The Friar's Lantern—February/March 2018

EDITORIAL:

DISCOVERING DIVERSITY Our editorial discusses the lack of diversity at Malvern and provides insight on how we might learn more about perspectives we’ll face beyond Warren Ave. Page 2

GO BIRDS! We're still singing the fight song.

Students discuss their experiences attending the Super Bowl LII championship parade.

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WE WENT TO

HAM, JAM,and SPAMALOT

VILLA...

The Malvern Theatre Society performed Monty Python’s Spamalot on March 3, 8, 9, and 10.

GPA's are on the rise at our school.

So is grade inflation. Does this prepare us for college?

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February/March 2018

...and almost got detention. Read about how our staff fared.

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Volume 18, No. 6

Transfer students face tough decisions, new challenges Two recent transfer students describe what it’s like to transition into a class that has already formed.

Steven O’Meara ’19 PHOTO EDITOR tudents transferring from another school face tough decisions, but make the choice for a variety of reasons.

Transferring students come to Malvern for a variety of reasons such as academics, sports, and “brotherhood” experience.

Sophomore Drew Butera and freshman Ryan Durkan came for all three reasons.

"The atmosphere here, teachers, and people just want to help you out more,” Butera said. “The brotherhood is always something that I wanted to be apart of, having a brother go here, and it's just something that my parents thought I couldn't miss.”

Butera came from Archbishop Carroll at the beginning of his sophomore year. His older brother Chris graduated from Malvern in 2015.

“My brother having such a great experience here really drew me to always wanting to come here, and last year. I wouldn't say I had a bad experience at Carroll, but it didn't feel right. I felt like it was a better fit for me here and I had always wanted to come here,” Butera said.

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Setting records, Fortnite evokes community, distraction Fortnite is an addictive game taking over students’ free time this year.

Gavin Canzanese ’19, Chase Bennett ’19 CONTRIBUTOR, MANAGING EDITOR - WEB I open my parachute and glide down into an abandoned town. I land in front of a destroyed house and run in. I hear someone land on the roof and I will my character to go faster so I can defend myself. I run downstairs and see it. The ever-elusive, legendary SCAR. Heart racing, I check to see how much ammo I have because the footsteps are getting closer.

Taking a defensive position, the other player starts down the stairs but I am already shooting, eliminating him in seconds with one of the best weapons available in the game. I take their loot and then run upstairs, calculating my chances for a win against the 98 other players I’d have to go through. I decide to leave the house to try and find some more gear to protect myself, and the second I open the door to leave, CRACK! And suddenly my character drops and the words telling me I was just eliminated come onto screen.

I am angry for a moment, but several seconds later I click “Ready” and the cycle begins again. ortnite is a free, online multiplayer third person shooter/ battle royale video game created by Epic Games. According to The Guardian, over 40 million players worldwide are engaging in Fortnite play. The game recently became the number one viewed and broadcasted game on Twitch, a video live streaming platform.

Fortnite has taken much success over the fact that the game is available on three of the most popular gaming platforms, Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC. This ability allows players all over the world to connect with their friends on their system of choice.

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Diversity has many different meanings. From differences in race, gender, religion, or thought, people’s definitions of the word can vary. One thing that most people agree on, however, is that our world is very diverse and we have to be accustomed to living in diverse environments.

This month we explored topics related to diversity at Malvern to get a better understanding of why it is important and to find ways on how we can improve upon it as a community.

EDITORIAL / P. 2 STORIES / P. 8

We asked 73 students what diversity means to them. This word cloud represents their responses. / C. BENNETT

OPINION

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February / March 2018

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EDITORIAL

Students should be required to participate in activities that promote and teach interaction in diverse environments.

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Editorial Board Philadelphia, it makes more sense location-wise for he Malvern Prep website describes the school them to go to St. Joe’s Prep or even The Haverford as a “private, independent, Catholic school School. for boys in grades 6 through 12, located in These three factors will likely never change for the Greater Philadelphia suburb of Malvern, Pa.” Malvern and will continue to make it difficult to From this statement alone, Malvern cements have a more diverse environment. However, there itself as being less diverse than any public school are some ways we think Malvern can become a more or almost any other school in the area. We’re not open-minded and diverse community. trying to make Malvern co-ed, but we are stating The Editorial Board agrees that diversity is defifacts—truth—about our diversity. nitely something to strive for in our As an all-boys school, most of community. However, we struggled us share the same perspectives that to find the right words to describe As student teenage boys have. We do not go to why and how Malvern can aim for journalists, we’re used to anxiety when class with girls, work in groups with diversity. As student journalists, searching for the girls, and we do not have to parwe’re used to anxiety when searchright perspectives ticipate in any activities with girls. ing for the right perspectives or the or the right phrases.

Simply by being co-ed, schools right phrases. The inclination is to The inclination is to such as Episcopal, Germantown avoid the challenging topics, but avoid the challenging Academy, Penn Charter, and public we shouldn’t stop the conversation topics, but we schools are more diverse in thought because of the discomfort. shouldn’t stop the than we are.

There’s a general view that conversation because As a Catholic school, Malvern diversity means the percentage of the discomfort. attracts Catholic families and stuof students of color. However, we dents. The school prides itself on its know it means much more than Catholic foundation, which is why that. It includes religion, gender, we have chapel service every Monday morning and sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, location, why we have around 20 full-school masses every and more. year. There are some students who are not Catholic Malvern’s statement on inclusion on the webthat come to Malvern, but Malvern will always be site reads, “Accordingly, at Malvern we welcome primarily Catholic, meaning that the majority of diversity of all types and integrate our commitment the students will always share the same ideals and to diversity into the day-to-day academic, athletic, beliefs. social and spiritual development of every member Another part of the description that inhibits our of the Malvern community.” But is our school truly diversity is the location of our school. The major- doing that? ity of the student body comes from Chester and The school has taken steps in the right direcDelaware counties because of the close proxim- tion, such as the SEED experiences, the upcomity to Malvern. According to datausa.io, Chester ing ST@MP conference, and initiatives behind the County is 80 percent white and Delaware County scenes. This month, we learned that the Board may is 68 percent white. Because of these statistics, be exploring ways to bring in teachers or student Malvern tries to find diverse students from places teachers who represent greater diversity. If there like Philadelphia and Norristown. However, this are more programs or experiences that the school can be a tough sell because Malvern is difficult to is working on, such as the activities of the Board's get to from both of these areas. If a student is from standing committee on Diversity and Inclusion

that we learned about this month, we encourage open discussion of those programs to be truly integrated into the school's day-to-day community and communication.

Of course, it is up to students to seek out experiences that challenge their perspectives. Some Christian Service programs, co-ed activities, and Diversity Club programming push students out of their comfort zones.

However, Malvern should also create ways for students who don’t actively seek out those experiences to be faced with differing perspectives.

It is possible for a Malvern student to go all four years of high school without ever talking to a girl his age. While this may be rare, it is definitely possible. Students are not mandated to participate in any activities or clubs with girls, and if this is out of his comfort zone, a student could simply avoid spending time with people who are different from him.

Sadly, it is also possible for many students to go through Malvern without ever having a conversation with a student of another race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.

In a previous editorial this year, we proposed for Malvern to create requirements that would make someone participate in at least one activity with students from either Villa or Notre Dame. In college and in real life, you will work in group projects with girls.

You will also work with students and colleagues of more diverse backgrounds than our school currently represents. We think that, similar to what we suggested for working with the girls, students should be required to participate in academics, activities, and experiences that promote and teach interaction in diverse environments.

The more situations we encounter that push us to experience different perspectives—even when those situations can be challenging or uncomfortable, even when we struggle to find the right words—the more prepared we will be for life outside the bubble of Malvern Prep. ◊

Black History is American History

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Bylines

Updates & Corrections

Textbooks teach the Civil Rights and the Harlem Renaissance like they are points in American history completely separate from the regular. This is not the case.

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PERSPECTIVE

Alex Haylock ’19 wrong.

FRIAR LIFE EDITOR You might have actually heard of Till recently. n 1955, 14-year-old Chicago His picture was displayed on a monitor in Duffy for boy Emmett Till visited his Black History Month. I heard this story when I was cousins down in Mississippi. young, and again only a few months ago. I didn’t He was standing outside recognize it the second time and was shocked to of a grocery store and essentially realize this was a story that I was catcalled at a white woman. He told by my family once before. whistled at her, maybe gave her a It troubled me—not that I What I can’t flirtatious one-liner. couldn’t remember the story, but accept is that the stories you don’t A few days later, a group of men that if it wasn’t for my surroundhear are seen as stormed Till’s house in the middle ing community of other African unimportant. They of the night and took him hostage.

Americans, it wouldn’t ever reach are still very much Four days following the grocery my ears. history. store incident, Till’s corpse was So, the realization came to me found in a creek, tied to a wheel so that this story would never reach that it would sink to the bottom. the ears of other communities, comWhen his body was returned to his mother, she munities that included some of my peers. Now, this insisted that he be given an open casket, public- wasn’t necessarily surprising. It can easily be seen service funeral. how minority groups will have more consideration “The world needs to see what they did to my for particular stories in the civil rights movements baby,” she said. or immigration policies.

Till’s youthful dead image was plastered on the Admittedly, I can understand why someone front page of newspapers across the country. His wouldn’t want to learn about historical figures and story was used as a symbol for the civil rights move- events that may seem insignificant on the grand ment. People from everywhere in the U.S. for the scale of things but hold substantial meaning to a first time agreed that what happened to Emmett different culture.

Till, and black people lynched before him, was I’m not going to hold it against someone

is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. The website for the publication is lantern.news.

418 S. Warren Ave • Malvern, PA 19355 lantern.news Distributed free on stands at Malvern Preparatory School

of any race who doesn’t know about the story of Emmett Till or know the importance of a day like Juneteenth. What you learn in school is bias and history of those whose write the books and teach the classes. What I can’t accept is that the stories you don’t hear are seen as unimportant. They are still very much history.

There are probably millions of Italian Americans that eat fish on Christmas, or Irish families that follow Irish traditions. (I don’t know of any Irish traditions—I probably should, as a Malvern student). But the longevity of slavery in this country has kept many black traditions repressed, and the ones that emerged within the U.S. were born out of the struggle and pain of being black in America.

Because of this, black history, and by an extent black culture, can be all-too-easily diminished to only be seen as a march for freedom. Wide-spread celebration of black history is restricted to the month of February. Blacks had to separate in order to allow their new slavery-free lives to flourish. Jazz and swing bands turned into an up hip-hop and rap, new ways to express oneself. Blacks were brought onto television as the main characters through Black Entertainment Television (BET). This occurred in other minority groups in the U.S., as if they have to stay away from white culture. > PAGE 4

At times, online stories will be updated as new information surfaces. Verified inaccuracies will be corrected. When this occurs, a correction will be published at the bottom of the story with the date of the most recent revision and details of the change.

Joining our staff

New contributors are welcome throughout the school year. The Friar's Lantern staff meets twice each week at 7:45 AM in Duffy 118. Please contact any member of the staff listed below for the most up-to-date meeting schedule.

Editors in Chief

Daniel Malloy '18 Eric McLaughlin '18

Managing Editors Print: Ethan Rowley ’18 Online: Chase Bennett ’19

Business & PR Manager Jack Magargee '18

Copy Editor Jack Guardiola '20

Section Editors Friar Life

Alex Haylock ’19, Michael Harrington '19

Sports

Garrett Hallinan ’19, Kyle Leonard '19

Media & Culture Luke McClatchy ’19

Social Media Editors Dan King ’19, Joe Lister '21

Photography

Steve O'Meara '19

EDITORIAL BOARD All editors Member(s) of Class of ’21 -TBAMember(s) of Diversity Club -TBA-

ADVISER

Ms. Kate Plows

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Eagles Parade prompts day off On February 8, Malvern gave its students the day off to attend the Student Council plans on racing ahead with more activities and plans Eagles Super Bowl victory parade in Philadelphia. What led to the for next year’s Executive Board. decision to have off?

Alex Haylock ’19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR ctivities, improvements, and preparations for next year resulted in a busy early spring for Student Council.

A major focus of activities over the last few months has been preparations for elections for next year’s Executive Board, all offices held by members of next year’s senior class.

On Tuesday, March 13, Malvern’s student body elected junior Billy Carlini as next year’s Student Council President and junior Jack Boyle as Vice President.

The campaign process for Student Council candidates was different from previous years.

Candidates ran as a team, one student would run for President and one student would run for Vice President. In previous years, whomever won the most votes would become President and the runner up would be the Vice President.

The four ballots who ran for President and Vice President were: Ballot 1: President Ashton Canavan, Vice President Evan Lotz Ballot 2: President Billy Carlini, Vice President Jack Boyle Ballot 3: President Stowe Milhous, Vice President Matt Civitella Ballot 4: President Mike Hussey, Vice President Tim Mitchell Both the positions of Activities Chairman and Secretary ran unopposed. Next year's Activities Chairman will be Sean Rushton and the Secretary will be Connor Leyden.

At the annual campaign speech assembly on Friday, March 9, Student Council co-moderator Mrs. Laurie Peslak opened the event with a prayer, McKnight introduced each of the candidates, and co-moderator Dr. Joan Dlugos closed with logistics about the election. The candidates’ speeches are posted online at lantern.news.

Voting was held in Duffy Theater during

a TMR (Tuesday Morning Rally) on Tuesday, March 13. Students received an email with their ballot, so freshmen, sophomores, and juniors not in attendance could still vote through 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Rewinding back to the start of the new semester, Student Council led a charity event in January with an organization closely tied to Malvern. “We finished up our first Bringing Hope Home Penny Wars,” McKnight said.

They plan on keeping up on this event for years to come.

Student Council also completed its second annual Family Feud event. Video of Family Feud is posted at lantern.news. Student Council hopes to continue with Family Feud in the future and to improve upon it.

With three major events in the second semester under his belt, McKnight plans on moving forward to their next student events and activities.

“Later in the year will be our third and final activity schedule event, which we still haven’t decided on,” McKnight said. “Last year there was [bubble] soccer, and we’re debating whether to go back to that or not.”

McKnight is trying to keep the events in the best interest of the students.

“We’re getting feedback on whether kids liked it or not, so we can maybe go somewhere different,” he said. “Whether we send out a survey, asking what kids will prefer, or just choose it ourselves, we’ll figure it out.”

As Student Council events continue into second semester, McKnight’s reign as Student Council President will soon come to a close. He reflects on his experience in his position as a good one.

“Overall it’s been a positive experience, and I definitely don’t regret running for the job,” McKnight said. “I would have never gotten to be a part of something like Bringing Hope Home if I wasn’t President, or even a part of Student Council in general.” ◊

BILLY CARLINI '19 • 2018-2019 President / A. HAYLOCK

JACK BOYLE '19 • 2018-2019 Vice President / A. HAYLOCK

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THRONGS OF GREEN • Experts say 700,000 fans attended the Eagles Parade—inlcluding many Malvern students, who had a day off school alongside many other students from area schools. / L. FRANZONE

Louie Franzone ’19 CONTRIBUTOR n the early morning of February 8, with the sun barely in the sky, millions of people began flooding onto trains and making their way towards Broad Street for the Eagles’ Super Bowl celebration.

Thanks to the administration, Malvern students had the day off, giving them the chance to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Specifically, discussions between Head of School Fr. Donald Reilly, O.S.A., Assistant Head of School for Student Leadership Mr. Ron Algeo, and Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick Sillup led to the final decision.

“I can tell you that Fr. Reilly, Mr. Sillup, and myself discussed this two weeks ago just to get some ideas and thoughts, and there was a range of thoughts and ideas,” Algeo said.

The decision to give the students a day off was made from within the administration, however other schools were factored into the decision making.

“We also had the opportunity to speak with some local peer schools: Villa Maria, Notre Dame, Shipley, a couple people from Haverford reached out,” Algeo said. “For ourselves we have a historical perspective; in 2008 when the Phillies had a parade we stayed open and I think we only had a 37% attendance rate.”

Junior Trevor Henderson attended the parade, and was impressed by the turnout.

“It was really cool, all of Philadelphia coming together,” he said.

The excitement of the parade finally allowed the Super Bowl victory to set in.

“I don’t think it sunk in that they won the Super Bowl until the parade was over,”

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Henderson said. “I was just speechless after the game.”

Henderson cherishes being from Philly despite other fans’ thoughts on the newest Super Bowl city.

“We’re from Philly,” Henderson said. “No one likes us, we don't care.”

Freshman Brad Corsi’s first experience with a Philly sports parade was a success. “[The parade] was amazing,” Corsi said. “It was great to see all the people of Philly and around there come together.”

Corsi was taken aback when he saw the phrase “Philly Philly” written across the sky by skywriter planes, and he hopes that one day these words will fill the sky again.

“It was great to be there with my friends,” Corsi said. “I would love to go to another.”

Freshman Trevor Lobaugh reminisced on the day and what stuck out to him the most. “[Jay] Ajayi walked by, and he was giving everyone fist pumps. It was a good time,” Lobaugh said.

Algeo said that the school has high expectations for students when they have a day off for a special event like this. “You have a responsibility as a Malvern Prep students, to be leaders,” he said. “We have students with opportunities to be leaders and the good news is, the majority of people do the right thing.”

Time will tell whether or not Malvern’s administration will give the students off for the next Philadelphia victory, but after the Eagles parade a new precedent seems to be set. ◊ Read perspective from students who traveled to Minneapolis for the game on page 15.

NEWS IN BRIEF Maguire Receives Big Time Offers •

Over the last several weeks, junior Keith Maguire has received offers from Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, and other schools. Maguire, who plays linebacker and wide receiver for Malvern’s varsity football team, has caught the eyes of many coaches across the country. Maguire expects to compile a list of his top f ive schools at some point during the summer.

Swimming takes fourth at Easterrn Championships • The weekend

of February 16-18, Malvern Prep Swimming and Diving competed at the Eastern Championships at Franklin and Marshall. After two days of prelim and final competition,

Malvern placed fourth overall, surpassing their fifth place performance last year.

to anyone suffering physically or mentally.

Mock Trial faces defeat • Malvern’s

an email on February 26, Dean of Students Mr. Tim Dougherty announced that food will not be served after chapel services for the rest of the year. Since chapel occurs on the first day of the week, students will not have access to food during Community Time on the first day of each school week.

Mock Trial team fell flat in the 2018 season as both their prosecution and defense teams walked home with losses. We’ll get ’em next year Friars!

However, we celebrate Villa Maria’s team for advancing to the playoffs.

Go Villa!

Touching chapel service about Father Bill Atkinson • On Tuesday,

February 20, students and teachers learned the story of Father Bill Atkinson. He was paralyzed but never let that stop him from being faithful. He was a very active priest and learned to be thankful through his injury. His story is an inspiration

No more food after chapel • In

Rowing schedules early practices•

In an unusual athletic exception, six seniors on the rowing team who also participated in "Spamalot" left school everyday at 1 p.m. for an early practice, and returned in time for play practice at 4:15 during the two weeks leading up to the spring musical.

Augustinian Prior Provinicial calls for responses to Parkland tragedy, advocacy for Dreamers • In a message

sent to the Augustinian Order, Prior Provincial Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. called Augustinians to support initiatives that counter violence.

“As religious leaders we are invited to pray and to promote prayer on this topic, but also to consider how we can actively promote initiatives that counter violence, such as the ‘March for our Lives’ that the students surviving the Parkland incident have organized for Saturday March 24. The message also appealed for participation in a National Catholic Call-In Day on February 26 to rally Congress to protect nearly 1.8 million Dreamers from deportation.

Memorial Walk planned for March 14 • Many students across the coun-

try, including schools in our area registered at nationalschoolwalkout. us, will be walking out of school on March 14 to protest “congressional, state, and local failures to take action to prevent gun violence,” according to the website. In an email to students on March 9, Academy Leader Mrs. Harriet Lappas announced that seniors worked to organize a Memorial Walk for Victims of School Shootings on March 14. “While we understand that many schools nationwide are staging a National School Walkout on this day to protest gun violence, our seniors felt that this message was too political,” the message stated. ◊

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February / March 2018

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“Spamalot” musical results in teamwork, laughter Malvern Theatre Society members and Malvern’s community are pleased with the performance.

SpeakUp! event held at Malvern Students, leaders, and teachers participated in the annual SpeakUp! Night at Malvern on January 31.

Aidan Gordinier ’20 CONTRIBUTOR

Sophomore Jimmy McCullough attended n a bit ter the event for his first cold night time this year. He said in January, that he was pleasantly students and members of the Malvern, Villa surprised by how the night went.

Maria Academy, Notre Dame Academy, and “[SpeakUp!] was a lot better then I had Devon Prep communities came together to dis- expected. I expected to see a lot of paranoid cuss problems facing teenagers today. parents and it seemed like it was going to be According to the organization’s website, really awkward. I didn’t expect it to go as well SpeakUp! brings youth, educators, and parents as it did,” McCullough said. together for open, honest conversations about Students and their parents are placed in tough topics that lead to guidance, support, and separate rooms so it can promote a safer envistronger conversations. Malvern has hosted the ronment to talk about difficult topics. This is a SpeakUp! Night for a number of years now and strategy SpeakUp! has been using for a number each year has had a of years and is part of positive effect on the what makes the event STOWE MILHOUS '19 students and parents work.

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER who participate.

“I liked how the THATS A WRAP• Stage Crew spends after school hard at work on March 13, striking the "Trojan Rabbit" set piece "One thing I might change for"Spamalot" after four successful preformances / A. HAYLOCK Theology teacher parents and the chilbut not the event itself is have it more than once per year at Gavin Canzanese ’19 Leonard has noticed some differences and SpeakUp! moddren were able to talk Malvern."

CONTRIBUTOR between this show and his previous one. “Last erator Mrs. Jessica to each other and be n Friday night of closing weekend, jun- year we didn’t do much dancing, but this year Kenworthey helps lead in the same room that ior Bryce Murray sat in the computer there’s a lot of dancing,” he said. the event at Malvern every year. She said that we didn’t know,” McCullough said. “We didn’t lab, waiting for his shift of pushing out Leonard enjoys all the different things the this year’s night was a success and she was happy know the parents that were there and they were the castle and holding back the curtains for set cast of his peers will bring to the table. “My that the weather cooperated. still understanding.” changes during Malvern Theatre Society’s per- favorite part is just working with everybody,” “I loved it. I was very grateful we didn’t have Kenworthey said that this process of splitformance of “Spamalot.”

Leonard said. “They’re all good at different to cancel and reschedule. In past years we have ting parents up from their children can create Murray has been a member of MTS stage things.” had to reschedule and I was lucky and happy great conversations for families when they go crew since his eighth grade year. He thinks that According to Leonard, “Spamalot” has that we didn't have to move it because of the home and provides understanding on both sides this show started off as a “partial trainwreck,” received a lot of attention from teachers, stu- weather,” Kenworthey said. of the spectrum. but it has improved a lot after tech week. dents, and parents for good reason.

The night is mostly run by student leaders “It really opens people’s eyes,” Kenworthey “It’s been fun… I think the first show night “This show has more levity, it’s really funny,” on the SpeakUp! steering committee from the said. “Parents, and myself included, will not was great. I think it’s pretty successful,” he said. he said. “It’s more easy going. It’s going to be a four participating schools. The committee meets hear something from my own children. I can’t.

That opening night show, originally sched- different atmosphere.” once or twice a month I look at them and say uled for Friday, March 2, was cancelled due to This is Malvern Theatre Society Director in the months leading MRS. JESSICA KENWORTHEY ‘what could they posan afternoon snowstorm that resulted in early Dr. James Fry’s sixteenth year of involvement up to the event. These sibly say to me?’ But SPEAKUP! MODERATOR dismissals from school for many students. The with MTS, and his eighth year as director. One students decide the “It really opens people’s eyes. when I look at other performance was rescheduled for an unusual of his favorite aspects of working with MTS is breakout topics, pre- Parents, and myself included." students who at this weeknight performance on Thursday, March 8. watching a production come alive. pare the opening talk, point are their peers, Murray has heard nothing but positive “There’s a large cast, and you know one thing and help lead the disI will listen to them reviews of the performance, despite the chal- that I’ll say that excites me about the process is cussions in each breakout. because they come off as much more intelligent.” lenging schedule. “My family came and saw it, there’s a very supportive community of students Junior Stowe Milhous was a member of the Milhous noted that many of the topics disand they loved it,” he said. “I’ve heard a couple both on and off the stage. At the same time steering committee this year and really enjoyed cussed at SpeakUp! can be challenging to discuss other reviews and they loved it too, thought it there’s parents that are supportive of that. They working with students from other schools. with parents. was funny.” come back time and time again even after stu“It was a great experience,” Milhous said. “It “Students are able to say what is on their Based loosely on the 1975 British slapstick dents have graduated. That’s exciting,” he said. was fun to do it with the other schools [Notre mind without being scared to talk about it,” comedy film “Monty Python and the Holy Fry thinks that theatre is more than just Dame, Villa Maria, and Devon Prep].”

Milhous said. “Because these are touchy Grail,” “Spamalot” tells the legend of King what you see on stage.

As for the event itself, Milhous said that it subjects.”

Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table in “I think the bigger picture is why do people was great to give perspectives to parents and also Kenworthey, McCullough, and Milhous a satirical way. The show includes lots of singing, go and see theater? Why do people go see con- to receive their perspectives with regards to the also added some input into how the night could dancing, and humor. certs, and go see movies?” Fry said. “My percep- topics that were discussed. be improved for future events.

Junior Kyle Leonard is part of the cast as the tion is that they want to be entertained. Maybe “It’s a good time to let your emotions out “We had a really good turnout. We had a lead character King Arthur. This is his second they want to forget about what’s going on in their that you wouldn’t usually,” Milhous said. “It’s better turnout than last year, but I still want to show after last spring’s “Les Misérables.” He is life. Maybe they want to laugh a little.” ◊ nice because the parents are very open to hear- improve the attendance of parents,” Kenworthey excited to come back to the Malvern Theater ing the student’s perspective, and the same goes said. “Parents need to come. Kids need to underSociety after his previous performance. for the students.” stand that it’s good for them that their parents come and hear what's going on. Parents also > BLACK HISTORY, 2 need to come and understand what they’re going Since the times of chains and lynch mobs (not gone today, but not be successful in the streets, and the black female is riddled with many through.” nearly as prevalent), African Americans are now trying to find a place social boundaries to stop them from being seen as equal to their white McCullough agreed that having more parin what is now also their country. counterparts. ents would make the conversation in the breakWhen learning about black history in the U.S., you may hear about Progress for the African American is relatively recent, and there out rooms flow better. the Underground Railroad and the Black Panther movement (not the is still much to be done. The divides that separates people of color “I would have more parents come, because movie. Please don’t think I’m talking in any way about the movie). from the white majority are finally being seen as obsolete, and there there was like a 5 to 1 ratio of students to parents But media today often packages topics like racism and slavery as are progressivists of every race. But it hasn’t always been this way, and in our room,” McCullough said. something of the distant past. If it weren’t for African American com- the past hundred years alone can attest to that. What can’t be allowed Milhous had a different idea on something munity, stories like these would’ve been loss to this “forgetfulness”. is the mindset that the events of the past should be separate from the that could be changed. He thinks that adding For our grandparents, it could’ve touched their lives. Parents teach future we are trying to create.To grow as Americans and as a society another night to the calendar could be very their black children the tribulations of their ancestors so they won’t we must look back at our mistakes so we can look toward our future. beneficial. forget their roots. Movies today like “Twelve Years a Slave,” and “The To be clear, I personally have no anger towards any particular “One thing I might change but not the Book of Negroes” are trying to convey the woes of slavery that masses group for the African American struggle. No one can be blamed for event itself is have it more than once per year of forgotten about. wanting to put such an awful part of history behind us. But that hisat Malvern,” he said. “Because a lot of kids like This forgetfulness of the American people also extends to pop tory is American history and no one can be allowed to pretend like it doing it and if kids like to do it as much as they culture. Jim Crow created a norm for people to judge entire races of is something different. do, I think more involvement and more events people based off of what is portrayed through media and propaganda.

The death of Emmett Till and the cries of his mother should not could make it better than it already is.”◊ It has taken decades to break down racist images of black people as be taken in vain. But that’s just my opinion. ◊ unintelligent, uneducated savages.

Today, that repression takes a new form in stereotypes about black culture, hair, style, and interactions. The black male is thought to only

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Reverse C schedules disappeared as part of ongoing schedule revisions

Fr. Thom Meehan recovering after two strokes

The late starts were beloved by some members of the Malvern community.

Theology teacher is grateful for prayers and support from the school community.

Jacob McGraw ’19 CONTRIBUTOR n 2013, Malvern introduced Reverse C schedules. They pushed back the start time of school from 8:25 to 9:15. Three years later in 2016, the schedule was removed, never to be seen again.

The Reverse C solved some problems with professional development for teachers.

Often teachers would miss meetings after school for sport practices and games. This was nice for teachers, but Assistant Head of School Mr. Ron Algeo said it wasn’t ideal for everyone.

“We got very split feedback from parents and students. Some parents loved it because their kid could get an extra hour of sleep. Some parents did not like it because it inconvenienced them trying to get their kid in later,” he said. “It could interfere with work.”

The feedback from the parents was split, along with the student feedback. Some students, including junior Corey Kovalovich, enjoyed the extra hour before school. “I liked Reverse C schedules because I get to wake up at eight and come in at nine and get 10 hours of sleep,” he said.

The extra time to sleep was appreciated by some students, but it did not accommodate for those on buses. Students who took a bus or rode into school on a school van were still dropped off at the usual time as if school

To send well wishes: Chris Ayres ’21 the help he needs. According Fr. Thom Meehan, O.S.A. CONTRIBUTOR to Drennen, he spent several St. Thomas Monastery n January 23, Fr. weeks at Bryn Mawr Rehab 800 E. Lancaster Ave. Thom Meehan, Hospital in Malvern, working Villanova PA 19085.

O.S.A. woke up hard with physical therapy, unable to get out of his bed. speech therapy, and occupaHe soon realized that something was very tional therapy. wrong and contacted Director of Mission and Drennen picked Fr. Thom up from Bryn Ministry, Fr. Chris Drennen, O.S.A..

Mawr Rehab on February 13 and brought him “He said he could not move his leg, and it back to campus. However, Head of School Fr. was so weak that he was afraid he was going Don Reilly informed the faculty via email on to fall,” Drennen said. “He had gotten himself February 19 that Meehan would be continuing dressed but that was all he could do.” his recuperation at St. Thomas Monastery on Drennen presumed from seeing Fr. Thom the campus of Villanova University. that it was a stroke.

In the short term, four Malvern teach“As soon as I saw him I could see that his ers stepped in to teach Meehan’s ninth grade face was drooping and his left hand was really Biblical Studies classes during his time of weak,” Drennen said. “I called 911 immediately absence. “Father Cassidy, Mr. Zagursky, Mr. and they rushed him to Paoli Hospital.”

Legner, and myself filled in,” Drennen said.

Other faculty members and students heard “Everyone took a little extra to help out.” the news and wanted to know how he was doing.

Upon Reilly’s transition to St. Thomas “People were very concerned and they have Monastery, Mrs. Metty Vithayathil took on been really supportive,” Drennen said. “A cou- Meehan’s classes as a longer term substitute. ple of people have come to visit, some students, Vithayathil previously subbed for theology some teachers, and all of the Friars.” teacher Mr. Alex Haynie during his paternity Drennen also said that it was difficult being leave earlier this school year. in the Friary without him.

Father Thom hasn’t been able to talk to a lot “We just missed him and it was tough not of students, but is thankful for all of the support having him because he usually is not gone a lot,” he has received.

Drennen said. “He is pretty much home every “He is really grateful and thankful for night, so we missed not having him at dinner all the prayers, cards, and letters that people and for prayer.” have sent,” Drennen said. “I think he is really Fortunately, Fr. Thom has been receiving touched by how much people care about him.”◊

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was starting at 8:25. Students arriving this early had very little options on where to go and what to do.

This was negative for some students, including junior Chase Sakers. “[Reverse C schedules were] great, but… we have an hour here of doing nothing and it’s a pain,” he said. “But it’s nice not having any class.”

Faculty were forced to decide what they would do about this scheduling after receiving feedback that the previous scheduling system being confusing or having too many different schedules.

“Students were telling me that they would rather be out early than start late,” Algeo said. “So the team listened to the school and decided to get rid of the Reverse C along with B schedules and renaming the existing schedules to more transparent names.”

Some of those changes included making the Reverse C Schedule into a PD schedule to making it more clear to an individual reading the schedule why there was an early dismissal. With professional development meetings for teachers starting earlier at 2 p.m., fewer teachers miss the meetings for practices and games.

With making the schedule more simple and listening to the feedback of students as goals, the clear decision seemed to be saying goodbye to Reverse C schedules. ◊

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Teachers and students say “grade grubbing” and extra help to boost grades may be part of Malvern’s culture.

Dan Malloy ’18, Rohan Jhunjhunwala ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, REPORTER ccording to data provided by the Counseling Department and analysis by the Friar’s Lantern, Malvern’s average GPAs have been steadily rising over the past 19 years.

The average GPA of each junior class from the 1997-1998 school year to the 2015-2016 school year has risen from 2.92 to 3.72 on a weighted 4.0 GPA scale, an average of .04 points per year over that span.

Researchers from the College Board looked at the GPAs of high school students nationally who took the SAT between 1998 and 2016.

They found that while SAT scores declined slightly, grades are on the rise across the board in the United States. They also analyzed GPAs at private independent (not religious), private religious, suburban public, and urban public schools and found that private school GPAs rose the most. Non-Catholic private schools had a GPA rise of 8%, while private Catholic schools had a rise of 6.4%.

However, Malvern’s GPA increase surpassed all of the research, with a GPA increase of 27.4% from 1998-2016.

Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick Sillup believes there could be a whole host of reasons for this grade inflation.

One of them could be a change in the student population over that span of years. “The student population looks different today than it did in 1999. That does not mean it is a bad different or a good different,” Sillup said.

However, testing data indicates that the criteria measured by the SAT have remained steady over that time. SAT data provided by the Counseling Department from each Malvern junior class from the 1997-1998 year to the 2015-2016 year (data from 2004-2005 and 2009-2010 was missing) show that the mean composite SAT scores divided by the number of sections do not change significantly over the time period.

English teacher Mr. John Bohannon, who has been teaching at Malvern since 2000, thinks that one reason for this rise in GPAs could be that teachers are giving out fewer low grades.

“I don’t think I’m giving out more A’s and B’s,” Bohannon said. “I just feel I’m giving less lower grades, less D’s, less C’s.”

Bohannon might be onto something.

According to data shared with the Friar’s Lantern by the Counseling Department, only a startling 0.5% of final grades for juniors in 2015-2016 were C’s or below—compared to 17.1% of the grades reported for juniors in 1997-1998.

The same number of juniors failed a class in 1997-1998 as the number of juniors who received a final grade of C or below in 2015-2016.

By this measure, the goalposts have clearly moved for what constitutes failure at Malvern.

“Here, people think they fail if they get a C,” Bohannon said. “Really, what a ‘C’ means is average. So right there, what we are saying is that if you are average, you’re failing… Instead of the scale from A to F, we really have the scale from A to C, with some outliers.”

Sophomore Eric Villano has never heard of a fellow student failing at Malvern, but he

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does not think that is necessarily a bad thing.

“I feel like [teachers] shouldn’t allow [students] to fail,” Villano said. “They should try to have students not fail.”

Villano explained that teachers in his classes often give out extra credit assignments and lots of homework grades that boost his grades.

“I kind of like [grade inflation] because you don’t have to try as hard,” Villano said. “It sounds bad, but you see what I mean.”

Jimmy Dugan ’17, a freshman at the University of Virginia, said that grade inflation certainly exists at Malvern but it comes in many forms. He said it also exists in college.

“Giving someone an extra .05 to raise a B to a B+ is no different than having an easy homework assignment mid semester,” Dugan said.

“Even in college right now I have some easy ten-out-of-ten assignments that raise my grade without me having to know much.”

However, Dugan sees some differences between his high school and college experiences. “What I think is better about UVA than at Malvern is that you can’t survive on those easy assignments,” he said.

Dugan thought there were different levels of difficulty across the board for his classes at Malvern.

“I’ve heard everything. There are classes that have been seen as ‘ jokes,’ but there are many classes seen as quite difficult. Truthfully, the honors ceremonies are suspect, considering most kids in the grade get honors,” Dugan said. “That could have been because we had a lot of really smart kids in my grade—which we did—or because it wasn’t too difficult to get a high GPA.” Statistics back up what Dugan said about honors assemblies. Two-thirds of the Upper School received Distinguished Honors (4.0 GPA or higher with no B-’s or below) and First Honors (3.5 GPA or higher with no B-’s or below) for the first semester. 35.3% of the Upper School got Distinguished Honors and 31.2% got First Honors.

Villano thinks Malvern is an “easier” school, but students can challenge themselves if they choose. “You can also take challenging classes,” he said. “The easy classes are a lot easier, but it is easy to take challenging classes.”

Dugan said his goal of getting into the colleges he was aiming for caused him to stress about grades while at Malvern.

“Even if you don’t know squat about a certain class, you still think you deserve a better grade. I did my fair share of grade grubbing and it sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t,” Dugan said.

Tommy Pero ’17, a freshman at the University of Notre Dame, said he was “motivated a lot by getting as high of a GPA as possible for looking good for colleges.”

Pero said grade grubbing was “absolutely” a huge part of the culture at Malvern and that most students do it.

“It was a given. You had your week before the end of the quarter and I went through [my grades] the weekend before and I was like, ‘Alright, what classes do I need a little push in?’

And I’d plan out who I would need to talk to, what exactly I was going to ask for,” Pero said.

For each junior class since 1998**, we summed all final individual grades scored across courses for that year and divided it by the total number of grades scored to calculate an average GPA for that class. For example, two A+ in British Literature would add to 8.6, and divide by 2 to get a 4.3 average GPA. We found a .8 GPA point increase over the time period.

There were three versions of the SAT from 1998 to 2016: the old 1600 version until 2005, the 2400 version from 2005 to 2015, and the new 1600 version began in March 2016. To compare across years, we averaged the mean scores in each section of each junior class from 1998 to 2016** down to one section score out of 800. We found this SAT metric does not change significantly over this time period.

*1998 means the 1997-1998 school year, and so on **The data from the 2004-2005 and the 2009-2010 school year was missing

Bohannon said that grade grubbing— defined as asking teachers for extra points or higher grades—has been more evident in his classes over the years.

“There is a much bigger focus focus for the students on grades,” Bohannon said. “That could be because they see their grades 24/7. They always have access to what their grades are to the tenth decimal point.”

Director of College Counseling Mr. Ian Harkness thinks it is okay for teachers to help students raise their grades.

“That’s the type of place Malvern is. It’s about going the extra mile to help a student…

At Malvern, we should and we can go back and let [a student] retake an exam to make sure his grade is what it should be,” he said.

R ichard Weissbourd, a lecturer and researcher at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education who has studied the college admissions process, stated that private schools have raised grades over the years in order to boost their students’ college chances in response to

pressure from parents.

“To be attractive to parents, [private schools] need to be able to tout how many of their students went to selective colleges. So they’re incentivized to give better grades,” Weissbourd wrote.

Harkness confirmed the theory grade inflation boosts college chances.

“The reality is for us now with grades in a place like Malvern… does grade inflation help us [in the college process]? Probably,” Harkness said.

However, Harkness thinks that colleges understand Malvern is providing a good education for students regardless of grade inflation.

“Even for students who are not taking those highest-level AP or honors classes, they will be more than ready to go to college and take on all the challenges. So I think colleges understand that,” he said.

Sillup argued that giving more homework and ramping up stress as high as possible would not necessarily mean students would be more college prepared. Sillup wants to focus on > PAGE 7

Data from College Board, Malvern Counseling

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Teacher of the Issue:

Fr. Reilly hits the road

Upper School English teacher Mrs. Susan Giordani talks about her journey to becoming a teacher and her passion for teaching high schoolers.

During Fr. Reilly’s Head of School Tour, he will be meeting with alumni from all around the country.

Mrs. Susan Giordani Devon Greaves ’20 CONTRIBUTOR rom a young age, Giordani showed an interest in English.

“Even when I was a kid, I would write for my family, I would read for them, and we would discuss,” Giordani said.

“I would even make vocabulary quizzes for them, so there were all these things that were pointing to the fact that I should be an English teacher someday.”

W h i l e a t Pe n n S t a t e University, Giordani knew she MRS. SUSAN GIORDANI • D. GREAVES wanted to work with kids, however her initial career path was not English.

“I originally wanted to go into family law, and without all the extra details, I realized that I would not be able to handle the sadness that comes along with some of the cases,” Giordani said.

Giordani eventually discovered a new-found love for teaching.

“I switched gears [when] I was a senior in college and I took some education courses, and loved them,” she said.

Giordani has taught grades five through 12, but she prefers teaching high schoolers.

“I love the middle schoolers, but there’s something that’s just special about the teenage mind and the challenges that come with it and the opportunities that come with it,” Giordani said.

Giordani said that she does not need to teach English to enjoy teaching.

“I would be open to teaching just about anything except math, I don’t have to necessarily be teaching English to teach the things that I love to teach,” Giordani said.

Giordani feels a special connection with the seniors because she has seen their growth throughout high school.

“This is my fifth year teaching at Malvern. I started teaching the eighth grade for the seniors who are graduating now, so I feel kind of like a special bond with them,” Giordani said.

Another advantage of teaching for Giordani is that she can support her students when they encounter non-academic issues.

“I think it’s just a difficult stage in life for kids and I just want to be there to support them,” Giordani said. ◊

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Jack Guardiola ’20 COPY EDITOR ead of School Fr. Donald Reilly O.S.A. will be visiting Chicago, New York, Washington D.C. this spring to meet up with alumni and discuss what’s going on at the school.

“I’m interested in listening to their stories and letting them know what’s happening at their alma mater,” Reilly said.

Reilly thinks that the tour will help create a better a outreach with alumni.

“They want to meet me, and for very good reasons. [They want to know] who is caring for the school... they also know that things have changed, because they get our communication. But I want to be able to explain exactly what we’re doing here, and thank them,” Reilly said.

Although these meetings are in a town hall format, Reilly is also willing to talk to alumni in a different setup.

“I’m certainly open to meeting with people one-on-one, but it would primarily be gatherings of alums,” Reilly said.

However, Reilly won’t be the only one talking at the event.

“I also want to listen. And anybody who’s coming to one of those meetings is probably interested in the same thing,” Reilly said.

Reilly is not excited about any location in particular, but is looking forward to all of his destinations.

“I’m looking forward to each one because I’m new in my position, and I’m really excited about what we’re doing here and I want to share that,” Reilly said. ◊

H VICTORY ROYALE • Players are greeted with this triumphant message when they are the last person or team standing in Fortnite. / E. ROWLEY

> FORTNITE, 1

The game is fast paced, able to get your adrenaline running, and the feeling of winning is comparable to playing sports in the real world. There are jump pads, defenses to be built, and games to win.

In the game’s current state, it features two game modes: Save the World and Battle Royale. Save the World is a purchasable game mode that is a single player survival mode where you fight to survive hoards of apocalyptic zombies.

Battle Royale is the more popular version of the game because of its free-to-play nature and the ability to play with friends.

In the Battle Royale game mode, you can have up to three teammates and are thrown onto an island consisting of various biomes, towns and cities with a total of 100 other players. In the game you loot for weapons ranging from crossbows to rocket launchers to eliminate other players and you only win if you or your team are the last alive.

The game has not only taken over lunch table conversations but social media has been ridden with various Fortnite “meme” accounts as well as players’ personal accounts with the game. A recent phenomenon includes players taking to their Snapchat Stories and posting pictures of the “Victory Royale!” banner to flaunt their triumph to their friends.

Fortnite has gained a lot of traction here at Malvern. Many people enjoy the game, which is easily seen through the conversations held in classrooms and the lunch table. This game seems to have brought about a certain kind of unity with kids by providing common ground for almost everyone in the school.

However, the game does not result in all positives.

“It’s honestly very distracting,” junior Anthony Papa said. “The people I know are just absolutely addicted to it. And it’s time to stop.”

Junior Dan Dougherty takes a slightly different stance.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing to do, playing it in class,” Dougherty said. “But if you have no work, if you want to do that, that’s what you can do.”

Junior Will West, an avid player of Fortnite, confirmed that he has played it in class.

“It’s a great game, yes I play it in class, and it definitely is a distraction,” West said.

However distracting it may be, Fortnite clearly sets a high standard for video games. In early February, the game surpassed the record for highest concurrent players, setting a new record at 3.4 million players.◊

>GRADE INFLATION, 6

providing students with a well-rounded overall experience that prepares students for life as well as college.

“It would be different than me saying, ‘We’re all about taking as many APs as you can and we’ll build up the pressure as much as we can, and see who survives,’” Sillup said. “You could do that too. There’s lots of ways to do school.”

Harkness would like to see more C’s and D’s as learning moments for students.

“I think there’s a fear that a bad grade will curse your college chances. I don’t think that is the case,” Harkness said. “I think in context colleges understand the C and probably would love to hear the growth and the story about that C.” Bohannon said teachers should not purposely fail students, but instead let students fail more.

“I just think you guys don’t have the opportunity to deal with [failure],” Bohannon said.

“For the last five or six years, not just here but around the world, the idea of failing as the way of learning has been really popular. You need the feedback. You need to try and try again.”

Bohannon thinks grades are not an effective

way of determining a student’s knowledge. “I don’t think grades are a good reflection of a student’s understanding or his learning,” he said.

Sillup said the way in which Malvern gives student feedback will change in the future, away from traditional grades.

“Let’s use big brushstrokes here—like projects or a public demonstration of learning, a presentation, a product that you’ve built, a process you’re exploring, a paper you’ve written,” he said. “I think those are conversations that teachers and we need to help create and foster so that there’s some common thinking around what those things are.”

Sillup said the Middle School will be launching a “Unifying Rubric” next year. This will allow teachers to easily assess areas like critical thinking or communication skills within a project with one rubric to use across classes.

“At each discipline, there are very similar skills being focused upon. The more common language we share about communication or collaboration or analysis or critical thinking, then the easier it is to be specific in our language and

what we are seeing, and what we hope to see in our evaluation,” Sillup said.

Sillup also said annual benchmarks for all students in contexts like writing, communication, and analysis skills will come next fall for students. Academy Leaders will administer evaluations of each student to come up with general trends in skills and diagnose academic issues in individual students.

All of these benchmarks are baby steps in the end goal of the Mastery Transcript according to Sillup.

The Mastery Transcript Consortium is a “collective of high schools organized around the development and dissemination of an alternative model of crediting and transcript generation,” according to their website. In simpler terms, the Mastery Transcript will replace traditional grades on a transcript with a map of skills or knowledge that the student has mastered.

Sillup said the little steps are very important in this major academic change for the school that will come several years down the line.

“If we were in chapel after J-Term and I

said, ‘Hey guys. Remember how all your stuff was fueled to a A or a B and be on a transcript?

Well, all of that is gone.’ I think people would be like, ‘Huh?’” Sillup said. “I think the translation would be so tricky and really, really poor.”

Sillup and administration seek to re-evaluate the system completely for the long term. In the meantime, traditional grades are still the system at Malvern. In the wake of grade inflation, it remains to be seen how students and teachers will respond.

Dugan thinks grade inf lation is not too harmful under certain circumstances.

“If you worked really hard, learned a ton, just had a bad day on a test, and just missed out on a B by like .1%, grade inflation is certainly not a crime,” Dugan said.

Harkness thinks more low grades would be a good thing because it is an opportunity to learn for students.

“I think this is a safe place to fail,” Harkness said. “If a student is going to face a moment where he’s got to reshape how they learn and how they study, why wouldn’t it happen here?” ◊

Data from Malvern Counseling

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The school’s first Diversity Conference will bring a noted keynote speaker to campus—as well as opportunities for student leadership.

Michael Harrington ’19 After Moore’s speech, everyone will split into breakFRIAR LIFE EDITOR out groups led by Malvern’s Diversity Awareness Club ven as a young boy, Mr. Darnell L. Moore pushed members. One such student is junior Jordan Wright who himself to speak publicly. He remembers his first public will be heading a session with senior Christian DiCicco. speaking experience very clearly. He participated in a “We are all running our own breakout sessions. citywide poetry contest in his hometown of Camden, New Christian and I are doing race and pop culture. That’s Jersey and won an award at the venue. Years later, public one of the topics we will be facilitating and talking about,” speaking is a large part of his life.

Wright said. “I am really excited for that.”

On Sunday, March 18, a day themed Wright has attended other diversity on ‘Speaking Truth at Malvern Prep’ or conferences since freshman year with the “My hope is that, one, ST@MP, Moore will begin Malvern’s Diversity Awareness Club, which he has a lot of Malvern first Diversity Conference by delivering been very grateful to attend. kids come because a keynote speech. His presentation will “People from different backgrounds I know Malvern kick off a day described on Malvern’s come together to talk about topics concan sometimes be website as a “personal and communal cerning race, sexual orientation, religion, a sheltered placE. I journey together to discover ourselves economic backgrounds. It’s a really nice hope that people come and our community.” experience,” he said. and become aware of issues minorities Moore is a writer, public speaker, Sayers and Wright both emphasize that like myself or other and teacher. He has spoken at a variety students who are coming to ST@MP need people face.” of places about topics like racial justice, to be open-minded. Listening to what othJordan Wright '19 gender equality, and manhood. ers say and not judging will also make it a Diversity Club Member, According to School Psychologist much better experience, in their opinions.

CONFERENCE LEADER Dr. Dorothy Sayers, Moore will be a “My hope is that, one, a lot of Malvern good fit for Malvern. kids come because I know Malvern can “We listened to a few of his TED sometimes be a sheltered place,” Wright talks. I really liked his message and he said. “I hope that people come and become had the availability. So it just seem to fit. It’s what we were aware of issues minorities like myself or other people face.” hoping for. It fits with our community,” she said.

Sayers also hopes a large portion of Malvern’s student She thinks that his speech will do well at an body attends the conference. She thinks it is equally as Augustinian school and that his messages will be benefi- important to have a significant group of students from cial for our community. other schools as well.

“His message is very consistent with “I’m really hoping we have a good numwhat we are as an Augustinian school. ber to come and experience that. I would He talks about radical love and loving a like for a good number of our community to ST@MP REGISTRATION person for who they are, and not trying be there as well. It can’t be all our commuFOR MALVERN to make them different than who they nity. It has to be others as well. So that there STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF IS FREE. are,” Sayers said. is an exchange of perspective,” she said.

Moore says that if he had to pick Sayers thinks that the ST@MP conferSUNDAY, MARCH 18 one thing that he really focuses on durence holds a lot of potential for the future.

8:30-4:00 ing his speeches it would be communal “It’s been an interesting process all transformation. along. A lot of work along the way. A lot of REGISTER ONLINE AT “If you want to change the world, growth… I’m hoping it all comes together,” MALVERNPREP.ORG you have to start with yourself. I like to Sayers said. “I’m hoping that once we have it remind people that we all have someit will kind of be a jumpstart to other things thing to do in this process called comand conversations.” munal transformation,” he said.

Moore is very excited for his visit to Due to his high school experience, Moore possesses Malvern. For him, the opportunity to talk to the youth a unique perspective that he thinks will make his speech in an influential way appeals to him because they are the connect with Malvern students. He attended Mullica Hills future.

Friends School in Gloucester County NJ, a small private “I love talking to young people. You all are the folks high school that with an enrollment that was primarily responsible for making our world a better place. Some of white. us who are older are stuck in our ways. You aren’t. You are “I think it may help you all to hear how someone who the folks we will be leaning on to make change a realistic has gone through that process. What that experience has thing,” he said. ◊ allowed me to think about education,” he said. “How it allowed me to think about relationships across the lines of racial indifference.”

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

DARNELL MOORE Darnell Moore is Editor-at-Large at CASSIUS (an iOne digital platform) and formerly a senior editor and correspondent at Mic. He is co-managing editor at The Feminist Wire and writer-in-residence at the Center on African American Religion, Sexual Politics and Social Justice at Columbia University. Along with NFL player Wade Davis II, he co-founded YOU Belong, a social good company focused on the development of diversity initiatives.

Darnell’s advocacy centers on marginal identity, youth development and other social justice issues in the U.S. and abroad.

He is the host of Mic’s digital series, “The Movement,” which was nominated for a Breakthrough Series: Short Form Award at the 2016 IFP Gotham Awards. He has led and participated in several critical dialogues including the 58th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women; the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington National Panel on Race, Discrimination and Poverty, the 2012 Seminar on Debates on Religion and Sexuality at Harvard Divinity School, and as a member of the first U.S. delegation of LGBTQ leaders to Palestine in 2012.

A prolific writer, Darnell has been published in various media outlets including MSNBC, The Guardian, Huffington Post, EBONY, The Root, The Advocate, OUT Magazine, Gawker, Truth Out, VICE, Guernica, Mondoweiss, Thought Catalog, Good Men Project and others, as well as numerous academic journals including QED: A Journal in GLBTQ World Making, Women Studies Quarterly, Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media & Technology, Transforming Anthropology, Black Theology: An International Journal, and Harvard Journal of African American Policy, among others. He also edited the art book Nicolaus Schmidt: Astor Place, Broadway, New York: A Universe of Hairdressers (Kerber Verlag) and has published essays in several edited books.

Darnell has held positions of Visiting Fellow and Visiting Scholar at Yale Divinity School, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at New York University and the Institute for Research in African American Studies at Columbia University.

He is presently Writer-in-Residence at the Center on African American Religion, Sexuality, and Social Justice at Columbia University. He has taught in the Women and Gender’s Studies and Public Administration departments at Rutgers University, Fordham University, City College of New York City and Vassar College. Darnell has also provided keynote addresses at Harvard University, Williams College, Stony Brook University, New Jersey City University, Stanford University, and the New School.

Darnell Moore received the 2012 Humanitarian Award from the American Conference on Diversity for his advocacy in the City of Newark, where he served as Chair of the LGBTQ Concerns Advisory Commission. He is the recipient of the 2012 Outstanding Academic Leadership Award from Rutgers University LGBTQ and Diversity Resource Center for his contributions to developing the Queer Newark Oral History Project. He received the 2013 Angel Award from Gay Men of African Descent and the 2014 Gentleman of the Year Award from the Gentlemen’s Foundation. He was listed as a one of Planned Parenthood’s Top 99 Dream Keepers in 2015, was featured in USA Today’s #InTheirOwnWords multimedia feature on Keynote Speaker Biography contemporary civil rights activists, was named among EBONY Magazine’s 2015 Power 100, Time Out New York’s Eight LGBT Influencers, Be Modern Man 100, and The Root 100 2016.

He assisted in organizing the Black Lives Matters Ride to Ferguson in the wake of Mike Brown’s tragic murder and along with Alicia Garza, Patrisee Cullors, and Opal Tometti (#BlackLivesMatter Co-Founders) developed the infrastructure for the BLM Network. He is soon to complete his first book, No Fire in the Ashes (The Nation Books).

SOURCE: MALVERN PREP WEBSITE

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Veteran teachers describe changes in diversity The demographics of the Malvern community have seen both changes and consistency in the school’s 175 year history.

Kyle Leonard ’19 today are probably the first that I can think of,” Chinici SPORTS EDITOR said. “We’ve not had a lot of teachers of ethnic diversity.” alvern has three teachers who have each been Stewart, Roper, and Chinici all agreed that Malvern at Malvern for over 40 years: English teacher should make a conscientious effort to hire more teachers and college counselor Mr. Richard Roper, of different backgrounds. A percentage increase in faculty, Stewardship Officer Mr. Chuck Chinici, and former Head staff, and students of color is noted as a success measureof School and Spanish teacher Mr. James Stewart. They ment in the 2020 strategic plan, released in late February. have seen a lot of change at the school—including changes “It’s not to say that we don’t try to, because we do. We in how diversity is defined in the haven’t been fortunate enough community. to attract many,” Chinici said.

Mr. Chuck Chinici Both Stewart and Chinici “I think we’re a long way from STEWARDSHIP OFFICER re c a l le d t he f i r st A f r ic a n being where I would like to see "Diversity in 1930 on the Malvern faculty was a lay American teacher, Mr. Michael us be, and that would be more teacher. Diversity to me today Steele. Steele taught at Malvern teachers of color. We’ve reached means someone who is not a white, male teacher." in 1980-81, while he was a semithe male-female ratio, but we narian at Villanova. After teachstill haven’t reached the divering at Malvern—and leaving the Seminary—Steele sity I would like to see.” went on to pursue a career in Washington as a politician.

Roper believes Malvern has reached a nice balance of He now holds the titles of former Republican National women and men on the teaching staff.

Convention chairman and former Lieutenant Governor “We really struggled to bring a gender balance and of Maryland. diversity to our faculty. It was a hard-fought battle, because “He’s a bigwig in the Republican party. You see him it takes a special kind of woman to teach in an all boys on all of news stations today,” Chinici said. school,” Roper said. “We went through a lot of ‘fits and While they are the longest tenured Malvern teachers, starts’, some successes and failures. Now, we have an certain milestones in the history of interesting blend of female facMR. RICHARD ROPER the community’s diversity predate ulty members.”

COLLEGE COUNSELOR, TEACHER Roper, Chinici, and Stewart’s From their experiences, "I think we struggle because careers. all three men define what they once we make a decision to “There were African American believe diversity is in regards to take in those of racial diversity, we have to have a plan students here in 1970 when I the Malvern community’s stufor them to succeed." came. They were here because we dents and teachers—and some had a program called the Amici of the challenges in reaching a Scholarship. The money was to go to inner-city kids who diverse community. couldn’t afford to come to Malvern Prep,” Stewart said.

In his definition, Roper addressed the challenges of “We probably had more kids of diversity in the ’70s than having a diverse religious community due to Malvern’s we had in the ’80s and early ’90s because of the fund we Catholic, Augustinian principles. had.”

“Gender, ethnicity, race. Notice how I didn’t say It has been “heartwarming” to see the student body religious,” Roper said. “Now I’m not talking about sects become more inclusive of African Americans, Asians, and within the Christian faith; I’m talking about groups outother young men that break the side the Christian. I’m not sure Malvern stereotype of a white we’re equipped, given what we MR. JAMES STEWART population, according to all are, to deal with that kind of TEACHER, FORMER HEAD OF SCHOOL three men. diversity. But racial, ethnic, “Diversity is everything; your race, your religion, your ethnic“The school has made an and gender in the faculty? We ity, your learning abilities, you effort to have more diverse stuare certainly capable of doing social stature." dents, not of any particular race,” that.”

Stewart said. “We did well in the ’80s with Asian kids, Chinici, who has done a lot of research on the history with the African American kids in the ’90s. It seems in of Malvern, stressed that the definition of diversity has the 2000s, we’re doing much better with the Asians and undergone significant changes since the school opened. the African Americans.”

“For an all-boys school, we have always had white male However, more development could be made in this teachers,” Chinici said. “Diversity back in 1930 meant area. something different than it means today. Diversity in 1930 “The attempt has never stopped to become more on the Malvern faculty was a lay teacher. Diversity to me diverse, racially and ethnically, but I think we struggle today means someone who is not a white, male teacher.” because once we make a decision to take in those of racial Stewart emphasized that Malvern should continue diversity, we have to have a plan for them to succeed,” to be an accepting community, not just one who tolerates Roper said. “We have to have the ability to make them people who are different. comfortable, while being challenged, within our com“Diversity is everything; your race, your religion, your munity, and that’s hard.” ethnicity, your learning abilities, you social stature. What’s Malvern has also struggled to hire faculty members of really important here is everything that’s diverse,” Stewart different backgrounds, something that Chinici reflected said. “We shouldn’t use the word ‘tolerate’, we should use upon in doing research for Malvern’s 175th anniversary ‘accept’. Too often you hear we’re going to ‘tolerate’ or ‘put last year. up with’. Acceptance means you’re trying to understand “We have not had many teachers of color in my 40 how they feel, and they’re trying to understand how you years here at Malvern. We’ve had a few, maybe two or feel and how you look at things that are happening in the three. As far as Asian teachers, the teachers that we have world.” ◊

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Head of School, Board Chairman describe diversity goals Preparing students for diversity in college, the workplace, and the “real world” are among these goals.

Jack Guardiola ’20 COPY EDITOR o Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. Stephen Cloetingh, diversity at Malvern is necessary in order to prepare students for life after Malvern.

“Our goal as a “Our goal as a school is not only to prepare school is not only to students to go to college, but to prepare you to prepare students to succeed in college, and then be able to succeed go to college, but in life. And the world is diverse,” Cloetingh to prepare you to said. succeed in college, According to Head of School Father and then be able to Donald Reilly, O.S.A., diversity can be seen succeed in life. And in ethnic origin, education, socioeconomic difthe world is diverse.” ferences, and differences in religion.

MR. STEVE CLOETINGH CHAIRman, Board of Trustees Reilly said that diversity will expand a student’s mind and horizons by being exposed to other perspectives and opinions.

"Diversity releases empathy within me, i.e. I am able to walk in another's 'shoes.' I expand my knowledge of what makes me different from someone else when I accept the value of diversity in my life,” Reilly said. “I come to a better knowledge of myself and I come to the conclusion that the Creator created a human family not just a 'kind of person.' Diversity expands my experience of who God is."

Cloetingh and Reilly both said that Malvern is actively trying to become a more diverse school.

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> PAGE 10

College preparation for greater diversity challenging, necessary Is Malvern preparing its students for the diverse communities they will see in college and beyond?

Eric McLaughlin ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF any Malvern alumni experience an eye-opening experience when they walk on college campuses their freshman year. They are in brand new environments with people from very diverse backgrounds. For some, it can be challenging to realize that you have little in common with many of the people around you.

Over Malvern’s J-Term, a few alumni returned to Warren Ave. to be interviewed by students in the journalism class. The quotes from their brief interviews were posted on our Instagram page using the #AlumniofMalvern.

One of the quotes that stood out was from Tait McGlinn ’16, a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame. McGlinn said that one of the things Malvern did not prepare him for was the diverse environment that he has experienced in college.

“College is definitely more global, religiously diverse, even mentally diverse,” he said. “There’s some kids that won’t agree with you and you’re going to have to live with that.”

Tyler Pizzico ’17, a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, had a similar opinion.

“Malvern is a great school, of course, but one of its biggest setbacks is it's kind of in a bubble,” Pizzico said. “Malvern’s lack of ethnic diversity is not its problem in my humble opinion, it’s really not. The thing Malvern lacks is a diversity of beliefs and opinions and that largely comes from where the school is located.”

The majority of Malvern students come from the Chester County, Delaware County, and Montgomery County regions. According to Malvern’s website, 85% of the student body is Catholic. While there are some exceptions, many students who come to Malvern from these areas have a plenty of similarities.

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> PAGE 10

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> HEAD OF SCHOOL, BOARD CHAIRMAN, 9

“We have the Diversity Club, we’ve got the diversity committee, we’ve got SEED [Seeking Education, Equity, and Diversity] training, we’re looking at doing some things with colleges to bring in a faculty perspective, some student teachers to come in here, graduate student teachers who are diverse,” Cloetingh said.

Cloetingh said the Board is committed to making Malvern a more diverse environment.

“The Board recognizes and is going to invest in diversity,” Cloetingh said. “We passed a diversity policy a few years ago and it’s a matter of working really hard to get to that point and finding the right diverse candidate to come in and be a part of the community.”

Cloetingh also said that there is a specific committee of the Board that focuses on diversity.

“We do have a Diversity and Inclusion committee on the Board, that specifically focuses on that. When you have a standing committee on the Board that is assigned a certain task, it’s important to the Board, otherwise we wouldn’t have it,” Cloetingh said.

According to Reilly, Malvern does have strengths when it comes to incorporating diversity at Malvern, especially service trips.

"Our service trips here at MP expose us to diversity and they offer us life-changing encounters. I have heard students (and faculty and staff) say when they return from a trip both here and abroad that they made friends with those with whom they lived and to whom they gave service,” Reilly said. “These experiences are invaluable for personal growth and a spiritual appreciation of who God is among and within us. If I am able to accept another person as he/she knows herself/himself to be, I am able to love them, I am able to adhere to Christ's commandment: Love one another."

To Cloetingh, Malvern’s greatest strength is its Augustinian faith. However, Cloetingh did say that Malvern did have a couple weaknesses when it comes to diversity, like Malvern’s location and the lack of diversity in Malvern’s alumni base.

“Frankly, we haven’t had as much diversity as we should have over the years. We just don’t have as many alumni to pool from for diversity,” Cloetingh said.

Cleotingh and Reilly said that being accepting of differences is essential throughout life.

“It couldn’t be more important. Diversity is what you see every day in the real world. We are in an insulated area where we have been very non-diverse for a very long time,” Cloetingh said.

According to Reilly, being accepting of differences is important for a leader.

"If brotherhood and leadership are among the goals to which we aspire here at Malvern, acceptance of difference and embracing the value of diversity engage us with and for others," Reilly said.

Cloetingh said although there is not one way to become a more diverse place, Malvern is utilizing as many means as possible.

“There’s no ‘Philly Special’ for diversity. We have to use as many tools as we can,” Cloetingh said.◊

> COLLEGE PREPARATION FOR DIVERSITY, 9

“At Malvern I could pretty much assume my classHarkness also had some ideas for how the Malvern mates’ political and religious orientations without even community could reach out to and build connections with talking about that stuff,” Pizzico said. people of different backgrounds, cultures, and religions.

This was not the case for Pizzico when he arrived “I think it would be great if Malvern had an opporto college. Penn is one of the most diverse colleges in tunity to do an inter-faith dialogue where some of the America. Students at Penn (and many other colleges) come Muslim leaders, Buddhist leaders, Jewish leaders from from all over the world and have different cultural and the area could come together to discuss uniqueness in religious backgrounds. their own belief,” he said. “There’s so many opportunities “Ever since I got to Penn, I’ve realized the way a per- like that that could be really eye-opening for Malvern son looks has absolutely nothing to do with what he or students.” she thinks or believes in. This school has forced me to, Almost every college that Malvern students go to is and I’m happy it has, interact with people, have mature more diverse than Malvern which, according to Harkness, conversations, and learn from and see situations in new is part of the reason why college can be a great place to perspectives,” Pizzico said. become more prepared for whatever it is you do in your life.

Pat Ferraiolo ’17, a freshman at St. Joseph’s University, “I think college is the time for diversity. It’s the time thought that Malvern does a good job with to really expand if you haven’t really been teaching its students to be open to all types exposed to [diversity],” he said. “Our “Our world is of people. world is so much more about the things so much more “Malvern teaches us through the core you don’t know, knowing how to keep about the things values of truth, unity, and love, that it an open mind on things when you are you don’t know, doesn’t matter where someone is from or discovering them. Malvern can help start knowing how to what their background is. Malvern teaches this journey and college is meant to build keep an open that they are all human beings and they it even more.” mind on things should all be treated that way,” he said.

Looking back on their Malvern expewhen you are Director of College Counseling Mr. riences, both McGlinn and Pizzico felt discovering them.

Malvern can help Ian Harkness said that while it can be that Malvern could have prepared them start this journey challenging at some times, Malvern tries to adapt to a college environment better. and college is to teach its students to be open and wel“Realizing this sophomore year meant to build it coming to all types of people to the best wouldn’t have done much for me as even more.” of their ability. a Malvern student, but it would have -Mr. Ian Harkness “I think it can be difficult in terms of helped me prepare for situations in coldiversity of religion and beliefs because lege that I need a more diverse aspect of Malvern builds itself on the foundations the world,” McGlinn said. of the Church,” Harkness said. “However, I think that it is Pizzico had a few ideas on how Malvern could try and good that students have to take classes on world religions.” incorporate placing students into a more diverse commuThe ‘World Religions’ curriculum primarily comes nity into the curriculum. during one quarter of the senior theology course “Catholic “Community service could be the answer to this, and Life in the 21st Century” dedicated to Comparative I think service opportunities should be a bit more interacReligions, although some study of world religions is also tive. Instead of just volunteering to play basketball with part of the freshman Biblical Studies course. kids from the inner city, I feel guys could benefit from Harkness said that it takes certain people from differ- actually just talking to them and learning about their life ent religions and backgrounds to help expand Malvern’s and how it is different from ours,” he said. “The more curriculum to encompass all types of people. perspectives we know, the better equipped we are to go “You have to have the diverse person who might not out and be successful in life and especially in college.”◊ be Catholic. It breaks the mold,” he said.

>TRANSFERS, 1

The decision for Butera to come to Malvern was not a rash decision. "It was a pretty long process, it took a lot of of long nights thinking about it. I had always wanted to come here, and my parents came to the conclusion that it was the right decision [and] that it would all work out," he said.

His brother pushed for him to go and experience Malvern. "He always wanted me to go here, and would always tell me how great of a place it is, and how it's the best place next to Disney World. It's something that he wanted me [to be] a part of just as much as I did," Butera said.

Another bonus of transferring was baseball and playing under his brother's former coach, Fred Hilliard.

"Baseball here had a little bit of an impact. I always wanted to play under Coach Freddy and growing up I would go to all of my brother’s games and watch. I think everything together just felt right," he said.

Butera did know a few students to help ease himself in at the beginning of the year. "I have a group of friends from where I live in Oaks, Collegeville and I have known them since we were kids. I went to school with them growing up," he said.

Still, coming to Malvern late means that Butera missed out on some things.

"I missed freshman year, I missed a year of baseball, I missed some of the service trips that I won't be able to do. I missed having RYAN DURKAN '21 some of the teachers that my TRANSFERRED AS FRESHMAN brother always spoke highly "It was a lot different and a bit [of]. I feel like I meshed well awkward not knowing anyone, but the kids were very nice and with a good group of guys and I felt welcomed."

I feel like I'm fitting in, and as of right now, I have no complaints of my transfer," he said.

Freshman Ryan Durkan had a different experience since he came to Malvern after Christmas break.

"It was a lot different and a bit awkward not knowing anyone, but the kids were very nice and I felt welcomed. I met a lot of new people through the swim team and it didn’t take long until I felt that I had fit in," Durkan said.

Coming from Westtown School, Durkan wanted something different than his start at Westtown.

"My brother already attends Malvern and I also wanted to swim under the coach that taught me how to swim, Jay Schiller. Again, I wanted to be at a Catholic school and an all-boys school, which would make everyone more relatable," Durkan said.

His brother, junior Patrick Durkan, transferred at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year from Westtown.

“It was hard leaving some of my good friends but I am confident that I will find many new friends. I am still in contact with almost all of my friends and I am still spending time with them," Ryan Durkan said.

Durkan’s parents saw the experience Patrick was having and made their choice based off of that.

"We felt that he would have a much better experience, and especially after seeing Patrick´s experience coming back to Malvern, we wanted to have both of them together, so it was very easy decision for us to make," Mr. Niall Durkan said.

Mrs. Jennifer Durkan said that Malvern would offer a more well-rounded high school education for Ryan.

“I think it was a good time to make the move in terms of his high school transcript would look and in terms of his high school athletics,” Mrs. Durkan said. “I think that anytime you move in the middle of the year it's difficult and a little bit stressful, but I think to be four years at one school is a good thing.”

According to When applying to Malvern, transfer Athletic Director Mr. applicants have to go through a very similar Kurt Ruch, students process as everyone else. who transfer to “They have to complete all of the Malvern from schools that are not requirements, recommendations, tranpart of the Inter-Ac scripts, and for tenth and eleventh graders league are eligible if they have taken the PSATs or SATs we to play sports would like to have those as well,” Director of right away, while a Admissions Mr. Sean Kenney said. “Then, it student transferring to another Inter-Ac really just depends on the numbers of space school would have available in each of those grades.” to wait at least one According to Malvern’s website, the year to play on a school expects around six new students in varsity team. the sophomore class and two new students in the junior class.

“On average, since I have been here, there have probably been 15 applications for tenth grade and about ten [applications] for eleventh grade. In any year it can be a little more or a little less,” Kenney said.

The process is a bit different for incoming seniors transferring. “Our policy has been for twelfth grade transfer students, they have to be relocating to the area, and they obviously have to meet all of our admissions criteria,” Kenney said. The website indicates that twelfth grade transfers must also be “exceptional” students.

There are a lot of factors going into the selection process, according to Kenney. >PAGE 11

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Malvern swimming team wins National Catholic Championship With five gold medals and several other top eight finishes, Malvern swimming took home their first National Catholic Championship since 2008.

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Lacrosse looks to turn in another strong season With a promising season ahead, the Friars will rely heavily on their depth and senior experience in hopes of winning an Inter-Ac Title.

TEAM MEETING • Head Coach John McEvoy meets with his team in 2017. / SMUGMUG

Patrick Durkan ’19 CONTRIBUTOR he lacrosse program at Malvern has become a perennial powerhouse over the years. This season, another talented Malvern team is confident they have what it takes to take down Haverford and win the Inter-Ac. When asked what was different about this year, Head Coach John McEvoy credited the talent of his team.

“We have 14 seniors returning, most of them have some really good experience. We return on the offensive end of the field and we have a handful of guys who should be some of the better players in the area if not anywhere.

I feel confident saying that,” McEvoy said.

Senior Quinn McCahon thinks this year’s team can be something special.

“We’ve had seniors playing for four years now so we have great senior leadership and a lot of experience playing under Coach McEvoy,” he said.

While the senior class is a big part of this team, the overall chemistry on the team is another reason why McCahon and the Friars have an optimistic outlook for this year.

“This team is very closely-knit,” McCahon said. “You walk around and you see kids talking to each other from different grades. From juniors to sophomores and freshman, everyone is friends which is a huge part of the team.”

On expectations for this year’s team, Coach McEvoy believes there is a lot of potential but nothing is guaranteed.

“I think we can have a great year, but a lot of things

T CELEBRATIONS • Swimming team celebrates their January victory at the National Catholic Swimming and Diving Championship. / PROVIDED BY R. MAHER

Brian Szipszky ’20 REPORTER n January 20-21, Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore hosted the annual National Catholic Swimming & Diving Championship.

Facing other Catholic high schools across the nation, Malvern finished in first place with 318 points, leading the second-place team by 48. This was Malvern’s fifth championship in school history.

It was a tough start to the season for the Friars, with season-ending injuries to juniors Connor Cary and Trevor Henderson at the beginning of the year. Consequentially, no one on the team was really thinking about National Catholics—at least, not yet.

“I really kind of thought that our depth at the championship meets would suffer,” Head Swimming and Diving coach Jay Schiller said. “So, it wasn’t something I had on my radar as far as winning the championship, but I knew I wanted to do well with the guys that I’d take.”

Sophomore Jack Cassidy agreed that the team wasn’t preparing for the event to start the season, but later made it a goal.

“We had a slow start to the beginning of our season,” Cassidy said. “But as the season went on and we started to put up some fast times, we all started thinking that we had a chance at winning.”

Travelling to Maryland, the team now knew they had the talent to win the championship, even while missing key athletes. They just needed the motivation.

“The day before the meet started we had a practice at Loyola and Mr. Schiller put up a little note as a reminder that Malvern hasn’t won in 12 years,” Cassidy said. "After that our goal was to do whatever we could to win."

One of Malvern's most important figures in achieving that win was junior Matt Magness, who was named the Male Swimmer of the Meet. Magness won gold medals in the 200 yard freestyle and the 500 yard freestyle, and was part of the four-man relay teams that won the 200 yard freestyle and the 400 yard freestyle. Receiving the award was a personal goal of Magness's before the season began.

"It was the first time the team won the meet in a while and only the fifth time in school history, so it was pretty cool to be a part of something that rare," Magness said. "It definitely ranks pretty high as one of the bigger things in my swimming career."

Schiller said that he was thrilled with the way the team came together for this meet after finishing second in the Inter-Ac. “I was thrilled, please, I couldn’t be happier for this group,” Schiller said.

“When you’re second in your league behind Haverford, a school that’s going to be ranked nationally, winning National Catholics was a great exclamation point to our season.” ◊

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need to fall in place for that to happen,” McEvoy said.

“We need some good chemistry, leadership, along with a bought in attitude and understanding of roles.”

The biggest challenge of the year for the Friars will be beating another strong Haverford team. Senior Sam Sweeney discussed the keys to beating Haverford.

“Defense and faceoffs are going to win that game,” Sweeney said. “If we can shut down a couple of their key offensive players, I think we have a really good shot.”

Coach McEvoy had similar things to say about beating the Fords.

“We need to be really good in all thirds of the field and win the battle between the lines [the middle third of the field] for the entire game, not just the first half or three quarters.”

The Fords have stood in Malvern’s way in recent years and the desire to beat Haverford has only intensified. McCahon talked about his attitude towards playing Haverford and is confident the Friars will make this year’s matchup one to remember.

“The feeling of beating them last year was unlike any I’ve had in another game before,” McCahon said. “I think we need to remember that feeling we had and have that desire to win the Inter-Ac. I’ve gone three years now without winning the Inter-Ac and I’m not going to go out my last year without winning it.” ◊

>TRANSFERS, 10

"We are looking at the whole picture. First and foremost, we want to make sure a student is going to be successful in the classroom. We also want them to do some good things outside the classroom, so all the extracurricular activities that they are involved with are just the icing on the cake. But it [also] has to be a good fit," Kenney said.

Although Butera and Durkan are both athletes, neither student was recruited to play sports at Malvern.

Athletic recruitment in the Inter-Ac is not allowed, according to Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch.

“I cannot speak for other league schools, but there is nothing like that. It just comes down to whether a student is interested,” Ruch said. “Like I know right now there are kids looking at next year to transfer in. I have not gotten a list from admissions. They usually send it to me and say here are the kids looking at Malvern, and if those kids play sports, great.”

According to Ruch, students who transfer to Malvern from schools that are not part of the Inter-Ac league are eligible to play sports right away, while a student transferring to another Inter-Ac school would have to wait at least one year to play on a varsity team.

“You cannot be 19 before you enter your senior year to be eligible,” Ruch said. “If for whatever reason a kid was to transfer in, and he turns 19 before the beginning of senior year, he would not be eligible for league play.”

Although athletic recruitment is not a factor according to Ruch, every student who comes to Malvern is recruited to come from the perspective of the Admissions Office. Admissions focuses on the improvement of the community.

"I think that we are trying to continue to have a community here that is as strong as it is, and by adding students in tenth and eleventh grade, we are really doing our due diligence to make sure that those students fit into that community that we already built," Kenney said. ◊

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Hockey season ends on high note Aside from a few setbacks, Malvern Prep Hockey had a very successful season.

Gavin Kane ’21 CONTRIBUTOR n February 15, Malvern Prep’s junior varsity Hockey team fell to Unionville in the league championship. Despite the team's loss, they gave an unbelievable effort all season. Varsity had a great season as well, finishing in third place in their league.

Freshman Chris Blango, leader of assists in the Prep/ Red league, was very satisfied with Malvern’s performance in their semi-final game against Downingtown East.

“We won 5-2, with a little help from some juniors and sophomores,” Blango said. “It was a good team win.”

Before going into the championship, Blango had already met one of his goals.

“I wanted to help a lot of people get better, and I think I am doing that because I lead the league in assists,” Blango said. “That was one of my personal goals, to get a lot of points and to make people better.”

One of the team’s standout traits is their uplifting positivity.

“We weren’t always ahead in games, we weren’t always doing good things in games,” JV coach Bill Keenan said.

“But keeping that positive focus, positive energy, really helped us succeed throughout the season.”

Coach Keenan started his coaching career in the Malvern Prep Middle School, and moved up to the junior varsity team in the Upper School. He found the two teams to be different from each other.

“Going from middle school to high school hockey was a bit of a change for me,” Keenan said. “You go from middle school players who aren’t typically structured with their hockey skills yet, to more guys that are very fastpaced. [The high school players] pick up things quickly when you correct them and everything else.”

The junior varsity team ended up losing to Unionville in the Inter-County Scholastic Hockey League (Prep/ Red division) championship by one point. Coach Keenan said that Malvern did not play them during the regular season, but knew that they were going to give the team a good game.

“Mentally, before the game, the guys [got] really focused,” Keenan said. “It really starts after we go in, as a coach, and give a pregame speech. We set the mentality of ‘just go do work.’”

Despite losing, Coach Keenan believes the team “gave it all they had.” One factor that he thinks may have contributed to their loss was their lack of numbers on the

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TyGee Leach ’19

TyGee Leach ’19 has been playing hard and Running MP not just offensively, but defensively too.

Garrett Hallinan ’19 SPORTS EDITOR each, who has been on Malvern’s varsity Basketball team since his freshman year, has had a tremendous season. Although he may not be the tallest player on the floor, he has great heart. Using one word to describe himself as a basketball player, he chose “energetic”.

“As a basketball player, I believe that I am a shorter but quicker guard,” Leach said.

“I like to play defense a lot, so kind of a defensive specialist. I do whatever helps the team win.”

Head Coach John Harmatuk and the coaching staff rely on Leach to guard the other team’s TYGEE LEACH • G. HALLINAN strongest offensive player.

“Leach is our best defensive player,” Harmatuk said. “He plays the hardest every single game, he is our defensive leader and plays the game with such passion.”

It is never easy guarding the “MVP” of the opposing team, but Leach meets this challenge with confidence and positivity.

“I love being assigned to the other team’s best player,” Leach said. “My goal is to guard him and shut him down.”

Leach’s upbeat personality can be seen not just on the court, but off of it as well.

“He is always happy, and it is an infectious happiness. Leach makes other people smile when he is around,” Harmatuk said.

Junior Ashton Canavan, one of Leach’s teammates, has seen great things from him this season.

“Leach is a great player,” Canavan said.

“He is a great defender and sets up his teammates well. He knows how to use his body to his "Whenever TyGee’s name advantage on both offense and defense.” gets brought up, With Leach’s versatility, Malvern basketI always say that ball has had a great season. Having gone 17-7 he is one of my as of February 9, 18-8 throughout the course favorite kids I of the season, and 8-2 in the Inter-Ac placing ever coached." second, this was the most success Malvern has Head Coach John Harmatuk had since 2012, which was the last time they won an Inter-Ac Championship.

“It has been a great year,” Harmatuk said.

“We are 7-2 in league play, hopefully finish 8-2, which is clearly second. Little disappointed in the fact that we didn’t take care of Haverford at our place, and the two of us would have shared the Inter-Ac title. But I really like how much we grew, the guys really came together as a team.”

An essential part of winning games is working together as a team. Leach and his teammates have done a great job in doing that this season.

“This year is probably our closest year, as being more close as teammates than the past years,” Leach said. “Everyone connects, everyone bonds, and everyone talks together in the locker room.”

All of these key assets attribute to Malvern’s core values of truth, unity, and love. Leach and his teammates strive to live them out on and off the court.

“We are always truthful to each other,” Leach said. “We speak our minds to each other; we don’t like something, we say it. We accept that positively, and we will never accept anything negatively between each other.”

Leach went on to discuss the love that can be seen on the team.

“We all love each other, we love playing with each other,” Leach said. “We enjoy each other’s company.”

As for the unity, “I think for as young as we are this year, I think we are succeeding real good. And playing as an older team next year, we look forward to winning the Inter-Ac,” Leach said.

Leach’s dedication to basketball started when he was six years old, and he has been working hard at it ever since.

“That is when I really started loving the sport,” he said. “Later, I began working out a lot and dedicating a lot of time between that and football.”

Canavan, who has known Leach since eighth grade, was very complimentary of his friend and teammate.

“He’s a great kid and definitely funny,” Canavan said. “He is also a freak athlete, being a two sport star as a junior.”

Overall, Leach is a great man on and off the court.

“Whenever TyGee’s name gets brought up, I always say that he is one of my favorite kids I ever coached,” Harmatuk said. “He has a great personality.

He is happy all the time, and he is a fun kid to be around.” ◊

L UPLIFTING POSITIVITY • Varsity hockey players fist-bump their teammates on the bench. The Friars finished third place in league play.

bench.

“We just didn't have enough depth on the bench. Guys were tired, but they gave it everything they had, up until the end,” Keenan said.

For varsity, senior Nick Fantini believes that the biggest matchup of their season was against Holy Ghost Prep.

“The first time we played them [Holy Ghost Prep] it was a rough game; we ended up losing 6-0. We played them two weeks in a row so we had two practices to correct our mistakes. The next time we played them we improved, but we still lost 3-2. We are all excited to possibly play them again in the flyers cup,” Fantini said.

Fantini thinks the team has really come together this year, due to the amount of time that they have spent together.

“Even the freshmen and sophomores are really coming together,” Fantini said.

One talented varsity player, freshman Kenny Connors, hurt his leg in a club game early in the season. This injury had some negative consequences on the varsity team.

“That was a really big setback because he was one of our better players,” Fantini said.

Fantini said that there are more juniors than seniors on varsity, which gives him high hopes for next year’s team.

Both teams in the Malvern Hockey program had their ups and downs, but ended their seasons with impressive records and great memories.◊

Sixers on the rise Many students and teachers on Malvern’s campus are pleased with the way the 76ers’ season has progressed so far.

Andrew Sposato ’19 blessing because he is so spectacular,” said Stinger.

CONTRIBUTOR However, not everyone at Malvern is on board, such ith the 76ers’ season becoming two-thirds of as junior Chuck Andress, who is a Boston Celtics fan. the way complete as of February 14, the team “They’re slightly over .500, which is about the best is showing much improvement this year, with a they can do,” says Andress. “They’re also giving up a lot record consistently sitting above the of second half leads, and just don’t Mr. Jim Stinger .500 mark. Students and teachers have the talent the Celtics do.” on Malvern’s campus have primarA controversial figure this "At the end of this year, I think the Sixers can end at the four ily great opinions on the up-andseason is Markelle Fultz, who was or five seed." coming team. the first overall pick in the 2017 For the first time in the past five NBA draft. He has only played seasons, the 76ers have won more four games this season, and is than 30 games and are on pace to make the playoffs. Fans sitting out currently because he seemingly forgot how to on campus are speaking highly of the team. shoot a basketball.

“As of right now, I think the Sixers are doing pretty Brown commented on the subject by saying, “I just good,” junior Domir Brown said. think he’s letting too many crit“But I think they still have a lot ics get into his head, that's all. If CHARLIE ANDRESS '19 of room to improve. They’re a very he just plays his game like he was "They're slighlty over .500, young team, but I’m impressed playing in college, he’ll be back.” which is about the best they can do." with the way it’s going so far.”

Overall, many fans around The two shining stars of the campus are pleased with the way sixers team so far have been Joel the season is going, and they are Embiid and Ben Simmons. They are in their second and looking forward to possibly seeing the first playoff series first seasons, respectively. These two players have given for the 76ers since 2012. fans, such as math teacher Mr. Jim Stinger, a lot to root “At the end of this year, I think the Sixers can end at for so far. the four or five seed,” said Stinger. “This opinion is shared “Simmons has been borderline unstoppable so far this with many others around campus, and many seem to think season. And as for Embiid, I take every game he plays as a the 76ers will be a playoff team.” ◊

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Athlete of the Issue:

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SPORTS

February / March 2018

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Mills and athletic trainers embark on advanced head impact study

Will Pettit ’19 competes in LLS Student of the Year campaign

This Spring, Malvern’s sports medicine team looks to perform first of its kind research into head injuries on Malvern teams.

Will he be Malvern’s second Student of the Year in three years?

Stowe Milhous ’19 REPORTER unior Will Pettit has campaigned for his chance to win Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Student of the Year competition. Pettit has been fundraising to win this campaign competition which concluded on Saturday, March 3.

Although Pettit did not win this year’s competition, the sixteen Philadelphia-area candidates for Student of the Year raised a total of $200,006 for leukemia and lymphoma research, according to the Facebook post announcing the competition’s WILL PETTIT '19 • www.studentseries.org results. This year’s winner was Episcopal Academy student Carter Strid.

Students are nominated to take part in the contest, and then there is a seven week competition in which these students look to fundraise the most money out of all the students taking part. The student that collects the most money wins, and they have to come up with different ways to raise the greatest amount of money they can.

“During the seven weeks, they have a series of different things they do,” Emily Fiore, Campaign Manager for Special Events at the LLS said. “They send out letters, they send out emails, they host different events, and then, essentially, every dollar counts as a vote. Then, the student that raises the most money or has the most votes at the end of the seven weeks is named Student of the Year.”

The winner receives a $2500 scholarship to whichever college will attending. Even though there is an enticing prize, Pettit entered the contest for a different reason.

“It’s something I talked about with my parents and we all wanted to do it because it’s such a great cause and it’s really affected my family personally,” Pettit said.

When Pettit was in seventh grade, his mother had a bone marrow transplant due to her diagnosis of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. Today she is healthy.

“So it’s just a nice thing to do to give back to those who are in need because we are so lucky to have my mom come out perfectly healthy,” Pettit said.

These competitions take place all throughout the country. Pettit is competing in the local Philadelphia chapter, which was one of the original chapters when this contest first came into existence, for his campaign.

“We [the LLS] are the largest voluntary health network that’s dedicated to blood cancer research. LLS is actually a national organization,” Fiore said. “So there are fifty chapters throughout the United States, and we are a huge organization. During the 50 plus years that we’ve been in assistance, we’ve invested more than one billion dollars into blood cancer research.”

The cool thing about this competition is that students get to take part in something completely different than they would regularly experience in their daily high school lives. These students have to figure out ways to fundraise money by getting support from a wide range of people.

“It’s high school students doing adult things,” Fiore said. “So, working with companies to bring on sponsors and really promoting themselves and their events throughout the seven weeks has really proven to be successful for the winning candidates.”

Pettit raised funds for his campaign in multiple ways, trying to get his name out there for people to support him.

“We had the three-on-three basketball tournament and we have just been reaching out to people trying to get them to donate,” Pettit said. “Basically the basketball campaign was trying to get the word out because that definitely helps to raise the donations. We put a lot of effort into that so it just helped spread the word.”

These types of fundraisers are not easy to pull off. There is a lot of time and energy spent organizing and carrying out these events. Pettit’s three-on-three basketball tournament, “Hoops for the Cure,” was a big deal.

“It was definitely hard to get people to sign up for the basketball tournament,” Pettit said. “We decided to do the basketball tournament, and the person who runs the contest said they’ve never had someone do it successfully, so that was a couple days before we actually decided to launch our emails. So, getting people to sign up was definitely the most difficult part.”

Because it was so hard organize this event and get people to sign up, Will Pettit called on some of his friends for help in setting this fundraiser up, including juniors Evan Lotz, Billy Carlini, and Connor Leyden. These students helped reach out to a lot of different Malvern students so the tournament could be successful.

“I co-ran it with Pettit,” Lotz said. “It was really a pretty solid team effort between me and Billy Carlini to help co-run it. We had zero teams two weeks before the actual day of the tournament. We ended up having twelve teams total which wasn’t terrible because our goal was sixteen.”

The tournament ended up being a great success for Will Pettit’s fundraising campaign, raising about $1800 just from the fees of teams entering the tournament.

Along with the tournament, Pettit reached out to many of people to try and get them to donate to his campaign. Seventy donors are listed on his fundraising page on the LLS website.

According to Pettit, by February 15, he had already raised around $20,000.◊

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READY FOR RESEARCH • Malvern Prep Sports Medicine's Instagram account, @mpsmr, regularly showcases the activities of Athletic Trainer Mr. William Mills and his interns, including these G-Force Trackers that will be used to measure head impact in rugby. / @mpsmr Instagram

Sean Oates ’18 REPORTER

and Mills says this is because most coaches do not want to pull their players off of the field when they do not have a concussion. However, t a time where contact sports like foot- Lacrosse coach Mr. John McEvoy and Rugby ball face heavy criticism for the num- coach Mr. Matt Boccuti fully supports Mills’ ber of concussions athletes suffer from, work.

Head Athletic Trainer Mr. William Mills is “One thing we are particularly concerned approaching the issue of head impacts from a about in rugby, because we don’t have padded new angle. equipment, is not the impact In today’s world of sports, itself. It’s when the body hits coaches and players are more the ground,” Boccuti said.

In this study, aware of concussion-like sympIn high school rugby, it is headbands with G-force trackers toms than ever. When a player illegal to make contact anybuilt in the back will takes a big hit to the head, those where above the armpits. This be worn by players, who witness it recognize it may may mean there are fewer hits to and the data will have been enough to cause a the head, but it does not mean be recorded in concussion. However, Mills the chances of suffering a conreal time onto believes that the head can still cussion is dramatically less than computers. be injured without having made in other contact sports. Because contact with anything. of G-force and the head hitting “As of right now, the literathe ground, rugby players are ture says that no G-forces are related to con- still susceptible to injury. cussions,” Mills said. “But to me it still doesn’t “I think it’s exciting what he’s trying to do,” make sense, because when there’s movement of Boccuti said. “It’s not just the traditional footthe head, the nerve cells actually stretch and ball big hit causing a concussion. It’s really the move, and that’s what can cause a concussion.” change in acceleration that the body’s going to Movement can be measured in G-force (or go through.”

G’s), and the belief is that there is a correlaMills also explained that a more minor tion between the extent of a head injury and impact, though not concussive, can set up worse the amount of G’s registered by damage if followed by another the head. In this study, headhit. The hit can be so subtle that “I think it’s exciting bands with G-force trackers the player does not feel different, what [Mills] is built in the back will be worn but in his head the brain cells are trying to do. by players, and the data will stretched.

It’s not just the be recorded in real time onto “Then you get hit a second traditional football computers. The challenge for time, and since your cells are a big hit causing a Mills is finding a way to prove little bit injured, that's when you concussion. It’s G-forces affect someone’s brain. have a big, full-blown concusreally the change “We’re not looking for consion. So maybe that’s what’s hapin acceleration that cussions per say, even though pening out there. Maybe these the body’s going to it’s related to that,” Mill said. guys are getting these little sub go through.”

Head Rugby Coach “Rather, they want to look at symptom type of concussions…

Matt Boccuti specific numbers of G’s regisand then that next hit is really tered by someone’s head and what causes it,” said Mills. see the impacts different levels The hope is that this research have.” offers an alternative way to identify potential The approach Mills is taking is through bal- concussions in the future. If a player registers ance. According to Mills, balance is the second a certain number of G’s in practice or a game, biggest concussion symptom, behind headaches. there may be a correlating percent chance that Players are in the process of taking baseline bal- they may have suffered a concussion or minor ance tests which will be compared to future bal- head injury. This will help the training staff betance tests performed after registering a certain ter determine whether a player should be tested amount of G’s in practice. for a concussion or simply have an eye kept on “Say you were practicing rugby and got a him.

40 G,” Mills said. “We would take you off the This research project will likely be a multifield even if you don’t have a concussion, and we year study to gather a wider range of data, and would do a match control with somebody your even look at other sports like water polo, wresage and position with no G-force. We would tling, football, and soccer. Mills plans to get take them down to the athletic training room, Malvern students involved with the study as well. measure their balance, and then send them back “The goal is also to have our own students to practice.” involved in research so they can see the proThis study, which is also Mills’ disserta- cess, and it helps them get into, maybe, medical tion, is the first of its kind in the United States, school or PT school,” he said. ◊

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"HOOPS FOR THE CURE" PARTICIPANTS RAISE MONEY • According to Pettit, his "Hoops for the Cure" basketball tournament raised over $1800 just from the fees for participating teams. / PHOTO SUPPLIED BY W. PETTIT

MEDIA & CULTURE

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February / March 2018

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Bryn + Dane’s Malvern combines trendy, healthy food with fast food The Pennsylvania based startup follows the direction of culture, while separating themselves from the competition.

Ethan Surovcik ’19 chicken and cheese quesadilla, vanilla chai CONTRIBUTOR tea, strawberry smoothie and peach smoothie. ocated right off of Route 29 near the The buffalo chicken wrap comes with its new Malvern Wawa is the newest Bryn own hipster name (Tennessee Bleu), and was + Dane’s location. The local fast food overall pretty good. I enjoyed how they used startup’s mission is to make healthy eating a moderate amount of buffalo sauce, to avoid delicious, and to not stop growing until you over-spicing it. see a location in every town in America.

The side of sweet potato fries were very Bryn & Dane’s follows the trendy “hipsurprising, as they are baked, not fried, and ster” vibe that has expanded across the counwere delicious. I loathe sweet potato, but try (i.e. Malvern Buttery, Honeygrow, etc.). these fries may have converted me to liking Exposed concrete floors, abundance of live this weird potato. greenery, partially exposed kitchen, recycled The chicken quesadilla was the low point wood tables are all present. of the food, as the cheese was somewhat bland With a hipster I really enjoyed the greenery that hangs from and kind of ruined the whole thing for me. Also, vibe, facial the ceiling, as it gave the place an almost tropithe gluten-free tortilla they used would be better recognition on cal vibe. Following the hipster trend, B+D’s was suited on a wrap and not a mexican-style dish. your orders, and immaculately clean, which is always nice.

Tragic. killer smoothies, Furthermore, B+D’s takes the trendy millenAll of the smoothies and drinks were Bryn & Dane's nial vibe a step further with something I have extremely delicious, and I would definitely come proves that fast never seen at a restaurant—facial recognition. back just for those. food can be You can save previous orders and look up past Every smoothie is made from scratch, with both healthy and orders just by looking at the camera mounted no sugars or sweeteners added, which was surtrendy. above the ordering screens. The future is here. prising due to how delicious they were. The only Another cool feature was the ordering screens problem I see with those is the price, which is a mounted on the wall, which are easy to use and bit expensive at $7.50 each. will not confuse anyone who has ordered something from Wawa Overall the food was pretty good, but is somewhat held back recently. due to the lack of more choices. I really enjoyed Bryn + Danes. I The menu at B+D’s offers a wide variety of smoothies and can see myself returning to B+D’s, as I am trying to lose weight healthy snacks, but a somewhat small variety of actual food items. and those smoothies were worth another trip back.

They have quesadillas, salads, wraps, fries, chicken strips and a I recommend Bryn and Dane’s to anyone who wants healthy myriad of specialty teas and drinks. food and a fun atmosphere, and people who just can’t get on board I wish they had more choices though, as I feel like a good, with the odd food that some other health oriented places serve. ◊ healthy burger could really attract some more customers.

However, the menu is pretty sizable and most people should be Know an area restaurant we should review? Send us a able to find something they like there. tip at mpfriarslantern1@gmail.com When I visited B+D’s, I tried the buffalo chicken wrap,

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HIP LOCATION • Bryn & Dane's is in that area off 29 where you'll find other new businesses and restaurants popping up almost daily— 615 N Morehall Rd.

QUESADILLA MEH. • Although the reviewer found the chicken quesadilla to be bland, the baked sweet potato fries were a wonderful surprise. / E. SUROCVIK

Page 15

The Black Panther Experience

Black Panther brings an intersection between African pride and blackness in media.

Alex Haylock ’19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR irst of all, it could be said that some… “factors” about me might leave me predisposed to like the movie more than others. This reasoning is false. Do people with blond hair and blue eyes freak out anytime they see Captain America on screen?

Quick reminder that like all movie reviews, this one contains spoilers.

It is true that black people were overjoyed with the creation of this movie, not because it had black people in it, but because it was a black superhero narrative.

I’d also like to state that I’m not a superhero guy. Comics aren’t my favorite and I don’t have any opinions of Marvel over D.C.. I don’t know much about the origin of T’Challa and the Black Panther outside what the movie told me and what I’ve learned afterwards. But as a black person, I have more of an investment in this superhero movie than any other one to come before it.

I went to the movie with my nine year old sister, who is infamously known for being terrified of everything. My theory is that she is “scared” of anything she doesn’t want to do but I digress. I was afraid she was going to whine and complain and cry to go to whatever movie that would appeal to her.

As a pleasant surprise, she sat through the whole film with rapt attention and excitedly chattered about it the whole way home. I knew then that the movie was special if it could touch her in a similar way that it touched me.

Erik Killmonger’s I’m not going to be able to analyze the nationalist point movie from a superhero angle, as that is outside of view for Africa my expertise. But there is something about how reminded me the movie was formatted that made me feel like of the original it was laying out the different aspects for me to Black Panthers: break down and peruse. those who Erik Killmonger’s nationalist point of view wanted to achieve for Africa reminded me of the original Black righteousness Panthers: those who wanted to achieve rightfor black people eousness for black people everywhere through everywhere through violent violent means. And through the terror he means. caused, he showed to T’Challa that a part of the black experience is uplifting other black people.

One of the things that people often look over is the things that come before and after the release of a movie, which limits talk about a film to what it contains. The outreach that “Black Panther” changes this.

This made the movie politically charged but not political. It did not state a problem, or a solution, but made the need for global awareness visible.

Black excellence is a theme that occurred from beginning to end. There is a stereotype about Africa that leads many people to belief that Africa is just barren lands filled with poor, decrepit villages of uneducated people.

While fictional, Wakanda helps to fight that stereotype. Wakanda is a hidden gem in the center of Africa with resources more valuable than any other one found on Earth, and is a civilized, powerful nation. The idea that Africa has something that offers to the rest of the world is something that needs to be normalized.

There were moments within the movie where I saw the different aspects of being a black minority.

Some, like T’Challa’s father, T’Chaka, feel like because of the struggles a community has faced, it shouldn’t have to deal with the struggles of another.

T’Chaka believes that while Wakanda has much to offer the outside world, it has a duty to itself first and thinks that it's gifts should be privy only to them.

He also sees what the outside world has become and how they have acted in the past and doesn’t see them as worthy.

Others, like Killmonger, see the struggle of Africa as blacks against whites.

Growing up outside the walls of Wakanda, and sees how Africa is treated globally and finds it disgusting. Killmonger sees Wakanda as a beacon that can lead struggling African Americans worldwide. That is why he is willing to topple T’Challa for the throne.

These opinions are ones that can be found outside of the fictional universe of Black Panther. ◊

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MEDIA & CULTURE

February / March 2018

MC

Most entertaining movies of 2017 In the spirit of the award season, I want to talk about my personal favorite movies of the year.

Aidan White ’20 REPORTER was the year when I tried to see as many movies as possible. I would go to the movies every other weekend with my family and go with my friends whenever they suggested we go.

After the Oscars, I’ve been thinking back on the movies I saw this year, and the ones I enjoyed the most. I have compiled three movies in my head and I would like to talk about them. Here they are, in no specific order.

2017

3. “Baby Driver” Baby Driver was an awesome movie. That’s the main word: awesome. “Baby Driver” is a movie from action director Edgar Wright.

The movie follows a boy named Baby who acts as a getaway driver for a group of criminals. Follow Baby as he falls in love and tries to escape his life of crime, only to get sucked back in.

“Baby Driver” is the epitome of style over substance.

When you look at the plot of the movie, it's very basic.

The dialogue is very basic. Everything about the movie is basic, except for the cinematography.

You see, if you have ever seen another Edgar Wright movie (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim) you know what I am talking about, Edgar Wright has a very specific style. Specifically in this movie, everything goes along to the beat of music.

Whenever somebody does something in “Baby Driver,” it will sync up with the music playing in the background.

For example, somebody will be walking and it will line up with the drum beat playing in the background. It’s super cool!

If you haven't seen “Baby Driver,” watch the first 12 minutes online. It's a really interesting first scene, and if you enjoy it you are sure to love the full film.

2. The Book of Henry” Now, I already talked about this film in a prior review, so I won't go to in depth. “The Book of Henry” is honest to God one of the worst films I have seen in my entire life.

The plot is so ridiculous that it become funny. I have not laughed so hard in a movie theater in a long time.

The movie is about a little smart kid who decides to murder his neighbor’s father. Before he can carry out the murder he gets cancer, and dies. His mom then has to kill the father for her dead son. It’s epic.

If that sounds like a bizarre concept for a movie, that's just the tip of the iceberg. It gets way crazier. Watch it, if you like the “so bad it's good, kind of ” type of movie.

1. “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” This movie was fantastic, and I don't mean that lightly.

I truly believe this is the movie that should win Best Picture. Anyone who hasn't seen it, go see it.

The movie is about a mother who buys three billboards to advertise her daughter's murder, to keep the case in the public eye. The movie is full of memorable characters, who all feel unique.

The interesting thing about the film for me is that, it takes you on somewhat of a moral journey. The show is very character centric, and the characters you are rooting for will completely change by the end.

The shots are beautiful, the settings are memorable, the plot will keep you on the edge of your seat, the movie basically has everything you can want.

For this year, I consider “Three Billboards” the closest thing to a perfect movie.

So, those are my three movies. Hopefully one of them popped out to you. These are all worthwhile movies—well, at least two of them—and I hope you enjoyed the awards season. ◊

GO BIRDS!

The Philadelphia Eagles battled the New England Patriots for Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 4. We spoke with a few Malvern students who attended the game in Minneapolis about their once-in-a-lifetime experience at the Super Bowl.

-Stowe Milhous '19

PATRICK CHESKY '19

JOHN TURLEY '19

“The overall feeling was definitely electric. There was a predominantly Eagles fanbase in the stadium.

Probably like sixty-forty Eagles fans to Patriots fans. When the Patriots came out, there was a lot of booing in the stadium. A cool part of the experience was when we went to the NFL Experience at the Convention Center, but the game was the best part of the whole experience. It was the best football game I’ve ever watched in my life.”

"The overall feeling was just insanity.

The Patriots fans were kind of disgracing the Eagles fans, saying things like, ‘Why are you even here?’ It was definitely like sixty-forty Eagles fans.

There was just an all around vibe of excitement with Eagles fans, where the Patriots fans thought the Eagles were definitely going to lose. My favorite part was the whole environment. Just being there was insane. It’s hard to put into words the excitement of being there and everything.”

SCOTT LARSON '19

ZAC HURCHALLA '19

“There was a lot of green. A lot of Eagles fans everywhere. The one odd aspect was that they didn’t want people tailgating for the game. It was also freezing, like negative four degrees the one day. One of the coolest parts of the whole experience was the NFL Shop. It was huge. But overall, the game was awesome. It was insane.”

“When the Eagles won, all the Philadelphia fans were just so happy.

You could tell it was a big relief because it was an amazing game.

Eagles fans definitely had a bond in Minneapolis. It’s us against the world. We all we got, we all we need.

Also, when the Patriots ran in, they got booed. It was a home away from home game.” ◊

DONNY GAYHARDT '19 “Everywhere you looked, there were a ton of Eagles fans. It was just a ton of excited people ready to watch a big game. Walking out of the stadium, they had these big sky walks because it’s really cold, and they were like these indoor streets, and you walk down and there were Eagles fans just cheering, all jumping up and down.

It was just so cool to see everybody freaking out. Whenever you walked by an Eagles fan you would just scream “Go Birds!” and give them a high five and stuff. Also, there were a ton of Eagles fans in my section and you could hear Eagles fans all across the stadium. It felt like a home game.”

Page 16

The gang goes to Villa We survived—and noticed some remarkable differences between our schools.

Eric McLaughlin ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF an, I cannot do this,” I said panicking through my phone as I sat in my car parked in Villa Maria Academy’s parking lot. “This is gonna be so awkward. I thought I could do it, but I don’t think I can.”

What my fellow Editor-In-Chief Dan Malloy said to me next was some of the most inspiring words I have ever heard in my life.

“Dude, just walk inside.”

On Wednesday, February 14 (yes, it was Valentine’s Day), four members of our staff swapped places with four members of Villa Maria’s newspaper and spent the day at each other’s schools.

Just a few weeks before, the Eagles were preparing to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. I must have watched at least 50 hype videos and speeches so that I could be in the proper mental state to watch the game. I watched everything from Brian Dawkins pregame speeches, to Rocky running up the Art Museum steps, to Herb Brooks’ speech to Team U.S.A. in the movie Miracle.

Nothing truly motivated me, however, like those four words said by Dan Malloy on that Ash Wednesday (Valentine’s Day) morning.

I finally built up the courage to get out of my car and make what seemed to be the longest walk of my life to the Villa cafeteria. This walk of what was probably only 40 feet would be the only time for the rest of the day that I would be “alone” without at least one other Malvern student.

It was during this walk that I received some of the most awkward glances of my life. You could see and

Friar

“D

Trying something new every month.

feel the befuddlement in everyone’s faces and they were not trying to hide it. They were clearly thinking, “What is this boy doing walking into Villa’s cafeteria?”

Once I made it inside and saw Dan, Garrett Hallinan, and Mike Harrington, most of my nerves quickly went away. I no longer felt like people were specifically staring at me. They were just staring at the four of us. While this was still a little intimidating and awkward, it was much better than my solo trek from Villa’s parking lot.

The four of us split into pairs to shadow Villa students for the rest of the day. The first room Dan and I walked into was the French homeroom.

This homeroom resembled a lot of homerooms at Malvern until a certain moment that sent me and Dan right back to middle/elementary school. This moment was when all of the girls stood up simultaneously and started reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

I don’t think I have recited the Pledge of Allegiance since I was in middle school and while I thought that it was cool to show pride in our country, it was the first eye-opening difference I noticed between Malvern and Villa.

Ou r f i rst c lass was Honors Anatomy. We had chosen an interesting day to be the only two boys in the class, as the main topic covered was the human reproductive organs.

I did notice one major difference between this class and a class at Malvern. Out of the 20 or so girls in the class, at least eight of them had an iced coffee from either Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts. I’m not sure if boys are too lazy to go somewhere to get iced coffee before school or if girls just like it more, but it was crazy to see how many girls

March 20, at Father Judge High School (Scrimmage), 4 p.m.

Home

March 24, vs. Abington Heights at LaSalle University, 11 a.m.

March 15, vs. Upper Arlington High School, 6 p.m.

March 17, vs. Calvert Hall, 12 p.m.

March 20, vs. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School, 4 p.m.

March 26, at Father Judge High School, 4:30 p.m.

AWAY

We might be known as brother and sister schools, but we noticed some major differences between the school days on Warren and Central Avenues.

1.

Transitioning between classes • At Villa, students

6.

Learning Environment • In class, students are

2.

Lunch • Almost everything about Villa’s lunch

7.

The Liturgy • The usual service at Malvern lasts

3.

Phone Policy • You almost never saw a phone out

8.

Free Periods (or lack thereof) • At Malvern, we

4.

Discipline • At Malvern, the most common form

9.

Dress Code • Malvern has always had its issues

5.

No LC • A few years ago, Malvern installed the

March 28, at St. Joe’s Prep, 4 p.m.

March 23, at Gilman, 6 p.m.

March 27, at Loyola Blakefield, 4:15 p.m.

Rugby

March 28, at Academy of the New Church, 4 p.m.

Home

Baseball

March 16, vs. Salesianum, 6 p.m.

March 23, vs. Bishop Shanahan, 5 p.m.

Home March 31, vs. Cardinal O’Hara High School, 10 a.m.

AWAY March 16, at The Shipley School, 4 p.m.

March 19, at Strath Haven High School (Scrimmage), 4 p.m.

TENNIS AWAY March 21, at The Shipley School, 4 p.m.

March 27, at West Chester Rustin High School, 3:30 p.m.

GOOD LUCK FRIARS!

The next class we went to was AP Biology. The girls were given a quiz at the beginning of class and we decided to take it. Most of the questions looked familiar since I am currently taking AP Bio but going in unprepared did not help. Long story short… Dan and I are currently failing out of Villa. (Sorry, Mr. Borish.)

It is no secret that Villa is more strict than Malvern. They are very stringent with their dress code rules and even more severe on their cell phone policy. Villa students regularly tell stories about how they got detention and Dan came close to having his own Villa detention story. He was caught with his phone out in the hallway between classes and immediately was told, “We don’t have our phones out during the day at Villa,” by a faculty member.

I think if Malvern students were told to put their phones away when they weren’t even in class, the whole school might go up in flames.

By the last class of the day, Dan and I felt that we fit right in with the Villa girls. We started to realize that when we would go back to Malvern the next day, we would be treated like typical students that would have to actually do work that counted for actual grades.

As we walked back to our cars I told Dan, “I can’t believe you were so nervous to get out of your car this morning. This was way better than a day of classes.” ◊

Villa & Malvern

March 27, at Radnor High School, 4 p.m.

March 29, at Springford High School, 4 p.m.

at Villa were drinkin’ Dunkin’ that day.

After first period we attended Ash Wednesday Mass. No disrespect to the chorus and ensemble that perform at Villa’s Masses, but Malvern’s liturgical music blows them out of the water.

It made me realize how much more enthusiastic they make Mass and how everyone always leaves in a great mood because of the band, the singing, oh… and Jesus.

Our next class was called Marriage and Life Choices. Dan and I had truly found a doozy of a day to sit in on classes at Villa. We were able to contribute pretty frequently in this class and give male perspectives on certain issues. This class was very similar to the theology class that all Malvern seniors take.

By this point in the day, I was starting to notice some differences between Villa students in class and Malvern students in class. The most noticeable one was organization and note taking. At Villa, when it was time to take notes, almost every girl pulled out a notebook and a pencil case full of pens, pencils, and different colored highlighters. At Malvern, many students have a single pen or pencil that they use for everything—sometimes, unless he forgets it and needs to borrow one from the teacher. There are no color-coordinated notes at Malvern. I wasn’t sure if this was a technique they taught at Villa or if it was something that most girls do and guys don’t really care about.

Top 10 differeneces between

MARCH ATHLETICS Lacrosse

NOT FROM OUR SWAP • Our visitors to Villa Maria Academy were too scared to use their phones at Villa to take photographs, for fear of detentions. (Villa's students brought a DSLR camera.) Thanks to Jillian Williamson, Sarah Goldblum, Grace O'Connell and Sam DiBona for spending the day here at Malvern. Look for stories about their visit in the upcoming Villa Voice. / STAFF

are alerted to their next class beginning when a monotone buzz goes over the loudspeakers.

Compared to Malvern’s relatively laid back form of switching classes, this was quite a shock. was different than ours. There were three periods for high school lunch. Each one got progressively less populated, and the system for getting food was less aggressive than Malvern’s compact lunch line.

at Villa because their public use is not allowed— not even while transitioning classes. At Malvern, you always see students using their technology. of punishment is lunch duty, while at Villa detentions and demerits are commonplace.

Learning Commons, in which students work loudly and collaboratively. Villa, which seems to have a more traditional style of learning, still has a library—where students are not allowed to speak.

much less talkative, and teachers instruct in a more traditional way that we weren’t used to.

Students at Villa learn in a much more serious setting than at Malvern. no more than fifty minutes. With one or two readings, a few songs, and a quick homily, Mass flies by. Villa’s service was much longer than Malvern’s, stretching out to about 80 minutes. have at least 55 minutes of free time including lunch and open periods, while at Villa it feels like we moved from class to class with only lunch to take a breather. with the dress code. Students are always trying to make it more lax or find loopholes. But at Villa, their dress code is set in stone. For example during Mass, all students must have their blazer on, or they receive immediate disciplinary action.

10. Students • For some reason, there seemed to be a

large female population at Villa and a large male population at Malvern… weird, right? ◊ -Garrett Hallinan '19, Michael Harrington '19