules, these responsibilities begin to take a mental wear on us. We are held to high standards by our peers, families, and teachers whose aims are to aid us in reaching our fullest potential.

School can also pose as a large source of anxiety for many students. A large part of our education comes in the form of homework or work that must be executed outside of school. Assignments, essays, and assessments that require studying amass rapidly over the course of a school day. Add that into the equation along with sports practices or drama rehearsals. 

As adolescents, school is an imposing constant within our lives and has a large impact on our future. In four succinct years it can configure the entire scope of the rest of our adult lives. When principals, teachers, and coaches fail to take this into consideration, there can be potentially dangerous consequences for students and families.

Schools have the tendency to wade in the topic of mental health as opposed to fully diving into its implications. The lack mental health education in students may make it difficult for students to pinpoint the signs they may be exhibiting. These signs can occasionally be muddled. The lack of support and education in school only inhibits the knowledge of students, faculty, and staff.

I was not aware of possibility of having depression. It seemed like a foreign idea that could not have intruded open my personal stratosphere. I thought a lack of motivation and general hopelessness in the midst of my peers was a normal occurrence and that everyone felt this way occasionally. Surely it was normal, and surely, it would ultimately be proven fleeting.

The severe stigmatization of mental illness in society only perpetuates the ignorant notion that only adults are capable of having depression or the negligent belief that anxiety is “all in one’s head”. It can be very discouraging for students to realize that they may need help in an environment negatively charged with contempt and indifference toward non-physical sickness.

For someone who is already coping with a mental illness, relating to other peers their age can be a remote task. School can pose as a great source for knowledge and acceptance of mental illness and hopefully aid in its destigmatization.

A Look Into the Technovation Club

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BY JOSANDY JEUNE & SABRINA MONTEIRO

Advisor Paul Marques. Photo by Josandy Jeune.

Advisor Paul Marques. Photo by Josandy Jeune.

The Technovation Challenge was created to help girls become more interested into the world of technology.

This challenge is for middle school and high school girls only. There is a small percentage of girls who actually join clubs such as these, none the less actually having a career in this field.

The Technovation Club has everything to do with all sorts of problems occurring in different countries worldwide. Students all around the world are competing in the Technovation Challenge, for the benefit of their schools and for the benefit of their education. These communities are having problems and by doing this, there will be a $10,000 prize for whichever team creates the best app. The money will be to have a safer and educated-driven environment.

The advisor of the club is Paul Marques. Marques has been running this club for three years. What influenced him to start this club is as the Computer Science Director and a teacher at Malden High School, he noticed that a lot of girls aren’t really involved in technology classes.

Marques states that “a majority of the class is made up of males and that only 5- 10% of girls make up his class. Sadly, that is what it’s like in the real world.” He started this club to help change that.

Marques role as advisor is more of a facilitator. The girls are really learning on their own, and coming up with their ideas on their own too. He does aid with making the business plans, helping with software, the demos, and presentation but the majority of it is the girls at the club.

Marques has seen that the club has been getting bigger this year and says that the experience so far has been great. He wrote a business plan for the first time and had a good time tackling that down and learning how to do that.

All in all, Marques really has enjoyed the experience of the club and working with his students. He finds that this club really introduces the students to the most cutting edge if the real  world: entrepreneurship.

Golf Profile: Simon Daponta

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Freshman Simon Daponta is a new member of the golf team in Malden High School.

So far, his experience has been exhilarating as his team “is great” and all the members are “energetic and very funny.” As a fresh face in the team, Daponta did not have a lot of hand-on experience with golf before. His brother was the one that suggested that he should play. “[He] started playing in the summer with [his] brother,” explained Daponta.

“When [he knew] the school had a [golf] team, [he joined] immediately.” For him, golf is a “competitive, [yet] relaxing” sport.

“It requires a lot of patience,” he said. “If you are easy to get frustrated, golf might not be the sport for you.”

Freshman Simon Daponta posing for a photo. Photo taken by Man Nguyen.

Freshman Simon Daponta posing for a photo. Photo taken by Man Nguyen.

Daponta’s personal goal in golf this year is to improve on his skills in golf and strengthen his relationship with everyone on the team. He thought of his team as “fun and really interesting.”

Besides being a team, they are also close friends outside the golf course. “[The team] bonds a lot,” explained Daponta, ”so everyone gets along with everybody else.”

Besides his great teammates, Daponta has Richard Malatesta, a coach who is no less amazing than his team this year. “The coach is really helpful, both with homework and [golf], says Daponta. ” [Malatesta] always says academics first,” along with more advice for the team.

Daponta is ready for the rest of the season, and can’t wait for next season.

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