The do’s and don’ts of how to navigate a diverse society (like Malden)… and why it’s important.

A man in a store at the mall gives you exceptional service, never leaving your side, always getting you a different size when you ask, and telling you about different sales going on. At the register, the manager asks you which employee helped you today, but you never got his name. You start to list unhelpful details, like his black hair and brown eyes.

Finally, you just say “y’know, the Asian one.” The woman at the register next to you looks mortified, blushing a violent scarlet. Why is she so uncomfortable? The man was Asian, Vietnamese to be specific. Why does it matter? More importantly, why are people so sensitive about these things?

First off, calling somebody by their politically correct minority name is not racist, that is why it is called politically correct – it is correct. There is nothing wrong with saying that a man is black if he comes from Somalia, just as there is nothing wrong with calling a member of the Jewish faith a Jew.

While informal, these names bear no ill connotation, so why do people get uncomfortable when someone else asks, “hey, your coworker, is she a Jew?”

The most annoying part of this is the people who, in an attempt to not seem racist, make everything seem racist. For example, your friend who says “Not to be racist, but I really love sushi.” How can that possibly be taken as racist? It is not like you are offending the entire nation of Japan by saying that you like their food, if anything that would be a compliment. The remarks only become racist when those who say them express prejudice towards another group of people, contesting that they have a certain (usually negative) characteristic. Saying that all people from Iraq are terrorists, or that all Mexican-Americans are illegal immigrants, are truly racist.

This tip-toeing is especially heavy in the LGBT community, where, for some reason, everything makes everyone uncomfortable. “I’m not trying to be rude, but is your friend a lesbian?” There is no need whatsoever to try and cover up whatever rudeness you think you are conveying; it is a simple yes-or-no question. You want to know if she’s a lesbian? Ask her, it won’t offend anyone as long as you are polite.

Being polite changes everything when someone asks a question, so long as the question is in good taste. Asking your Iranian friend “Hey, are you a terrorist?” is not going to sound nice no matter how hard you dress it up and make it seem friendly, since it reinforces a stereotype. Another equivalent is asking every gay person if they have AIDS – it’s just not cool. Asking the same Iranian friend if they are Muslim or not is the better route to take, since a yes or a no offends nobody.

In conclusion, just be politically correct and polite when you ask questions, and no, you’re not being racist towards Italians for saying you don’t like pasta. Opinions are completely normal and natural, but using them to cover up actual racism isn’t. Having the “opinion” that all black people are criminals is not an opinion, it is racism, and therefore deserves no legitimate respect. In a world where apparently everything is now “racially charged”, I believe it would be better if we worried a little bit less.

Sadly, there are people who are bad at their jobs. The average American may encounter a doctor losing a patient, a lawyer throwing a case, or a Dunkin’ Donuts employee forgetting to add cream and sugar. This average American is entitled to his anger – after all, he lost his friend, or his land, or his luscious dosage of caramel swirl in his morning coffee.

The difference of the latter, though, is this: at best, a lack of caramel swirl will only cause mild and fleeting disappointment. The former two damage lives, break marriages and separate families.

Let’s take this to the next level. If the president overreacted and declared war on Russia, would we excuse him for the reason that he has the most stressful job in the world? No. He would be torn apart — because he has a responsibility to look after his people, not shy away from blame whenever he is accused of wrongdoing. This goes out to the police, too. Respect does not supersede accountability. As officers of the law and leaders in our community, the police should be held to the same standard of behavior that we are, if not a higher one. I trust that police officers who believe in their work will not find this a difficult expectation, either.

Human beings have always struggled to decide whether one can be excused for a crime based on the positive work they do. But the American justice system is designed to be such that people are equal under the eyes of the law — everyone is accountable for their mistakes. So why, as a society, do we always struggle to even consider standing beside people of color?

You may not agree that Darren Wilson or Daniel Pantaleo committed a crime, and that is fine. But there is a live stream of similar cases happening each day and cabinets full of others locked in our past as well. What I want to discuss is why people are bringing race into this discussion – and to put into perspective why the conversation is becoming so controversial and vital to the people of Ferguson and beyond.

In 2004, a young woman named Victoria Snelgrove was struck in the head with a pepper spray projectile launched by police forces in Boston following the Red Sox’s World Series win as she passed through a riot in the streets. Eight other people were arrested and sixteen were injured in this craze, but none of this mattered: the tragedy hit Boston hard. After all, this woman, a 21-year-old journalism major from Emerson College, lost her life in an inevitable riot. She was also white.

Over ten years later, I watched CNN’s coverage of the riots following the decision not to indict Darren Wilson. A panicked black woman is screaming and shouting in the background, and the reporter asks what she is angry about. The only online source I can find of the incident is on crooksandliars.com (I can only attest to the accuracy of this quote) and the transcript of the exchange reads: “I’m upset that this girl just had a heart attack down here, five, six people carrying her body and they tear gassed the girl! They throw gas on the girl, on top of her body, she’s passed out! And they started throwing tear gas at the crowd. We’re tired of this.”

I cannot find any more information on this woman. She could be dead. She could be alive and well. She could be hospitalized. She could also not exist. It doesn’t matter – why can’t any credible source be bothered to find out? Does she not deserve to be followed up on?

We react differently towards different instances of disorder, too. The night I was watching the riots on CNN, I felt like I was watching something different from what the reporters were telling me. They were desperately running around, searching for misconduct, focusing in on the few actual crimes that took place and lingering on those, and remarking about how disappointing the disorder was and how it violated Brown’s family’s wishes.

I will not overlook the crimes that did occur that night – the instances of violence and store break-ins are facts, of course – but take a moment to consider what they were there to cover and what they chose to focus on. They spent little to no time giving context about the case, explaining why there were protests, or making any effort to balance their critical remarks with the facts of the case. Instead, they swarmed to the most action-packed vicinities, pointed out every burning trash can, and lingered the camera frame on every moment of violence. It is almost as if the media wanted there to be chaos – that’s what makes a headlining story, after all – and they had all the right shots to make it one.

I hear the argument that many of the people rioting are taking advantage of the chaos, and sure, this is probably true. But that’s not why the riots are happening. The people of Ferguson are angry, and if their allegations are correct, they are being outright abused and silenced. Historically, when people are vehement and sick of being treated poorly, they riot. Do I support that sentiment? No, I do not think violence is the answer. But I am not a black resident in a city run primarily by white officials, and I cannot say whether this is an issue worth fighting and rioting over. For that reason, calling the violence a “disgrace” discredits the racial tensions and ongoing problems – which we do not fully understand – and replaces it with our disapproval of civil disobedience and perpetuates a false negative view of the people of Ferguson and black people as a race.

We gasp and bemoan about what happens in Ferguson now, but riots have been looked at as positive turning points in social movements time and time again. The Stonewall riots were a result of decades of tension between LGBT people and the police in a New York City bar; it climaxed in a three-day riot that included throwing objects, destruction of property, fires, and many, many arrests. Maybe violence was not the only way they could have protested, but they felt so trapped, so ganged up on, that it was the only way to take their rights to a national stage. In effect, it no doubt served as the turning point in LGBT history.

Unlike the disorder at the 2014 Pumpkin Fest in New Hampshire, the mayhem at Ferguson happened for a cause. When drunk college students in New Hampshire – primarily white, mind you – cause mayhem for virtually no reason, people disregard it at silly, foolish, and “stupid.” I think the media had a responsibility to be consistent in the way they cover different kinds of riots – if what happened at Ferguson is a “disgrace,” then the Keene State riots deserved an even more critical name.

What scares me the most is the line drawn between the near-sighted white world and the voices of the rest, something that is being actively profited on by the news media platforms. By treating the riots like war zones, they make a wildly sensational story. This cannot distract us from the real problems at hand. When we talk about Ferguson, we are not talking about those people, or whether they are going to invade another street and cause destruction. They are Americans, and they are upset. It is not mandatory for us as a nation to act on their demands, but we need to listen to our own people and hear what they are demanding. This is what causes “disgraceful” riots like the ones in Ferguson.

Don’t feed the media. They won’t bite your hand – they will bite the hands of the people who are powerless in the public view.

With a direct goal to provide more nutritional school food, the school utilized its new staff members and transformed the lunch program into a more healthier option for students. The addition of a new Food Service Director and Head Chef allowed the school to venture out of its comfort zone and try new ideas.

Food Service Director Elinore Perry, hailing from Topsfield, Massachusetts, hopes to bring her rich past with food to Malden High School. Perry has “loved cooking” since she was young and took many opportunities to take internships with restaurants, colleges, and Whitman’s, the company she now represents at MHS.

With juvenile intentions of entering the world of culinary arts, Perry earned degrees in culinary and culinary nutrition. Her love for cooking was evident at a young age when she “[tried] to make food for [any] project… even if it [was not] a requirement.” Through the work of her company, Whitmans, she continues to use her expertise at MHS.

The school also welcomed Omar Hernandez, a native of California and a new visionary at Malden High School, with open arms. His background in cooking at hotels helped him adjust to the school setting. His old schedule consisted of working days and nights, with Monday and Tuesday as his weekend, but working in a school gave him the same breaks as students. For Hernandez, “it was a change of lifestyle.”

Growing up in southern California, in a small town of Bonarelli, Hernandez gained a strong appreciation for culinary arts. Since the sixth grade, Hernandez “knew [he] wanted to be in the food industry.” Although cartoons were a part of Hernandez’s past, cooking shows were more prevalent. With his early interest in cooking, Hernandez developed his

Group photo of the Malden High School lunch team.

career and gained a strong appreciation for the arts.

Joining the MHS crowd ensured that he worked closely with the students, which is a main focus for his company, Whitsons. The company focuses on producing a “complete meal” for the student body, and Hernandez has a vision of students and staff working together to achieve that.

Both Hernandez and Perry value the opinions of the students because afterall, it is their lunch. For them, “every month is trial-and-error… [They are] trying to find out what students like and [do not] like.”

For many students, lunchtime is an opportunity for them to catch up with friends, do some last minute homework, and most importantly, enjoy some food before the last haul of classes. With the exception of some privileged seniors, most students have only thirty minutes to eat lunch- the last thing they want to eat is an unsatisfactory meal, which the new management wants to avoid.

The new program met positive feedback with some students. Senior Frank Cruthird thinks the new food is an “upgrade from last year because there is more self serving stations, which makes eating lunch a lot more quicker and a lot more efficient.” Boyle House principal and Jenkins House principal, Chris Mastrangelo and Kevin Kilbride respectively, add to Cruthird’s statement, saying that “there is a lot more variety in the lunches,” which includes more healthy alternatives.

Food Service Director Elinore Perry posing with Head Chef Omar Hernandez and Assistant Director Terri Tusa-Pelosi.

The options for food has increased: with lines that bear the names “Coyote Grill,” “La Cucina de Italiana Bistro,” and more, students can look forward to lunch everyday.

Although lunchtime leaves most students feeling better about the rest of the day, terminating breakfast in Cafe B sparked anger among students who enjoyed thoroughly it in the past few years. The reason is simple: state guidelines encourage schools to not serve coffee to students.

As a country, there are “gray” areas concerning the coffee question, “but in Massachusetts, they try not to do coffee for students at all…, so [the new management goes] by state rules first…,” Perry stated.

Changing the rules about serving coffee to students was the first statement the new management made, and because of their firm hold on state policies and the continuous change of requirements for school lunches, the student body, and school as a whole, can expect a great things from the lunch program’s new management.

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

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

After surfacing of this information, North Korea did not miss this opportunity to strike America at its lowest. North Korea’s UN ambassador, Ja Song-nam, wrote a letter to the council president requesting a “thorough probe into the CIA torture crimes.” The ambassador also wrote in the letter that he believes that the “recently revealed CIA torture crimes committed by the United States, which have been conducted worldwide in the most brutal medieval forms, are the gravest human rights violations in the world,”

President Barack Obama spoke about this issue in a press conference. “These techniques did significant damage to America’s standing in the world and made it harder to pursue our interests with allies and partners,” Obama said when discussing the newly released torture report. During the press conference, Obama did not speak of punishing the top officials that executed the torture on the detained.

This 6,300 page document can greatly affect the United States’ image, making other countries not want to ally with America.

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

To torture the detainees even further, the CIA fed them pureed and anally infused foods, such as hummus, pasta, nuts, and raisins. One officer explained that it was a method of “clearing a person’s head,” and others called it behavioral control. Former vice-president of the United States,  Dick Cheney, justified this by stating that the rectal feeding was for medical reasons, and not to get answers.

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

“Torture to me is an American citizen on a cell phone making a last call to his four young daughters shortly before he burns to death on the upper levels of the Trade Center in New York City on 9/11,” Cheney said in an interview, refusing to call it torture. “There’s a notion that there’s moral equivalence between what the terrorists did and what we do, and that’s absolutely not true. We were very careful to stay short of torture.” Several medical officers sent out emails saying that rectal rehydration was a safe and effective way of rectal control.

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

“I certainly agree that there were times when CIA officers exceeded the policy guidance that was given and the authorized techniques that were approved and determined to be lawful,” Brennan went on. “They went outside the bounds in terms of their actions as part of that interrogation process. They were harsh. In some instances, as I said, I consider them abhorrent. And I will leave to others how they might want to label those activities.”

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

“The men and women of the CIA did exactly what we wanted to have them do in terms of taking on this program.” Chesney concluded. “It was not deemed torture by the lawyers, and secondly, it worked.” Though he stated that the plan was “seriously flawed,” he added that the methods of torture got what they needed, despite the large amounts of backlash and controversy. In regards of George W. Bush, Chesney said that the former president “knew what we were doing, he authorized it, he approved it.”

This year, Malden High School Play Production has gone out of their comfort zone and presented a comedic and vibrant show, Shrek the Musical, to the community as one of their yearly plays. The play was enjoyed on the nights of Dec. 4th, 5th, and 6th by the Malden community.

Shrek the Musical tells the story of an ogre, Shrek, (senior Dominic Pappagallo),  who sets out on a quest to save Princess Fiona, (junior Sarah Bendell), in order to reclaim his swamp from the short tempered and just plainly short Lord Farquaad, (senior Sebastian Patino). On his journey, Shrek is accompanied by a humorous talking donkey, (senior Elijah Jean-Baptiste), and encounters all types of fairytale creatures, including the big bad wolf, played by MHS math teacher Evan Mauser, the three blind mice, a fairy god mother, the gingerbread man, and many more.

The seemingly heartless ogre is transformed after rescuing and spending time with the beautiful Princess Fiona on their way back to Duloc. However, the princess must hide her curse of turning into an ogre after sundown from the world. By true love’s kiss, Fiona will be freed from her curse. She believes Lord Farquaad will relieve her, but the story takes an interesting twist when feelings develop between Fiona and Shrek.

The award winning troupe opted for a more lighthearted, spirited show but in turn had to overcome challenges with technology, set designing, and costumes. The cast and crew agreed that this show was definitely one of the more tech-heavy, and required many costumes and sets.

Senior sound technician, Corey McFeeley, has “been doing sound for all three years of Play Production and the thing about sound is that [it is] like learning a second language,” McFeeley explained. “I was self taught at the board. I did not take any [sound designing classes or sound execution classes] prior to Play Production. I sat at the board and [asked myself], ‘what does this button do?’” McFeeley also added that this is “just one aspect,” and that “making friends and meeting new people is just another rewarding experience.”

The last week of rehearsal, also known as “hell week”, as senior light operator Ashley Yung stated, “[the group stays at the high school] until nine or ten just perfecting the show. Seeing all of the dedication and work come together was really wonderful.” Ultimately, the hard work put in to the show was worth it when they see it all come together.

On casting roles, junior Bailey Reed, who plays the captain of the guards and a Duloc dancer, stated, “it does not really matter what role [anyone gets]. As long as [the person is] a part of it, [it is] just like the best feeling.” Though people may sometimes not get the roles they expected, they always end up enjoying and fitting into the character that they presume. Senior Patino, who plays Lord Farquaad, stated that he wanted “to be cast as Shrek in the beginning, but after a while, [he] realized that, personality wise, Lord Farquaad [fit him] so well. [He is] Farquaad.”  

Though the play ran smoothly all three nights, that does not mean that the crew did not face any challenges. As Play Production director and Lead English teacher at MHS Sean Walsh expressed,  “one thing [that is] tricky about this play is that it has a bunch of moving pieces.” He also added that they “have never really done a children’s theatre before so [he] wanted to do something that could appeal to all ages, and [he] always [tries] to mix up doing different kinds of shows.”

For junior Sarah Bendell, who plays the lead as Fiona, “Shrek has always been one of [her] favorite movies growing up and [she] had always loved the musical as well.” She also confessed that Fiona had always been one of her dream parts, making her excited because  she “saw so much of [herself] in her.” Benell also remarked that “during practice, [she] loved to discover more and more about Fiona and really get to create her world and make it a world [they] could share.

Participating in Shrek the Musical proved to the Play Production cast and crew that it not only about hard work, but also an enjoyable experience, with bonds and memories that will not soon fade away. It is evident that the cast and crew, both in and out of character, had a chance to find themselves and accept the people that they are.

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

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

Coach Smith and senior Martiz Ortiz posing for a picture. Photo taken by Cassandra Reyes.

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

Smith’s philosophy on coaching is that “it is not always about being the best player, it is about finding his own level of success and really pushing through limitations.” Senior Matthew Silva expresses that Smith was “the reason why [the team] made it far,” even when the team “did not [always] agree with some of [Smith’s] decisions on the field,” they, in the end, wholeheartedly “trusted him.”

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

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

Dear Nedlam,

The holidays can be a stressful time of year for me, what with buying gifts for everyone, making sure there’s no arguments in the family, and trying to make it all perfect. However, it usually ends up being no fun for me, and I really want to try to recapture the holiday magic this year. Any tips on how to make this holiday a whole lot jollier?

                                      -Christmas Crazy

Dear Christmas Crazy,

First of all, take a deep breath. The holidays can be a stressful time for a lot of people, and a big reason for that is because people put a lot of pressure on themselves to make the holiday special for everybody.  Sure, the holidays are a time to be spent with family and friends and to have a wonderful time, but remember that it’s a time for you to enjoy too.

Next, when planning what to get people, figure things out ahead of time. I don’t know about you, but shopping last minute adds a lot of extra stress on me. For next year, try to plan ahead of time by writing out a list of what to get people and start buying their presents early. That way it minimizes the stress of buying gifts for later on in the holiday season when things get busier. However, since you are writing about buying gifts this close to the holidays, my advice would be to create a list of people you still need to shop for and write multiple gift ideas for each person. That way, if you can’t find one there will be another option readily available when you are out shopping, so you don’t have to go back after you figured out something else to get.

When it comes to family disputes it’s always best to have a good way to keep everyone too busy to argue. If your family is really prone to arguing, try to avoid games that are competitive. Some ideas for activities are caroling, a time where you decorate cookies, looking at photos from the year before, etc. However, if a little healthy competition is just what your family needs to get rid of the tension, I suggest games like holiday pictionary and Yankee Swap (it’s a little complicated to explain, if you would like to play Yankee Swap there will be instructions at the bottom). In the end, if your family does end up arguing, just realize that it’s not your fault. If you try to find the joy in the evening and do your best to keep things light and cheerful, then thats all you can do, and you should just try to enjoy your day.

No time of year is more infamous for joy and magic than this one, especially as a little kid. However, it feels like as we get older, the novelty wears off a little more. It doesn’t have to be like that. Personally, I love the holidays and I try to do whatever I can to really get in the spirit. Watching holiday movies, wrapping presents, baking cookies, eating cookies… etc. I have also found that being near little kids around the holidays definitely gets me more excited for the holidays, because they are so excited! It reminds me of when I was younger, and sort of recaptures the magic. The key, I think, for us older people is just to not overthink it. We should just live in the moment and forget about our stresses and mile long to-do lists. The magic of the holidays for us is to have a nice long break, to be surrounded by people we love, and lots, and lots of food! Hope you have a Happy Holidays!

A homemade avocado smoothie is a delicious snack that is also beneficial to your health. It’s made with simple ingredients: avocados, milk, and sugar, and can be made in under ten minutes using a blender. It can even go along with both salty and sweet foods; with a sandwich or cookies. It can also be drank alone. The smoothie contains a lot of potassium and fiber, even more than other common fruits. Avocados are enriched with vitamins, making this drink a great choice as a quick snack at any time of the day. Avocados are also beneficial to the eyes, helping improve eyesight. They are also proven to decrease the chances of getting cancer. The avocado smoothie is a tasty way to be healthy and it is quick and easy to make.

1. First, using a knife, cut the avocado evenly in half so that the seed inside sticks out of one of the halves.
2. Dispose of the seed.
3. Use a spoon to scoop out all of the avocado from its skin.
4. Put the avocado into a blender and fill the blender with milk so that all of the avocado is covered; put in more or less milk to change the consistency of the smoothie, the more milk there is the thinner it will be.
5. Add a spoon of sugar, or more to make it sweeter.
6. Blend the ingredients and pour it into a cup.
7. One avocado makes one serving.

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

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

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

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

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

Although the day of the event consisted of many exciting things, Forestier says her favorite was the “Conquer the Wall” challenge, which was the challenge with the catapult. Forestier said that she and her group “worked really hard building a contraption that would be able to launch a stress ball and knock down targets.” She is also proud that they did, “much better than [they]  expected and [that their]  hard work was paid off.” However, Prum’s favorite part of the day had to be “lunch time because [those in charge of the event] put [them] in groups alongside a woman who worked in the scientific field.” Prum also added that the woman explained “what it was like in that part of the [scientific] field,” and that she “found it rather interesting getting to learn about all the possibilities that were involved when going into science, especially as a female.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

An earlier version of this article was published on Dec. 22n, 2014 with misspelling of Somantha Prum’s name as well as some other errors. This was revised and updated on Jan. 7th, 2015. 

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

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

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

Hour of Code, a 1 week long event that encourages students, educators, and general citizens to partake in basic computer programming exercises, is the lynchpin of that plan. As of writing this over 82 million people have participated worldwide in various exercises that the website provides. These exercises like the first that I did are not hardcore code writing, rather, they are visual and comprised of blocks which makes it intuitive for those who have no programming experience. This approach is what makes the program so successful; people can begin with realistic goals and challenges and it allows them to discover the wonders of programming without the difficulty of learning a specific language.

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

Original image from funnyjunk.com

Why the drive for a greater AP program misses the mark for students who love to learn… and those who don’t

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

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

AP was created for those who are extremely talented and interested in a subject, and it is absurd to have unqualified or uninterested students taking them as they are at a disadvantage compared to their peers. But at Malden High, things are different. The students, and to some extent the faculty, push Honors as the basic class, the class that most who are not horribly failing (figuratively and literally) take.

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

Beyond dragging down the students who unwittingly make the mistake of signing up for AP classes that they may not be able to handle at the moment, pushing for wider AP enrollment drags down the quality of the classes overall. Teachers and students who would normally be able to move at a pace conducive to college level classes must wait idly for those trying to keep up. I am the first to help out in my AP classes when my friends and peers ask for it or need it, but when a chunk of the class is failing no matter what help or advice is given, it becomes a burden and can take away from my experience. And why should that happen? Why should my passion for a subject be hampered by those who lack the same excitement? The answer is it should not shouldn’t. People who aren’t passionate about a subject should, for their sake and the sake of those who are, refrain from taking the AP variant of those classes.

Now as we approach midterms and thus the halfway point of the year, many people who have made the mistake of signing up for an AP class that they are not aren’t suited ready for are realizing the implications extent of their decision, so but I hope to impart some words of wisdom for….

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

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

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

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

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

Other than her AP class, Dick is also teaching sophomore honors and college preparation. She says that 10th grade is her favorite grade to teach because it is, “a really pivotal year for learning because [students have] made it past the hurdle of 9th grade, and now [they] have to really make some decisions about the future.” She thinks that her honors class will become better at listening and speaking in class, and also will become better at Dialectical Journals. This year, Dick was surprised by Poetry Out Loud. She feels that it went better than last year in all of her classes.

Dick enjoys teaching her technology unit, which includes reading the book Feed by M.T. Anderson. She feels that Feed is, “so interesting and so engaging for students.” The technology unit she is teaching includes outside texts that relate to the unit. Dick thinks that the unit is important because, “kids like to talk about technology and it’s very controversial.”

When asked about MHS, Dick stated, “it kind of feels like it’s not as big as it actually is.” She says that she has “never worked anywhere like [MHS].” The diversity of the school is what she finds most important, other than the fact that “everyone here is working as hard as they can.” She feels that the diversity “benefits everyone in the community.” Dick appreciates her students because they, “Make [her] work really hard,” and they are, “very honest and give their teachers a lot of feedback.” Dick is sure to continue pushing her students to do the best they can in order to have a successful year as well as years to come.

Image taken from Wikimedia.com.

On Sunday, January 25th at Malden High School there will be an event held for FAFSA Day Massachusetts 2015. Guidance counselor Erin Craven said, “it starts at one o’clock and usually goes until about four o’clock and all the seniors from the entire area are welcome to attend.” Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form that is needed for all aid at all colleges throughout the U.S. As part of the National College Goal Sunday initiative, hundreds of thousands of students attend these events to obtain much needed help on finishing their college financial aid forms. The event is free as the program is a non-profit, and volunteer-driven organization. Anyone attending college for the 2015-2016 academic school year is welcome to come. Students that are low-income and first-generation are especially encouraged to attend.

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

Present at this event to help families complete the form online, and answer any questions, will be the local guidance team, along with a lot of volunteer financial aid and higher education experts. Families will be provided with one-on-one assistance.

Some of you reading this may ask, “what exactly is financial aid?” Financial aid is composed of grants, scholarships, loans and Federal Work-Study. If you receive a grant or scholarship, it does not need to be repaid. Student loans, however, need to be paid off, typically with interest. Federal Work-Study is a program that helps by providing different opportunities for employment to help with any educational expenses.

Students that are unsure if they are going to college right out of high school or not are still highly encouraged to attend. Filling out the FAFSA early will help with not missing any deadlines if a student decides to apply for college later in the year. Completing the FAFSA does not require students to decide on what college they wish to attend, nor if they wish to attend college at all.

Cravin boasts, “there are many different ways they can kind of utilize the few hours in the afternoon to get free help from financial aid experts.” There are a list of things that people attending this event, or events like this, should bring with them such as; FAFSA pin, social security number, driver’s license number, most recent federal tax return, most recent W-2 or year-end pay stub, untaxed income records, bank statement(s), business and investment records, and alien registration card (if not a U.S. citizen).

Both students and parents should bring those items. For those without a FAFSA pin, the FAFSA website contains a link to where you can apply for a pin. Those students who were born before January 1, 1992 are not required to bring any parental information with them.

The Zonta Club meets for a general meeting.

The Zonta Club in Malden was established recently in relation to the much greater international Zonta program. Zonta Club International has the mission statement of  “advancing the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.”  

Over the years, the Zonta Club of Malden has provided awards for youth going above and beyond certain criteria. Recent winner of one of the Zonta provided awards is MHS freshman Sydney Addorisio. Students such as Addorisio have discovered more about the Zonta mission through these awards. It was not until quite recently that the Zonta Club established a Z club for youth. They spread the word about a possible starting of this program to the previous winners of their awards.

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

Sydney Addorisio describes the mission of Zonta Club International as “to improve the status of women in society.” Addorisio also went on to explain that “Z club has just started for reaching out to high school students [in attempt to] make an impact on our society in school levels, community levels, and eventually internationally.”

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

The advisors of Z club were also given letters from kids or parents to Santa Claus. As a unit, the club has worked to complete responses to these letters to bring joy to young children around Christmastime. The letters are short, but still filled with holiday joy, bringing the ideals of Santa Claus to life through the use of exciting and entertaining stories from Santa. The letters are received on Christmas each year and make children’s day complete everywhere.

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

The club has meetings every Monday at the Malden Teen Center at 4:30 pm. Z club is always looking for new members to join. Addorisio added that people should join because “[it is] a great way to meet new people and make an impact on your society.”

How to stay sane for midterms.

How to Stay Sane Before Midterms

1. Make a plan
   1. Start studying ahead of time- do not wait until the night before!
   2. Know what your weakest/strongest subjects are and create a study plan accordingly
   3. If you know that you are really struggling in a certain topic, seek extra help after school with a teacher, at the peer tutoring program, or with a friend/classmate who understands the topic
   4. If you are unable to stay after, there are always educational sites online that can help you.
2. Know how to study effectively
   1. Studies say that over-studying can actually decrease test scores, so know your limits!
   2. Study one subject diligently for about 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. Repeat. After doing this 4 times, take a 15 minute break.
   3. Listen to music while studying! However, it is recommended that you listen to music that does not have lyrics, as the words may distract you from whatever you are studying. Classical music and hip hop instrumentals are highly recommended for studying.
   4. Don’t bother cramming the night before, if anything it will decrease your performance the next day.
3. Don’t get distracted
   1. Stay away from social media sites, games, television- anything that will distract you from studying!
   2. If you have a hard time controlling yourself from distractions, install restriction apps that will block distracting apps, such as SelfControl and Cold Turkey.
   3. If even that can’t stop you, have friends or family monitor you to make sure you don’t stray from studying!
4. Stay healthy
   1. Physical health is important if you want to do well, so make sure to eat healthy and stay active! Your body feeling good will help you be more alert, allowing you to do well on your exams
      1. Blueberries- helps to improve learning capacity
      2. White tea- increases brain wave activity
      3. Protein- especially for the breakfast on the day of the exams, foods such as eggs and oatmeal will increase alertness
      4. Yoga and Light Exercises- will help get blood flowing to your brain while studying, and keeps you from getting restless while studying
      5. Tea- different types of tea can
   2. Not only is physical health important, but so is mental health. Do not allow yourself to stress too much. Yes, midterms are important, but your mental stability is more important.
      1. Know that whether or not you do well on your exams, one test will not destroy your future.
      2. Take deep breaths and try to not overthink.

At the beginning of every new year, everyone sets a goal for themselves. A start of a whole new year motivates us to set ambitious standards for ourselves, but does anyone ever really reach them? The desire to become a better, more successful person seems to fade in weeks.

Studies show that writing down your goals and reading them every day helps you reach them. A great way to do this is to get some colorful sticky notes, write down all of your goals and ambitions for the new year, and place them on a wall in your room. They can placed all together, or in different places in a way that you will come across them every day. Some good places to put up your goals is next to a mirror in your bathroom, above your bedside table, above your dresser, or on doors in your room. These places are where your daily routine must take place, therefore you will be reminded to read your goals every day. This will help you think about them and every morning you will be reminded to take actions throughout the day that contribute to becoming the person you strive to be.

Surrounding yourself with supportive people will help you work harder towards your goals. If your friends and family are also in favor of your goals, or share the same ones, you will be able to work together to reach them. Friends are a great source of motivation. If you share your goals with people that you are around every day, you will be encouraged to reach them and will be reminded not to quit.

A great method to use is setting up a visual so that you could see your progress. Seeing that you are actually doing good on your goal keeps you motivated to do even better. Trying to be more fit? Add a penny to a jar for every mile you run, or every time you work out. Want to improve your grades? Make a list of your assignments, and check off all the papers you got a good grade on. Part of believing in yourself is in the visuals, and actually seeing your progress prevents you from giving up on your goal.

Keeping up with these ideas, it is very likely that you can be a better “you” by the end of 2015. Almost everyone feels the struggle of keeping up with their new years resolution, it is almost an expected result, but who wants to quit at something that could be worth it? These methods will hopefully keep up the desire to finish your goals, and possibly stick with them after the year ends.

Image taken from Wikimedia.

On January 4th, in the state of Chhattisgarh, 35-year-old Madhu Bai Kinnar was elected mayor, making history in India as their first ever openly transgender mayor. Kinnar beat her opponent, Mahaveer Guruji, whom governed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by over four thousand votes.

Transgenders, transsexuals, cross-dressers, and other non-conforming individuals in South Asia are often classified as “hijras”, people who have had sex change operations or who regard themselves different than their born gender. They mostly live on the fringes of India, some entering prostitution and begging. Some have said that many live in poverty and even refused medical care when needed.

Nine months after a court ruled that transgenders will be recognized as a legal third gender, Kinnar ran for her position. However, the court’s reinstatement of a gay sex ban has resulted in an spike in the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, forcing many to shun their identity.

Kinnar is actually not the first transgender mayor to serve, as there were two other successful candidates before her that were disqualified because of their non-conforming views.

“People have shown faith in me. I consider this win as love and blessings of people for me. I’ll put in my best efforts to accomplish their dreams,” said Kinnar after her victory.

“I have seen that the roads of this city are in deplorable condition. There are many poor people also who don’t have a place to live. I want to fulfill their demands. I would make sure that people of my community don’t do anything that causes shame to us and I would like to give them some opportunities so that they become economically independent,” she stated. Kinnar mentioned that cleanliness and the construction of drains were her priorities. “The poor stood by me, but I will have to take care of all in Raigarh. I will restore ration cards of poor, which were canceled,” she said.

On the other hand, not everyone is celebrating the former dancer’s win. “There was no Modi wave in Raigarh this time. People of Raigarh were fed up with the corruption of BJP, hence they voted for Madhu. It is not Madhu Kinnar’s victory, but it’s a loss of BJP,” President Narendra Negi of Raigarh district’s Congress snarled.

“We accept the decision of people and we will review it,” said BJP district president Rajesh Sharma.

A milestone for the LGBT community in India, Kinnar’s electoral victory will forever be marked as a historic moment for Raigarh.

Suggested Reading

http://www.advocate.com/politics/politicians/2015/01/04/india-elects-first-transgender-mayor

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-india-elects-its-first-transgender-mayor-in-raigarh-2049734

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/india-elects-first-trans-mayor050115

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/india-elects-first/1570282.html

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

Directing the MHS band was new teacher Erin O’Brien-Mazza. Outstanding performances at the beginning of the show consisted of Halo Theme by Marty O’Donnel, and Michael Salvatori, and Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed. Highlights from the very famous Disney Movie “Frozen” included a mixture of songs such as “Do you want to build a snowman?,” and the infamous “Let It Go.” The Malden High School Concert Band ended their night by performing A Canadian Brass Christmas Suite, composed by Calvin Custer. Being part of the band is “like being on a team” explained O’Brien-Mazza. “You train hard and then you get to see the final outcome, and how good it can be. It is really rewarding.”

Concert Choir started their performance off by singing the traditional Silent Night. Japanese Snow Song (Yuki) was then performed by Mixed Chorus, as well as Homeward Bound by Marta Keen, that included solos by Freshman Esther Gilet and Junior Brianna Romero. Traditionally, Mixed Chorus perform Light The Candles (for eight nights) by Sally K. Albrecht, then it is followed by the spanish song Nanita Lullaby. Sophomore Reanna Pinheiro stated that the choir prepared by “memorizing lyrics for each song we sung” as well as putting emotion into it.

A combination of 17 Juniors and Seniors compose the Madrigal Section. These singers travel all around the cities singing, including their latest appearance at the State House in Boston on Thursday, December 11th. Their performances varied from time period of compositions to even the language. Starting off with something more modern, Madrigal Singers performed Gone, Gone, Gone by Phillip Phillips. The very famous Java Jive was a success for the singers; and to top it off, Il est ne le divin enfant was performed right after. To end their show time, Madrigal Singers performed two holiday songs, Fum, Fum, Fum and Carol of the Bells. “Being part of this choir is an honor,” states Senior Nick Hames. “we get invited to places. [He has] met a good amount of very nice and amazing people in this group. Everyone is very social and friendly and it’s an easy place where you can just be yourself.”

The ending of the show was performed by the Concert Choir. Junior Sarah Vieira was one of the soloists for the performance of It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, as well as Seniors Dylan Hamilton and Abigaelle Leblanc; and the performance of Al Shlosha D’Varim contained Junior Joylyn Norris as a soloist.  Concert Choir also sang Ain’t a that Good News by William Dawson, and the famous William Shakespeare sonnet Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind. Many songs from famous holiday movies were included, such as Believe from The Polar Express, and We Need a Little Christmas from Mame. Senior Michelle Foley says the Choir practiced since “the first day of school and ever since,” to prepare for the concert that “has been the best one [they] have done.”

Concert Choir finished the night by performing O, Holy Night, with solos from Seniors Michelle Foley and Omar Ortiz. “ O, Holy Night is a classic that everybody knows, and at the end, the choir alumni come up and sign it with the current choir every year.” explains Hames. Not only was the complete choir there to close the show, but Cole also introduced to the audience his past alumni and invited them on stage. The alumni as well as the Chorus ended the show by singing altogether. Singing with the alumni is what makes O, Holy Night Foley’s favorite song, since sophomore year. “Seeing all the old students [she] sang with before” makes the song so special, and “ singing with the alumni is so great.” states Folley.

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

With the blow of a whistle, Malden High School boys varsity basketball tips off their 2014-2015 season. Making a name for themselves are senior captains Isaac Bethea and Rakeem Langston, the young team consists of only three seniors and the rest are underclassmen. The team started off their season winning their first three games under the guidance of head coach Don Nally, who is returning to coach the MHS varsity team for his 11th year. The team currently stands in with four wins and three losses, only needing six more wins to clinch a spot in the state tournament for the seventh time in 11 years.

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

All leading up to the team’s most memorable win so far against Lynn Classical on Dec. 20. Malden held on to the lead to win by only seven points, 67-60, playing an excellent game all the way to the last buzzer. During that game Bethea “noticed that [they] were not a big team and that [they] would have to work together to get the win.”

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

However, MHS has lost their last two games. The first was against Brookline on Dec. 29, MHS lost 62-49. The next loss was their first Greater Boston League game of the season in which the team tipped off against long time rival Medford High School. Medford High School got the upper hand in this game finishing the game 65-47, knocking Malden down to second in the GBL. Making Medford High currently in first place of the GBL, followed by MHS leaving Everett and Somerville tied for third.

The team looks forward to playing their other GBL rival Everett which is always a must see game. The game can go either way and it’s been that way for previous years with historic moments like buzzer beaters or blowout games in the playoffs. The teams face off for the first time on Jan. 13, being Everetts first GBL game of their season.