BY ANA PIROSCA & FALYN KELLEY 

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On September 24th, the Malden High Golden Tornadoes hosted the Medford Mustangs at Macdonald Stadium. This was the 129th annual Thanksgiving football game, which is currently the second longest rivalry in the country.

Both teams were playing for bragging rights from their rivals, and the game was attended by fans from both cities. Before the game began, a moment of silence took place for veterans who have lost their lives fighting for their country.

The game kicked off after Medford won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff. However, the Tornado defense forced the Mustang offense to go three and out and punt the ball away. The two defenses traded dominating opening drives, as the Mustang defense was able to force and recover a fumble by junior captain and quarterback, Jared Martino.

This forced turnover by the Mustang defense gave their offense great field position. The offense was able to capitalize on the field position as they were able to get the first touchdown of the game, thanks to a two yard td run. However unsatisfied, the Mustangs decided to be aggressive and go for a two point conversion attempt. The attempt failed as senior Pedro Lugo was able to tackle the Medford runner shy of the goal line, saving his team two points. Still however, Malden trailed 6-0 with 1:32 left in the first quarter.

Despite the failed two-point conversion, the Mustangs continued their aggressive approach as they would for the rest of the game. Right after the touchdown drive the Mustangs tried a surprise onside kick, but it too failed as sophomore Raushad Moore recovered the kick, giving the Tornado offense the ball at the 49 yard line of Medford. This would be a critical error in the part of the Mustangs, as on the first play of the drive Martino scored a 49 yard rushing touchdown on a designed run play. Malden converted the extra point attempt, giving them a 7-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter.   

That first touchdown paved the way for a barrage of points by the Tornadoes for the rest of the game. It all started with a nine yard touchdown reception from junior Isaiah Likely, giving the Tornadoes the 14-6 lead less than a minute into the second quarter. Despite this, Medford continued to be aggressive and go for it on fourth downs, resulting on multiple turnover on downs, and giving their opposition great field position.

After a failed fake punt attempt by the Mustangs, the Tornadoes took over at the Mustang 24 yard line. On the first play of the drive Likely caught another touchdown reception from Martino, this time in spectacular fashion over two defenders. The first half came to a close with Malden leading Medford 21-6.

During the halftime break, the Malden High senior cheerleaders and football players were honored along with their families for their dedication to the respective programs.

The second half of play continued to be dominated by the Tornadoes. The Tornado offence picked up right where it left off, adding another touchdown on the first drive of the quarter. Facing a 3rd and 3, Martino scored another long rushing touchdown on a designed QB run, but this time from 39 yards. This extended the Tornado lead to 22 points.

However, Medford quickly answered back mid-way through the third quarter. Medford running back and senior Chris Perella was able to run into the end zone from four yards out. They again decided to go for 2, but once again failed to do so, keeping the deficient at 16. However, another rushing touchdown by Martino late in the third quarter essentially iced the game.

The Mustangs did respond early in the fourth quarter with a touchdown reception from senior wideout Tyler Belcastro, but they once again failed to convert the 2-point attempt. Right after this touchdown, Medford tried their second onside kick of the game, but the kick was recovered by freshman Wesley Pierre of MHS. The offence added another touchdown with 3:11 left in the game after senior and captain Joshua Simon took the the handoff into the end zone from the Mustang 18. This capped of a dominating 41-18 win for the Tornadoes against their oldest rivals.

After the game, junior Anthony Burnett commented on the importance of this victory. He mentioned that a “after a season in which [they] had a non winning record and didn’t make the playoffs, beating Medford really ended the season on positive note” He also continued to say that the win was “a great send off to [their] seniors.”

As Malden moves conferences from the Greater Boston League (GBL) to the Northeastern Conference (NEC), Burnett described what he hopes the team will accomplish next year. He mentioned that next year “they need to make a mark in [their] new conference” and that they hope to “bounce back” next year and have a “winning record, as well as making the playoffs.”           

Malden offense lining up for the snap. Photo taken by Abhishek Rana.

Check out the rest of the photos from the game here. 

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On November 21, 2016 the students of Malden High School science teacher Martin Berryman’s AP chemistry class embarked themselves on a trip to Harvard University.

For many, it was an eye-opening experience as they came to know about “advanced technology that [they] did not know existed until [they saw them on the trip],” said junior Meghan Yip. The visit shows the student of the possibilities out there along with all the opportunities for those who are interested in chemistry and various sciences.

When heard of the offer to visit the famous university, the students reacted differently from one another. Some students were excited right away at the idea of visiting Harvard. Yip was hesitant at first, but soon she was persuaded by Berryman when he mentioned that they were about to visit an actual lab where the experiments took place. Though their first impression of the trips were different, the trips were intrigued the students as the visit proved to be “a really good experience,” Yip said.

The students took the train and rode it to Harvard Square and took a walk to the university where they got to look around before heading to the labs at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. There, they were given a presentation by graduate students about the deep sea and how the marine animal survive in such environment. Afterward, the class was taken to the lab and they got to observed and saw what is it like to be a real chemist.

“[They could] ask any questions and [the staff] would answer them,” Yip said “It was more like an observing experience [rather than a hands-on one].” There were many different researches being carried out by individuals in the team. “One of the researches being conducted there was about how one can make electricity out of bacteria” said Yip. Berryman commented on how all the researches there “will make huge impact on the world”.

Besides being an enriching adventure for students with promising future in chemistry, the trip was a cultural learning experience as well. The student community there was filled with “people with different background and came from many different places all over the world,” explained Yip.

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BY SABRINA MONTEIRO & JOSANDY JEUNE

Max Weng, a junior at Malden High School, just recently started gymnastics last year. It’ll be his second year being apart of the gymnastics team. Weng has only been doing gymnastics for two years but has done tumbling and flips for martial arts for twelve. Weng specializes in the bars and floor events during the meets.

Junior Max Weng. Photo by Josandy Jeune.

Weng hasn’t had his heart set on gymnastics but decided it would be great on his resume for he would “play to [his] strengths, and set [him] apart.” In this case, and since he was flexible, he would tryout for gymnastics, instead of doing sports like tennis and track.

He most likely won’t be doing it in college mainly because he believes the college level is very competitive and the people who do, have been doing gymnastics for more than ten years.

Last year, Weng happened to mention that they didn’t win any meets last year and his goal for this year would be to “win a meet this year.” Weng believes his “biggest challenge will be that since their are new coaches, it’s going to be hard to see how far [they] will progress because everyone has a different way of teaching.” With this being said, “it’ll be difficult because everybody will be at different paces and not everyone can be helped at the same time with only two coaches,” Weng said.

Weng is excited for what the new members of the team will bring. Every year the senior years leave, leaving spots open on the team. Weng is not only excited for what the returning members will bring but the new members as well. Since he already knows the returning members style he’s thrilled to see how the new members will step up to the plate.

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In 2005, students who did cross country, and indoor and outdoor track gained a coach that would push them, and care for them. 12 years, and 35 seasons of running later, Coach David Londino is still hoping for one last Greater Boston League win.

Londino chose to start coaching in his second year teaching English at Malden High, thinking that it was time he did something out of the classroom. In the past, he found himself playing many sports such as baseball, basketball, etc. However, for Londino, it was running that had taught him more about himself. When the spot had appeared, he decided that coaching track and cross country was what he had to do. It was the idea that he’d be able to spark that same self exploration experience in others, that drew him to begin coaching, and excites him even now.

It wasn’t just learning about oneself that he wanted to pass on. Londino had the chance to work with all sorts of kids, kids who are shy or outgoing, kids who are naturally athletic or fought the hard battle to be there, kids with mental illness, problems at home, problems in school. To him, there is nothing better than watching those kids succeed on his team.

“The lessons [he learns] and the strength that [he draws] from these people is priceless, no amount of time or effort could ever repay them,” he says. Londino remembers many of his athletes that had succeeded simply by pushing themselves, not just at practices and meets, but also in life. For him, it’s extremely rewarding to watch that growth.

Senior Marisa Vasquez, one of his athletes that’s been with him for all 4 of her years at MHS, stated that “he has motivated [her], not just to win first place, but motivated [her] in life in general. He’s really picked [her] up, and he’s really pushed [her] when times are tough personally, and in track as well.” Vasquez expresses how he has also fulfilled a relationship and a bond that she’s never had before.

David Londino with former track and cross country runners during Thanksgiving. Photo submitted by Jessica Vo.

Londino hopes that his athletes never forget that “[he loves] them and that [he will] always be there for them.  The dedication doesn’t end when a person graduates, it’s lifelong, and we truly are a family.  This past Thanksgiving weekend, [he] had a get together with 25 track alumni.  They ranged in age from 22 to 29 and some of them had never met, but it didn’t matter, the natural connection that occurs within a family existed, and it was a wonderful experience for all.  The bond that is shared always has and always will be a great source of pride for [him].” That type of connection comes to all the students who join his team.

Sophomore Taylor Dill joined indoor track her freshman year, and recently completed her first year doing cross country. “He loves to joke around a lot about different people or things that happened,” says Dill.

Although she describes him as a somewhat serious person, Dill observes the way he tries to push everyone to succeed. “He wants people to show what they have and improve from it and he’s proven this to [her],” she says.  Not only this but she explained that from the short time she trained with him, “he taught [her] to believe in herself, and the ethic of hard work.”

Londino states that one thing he says to all his athletes is that “your effort and performance today is an indicator of the type of person you are and will be. The type of friend, the type of parent, and the type of professional you will be. This is where you start to find these things out.”

Life is all about change- people changing people. David Londino not only coaches kids, but changes them so that they discover who they really are, and have a sense of what they’ll do in their life.

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Malden High School students all experience two weeks of pool per semester of Physical Education but the swim season has only just begun for MHS swim enthusiasts, those who plan to dedicate their high school years to the water. Preparing for the season requires grueling practices building up to meets where the MHS team will compete with swim teams of the surrounding cities and towns. But before the season starts, a demanding round of tryouts offers an opportunity for newcomers to prove themselves and previous members to guarantee their place back on the team.

Tryouts were held this week and the excitement is palpable. Preparing for the new season comes a variety of students ranging through all four years of high school. On the second day of tryouts sophomore Sebastian Romani already held some hopes for the upcoming season. He hopes new members can bring “new flavor” to the team and contribute with “new friendships to make [their] team stronger together,” which, he knows from experience as a freshman on the team last season, can make an immense impact on the team’s performance.

Freshman Angelina Shorr and Tatiana Batista both see high school as an opportunity to build off of their swimming experience from when they were children. Shorr says that “when [she] was younger, swimming was a big part of [her] life” and that swimming throughout high school is an activity she’s looking forward to because it’s important to take part in things you enjoy. Batista says that she “got anxious and almost didn’t go [to captain’s practices] but [her] friends encouraged [her] to,” giving her motivation that even early on in the season she appreciates knowing she’s looking forward to getting “experience how it is to be on a team.” Both girls hope to become better swimmers improving their technique, gaining endurance and speed, as well as confidence but what they’re both looking forward to, possibly the most, is that they can be a part of the “new flavor” Romani and so many other experienced swimmers hope the new swimmers will bring to the swim team this season.

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Malden High School reveals the hidden literary talents of its students through its yearly publication of The Oracle, the second-longest running high school literary magazine in the country.

The Oracle is published by the Literary Society, a club overflowing with artistry in its celebration of student literature and creativity. The Literary Society meets every Tuesday after school in room J287 and is welcome to writers, readers, and visual artists alike.

Previous publications of The Oracle all crafted by the Literary Society. Photo by Toby Pitan.

English teacher and Literary Society advisor Yahaira Marquez explained the endeavors of the student-run club in which members “celebrate, practice, [and] enjoy literature in its different forms.” Students with an affinity toward literature hone their writing skills during each meeting through a myriad of creative writing activities. These activities extend from freewriting to writing poetry, short stories, and other original compositions. Members can converse about reading and writing that pique their interests and simultaneously acquire new skills to benefit them in their future writing exploits. Generally, the students have the majority of autonomy over the club as Marquez leaves it to them to decide what to accomplish during any given meeting.

Visual artists in particular are greatly appreciated in the Literary Society. Their original works pose as inspiration for the students’ writing as well as enhance The Oracle. Marquez explains that throughout the years, the club has been utilizing the talents of these artists by including more of their artwork in the publication.

The magazine is a collection of student submitted poems, short stories, personal essays. After the first semester, the club makes its transition into preparing for its publication. The Literary Society takes original submissions from any Malden High School student and is usually published during the second half of the school year.

Because the magazine is self-funded, members of the Literary Society are tasked with initiating various literary-based fundraisers in order to fund it. One such fundraising event that upcoming is a school-wide book sale that will be held before the winter holiday break.

The Literary Society is looking for a variety of donated books that would be of “interest to high school students,” Marquez explained. The club intends to attract the attention of mainly the students, but Marquez says that faculty and staff are welcome to stop by and purchase books as well.

The sale will include hardcover and paperback books each ranging from $1-$2 and is open to all students of Malden High School. The book can be wrapped up as well to better prepare for the gift-giving season for a price as well. The date of the sale has yet to be announced. For more information on the upcoming event, contact at ymarquez@maldenps.org.

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If you ask about favorite sports to people, undoubtedly most of the people have same answer; basketball.

Basketball icon and legend Michael Jordan. Photo from WikiMedia.

The reason behind the popularity of the basketball is its extremely fascinating history. Canadian-American James Naismith is known as the father of Basketball. He invented basketball while teaching at the International YMCA training school in Springfield, Massachusetts in early 1981.

The first balls were specially made brown, but in late 1950s, Tony Hinkley discovered orange ball would be more visible for a player which is now in common use. Basketball was originally played with the soccer ball. When winter gets too icy, players were not able to play soccer outside, teams were taken indoor and it was suitable to split them half;  5 player on each side. The objective of the game is to shoot a ball through hoop 46 cm in diameter at a height of 3.04 meters.

There are many skills for ball handling- dribbling, shooting, passing, blocking and rebounding. On the court there are generally 5 positions: center, power forward, small forward, point guard and shooting guard.

The establishment of FIBA (International Basketball Association) in 1932 took basketball into a different level. Basketball appears in Olympics in the summer of 1936 in Berlin, Germany for the first time. The National Basketball league  is the third biggest professional league in all sports. According to Forbes, The league’s 30 teams generated $ 5.2 billion in revenue in the 2015-16 season.

Originally basketball was played by boys, but after one year of its introduction, a physical education teacher at Smith College, Senda Berenson, modified Naismith’s rules for women in 1982. However, it took a while for a birth of Women’s National Basketball Association in the United States.

A game of wheelchair basketball. Photo from WikiMedia.

As the popularity of basketball went up, people have found different variations of it. For a unique experience from the same concept and slightly modified rules, sports lovers were able to create various types of basketball including water basketball, beach basketball, slamball, streetball, dunk hoops and wheelchair basketball.  

Regardless of the variation or location, basketball has grown to become one of the most beloved sports to spectate and play in the world.

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On Thursday December 1st, Malden High School had it’s annual blood drive. The blood drive, hosted by the American Red Cross, took place in the gym from 8am to 1pm. If you missed your chance to donate blood Thursday, or did not reach the age minimum yet, the Red Cross Club hosts another blood drive in the spring.

In order to donate blood, you need to be at least 16 years old with parental permission, or 17 without parental permission, and weigh at least 110 pounds. According to the American Red Cross website, it’s vital to drink plenty of fluids, such as water, on the day of your donation. You should also maintain a healthy level of iron in your diet before donating. It’s required to bring your photo ID to the gym, along with something that shows your date of birth. However, it’s also important you relax, and bring a friend if you want.

On the American Red Cross website, there’s many stories of people thanking their donors for donating blood and help rebuilding their lives. One story thanked their donor for donating blood, which was used for her son’s brain surgery to remove a tumor. Another woman thanked all her donors, since she received around 150 to 200 blood transfusions in a lifetime, due to a blood disorder, and without them, she would not be alive.

Table with different displays. Photo taken by Sara Zakaria.

It’s a selfless act to donate blood. One pint of blood can save up to three lives. It’s important to help and donate blood to people in need. Taking a few minutes out of your day to donate can save someone a lifetime. A board read “Maximize your impact. Maximize your blood donation. Help more patients.” Only 38 percent of the population in the United States can donate blood, which means donating blood is essential, especially in times of tragedies, where donating blood can save many lives and help create a sense of unity. Having an opportunity to do something extraordinary in Malden High is truly valuable. So seize the opportunity, and go donate!

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“Change is inevitable. It happens when we least expect it. And even when we do expect it, we’re never really as ready as we think we are. Change; we hate it, but sometimes it’s for the best. Change is the only thing that is promised in life.” #humansofmaldenhigh

A photo posted by Humans of Malden High School (@_humansofmhs) on Dec 5, 2016 at 8:16am PST

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BY NEDEN BERNADIN & JEMISHA SYLIANT 

 This year, Malden High is welcoming back to the English Department, Nierika Nims. Nims is currently teaching Grade 10, 11 and Advanced Placement English Language and Composition. Growing up in Cambridge, Nims was inspired by many teachers who impacted her life and reports that she always enjoyed working with young people. Nims recalled voluntarily correcting her young brother’s homework for him, revealing that her love for the subject of English made it seem that teaching literature and writing was a natural fit for her. Before pursuing a career in teaching, she went to the University of Rochester for her undergrad to major in Psychology and English, then went for her Masters Degree at Tufts University.

Nierika Nims. Photo taken by Neden Bernadin.

Nims had chose to teach English as her career because it’s her passion. She also explains how English class allows students to be able to do almost anything with it still being relevant to the class.

When originally applying to Malden High School, what grabbed her attention was the size of the school and found it to be “a vibrant and exciting place,” between the diversity among the students and staff. She believes that students at MHS are special and doesn’t find that often in other schools.    

Her motivation to continue teaching is the students and hoping they see her as “someone who is open-minded and really values learning and hope[s] to pass that on.” Overall, she is looking forward to experience another year here.

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Agatha Silva, sophomore at Malden High School, is in her second year swimming for the school after starting as a freshman. As a child she swam for the Malden Crocs at the YMCA with her older brother and coming to the high school has helped her recognize her love for swim and has decided to pursue swim during her high school career. Silva, as of now, swims in lane 4 after swimming in lane 5 last year as a Freshman.

Her favorite events include the “50 free because it is much easier than other events,” as well as the “200 relay because she can swim with friends,” she said.

Overall, her favorite memory took place last year when one her senior friends made it into sectionals and states and everyone on the team was rooting and cheering for him on both sides of the pool.

However, Silva does admit to being nervous at swim events, but her friends calm her down and once “she steps on the block [she] just focuses on what she needs to do, and as soon as the buzzer hits she jumps in and swims [her] heart out,” Silva stated.

As she has known many on the team since a young age, the team has great bonding time and great memories happen often as they are much like a family without the drama. She hopes that newcomers bring good swim times, just be themselves, have fun with everyone, and just put everything they have in swimming.

Sophomore Agatha Silva. Photo taken by Kayla Sousa.

Her advice for newcomers is that “swim is really hard, and there may be moments in which you want to quit, but don’t give up because at the end of the season you see how much work you actually put into swim and the commitment you have for team.” She advises that newcomers swim with friends that help you swim to your potential and not quit.

Overall, she hopes to make her strokes better and be a better swimmer than she was last year and keep improving throughout her high school career. Agatha says that the swim team has been  “number 1 in the GBL for about six or seven years in a row,” and that the team is “going into a new league next year where [they] actually have competitors that may pose a threat”.

Outside of swimming, Silva is a part of the NHS and enjoys playing soccer in the summer and outside of school during the spring. Silva feels that swim “is very relaxing” and is very excited for the year to come.

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Maldenism Club, a club relatively new to the Malden High School community, has already began making an impact, and continues to do so by collecting donations for Respond Inc., an organization focusing on helping people in domestic violence situations, which the organization calls a “serious public health issue”. The organization works out of the New England area, Malden being a part of the cities they serve.

Maldenism Club, advised by Kerry Veritas, was started last year by two seniors who “were hoping to get feminism and issues of feminism to Malden High School”, coming to Veritas to be their advisor. She hopes that the club teaches people what feminism is and what feminist isn’t.” Veritas cites the “really strong perception by some that feminism is man hating and extreme, and that has not been the goal.” Club president and senior, Matthew Savini-Burke, noted that a goal of the club is to educate people about equal rights and “why feminism is still prevalent.”

Bins of donated items for Respond Inc. by Maldenism Club. Photo by Rebecca Pereira.

Last year, the club had talked about wanting to accomplish more actions regarding women’s lives. The club speaks a lot about topics such as domestic violence, and the members wanted to do something, “some events, some actions,” to help. Veritas came across Respond Inc. to collect donations for.

The club is looking for toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, razors, and “things that if you had to leave your house suddenly, you wouldn’t have.” Feminine Hygiene products are one of the biggest things the club is looking for, since “it’s something people don’t think to donate,” even though it is something women really need. In addition to these items, teacher have donated gift cards, after asking how they could donate more.

Veritas says that “any way that [they] can look outside ourselves and help people is a good thing.”

Donations are being collected in Veritas’ room, Br460, the Brunelli house office, library, and nurse’s office.

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One in four women experience some form of domestic violence. Three percent of women raped go to court. Less than a quarter of the world’s countries have a female head of state and according to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), in 2015, women working full time in the United States were paid 80 percent of what their male counterparts were paid. At the rate of change between 1960 and 2015, women are expected to reach pay equity with men in 2059.

Women have shown those in power that they aren’t entitled to a woman’s body, her every decision, and her voice before. They quietly propelled the civil rights movement even before receiving the right to vote in the provisions of the 20th amendment. Women pushed for the decriminalization of abortions in 1973 with the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade. Women have constantly shown that gender equality isn’t a privilege, that women’s rights are human rights.

So that begs the question: Why is feminism constantly associated with misandry, man-hating, with the idea that women are better than men? Pat Robertson, a famous televangelist, expressed his view in 1992 in opposition to a proposed equal right bill that would amend the Iowa constitution. He stated “[feminism] is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.”

Representation of how women are paid compared to men. Photo from Wikimedia.

I’d like to think we have come a long way from such an insensitive misunderstanding of the “feminist agenda” but as new voices have begun to manifest themselves, I’ve begun wonder. What about the gender wage gap has proven so unimportant or irrelevant that so many have refused to acknowledge it even exists? What about catcalling and lack of paid maternity leave makes the existence of the patriarchy so hard to believe? How have the tables turned; how has female oppression and the fight against it become a partisan symbol of liberal elitism? Is it one?

Oppression is intersectional. “White feminism,” considered the feminism of the elites, doesn’t apply to everyone. Independent of their socio-economic status, race, and age, sexism affects all women. So, maybe the reason feminism is associated with social privilege is because privilege can amplify ones voice and allow their views to dominate a conversation.

Christina Sommers of the Washington Post suggests that in order to make feminism great again, it needs to be made relatable again. But instead, we need to recognize and our commonalities. Talk show hosts rotate through the same pitches, the most popular being a call for viewers to respect women because they might be their mothers, sisters, girlfriends, etc. I suppose I don’t find feminism difficult to embrace because I’m surrounded by teachers, friends, and family who share the same view. I don’t have friends that need to be reminded not to make sexist comments or brothers that use derogatory language. On the other hand, perhaps it’s because I actively seek out relationships with people who chose to build others up, not break them down because of their gender. But my vision is that we shouldn’t respect women because they could possibly be related to us but instead because our humanity tells us so, because we are all people, equally deserving of respect.

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BY MICHELLE YIN & SARA ZAKARIA

On December 7th, the Malden Public Library hosted a movie night, presenting the movie “Love the Coopers”. The time on the event was 6:00 to 7:45, and was hosted in the Maccario Room. 

The movie is heartwarming and Christmas spirited. “Love the Coopers” was released on November 13, 2015 as a romantic comedy. This movie stars actors and actress like, John Goodman, Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried, Diane Keaton, and Marisa Tomei. This movie takes place during the holidays, and the movie shows different characters in different stories, who are struggling with problems like divorce. As the characters prepare to celebrate Christmas, they try to solve their problems, or at least ignore them so they can have the perfect Christmas.

“[Love The Coopers] is a holiday movie, and since it’s December and the holidays are close, we chose to show this,” explains the librarian. Instead of showing a Christmas classic the Malden Public Library wanted to display a new holiday movie that people would enjoy. 

The Malden Public Library hosts a movie night every month, to bring a sense of community to the city of Malden. Seeing a fun movie to Other community organizations like Malden Reads also host movie nights. If you missed this movie night, don’t worry, the library plans to host more in the future.

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On Friday December 2, The Class of 2017 hosted a talent show called “The Key: Encore.” Some of the profits from the event went towards Housing Families, a local non-profit organization that aims to end family homelessness in Massachusetts. Several juniors and seniors displayed their talents by singing, dancing or playing an instrument. The show was hosted by seniors Erin Mulcahy and co-vice president of the senior class Jesse Bouley.

Senior Eduarda Pereira and junior Nada Tuffaha performing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.

Senior class advisor Heather Northrop explains that the idea for The Encore arose from a talent show that the Class of 2016 did last year. She said that the event “was an opportunity for [the class of 2017] to give back to a local organization. The performers at Junior Varieties last year performed very well, and almost all of them participated in [The Encore] as well.” She claims that it was an easy fundraiser for the seniors because “[they] only had three days for rehearsals, but [they] did a really good job.” Overall, Northrop thought that the show went really well and believes that “MHS students have an amazing way of pulling things together even if it’s at the last minute. [The seniors] came through and did an awesome job.”

Junior and former Blue and Gold member Nada Tuffaha, who played the piano to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley and sang “Let It Go” by James Bay, claimed that “the show only had two rehearsals and one run through of the whole show.” Despite this, Tuffaha had a great time performing because “[she] loved being apart of JV’s last year, and being in the same environment with the same extremely talented people felt really good. It was also really good to be a part of since half of the proceeds went to Housing Families.”

Senior Caitlyn Leonard singing “She Used to Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles.

The students that participated in the talent show greatly enjoyed being apart of it. Senior Julia Cocuzzo, who sang “Someone Like You” by Adele with fellow seniors Erin Johnson and Nayara Andrade, feels that “the show gave [the performers] an opportunity to raise money for the senior class in a way that was fun. Everybody in both acts worked really hard and [the performers] got to show off all of our talents.” Senior Sanaa Bezzat, who performed with The Scorpions dance team and sang “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit  was happy that “the show went really well as a quick fundraiser for the seniors and Housing Families.”

Senior class treasurer Cleverina Cong, who played a medley of songs from the musical “Les Miserables,” explains that “rehearsals for the show were really chaotic, and [she] was hesitant to commit to the show at first because [she] had never performed before. But this was [her] last chance, and it seemed like a good way for [her] to come out of her comfort zone.” In the end, Cong was glad that “[she] seized this opportunity and [she] is grateful to be a part of a dedicated senior class.”

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On December 1st at 7pm in the Jenkins Auditorium, The City of Malden hosted a screening of “Generation Found,” a film profiling the lives of adolescents suffering from alcoholism and substance abuse while navigating their high school careers. The film told a story of academic redemption for teens who attended Recovery high schools, schools made up solely of students recovering from alcoholism and substance abuse.

Malden Overcoming Addiction booth. Photo by Michelle Yin.

One of the schools profiled in the film was Archway Academy, a recovery high school in Houston, Texas.  The school was established in 2003 by parents with children who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in collaboration with adolescent addiction recovery experts. Archway Academy operates like most high schools; they offer standard core classes along with language studies, electives, and a physical education program. They also have a plethora of community service opportunities for their students to partake throughout the school year.

The screening was free and open to the public. People with firsthand experiences with addiction had attended- some had been affected by it themselves and some knew of friends and family who had suffered from substance abuse disorder or the disease of alcoholism. Notwithstanding background, every viewer contributed greatly to the de-stigmatization of these issues within the community. Their viewership and attendance alone helped “keep Malden on the right track” and raise awareness to these heady topics.

Recovery organizations around the Greater Boston area set up informational displays surrounding the entrance of the auditorium that provided the public with details about their work in the community. Organizations such as AIDS Action Committee’s Needle Care and Overdose Prevention, Court Appointed Special Advocates Boston, Adcare Outpatient Clinic, Somerville Overcoming Addiction, and Malden Overcoming Addiction provided the public with information on how to recognize addiction within their peers or family and aid them in seeking help.

Various city officials were in attendance and stayed to watch the presented film subsequently. Among those attending was City Council President, Barbara Murphy, Mayor Gary Christenson, former Malden High School principal Dana Brown, and current principal Ted Lombardi. Many prefaced the screening with short speech that served as a message for hope to those suffering from addiction in Malden.

Senior Marisa Vasquez. Photo by Toby Pitan.

Senior Marisa Vasquez was the newest and youngest of the representatives of Malden Overcoming Addiction or MOA. MOA is an organization with monthly meetings whose goal is to “remove the stigma of addiction” in the community of Malden. They offer recovery services and addiction support to those in need of it in the area. They aim to “spread awareness in Malden [by] [reaching] out to schools [and] resource places” in the area. They are composed of members who have experienced addiction in their families or witnessed it among their friends and peers.

Former Malden High School principal Dana Brown knew of Vasquez’s family’s struggle addiction and believed she would be a good leader and member of the organization. Vasquez describes that “[she] became aboard immediately” to Brown’s suggestion as she “[loved] helping people” and “had the personality to advocate and be a leader.”

Mayor Gary Christenson speaking. Photo by Michelle Yin.

Vasquez is currently a youth leader in MOA whose role is to promote the organization through social media. The organization can be reached at their main website, http://www.maldenovercomingaddiction.com  and Facebook at Malden Overcoming Addiction. They are also on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat and Snapchat, all under “Malden Overcomes”.

Vasquez says that MOA has “molded [her] into the person [she] [is] today” as it has required much “motivation, dedication, and determination” from her. It has helped her learn more about addiction in order to be an effective advocate for her peers. Her participation in the organization has made her realize that in the future she wishes to open a prevention center of her own when she is older. It has helped her “create, visualize what [she] [wants] to do in [her] life. MOA

Vasquez says that she “[wants] to see change in people” and knows that if her peers would “just make the right choice”, their lives would improve whether or not they are struggling with addiction.  “Everything starts with [them]” says Vasquez. When asked why Vasquez believed why people suffering from addiction often chose to not seek help, Vasquez said she believed that people often “want to avoid the situation” and that drugs are just a “just a gateway to distract your feelings…[your] decisions.”

Vasquez says that the biggest lesson she learned as a member of MOA is that “you can’t control everyone in their decision”. Vasquez says that she has chosen positivity or over the sternness that most people with addiction issues are met with. She explains how society often makes people think that they [have to be mean” them but in reality, her “attitude and how [she] [presents] [herself] to people is of the highest importance. Her reaction to people is what ultimately can make them happy and aid them on their recovery.

Ultimately, through her participation in Malden Overcoming Addiction, Vasquez wishes to “make a difference in [people’s] lives, little by little.”

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“The country gives something to you so you gotta give something back. That’s what I believe in. If you aim for nothing you always hit it.” #humansofmaldenhigh

A photo posted by Humans of Malden High School (@_humansofmhs) on Dec 8, 2016 at 7:47am PST

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BY  SABRINA MONTEIRO & JOSANDY JEUNE

With the start of the new season, the wrestling team is back in the weight room. Holding leadership positions are junior Wisly Pericles, Jr. and senior Deya Chouiki. They both are very excited for this upcoming season and what it will bring. Between having high hopes for this season and determined to accomplish both team and personal goals, they believe it these goals will be met. The season so far has been going pretty well for the wrestling team. Chouiki says that “the season has been off to a pretty great start. This has been the most wrestlers [they’ve] had in the past three years. Everyone looks ready for this season and the Captains Councils were successful.”

One of their goals set in mind is to not have everything be individual. When they compete, usually mostly everything would be individual wins, but the team is focused this year on team wins also. Pericles mention that “there are a lot of new people this season and [they] did lose a lot of seniors who were in leadership position, but the new members will make up for that.” Both Pericles and Chouiki are aiming for the wrestling team to turn into a family, competing, and achieving team goals as well as individual goals.

The coach of the wrestling team in Rin Yan. When students tried out, Yan was looking with kids who have a lot of aggression and enthusiasm. He would like to see where the team needs to improve since it is only the start of the season. He hopes to improve the lifestyle of the team and help them get in shape. Yan stated that “one of the kids asked [him] if pumpkin pie is protein. [I] hope to teach them better than that.”

Yan believes that the team has it strengths as well a it’s weaknesses. There strengths include that they are very enthusiastic, excited to show up to practice, and aggressive. Meanwhile, when they show up to practice they like to play around too much. This being there last year to participate in GBL it didn’t really affect the team Yan states. They have always been playing against non GBL teams in the past because there was only two to three wrestling teams in GBL. 

All in all with the start of new season everyone seems very excited with the upcoming season.  Everyone on the team had different reasons for joining but the team is coming together like a family. Whether they joined to stay in shape or try to get in shape everyone is pushing themselves to be the best version of them.

Wrestling team working out in the weight room together. Photo taken by Sabrina Monteiro.

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BY FALYN KELLEY & ANA PIROSCA  

Tis the season… track season. Athletes on the indoor track team have begun the season, ready to give it their all for the last GBL year.

During week one of indoor track, contributors, returning and new, are looking at which events their natural abilities suit best; hurdles, 300 meter, 600 meter, 1000 meter, 2 mile, shot put, 4×400 relay, and high jump.“Events the whole team has to do is 50 meter, 50 meter hurdles, 300, 600,and 1000 meter, and then 2 mile” freshman Ezra Kruckenberg states.

Coach Londino states that this year’s recruits “meet athletes in every event that [they] are gifted”. So far, practice consisted of trail runs and a mock meet, and new runners who joined hold much promise. “We have a lot of young talent this year,” says senior Lisa Ringdahl who often does the 600, “So many freshmen and sophomores came out from the soccer teams and other sports and have a raw natural ability.” These athletes can only improve, and likely become a key part of the team.

Londino is excited because this season marks the last GBL, and the team needs to go out with a bang. “[There are] people who can walk on and have an immediate varsity impact,” he states. He believes that “there is a good chance that new runners can make it to the All States competition”.

Thus far, things are looking up. According to Londino, one thing that stands out about this year is that “[the athletes] seem to be really focused and disciplined, and that willingness to work hard is what’s most important. Last year, the seniors took some of the most crucial people on the team”. For this reason, Londino has been recruiting students to come and join the team, looking for not only athleticism, but also a mindset to work hard. He believes that “working hard in addition to ability is the key to winning”.

Everyone’s out to win, win, win! Hopefully with the right set of workouts and careful placement, the team will not only win the GBL Title, but also have individual wins as well. Ringdahl states that “one of the keys to winning, especially in track, is to give it everything you can because it is such a mental sport, the best possible thing is to just be fearless, though it’s always good to be a little scared before a meet.”

Track really isn’t much like other sports. Senior Marisa Vasquez, a distance runner, is a firm believer that “[the track team] holds a bond that some other sports might not be able to maintain, especially when the amount of athletes is large. Despite the fact that [they] a huge team, [they] still cheer on each other”. Although there might be separate training and sub-grouping based on an event, everyone still sticks together. Ringdahl, who did cheerleading in the past states, “the vibe is so different. Track is just one of those sports that are so mentally demanding that the team takes it really seriously, and supports you. It’s a lot of hard work, and a lot of pushing yourself.”

Coaches are looking forward to seeing their athletes raise the bar from last year. With hard work and the amount of talent in their crop, runners, jumpers, and throwers, of all shapes, sizes and ability are easing into the season.

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