The MHS Girls Soccer were able to make it to states with a record of 12-5-3, making this the second time since 2008 to able to do so.

Junior Genevieve Murphy explains that this season has been one of the best seasons and is hoping to make it as far as she can for states. She states, “[She feels]  like if [the team plays their] best game then [they] have a decent chance.” Murphy also includes that for the previous season, they did not win as many games. She says, “[that is] definitely something that  [they are]really proud of [themselves] doing and just being part of the season this year.” Murphy explains that working on passing and not holding the ball for too is something that “[they] struggle with.” .

Junior Angela Tejada-Soliz says that playing to the best of their abilities and being able to be a competitor for them is one of their main goals to accomplish in states. Although she explains that their opponent may be a challenge, she states, “[she] definitely [thinks] [it is]something [the team] can handle and [they] have essentially been waiting all season for. [She is]excited to see how [they] play against them.” Tejada-Soliz explains that the aspect her team needs improvement on is communicating more. She says.”Sometimes [they] have the intent to go out and play a great game but sometimes there is a lack of communication which throws off [their] game.”

The Girls Soccer team walking off the field during a game. Photo by Jesaias Benitez

Tejada-Soliz also explains that this year has been the best season out of her three years on varsity. She states,”Every single year [the team’s] goal is to make it just to states and [they have not] been able to do that. So this year, [it is] amazing that [they have] been able to get this far. [She thinks] that this year [they have] a lot of young talent and [they have] definitely reached a lot of their abilities by this point of the season and [they have] been able to work really well together. So, [she thinks] that [they] can carry that into states and have a good couple games”.

Tejada-Soliz also mentions that practices have changed since making it to states. She explains that the team is preparing by practicing certain drills which will help them play as a unit and as a team overall. She continues to describe that the key to beating their opponent in states is “to not be “intimidated by the teams [they are] going up against and just play [their] game.”

Murphy explains that she the seniors have worked very hard for this accomplishment and they have had good seasons in the past as well. She explains how “knowing that [they have] finally made it to [their] first goal and that [they] could reach other goals is really exciting.”

Murphy discloses that practicing on more passing and being quicker with the drills is what the team is improving on. She says, “now that [the team is] into states, [they are] not going to able to mess around as much, [it is] going to have to be really focused.”

The post Girls Soccer: Onward to States appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The Malden Girls Cross Country Team has been working hard and persevering day by day as the season is ending in just a few weeks.

“The season is definitely going to be missed” Coach Courtney Invernizzi stated. She expressed how it has been a wonderful first time coaching the team alone. There has been many accomplishments, including one achievement being the team making it to states. When asked, everyone expressed how they are very thrilled to be running at states.

This year, there has been many challenges, both ups and downs. Even though they have lost four times, they have also won four times. It is especially difficult this year because the team is in a different and harder league. Coach Invernizzi is exceptionally proud of the team. She expressed that the varsity kids have been “great leaders and a lot of [her] newbies(newcomers/ first timers) are very intrigued to listen and learn from the varsity kids”.  

On Saturday, October 29, the team competed in the North Eastern Conference, also know as the NEC. The NEC is a meet where the Malden Girls Cross Country Team go against the teams that are also in the league. According to Coach Invernizzi, the team has been presenting significant teamwork by pushing each other to their greatest potential. She later on explains how “[she] thinks if [the team] work[s] together, and are confident in themselves, they could, and should place very high”.

Sophomore Keri Gilligan running with Seniors Kylie DiMaro, Jasmine Gray, and Amanda Santorelli. Photo by Quyen Le.

Sophomore Keri Gilligan is in her second year of cross country. The day before the NEC, Gilligan expressed that they are going to do very well at the NEC because “[the team] has a lot of strong runners, and [they] have all been putting very hard work into all of [their] training”. Sophomore Emane Boufaida stated that “if [the team] work hard and use all the skills [they] learned at practice, they will be able to do great”. Boufaida is also determine to achieve her goal, that is to get a personal record, by telling “[herself] this is one of [her] last, and most important races of the season, [she and the team] have worked hard for it and [she] can do it”. Senior Amanda Santorelli feels that “[the NEC] is going to be a very great and successful meet because [the team] has been working hard and preparing for it for the whole season”. Confidently, Senior Kylie DiMaro stated “[they] plan to win, [they] are prepared to win, and [they] expect to win, when [they] wake up tomorrow morning, [they] know [they] have to go out there, do [their] job, and put in 110% effort”.

This season has boosted the team’s strengths as runners. For Senior Jasmine Gray “[her] goal at the beginning of the season was to win as much as possible, now [she] has been running personal records”, also known as PRs. For Gilligan, she has “improved on getting [her] times down, and her mental state while running.”

Even though the season is ending, the team do not have to say goodbye yet. Coach Invernizzi is the assistant coach for track. She is looking forward and “[she] enjoys learning from Coach Londino”. When asked, everyone on the team expressed how they were sad that the season is ending, but they are very much looking forward for track. Thus the team, including Coach Invernizzi, will reunite in the winter.

The post Girls Cross Country: Finishing the Season appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The 3rd annual Dancing with the Teachers! MHS students and faculty come together to support the class of 2018.

The post Dancing With The Teachers 2017 appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

LimeBikes placed all over Malden. Photo by Tobi Pitan.

Have you recently seen the green and yellow bikes around Malden? If so, that may be because Malden has welcomed two new bike sharing programs for the public to use.

One of the companies, Ofo have been around since 2014, and are based in Beijing. They successfully operate in 180 cities, and have recently come to Malden. Ofo bikes are the yellow bikes that have a self locking mechanism, so when your riding time is up, it can lock itself without having to be at a bike rack. The bikes can be found around Malden and only cost $1 for an hour of riding. After that hour is up, you can leave the bike anywhere and it will lock itself up. In order to pay for the bike, you need to hook up a credit or debit card to the app and scan the code on the bike. After you scan the code, it will unlock the bike and you can ride for an hour.

Limebike is very similar to the Ofo bikes. They came around in January of 2017 and are based in San Mateo, California. They have a GPS tracker on the bikes, so you can go into the app and find the closest bike to you. After you find the bike, you just scan the code on the app and it also only costs $1 per hour. It has the same mechanism that Ofo has, so you can leave the bike anywhere you want and it will lock itself without having to leave it at a bike rack.

These bikes are an incredibly efficient way to make it around the city fast and cheap. When your time runs out on the bike, it will continue to charge you $1 for every hour you are on it, so if you’re only planning on using it for an hour, make sure that you are off of it and you are sure it will no longer charge you.

Both of the apps are relatively straight forward. After opening the app, it asks for a quick verification and you need to enable some things like GPS and yo

A line of Ofo Bikes in Malden. Photo by Tobi Pitan.

ur camera, but after that you’re done. Now all you need to do is take a photo of the code on the back and it will unlock the bike for you. The only way to get the bike to unlock is by having a credit or debit card and it will charge you $1 for every hour you are on it. If you go over your hour, it will automatically charge you more. 

Mayor Gary Christenson said that he decided to make Malden the pilot for LimeBike because “[he] wanted to work with companies that could offer seamless transportation to other cities and since both LimeBike and Ofo were getting started in the area, [he] piloted with them. Kevin Duffy, the Business Development Officer along with City Councillors Ryan O’Malley and Debbie DeMaria worked with the companies so that the city could try the program for the remainder of 2017 at no cost to the City.”

The post Malden Bike Sharing Projects: Ofo and LimeBike appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

On October 26th at the Malden Senior Center. Malden Access Television hosted a public political forum for the the Councillor at Large election. There are four candidates running for one of the three Councillor at Large positions. The three current Councilor at Large running for re-election is David D’Arcangelo, Debbie DeMaria, and Craig Spadafora. Their challenger is Steve Winslow. At the forum, there were three panelists: Sidney Rodriguez from The Blue and Gold, Andrew Cardinale from the Malden Observer, and Bob Hale from The Massachusetts Senior Action Council asked the candidates questions on issues happening in Malden and their positions on some major topics.

Steve Winslow

“Thank you, Mayor Wong. I enjoyed working with you with the programs I’ve worked on in Mass in Motion. I really want to thank the moderator, the panels, and the audience here and at home for giving me this opportunity for why voting Steve Winslow for Councillor at large will make a difference for Malden and will move Malden forward. You will learn tonight about how voting for Steve Winslow will ensure the public’s voice is heard before the city council. You will hear about how a vote for Steve Winslow will ensure that Malden has a plan for safe streets and stop traffic congestion. You will hear about how Malden will work to ensure we have affordable housing for all Maldonians. I appreciate this opportunity and I look forward to the rest of the time tonight. Thank you.”

David D’Arcangelo

“Thank you Lisa and thank you to MATV, Malden’s Media Center for putting this together, the panelist, my fellow councillors, and my challenger Steve. It’s David D’Arcangelo. I am currently one of three city council members at Large here in Malden I am asking for your vote to return another two years. Malden is on the move. Our housing values are up. Public safety is up and we are in a save community. We are one of the most diverse cities in the nation. This is all great things for the city of Malden. And we want to keep that going. The city council dynamic now is a good one, filled with plenty rigorous debate. We certainly don’t always agree, but for you at home it’s a good thing, you want us debating vigorously and that’s what we have been doing. The city of Malden is a big organization 100 million dollars with a couple thousand employees. We got some great schools and we got a great school dynamic with a great K-8 system, with paraocial school, and the charter school that we have, even the extended education that we have; beauty schools, and driving schools, and other things going on in the city. Malden is an education powerhouse as i’m concerned, and I want to keep it that way. My number one priority is public safety. Consistently funded public safety. We have a new police station out on Eastern Ave. I am very pleased that I have taken an active leadership role with bringing to bear. Then there are other great things going on downtown, like the development, and other things around the city. I think Malden is doing a great job right now. I am asking to get back there for another two years. If you have any questions, you can check out the information on my website, DavidforMalden.com. Or please call me any time on my cell phone, my personal number is 781-789-4580”

Craig Spadafora

“Thank you Malden Access TV, distinguish panel… My name is Craig Spadafora I’ve been a councillor at large now for five terms, and I am looking to go for a sixth term. It has been a great experience for me. I am humbled every time I get to come up to this podium and speak. Like councillor D’Arcangelo said, Malden is on the move but more importantly, I have been up here several times before and been negative and cynical on where the community is going. I can honestly say now that the wind is behind us and Malden was on the move but more importantly we are on the map. Our diversity, our infrastructure, our new buildings, our absolutely making a difference for us. More importantly the people is doing it in the process. I want to continue that process in making sure we have the ability to grow. We are centrally located not that far from Boston, and everything that we have been doing for the past ten years whether it be the council or the school committee, the mayor’s office, has finally got us to this point. There is a little bit of luck in there but it is also a lot of work. I am proud to of been around some of that work. We have changed the ordinates  to protect the neighborhood. New building is happening. Sometimes enough of one thing is not good. But I was proud to support the moratorium. In the same token we’ve been talking about redistricting the waterfront, increasing our schools, increasing our green space, and making Mladen a great place to live. And I want to continue that mission. So, I want your support on November 7th.”

Debbie DeMaria

“Thank you Mayor Lisa, Malden Access Tv, all the panelists; Andrew, Sidney, and Bob for being here tonight. Thanks to our viewers, and to all who are watching. To me time spent is the best gift so, spending time with me tonight is very valuable. It’s been a long campaign season. But every constituent call, and every email I have received, reminds me how important public services is to me. I am married to my husband, Al for almost 39 years, a mother of three, a grandmother of three, and a proud resident of Malden. One of my recent successes was shepherding the community’s Preservation Act from its beginning as a voter service referendum to the formation of the actual committee. This will allow our residents to make the improvements and decisions about our historical sites, our affordable housing and our beautiful parks. As chair of the citizen engagement committee, I had the pleasure of working with our arts community on projects such as our switch boxes. Aren’t they beautiful. Also the ordnance committee, along with many other initiatives. We have been able to weigh in on possible marijuana dispensaries and their potential tax benefits. On of our long term challenges with be address our roads and our lead pipes. But with our efforts to rebuild and modernize the city, like Malden’s police station. Nothing is impossible. While I recognize the contribution of our long-term residents and veterans. I also recognize the new members of our community. I imagine resentments that hail from around the world that speak. 70 plus languages live in save, respectful, and in harmony that’s what I imagine tonight.”

The post Malden Political Forum: Councillor at Large appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

Sophomore Sean Lightbody getting ready to putt. Photo by Ajithaan Sathiyendra.

As the golf season is coming to an end, players on the team like Sophomore Sean Lightbody are getting prepared for the Northeast Conference.

Lightbody’s first hands-on experience with golf was “going mini golfing with [his] dad”, which had inspired his interest in the sport. Once he found out about the MHS golf team, he decided to join it during his freshman year along with other new players recruited by Nick Ansaldi, last year’s team captain.

Even though Lightbody wasn’t bad at golf during his first year on the team last year, he has improved a lot of his skills such as swinging and putting (stroke made to cause the ball to roll into a near hole) as it is his second year on the team. As a team, their goal this year is to improve their performance as the “team[s] performance last year wasn’t that great [as] most players needed to practice a lot since they didn’t have a lot of experience” stated Lightbody. From the first few games of this season, the golf team has improved a lot since most of the players have gotten more experience from before.

Lightbody’s goal this season is to play more in matches because “[he has not] gotten to play a lot during matches last year”. Him and his team have been working towards attending the Northeast (NEC) conference this season, which is new this year to the team as they have been attending the Greater Boston League (GBL) for the past few years. They are attending this very soon as it almost the end of the golf season. Even though their goal is to be prepared for the NEC, the main goal Lightbody and his teammates have is to have fun and enjoy the season.

This season “has been pretty fun” so far for Lightbody, also mentioning that at times, “it can be a frustrating sport”. He has had a great time with his team so far this season.

Lightbody believes that if people are interested in golf, they should consider joining the golf team as it can be a fun and enjoyable experience with teammates.

Lightbody and his teammates are looking forward to going to the Northeast Conference (NEC) near the end of the golf season this year, as they have been preparing for it from the start of the season.

The post Golf Profile: Sean Lightbody appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The Writers’ Den was created at the Malden High School for students to have a safe space to write, read and create work that relates to themselves and their lives. Fittingly, Michael Patrick MacDonald, the author of All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, a memoir about growing up in South Boston, visited the Writers’ Den on September 26th.

MacDonald grew up in the Old Colony housing projects in Southie, during a time when Whitey Bulger had a major presence in the community. He described his life as being very quiet; he couldn’t speak out against the crimes that happened in the projects. During the time he lived there, which was most of his childhood, he lost four brothers to gang violence, suicide, and overdose. He also lost his sister to schizophrenia as a result of gang violence. Despite this, he took all of these as a symbol of hope and motivation, starting with a memorial for “all of those who died too young”. Now he is a community organizer in places where poverty is high.

Junior Salma Bezzat attended the Writer’s Workshop on September 26th to hear what MacDonald had to say. Bezzat has not read the book All Souls yet, but said she really wants to. Bezzat says she thought the author wasn’t from Boston, however, it turns out he was and she felt like “[she] [could] relate to [him]”. Her favorite parts were when he read excerpts from his book, giving little preview of it. She also enjoyed the free write portion and how it created a connection with everyone in the room.

English teacher Jennifer Clapp attended the workshop and she read MacDonald’s book years ago. She has since then been using references from it to her classes. Clapp mentioned the book is a memoir, so it was a really painful story for her to read. She stated that “[All Souls] was very well written…touching…and emotional but [she] also felt terrible for [MacDonald] and [his] entire family.” Clapp found MacDonald to be “very direct and spoke very clearly to the students-as peers…[he was not] talking down to any of the kids and [he] was really open and willing to share his own experience, as painful as [it] [might have] been.” Clapp also mentioned that MacDonald has a second book called Easter Rising which connects to All Souls, also written as a memoir.

Sean Walsh, the Advisor of the Writers’ Den and English and teacher here at Malden High also attended the Writer’s Workshop. Walsh first heard MacDonald was going to be coming to MHS in the summer when he worked with Jodie Zalk from Malden Reads, a community reading program. Macdonald was appealing to Walsh and Zalk because of “[his] connection to the area and [his] work on social justice and restorative circles.” They had also talked about bringing in another local author after the success of last year’s author visit, in which M.T. Anderson had a Q & A section about his book Feed.

Walsh said his first impression of MacDonald after reading was that he “was someone deeply dedicated to helping young people process trauma and find their voice in stories. Walsh also stated that “[He] found [MacDonald’s] activities and [his] connection to students powerful.” Walsh didn’t grow up in the Boston area, so for him there was something very “historical and eye-opening about the story. [MacDonald’s] ability to discuss violence, drugs and racial attitudes of the period, really resonated [with] him.”

The post Writers’ Den Author’s Visit: Michael Patrick MacDonald appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

Matthew Bessey, a freshman at Malden High plays tight-end on the school’s varsity football team. Bessey has been playing football since he was five years old. He states how “[he] has always wanted to play football because [his] brother and [his] dad played football and [they] got [him] into it.” He explains that “all the training and conditioning the [team] does is motivation to [him] and it is what keeps [him] going.” Although junior captain Tyler Martineau already considers Bessey as “an exceptional player”, Bessey still believes that he can improve on “route running and run-blocking.”

Bessey believes that “no matter the record, the [team] is still a good one” and that the [team] just needs to work together more and really build up the offense.” Bessey also says that “[he] would like to play football throughout college.” Freshman Alex Cogliano, a teammate of Bessey’s and a longtime friend mentions that “[Bessey] has a really good chance of getting a football scholarship.” Cogliano states that “Bessey is a great player and teammate and that even though he is not an upperclassman, “[Bessey] still has amazing leadership and has a great chance of being a captain next year.”

Freshman Matthew Bessey. Photo by Gabriel Matnog

Cogliano believes that “[Bessey] can definitely assist players that need help and since [he] has played for such a long time, [he] can really be a weapon to the team.” Cogliano also states that “[Bessey] is the type of player to lead by example” and is someone “who will make sure the team stays on task and [make] sure no one feels left out.”

Martineau states that, “[Bessey] is like a little brother to [him],” as his relationship with Bessey started when playing Pop Warner just a few years ago. Martineau also says that “[Bessey] is on the right track to be an outstanding football player” and only wishes the best to Bessey and his career in football.

Bessey will be preparing for a non-conference home game against the third overall team in the state, the Everett Crimson Tide, this Friday at MacDonald Stadium.

The post Football Profile: Matthew Bessey appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

By Angelina Prum and Sara Zakaria 

Junior Queenie Dang is one of the three captains this season of Malden High’s Field Hockey team. Dang discovered her love for Field Hockey when she was in the 8th grade, which lead her to enroll in the sport as a freshman. She quickly rose above the ranks, and landed a spot on Varsity, taking the honor of being captain her junior year. Teammate Senior Audrey Goon stated that Dang continues each game as a leader who “pushes [the team] to keep improving [themselves]”. Goon stated that when Dang does not perform her best she uses that as a “drive” to her next games. As a friend Goon stated that she is “very dependable” and she can “always rely on [Dang] to tell the truth”. As a captain, teammate freshman Kenny Nguyen illustrated Dang to be a “good influence” and “helpful” in the plays.

Dang is positioned as a defensive player and occasionally plays frontline. To keep herself motivated, her strategy is to set goals for herself each game. Her main goals are scoring at least once at every game and making sure her team follows. When it came down to how she leads her team, Dang described herself as hardworking and determined. She is persistent at doing her best at each of her games. Dang sets goals for herself at her games to keep her motivated. Her main goals are scoring at least once at every game and making sure her team follows. Dang is modest, she will accept her mistakes but not let them defeat her.

Dang believes that the team is communicating well and she believes the quality time they spend together leads to better plays. The relationship between all the members of the team is close knit, and they are not afraid to help each other out when needed. Nguyen says that “every game, [Dang] points out what we might do wrong and makes sure that we fix it and do our best on the field. [Dang] makes sure that [the team does not] doubt [themselves] from [their] mistakes”. On the relationship between all of the captains, Dang said “all the captains are best friends” so it is easier for them to work together. On the relationship with her coach, Dang said that she has known her coach since middle school, due to the fact that she was her music teacher, so “[she] always had close relations with [her coach]”.

Although Dang is still a junior, she is already thinking about her future. To ensure that she stays on track with academics, she plans it all out, and she makes sure all her homework is done before bed. Dang hopes to play Field Hockey in college if the college she attends has a team. Dang also hopes to continue being a leader and to come back to Malden High to help others play the sport.

The post Field Hockey Profile: Captain Queenie Dang appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The National History Club is hosting a contest called Hometown Heroes, in which students choose a person that has impacted Malden. This person could be a teacher, a World War II veteran, a past mayor or governor, a nurse and/or a doctor. The first place winner will earn $2,000, the second place will earn $1,000 and two prizes, third place will earn $500 and two prizes as well. Students are encouraged to choose a person and look at how they have impacted them with a positive attitude. They can submit with an essay, documentary, or a website format. They will also need an annotated bibliography.

Damian Aufiero, a history teacher and leader of the National History Club, said that the contest had no limit to how many heros people can choose from. Aufiero also said that “this contest is a national competition, and [it is] a national contest so the winners will be chosen from from a group of students around the country and interested students can pick anybody from their hometown”.

This contest can benefit the students because local stories is one of the most meaningful way to connect to your community, because learning more about where you live makes you more attached to a person or place. The purpose of this contest is because of self enrichment and benefit of honoring someone’s legacy.

If students want to participate, go see Mr. Aufiero, B326, to join and honor a hero.

The post Hometown Heroes appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The Malden High Girls soccer team competed in a well fought game against Andover on Friday, November 3rd. Although the MHS girls lost 1-0, they maintained strong defense throughout.

Junior Angela Tejada-Soliz explains that their experience at states was nothing short of what they had expected. She continues to describe that they all played their best game and “definitely gave them some competition.”

Junior Genevieve Murphy stated, “[she thinks] that [they] played very well and it was a tough team but [they] held [their] own against them.” She is very happy with the game and would not have done anything differently.

Junior Salma Bezzat admits the team could have done better. She stated, “[they] were in the game the entire 90 minutes and there’s most certainly some good things that [they] did, but also some other things [they’ll] need to work on for next year.”

Bezzat explains that Andover played well and scored a “good goal.” Although MHS girls were not able to advance to the next round, Bezzat explains that made girls soccer history, given that “this is only the second time that MHS girls soccer has made it to states.

Bezzat also mentions that the team went home with their heads held high and continued to support the boys soccer team in their states game. She stated, “[they] didn’t let this loss get to [them], it’s the past now and [their] heads are now on for the next season.”

Bezzat hopes to improve her confidence because fear affected the team’s performance. She stated, “as soon as we touched the ball at the start of the whistle, and the opposing team started pushing [her], [she] wasn’t scared anymore.” She also explains that having more communication is something her team can always work on.

Despite the loss in the first round of states, MHS took a great leap forward compared to last season.

The post Girls Soccer: State Tournament appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

The MHS Boys Soccer team lost 2-0 to Framingham in the first round of the state tournament on Friday, November 3rd. The intensely close game marked an unfortunate end to what has been an historic season for the team.

The team began the game immediately in the back foot, conceding an unfortunate deflected goal within the opening five minutes of the game. This meant that the boys had to play with a one goal deficit for much of the game and go on the offensive throughout the remaining 85 minutes of the game.

After the game, when asked about the impact conceding an early goal had on the team, Junior midfielder Waldir Yacsavilca mentioned that “there was a lot more pressure on [them]” at that point, because they “had to score two goals to advance into the next round.” He continued to say that despite this, the team “was still confident and stuck to the game plan” as they knew that “Framingham didn’t really break [their defense] down” and “just got lucky with a deflection.”    

After conceding the goal early on, the boys struggled to answer on the offensive end for the rest of the first half. While the MHS defense tightened up and disallowed Framingham attackers to have any space, the Tornadoes also struggled to create any clear cut chances of their own. In addition, Framingham also controlled much of the possession in the opening forty-five minutes, as Malden was unable to keep a hold of the ball for long periods and penetrate the opposition’s penalty box.

The second half however, was much more of an exciting and open ended affair as both teams played offensive mindedly and created multiple shots at goal. In search of an equalizer, MHS piled the pressure on Framingham and was close to tying up the game multiple times. Due to more and more players for Malden piling forward, Framingham was able to hit the Tornadoes on the counter attack multiple times in the second half.

Senior captain and goalkeeper, Manuel Quesada Nylen was a major asset to the team, coming away with some clutch saves in order to keep his team in the game and maintain the one goal deficit. One save early in the second half was a highlight, as Quesada Nylen was able to heroically palm away a Framingham shot from point blank range.

Despite the numerous chances the Tornadoes created in the second half, the team was unable to convert any of them into goals and tie up the game. With a few minutes left in the game, MHS had to commit almost all players forward in search for a goal, which left their defense wide open for a counter. This is something that Framingham took advantage of, scoring a late goal which essentially iced the game.

Despite the disappointing result of the the playoff game, Junior goalkeeper Salim Tiken reflected on the game as well as the season with pride. When asked about the team’s performance he mentioned that the team “played a great game” and did a “good job not giving up and continuing to put pressure on [Framingham] till the last whistle.” He also explained that although the team “had hoped to progress further into the tournament,” they are still “happy with [their] performance this season,” as they had a “successful season, finishing first place in the NEC (Northeastern Conference).”      

The post Boys Soccer: State Tournament appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

Walk down almost any city street and what do you see? Humans of all sizes and colors walking fast, yet barely able to watch where they are walking, as they usually have a smartphone plastered to their eyes, incapable of looking up as their screens are far too enticing, causing them to bump into each other and grow angry. Then, they turn to their phones and tweet that they are having the worst day “like ever!”

Instead of being grateful for the money they have to purchase a bagel, people run to their friends and complain that it is slightly too burnt or that the cashier gave them a bad attitude. And once again, it becomes the worst day “like ever!” I, myself, am surely guilty of such actions on too many accounts.

In the spirit of the approaching holiday Thanksgiving, most people who celebrate it are anticipating a warm fulfilling meal to stuff their faces into next week. Visions of everyone’s family dinner table filled with mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, etc. are dancing around our imaginations as we wait for our feasts.

Night is approaching faster as daylight savings has brought us darkness sooner in the day. With winter approaching, many people are beginning to fall into a sluggish pattern of negativity. It is a plague that reaches most during the winter season. Ironically enough, this is Holiday season, a time of joy and gratefulness, sharing memories of togetherness and love with family and friends. I hate to say it, but it just is not what it used to be. My deepest apologies Andy Williams, but it just is not the most wonderful time of the year.

For students, they are stressed about grades; seniors especially, with regards to making decisions about college and the future in general. Adults have the stresses of day-to-day life consuming them and children feel the negativity surrounding them. The question is, where is the gratitude?

When I was a little girl, my family had a tradition of always compiling lists of what we were all grateful for, and before we could eat our Thanksgiving dinner, we would share these thoughts. I do not recall the point in which this tradition stopped, but I do realize that it had come around the same time my siblings and myself were growing older and losing our innocent views of the world.

This loss of tradition had come as a shock to me later in life. Think about it: our loss of innocence had somehow contributed to our loss of gratitude. Considering the circumstances of the world, the loss and devastation over time, one would think that people would be more grateful for what they do have. However, it has become more apparent that people choose to focus on what they lack.

Likewise, there is the irony behind Thanksgiving weekend; families sit around a table supposedly giving their thanks and celebrating each other, only to barge through stores the next day, ruthlessly grabbing the items they want. The consumer industry is only one of the contributors to the lack of gratitude in society.

As a student that attends a school with a large population, it is difficult to walk the halls without hearing the negativity radiating from each individual conversation. I do not want to hear about how “totally rude” it was of your cashier at Dunks today to not give you your receipt.

Optimism, gratitude and genuine life is what we should surround ourselves with. Our days are not marked by one bad moment. Moments are fleeting and happiness is irresistible. This holiday season, and all year-long, try not to get lost in the pessimism and cynicism, but rather engulf your life with thankfulness and cherishment of life.  

Courtesy of Wikimedia.

The post Turkey Stuffed With Gratitude appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

By Sabrina Monteiro and Carolina Cuevas 

The Korean Spicy Noodle Challenge was held on November 8th in B426 at 2:45pm. Hosted by the Asian Culture Club, the goal was to raise money for other events they hold throughout the year. Tickets were sold for three dollars prior to the event, by the officers and Latin teacher Julie Fox, and five dollars at the door. As the door opened, dozens of people awaited outside for the club members. It was not intended to be a competition, but the first person to finish their bowl was to walk out with a ten dollars gift card to Subway.

The winner ended up being Jimmy Li: a sophomore who finished his ramen in 23 seconds. Li did not plan to participate at first but was confident enough at the moment to then give it shot. He came to watch the people’s reactions which was one of the fun parts of being there and regretted his decision afterwards saying he would not do it again. Li did not chew, but swallowed the meal whole as the other participants’ eyes filled with water.

Neima Joseph is a sophomore who participated in the challenge. She thought it looked cool and she wanted to join with her friends. Neima was confident about the task but ended with a mouth on fire.

Participants preparing for the Korean Spicy Noodle Challenge. Photo by Ana Pirosca

Thao Nguyen is another sophomore who participated in the challenge because “[she] wanted food”. Before eating the ramen, she thought it was going to be okay. But after eating it, she thought it was really bad but plans on probably doing the challenge again next year.

The advisor of the club, Julie Fox, was also present at the event. Fox explained that the event was one of the many workshops used to spread Asian culture to the students of Malden High School. It was also meant to invite people to come join the club. As the first event of the year the club holds, it was the officer’s ideas and was approved by the club voting.

Vice president of the Asian Culture Club, Qian Ren, is a senior that wants the club to be fun and educational in hopes to increase diversity in the community through the arts, food, and dances. “[She] enjoyed it because most of the members enjoyed it” said Ren. Ren also stated  that “it was fun to watch people’s reactions.” One of the biggest events held by the Asian Culture Club is during Lunar New Year Festival, a citywide event that is held to spread the Asian culture across the city.

Senior Tenzin Dechong, was “very excited”. There were “so many people…[there].

“[It was] so fun seeing their faces red.” Senior, Lindsay Trannguyen, was “very stressed” because she made a bet with another officer on whether or not there would be a lot of people wanting to do the challenge.

At first, the club members bought 20 packages of ramen. But seeing the outcome of participants, they sent officers to the supermarket to end up with 55 packages. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the challenge. Tran Nguyen would like to do this again. She also has the idea of holding another event like this like watching a movie while eating regular ramen and other asian foods. Nguyen states that “Asian Culture Club is not all about Asians.”

The post Korean Spicy Noodle Challenge appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

By Sandra Rivadeneira and Julie Yu

Malden Reads is a reading organization for the Malden community, encouraging Maldonians to read and participate. It is a program inspired by the motto, “One City, One Book,” that collaborates with the Malden Public Library and MATV. Every year there is a new central book. They started to select books every year starting off with The Soloist in 2011. In 2016, Malden Reads picked The Martian by Andy Weir and  A Man Called Ove by Fedrik Backman for the 2017 book selection.

The book selection of 2018 is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This novel was published on February 28th, 2017, and has already received many high praise from authors such as John Green and has received awards in The Boston Globe Horns Awards. In the first month after release, the novel sold over 100,000 copies and since then has been one of the top books on the New York’s Best Sellers list. The Hate U Give is the second time that a young adult novel is chosen as Malden Reads book selection, the first time being The Absolutely True Story of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie which was the main book selection in the year 2013.

The Hate U Give is centered around racism and how impactful it is in a person of color’s life. It is a heavily inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. This young adult novel is about a 16-year-old black girl named Starr Carter who lives two very different worlds, the poor neighborhood she lives in and the rich and fancy suburban prep school. She goes through a life-changing situation when she watches her unarmed best friend get shot by a white police officer. Everyone is asking Starr about the night her friend was shot, but Starr worries that whatever she says might harm her home, family and her life.

A copy of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Photo by Sandra Rivadeneira

Originally this project was not intended to be an actual book. In 2009, on New Year’s Day, a 22-year-old African American man was shot by police officers. This news put Thomas in a shock. In her senior year of college, she developed a short story for her creative writing program. What started as a short story slowly expanded, and later became a book.

Chemistry Teacher, and Class of 2018 Advisor, Katherine Haskell explained how there was not one reason as to why the book was good. She had stated that “The storyline was relevant” and how it gave another side we don’t always see, “it gave a  voice to victims and the families”. Not only was the storyline in a present-day setting, but so was the dialogue between the characters. “ The dialogue is true to how urban teenagers speak”, which gives the reader a sense of relatability. Haskell stated that she loved how all the characters didn’t come from perfect backgrounds, “which made it even more realistic”. Because events in the book relate to real-world problems, “ it gives people a view from a new perspective”.

The book is a tremendous success among the youth audience. Being published on February 28th, 2017, The Hate U Give has already been offered a movie adaption by 20th Century Fox. The lead as Starr Carter has been given to the actress Amandla Stenberg who is known for other young adult movies such as Everything, Everything, and The Hunger Games. Other castings include Sabrina Carpenter, current music artist and former Disney star, and Anthony Mack, known as Falcon in multiple Marvel movies.

The selection for the Malden Reads 2018 book is a very serious and thoughtful process. When finalists are announced and the final votes can only be done by members who have read all the books. Some of 2018’s finalists included The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd and American Street Ibi Zoboi. For now, pick up a copy of The Hate U Give and see what all this talk is about.

The post Malden Reads 2018 Book Selection: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

This year, MHS congratulates Boys Soccer Coach, Jeremiah Smith, for receiving Coach of the Year.

Jeremiah Smith describes the season as a “huge success” despite the disappointment of how the team ended off at the playoffs. Smith added that the players dedicating themselves to the team, season, and training in the spring were the key factors that contributed to this achievement. He says that the Boys Soccer team has been playing as a team “right from day one.”

Smith admitted that he was not expecting to achieve such an accomplishment. Being good this season is something he expected. He stated, “[He] knew [the team] would be one of the top teams, so it was a pleasant surprise to win a top league title.”

Senior captain Joseph Costa described his coach as caring because he always put his players in his best interest. He also described him as thoughtful because he always understands the player’s situation. Costa continued to explain that Smith’s best aspect as a coach was his experience. He continued to say, “just because of how many great players and great games [Smith has] coached and been a part of.” Costa mentioned that he was expecting this achievement because of the rebound season, from missing states to advancing to one of the top “seeds” in the tournament this year.

Boys Soccer coach Jeremiah Smith. Photo by Ryan Hames.

Although this season had been dramatically different from last season, Costa described this season as “less stressful” and “not easy going” but admitted that the pressure was lifted. He states, “this season was fun for [Smith] as a coach and [the team] as players.”

Junior goalie Salim Tiken explains Smith to serious and believes that his way with words and his ability to get everyone on the team ready to play is his best aspect as a coach. Tiken comments that he was expecting this achievement to be awarded to Smith. He states, ”[Smith] helped [the team] maintain a strong winning streak while getting [the team] mentally prepared for every challenge [they] face.”

Although Smith got awarded Coach of the Year for the Northeastern Conference Boys Soccer, he admits that there were challenges along the way as well. Smith says, “[there is] always going to be bumps in the road of other teams kind of figuring out what you are doing and then you have to adjust.”

Despite the challenges, Smith comments that this season the team was very healthy. Dealing with injuries throughout the season is what “[the team has] to deal with and adjust to” he says. 

The post Coach Smith Wins Coach of the Year appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

As the season comes to a close for the Malden High football team, the most anticipated game of the season approaches. The Medford High Mustangs, Malden’s longtime rival, will play the Golden Tornadoes on Thanksgiving Day. The teams proudly hold the second longest high school football rivalry in the U.S and will be playing their 130th consecutive game. This is by far, the most hyped up game of the year, as Malden High holds spirit week and a pep rally the day before the big matchup.

Malden currently dominates the rivalry with a current record of 62-55-10, 62 being the wins, 55 being the losses, and 10 being the ties. Malden has won the 2016 and 2015 Thanksgiving faceoffs, and are hoping to get another holiday victory to make up for an unforgiving season. The Tornadoes have a current record of 0-10. Losing several Malden players to other schools, especially their star quarterback, Jared Martino, the team has been unable to recoup as a team which eventually led to shutouts in their past five games.

Malden High and Everett High shake hands after a very intense game. Photo by Gabriel Matnog

Senior Gandy Louisne states, “As a senior, [he] expected [the team] to be better record-wise, but effort-wise, [the team] has been putting a 100% effort at practice and at games.” Louisne has a strong feeling that the team will win, even without their past star players. When asked about preparation before the big game, Louisne says “[The team has]  been watching film trying to fix the mental mistakes, and [they] have been getting stronger in the weight room and in the field.”

The Thanksgiving game, like past years, should be a win that Malden deserves, even going through a defeated season. Louisne states, “[The team just has]  to go and do [their] job and [they] will win. [It is] not rocket science, it’s as easy as one-two-three. [They] just need to play [their] best during every play and all four quarters.” Louisne, coming back from an injury knows that “Malden is a good team with a lot of talent to give to the public, and this game is a great chance to seize the opportunity and win.”

Freshman Jason Ashworth believes that “Communication is key and execution of each and every play is what is important for [the team to win.” Although it is Ashworth’s first year on the team, he says “[They] have a good team, [they] just need to work harder and do [their] jobs.”

Ashworth and Louisne, along with the rest of the Malden High Football team will be preparing for the biggest game of the season against school rival, the Medford Mustangs, on November 23rd, 2017, at 10 am at Hormel Stadium in Medford, MA.

The post Football: Thanksgiving Day Game Preview appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

By Neden Bernadin and Carolina Cuevas

Rebecca (Becca) Jean Knight was a woman who was raised in Malden and left to start her journey across the world after graduating college, inspiring those around her including those in other countries. Knight graduated from Malden High School in 2005 and was a very active student of the school community. She was an athlete, team builder, humanitarian, musician, environmentalist, animal lover, volunteer and a supportive friend to many.

Some of the sports Knight played included basketball, softball, field hockey, and track. She also played percussion in the school band from elementary to her junior year of high school. Knight also volunteered for feeding the homeless at various churches, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics and mentored young students.

Knight then went to Arcadia University in Glenside, PA for college. She continued playing field hockey for a year and basketball for all four years. She even participated in three “Alternative Spring Breaks”, in which she went to Los Angeles, California to work with Habitat for Humanity. Her spring semester of junior year was spent at Stirling University in Stirling, Scotland. Knight then graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business in 2009.

The Live Like Becca Scholarship Night at the Malden Moose. Photo by Falyn Kelley

After graduation, Knight used the money she was saving for years to buy a car and set off for four months to Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. While traveling, she made new friends and experienced the thrill of skydiving.

Knight held several jobs before employment at sports retailer City Sports. And because of her strong work ethic, she was quickly promoted to assistant manager. She helped open a store in a suburb of Philadelphia which was a first in the history of the company to have a branch outside a city.

Knight had two dogs during her three years in Philadelphia and continued to work for City Sports in Boston until she and her friends moved to Fort Collins, CO in July 2013. She received many accolades for work and continued to get better.

By August 2013, Knight was one of four, with over five hundred applicants, to land a position at REI, an outdoor gear and sporting goods store in Fort Collins. Chances to hike, camp and explore a big, beautiful part of the country awaited Knight and her friends.

In June 2014, Knight died while whitewater rafting with three companions on the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado. All four people were thrown into the water, but a paddle hit her in the chin that knocked her unconscious, causing her to drown. She died doing what she loved to do.

The event occurred on November 4th, 2017 at the Malden Moose from 3 pm – 9 pm. The entry fee was $25. Holding the event was two of Knight’s cousins, Rachael and Lilah. The money is raised for well deserving Malden High School Seniors so this may help a well-deserving student to live their life to the fullest.

The guest’s tables were covered in black and red tablecloths, tissues, balloons, pictures of Becca, candy, plastic necklaces and ten chairs. The food tables had multiple containers full of food as well as plates, bowls, and eating utensils. There were many drink options such as soda and juice and many foods were served as well. Foods included chicken, ravioli, french fries, salad, and more.  

The tables for the raffles were full of many baskets that contained many prizes such as stuffed animals, movies, wine, pillows, Christmas decor and more with little boxes for the tickets in front of them. Tickets cost 1 for $1, 6 for $5, 12 for $10 and 25 for $20. A projector showed a slideshow of Rebecca next to large framed photos of previous Live Like Becca Fundraisers.

Merchandise included T-shirts for $25, sunglasses for $12, tank tops for $20, Sunglasses and a tank top for $30 and Koozies for $3 (2 for $5). All the guests were wearing Live Like Becca t-shirts to help show their support.

This year’s fundraiser was the fourth one held since it began and people can see more pictures and information on the fundraiser on Facebook or by messaging Rachael and Lilah through email at livelikebecca2014@gmail.com.

The post Live Like Becca Scholarship Night appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

This year, Malden’s annual Veteran’s Day Parade started marching early morning, November 11th, 2017. Marching a route of almost a mile and a half, the participating groups started the parade near the Beebe School on Elm Street and finished at Malden High School on Salem Street. The parade took around an hour and fifteen minutes from beginning to end, concluding at about eleven o’clock in the morning. Participating in the parade was the Malden High School Band, Malden middle school bands, the William Diamond Junior Drum Corps, from Lexington, the Grand Marshal, St. Joseph’s Parish, the Boy Scouts, and the Kevin Barry Pipes and Drums Band.

A majority of the participants in the parade were bands who had prepared their own music to play throughout the marching. The Malden High School and middle school band’s, and the William Diamond Junior Drum Corps had played traditional band music complete with snares, trumpets, and other common band instruments. The Kevin Barry Pipes and Drums Band played music using pipes and drums as the name suggests, which gave the parade a certain Malden vibe that would have been missing without them.

The Parade walked by some recognizable malden locations such as the Malden District Court, The Malden YMCA, and the Salem Street Cemetery. During the celebration, the MHS Band’s trumpet players performed “Taps” for some Malden veterans, to thank them for their service.

This years Veterans day parade, although shorter than  last’s, definitely captured the correct atmosphere of this vital American holiday.

The post Veteran’s Day Parade appeared first on The Blue and Gold.

I am stressed (admittance is the first step to recovery).

Confession: I am partly to blame.

Avoidance has become the biggest stressor in my life this year. Avoiding acknowledging, nevermind addressing, my own mental health issues and avoiding direct stressors like homework, practice, confrontation, et cetera has allowed me to dig my own grave. I am already three feet in the soil, halfway past insanity.

Procrastination falls into this category, a practice I’m quite proficient at myself. The crushing weight of my responsibilities normally sets in at around 6:00 pm after I’ve spent just shy of an hour postponing my homework in every way imaginable. But I’ve been groomed to succeed and soon the guilt of time poorly spent erodes my cool complacency.

Still, my greatest shortcoming is my inability to confront my own emotions and mental state, and, similarly, my astounding ability to suppress my feelings until I’ve rendered myself an inconvenience. I’m painfully aware of how infuriating it must be to raise an impatient, irritable, stubborn, teenager who cries unpredictably, most often in front of her unsuspecting parents.

During a recent Restorative Practice Circle I found myself mourning my childhood, a time when I knew what fun felt was like and how to reintroduce fun into my life with ease. As I reached high school, interest became conflated with obligation and I’ve come to realize that, outside from my obligations, I have no fun.

I want to make a conscious effort to better myself beginning by reintroducing my interests, my real interests entirely disassociated from school. I want to paint. I want to read. I want to watch movies that I should’ve three months ago. I want to learn new things meet new people. I want to not be such a hinderance to my parents’ own de-stressing. I also want to be able to remove myself as source of anxiety in order to address my actual inexplicable anxieties which seem to emerge from thin air, so thin it can feel like you’re suffocating.

Anxiety disorders are not uncommon, especially not among students. There comes a point where you have nothing left to surrender, no habits, no conscious anxiety inducers to let go of, but the stress persists, sometimes even magnifies upon the devastating realization that your efforts to recover were in vain.

I know there must be something underlying my stress, something beyond my control, but whatever is within my grasp I’ll try to change for the sake of my education, my self image, and my relationships with others.

The post Stress appeared first on The Blue and Gold.