The Blackfriar Chronicle - March 2014

TAKE A LOOK AT 2014-2015’S MODIFIED BLOCK SCHEDULE

CHRISTIAN SERVICE CANCELS ARMENIA TRIP, ADDS INDIA

A sample student schedule was shared with the parent community at the March 11 Town Hall meeting. See it here. > PAGE 9

AN EVENTFUL YEAR FOR JV LAX

The new India destination is familiar to at least one Friar.

New coaches and new ideas for the team. Sean Christman ‘17 reports.

> FRIAR LIFE, PAGE 4

> SPORTS, PAGE 7

BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

The

www.mpfriarslantern.COM

MARCH 2014

VOLUME 14, NUMBER 6

A TASTE OF NEXT YEAR’S ACADEMIC CHANGES AHEAD IN MAY

Changes to the May schedule and the finals schedule offer a preview of what Friars can expect next year and in the future Andrew Stetser ‘15 REPORTER N previous years, May was always a treasured month to students at Malvern. This month was an item of suspense and wonder, with freshmen pondering how true the phrase “high school flies by” is, sophomores breaking out their hundred page Honors U.S. History Study I Guide, and juniors stocking up on Aleve and tissues for after their “two hour” Roper final. Seniors would finish up their finals in May, and be astonished one how in less than a month, they would no longer be able to walk through the campus as a member of the student body. This was the way May went.

The NHS has decided to change some admission prerequisites which could affect the current freshman class

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Mike Higgins ‘14 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR

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National Honor Society has decided to change their admission requirements beginning next year. The current requirements are achieving a 3.65 GPA, taking 6 honors classes, and completing an interview process with a faculty member and NHS moderator Mrs. Eileen Day. The new changes raise the GPA requirement to 3.85, but the rest of the qualifications remain the same.

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Yet this school year, with 8+ snow days behind and a reinvented schedule ahead, the administration has to turn to more drastic measures.

In order to finish this school year and prepare for the next, changes in the May exam structure and schedule promise an eventful and controversial end to the school year.

If you have not already heard, you will not be sitting down in O’Neill this June for two hours taking your Marine Biology exam, or your Honors Spanish III exam, or your Early Civilizations exam. In fact, the only two subjects in which you will having a “traditional” exam are Mathematics and Theology. Let’s refer to this particular type of exam as a TE. At first, a student may be shouting with glee out of the two nights of cramming, as opposed to the usual five nights of cramming. “Now, I know that by only having two TE’s, we’re making up

“THE BENEFITS OF USING THE ‘EXAM DAYS’ TO PICK UP CLASS WORK MISSED SEEMS LIKE AN EFFECTIVE CHOICE.” -MR. OSTICK

Changes ahead for National Honor Society

out the format of the ME may be more difficult. It could be anything, from writing a five page paper on the history of the Cro-magnon people, to building an aerodynamic flux capacitor capable of world domination. This is what students tend to feel is most unsettling about the change - the fact that neither they nor even the teachers seem to know how well a ME will work, or even what they’ll have to do for a ME.

The shift really doesn’t take effect until the 2015-16 school year because the sophomores and juniors applying next year will be grandfathered in under the old stipulations. Therefore the current freshman will be first class held to the new standards that were recently enacted.

A lot of the teachers I talked to have embraced the idea of a ME. The science department seemed to think the change was a good idea - with some reservation.

“The problem,” said Mr. Boyce, “is not that we have to

The change was entirely member-init iated, and the current members did all the research to determine what

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> PAGE 5

UNDERCLASSMEN STUDY PROPOSED SCHEDULE CHANGES PUBLISHED ON MALVERNPREP.ORG

class time, but does that mean I don’t have a final in my other three subjects?”

Enter 21st century education.

The answer to your question, students, is that you will have a final in science, english, history, etc., but it will be in a modified exam format. Again, for the purpose of saving paper, we’ll refer to this as a ME. “What is this format?” you may ask, and the answer to this question is set in stone: It depends.

For chemistry, a ME will be as simple as by making the requirements for the “Unknown Lab” more demanding. For the other subjects; however, figuring

Kershner, and Rich Chakejian, Penn State is the deepest team in the field. Nassib has the size and ability to be a force down low, along with starting varsity quarterback Alex A look at the most anticipated intramural basketball season in recent memory Hornibrook. Junior James Keating is a stud athlete and will provide skill and strength Brendan Hallinan ‘14 The competition will be stiff and fair, as each on the perimeter. If Kershner and Chakejian can SPORTS EDITOR team is limited to either one player with previous hold down the backcourt, this will be a dangerous T’S spring time, and every Malvern stuvarsity experience or two junior varsity players. team come playoffs. dent knows what that means… Intramural The regular season games will be played in the Basketball! The road to the intramural proO’Neill Center. The final four and championship Davidson: Andy Pancoast headlines this group of gram’s most coveted championship is underway. games will be hosted in the cathedral of Malvern eclectic seniors. The twins St.Amour will start in basketball, Dougherty Hall. Dougherty has been the backcourt, and Cornell bound Jordan Majors The league features 19 student teams and the site of the intramural basketball playoffs for will anchor the post. Seniors Nick Flowers and an inaugural faculty team. It will resemble the the past three years.

Chris Nyugen will be coming off the bench. If NCAA tournament, as each team took the name Davidson wants to shock the world this spring, of a college and the 20 teams have been divided As the postseason approaches, look for these Pancoast will have to take over games, something into four regions (East, West, Midwest, and teams to be serious championship contenders: he’s done quite well in years past.

South).

Penn State: Led by seniors John Nassib, Britt Slippery Rock: Diaper dandy Zac Fernandez

BRIAN TATLOW

Intramural March Madness

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INTRAMURAL PLAYERS GOING FOR THE HOOP HALLINAN

leads this group of young talent. Danny Sullivan, Rich Mingey, and Rich Heaney will join Fernandez in the starting four. Fernandez has the varsity experience to excel in Intramurals, and the members of his supporting cast were stand outs > PAGE 9

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March 2014

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL BOARD

Trying something new David Bowie knew what he was talking about when he sang, “Ch-Ch-Changes.”

EDITORIAL BOARD HANGE is in the air at Malvern this year. It’s important for individuals to step outside their comfort zones, too. Trying something new can open up new horizons that would have otherwise seemed impossible. If it ends with failure, then it’s a lesson. With all the changes Malvern has seen during the course of the past year, it’s time we start willingly trying new activities, whether it’s the changing schedule, sports, the arts, or the method of administering final exams. Change is in the air and it’s becoming a popular train to hop aboard.

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This year, six of the newspaper editors, ( Josephat “Indio” DiSipio, Brian “Mouthpiece” Tatlow, Dan “Hot Sauce” McGlinn, Anthony “Luis” Abron, Matt “Pepe” Magargee, and Brendan “Flapjack” Hallinan) were involved in the Malvern Theatre Society production of West Side Story, and this was a completely new experience to four of us. While a step on the stage was certainly a step out of the comfort zone, it turned out to be a great experience for all involved. “I have no regrets in doing the play. It was a lot of fun and a great activity to do last semester of senior year,” says senior Dan McGlinn.

biggest motivator was doing it with his friends and to follow the guys who had done so before him in the past. Though this year’s cast is arguably the best ever, it would not be complete without the inspiration of class of 2013 alumni like Andy Johnson, Marty Farrell, and Colin Sweeney, who performed in Footloose their senior year as first-time actors.

However, the play isn’t the only option to try something new.

High school is a time to stretch borders, step outside comfort zones, and try something new. It’s important to experiment, to step a foot in different activities.

High school is supposed to be the time where we figure out who we are, what we like, how we like to learn. Though often clouded by the implications of college, trying a new activity at Malvern is so easy, and non-binding,

From talking to any of the seniors who decided to take to the stage in their final year, one learns that it was an experience unlike any other. Finding the confidence to step on stage for the first time can definitely be challenging, but DiSipio says that the

“I wouldn’t ever have run if I didn’t go to Malvern,” says senior Brendan Stec, a previous Student of the Issue for the Blackfriar Chronicle.

Ben Aman agrees. “Speech and Debate has opened my mind to a new, pragmatic way of thinking about things from many different angles,” he says, happy to have taken advantage of the opportunity to do something about which he is passionate.

And if you know Ben, you know he is a toptier arguer.

These are just a few of the countless stories of Malvern students who found something they loved doing yet never would have done if they hadn’t tried something new. But the great thing about trying something new is you don’t have to love it. High school is supposed to be the time where we figure out who we are, what we like, how we like to learn. Though often clouded by the implications of college, trying a new activity at Malvern is so easy, and non-binding, so that if

OPINION

you have the tiniest inclination to join, you should. The worst that happens is you tell the moderator that it isn’t for you.

As one nameless editor will tell you, he has been a one meeting attendee to at least 5 different clubs. This isn’t because he is completely lazy or shy, but because he found that he wasn’t interested, but he has never regretted trying.

As anyone who hasn’t lived under a rock over the past year knows, the academic structure is set to be modified. Block schedules, project-based learning, 3D printing, collaboration, connections, you name it, the 21st century is beginning to kick in gear.

These new changes aren’t just happening all at once, however.

There have been experiments with project-based learning in the classrooms. Collaboration can be seen all over the walls in the learning commons. And this spring, the entire format of final exams is changing, as students will only be taking a “traditional” Theology and Math final. Much of this has to do with the loss of school days, but it also provides an opportunity for teachers and the administration to, once again, try something new.

Though resisting change is characteristic of the rebellious male adolescent time period (or so my mom’s parenting books say!), evolution is the key to survival. The school around us in completely changing in nearly every facet, yet change can often be a good thing. We, as students, should try to embrace changes and even try something new with our life. Who knows, you maybe one day you’ll be backstage of a Broadway musical wondering what your life would be like if you never tried the play in high school.

Don’t have any ‘ragrets.’ Enjoy your precious time at Malvern and try something new.

OPINION

Lessons learned from a stolen life

Why we need the March

Ignorance left a life cut too short in Florida. Our challenge is to learn empathy from a tough lesson.

Jake Sorensen wonders if recent weather-related cancellations equate to declining interest in the March for Life

Anthony Abron ‘14 OPINIONS EDITOR

Jake Sorensen ‘15 NEWS EDITOR T was the 21st of January. Everyone was thrilled with their snow days. It was just awesome to have a five day, and later, six day weekend. However, the weather had particularly unfavorable consequences. By mid-day, an email from Mr. Haynie, theology teacher, appeared in everyone’s inbox, bearing words that brought instantaneous grief: Malvern March for life Trip CANCELLED. Once again, we’ve been stopped by forces out of our control, and, once again, all the hype leading up to it was shattered.

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Before I talk more at length on the topic, let’s just agree that this entire situation could have been avoided if Dunn would have just stayed in his car.

He didn’t have to start any confrontation. Also, if he was annoyed by the music, he could have just as easily gone to another gas station.

Martin 2.0. That’s what many pundits called the Michael Dunn Murder Trial.

Once again, Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws came into the limelight.

Another black teenager was killed because some people love their guns THOUGH OUR way too much, but that RELIGIOUS shouldn’t be the only OR POLITICAL lesson learned from the BELIEFS MIGHT case.

SAY ONE THING, R AY VON

I’m going to take a different angle on this case. Instead of taking the obvious route and harping on Florida’s gun laws, the obvious crux of OUR HEARTS this case is the fact that Here are the facts of MAY DIRECT US Michael Dunn could not the case if you weren’t ANOTHER WAY, IF appreciate the culture following it. Jordan Davis WE LISTEN. of someone else. In this - age 17 - was at a gas country, we are so quick station in Jacksonville, to judge and condemn, FL with his friends playing music in yet we seldom take the opportunity his car. Michael Dunn, coming back to love and understand. from a wedding, was irritated with the volume and style of the music. Dunn Now this isn’t the column solely confronted Davis and Davis refused focusing on music. This is the colto lower the volume of the music. At umn focusing on a holistic sense of this point, Dunn thought he saw a gun acceptance. A lot of the student body and shot at Davis’s vehicle. After the has their likes and dislikes towards a shooting, Dunn left the scene, went to certain person or thing without knowa hotel with his girlfriend, and ordered ing the background or story behind it. room service. Yes, he didn’t even call It’s as if we are wired to hate - and yes, the police. Jordan Davis died, and his I mean hate. We hide around different three other friends survive. phrases like, “that’s what the Church

says” or “Fox News said that”. These thoughts create a subclass of people, which I'm sure Jesus wouldn't have condoned.

Though our religious or political beliefs might say one thing, our hearts may direct us another way, if we listen. We might hear on the news waves that a group of people are relying upon government services. Some people, and even us, call them “moochers.”

The jokes we make about people in this situation are saddening. It’s as if we have completely forgotten that they are people. It's as if we complete forget that Jesus loved and accepted the crowds that depended on him to provide loaves and fishes..

How does this all fit back to the Michael Dunn Murder Trial? It fits because maybe, just maybe, if Michael Dunn had an appreciation of the different cultures than his own, then Jordan Davis would still be here. If he had been able to take a deep breath and put himself in the shoes of exuberant teenagers on a night out, the confrontation might not have happened at all. How many times do we blast music in our cars after a championship win or joyous occasion? Let us try to have > PAGE 4

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I, for one, am particularly peeved by this. When I had done it in my Freshman year, it was an awesome experience. There were so many people there, with many of them only a few years older than me. People were smiling and laughing, knowing that this was an event they’d remember for their lives. I can’t recall of anybody there with a dower expression on their face, even though the cause is quite serious. The March really was less of a protest and more of a sign, a sign that Americans, young and old, are still interested in the pro-life cause.

Right now, I want to discuss why it’s still important for our school to keep marchin’ on. We shouldn’t let these past two years affect us. Though the signup numbers tend to fluctuate (this year in particular was around 50), according to Mr. DiDomenico, I felt that the main source of signups came from the Junior and Senior classes. That’s probably due to the Freshmen and Sophomores not being too familiar with the school in general, let alone the march. It doesn’t matter that the odds may seem against us sometimes; in fact, it should act as encouragement for our efforts.

One of the main reasons why we need to continue the March is to preserve our Catholic identity. The March for Life is a modern fight over a modern issue.

If there was ANY way to truly show what a contemporary Catholic must be doing in America, it would be this. Malvern Prep has always been a Catholic school, and, since we clearly have the means for it, we shouldn’t give up an opportunity > PAGE 5

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March 2014

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

FRIAR LIFE Students prototype a new style of learning with Third Teacher Plus

STUDENT OF THE ISSUE

Matt Anthony: Open Doors & Life Sports The senior talks about being a lifer, evolving on stage, and making plans for the future Jack Marchesani ‘15 REPORTER

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had the chance to sit down with someone who t r u ly exempl if ies t he Malvern spirit, Matt Anthony, to ask him a few questions about his past, where he is now, and where he’s headed.

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JM: Are you Joe Canuso?

MA: Last time I checked, no, but I’ll leave that up to your imagination. (winks)

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS IN PROTOTYPE WORKSHOP MALVERN PREP SOCIAL MEDIA

Wonder why many students were out of school for two days in February? They were diving into a prototype experiment.

Dan McGlinn ‘14 MANAGING EDITOR ANY in the Malvern community had heard about the ‘scheduling camp’ taking place during the school days of February 25-26, but many, including those involved, had no idea of what to truly expect. This Prototype Camp was an experiment designed to see how students, specifically Malvern students, performed under different learning conditions, teaching methods, and collaborative techniques.

Over the course of two days, students learned information about trying to think outside the box and make a positive impact, concluding with a final presentation.

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Originally, students, including the participants, were skeptical about what exactly the prototype camp was designed to accomplish. Brendan Stec was optimistic. “I thought it was a good idea to test something out before initiating it.”

The prototype camp was run by Christian Long and Trung Le, designers from The Third Teacher Plus who are working with Malvern, who acted as the ‘peer teachers’ for the prototype camp. It started in a lesson about creating an ideal wallet for a partner. The key was not to create something easily created, but to connect and have empathy and create something designed specifically for a partner that serves them in the best way possible.

“Initially I was frustrated because I didn’t know what to do,” says senior Brendan Hallinan. “But eventually I really benefitted from the learning style.”

The biggest difference between the learning style of the camp and a normal classroom setting was the way in which the information was given to the students. Rather than taking detailed notes or watching a long PowerPoint, a short video was shown and discussed quickly, brushing over the important topics. The deeper learning was left up to the students to figure out for themselves.

One way the students did this was the final presentation. The details were

The

BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. Its online affiliate is the Friar’s Lantern (www.mpfriarslantern.com). Editors’ meetings are every day 2 at 7:30 AM. Reporters’ meetings are every day 3 at 7:45 AM in Duffy 118, and are open to any interested student.

Mission Statement The Blackfriar Chronicle and The Friar’s Lantern are the student run publications of Malvern Prep. The principal goals of the publications are to provide accurate and relevant information to the Malvern community and to offer a forum for intelligent dialogue on all things Malvern. The reporting for these student publications is conducted thoroughly and edited by student leaders to ensure this accuracy to the best of our ability. In order to fairly provide all points of view, contributions from all members of the Malvern community are welcomed and encouraged through letters of opinion, student reporting, and respectful commentary.

stated that it must: impact Malvern in a positive way, reach outside of 50 miles from Malvern, and promote a fundamental idea of Malvern. The students were told they were presenting at a specific time to an audience, and told to start working.

Using an entirely different learning style than what most teachers at Malvern use was a new experience for the students. Talking and experimenting together was the most beneficial in this setting because at the outset the more ideas that were floating through the air the easier it would be to pin one down.

The fundamental ideas of Malvern that the projects focused on included Brotherhood, giving students a voice in their school, spreading the values of unitas, veritas, and caritas, and giving the ‘Malvern experience’ to others. After much deliberating, consulting, lightbulb moments between the groups and group members, the projects were ready for presentations.

The students from grades 9-12, standing in front of parents, faculty, and administration, were given 15 > PAGE 4 Editors in Chief Joe DiSipio ‘14 Brian Tatlow ‘14 Managing Editors Print: Dan McGlinn ‘14 Online: Matt Lanetti ‘15 Section Editors Friar Life Matt Magargee ‘14 Mike Higgins ‘14 Sports Brendan Hallinan ‘14

Media & Technology Chris Bunn ‘16 Beyond Malvern Jake Sorensen ‘15

Editorial Board Contributors Andrew Aprahmian ‘17

Contact: mpfriarslantern1@gmail.com

Opinion Anthony Abron ‘14

Justice Bennett ‘16

Tyler Pizzico ‘17 Andrew Stetser ‘15

JM: Tell me a little bit about who you were before Malvern? Where did you grow up? What school did you attend?

MA: Back in my preschool days I started at Great Beginnings in Chester Springs. I attended an elementary school in Downingtown. That led into attending Malvern middle school.

The main thing that I remember from my pre-Malvern career is being much chubbier and basically Halo 2. In fact, in 6th grade I actually got stuck in a chair here at Malvern. When everyone laughed it off I actually was a really relieved. A lot of my middle school teachers really shaped me into who I was.

JM: How have you grown and changed while at Malvern?

MA: Before Junior year I was actually very antisocial. So that was cool.

Malvern had honestly opened me up so much. It changed my entire life. A lot of doors have been opened for me.

JM: Tell me a little bit about your MTS career?

MA: Mr. Liga was always a big inspiration for me. In men’s chorus freshman year he asked me to audition and I finally gave in and did. In Jesus Christ Superstar I was cast as Annas, mostly because I was a little bit creepy at the time and I could also hit the notes.

At the time I had no idea how the show would change me. I made a lot of friends in JCS and I more or less saw how great theatre was. Next year, the fall show was A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I was cast as Starvling and I had a ton of fun working on that show.

To do this I’m still quoted as saying, “my dog!” I don’t have a dog.

Following that was Footloose. I was Reverend Shaw. During that i really came out of my shell and MTS became what it was for me today. I also learned that dancing should be legal. Thanks Joe. In ALHOTS I was the stuttering Matthieu (tries to reenact stuttering

MATT AS TONY IN WSS

MR. COLAMECO

but fails miserably). Finally, came West Side Story, where I was Tony.

JM: Tell me about West Side Story?

MA: Honestly, I was not expecting to be Tony in the beginning. Things really started to shape up for me to be Tony towards the end of auditions and that was really exciting. I didn’t really worry about the part that I was, though, mostly because no matter what I love being in MTS. Well, I had already had A lead, but never THE lead. Never THE GUY. It was really so much work, but I really really enjoyed it. Everyone in MTS has really taken me as there own and taken me under their wing, and it’s been one of the greatest journeys of my life. It’s life sports, ya know, but really different. More wings. More family. I don’t know. To be truthful, MTS has been an incredible force in my life, not only shaping me in brotherhood, unity, and love, but also in the understanding of what a family is all about.

JM: What are your plans for the future?

MA: Next year, I’ll be attending Drexel and most likely studying accounting. As of right now I’ll probably just look towards business in general. Maybe go for my MBA. Maybe play in the NBA. Also, I’m not exactly sure what role music will play in my life, but it will definitely be there.

JM: How do you manage it all?

Schoolwork? Being a lead in the show? Working at Manhattan Bagel? Life in general?

Every time I get nervous or upset I really just take a deep breath. I remember how great of a support base I have at Malvern and that calms me down.

I’m honestly really thankful.

Coming from the perspective of the reporter, as a side note, Matt is one of the kindest, most generous, and most humble people I’ve met in my entire life. He truly does exemplify the Malvern spirit. It’s going to be hard to see him go, but just based off of who he is it’s evident how great of a future Matt Anthony is going to have. 

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March 2014

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

FRIAR LIFE

Student Council election winners share perspectives Meet your new student council officers and learn their plans for next year John McClatchy ‘17 REPORTER

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ca mpus was full of intensity after the Student Council speeches in the Duffy Arts Center on March 6. Ryan Doane was elected Student Council President; Peter Calvaresi, Vice President; Pat Coffey, Events Chair; and John Ianuzzi, Secretary.

The Student Body is expecting a lot from these new elected members and hopefully, they will follow through.

In an interview with SecretaryElect John Ianuzzi, he said that “... [giving the speeches] was definitely the hardest part about running, but it was the most enjoyable. It was really intimidating, but, looking back, it was so fun.” The speeches were laced with comedy, as the candidates saw it as a viable tool of persuasion.

What makes a perfect candidate?

In the words of John Ianuzzi, a perfect candidate must have “Leadership skills, and be someone who can be open to all ideas. A candidate must also be able to relate to the school and have a good understanding of what they want and he must also strongly stand for what he believes in.”

When asked the same question, Events Chair-Elect Patrick Coffey said that patience and responsibility are also needed characteristics, saying that “... ideas and opinions will not come to fruition overnight, it will take some time. [Responsibility is also important] because you are responsible for making sure all your duties for you respective area are fulfilled and completed to the best of your ability.”

> 3, PROTOTYPE mins to present an idea they were given only two days to prepare, something Christian Long said, “could take two months for a professional in the business world.” However, the presentations were a success.

The proposed ideas to ‘make a positive impact’ with the help of Malvern including creating satellite schools around the country that try to instill the same values, creating a week-long process of students trying to better Malvern, and creating a

As tensions rise in Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the annual senior service trip to Armenia has been replaced with a trip to India.

in swarms.

Matt Lanetti ‘15 MANAGING EDITOR ITH Ukraine seemingly on the brink of war, and with little knowledge of what the situation may be like in June, Mr. Larry Legner, Director of Christian Service, has replaced the Armenia senior service trip with India.

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A LV ER N ’ S

All the candidates posted posters across campus. Some these posters had familiar slogans such as: “Vote for ‘X’ to be your President!”, “‘Y’ will take you all the way!”, and signs of the like could be seen before the biggest day for the candidates. March 7 was the actual day that the Student Body got to vote. Ballots were cast at lunch periods.

Christian Service cancels trip Checkmate! to Armenia, adds India The Malvern student body has taken to a new activity

PRESIDENT-ELECT RYAN DOANE MR. COLAMECO

When asked why he ran, Ianuzzi said that he wanted to “... assist in Malvern’s most memorable year yet.” He said that he chose to run for Secretary because as Secretary, he would “plan and organize and facilitate all student councils sponsored events and fundraisers. I would also account for all student council funds, and take good notes during meetings, file the paperwork and make copies.”

Coffey said he decided to run because “... I thought I had some good ideas that the student body would enjoy. I wanted to represent the student body and make sure that their opinions and ideas would be heard.”

Ryan Doane, who won the election for President, was especially happy to win. When asked what he planned to do next year, he said “I definitely want to make changes to make the Malvern atmosphere more fun for everyone. I also really want to leave a mark on Student Council that will lead to new traditions.”

With the rapid changes coming not only to the schedule, but to the campus itself, Student Council leaders have the opportunity to play an important role in decisions. The students who won were very excited. Even though Phil Daubney lost his election for Events Chair, he still wishes the best for the school as a whole. “I wish all the best for the electees.” 

“I immediately started thinkingIs this going to be safe?,” said Legner.

He began a discussion with the sister that manages service workers at the orphanage in Armenia. She replied, “Things are getting worse here, I would not take the risk if you don’t have to.” That was all Mr. Legner had to hear to start looking for a new place.

As Mr. Legner repeated several times, safety is of course the number one concern.

When Mr. Legner set out to find a new location, he had to collaborate with St. Augustine Prep, as they were originally traveling with Malvern Prep to Armenia. This dynamic nature, unique to the Armenian service trip, provided Mr. Legner with an even greater challenge.

Several locations initially considered were Fiji, Malta, and Panama.

That isn’t all, “Canada contacted me,” said a smiling Mr. Legner. Apparently Malvern has earned a global reputation for service. Mr. Legner explained that the Canadian option had to be dropped as the labour was too far removed from the social work with locals experienced in our service trips.

In the end, the Indian location of Kochi was chosen. Readers may remember this as the then-potential location previously mentioned in an article from September 2013. (QR link at end of story.)

Mr. Legner confirmed that St. Augustine Prep students will be

traveling with Malvern, and that Kochi is yet another Augustinian location. Students will be staying at an Augustinian seminary, as well as visiting an Augustinian high school for 2 days. Along with Peru, South Africa, and the Philippines, Malvern now has a total of 4 global Augustinian Christian service trips. While in India, students will have an opportunity to work first hand with the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order of Mother Teresa.

Before having any students go on the service trip, Malvern already has a strong connection to Kochi. Arjun Menon ‘15 has relatives in and around the south-western port city, and has been there himself.

“Not only are they [MP friars] going to be able to give of themselves, but also give to themselves.

They will receive a much more complete idea of the world and it’s many cultures,” said Menon. Menon described Kochi specifically as having a high English fluency rate, which should make Christian Service more straightforward.

Arjun will be attending Malvern’s first ever service trip to the Philippines this June. While Arjun is in the Philippines, David Lanetti ‘15 and 6 of his classmates will be in India.

Although there was an initial disappointment in learning that he would not be traveling to Armenia, Lanetti is more than excited for India. “Kochi seems like a beautiful city, especially the seminary we will be staying at.

I can’t wait to collaborate with the students from St. Augustine Prep, and experience such a profound culture.” 

Justice Bennett ‘16 REPORTER your likely guess, it’s not a sport played out on the athletic field or the newest game on your mobile device...its chess that is sweeping the student community. Yes….CHESS. Throughout the entire day, the Learning Commons is filled with crowds of students huddled around intense chess matches.

ESPITE

Suddenly, the determinant of a person’s intelligence is being measured by his chess playing ability. Each and every day, new students are trying to pick up the game to compete with their peers. Students are challenging each other to try and prove themselves the smarter.

It has become a game not for the stereotypical nerds, but everyone.

Sparked by a love for competition and bragging-rights, this phenomenon has become, as senior Brendan Hallinan noted, a massive “chess explosion.”

Chess has become “cool” for the first time since who knows when. Lately, its not “what’s your high score on ________?”, but rather, “Guess who I just beat in chess?”

“It’s exciting to see so many students be enthusiastic about chess,” said Mr. Rogai, moderator of the occasionally-sleepy Chess Club. “It is nice that students are able to go in and grab a board and some pieces and play with their friends at any time during the day, and that it is available for them, even when they cannot make our club’s meetings.”

So, the next time you are in the LC, take a step back and realize just how crazy this movement has become.

It is now rare to step into the LC and not see two students locked in an intense chess match. If you haven’t played yet, then I challenge you to go check out the game and join the fad.

Challenge your friends or even challenge your teachers (often these are the most fun).  > 2, LESSONS LEARNED an understanding of people and not just dismiss them as different. We all have a heart and a brain. Our circumstances shouldn’t define our personality, it should be our humanity.

tutoring program with other schools.

Students were enthusiastic, parents asked insightful questions, and the presentations were well received.

This simple two-day prototype camp is further evidence that the new learning style works. Hopefully Malvern can take this example and build upon it for future plans. 

WHERE IS KOCHI, INDIA? GOOGLE MAPS

Coming full circle, it is important to understand where the Michael Dunn case sits right now. Dunn was convicted of three charges of attempted murder for Davis’ friends that were shot at in the car and also for firing into a vehicle. It is sad that the Justice System continues to fail young, black men, but we must continue to have faith that it will right its wrongs. Hopefully those days come in May, when Dunn will be retried for the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis. 

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

March 2014

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FRIAR LIFE > 1, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY the new standards would be. They reached out to other Club 14 schools, a group of private schools including the Inter-Ac schools, Villa Maria, St. Joe’s Prep, LaSalle, and the Hill School among a few others, to see what their NHS requirements are.

After polling these other schools and discussing it with Mrs. Day, they came up with the 3.85 GPA requirement. Finally the members reached out to Mrs. Feeney and Mr. Algeo for final approval.

NHS President Luke Bushner said, “I fully support the changes. I feel that raising the standards of the NHS will benefit both the present and future members as it even more so highlights their academic accomplishments in the classroom and promotes an even higher level of achievement.”

Sophomore Michael Droogan said, “I think it makes the NHS a more prestigious achievement, but it will definitely cut down the field for the candidates drastically.” Currently close to a third of the junior class members would not have been able to apply due to the GPA increase. 

> 2, MARCH FOR LIFE to remind ourselves of where we’ve come from.

Another reason why we shouldn’t give up the March is because of it’s affect on those who participate in it. Old St. Augustine’s and Urban Challenge both had one similar secondary goal: to build camaraderie, one of our school’s strong suits. The March for Life has similar goals, too; Malvernians there are thrown into an environment to do a service for those who can’t help themselves.

I really don’t believe that the March is going to be neglected Malvern. I’m sure that our theology department is ready each and every year to make the trip. I’m just hoping that there’ll be underclassmen ready for it to. As Mr. Boyce, an active proponent of the march, says, “The March has had its best success when there was a student advocate.” It’ll be a great day when a Malvernian takes up the torch and leads his brothers through Washington. I can’t wait for it. 

GOT THOUGHTS? WE SURE HOPE SO. Join the conversation.

Comment on stories at mpfriarslantern.com

FACULTY/STAFF OF THE ISSUE

Mrs. Denise Popper: Athletics behind the scenes good friends. I think that the day-today interaction with all of those people is what I’ve enjoyed the most, and I would imagine that it will be what I’ll miss the most as I look toward retiring.

Mrs. Popper chats about her responsibilities in the the athletic office and looks back on her favorite aspects of Malvern before her retirement

MH: What are some of your responsibilities for your job working in the athletic office?

DP: I am responsible for scheduling games, arranging transportation, requesting officials, preparing awards for the various athletic assemblies, and assisting Mr. Ruch with the ever changing issues that arise in our department on a day to day basis.

Mike Higgins ‘14 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR

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year spring sports at Malvern are draped with championship expectations, and the baseball, lacrosse and track programs never fail to disappoint.

This season lacrosse and baseball look to repeat as Inter-Ac Champions and clinch the Heyward Cup for the Friars.

Although, all of this athletic achievement in the Spring and throughout the rest of year could not be made possible without the contribution of one woman, Mrs. Denise Popper.

Mrs. Popper works in the O’Neill Center practically running the athletic program from behind the scenes.

Tirelessly she coordinates the scheduling of officials, buses, and games to make sure that each athletic event runs smoothly. Without her our athletes wouldn’t be able to even step out onto the field. As one of the most integral parts of our athletic program, I had the chance to ask Mrs. Popper a few questions about her responsibilities, her favorite Malvern memories, and what she has planned for the future.

MH: How long have you been working at Malvern?

DP: I started working at Malvern in August 2001. I have been working VERY

MIKE HIGGINS

here for 13 years.

MH: Which positions have you held and enjoyed the most while working here?

DP: I began working 2 hours a day in the Dean of Discipline’s office with Mr. Legner in August 2001. The following year, I continued to work for Mr. Legner in the mornings, and then went over to the athletic office in the afternoons when Mr. Frank Ryan was the AD. The next few years transitioned with Mr. Ruch becoming the Athletic Director and Mr. Dougherty becoming the Dean of Discipline and me working for the both of them, which I enjoyed very much. I became full time in athletics in 2007, and it’s been a great job. I’ve been able to get to know the students and essentially watch them grow up before my eyes.

I’ve met and worked with some really great people who have become my

MH: I know that two of your sons attended Malvern. As a faculty member and parent, what do you value the most about a Malvern education?

DP: Brian (‘01) and Chris (‘03) attended Malvern, and it was the perfect choice of school for the both of them. My husband and I came from catholic educations, and we knew that we wanted the same for our sons. The value of the Augustinian tradition was a major factor in our decision along with the caliber of academics which proved to be extremely beneficial when it came to Brian’s and Chris’ college choices. As a Malvern parent, the entire experience exceeded our expectations......it wasn’t just about the academics, the athletics, the spiritual environment or the MECO experience, but also about the unyielding support and concern that was available for me and my family during some difficult times, which, I know was not

unique to us--there are many other people who can tell the same story.

MH: Do you have a favorite Malvern moment or memorable Malvern game which you attended?

DP: I have many favorite moments at Malvern, but at the top of my list are Graduation and attending mass at Our Mother of Good Counsel Chapel.

Graduation is a tradition that never seems to change, and the richness of that tradition is what makes Malvern so special. The chapel is a haven for all of us on campus. It allows us to stop in any time or attend mass when the men’s chorus sings to enrich our experience amid the beautiful mosaic of our Blessed Mother and the Christ Child--I’ll never get tired of looking at that.

MH: After this year, what do plan to do in all of your free time?

DP: I’ve been incredibly blessed in my life, and I look toward “giving back” in my free time. I’m not sure exactly how, but I trust that in time, it will unfold and the journey will be rich and rewarding. I expect to travel with my husband, spend more time with my sons, my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter. I anticipate helping friends and family when the needs arise. I look forward to reading more, adding miles to my running, playing more tennis and digging in my gardens. I will be keeping my eyes and ears wide open in the hope that I won’t miss a single moment in this next chapter of life. I think that I will be pretty busy. 

Rocky rocks the house!

Attendees on annual spring New York City trip experience an unconventional musical Joe Canuso ‘14 REPORTER

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19, a group of Malvern students went to New York City to see “Rocky” on Broadway. Expectations were all over the place. Rocky Balboa singing show tunes? That just doesn’t seem right. But the reviews were off the charts, and we were all excited to see what the cast would do with the American classic.

created was entirely convincing and enchanting. It was such an interesting treat being able to see this famous movie portrayed on the stage.

N March

The day started out with a nice bus ride into NYC, where we were dropped off at Planet Hollywood for lunch. After a pleasant devouring of burgers and fries, we walked to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a tradition of the New York trip. We walked around the cathedral and lit a candle as an offering if we so desired. It was then finally time for the show. Still on foot, we went to the Winter Garden Theater, all anticipating a fantastic show. The curtain rose and the rest is history.

From the set changes, to the music, to the dancing, to the incredible stage combat, we saw nothing less than an unbelievable portrayal of “Rocky.” Lead actor Andy Karl had all of Sylvester Stallone’s mannerisms down to a tee. He had that signature Stallone voice and even looked a lot like him. The love story that Andy Karl (Rocky) and Margo Seibert (Adrian)

The similarities between the stage show and the movie were phenomenal. They had everything from the cow carcasses used as punching bags, to his turtles, cuff and link, to the Philadelphia Art Museum steps that Rocky runs up as part of his training. Everyone that went to see it was in agreement that the most exciting part of the show was the final fight scene. It no longer felt like we were in a theater watching a show. It felt like we were at a boxing match. The room was transformed into the Spectrum, including Philadelphia sports teams’ banners hanging from the ceiling and the fanavision cube that hangs in the center of the arena. The bottom floor, center section of audience members, was invited up onto the stage to sit on bleachers as the “audience of the fight,” and the boxing ring was moved over those vacant seats. The way the fight played out was so realistic and gripping, but I won’t spoil the rest.

It was truly an incredible show and an unforgettable experience, including the extremely prolonged bus ride back to Malvern due to traffic. I highly recommend seeing this show to anyone, and remember, always fight from the heart.

PROMOTIONAL GRAPHIC BY MIKE MCHUGH ‘15

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March 2014

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

ARTS Malvern Men’s Chorus turned Gospel Choir?

ARTIST OF THE ISSUE

PJ Murphy: Creativity & Conceptualization Senior discusses what drives his passion for visual art

Upcoming performance promises a lively take on songs of the Mass Phil Daubney ‘15 CONTRIBUTOR

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you remember that catchy song “Lamb of God” from the Living Stations that you can’t get out of your head? Well did you know it was part of something bigger than just Stations?

PJ PAINTING FACES AT HOMECOMING FOR NAHS

Billy Bevevino ‘15 CONTRIBUTOR

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PJ Murphy is a constant in the visual art studios in Duffy.

He is completing his fourth year in Studio Art and this year is also a Graphic Design student. Here, PJ shares some ideas about the role visual art plays in his Malvern career and in his future plans.

ENIOR

BB: How has being a 4 year member of the arts department helped your all around Malvern experience?

PM: I think it’s important to have a strong base in the arts because that makes you an overall more creative person. Creativity can be applied to every subject I can think of, and it has helped me a lot in Physics, especially. It also helps me in my classes, because I can think outside of the box and keep an open mind.

BB: What is the most important lesson you have learned from the art department during your time at Malvern?

PM: Being able to look at something and to see it for more than it is, to see a deeper meaning in it is probably the most important thing I have learned.

It’s tough to do at first, but when you have the right tools it can help you in so many different ways.

BB: Speaking of tools, what’s your favorite material to work with?

PM: My favorite medium to use is charcoal. You can really alter it once you put it down which allows you to

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recently released their second single, Magic, from their upcoming album Ghost Secrets. While this single is not nearly as EDM inspired as the first single released, Midnight, it is further evidence that Chris Martin and co. have once again reinvented their sound.

With new wave drum beats and carefully placed guitar parts, the eeriness of Magic would make Lorde. While this single may not be a hit with fans of Coldplay’s older albums, such as OLDPLAY

PLOWS

use shading in cool way. I also love to grill when I finish with my art.

BB: I was around Duffy and I saw some of your drawings hanging up. You have some controversial pieces, can you elaborate on any of those pieces?

PM: There are two kids in my class, Carson Coco and Pearse Hobson, and I thought my piece displays their relationship well. That is how I view those two people and as an artist I shouldn’t be held back, my opinion should be known.

WB: You’re clearly talented, do you plan on continuing your art career in college and beyond?

PM: Yeah, next year I am doubling majoring actually. It is a five-year engineering and design program.

Hopefully I can integrate those two majors into one profession or just pursue one or the other. I’m sure that both will end up being a big part of my life.

WB: Do you have any advice for underclassmen who are just beginning their Malvern career?

PM: I highly recommend taking at least a couple art classes. Not everyone thinks they are an artist naturally.

I think everyone has the capability to be one, and everyone as a person has a human brain that conceptuallizes things which means they can actually do art. Training your brain to conceptualize and visualize things are important skills which can help you in every class.

Parachutes, it is a solid song that precedes a very hyped album. Just expect a little bit more of Muse Third Law than 90’s alt rock.

The album Ghost Secrets is set to be released May 19.

-Billy Bevevino

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On Su nday March 30, T he Malvern Men’s Chorus and Notre Dame’s Women’s Chorale will be performing a rendition of Robert Ray’s, Gospel Mass. This musical score contains the traditional gospel feel with traces of rock. Five components of the mass: Kyrie, Credo, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, are set to a full vocal score and a full instrumental accompaniment.

The Malvern Men’s Chorus and the Notre Dame Women’s Chorale have been meeting weekly to rehearse the music with eagerness and excitement. The Malvern and Notre Dame seniors split the soloist sections of each song, featuring Malvern seniors

GOSPEL MASS POSTER

ANDREW WILBR AHAM & HARRISON MCCURDY

Anthony Abron, Max McClatchy, Greg Miller, and Luke Sorenson.

Conducted by Malvern’s own Mr. Ed Liga, and featuring Notre Dame’s music director, Mrs. Lindsay Miller, on piano, the performance captures the themes and values of the traditional Catholic Mass, while setting the mass parts to fun and upbeat music.

The Malvern guys will also be performing a two song repertoire,

consisting of Billy Joel’s The Longest Time and Too Much Heaven by the Bee Gees. The entire show lasts about an hour and the choirs promise to keep you engaged the entire time.

If you’re interested in seeing the Mass completely translated to music, then come to the Gospel Mass on Sunday, March 30th at 3 PM in the Duffy Arts Center. 

“Everything is Awesome” about The LEGO Movie The quality that animates this film makes it worth the hype Mike McCarthy ‘15 REPORTER

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hearing about the new LEGO Movie, many high school students are probably thinking “Oh great, another dumb kids’ movie. I’m way too cool for that.

I’m in high school. Yea bro!” Well, I really hope none of you think or sound like that, because I may be forced to physically remove you from our campus. But those people who respond in such a way obviously have not seen an animated movie in a while. Recent animated films like Frozen, Toy Story 3, and now The LEGO Movie are of a new breed of quality animated movies that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

PON

In The LEGO Movie universe, President Business (voiced by Will Ferrell) attempts to suppress any creative thought by demanding that

all people strictly follow all instructions issued to them. Any person caught violating the instructions is severely punished by “Bad Cop” (Liam Neeson) and his army of robots. This Orwellian reich is opposed by master builders who range from Batman (Will Arnett) to William Shakespeare to the hilarious 1980s spaceman (Charlie Day). The leader of master builders prosphesizes of a great hero to come who will defeat President Business and save the world. That hero turns out to be perhaps the most ordinary person in the whole universe, Emmet (Chris Pratt). Shenanigans and hilarity ensue as the film delivers laughs at almost every turn.

What is most endearing about The LEGO Movie is its moral core. The movie really is a social commentary.

Its strongest message without a doubt is the value of individuality. The movie attempts to teach its audience to value every person’s differences, as that is

what makes them unique and interesting. Some may interpret this movie as an assault on big business, but it really is meant to be interpreted on a much more personal level, which really becomes evident towards the end of the movie. The moral content of this film is generally delivered in part with humor. My only real criticism of the movie would be that some of the oneliners do feel a little corny and a few even made me cringe.

Overall, this is a fantastic movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I found myself walking out of the theater with a huge smile on my face. It truly is a blissful escape from reality, and one that feels genuine and has a lot of heart. IMDb gave the film a 8.4/10 and Rotten Tomatoes gave it a whopping 96% from critics, but I give this film a 56.6/61. Just go see it, and you’ll find that “Everything is Awesome” will be stuck in your head for days to come.

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

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SPORTS 2014 will be a year of change for JV Lacrosse Sean Christman ‘17 REPORTER

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changes in philosophy and staff, there will be lots of adjustments to be made this spring for JV lacrosse. Even with all the changes, the goals remain the same: to prepare the players for varsity, and to have a productive, winning season.

ITH

A winning season starts with the coaches, and this year’s staff is full of knowledgeable and experienced coaches who will provide great instruction to the players. Varsity added a new defensive coach this season, Malvern graduate Matt McCormick, who played his college ball at Drexel.

However, at the JV level, there is a new JV A Head Coach. Bob DiIonno, the former coach, who will be remembered for his unique coaching style, is now an assistant with the JV program at Haverford. Taking over as JV A Head Coach is Nick Pison, who was on the staff last year as an assistant.

Coach Pison, a former High School A l l A mer ica n at Sa i nt Augustine Prep and 4 time Lehigh club lacrosse captain, will work primarily with the offense. He is joined

by Assistant Coach Kurt Fisher, who will work with the defense and the faceoff unit. Coach Fisher is a Ridley High School alumni who played at Stockton College, and is in his fifth year at Malvern.

The JV B team will be lead by Coach Pat Holloway, who was also the head coach last year. A Malvern and Villanova alumnus, Coach Holloway also coaches with the soccer and

sq u a sh pr o g r a m s .

Malvern’s Head of S ec u r it y, Steve L eSt ra nge, w i l l return as an assistant on the JV B program after taking some time off from coaching. The coaching staff, lead by Varsity Head Coach John McEvoy, has a goal that stretches throughout the entire Malvern Lacrosse program.

“We, as a staff, want the entire program to work as a single unit, especially between JV A and JV B”, says JV A Head Coach Nick Pison.

Throughout the season, coaches on every team will be communicating about the progress of the teams and players, and re-evaluating the players as the season goes on. “Evaluations do not end when the ‘tryout period’ ends, as a player may start on one team, but move up and down depending on how the season goes”, said Pison.

On the field, every team will be running the same systems, which will allow players to be able to jump in and play for any one of the teams without difficulty. According to the coaching staff, the idea of a cohesiveness among the three teams was one that came about in the middle of last year’s season. The players will benefit from a system that allows them to play comfortably on any team.

“The moving rosters make it more competitive for everyone”, says sophomore midfielder Pat Finley, “I think that the new staff is going to make it a successful year and the environment will be much more competitive”.

The coaching staff has high expectations for everyone, and feels that within a program as talented as Malvern’s, playing for the JV B team is not a demotion. The goal of the JV program is still to prepare players to be on varsity and, according to Coach Pison, also to “focus on fundamentals and game IQ that will prepare players for the next level and beyond”.

Looking ahead, there are some big games to be played on the varsity schedule. After a loss to Haverford at the end of last season, redemption will be on the players’ minds going into their matchup with the Fords.

The JV closes out their season with perennial Central League powerhouse Conestoga. It is certainly a season to watch, as this new system and staff will be challenged by a formidable schedule.

The two JV programs will both be challenged by their tough schedules, but with the experienced staff and cohesive game strategy, Malvern has the potential to have a very successful year. 

This constant fluctuation will certainly keep the players on their toes.

Track gears up to take more hardware Runners, jumpers, and throwers finally get their time in the sun.

James Canuso ‘17 REPORTER

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is a lot of hope for a good track season this year.

Most of the talent may be stored in the junior class. Not to say the junior class has all the best runners, but there are so many on the team on the team and they are all great athletes.

HERE

“We have a lot of talent on the team, especially in the junior class, we have a lot of juniors,” said distance runner Ryan Doane. Our junior class is led by Elijah King and Billy McDevitt. The seniors, who are hopefully making the best of their last track season at Malvern, are led by Troy Gallen and Dan Ferraiolo. Everyone has been doing well and practicing hard, despite the weather.

“We’ve been practicing really well so far,” said senior Andrew Wilson. “We’ve gotten out onto the track finally after the hard winter of snow. So far it’s just beginning, and it’s gonna get a little harder as time goes on.”

“So far it’s been nice with the warm weather. A little rainy, but otherwise it’s been good and it’s probably gonna continue that way,” said Wilson.

As Andrew mentioned, it took a couple of weeks for the snow to finally get cleared off the track, but the team is now able to go on for workouts, and the weather has also been getting steadily better.

Two members of the winter track team competed at the New Balance Indoor National Championships: Jackson Hoey, a sophomore, and

ATHLETE OF THE ISSUE

Andy Pancoast: Standout in Three Sports Brendan Hallinan ‘15 SPORTS EDITOR

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lean, mean, and not too far in between. Well not mean, but definitely lean.

And athletic.

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Andy Pancoast, senior, is a standout three sport athlete at Malvern.

He started at cornerback and wide receiver for the football team, played on the basketball team, and is currently in the high jump for the track team.

Pancoast’s unique combination of height and athletic ability allowed him to excel at all three sports.

At 6’4’’, 170 lb, he could climb the ladder to either defend passes as a corner or haul them in as a wide receiver.

According to TedSilary.com, Pancoast caught 24 passes for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season. On the basketball court , he had success slashing through the defense and attacking the rim. And this spring, he will be relying on his freakish jumping ability to sky the bar in the high jump.

Pancoast has gotten the most recognition as a high jumper. He will be jumping for Bucknell University in the fall. He will be studying in the College of Arts and Sciences.

BH: Out of the three varsity sports you play, which is your favorite?

AP: Of the three sports, football is definitely my favorite.

PANCOAST JUMPS IN MORE THAN ONE SPORT SOCIAL MEDIA

St. Joe’s Prep. In basketball I would say my sophomore year has been my best memory, being on the team that repeated as inter-ac champs and started the season I believe 19-0. In track my favorite memory was sophomore year the inter-ac invitational when I finished second and took senior Tom Pitt to the wire, losing by 1 inch.

BH: When was the first time you dunked? Have you done it in a game?

AP: The first time I dunked was freshman year spring. The only time I have dunked in a Malvern game was the last game this year and it was called off due to an illegal screen.

BH: How did you get into high jumping?

AP: Sophomore year I stopped playing lacrosse to train for football, I ended up one day on the track seeing how high I could jump and after I jumped 6’1” I wasn’t left with much of a choice to join the team and it has been one of my best decisions at Malvern.

BH: Intramural basketball season is right around the corner and you’ve been a staple of the league for the last three years. But the championship has alluded your team each year. Are you planning to enter a team this year?

AP: I am on a team this year, its a new team for me and I believe we have what it takes to bring home the championship. We are an all senior squad captained by the two St. Amours.

BH: What has been your fondest memory for each team you’ve played on?

AP: Thinking of my best memories for each sport you usually instantly think to the championships. In football, my whole senior year was one of the best times of my life, a few games do stick out though, LaSalle, Episcopal, and

BH: What are your expectations for the track and field team this spring?

AP: The Track and Field team is always atop the Inter-Ac and I think we are going to have another championship year, although I can only score at one event we are very deep with great athletes.

FLIKR / CREATIVE COMMONS

Billy McDevitt, a junior. Billy ran the 2-mile, and finished 25th in the emerging elite division, which is the second best division. Jackson placed 13th in the mile, racing in the championship group, which is the top group.

Congratulations to both athletes!

The track team is hoping for an Inter-Ac and State title this year, and definitely has the talent to win.

MR. TALBOT, PANCOAST, AND PARENTS AT HOMECOMING

MALVERN PREP MEDIA

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SPORTS

Rowing Team decides Quad, for now

Lacrosse team starts season 4-0

Practice seat racing for the varsity quad have completed, but tryouts are long from over

Brendan O’Connor ‘15 REPORTER

Brendan Hallinan ‘14 SPORTS EDITOR

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rowing team will be competing for national and international championships in the next couple months. It will be racing in California, Philadelphia, England, and New Jersey. But arguably its most important set of races have already concluded.

out that the seat racing at recent practices does not ultimately decide the quad.

return in a few weeks. He will also be given a chance to row for the quad this season when he returns to form.

“As the season progresses, rowers in the varsity quad will continue to be tested against teammates, continuing the process to make the fastest varsity quad for the championship races.”

The team will dominate its local races at the beginning of the season.

Any combination of the five seniors will have success early in the season.

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The team recently finished its tryouts for the varsity quad. It is the fastest boat the team has to offer and the one that will be featured at the United States national rowing championship and at Henley Regatta in England.

“The varsity quad is selected using several criteria, seat racing, technical skills, compatibility of rowing with the rest of the boat,” said Coach Hoffman.

Though Hoffman did go on to point

> 1, MAY SCHEDULE change to or even think of a different format for the test; it’s that we have to assure the parents that with these changes, their child will still be best prepared for the exam formats their child will face in college.” “‘Adjust Accordingly’ is the directive in numerous ‘How to do’ fix-it manuals, and is a good fit here,” said Mr. Ostick, renowned Economics teacher. “The benefits of using the ‘exam days’ to pick up class work missed seems like an effective choice.”

Some students are also embracing the changes. “I do like the modified finals at the end of the year because it relieves a ton of stress and hours spent studying for these difficult finals,” said Cole Thomas ‘16. “It gives the students the best possible chance to do well on 20% of their final grade.”

Other members of the faculty and student body; however, are not taking too kindly to the ME’s. Some teachers, who wished to stay anonymous, are saying that doing away with the two hour exams is a bad decision. Most of the arguments against this were that students need to practice the skill of focusing for an extended length of time, and need to learn how to summarize their learning for a semester or longer. Several of the opposers noted that most colleges and universities do and will require sit-down, fairly extended, written, summative assessments at the end of the course.

Students and faculty have many questions about how MEs will work.

“I’m giving my 6th and 7th grade U.S. History students ‘final exam’ projects

The team has six seniors who are all capable of rowing at a championship level. Each of the six will be continuing their rowing careers at top colleges in the fall.

As of now, the quad features Jim Sincavage, Chris Frey, Jackson Connor, and JP Clarke. Senior Jimmy McManus will have the chance to substitute on and off during the season.

But the trick will be finding the right quad for its championship races, namely Stotesbury Regatta, the United States National Championship, and at Henley Regatta.

And with the later addition of a healthy White, the process will be that much more difficult come summer. 

Chris White, who was on the quad last year, is injured and is expected to

which are due prior to June 27th,” said Mr. Chinici. “They have several choices of formats to select from and are permitted to work alone or as a two-man team. I’m not sure yet how it will all work out but the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.”

“Who knows?” Chinici added.

“This may be the wave of the future here at Malvern.”

May also holds another surprise in store for us.

Every efficient system has gone through a testing phase at one point.

In May, one of the most controversial changes at Malvern is going through its testing phase, and is receiving both backlash and support. This is none other than the infamous block scheduling.

For ten calendar days in May, Malvern will be trying out the proposed “modified block schedule” to both see if it will work and to give the teachers and students a slight taste of next year’s schedule.

One of the big worries from the faculty is that too many changes are happening too fast, and the end of the year will be nightmarish with the combination of the modified block and the stress of the fourth quarter.

Students are being most vocal about this. “I believe that we should not be following the example of Haverford,” says Bennett. (The Haverford School has six block-style periods in each school day.) “We should establish ourselves academically through the recruitment of more

intelligent students; not through being guinea pigs of a 21st century learning idea.”

High expectations and high rankings for Varsity Lax

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Lacrosse team has offered no reason to lower expectations so far this season, as they have won each of their first four games in convincing fashion. They began with two victories against Mar yland powerhouses L oyola Blakefield and St. Mary’s and more recently dominated West Chester East and Spring-Ford.

net. Kyle Anderson began his Malvern career well with two goals and an assist.

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Entering Loyola Blakefield, there were high expectations because Haverford had beaten them 11-9 earlier in the week. Malvern got off to a fast start thanks to impressive defense

by Greg Pelton and Mike Mulqueen, leading 4-0 at halftime. They fought back in the second half, making the score 7-5, but a late goal by Kevin McGeary sealed the win at 8-5.

Charles Kelly was 12 of 17 on faceoffs and Carson Cocco had 9 saves in

St. Mary’s had given the team struggles in the past, but Malvern was able to pull it out, 12-9, thanks to a strong second half. Conor Glancy was the story of the game, scoring five goals.

Sam Stroud had 12 saves in his first ever start and freshman Mike Fay scored his first Malvern goal.

Malvern had a much easier time against West Chester East and SpringFord, winning 17-2 and 14-3, respectively. Malvern faces its next test on March 26 in Salesianum. PIAA mainstays Avon Grove and La Salle round out our pre-Inter Ac schedule, which begins on April 4 with Germantown Academy.

MODIFIED SCHEDULE FOR TEN DAYS IN MAY This schedule will continue on the 6-day rotation for May 13-16, 20-22, 27, 28, 30

“The way this test run is being enacted in practice, seems to me like the administration is pulling a stunt,” said Alex Yablonski ‘15. “At the end of this they can claim to have done their due diligence, when in fact their minds are already made up, and almost nothing will stop their choice to switch to the block.”

“I’ve heard that there were experts that claimed there are studies to support their findings that block works,” continued Yablonski. “But the presentations where staged at times apart from when the student body is collected, and only 2 students were invited to sit in.”

“I sure hope we like it, because if we don’t, it won’t matter to anyone with the will or power to make it change.”

The general consensus of current students seems to be that block scheduling is not something which they wish to have part of their Malvern experience. What do recent alumni think? Opinions were generally favorable towards the addition of the blocked scheduling; however, they did offer some suggestions of how to improve the schedule.

Alex Tran, ‘13 (Northeastern ‘17) said, “I think that block scheduling is a good idea to get students used to longer classes which they will ultimately face in college.” However, Tran noted, “I do not feel that everybody should partake in this. In my

own personal opinion, I believe that blocked scheduling should only apply to the juniors and seniors, being that they will need to be more prepared for this college-like class. The underclassmen, I feel, should stay with the schedule that Malvern uses today, because

blocked scheduling may seem intimidating for the newly formed members of the Malvern community.”

Nick Anderson, ‘13 ( Brown University ‘16), also gave an insight on > PAGE 9

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

March 2014

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> 8, MAY SCHEDULE block scheduling: “Even though I prefer shorter classes, I see the benefits which block schedules can have for classes like lab sciences. Also, larger class sections will offer an experience closer to that of college. It may also offer chances to dig deeper into material, for example, doing a thematic analysis of literature rather than simple plot review.”

Would Anderson have wanted block scheduling when he was a student at Malvern? “I am happy with my Malvern experience. I do not think block scheduling would compromise the Malvern experience enough to spark a controversy. I see value in both scheduling methods and am indifferent between the two.”

Malvern has shown this year that it is changing, and we will see two of the changes this May. MAYbe all of these changes will bring Malvern to a level of greatness which no school has ever achieved before. MAYbe the road will not always be smooth. But MAYbe, just MAYbe, we are all overthinking this, and stressing too much about something that we will we be able to understand it in full after we have experienced it.

Nobody can say for certain how these changes will affect Malvern as a whole, but as Matt Hoban, ‘12, (Drexel University ‘16) says, “I think it’s worth a shot!” For better or worse, MAY the change be with you, Malvern, as we SPRING into the 21st Century. 

PROPOSED SAMPLE STUDENT SCHEDULE FOR 2014-2015 SHARED AT MALVERN TOWN HALL MEETING ON MARCH 11, 2014 More information and video of the Town Hall at www.malvernprep.org/TownHall

> 1, INTRAMURALS on the freshman team. The question for Slippery Rock: will they be able to handle the pressure packed Intramural postseason as first timers?

ITT Tech: This online institution has arguably two of the best freshmen ballers Ring Road has to offer.

Ray Baran and Tommy Wolfe were key contributors to the junior varsity team this winter, and will put up big numbers this season. Tech’s problem is they aren’t much deeper from there.

Will Baran and Wolfe be able to work the 1-2 punch deep into the playoffs?

Valparaiso: Murph Rogers is the star for Valpo, which includes four other capable seniors. Alex McLaughlin, Joe Disipio, and Brendan Hallinan each have at least 1 intramural championship this season, and are hungry for another. Dan McGlinn and Disipio will have to provide the hustle and rebounds if this team wants to go deep in the tournament. But their backcourt is one of the best the field has to offer.

Nebraska: This is the most skilled Mixed team in the field. Saint Denis CYO standouts Jake O’Riordan and Fran Pannepacker are the seniors for Nebraska. They will be trying to collect their second basketball championship of 2014, as their Denis Dawgs won the Region 32 high school championship. Joe Fitzpatrick and Liam Wheeler round out the starting four. If this team of Del-Co all stars plays well together, Nebraska will be a tough out.

Gonzaga: Jeff Hagen, the 6’6’’ Bucknell bound water polo stud, is an early favorite for intramural MVP. Hagen does it all: shoots, rebounds, blocks, and dunks. He will be joined by fellow seniors Connor McNeill, Kevin Burns, and Luke McStravick.

Team chemistry will be an advantage for the Zags, as Burns, Hagen, and McStravick played together on Saint Pat’s high school CYO team this winter. The only problem for Gonzaga will be its reliance on Hagen, so if he runs cold, this group of seniors could be in trouble.

Howard: This senior laden team can be a Cinderella come playoff time.

They put up a fight against heavily favored Penn State in their opening game, losing 30-29. Tom Ferrari, Zach O’Neill, and Mike Milliken will have to step up big if Howard wants to pull off some upsets this year. Team captain Brian Tatlow told the BFC, “What to expect from our team: big numbers from me off the bench. What not to expect: mercy.”

Stop by the O’Neill center in the next few weeks to check out the action!

This should be the most exciting basketball season in recent history, so make sure to follow @MP_Intramurals on Twitter and check your Malvern email for all scores, schedule changes, and updates. 

The madness of March As march madness looms, here is a look at what makes this month the maddest of them all Ricky Walsh ‘14 REPORTER

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we enter into the spring season, some people look forward to the warmer weather.

Others look forward to spring break.

However, the buzz at Malvern every year is the apprehension surrounding March Madness and the dream of the perfect bracket.

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March Madness began in Illinois as a small tournament in1908. By the year 1930, over 900 schools were involved, and the notoriety and passion has only intensified.

Today, many sports websites have made the tournament fun for all by providing brackets to fill out. The fun in the bracket is to make your predictions as to how the tournament will shape up. In 2011, over 5.9 million brackets were filled out on ESPN’s tournament challenge, including President Obama. However, what is the more interesting number series is the chance of getting a perfect bracket.

Assuming that you pick each game as a 50/50 chance, your chances of getting a perfect bracket are 1 in 267. If you have a decent understanding of exponents, you would realize the seemingly infinite properties that this number represents.

think, this tournament is not just about the fans. We saw some local teams make appearances in the big dance. Villanova received an impressive #2 seed in the East region, however they came up short against a tough Connecticut team in the second round. Joining Villanova in the East was St. Joe’s, who returned to the big dance for the first time since their perfect regular season during the stretch of 2003-2004. They too, however, lost to Connecticut in the first round. Also in the east region was Delaware, who punched their ticket for the first time in the school’s history. They, however, had the toughest matchup of all the local teams, losing to Michigan State.

However, with the numerous upsets that have occurred so far, it would not have shocked me to see Delaware beat Michigan State.

Dayton, an 11 seed, upset not one, but two teams on their road to the sweet

sixteen. Ohio State and Syracuse could not hold off the Dayton Flyers and their multiple scoring threats. Also, Mercer ousted Duke in a thriller. In fact, the game was so close that Coach K of Duke entered the Mercer locker room to congratulate the Mercer organization on a well-played game.

Coach K remarked, “If we were to get beaten, I’m glad we were beaten by a hell of a basketball team.” North Dakota State, Stephen F. Austin, Stanford, and Harvard all had first round upset-wins so far. In the second round, Stanford upset Kansas and Kentucky upset the Wichita State shockers, ruining their perfect season.

Needless to say, the madness of March is well underway.

But, let’s say you are a student of the game of bracketology and you pick the winner of each game 75% of the time. You would think your chances of that perfect bracket would be a lot better, right? Nope! Your chances of picking a perfect bracket with a 75% chance of getting the pick right are 1 in 234 million.

Not to worry though, you are not alone if your bracket is basically torn to shreds. After the round of 64, there was only one perfect bracket remaining. He lost his perfection the very next game after Oregon lost to Wisconsin.

INTRAMURAL BALL IS WHERE THE ACTION IS HALLINAN

As much as we would like to

RICKY WALSH

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March 2014

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

MEDIA AND TECH

WhatsApp with that?

Facebook Acquires Popular Messaging Application WhatsApp for $19 Billion Dollars

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The large social media giant has said that the main reason that they have bought out WhatsApp was due to the large growth that this company has seen over the past few years. Ever since the initial release of WhatsApp in 2009, the company has seen some impressive growth, with the company having over 450 million users. The app, which is a popular messaging application, has been favored by many people who want an alternative for

But what is it worth to today’s students?

Tom Ferrari ‘14 REPORTER

Chris Bunn ‘16 MEDIA & TECH EDITOR Febr uar y 19t h, 2014, Facebook agreed to purchase WhatsApp, the popular messaging app for smartphones, for $19 billion dollars. OF this, $4 billion will be in cash, $12 billion will be in stock, and $3 billion to WhatsApp founders and employees. This follows right after Facebook bought Instagram for about $1 billion in April of last year.

Like with Instagram, Facebook says that WhatsApp will still operate separately from Facebook (and Facebook Messenger).

Facebook’s Value: $67.8 B

conventional text messaging, as well as international texters. The app connects to user’s cell phone numbers and sends messages to other users over data.

Facebook Messenger, Facebook’s own messaging service, has been second in market share to WhatsApp. With the purchase of WhatsApp, Facebook wishes to use some of WhatsApp own features and technologies and incorporate some of it into its own app. However, Facebook is mainly focused on the company’s growth.

However, some who are critical of Facebook suspect the company of trying to gain more revenue from its user base by placing ads into the actual

application. During a conference call for investors, Mark Zuckerberg has promised to not place ads into the app.

For the time being, the application will stay to its popular $1 a year fee for its users. Zuckerberg has said that he doesn’t want to focus on trying to gain more revenue from WhatsApp until the service reaches billions of users.

Thanks in part to WhatsApp explosive growth, the company has been bought out by one of its major competitors. While Facebook has promised to only use WhatsApp to help grow the company, many believe that the company will eventually place ads in an attempt to increase revenue.

However, the effects of the merger will most likely benefit Facebook, WhatsApp, and users of both. 

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today, gone tomorrow.

This age old axiom is especially true in today’s fast paced, internet society. And perhaps nothing better exemplifies this better than Facebook.

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Facebook’s present value is $67.8 billion according to Forbes magazine, and an estimated 751 million users.

And yet, in many circles, including Malvern Prep, Facebook’s relevancy and daily usage seems to be declining.

A popular theory among many online circles is that the emergence of other social networks is taking some customers who used to use Facebook.

Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and other websites are being used more frequently. Jacob Rebisz ‘15 says that he likes instagram because, “I can see what other people are doing throughout their wonderful days! Plus, I can use filters to enhance my photos!”

important quote. Snapchat exercises a time limit on photos sent from person to person, once again creating a fast paced image that can be done very quickly. These specialities and immediate return on investment make these networks novel and exciting to users.

To combat this, Facebook purchased WhatsApp for $19 billion. Whatsapp is a messaging service that can also be used to make international calls. This move is believed to add a market that was being unutilized before.

Another possible reason for the declining use in Facebook is that more and more parents are on the website.

Kids are more and more afraid that their parents and relatives are “stalking” their profiles, and they’re afraid they will be in trouble.

However, Facebook is still the world’s most popular social networking site.

Whether this will be the case for years to come, however, only time can tell.

Twitter, meanwhile, exercises a 140 character limit, requiring creativity and vision to make a funny or

PARTING PERSPECTIVES

Making room for educational opportunity Some of the most overt discrimination in our country happens in education. We have a responsibility to understand - and to act.

Anthony Abron ‘14 OPINION EDITOR H AV E an obsession with The George Washington University. I talk about it every second of every day and it’s something that I’m proud of. However, not all children get the opportunity to pursue a universitylevel education. Affirmative Action is a remedy to this problem.

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extracurriculars at their school and are lucky enough if they get a college counselor. A lackluster SAT score is the only thing they have to their admissions portfolio because of lackluster education quality. Is it right that they don’t get the same access to education that many of us think we “deserve”?

Our country has come a long way, Affirmative Action is an action or yet we still live in an age where racpolicy favoring those who tend to sufism and discrimination happen. And fer from discrimination, especially in some of the most glaring discriminarelation to employment or education. tion happens in our schools.

In terms of college admissions, some argue that affirmative action decreases Public Education has been a staopportun it ies for ple of our country. high-achieving stuSome public schools dents, while it puts OUR GENERATION IS succeed and others kids who aren’t ready ONE OF INCREASING do not for many reainto situations that DIVERSITY AND THAT sons, but the most may be beyond them.

IS SOMETHING TO BE important is funding.

PROUD OF. Look no farther than I don’t k now right here in our own how I looked in the THINK OF AFFIRMATIVE backyard. Harriton eyes of the admisACTION NOT AS A High School - supsions committee at HANDOUT, BUT AS AN ported by the wealthy GW. I don’t know if OPPORTUNITY. subu rban taxes they liked my extraof Lower Merion curriculars or my School District - has grades. But I can tell the second highest you one thing. My SAT scores were SAT scores of any public school in the atrocious, and that is not what got me state. SAT scores from Martin Luther in the door. Consider students who King Jr. High School in Philadelphia don’t go to schools like Malvern. In - in a school district that is facing my city, many students don’t have a $300+ million budget shortfall

The Future Pearse Hobson ‘14 & Dan McGlinn ‘14

- fall somewhere in the bottom 10%.

King’s graduation rate is 54%, while Harriton’s is 100%. Because of this overt discrimination, should colleges should feel the need to correct lower level wrongdoings?

Many conservative politicians like to say they have lived the American Dream. They pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and made a name for themselves. What they fail to recognize is, they are white. They were going to have more opportunities regardless.

Our future bosses and business partners are not going to be only white. Our generation is one of increasing diversity and that is something to be proud of. Think of Affirmative Action not as a handout, but as an opportunity. We all hope that one day someone takes a chance on us and our skills. Let colleges take that chance on minorities.

Across

Down

6. Way to go --!

7. 1950’s Bad Guy 8. 1.21 of the these 12. Here, one time is no different than any other 13. The coolest scientist ever 14. Not Fish Under the Sea Dance 15. If you have version 239, don’t touch it 16. Montana “Crazycut” 17. A teenager with all the time in the world.

1. Time Travel usually makes a few 2. The only car to time travel in.

3. The man who coined “time travel”.

4. He doesn’t know how “They” found him 5. Little Boom 9. If it can bend light, could it bend time?

10. Dangling Time Keeper 11. Space-Time 15. Billy ______ (going on a religious experience) 18. A Brief History of -