The Blackfriar Chronicle - March 2017

EDITORIAL: WE CONTROL OUR REPUTATION

LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS

Our character can either reinforce negative stereotypes or work to dismiss them.

Mr. Ronald Algeo and Mr. Patrick Si l lup have been appointed a s Assistant Head of School, Grades 6-12, beginning at the end of this school year.

What changes can students expect?

LOST & FOUND

Malvern students are losing things quicker than seniors are losing brain cells on senior slide. What's up with all the lost stuff?

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PRE-WORKOUT

That colored mix that gives you a lot of energy may not be as safe as you think.

Check out who is using it and their experiences with the supplement that shares a name with a plastic explosive.

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A FUTURE WITH NO GRADES?

Malvern has joined a consortium of schools who are exploring the future of the transcript. What does this mean for students and teachers?

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BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

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www.mpfriarslantern.COM

March 2017

Volume 17, No. 6

Academic policy changes for AP tests The new rule will allow eligible seniors to opt out of taking AP exams under certain conditions.

Dan Malloy ’18 CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER or the first time this year, Malvern students are allowed to opt out of taking AP tests. However, this change only applies to seniors with more than three scheduled AP tests and whose colleges do not accept the AP credit at all, according to Head of Upper School Mr. Ronald Algeo.

Algeo announced the new policy to the senior class on March 2.

The past rule for AP exams was that all students in AP classes had to take, and pay for, the respective tests.

“If suddenly people aren’t taking AP tests, then maybe there shouldn’t be AP classes at all. So what’s the point?” Algeo said.

“That’s why we’ve had this policy for years.”

Algeo said that he received feedback over the past four years from seniors that influenced this new decision.

“Some students will find out in the spring that they get into a particular school or a particular program at a particular school.

And they realize that one or maybe two of their AP classes that

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Baseball ruled ineligible for NHSI Tournament

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Team still headed to North Carolina, but will not play in USA Baseball tournament.

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Jalen Wade '17 Contributor

Henry Malone ’17 SPORTS EDITOR ead baseball coach Fred Hilliard had been preparing his team since August to play against some of the best teams in the country in the National High School Invitational (NHSI) Tournament organized by USA Baseball. The first week of March, they were told they could no longer participate.

Since Malvern baseball is ranked top 20 nationally for high school baseball teams, it makes sense that they were invited to play in the premier high school baseball tournament in the country.

What makes less sense is why the Friars were deemed ineligible to participate in the Cary, NC tournament, scheduled for March 29-April 1.

“Last summer USA Baseball reached out to let us know we were on a short list of teams that they’re thinking of inviting to this premier event.” Coach Hilliard said. “I told them we’d be very interested.”

A week or so after corresponding with USA Baseball, Hilliard signed onto the contract to participate in the NHSI tournament and began planning for the trip.

Seven months later, Hilliard received a phone call from USA Baseball.

“First week of February, I got a call and they say, ‘Hey coach we’ve got a little bit of a snafu. We reached out to your state association to conf irm that you guys were members and eligible to play in the tournament and they responded that you are not members,’” Hilliard said.

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Tyler Pizzico '17 Editor-in-Chief

Our school’s reputation is shaped by tuition, diversity, athletics, and other facts. But individual experiences with Malvern students may have the most impact. n a market like the Inter-Ac, a league of private schools that compete to recruit students in an area that is also home to some of the top public schools in the state, perceptions matter. What does Malvern Prep look like to people who do not attend the school each day? ¨I think we are viewed as being preppy, spoiled, and soft because the tuition is high and most of us grew up wealthy and differently from most people,” senior Matt Wray said. “Schools in the Inter-Ac think that we think we’re better than everyone else and we’re cocky.”

Senior Dom DiStefano thinks that perceptions of Malvern students vary from inside and outside the Inter-Ac League.

“I don’t think the other Inter-Ac schools have a biased perception of us, because we are very much like them,” DiStefano said. “I think outsiders [to the Inter-Ac] view Malvern students as being stuck up and being ‘Main Line rich kids.’”

Haverford School senior athlete Bryan Hyland only knows Malvern students from athletic competitions and social gatherings.

“I’ve heard people say that Malvern isn’t diverse and most students are rich,” Hyland said. “The way we interact with them at various social events and when we’re playing against them gives us that impression.”

While there are a wide range of opinions on our school body, some perceptions on our students emerge as a common theme. As a private school located in the wealthiest county in the state, how can our school combat negative stereotypes?

For Assistant Director of Admissions and Diversity Mr. Patrick Williams ‘03, it starts with creating an environment with both student diversity and diversity of opinions. > PAGE 10

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March 2017

OPINION

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The

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Blackfriar

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EDITORIAL

For better or for worse, we control our reputation. Others may take the actions of a small percentage of us and form a stereotypical opinion of our entire school.

Editorial Board someone is down, respect each other’s decisions and not peer at our school. ach Malvern man is important: he can alter the pressure each other, and genuinely wish the best for their Truth, Unity, Love: We are a community of love and unity image of the school and the lives of his brothers. brothers. and we must stay true to those values.

As Malvern students, we hear of the brothEven if a student acts to prolong negative stereotypes, his Malvern’s brotherhood condenses to love. Brotherhood erhood often. We are connected to each other as character is likely stronger than that action. But such actions means loving and respecting each other, but the brotherhood brothers and by our actions. Upperclassmen set the collectively determine our reputation. does not exist only inside the ring road. Malvern’s brotherhood example and the culture that the rest of Malvern’s brotherhood extends to hold- and Augustinian love extend to all people. Malvern does a the school follows. When today’s freshing each other accountable to act in the best great job of explaining this to us, and we can act it out. men become seniors, they will likely pass interest of the school and each other.

Perhaps St. Augustine said it best, “What does love look Our reputation should be rooted in the down that same culture they were introWe often do a great job with this, but like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten Augustinian values of duced to at Malvern. there are some times when we can do better. to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It truth, unity, and love.

For the betterment of the brotherOur reputation should be rooted in the has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what hood, each other, and Malvern’s longevAugustinian values of truth, unity, and love looks like.” ity, we must act as individuals to create love.

The Editorial Board agrees we have the best possible Malvern culture.

We can be honest in seen a lot of Malvern students live out Members of the Editorial Board agree there are widespread our representation of our school and ourSt. Augustine’s legacy in their action.

Even if a student acts and conflicting stereotypes of Malvern. selves. We shouldn’t be someone we are Whether it be in the classroom, on the to prolong negative stereotypes, his Some think Malvern is simply a jock school for rich white not just to meet stereotypes and impress field, or in an activity, each Malvern character is likely teenagers from the Main Line. Some think Malvern students another person. student is capable of making his school stronger than that are degrading towards women. Some think all Malvern stuTruth ties in with education. We can proud in some way. action. dents are spoiled and ungrateful. work diligently in our studies, as most Diving into and embracing those talBut such actions While the veracity of these stereotypes vary, we can’t Malvern students do. Malvern has great ents creates a culture of excellence that collectively determine ignore negative views of Malvern. Each Malvern student academic, athletic, and arts programs. cannot be destroyed by outside stereoour reputation. has the power to work to change these views. An individual’s Athletes regularly get distinguished honors typing. Every Malvern student can act actions can go a long way, but one person should not be the or star in the play. to develop this great character and help lone actor.

We can make Malvern a united, incluhis brothers do the same.

We should be constantly working to reverse these stereo- sive environment. We don’t all have to be the same, and we can When St. Augustine was around our age, he did not types and not make the mistakes that may otherwise reinforce recognize and appreciate each other’s differences. A Malvern engage in the most moral behaviour nor was he even Catholic. them. student’s race, socioeconomic background, or sexual orien- But St. Augustine grew in his morality, and we can all grow Members of the Editorial Board agree that we have seen tation does not preclude him from the brotherhood, and it morally and as brothers.

Malvern students at certain times show signs of great character, generally never does.

We own and create Malvern’s reputation. It is ours and will when we may not have expected it.

There’s nothing wrong with friendly banter, but banter likely outlast the time any student spends here, but that reputaWe have seen Malvern students pick each other up when should never hurt someone. Inclusion and empathy is a must tion can be built in a single act any Malvern student makes. ◊

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Opinion

My college acceptance strategy? Plug my ears I’ve tried to keep my mind off of where I’m going to college, with varying levels of success Jack McClatchy ’17 PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR arch is typically when colleges send out letters to high school seniors telling them whether they are admitted or not, leading to a very stressful month waiting for those letters to come.

How did I prepare myself for receiving these letters? I didn’t.

Did it work? Mostly, but I don’t know if I did a good job steeling myself for if a college told me no.

While other students were eagerly watching the calendar, I was reading, doing homework, listening to music, basically anything to get my mind off of college. Out of sight, out of mind was my mantra for this month. There was not much I could do after sending the applications in, so what use was there in stressing about if I got in or not?

One thing I think I should put out first was that a big reason this strategy kind of worked was because I was already accepted to a school. So the irrational fear that I would be rejected everywhere was over and done.

I thought that this was the best way to go through March.

It also didn’t help that it was an incredibly busy month for me: less downtime meant less time thinking about college. I don’t think this would have worked if I didn’t have so much work to get done this month.

It worked pretty well for me through most of this month. I

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was stressed, but with the day-to-day activities and not where I was going to school next year. This stress is not a stranger to me, so I knew how to deal with it: get the work done.

When I thought about school, I got stressed, but with a different stress I didn’t really know how to handle: will I get into my dream schools? How I dealt with that was shoving it aside, and focusing on what I needed to do for the next day.

That was my strategy: don’t think about it. Out of sight, out of mind. And it worked, at least until I got my first let ter t h is

month.

It was a Friday evening, and I drove down with my younger brother to visit my older brother, a junior at Mount St. Mary’s University. We were watching Netflix when I got an email from the University of Chicago, one of my dream schools.

I wasn’t rejected, but I wasn’t accepted either. I was on their waiting list. Even though I wasn’t rejected, it still felt like a punch to the stomach because I knew it was a stretch for me to get accepted there. My test scores barely met the median score for

students admitted, so there was a good chance I wouldn’t get in.

My mind started racing about how I could have avoided the possibility of rejection. Maybe I could have taken the tests earlier, so I would have more chances to retake them. Maybe I could have worked a bit harder at my classes to get a higher GPA. Maybe I could have joined one more club.

I had not figured out how to deal with this anxiety, because my strategy of dealing with college stress was not dealing with it.

The kids who had stressed and stressed about these letters were better prepared for not being accepted because I hadn’t been thinking about how I’d react.

It’s not like I was rejected outright, either. There’s still a chance I could be going to Hyde Park next year. That’s what made my reaction seem that much more ridiculous to me, because my lack of preparation of dealing with college stress had led me to equate being put on a waiting list with a rejection.

If I had thought more about college, would my reaction to the letter from Chicago have been better? I don’t know the answer, and never will, but it’s that thought that made me think about if not thinking about hearing back from colleges was the best choice for me, as someone who lives on stress.

I guess I’m just going to have to wait for more letters to see if I’m right or wrong. ◊

Blackfriar

Chronicle

is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. Its online affiliate is the Friar’s Lantern (www. mpfriarslantern.com).

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.

Editorial Policy

The unsigned editorial represents the consensus of the entire Editorial Board.

As a team, we agree and stand behind every word. The Editorial Board is a group of students composed of The Blackfriar Chronicle editors-in-chief, managing editors, chief investigative reporter, section editors, social media editor, podcast editor, a representative of the freshman class, and a representative from the Diversity Awareness Club.

The group is meant to include a group of different students so all opinions and voices can be heard.

Submissions

Letters to the editor are encouraged, and may be submitted to Tyler Pizzico (tpizzico70@malvernprep.org), Tommy Pero (tpero70@malvernprep.org) or adviser Kate Plows (kplows@malvernprep.org).

Anonymous letters will not be published.

Editors reserve the right to contact writers or edit submissions for reasons of space or clarity. Our staff also welcomes feedback in the comments section of The Friar’s Lantern online, or via our social media. Each comment is subject to review by a moderator or an Editorin-Chief of the Black Friar Chronicle/ Friar’s Lantern. Commenter’s email addresses must be verified, and comments are reviewed for defamation, profanity, obscenity, libel, and invasion of privacy. Not all comments are published.

Joining our staff

New contributors are welcome throughout the school year. The Blackfriar Chronicle 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 Tyler Pizzico ’17 Tommy Pero ’17

Managing Editors

Print: Ethan Rowley ’18 Online: Jack Magargee ’18

Public Relations Editor Jack McClatchy ’17

Investigative Reporter Dan Malloy ’18

Art Director

Chase Bennett ’19

Section Editors

Friar Life Michael Harrington ’19 Kyle Leonard ’19 Sports Henry Malone ’17 Patrick Ferraiolo ’17 Media & Culture Daniel King ’19 Local/World News -TBAJack McClatchy ’17 Social Media Editor Eric McLaughlin ’18

EDITORIAL BOARD

All editors Member(s) of Class of ’20 Aidan White Aidan Gallary Member(s) of Diversity Club -TBA-

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Student of the Issue: Gavin Canzanese ’19

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March 2017

Being an honors student, involved in various clubs, and being a good kid and son overall is what sophomore Gavin Canzanese is all about.

Steven O’Meara ’19 REPORTER He currently lives in Delaware County with his parents and his two older brothers. Gabe, a senior at Malvern, and Vince, who currently is a Junior in college at Drexel University. His oldest brother did not go to Malvern, which might have swayed Gavin to go to other places.

“I thought of myself independent of him, and considered my achievements completely separate from his,” Canzanese said. “I chose Malvern because it very clearly stands above the rest. From the facilities, to the teachers, to the wide variety of activities and sports, there’s something for everyone at Malvern.”

Canzanese’s teachers enjoy having him in class, and according to US History teacher Mr. Andrew Burke, “Gavin represents what is best about Malvern students.”

“He is incredibly hardworking, and he is an incredibly talented student. In addition to that he’s very empathetic, he understand people’s point of view, and he’s very kind,” Burke said.

In terms of Academics, he is taking every honors class possible and one AP class. His favorite class is AP Biology which is taught by Mr. Borish. Canzanese considers

Next Year’s Student Council President gives a quick Q&A Q : How do yo u t h i n k yo u r n e w n Fr i d a y, staff will be? Are March 4, you excited to work junior Liam with them?

McKnight was elected A: I'm very excited St udent Council to work with them.

President for 2017-18.

T he fou r g uy s on McK night answers the executive board LIAM MCKNIGHT '18 • M. HARRINGTON some important including myself we are questions about his leadership next all excited. We are all good friends. year and what he anticipates it to We are all looking forward to next look like. year so I think it should be a good year with a good group of kids.

Q: What are your biggest hopes and accomplishments next year Q: What do you think you have as student council president? to offer Malvern students as Like I said in my speech, I want next year’s president? to begin a mini-thon. That would be A : I t h in k I'm rea l ly really huge. That's a possible goal. I approachable, so anyone that's not on think that would be great if I can get student council could easily come up that started here to me and give new ideas. I think I'm really easy talk too, and I'll be good Q: Is there anything that you at getting everyone’s word out there want to change or go in a and everyone’s opinion heard. different direction from this year's student council?

Q: Is there any message that A: This year's student council you’d want to give to the has been great so far. I don't want to student body right now? change it too much. As of now we A: I'm really excited for the 2017are on a good path so I want to keep 18 school year, and I'm excited to it like we are right now. make it one of the best ones yet. It'll be a fun year. ◊ Michael Harrington ’19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR

O GAVIN CANZANESE '19 • M. HARRINGTON

medicine as a viable career option, which is ref lected in his love of Biology.

“I either want to pursue a career in engineering or the medical field.

Both of my parents are pharmacists and I have always been surrounded by medicine and it deeply interests me,” he said.

He participates in other things outside of the classroom such as Academic Challenge, Diversit y Awareness Club, Catholic Athletes for Christ, Cross Country, Liturgical Music, Lighting and Sound for High School productions, and Stage Crew for middle school shows.

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Lent presents opportunities, challenges for non-Catholics Malvern non-Catholics share how Lent affects them and their everyday lives Luke McClatchy ’19 REPORTER ent is a time for reflection, prayer, and sacrifice for Catholics. But what is this period like for Malvern’s non-Catholics?

Theology Department Leader Fr. Chris Drennen said Lent could be thought of as a time for reflection regardless of faith.

“I hope Lent affects [non-Catholic students] positively,” Drennen said. “It’s a good experience to be able to step back and reflect on who you are as a person during this time regardless of your faith.

I think the opportunity to have the Lenten, spiritual experience whether it’s the weekly Mass that’s always been a tradition is a good experience.”

According to Malvern’s website, around 85% of students are Catholic. According to the school’s policies, Malvern does not discriminate based on religious beliefs in admissions or hiring practices.

“I hope no one is offended by it, but I think if someone was offended that’s something they should have prepared for coming to a Catholic school,” Drennen said. “I don’t think it’s offensive, I think it is a great thing.”

Senior Andy Ritter, who is Jewish, says Lent at Malvern was difficult to deal with at first.

“One of the first difficulties for me was the whole process of Lent. Like exactly what it was and who was behind it,” Ritter said. “But it was something I kind of picked up through my time at Malvern. I can understand for someone who is non-Catholic that Lent can be a confusing period, trying to understand what other people are doing.”

Ritter also said there can be criticism towards non-Catholics during Lent.

“One example is on Fridays when people get picky about if you can eat meat or not, and if you bring or eat meat people get all, ‘Oh he can eat meat

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POINTS OF REFLECTION • At the Monday, March 27 chapel service, Fr. Flynn guided students through an examination of conscience in preparation for Lenten confessions. He stated that non-Catholics could opt to talk to a priest during the confession service. / K. LEONARD

because he’s not Catholic’ or whatever,” Ritter said.

“There can also be hostility towards someone who does not partake in Lenten traditions… some people can seem to take it out on people who are non-Catholic because they are giving up something,” he said.

Ritter said he had to get used to the weekly Masses in Lent.

“It’s something, if you’re non-Catholic, that you get used to,” he said. “As you mature you kind of realize that the Mass has its place in school and at Malvern tradition, and you embrace it while you are at Malvern for your four years, especially after your MECO experience.”

Photography and middle school teacher Ms. Jaclyn Cantor, who is Jewish, sees similarities between the Jewish and Catholic traditions.

“There are a lot similarities between the two faiths, especially in the Old Testament. But as it gets closer to Easter, it gets harder, because they start saying ‘those people’ and some of the sermons around Easter are hard to listen to,” Cantor said.

Cantor compared the Catholic practice of giving up something for Lent to Jewish traditions.

“From what I understand, for Lent you give something up to get closer to Christ, and you don’t eat meat,” she said. “For Passover, we don’t eat regular bread. We eat unleavened bread– not because of us giving it up, but because that’s what the Israelites had to do when they escaped Egypt.”

“Sometimes I worry that I will offend people if I eat meat in front of them,” Cantor added. “At least at school I try to honor what we do here with Lent.”

She said that when she came to Malvern students weren’t as accepting as now with other faiths.

“When I first came here 19 years ago, I didn’t really talk about being Jewish, just because I wasn’t sure how people would respond. Back then, people were not as open-minded about other religions,” Cantor said. “But now, people are much more accepting.” ◊

March 2017

FRIAR LIFE

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Summer programs offer additional opportunities Students and teachers share their views on the experience they have with Malvern’s summer class program.

Michael Harrington ’19 Placement Exam practice course over the summer. program for an individual student, someone who has let's say FRIAR LIFE EDITOR “I have enjoyed doing all three of those classes very much, Algebra II as a junior and wants to accelerate to get himself into alvern offers several classes over the summer, split into and I saw it as a way to have Malvern enhanced in people's eyes Advanced Placement Calculus his senior year, he can take the one of three categories: preparatory classes, semester – that we provide other things,” he said. honors Pre-Calc course during the summer,” he said. classes, and courses for full credit.

Like Roper, Algeo teaches the Math component of the preSenior Jack Szipszky agrees with Roper. He thinks that stuFor summer 2017, credited classes for either semester or full paratory classes for incoming freshmen. He loves teaching it and dent show have good view of their education path can really take credit are currently scheduled in computer science, health, lanthinks that taking the class can be a very beneficial experience advantage of Summer classes to help get ahead in the course guage, mathematics, science, and theology. for students. curriculum.

Preparatory non-credit classes are sched“I love teaching it. I think it's great,” “Freshmen year I knew I wanted to be an engineer in college, MR.RON ALGEO UPPER SCHOOL HEAD uled in english, mathematics, test prep, Algeo said. “It's just a nice opportunity and I knew that math was really important for that,” he said. “So, “I love teaching it. I think and tutoring. Information and registration to focus on [the one class]. I know the I wanted to get as far ahead in math as possible. So if you have it's great. It's just a nice options are online at www.malvernsummerguys’ focus is a little bit easier because a student who knows what they want to do in college like I did, opportunity to focus on [the one class]. I know the guys’ programs.com. they don't have seven other classes. It's has a very set path… Then yeah sure take a summer class, and focus is a little bit easier Tuition ranges from $375 for High more time.” get really far ahead in your field." because they don't have seven other classes. It's more time.“ School Entrance Exam Test Prep, to $1500 According to Algeo, some students Mr. Matt McCormick ‘06 joined Malvern’s staff as Summer for one-credit classes. think that the increased amount of time Programs Project Manager this year. He is managing all of the According to Upper School Head Mr. will make the class unbearable, which aspects of Summer activities on Malvern’s campus, not just Ron Algeo, non-credit preparatory classes include high school he believes is not the case at all. courses. prep classes for younger kids, SAT prep, and preparation for math “To me, I don't have them sit that long. I have them moving “There are three aspects of the summer programs at Malvern. and english for new freshmen. around doing different kinds of activities,” There are academic classes that we MR. MATT MCCORMICK '06 have offered to Malvern students College Counselor and English Teacher Mr. Richard Roper Algeo said, “We can change things up, we SUMMER PROGRAMS PROJECT MANAGER has taught summer programs for many years. Currently, one of can change up the pace. Believe it or not it and non-Malvern students. Sports “Back then I thought the only his summer courses is the Grammar and Composition class, a goes by fast, the time that I have with them camps are run by the various teams students that took summer courses were guys who needed preparatory class for freshmen. each day. And because I meet with them for and the coaches of those teams. Then catch up or who had failed a “This was originally designed for incoming freshmen who three weeks it goes by super fast.” there are the Lavner Camps and the class... Then I come to learn that you can take it to catch up. may have had some issues on the entrance exam or displayed He thinks that summer classes can be a enrichment camps,” McCormick You can even take a course that some indication that they could use some extra help to get them great experience and students can get a lot out said. you are interested in." started,” Roper said. of them. “It depends what students are trying Lavner Camps is an external While the academic side of the class is very important, there to get out of it,” he said. summer camp organization that provides a variety of summer are also non-academic benefits to taking a class like this, accordRoper also thinks that the classes can be very beneficial for camp experiences at locations in Pennsylvania and five other ing to Roper students. states, including programs on Malvern Prep’s campus.

“The non-academic piece was to give these guys a chance “It provides a one on one opportunity for the student and the McCormick said that when he was a student at Malvern, to get to know someone before they got started,” he said. teacher. It provides an opportunity to really focus on skills that summer classes were very different than they are today, “Sometimes they knew one or two people, but usually there are the student might be lacking or skills that the student wants to “Back then I thought the only students that took summer guys from enough different locations that they had an opportuenhance,” he said, courses were guys who needed catch up or who had failed a class nity to make some friends as they were going forward and give According to Roper, this is especially true for students who or whatever,” he said, “Then I come to learn that you can take it to them a head start on the socialization part of it.” want to advance in their curriculum. catch up. You can even take a course that you are interested in.” ◊ Roper also teaches an SAT prep course and a High School “From the standpoint of leapfrogging or accelerating the

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Social Entrepreneurship class holds competition to present at Wharton The opportunity also came with an altered grading model Sean Ward ’17 “We were just trying to create some kind REPORTER of internal competition for the students,” n March 15, 2017 three groups Rogai said. “And then let those students of st udents pre sented t hei r who didn’t make it have a chance to reflect entrepreneurial projects to CEOs on what they were doing and think about at the Wharton School of Business. But, this ways they can take step forward as a team privilege wasn’t granted by simply signing up and as an individual to be successful for the for the class. next presentation.”

With the great Accord i ng to TOMMY WHITE '17 increase of interest Roga i t here was PRESENTED SOCIAL ENTREPRENURSHIP and enrollment in mi xed st udent PROJECT AT WHARTON Ma lver n’s S oc ia l reaction to the “The competitive atmosphere was really great because that’s Ent repreneu rsh ip project. what you’re going to have to class, the class’ Senior Tommy do in real life if you go into business, so I thought it was a moderators learned White was in one great idea." that increasing of the groups that popu la rit y can won and presented be both good and bad. Good because it at Wharton. showcases students’ increasing interest His group created a website called in Malvern’s entrepreneurial model, but “Bubble Buddy,” which allows cancer patients bad because it restricts what students are to connect with other cancer patients and feel able to do, according to Director of Social less isolation due to their illness.

Entrepreneurship Mr. Jay Rogai.

“I loved the project and think our group’s Rogai said this year’s class has six total product was a great idea. It all started with student teams in the class, but due to timing [senior] Andrew Clark and his fight against issues only three of the groups were able to cancer that led the members in our group to present at Wharton. realize we are all affected by cancer and want The class’ teachers decided to hold a to make a difference,” White said. competition in order to select the groups.

His group gave a successful presentation The top three groups received and A and got at Wharton and is currently in the process of to present, while the bottom three received securing funding to make the product more a C and did not. sustainable.

However, the students who received a C “The competitive atmosphere was really were able to write a reflection on the other great because that’s what you’re going to have groups’ presentations to move their grade up to do in real life if you go into business, so before the third quarter ended.

I thought it was a great idea,” White said.

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Other students weren’t as enthusiastic about the project, but don’t think it was a necessarily bad idea.

Senior Rob Carr, who was in one of the bottom three groups, said “It was fun a project if you’re doing something that you’re really interested in, but if you’re not you’re going with the flow.”

Carr said he was half and half regarding interest in his group’s topic of nutrition. “We had nutrition, but I eat what I like to eat so I can't really do anything with nutrition,” he said.

Carr was also upset with how the top three groups were selected.

“It was kind of unfair because the top three groups had products to do with cancer, suicide, and concussions,” he said. “So they won the sympathy angle.”

Rogai, who was a moderator of another losing group, said that he was also naturally upset about his group being unable to have the unique experience of presenting at Wharton.

“It doesn’t feel good to not win or get something, so that’s a result we're trying to manage the best we can,” Rogai said.

However, he does feel that a positive outcome because it gives students the life experience of not always getting what you want, while still giving them the chance to get the grade they desire.

The Wharton presentations were not the end of the road for Social Entrepreneurship.

All groups, top three or not, will give another set of presentations this upcoming May. ◊

>CANZANESE, 3

A few weeks ago, Canzanese had the opportunity to participate in battle of the bands at Devon Prep and actually won. They practiced once a week leading up to the event.

“I am the drummer in a band with two of my friends from middle school. Jamie Barker, our lead singer and guitarist, currently attends Malvern, while Luke Bauwens is another guitarist who attends Penncrest. We played six songs.”

His parents both have shaped his life in how he should approach things.

“My dad helped me with my motivation and work ethic. My dad works a lot, simply for the betterment of me and my brothers,” he said. “My mom helped me with study habits, preparing me for daily trials, and how to believe in God. She taught me how to deal with others and how to place my faith in God when times are the hardest.”

His mother Mrs. Mary Canzanese spoke of how Gavin approaches life and other activities. “Gavin seems to manage his time well, with a balance of work and social activities and hobbies,” she said. “He is an excellent pianist and now plays drums in a small band he and his grade school friends formed. Doing the fun things makes it easier for Gavin to put the work in when it is time to do so.”

“Definitely what motivates Gavin to accomplish his goals is his desire to do something big with his life, and that doesn't just happen,” Mrs. Canzanese added. “Gavin is well aware that it is in his hands and it is his responsibility to make it happen.”

But the thing that his mother is most proud of is who Gavin is as a person.

“We are most proud of Gavin for remaining such a kind person throughout his 16 years. He works very hard at trying to maintain academic excellence but isn't boastful about any of his accomplishments,” Mrs. Canzanese said. ◊

The

Blackfriar

February 2017

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Page 5

Algeo, Sillup announced as Assistant Heads of School

>AP TESTS, 1

Algeo will focus on student leadership and Sillup will focus on academics.

Patrick Ferraiolo ’17, Tommy Pero ’17, Jack McClatchy ’17 SPORTS EDITOR, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PR MANAGER

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n March 21st, incoming Head of School Fr. Don Reilly, O.S.A. notified the Malvern community via email and an announcement in the Malvern Weekly that there would be a shift in the school’s leadership structure for the upcoming school year.

Starting after the end of this school year, current Upper School Head Mr. Ron Algeo will serve as the Assistant Head of School for Student Leadership, and current Middle School Head Mr. Pat Sillup will serve as the Assistant Head of School for Academics.

Both Sillup’s and Algeo’s new roles will oversee grades six through twelve.

“Given that we need to invest even more in the organizational structure and support for this continued evolution, I felt it important to solidify academic leadership before my arrival in July,” Reilly wrote in the letter. “The new organizational structure supports our evolution and also unites the Middle and Upper School divisions.”

According to the letter, anything concerning student activities and orientation, athletics, school counseling, discipline and Christian Service will fall under Algeo’s domain. Oversight of faculty, curriculum, college counseling, academy teams across all grades and information technology will fall under Sillup’s domain.

On November 29, the school announced that Fr. Reilly will replace Mr. Christian Talbot as Head of School effective July 1. Reilly has been meeting with Malvern faculty and staff at least once a week since the announcement of his upcoming new role as Head of School.

“Ever since January, he has been coming in on most Fridays, and meeting with different constituents,” Head of School Mr. Ron Algeo said. “And one of the meetings he has when he is here is with Mr. Sillup and me.”

This idea came from Father Reilly, in an attempt to combine the Upper School and Middle School to a more unified setting, according to Algeo.

“He knew the positions we were in, and he wanted to help us and the school put together an organizational design that would help support what we are doing,” Algeo said.

When the idea was first pitched, Father Reilly was open to feedback, and encouraged changes to be made so that everyone benefited from this transitions, according to Algeo. He wanted this to be a cultivation of all the new ideas Malvern has encapsulated within the last few years.

“He gave Mr. Sillup and me tons of opportunities to react to it and make some changes,” Algeo said. “This was done in junction with all the other work we are doing with the grade level teams.”

This new idea of having two leaders side by side overseeing the entire school seemed a little drastic at first, due to the time and complexity of the roles– but after taking a closer look, it was not only doable, it was an ideal plan.

“When Father Reilly first posed this idea of having two leaders side-by-side that run grades six through twelve, it was really different for me,” Algeo said. “I spend so much time working with the Upper School, how am I going to do the Upper School and the Middle School?

But as Mr. Sillup and I were thinking about it, we realized that our time is not going to change, but our focus will.”

Sillup said that while he and Mr. Algeo’s titles have changed, nothing major in practice will change.

“There’s some sense of everything has changed. I think a lot of things have remained the same,” he said. “Mr. Algeo and I are still in positions to try to impact your learning through teacher education, through improving programs, through improving opportunities. That hasn’t shifted.”

There are two things going on in a student's life at school everyday: academics and the activities outside the classroom. In the eyes of the administration, these aspects of student experience are seen as equal, and both need to be correctly covered for the overall benefit of the school.

“How you develop as a person, as a leader, outside the

Mr. Ron Algeo

Begins tenure as Assistant Head of School for Student Leadership beginning at end of 2016-17 school year

Mr. Patrick Sillup

Begins tenure as Assistant Head of School for Academics beginning at end of 2016-17 school year

classroom is just as important as inside the classroom,” Algeo said. “This is a development of student leadership.”

Sillup started his main involvement with the upper school this year has been through helping to design the ninth grade academy, but he said he’s not a stranger to how the upper school works.

“It’s not like I’m coming in cold saying, ‘I have no idea what happens in grades ten through twelve,” he said. “I guess the biggest shift for [upper school students] is that you’ll just see me more. You’d get to know me.”

Sillup said he likes that the restructured positions are more narrow. He thinks students will better know to whom they should reach out.

“I think that if you guys could come to me for an academics perspective, I think that’s a good thing. And you know that’s where I can point to,” he said, “and you know you can go to Mr. Algeo from a student leadership perspective that encompasses everything from when I think about the play, when I think about arts, to athletics, to Christian Service— you’re talking a lot of opportunities you guys have well beyond the school day that also need to be thought about pretty deliberately.”

Algeo thinks the change in leadership structure may not be tangible or visible to students. “From the students’ perspective, it does not change your day to day,” Algeo said. “You will not notice the difference, really.”

However, a main area of focus for both Algeo and Sillup is student feedback, which will rely heavily on the feedback of students, teachers, and parents.

“How do we get that feedback back to the students so that they could say ‘Wow, what I am doing is working-- I need to continue to do this’ or if I get feedback that something is off, how do I change course a little bit to get better,” Algeo said.

Sillup stressed that student’s opinions are crucial to the Malvern’s changes moving forward.

“I think that student reactions, student feedback, student input— it’s going to have to be an essential focus to this entire shifting,” he said.

Eighth grader Chris Munyan has some concerns about the leadership change.

“I think [Sillup is] an alright Head of Middle School,” he said, “but that he wants to change too many things that really don’t need to be changed and they’re better off how they were.”

Senior Jimmy Dugan has mixed feelings about the change. “[The change] allows each head to put much more time into their respective areas of expertise, rather than balancing both academics and extracurricular,” Dugan said. “My only concern is that each head has to deal with everyone at Malvern, since they are the heads of sixth through twelfth.”

“I definitely feel that middle and high school should be set apart and not molded together,” Dugan said.◊

to Algeo. How that assessment will they’ve signed up for and prepared be weighted is up to the teacher and all year for… they could get a five the student. on that test and the school won’t Senior Gabe Canzanese takes take the credit,” Algeo said. “So it five APs, but will not be using the doesn’t matter.” new rule.

The problem with taking more “My only reason for not taking than three AP tests and having one an AP test would be to delegate that will not count essentially has more time studying for others, and to do with cost and study time. being that I would take a summaAccording to College Board’s tive assessment if I was to get out website, the cost for each AP test of the AP test anyway, I would is 93 dollars. For a still have to study,” test that would not Canzanese said.

The problem with taking give a student college “With this reasoning I more than credit, tak ing the might as well take the three AP tests exam would not be AP test that will not and having one that will worth it, according affect my final grade.” not count to Algeo.

Canzanese thinks essentially “It’s almost 100 there should not be has to do with cost and study dollars per test. And an option for seniors time. that money goes to to opt out of AP tests. the College Board.

“When students So we don’t care if sig n up for t hese that gets paid or not, College Board classes, they are saying that they does,” Algeo said. want to take college level curAlgeo explained that in the riculum and in this agreement is past, some students would choose that they will take the AP test,” not to study for the exam at all if Canzanese said. “The AP test is a their college would not give them good indicator for teachers, as they credit. get detailed reports of “I’ve had students the scores and know say to me, ‘I’m taking how to adjust their Seniors who meet the AP blank, and if I get teachings.” criteria and a five on it I’m not However, Nowlan wish to opt getting any credit, but thinks it is a good idea out of AP testing must these three AP classes for seniors that would speak with I can,” Algeo said. not be getting credit Mrs. Diane “‘So I’m just going to for the test anyway.

Dougherty by April 7. tell you, Mr. Algeo, I “The policy helps don’t want to be rude me because Villanova but I’m only going to wouldn’t take the AP study for these three.’”

Literature and Composition anySenior Marc Nowlan, who will ways for me, so there’s no point in attend Villanova University next paying for the test,” Nowlan said. year, is taking advantage of the Algeo thinks that around 24 new policy. seniors could potentially be eligi“Villanova only takes a credit ble to use the policy, but only two for either the AP Language and have talked to him about opting out Composition or AP Literature of an exam. Although this would and Composition but not both,” affect a low number of seniors, Nowlan said. “So I’m using it Algeo hopes this policy can help to get out of the AP Literature those few students out. and Composition test since I got “It’s in the early stages, so we’ll a five on the AP Language and have to wait and see if it helps Composition test.” or not,” Algeo said. “It’s a small Although he will not take the movement toward trying to help AP Literature and Composition out students and their families.” ◊ test, Nowlan will still have to take some form of assessment, according

March 2017

FRIAR LIFE

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Seniors Reflect on Costa Rica Service Trip The trip was not what they expected but they enjoyed it nonetheless.

MR. ROBERT COLAMECO • A. GALLARY

Teacher of the Issue: Mr. Robert Colameco Longtime AP US History teacher shares insight into his life and career.

Aidan Gallary ’20 CONTRIBUTOR r. Robert Colameco has been teaching at Malvern for over 3 decades and has overseen a handful of various activities and jobs on Malvern’s Campus.

He currently teaches U.S History for both Juniors and Sophomores.

Colameco grew up in Ridley Township and attended Cardinal O’Hara High School from which he graduated in 1968. He then moved onto Cabrini University in Radnor.

After graduating from Cabrini with a bachelor's in sociolog y, Colameco worked at Ben Franklin High School and then Upper Darby High before coming to Malvern.

Aside from his ability to work well with other people and his interest in government and politics, Colameco says that what also inspired him to become a teacher was the teachers that he had in high school. Colameco went straight out of Cabrini and into teaching which he has enjoyed ever since.

“It's a really nice profession and it's really rewarding,” Colameco said.

For 3 years Colameco worked at Upper Darby as a long term sub.

M

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When he was over with is tenure there he heard about an opening at Malvern Prep from a friend and applied.

Hard to believe, but at f irst Colameco did not actually get the position he applied for.

“I put an application in and didn't get the job... but 3 weeks later they needed someone else and called me back and I got the job,” Colameco said.

Students in Colameco’s classes particularly like his unique and engaging style of teaching.

Junior Christian DiCicco in Colameco’s AP U.S history class prefers his style of teaching because of how he involves students in his lectures.

“I love his classes and his teaching style too. Its different from other classes I have. In other classes teachers just talk at you, but he gets you involved,” DiCicco said.

Other students say that the class is great preparation for college style classes.

“You really have to take responsibility, knowing what to write down and what to study,” Junior Pete Borger said.

In addition to teaching history, Colameco has also coached most Malvern soccer teams, started the TV studio in 1989, and has run the world affairs club. However, his favorite hobby and on campus job is photography.

Colameco has had a passion for photography that goes back even longer than he has been teaching.

However, when he took up teaching at Malvern that didn’t stop him from slowing down his love for photography.

Currently Colameco is the school photographer and was the videographer. Colameco used to film all of the Malvern events and football games but passed the job on to pursue his still-life work.

Most major Malvern events are photographed by Colameco. Such as sports games, the school shows, the brotherhood ceremony, and school events in general.

As a part time job, along with his full time teaching job, Colameco photographs events outside of school.

He says he plans to work in teaching for a while and continue his work with photography. ◊

MAKING TIME FOR FUN • Although the service trip to Costa Rica is physically demanding, seniors Olly Walsh, Chris Eldridge and Sawyer May found time for soccer with local children during the 2016 trip.

COSTA RICA SERVICE TRIP FACEBOOK PAGE

Patrick McNally ‘18 CONTRIBUTOR he first of the rising senior Christian service trips is to Costa Rica, scheduled from April 8-17.

Taking place during spring break of junior year, the trip is often seen as one of the more physically demanding, according to Christian Service Director Mr. Larry Legner.

“What they did last year was very physical. They had to carry sand from the beach up to help make cement,” Legner said. “It had to be done. It’s not like you go to home depot and buy a bag of cement.”

The seniors who went on the trip last spring also acknowledged how difficult the manual labor was.

Senior Christian Ostrowski described the trip as incredibly demanding both physically and mentally. Although the trip was extremely taxing, it was not intended to be.

“We learned later that this is not what Mr. Legner had intended for us.

He thought that we would be working with the children of the village most of the time,” Ostrowski said.

“However, the children had school at the time and the teachers were not going to let a sweaty bunch of

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teenagers teach them anything.”

Along with the physical labor, the trip consists of a great deal of traveling alike to many of the other junior service trips. The indigenous Bri Bri community, the people who the students assisted, lives in the mountains of southeast Costa Rica.

One of the aspects of the trip that the seniors enjoyed the most was interacting with the indigenous people.

“Everyone was extremely nice, holding true to their ‘Pura Vida’ attitude,” senior Olly Walsh said.

Another part of the trip the students liked was the location. The Bri Bri tribe live in a very remote region deep in a jungle.

“It was some of the most pristine jungle any of us will ever see again and we got to wake up to it every morning,” Ostrowski said.

Despite the intensity of the work, the seniors who went are grateful for the experience.

“Looking back, I will never forget carrying sandbags up a steeply inclined hill while maintaining conversations with my friends,” Walsh said. “Yes, it was tough at the time, but looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way.” ◊

Blackfriar

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Artist of the Issue: Chase Sakers ‘19 Sakers has overcome obstacles by using music to create a full experience that he can use in the real world.

Alex Haylock ’19 REPORTER istening to classics like Green Day and Freddie Mercury is not enough for sophomore Chase Sakers. In his free time he plays in his own band, “Shr!mp”.

Growing up, CHASE SAKERS '19 • A. HAYLOCK Sakers was constantly surrounded by music. “My step-dad played guitar, and I thought that was awesome, so he taught me a couple chords, and and then I taught myself,” Sakers said.

Support from his parents has always been a heavy influence towards the artist Sakers is today.

“Music is everything for Chase. Chase found himself when he found music, and he opened me up to many different genres of music that I never would have given a chance if it wasn't for listening to him play and sing,” Chase’s mother Mrs. Bethany Rentz said.

Sakers has been listening to music from such a young age, that it has inspired him to write his own. “I’ve just always loved music.”

According to Sakers, “Indie rock has been a real inspiration...it might be my favorite genre”.

Sakers actively tries to surround himself with music by playing a variety of instruments, from drums, to piano, to bass and taking place in activities involving many different genres of music.

Chase also participated in sports in middle school but doesn't any longer–not since his second brain surgery in 7th grade.

Sakers now had a lot more free time, and had no way to use it. Treatment didn’t allow him to do many physical activities, and he had to keep on bedrest for most of his

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recovery.

“We knew that Chase needed a replacement activity since he was no longer able to participate in sports and needed an outlet to express himself,” Rentz said.

So they took to him to the Let There Be Rock School in Delaware County and enrolled him into their band program. Chase has been making music ever since.

After realizing that being a part of a band was something that Sakers would want to pursue, he realized he had to find a balance between bandwork and schoolwork. “...he manages to maintain honors. I could never manage the schedule he keeps,” said Mrs. Rentz.

“I do band stuff three days a week now, and the rest is school so that balanced with school stuff. I have more free time when there is no play practice,” said Sakers.

Wanting being involved and around music has led to him join the Malvern Jazz Ensemble and the Malvern Theater Society’s spring musical.

“I started MTS 8th grade because I was convinced by my friends,” said Sakers. Sakers enjoys the musical and wishes to continue acting on the Malvern stage.

Sakers’ dedication towards making music has led him to some minor success. He has even been able to make a name for himself, and has played several gigs.

“I’ve played at Corinthian Yacht Club Fest. We [also] played for radio 104.5, and that was cool. And [so] was being in a band in itself.”

Sakers doesn’t let himself get tied down because of the music his band plays. “Freddie Mercury is amazing. And I’ve done solo acoustic things for part. Sometimes I add lyrics, sometimes I don’t,” Sakers said. “I like rock and metal...but also really chill acoustic”.

“Music is so significant for Chase because it came to him during a very difficult time in his life and in many ways it helped him to handle the fears that came along with the medical issues he was facing and continues to serve as an outlet for him,” Mrs. Rentz said. ◊

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FRIAR LIFE

The

March 2017

Malvern Students are Losing More Items There have been more instances of lost phones, car keys, and other possessions than in past years Alex Haylock ’19 Chase Bennett ’19 REPORTER, ART DIRECTOR

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here have been around forty emails sent about missing items since the start of January 2017.

Missing items since the start of the new year range from glasses to car keys to calculators and even dental retainers.

Emails are not only sent during the school day, but also out over weekends and even on snow days.

“The emails are effective. A lot of those things turn up. That’s the good part of the Dean of Most emails advising the Students office."

-Mr. Tim Dougherty Malvern community about the missing items are sent out by Dean of Students Mr. Timothy Dougherty.

“The emails are effective,” Mr. Dougherty said. “A lot of those things turn up. That’s the good part of the Dean of Students office.”

Sophomore Brennan Robinson said that the emails help him keep track of his things, but not as much as before.

“I think it’s helpful to see what people are losing,” he said. “It reminds me to keep track of all my stuff, but now I just ignore them.”

Because of the constant flow of missing items, many students reason that their items may have been stolen, but Dougherty does not think this is the case.

“In the past, kids would usually come up and say ‘someone stole my calculator or someone stole my backpack,’” he said. “It’s amazing how much more self-aware kids have become.”

There has been a significant increase in emails about missing items, as many as three sent out in a day. But by far, the most often reported missing item are calculators.

The emails on missing items are only the ones reported missing by students. This has led to “Lost & Founds” being placed in Stewart, O’Neill, and the Learning Commons. Items can also be turned into the Dean of Students office.

Numerous items fall under the radar, and are left behind in classrooms and during break. Things like notebooks and textbooks can often be found in Lost & Founds around campus.

“I think we do [have lost & founds] to try to keep it in [the same location],” Education Services Administrator Mrs. Dougherty said, “So if you lose something, and you say ‘I really think I left it in here’, then it is actually here.”

She doesn’t always keep things in the nearest lost and found, however.

“Now if it’s a key item, a car key, a phone, I immediately send it over to Doc,” she said. Items usually reported are the more expensive items like phones and laptops.

Students have now become accustomed to losing things around campus.

“I lost a duffel bag, with a jacket in it too,” sophomore Stephen Fratamico said. “A lot of times you don’t know what building you lost your things. And then you end up never finding your things again.”

Malvern’s campus being composed of several buildings is one of the biggest factors to students misplacing their possessions. Leaving from one building to travel to another can make it more difficult to track down missing things.

“I think that sometimes they’re just not aware of all the items they have brought in somewhere, or they’re are in a rush to get to class,” Mrs. Dougherty said.

Because of this, many emails reporting missing things also include where the items were thought to be lost.

Sports are also a big contribution to lost items. After school practices leads to kids bringing multiple bags of clothing and gear. Changing in between school and practices causes students to misplace their clothes.

Mr. Dougherty thinks that lost items are on the rise. “Maybe it’s because spring season has so many more kids and sports, more kids changing, more kids leaving stuff around, different locker rooms,” he said.

“My brother lost six pairs of pants in his freshman year, in the course of three months,” sophomore Cristian Galilea said. “He still hasn’t found them and he graduated last year.”

Some students attribute lost items to theft, but Mr. Dougherty is not sure how often theft happens on campus. “I’m sure theft happens,” Dougherty said. “I don’t know if it’s prevalent. It happens.”

Students may be used to lost items, but it frustrates many when missing items are not returned.

“I’ve never lost anything and it’s just turned up,” Fratamico said. ◊

February 2017

The

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Maintenance staff, teachers, and students share perspectives on Malvern's graffiti.

Jadon Diehl '17

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Contributor

Ryan Maher '19 Contributor

Daniel Malloy '18

Chief Investigative Reporter

hen you walk into the bathroom on the bottom floor “Somebody might see it in a bathroom, and they’ll report it of Carney Hall, it looks ordinary – until you enter to us,” Poce said. “[We find it] by word of mouth.” the stalls. Inappropriate and vulgar drawings are Teachers will also catch students doodling on their desks or etched on the plastic dividers. see the graffiti later. However, with more and more whiteboard Junior Mike Castaldi has seen other students desks and tables, the damage is less severe. vandalize school property but said he has never drawn graffiti “There are a number of desks [on the second floor of Carney himself.

Hall] that you can write on because it is a [whiteboard desk],” “I have seen other kids draw Poce said. “I teach in a room where stuff on desks. I also see graffiti you can draw on the desks. I’ve been in bathroom stalls, especially in in there all year. They may put their Carney Hall,” he said. “The stalls name there, but I’ve never found are covered with different pictures anything in that room I would conand words.” sider offensive.”

Social Studies Department In ter ms of d isc ipl i na r y Leader and A P Government action, Poce said that the degree teacher Mrs. Harriet Lappas has of the punishment depends on the seen graffiti in her room, located amount of malice involved within on the bottom f loor of Carney the graffiti.

Hall. She recalls occasions where “The average student simply students in her classroom were just doodling on the desk is one drawing on the school’s desks and thing,” Poce said. “If someone sometimes the walls. makes threats, or if there is racial “If I caught them drawing overtones involved, the punishment on the desks, they would have to is probably more extreme.” clean it up,” Lappas said. “It’s hard In the Malvern Prep Student In the Malvern Prep Student Handbook, vandalism to completely stop it. I had desks Handbook, vandalism is listed as is listed as one of the offenses that could receive penalty of suspension, conduct failure, get changed in my room because of one of the offenses that could receive or expulsion. graffiti on them.” penalty of suspension, conduct failCarved graffiti in chapel, March 27 Castaldi explained that he recure, or expulsion. ognizes the efforts of the mainte“Defacing school buildings, nance team to remove the graffiti. school property, and/or another student’s private property is “It looks like the maintenance staff has tried to cover it up a considered vandalism and will not be tolerated,” the handbook bunch of times, but people still draw on the stalls,” Castaldi said. states. “A student involved in vandalism will not only face severe Maintenance staff member Mr. Anthony Carini said that penalties, but will have to make full restitution as well.” his team works hard to combat graffiti on campus, but it can Beyond Malvern, the penalties get more serious. be challenging. According to Carini, it is easy for students to At many colleges and universities, vandalism to property vandalize something secretly with may lead to sanctions or suspension a permanent marker. from the college community. The The maintenance team works University of Notre Dame’s student to cover up the vandalized property handbook lists vandalism as a violaby repainting bathroom stalls and tion that may “call into question a classroom walls. student’s continued full participa“For the graffiti found on the tion in the University community.” bathroom stalls, we usually have Locally, the penalty for vanto sand the stall divider in order dalism and graffiti in Philadelphia to cover-up the graffiti because the can include a $300 fine, community stalls are plastic,” Carini said. “That service, restitution, or replacing the is why the stalls have scratches on object that was vandalized. Repeat them in the Carney bathrooms.” offenses of vandalism may lead to If the graffiti causes enough up to 90 days of imprisonment, damage, the school will end up according to phila.gov. totally replacing vandalized objects, costing both time and money. “ We work w ith [Dean of hy do people graffiti in the Students] Mr. Dougherty to try first place? “"It’s the level of what I call stewardship. If this is a place you take pride in, why would you want to stop students from graffiting,” At Malvern Prep, many to desecrate it?"

-Dr. Rick Poce Carini said. “But every time we reteachers are still trying to come up Graffiti on locker, March 27 paint the walls, buy new desks, or with an answer. install new objects in the bathroom, “I think that kids would draw they all just end up being vandalized soon after.” on school property because they were either bored in class and Assistant Dean of Students and Theology teacher Mr. had nothing better to do or because they are trying to be funny,” Richard Poce knows of at least one desk this year that had to be Lappas said. replaced because something was carved into it. The worst instance Poce thinks that some students may draw graffiti out of of graffiti he has seen is when a group of students drew on a malice. However, he agrees with Lappas that most do it out of friend’s car. boredom.

“They were required to pay for it, and they got a five [deten“Maybe they’re angry at a teacher, or maybe they do it to tions] and five [demerits],” Poce said. joke about a friend, and again there could be nothing overt or Although those students were caught, Poce noted that it is malicious about it,” he said. “Or it simply could be because they tough to catch students in the act. However, finding the graffiti are bored.” is not as difficult.

It sometimes may be difficult to determine whether graffiti is

DEFINING GRAFFITI

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a form of art, or people trying to actually cause harm by vandalizing both public and private property.

Art Teacher Mr. Rob Muntz has painted and studied art for many years, and has taught students who consider graffiti an influence in their work.

“From an arts perspective, graffiti is somebody telling a story, or reacting so much to something that they need to make a note of it visually,” Muntz said.

According to the Museum of the City, graffiti has been around since the prehistoric era, when people used to draw on the walls of caves and rocks. But the sort of vandalism we know today as graffiti mainly started after World War II, when housing projects were built in urban areas. Developments did not allow for adequate space and parks, and separated lower income residents from economic opportunities and from city centers.

In areas where discrimination or adversity is part of daily life, some graffiti artists fight back with spray-paint and a permanent marker.

“I've always had a connection with it,” Muntz said. “When you have injustice, and you have people who don't like their living situation, or people need to express themselves – this is when the graffiti comes out.”

“We are not always there at the same time to rebel or make our voices heard. So graffiti, in its dark way, makes that time available for everybody,” Muntz said.

Some drawings that are found on school property may seem simply thoughtless. However, Lappas recalls seeing inappropriate drawings such as swastikas on school desks and walls.

“It’s not funny to draw something like a swastika on school property,” Lappas said. “It's not right to have inappropriate drawings on school property, because it represents the school the wrong way and many people take offense to these types of graffiti.”

In November 2016, police launched an investigation at Council Rock North High School in Bucks County after graffiti including swastikas, a homophobic slur, and references to President-elect Donald Trump were found scrawled in bathrooms, according to Philly.com.

According to Council Rock Superintendent Mr. Robert Fraser's email to the school community, someone wrote “I Love Trump,” a derogatory comment about people who are gay, and drew three swastikas in a girls restroom. In a boys’ restroom, someone drew two swastikas directly onto a restroom stall.

“I do want to emphasize that these actions are likely the responsibility of a very small number of individuals whose actions should not damage the reputation of the larger group,” Fraser stated in his email.

ON THE DECLINE?

P

oce said that graffiti has been on the decline since when he first started in his role seven years ago.

“It seems to be less reported this year. Hopefully, it comes from a higher level of awareness,” Poce said.

Lappas said that vandalism was worse when she just started to teach at Malvern Prep in 2010.

“There hasn’t been as much graffiti now,” Lappas said. “I think that the recent surge in technology has caused the decrease in graffiti, because students can go on their devices to get engaged in something, rather than drawing on desks or walls.”

Graffiti also may be moving from classrooms to locations that are more secluded or private.

Senior Bobby Mitchell had class in Lappas’s classroom. “I have seen some drawings on some desks in the room,” he said.

“However, I have seen more drawings in bathroom right down the hall.

Mitchell said that there are all different types of drawings on the bathroom walls and stalls.

“Some of them are funny, but also, some of them are pretty inappropriate,” Mitchell said.

Castaldi has a different opinion on why graffiti may be on the decline at Malvern.

“I believe that the decrease in graffiti at Malvern is due to students becoming more mature. There is no point to graffiti on school property,” Castaldi said.

Poce agrees with Castaldi. Although vandalism may have declined over the past several years, students still need to be aware of the effect graffiti can have on the community.

“This is their school. It is respect,” Poce said. “It’s the level of what I call stewardship. If this is a place you take pride in, why would you want to desecrate it?”◊

The

Blackfriar

February 2017

Chronicle

Page 9

Some Malvern student athletes use supplements to get an edge or an energy kick before working out. How safe are these supplements? How widely are they used?

Tommy Pero ’17, Sean Ward ’17 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, REPORTER t makes me feel crazy,” junior swimmer Chris Hincks said. “It gives me an intensity before my workout.”

Like many other students at Malvern, Hincks uses pre-workout before he hits the gym and sometimes before practice. Pre-workout products are drinks or mixes containing some combination of caffeine, protein, creatine, and B Vitamins.

According to Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch and Head Athletic Trainer Dr. Williams Mills, Malvern has no real policy against or for pre-workout drinks. Coaches are not allowed to sell any products to students, and Mills said he prefers that coaches don’t recommend that students take them.

Hincks thinks pre-workout helps him perform better, especially when he uses it consistently. However, he said it does come with some drawbacks.

“I have anxiety,” he said. “[Pre-workout] causes my anxiety to go up when I take it.”

Hincks added that increased heart rate and shortness of breath are other common side effects he notices and said he’s not worried about any of the side effects.

“I notice it does help a lot more when you’re doing shorter reps and more intense workouts than something that’s more endurance based,” he said. “Endurance based, I can feel more heart rate and feel almost like you’re gonna die.

I wouldn’t suggest taking it before— if you’re a distance runner or going to go play a soccer game for a long amount of time. Before you hit the weight room, I think it’s really good.”

Despite Hincks’ endorsement, some people have had serious side effects and have even died from using pre-workout, according to the New York Times.

Mr. Keith Wilford formerly taught at Malvern and competed in crossfit competitions.

Before one of these events, he took pre-workout while his heart rate was already high.

“Whatever was the product that I took at this competition,” Wilford said, “it spiked my heart rate well over 200 [beats per minute].”

According to Heart.org, the average resting heart rate is somewhere between 60 and 100 beats per minute, with fitter athletes having lower resting heart rates. Heart.org also estimates individual maximum heart rate as 220 minus the individual’s age. At the time of this competition, Wilford was 32 years old.

“My heart couldn’t take it,” he said. “I

“I

ONE IN FOUR boys

HAS regularly used a protein supplement or other muscleenhancing substance.

almost half HAVE tried them at least once.

started to compete, and then I blacked out. I M i l ler sa id pre-workout produc ts are not regulated by the Food and Drug don’t really remember a whole lot after that.”

Wilford’s heart stopped beating. Luckily, Administration, so it can be difficult to know doctors were able to save him. what’s in the bottle. If students are tired, he “Today, I think I’m just very mindful of the said drinking some coffee would be better. He fact that it can happen again,” he said. “I’m ter- said it can improve performance, but at a cost. rified by it. I don’t live in fear, but I’m terrified Mills also does not recommend that stuby it.” dents use pre-workout.

Wilford wishes that lifting culture changes “The first thing you have to understand is, from focusing on individual comparison to how it’s a supplement. In other words, it’s adding to an individual can help their team. something that we’re missing,” Mills said. “You “Comparison can don’t know if you really sometimes be the most MR. ERIK MILLER need them so they may unhealthy way to find PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER not work, or they could out how strong you are “I don’t think students need be bad for you.” it. They are so full of growth as an individual,” he hormone and testosterone...

Mills recommends said. “I’m just going to and they can make so many talking to a doctor or gains without it, that it is the gym to get a good unnecessary” someone with a medical workout and to feel certification before takgood that I’m doing ing anything. He also recommends heav ily something for my teammate or doing something because it’s good for researching products by looking into reputamy spirit and my soul and who I am. I’m not ble sources. Mills said a lot of research online doing it so I can go to my boy and go, ‘How was conducting by the pre-workout companies much did you lift today?’” themselves and that independent studies are “The comparison part of it is how we end more trustworthy. up going to the place that may be a little bit “Everybody wants that extra leg up or shortunhealthy,” Wilford said. cut to get to that next level or do that next lift,” Seven years later, Wilford still works out, he said. “There is no shortcut, it’s all about hard but predominately does a lot of meditation. He work and getting the right nutrition.” started and runs The Wilford Movement and Mills said supplements with caffeine and B now works as a motivational speaker. He shares Vitamins give users a wrong impression, while also putting stress on the body. his story and aims to help teams develop.

Malvern Strength “ Yo u ’r e n o t a s focused as you think Coach Mr. Erik Miller CHRIS HINCKS '18 you are. You think also does not recomSWIMMER you’re more alert, but mend that students take Says increased heart rate and shortness of breath are compre-workout. actually you’re not,” he mon side effects he notices “I don’t think stusaid. “Coffee is good when he takes pre-workout, but he’s not worried about any dents need it,” Miller for you, just a little bit of the side effects. said. “They are so full for maybe that little bit of growth hormone and of alertness. You don’t testosterone... and they want to overdo it where you’re really buzzing.” can make so many gains without it, that it is unnecessary” Mills said that deciding whether or not Miller said there are more negatives than to take supplements comes down to research. positives when it comes to taking pre-workout. He recommends the National Strength and Conditioning Association, for strength and “Guys come in after school around 3:00 and take a huge amount of caffeine which could conditioning, and Tufts University, for nutriinterrupt their sleep schedule and not allow tion, as two good sources. them to recover for school the next day,” he said.

Mills recommends the products in the “I know guys who have taken it for a while, and Gatorade vending machine in O'Neill. He said it started to make them sick but they couldn’t there are different products in the machine for exercise without it for a long period of time. If before, during, and after workouts that work you want to consistently train, there’s that pos- well. All of the products are approved by sibility that it might knock you out for a while.”

Malvern’s nutritionist, who was hired this year.

Energy supplements can cause elevated heart rate and other cardiovascular problems, anxiety, insomnia, digestive problems, and dehydration.

Caffeine is a restricted substance by the NCAA, which tests its athletes for excessive intake.

13,000+ people visit U.S. emergency rooms Annually because of symptoms associated with energy drinks.

Malvern is also planning on expanding its nutrition education in the future.

Still some students continue to take preworkout. Senior soccer player Mike Sheridan uses pre-workout and has not noticed any drawbacks, “I usually use them on a day when it’s a long school day and I’m tired,” he said. “It’s almost like a cup of coffee, but it’s easier. You can’t really carry around a coffee maker in your car.

It’s easier to take on the way to the gym and give you some energy.”

Sheridan said he feels energized and more focused when he takes pre-workout. He doesn’t use it too often, but only when he feels he needs it. He looks for products that don’t have dimethylamylamine (or DMAA) in them and that contain fewer than 200 milligrams of caffeine.

Some experts have compared DMAA’s effect on the body to amphetamines and its use in a pre-workout drink was linked to the death of one user, according to the New York Times.

For caffeine comparison, an eight ounce cup of coffee can have anywhere from 95 to 200 milligrams, according to The Mayo Clinic.

Sheridan said pre-workout is used widely at Malvern.

“I don’t go to the Malvern gym, but every time I go there, you’ll just see [pre-workout brand] C4 cans everywhere,” Sheridan said.

“It’s really prevalently used across the board.”

Senior lacrosse player Tom Maguire used to use pre-workout but eventually decided to stop.

“After a while of using it, I kind of got used to the amount of it,” he said. “It wasn’t working as much as it used to. I figured probably using it to get better, to get stronger and everything for sports, I’m not going to be using it every day for sports. So, I figured I’d get off of it then so I got used to working out without it.”

Maguire said it’s hard to tell what you’re drinking and that research can determine which products are safe and effective.

“You have to be smart about what you’re buying and you have to really do some research beforehand and look up what you’re buying.

Some of them actually might be bad for you and some of them might just be scams,” Maguire said. “It can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re buying, but I definitely think there are brands out there that you can buy that are safe to use.”◊

A 2010 Consumer Reports investigation found that some protein shakes, if consumed frequently, could expose people to potentially toxic levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead.

Tainted dietary supplements have accounted for more than half of all drug-related recalls since 2004

source: Consumerreports.com

February 2017

The

Page 10 >PAGE 1

Diversity Matters

Williams is very conscious of how current Malvern students help to shape perceptions of the school. He noted that each interaction a Malvern student has with an outside family could be the only interaction that family has with someone from the school, shaping perceptions of the whole community. When a patron on a train sees a bunch of rowdy Malvern students, that might be their lasting impression of our school.

“As right or wrong as that may be, we need to be conscious of that responsibility in everything we do,” he stated in an email.

Williams, who is biracial and non-denominational Christian, said he grew up in a poor town in Delaware County.

“I lived very much in two worlds, and I was viewed by many at Malvern who didn’t take the time to know me as the poor kid from the wrong neighborhood who didn’t belong or deserve to be here,” Williams said. “On the flip side at home, I was looked at as an uppity kid who attended the rich white school and someone who thought they were better than everyone else.”

Williams experienced being treated differently once he attended Malvern.

“I heard both positive and negative comments as I was called an oreo and the ‘N’ word and told to ‘go back to the ghetto where I belonged’ by classmates,” he said. “And I was called ‘white boy’ and ‘preppy’ by kids from my neighborhood.”

However, Williams eventually became close with some of the classmates who said insensitive things to him while he was a student. He credits insensitive remarks to his classmates’ limited experience with people who were biracial or from other backgrounds.

“Sadly, picking on and putting down the student who visually looks different than everyone else is one approach people take,” Williams wrote. “I will say that the more my classmates and schoolmates got to know me, the less those instances occurred.”

Expanding student experience with peers who are different comes with building a school that is more diverse. With diversity comes a certain sense of unity. We unite in the fact that each person is different and has a different yet equally important part to contribute to Malvern’s success.

In fall of 2013, the Board of Trustees unveiled a new plan regarding diversity, including a goal to increase diversity from 6.6% at the time it was rolled out to a schoolwide 20% by 2019. In March 2015, the Blackfriar Chronicle reported that the class of 2019 was projected to be the most diverse in the school’s history.

Efforts towards building that diversity include outreach and marketing to areas with greater racial and socioeconomic diversity, and implementing the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) training for faculty, according to Williams.

Williams is grateful to to see that Malvern is changing with efforts towards improving the school’s diversity.

“I think twenty years ago, the idea was that they were doing me a favor with the opportunity and that I and students like me should be grateful for that,” he stated. “That is to say that ‘the situation’ of me attending Malvern wasn’t viewed as mutually beneficial for me and the school. That narrative of the one-sided benefit is one that I feel has been changing over the past few years at Malvern. And that, I am thankful to be a part of.”

Senior Mike Fay already sees this diversity on campus; he just feels like it’s not the typical diversity people are looking for.

“Malvern kids are well rounded and are all unique. Many times the public thinks that we are exactly alike but we all come from different families and backgrounds,” Fay said. “I think that because of this diversity of students we are

able to connect more to other people in general.”

Location & Socioeconomics

T

he location of a student’s hometown also seems to affect how others perceive his choice to come to Malvern.

According to The Friar’s Lantern 2016 Freshman Survey, 51 percent of the class of 2020 live in Chester County, where the median income in 2015 was $85,976, according to US Census Data, and 35 percent live in Delaware County, where the median income was $65,123.

13% reside in Montgomery County, and only 1% in Philadelphia.

Seniors Wray and DiStefano have both experienced being treated differently because they attend Malvern.

Wray lives in Delaware County and began attending Malvern freshman year.

“I have experienced it when I hang out with kids from other schools and everyone holds you to a higher standard and you’re expected to do everything good,” Wray said. “I went out to buy something and my friend told me that it should be easy for me because I attend Malvern and supposedly have a great amount of money.”

DiStefano lives in West Bradford and began attending Malvern in seventh grade. Like Wray, he said others act unusually around him.

“It happens all the time. Some people that I used to be friends with act different around me and it’s awkward,” DiStefano said. “When I went to Downingtown events and wore Malvern gear, I just felt like I was being treated differently.”

DiStefano described a situation when he attended a Coatesville football game wearing his Malvern varsity jacket. “Once I entered the stadium and passed the student section, they started calling me derogatory things,” he said.

According to Haverford senior Tyler Dunbar’s perception of his school’s student body, they have different backgrounds from the Malvern students.

“Haverford is more of a place where kids come from all over and a lot of Malvern kids are from Chester County,” Dunbar said. “Haverford is Delaware County, Philadelphia, and Chester County; it’s more diverse.”

Williams deals with concerns about hometown location and socioeconomics in his interactions with prospective students and parents.

“I have heard many concerns that their children would be around very wealthy and privileged children who are disconnected from the reality that most in our country face,” Williams said. “I have also heard amazing stories of family interactions or observances of Malvern students and how proud they would be for their son to be a part of Malvern.”

From Williams’s perspective, perceptions of Malvern are significantly affected by experiences with individual students and families.

“Each interaction that a Malvern student has with a family could be the only interaction that family has with someone from Malvern, and in turn could be the foundation for their opinion of our students,” he said.

Stereotypes in Athletics

S

chool Psychologist Dr. Dorothy Sayers acknowledges that those who do not know about Malvern might see the school as just about athletics.

“I’m always reminding them that there’s more to Malvern than just the sports,” Sayers said.

As an Inter-Ac school, athletics are an important part of the Malvern student experience. According to the Inter-Ac Constitution, the Inter-Ac league is the oldest secondary school athletic league in the nation. The League’s philosophy states that athletes are students first, and cites an “earnest commitment to educating the whole student-athlete.”

Hyland is a member of the baseball and the hockey team. “I would say that the general consensus is that there are more athletes than students at Malvern,” he said.

Williams has also encountered this perception in his admissions work.

“Someone may say Malvern is a ‘jock’ school based on their experiences and identity. Maybe they or their children aren’t involved in sports or they had negative experiences with people who played sports in the past, and their perception is negative,” Williams said. “Meanwhile, someone can say Malvern is a great school for student athletes based on their child’s experience in sports and the value they see it bringing to an educational environment.”

“The school in both of those cases is the same school, but the identity and the experiences of the two individuals will change the perception,” he said.

Challenging Stereotypes

F

or senior Luke Matzke, being active in the community with the service programs is a great testament to the Malvern man.

“We are truly fortunate to be where we are and have so many amazing things available to us. We must realize we are blessed, not take that stuff for granted, and give back to those who are less fortunate,” Matzke said.

“Malvern does a great job with serving those in trying times. Through the service program I feel Malvern has done an excellent job combating those stereotypes by always being active in the community instead of acknowledging and accepting the preconceptions of us,” he said.

Junior Alex Strimel believes it is important for students to embody the school’s values.

"The way I try to combat stereotypes of Malvern students is by example, by being a representative of Malvern's ideals in action,” he said.

“I think that when people recognize the ideals of truth, unity, and love which are instilled into Malvern's student body, they rethink the stereotypes they might have had prior to meeting that student."

The alternative approach that some students take is to just ignore the stereotypes all together.

“Honestly, there’s really nothing I do consciously to stop the stereotyping because I really don’t care what other people think about me,” senior Marc Nowlan said. “But when people get to know me and talk to me, then those stereotypes vanish pretty quickly because of the person I am. If people give Malvern students a chance, they will come to know them much differently than what they stereotypes us as.”

Associate Director of School Counseling Mrs. Ann Wuetig-Coia believes that outsiders that have been on campus have positive views of the students.

“If they have been on campus and gotten to know our students and our programs, I think they would have a very positive view of how polite some of our students are and how many offerings we have for our students,” Wuetig said.

“I think if people don’t take the time to learn the school, and they hear about tuition, they make an automatic assumption and assume that students are a certain way, when in reality, they are just like everybody else.”

Wuetig-Coia has a public school background, as she attended West Chester East High School.

“When I was in public school, I almost thought that [Malvern students] didn’t care about public school kids, and they have so much more going for them, and that they’re better than the public school kids,” Wuetig-Coia said. “It wasn’t until I started working here that I realized that it’s not true and we’re all trying to get through life in the best way possible.”.

Students and teachers agree that one important way to combat stereotypes is to unite in our school's core principles: truth, unity, and love.

“Malvern teaches core values that all students are exposed to and the hope is that they take those values with them for the rest of their lives,” Fay said. “As true Malvern men with those values, the only stereotypes outsiders can develop of us are good ones.” ◊

Blackfriar

Chronicle

Board of Trustees tries virtual reality equipment Virtual and augmented reality may impact future curriculum.

Owen Preston ‘19 CONTRIBUTOR uring the Board of Trustees retreat on March 7, Head of School Mr. Christian Talbot and the technology department presented a workshop in the Learning Commons unveiling recently purchased virtual reality technology.

“It’s my conviction that two of the greatest forces that will affect education over the next few years are virtual reality and artificial intelligence,” Talbot said.

D

Head of School Mr. Christian Talbot thinks that virtual reality equipment could be beneficial to the school’s academic programs by all owing s t udent s to experience their topics rather than just learning about them.

According to Talbot, the workshop featured demonstrations of virtual reality and augmented reality.

“Augmented realit y doesn’t immerse you in a different or virtual reality, rather it lays over the current reality,” Talbot said. “The easiest way to explain this is Snapchat filters. When you put a filter over this picture it puts a layer or mask over it.”

In order to demonstrate augmented reality, Talbot invited Board members to use Microsoft's Hololens.

According to the Hololens website, the device is the first self-contained, holographic computer. Users can interact with holograms in the world around them.

The cost for these headsets range from fairly inexpensive to hundreds of dollars for higher-end models.

A Google Cardboard headset costs only about $10. Talbot said Middle School Head Mr. Patrick Sillup is considering getting the 8th grade some Google Cardboard headsets for their study on Syria.

Though Talbot has not purchased any Google Cardboard headsets yet for the school, Malvern did purchase two HTC Vive systems which cost about $800 each.

Talbot said that the school also purchased two Samsung Gear headsets, which he compared to a higher version of the Google Cardboard. The Gear VR headsets currently retail for around $80.

These systems are currently in the basement of Tolentine with the technology department until a more permanent location is identified.

Talbot thinks that the virtual reality equipment could be beneficial to the school’s academic programs by allowing students to experience their topics rather than just learning about them.

He cited a potential use of the technology in the social entrepreneurship class. >PAGE 11

The

Blackfriar

Chronicle

A Day at Malvern’s Brother School Two St. Augustine Prep students describe their experiences.

Garrett Hallinan ’19 Prep.

REPORTER “St. Augustine’s is a second t is not easy to find a place where home to me. I can rely on anyone at the Augustinian values of truth, the Prep, whether it be students or unity, and love are expressed on a faculty, to be there for me if I need day to day basis, but two places that them,” Snediker said. practice these morals everyday are As a senior, Snediker gets to Malvern Prep and St. Augustine Prep enjoy some senior privileges. in Richland, New Jersey.

“I get to wear khakis instead of Although these two schools are grey slacks to school. This is a symbol in two different states, “Malvern that you have made it to senior year students seem to be at the Prep, and underlike Prep st udents,” classmen really seem to Fat he r D on R e i l l y have respect for the sen“I get to wear khakis instead O.S.A, President of St. iors,” Jack said. of grey slacks Augustine Prep, said.

Next year, Jack plans to school. This “Of course, we are both on attending Furman is a symbol that you have made Augustinian schools, we University in Greenville, it to senior year hear the same language, South Carolina. After at the Prep, and and we value the same three years, Snediker underclassmen really seem to qualities of truth, unity, will move to Georgia have respect for and love.”

Tech for two years on a the seniors."

Reilly, who will be dual degree civil engi-Jack Snediker Senior Malvern’s new Head neering program.

St. Augustine Prep of School beginning in “Mr. Powell, my July, believes that the counselor, did a great teachers at Malvern and job helping me through St. Augustine's educate their students the search. I encountered various in similar ways. problems with the College Board, “Like Malvern, we use the same and Mr. Powell helped me through vocabulary of ‘student centered learn- all of them successfully,” Snediker ing,’ ‘project based,’ and ‘brain-based said. education’ because all of those qualiSnediker is forever grateful for ties and styles of education are very the opportunities that St. Augustine important.”

Prep provides for him.

These twenty-first century terms “In my mind, Saint Augustine’s have a common theme, and that is has made me into the man and the collaboration. scholar I am today,” he said. “The “Everyone works on projects teachers there have allowed me to where you recognize your own grow academically, and all of my strengths and then put brothers around me them into the group for have helped me to grow “Outside the a greater good. You also socially. The feeling of classroom, our student recognize other’s talbrotherhood that is sposections for ents, so it is a wonderken about at the Prep is sports games ful expression of mutual a very true thing. Saint are huge, especially for strengths that bring Augustine’s is truly an basketball, about further learning,” amazing place.” those sections Reilly said.

Histor y of the have at least 150 guys.”

Jack McCoy, who Church teacher Mrs. -Jack McCoy is a freshman at St. Jessica Kenwor t he y Sophomore Aug ust i ne Prep, is believes in the power St. Augustine Prep working on a project of S t . A u g u s t i ne ’s with a few of his fellow influence. classmates for Geometry class. “ The Aug ustinians are the “Right now, we are designing best order in the entire church,” kites,” McCoy said. “And eventually, Kenworthey said. “They are very we will go outside to test them and human and very real. Their spiritusee if they can fly.” ality is very grounded.”

This year, McCoy made a tranWhat makes St. Augustine spesition between the Avalon School, cial is that anyone can relate to him. which is a co-ed middle school, to St. “When Augustine was a child, Augustine Prep, an all-boys Catholic he was a troublemaker and wanted school. nothing to do with God. However, “Without girls, there is less pres- over time God changed him into the sure,” he said. “Now, I feel that I can scholar and saint that he is known as try harder and concentrate more.” today,” Jack Snediker said.

McCoy enjoys the sense of unity Similar to the strong commuthat comes from St. Augustine Prep. nities of St. Augustine Prep and "Everybody’s brothers. I take a Malvern Prep, Augustine was never computer coding class with sopho- alone. mores. Outside the classroom, our “Although Augustine is often student sections for sports games are painted alone,” Mrs. Kenworthey huge, especially for basketball, those said, “he was rarely alone. He was sections have at least 150 guys.” always with his diocese or his peoL i k e Mc C oy, s en ior Jac k ple, which is where we find Christ.” ◊ Snediker cherishes the brotherhood that comes with Saint Augustine’s

I

February 2017

Page 11

Development of J-Term ongoing Teachers continue to meet to implement J-Term for 2017-18 school year Francis Curran ’19, Jack McClatchy ’17

said. “I’m not willing to say anything’s really locked in, but there are some really neat ideas as to what to he faculty is continuing to develop J-Term for the engage with.” upcoming 2017-18 school year.

English teacher Mrs. Giordani, who is working on According to Head of the Upper the J-Term as part of the ninth grade level School Mr. Ron Algeo, the faculty came team, said that teachers are trying to get as “There’s been together and discussed their ideas for many course offerings as possible. some serious J-Term during on Monday, March 20. “[The courses] would be something progress, and During the morning, the various grade that would really be of interest to [stusome nice movement level teams— the ninth, tenth and elevdents],” she said. “So we’re trying to get as going forward, enth, and twelfth grade level teams— premuch selection as we can, and some really but it’s still sented their progress from the beginning creative ideas have come up.” right in the middle [of of the year to the other teams.

Giordani said some inspiration for development]."

Head of the Middle School Mr. Patrick course ideas have come from what other -Mr. Ron Algeo Sillup, who will be leading Malvern’s curschools with J-Terms offer, but she stressed riculum in grades 6-12 next year, said that that Malvern wants to make its J-Term a big part of the discussions on the J-Term was finding unique. what the passions of the teachers are.

“We never want to do what other schools do,” she “If those [passions] can drive a course design, they said. “We want to do our own thing thing because come across in a way for students that seems really use- Malvern has its own little stamp on it.” ful and engaging,” he said. “It’s less about telling them Giordani said that the courses offered during the what to teach, and more about how they’re J-Term could give an opportunity for interested in connecting with guys over an students to take a course they otherwise "It’s less eight-day cycle that is different from what wouldn’t be able to do because of courses about telling they normally do.” they are already taking during the year. them what Sillup said that the faculty also looked “What if you were able to do someto teach, and more about at other schools, locally and nationally, thing here that you always wanted to do how they’re to see how these schools are able to have but you couldn’t do because your schedule interested in a J-Term and be accommodating to the is so packed?” she said. “It’s not necessarconnecting with guys over demands of an AP curriculum. ily the case where it’s going to be Mrs. an eight-day “The schedule has ref lected the Giordani’s English class, but it’s going to cycle that is demands of those courses,” Sillup said. “It be a true break between the two semesdifferent from what they has to put guys in the position to they can ters– a hands-on experience that is going normally do." explore the [AP] curriculum and expose to hit the Augustinian, global, and entre-Mr. Patrick Sillup themselves to a unique way of learning.” preneurial aspects to our identity.”

Algeo said that the work on the J-Term Sillup said as of now there is no plan is still fluid at this point. for a final assessment or project to cap off what students “There’s been some serious progress, and some nice studied during the J-Term, however. movement going forward, but it’s still right in the mid“Right now we just thought about how we put it dle [of development],” he said. on a transcript, how do we credential the fact that you Algeo said that how teachers presented their work invested this time in these courses,” he said. “I think and received feedback is similar to what students do to level up with how we showcase this would be great.” in Social Entrepreneurship, where students pitch posAlthough there is still work to be done to get the sibilities, get feedback, and “pivot” their work to reflect J-Term ready for next year, Giordani said she is excited that feedback. for what’s going to happen next year.

“It’s exciting to be able to do that as adults, as we’re “I can just tell you that I am so excited about it,” looking at school and how to make it better,” he said. she said. “If I had the opportunity to take the J-Term Sillup said that course offerings for the J-Term are something that would be fun, something that would just still early in development. break up what you are used to, or maybe enhance some“Those are going to be influenced by the feedback thing that you have been doing, it would be awesome.” ◊ that students provide of their [teacher’s] design,” he

T

CONTRIBUTOR, PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

>VIRTUAL REALITY, 11

“It would be a pretty powerful thing, I think, once a student team has identified the impact project they want to work on to immediately immerse them in some virtual reality experience of that situation that context,” he said.

Students who saw the new equipment in use during the Board retreat had some mixed opinions.

Junior Tim Mclaughlin has mixed feelings about the equipment. “I don’t really see the purpose of getting the VR stuff, I’m not sure what they use it for,” Mclaughlin said. “I think it’s cool, but what is it for?”

Sophomore AJ Wirtel has high hopes for the involvement of VR in Malvern academics. “VR is a great new technology,” he said. “I can’t imagine all the possibilities for it’s use in teaching, training and also just for fun.”

Sophomore Ethan Surovcik has been interning for the technology department, and was asked to assist the Board with the new equipment.

Surovcik has a positive outlook for the new equipment. “I think Virtual Reality is the future and it could help us understand complex things that are hard to learn from just reading a textbook,” he said. ◊

EXPERIMENTS • Aided by sophomore A.J. Wirtel, Fr. Reilly takes the newly purchased virtual reality equipment for a spin.

T. PERO

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Malvern joins Mastery Transcript Consortium The Consortium seeks to change a major aspect of college admissions and, by effect, education as a whole.

Daniel Malloy ’18, Teddy Hawke ’20

Schools Conference on Wednesday, March 1.

At the conferences, the MTC figured out his year, Malvern became a member what sort of things they would want on this of the Mastery Transcript Consortium remodeled transcript. One of those things is an (MTC). It is a group of high schools that evaluation of how students have developed their seek to remodel the traditional college tran- own unique skills. script, according to its website.

“It wouldn’t be just a nice portfolio of other Head of the Upper School Mr. Ronald things in there, although that would be helpful Algeo explained that Malvern joined this group but an evaluation of those skills and how they because it wants to demonstrate a more compre- have been built,” Algeo said. hensive view of its students to colleges.

Quinn explained that the new transcript “We want to use the transcript to tell more will focus less on just grades and numbers, but of your story,” Algeo said. more on the competencies developed and measHe explained that there are inherent prob- ured in each class. lems within the current college transcript.

“Do we really want to assess physics, or do “So some college admissions officer is look- we want to assess critical thinking skills? Do we ing at this piece of paper, and that paper is you,” want to assess English, or do we want to assess Algeo said. “And it's got letters, communication and presentation and a number at the bottom. Does skills?” Quinn said.

"We want to use that tell your story of your growth Along with this, the transcript the transcript at Malvern Prep?” will put a focus on qualities of the to tell more of The answer to that question is student existing outside of the your story." no, according to Algeo. classroom according to Quinn and Mr. Ron Algeo “The experience that our stuAlgeo. Quinn said that it will not dents have at Malvern is really a be like a portfolio where it is long large experience. And I hate to use and unwieldy for college admisthis word because some people think it is kind sions officers. of trendy, but it is holistic,” Algeo said.

“We have to develop a software program In order to capture and display that “holis- that talks to college admissions,” Quinn said. tic” experience to colleges during the admissions “We have to develop a software system that can process, Malvern accepted an invitation to join talk to the systems already in place.” the MTC this past year, according to Science Junior Scott Sander thinks that the tranDepartment Leader Mr. Kevin Quinn. script is fine as it is.

“We were one of [the schools selected] “I feel like the other parts of the application because of the things we are doing here, in can handle everything,” Sander said. “In some particular the Engineering course and how we cases extracurriculars can help reinforce the were approaching that,” Quinn said. application, but I think the application process Quinn said that Malvern received an E.E. and everything in it now are fine.”

Ford Grant to help facilitate the project-based Those other parts of the application include Engineering course. The person awarding the essays, resumes, and letters of recommendation. grant told Malvern about the MTC, and the However, Quinn explained that having an evalschool thought it would be a great idea to join. uation of your extracurricular involvements and “That put us in contact and got Malvern skills on the transcript can provide more credPrep on that list to be invited,” Quinn said. ibility to an application.

“It’s not just, ‘Hey, anyone can join if they are “If [colleges] can go and actually see what willing to help out.’ This was a very, very elite you have done, rather than a note that you wrote list of schools.” on an essay, or as opposed to a note that I wrote According to the MTC website, there are in my college letter, maybe that will be the thing currently 72 schools involved in the MTC, with that gets you over the hump,” Quinn said.

14 founding schools and 58 member schools.

Freshman Kyle Faggioli thought the broader Malvern is a member school. Every school in transcript would be good, showing more of what the MTC is independent.. It is a national move- a student is capable of than what their core ment, with members spanning geographically classes and GPA currently does. from New York to Hawaii.

“I think it’s good. I think a lot of people Faculty and administration have attended maybe don’t have the grades for some of these two conferences thus far with the MTC, one really good colleges, maybe they’re just short in Cleveland in October and one in Baltimore of it, and I think those other stuff like extra at the National Association of Independent activities like extra curricular activities show

T

CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, CONTRIBUTOR

According to the Mastery Transcript Consortium website, the MTC has agreed on three

CORE PRINCIPLES:

1. No Standardization of Content

The performance areas, credit standards (rubrics, etc.) and credits are specific only to the individual crediting school, and will never be standardized across schools.

2. No Grades

Letter grading (or numerical equivalent) will not be used.

3. Consistent Transcript Format

Transcript has to be readable by college admission officers (once trained) in less than two minutes. Therefore, the transcript format has to be reasonably consistent across MTC schools. www.mastery.org

TELLING THE WHOLE STORY • Malvern's college counselors hope that the Mastery Transcript helps to tell a more holistic story of a student than traditional grades. Associate Director of College Counseling Mr. Chris LaTempa talks with sophomore Sammy Schutz during the March course registration period. / M. HARRINGTON

that they really did try and they have other talents other than the core classes that they did,” Faggioli said.

Faggioli said adding extracurriculars and other student-involvement to a transcript would make for a more competitive college application process and could also better prepare students for the work environment.

“I think that this teaches people for the work environment that you have to do more than just the minimum but also, like I said it could teach people that they don’t need to work as hard but overall I think that it would be better,” Faggioli said.

The question of what to do with GPA still remains. Algeo said that GPA will still remain on the transcript if colleges want it.

“I’m not saying it would be something where

we take away letter grades or GPA’s, because frankly we are a college preparatory school and if the colleges say ‘we want that,’ it's staying there,” Algeo said.

According to the MTC website, the mastery transcript will not use letter or numerical grades in any form, but schools may choose to “offer the Mastery Transcript as an option for some students while others may choose to be assessed and transcripted in a more traditional way.”

So, grades could go away from Malvern’s transcript at some point. However, that would be in the very distant future, Algeo explained.

“It's so early, we have no idea,” Algeo said.

“It is in the design phase right now. We have no idea what it is going to look like. We have no intent of getting rid of anything.” ◊

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NEWS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Eighth Grade hosts first off- Media literacy bill proposed in PA House campus retreat at Villanova This bill would call for media literacy education from K-12.

The Eighth Grade closed out Bridge Week with their first retreat at Villanova University to focus on the connections between Malvern, Villanova, and St. Augustine.

Joe Lister ’21 MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORTER t’s kind of our big brother sc hool ,” Eight h Gr ade Academy teacher Mr. Gary Duda said, referencing Villanova University, where the Eighth Grade traveled to close out their Bridge Week.

“As a Malvern alum myself, I thought it was very important for [the Eighth Grade] to finish Bridge Week with a retreat,” he said. “So we decided as an Eighth Grade Academy team that the most appropriate time to do it would be the Friday of Bridge Week.”

Duda said that he was pleased with the final outcome of the retreat: “I thought it was a huge success,” The retreat featured speakers Mr. Vic D’Ascenzo ’81, Denis Ostick ’13, and Mr. Rob Tribuiani ’86, all of which attended Malvern and attended, or are currently attending, Villanova.

“I think guys were really receptive to the messages from each one of the speakers,” Duda said. “I thought they hit home... in some way shape or form.”

Duda said that he had looked at other speakers, but was happy with the three he got.

“I hope our Eighth Graders got something out of the day,” he said.

Eighth grader Chris Buysse said that he enjoyed the retreat.

“I thought the retreat was a very good experience,” he said. “We learned a lot about people coming from Malvern into Villanova and what Villanova was all about.”

“My favorite part was listening to [Ostick] talk because he just came out of Malvern and he knew a lot of the same things we knew,” Buysse added.

Eighth grader Chris Ayres also said that he appreciated the trip to Villanova. “We got a lot of time to

“I

reflect and think about what it means to be at Malvern,” he said. “They really gave us some good insight on how Malvern is just like Villanova,” “I really enjoyed listening to the speakers,” Ayres added. “It was a really good bonding experience and it really enhanced my sense of brotherhood.”

Mr. Jimmy White ’08 came to Villanova from Notre Dame to help with the spiritual aspect of the retreat while he was on his Spring Break.

He said that he first found out about a retreat while talking to Eighth Grade Dean Mr. Rob Buscaglia. “Mr. Buscaglia and I were talking about how the year was going… we came up with this idea of a retreat.”

White helped plan the retreat, and afterwards he said that he was pleased with the outcome. “I think we’ve succeeded because I look at how each of [the students] responded to the day.”

“Taking the time to step back and reflect and look at ourselves,” he said, “that’s really what’s at the heart of the Augustinian piece.”

White said that his favorite parts of the retreat came towards the end.

“Hearing [the eighth grade] guys reflect at the end of the day… the mass was really a powerful experience too.”

White said the attendees learned about the history of the Augustinians.

“Fr. Reilly even talked about how the Augustinians came to the country and reached their hand out to the people on the periphery,” he said.

“What better way to symbolize [that same] Unitas by gathering around the altar as we did?”

“I hope that what [the Eighth Grade] experienced last week will make [them] more aware of what it means to be Augustinian,” White added.◊

Jack McClatchy ’17 Social Studies Department Leader and AP US PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Government teacher Mrs. Lappas said that most Social epresentative Tim Briggs (D-169) proposed a bill in Studies teachers try to incorporate discussions on media the PA House that will instruct the Department of literacy in their courses, but says there is more that can Education to increase education on media literacy be done. in Pennsylvania public schools.

“In light of the direction this country seems to be movThe curriculum would begin in kindergarten and coning, we need a curriculum,” she said. “So I agree with Rep. tinue onto twelfth grade, and promote critical thinking Briggs in making a media literacy curriculum.” skills, understanding how the media affects society, and Lappas said that her support of such a curriculum is recognizing bias and misinformatwofold. tion in news stories.

“With the phenomena of ‘fake The bill was referred to the REP. TIM BRIGGS news,’ it’s misleading the public on Education Committee at the end DEMOCRAT, MONTGOMERY COUNTY certain issues, but it’s also calling of February, but there has been lit- “Social media has allowed for anything you disagree with ‘fake more news, but we need to be tle activity otherwise since then. news,’” she said. “It’s not just saying able to sort through what is There is currently no meeting true and not, on both sides of we’re misleading people with these scheduled to discuss the bill by the the aisle.” statistics, it’s further polarizing the Education Committee, accordcountry, and allowing anybody who ing to Democratic Chair of the Education Committee doesn’t agree with what they’re reading to say it’s ‘fake Representative James Roebuck (D-188). news,’ so it’s really a problem.”

Chair of the Education Committee Representative Rogai also said that the best route for Malvern is to David Hickernell (R-98) said that they are currently conoffer a course specifically dealing with media literacy sidering about 75 bills referred to the committee since the instead of trying to include that in the Journalism course. beginning of the session.

One thing that Lappas said she supported about the Briggs said that he began thinking about proposing proposed legislation is the scale of the curriculum in public the bill during the 2016 Democratic primary, as his chilschools. dren would show him articles that “I like the fact that it’s K-12 were suspect. and not just 9-12,” she said. “I MR. JAY ROGAI CO-TAUGHT JOURNALISM CLASS “Children and high schoolers think that we grew up in a trusting “I think we could’ve done are getting their news in different era, because when Walter Cronkite more with [media literacy]... places than we have in the past,” said ‘that’s the way it is,’ we truly a semester isn’t enough time to get through everything we he said. “Social media has allowed believed that’s the way it was. I’m wanted to teach.” for more news, but we need to be not saying we were probably a little able to sort through what is true bit naive, but the world was not as and not, on both sides of the aisle.” polarized as it is today.”

Briggs said he has not yet met with Rep. Hickernell to “If you start teaching kids from a young age critidiscuss the bill, but plans to in the near future. cal thinking skills, how media affects society, persuasive “I don’t want to push this as a part of a partisan techniques, and what media bias is, and they grow up with agenda,” he said. “I’m trying to get more people to sign that lense of the world, I think that’s absolutely what we on as co-sponsors, but it’s a process.” need,” she said.

Although the bill only deals with education in pubAlthough the bill make take awhile to be signed into lic schools, Briggs said private and parochial schools in law or even reach the House floor for debate, Rogai said Pennsylvania may follow suit. there are some strategies students could use to discern what “A lot of things public schools do, private and paro- is a reliable and objective source. chial schools adapt and take advantage to stay competi“Ask questions,” he said. “Be open-minded, and I tive,” he said. “Sometimes they’re already ahead of the think going back to questioning everything is a healthy game in areas like this.” attitude to have.”

English teacher Mr. Rogai helped teach Malvern’s first Lappas said that while everyone wants increased politJournalism course last year, which taught the ins and outs ical participation and voter turnout, it should be based in of journalism and why journalism is important. He said fact, and not in biased or inaccurate information. that he felt the course didn’t have enough time to teach “We want everyone to have a political opinion,” she that and media literacy as well, however. said. “It really hurts the nation if that participation is not “I think we could’ve done more with [media literacy],” based in fact, but it’s based in bias.It’s really important for he said. “I know in speaking with Ms. Plows, a semester the country to have that on the forefront and understand isn’t enough time to get through everything we wanted that there’s such bias.” ◊ to teach.”

R

MEDIA and culture

Film Failures: “Who Killed Captain Alex?”

Uganda’s first action film, “Who Killed Captain Alex?”, is either one of the greatest movies of all time or one of the worst.

Aidan White REPORTER he Ugandan movie “Who Killed Captain Alex?” is one of the most entertaining movies I have seen in my entire life. The word that comes to my mind whenever I think of this movie is energetic. The movie is so fast and kinetic it's hard to actually understand the plot.

“Who Killed Captain Alex?” is, from what I can understand, a movie about a soldier, named Alex, getting murdered and his brother trying to figure out who murdered him. There is also a mafia that tries to find out who killed Alex. But, you don't really watch this movie for the plot.

“Who Killed Captain Alex?” was made with the intent of being seen by only a small group of people. The director never thought that anybody outside of his friends and family would ever see the movie.

The movie was made by a Ugandan man purely as a passion project with a budget of $200. This is an unbelievably low budget. Because of this, the movie does not have a complex plot or beautiful cinematography.

T

From this angle, you can say that “Who Killed Captain Alex?” is an awful movie. The plot is super hard to understand, making me confused of what the plot really was. This movie through and through fails on a mechanical level.

The thing about this movie is that it was never intended to succeed on a mechanical level. It was made simply to enjoy. When you watch a movie today and there is a fight scene, there is always some kind of disconnect.

At least for me, watching a movie fight scene never has the weight of blunt nature of an actual fight in real life. “Who Killed Captain Alex?” takes this concept and runs with it.

Every fight scene in this movie is over the top and insane. It is impossible to watch on of the movies many fight scenes without at least cracking a smile.

The best way to describe it is like a Bruce Lee film. People do crazy kung fu and scream and it all together feels almost like a comic book. It's so amazing! >PAGE 14

March 2017 Media +Culture

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“Iron Fist” Joins Netflix’s Roster of Marvel Series as a Success

“Get Out" gets people out (to theaters)

On March 17, Netflix released a TV series adaptation of the popular Marvel comic book series.

What is making people get out to theaters in large numbers to see this?

Michael Harrington ‘19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR fter the successes of the three previous Netflix Marvel shows, “Iron Fist” has a lot to live up to, which it does beautifully.

The show centers on the character of Danny Rand. As a young boy, Danny was stranded in the Himalayas after a brutal plane crash that took both of his parents lives and left him as the lone survivor.

After the crash, Danny wakes up in the snow to see two monks standing over him.

After the horrible trauma he had just been through, the monks decide to give him refuge and take him to their home, the mystical city of K’un Lun. As Danny soon finds out, the city actually exists in a different dimension than Earth, and it only appears on the Earthly plane every fifteen years. K’un Lun resembles ancient China, and the residents’ lives are largely based around the practice of Kung Fu. Trapped there, Danny is looked down upon as an outsider and is given poor treatment from the natives. He is in a state of despair until he begins to throw himself into his martial arts training and learns of the great champion of K’un Lun, the Iron Fist.

The show starts off with Danny in the streets of New York City shortly after becoming the Iron Fist. It is revealed that he fled his home of 15 years only to come back to reclaim his father’s legacy, Rand Corporation, and the story unfolds from there.

Many critics from different publications are destroying this show for a number of reasons. My message to these critics is take their opinions and shove them somewhere else.

“Hold up a minute”, you might be saying to yourself.

“Who does this guy think he is saying that a show that has an 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is amazing?” Well, I’ll tell you who I am. Someone who loves a great plotline, intense and action-packed fight scenes, and some awesome super power beat downs to go along with it. Because that is what you’ll find if you watch “Iron Fist.”

According to Rotten Tomatoes, “‘Iron Fist’ is weighed down by an absence of momentum and originality.” This is just blatantly false. “Iron Fist” shares The Hand, an ancient Japanese supervillan organization, as a main antagonist

A

“Daredevil”. That might be where the critics are coming from, but this doesn't take away from the experience at all. In fact, it makes it even better.

While “Daredevil” tackles the organized-crime bad guys side of The Hand, another more mysterious side appears in “Iron Fist.” Danny is their sworn enemy, but he is forced to question whose side he should be one multiple times during the show. The aspect of The Hand as the enemy also sets up the upcoming crossover series “The Defenders” perfectly.

A fascinating and major theme of the show is Danny’s duality ever present throughout the plot. He is both the heir to a multi-billion dollar empire and the immortal weapon of an ancient civilization. His two duties constantly fight for supremacy over the other.

Danny knows that he must protect K’un Lun as the Iron Fist, but he also went through a traumatic accident as a child that scarred him for life, leaving him aching for a home, a place where he could find a family. Although Danny’s corporate life is possibly given too much of a spotlight, it doesn’t take away from the overall experience of the show. Danny as the Iron Fist is what viewers really want to see, which will hopefully be a bigger part of Season 2’s plotline.

Overall, my favorite part of the entire story is the intense combat scenes. They reveal to you how Danny is a martial arts expert and he earned his title through sheer hardwork and dedication. Defeat was never an option for him. The internal struggle he goes through is visible, and just when you start thinking he cannot keep going, he comes back stronger mentally and physically than before.

I truly do not understand how critics could view this incredible piece of television to be a catastrophe, when viewers are enjoying it so much. I have seen several fans on social media who are criticizing the critics (Ha see what I did there) for the horrible reviews they are publishing.

I highly recommend “Iron Fist” as superhero TV lover and a fan of the comic book series itself. If you are looking for your next Netflix binge watch show, then look no further. I watched all 13 episodes in the span of three days, and I have no shame at all. Please join me in my crusade against these evil, evil reviewers and discover a very good new show in the process.◊

Jack Magargee ’18

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MANAGING EDITOR: WEB

here did this movie come from? I’m a huge Jordan Peele fan, and I’m proud to say every single episode of Key and Peele is still saved in my DVR to this day. I still had no idea this movie was coming out until it did.

“Get Out” could fit into a lot of genres but the main one being tossed around is horror. I want to clarify that this is not a horror movie. It is a thriller that contains some elements of horror. No, that isn’t a spoiler.

Watching Key and Peele, you could tell that they were interested in movies with a darker side. So it is not a massive shock for me to see Jordan Peele in the director’s chair even though he’s a comedian.

You may have seen some ads for this movie, or maybe you saw something on Twitter and it piqued your interest. That’s exactly what happened to me.

I was hesitant to jump on this movie the weekend it came out and waited for a while to see if it was any good. Long story short, it’s very good. “Get Out” has a 99% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is the first movie by a black director in his debut to gross 100 million dollars.

Without diving too deep into the plot, “Get Out” concerns the happenings of a weekend when a black man goes to meet his girlfriend’s parents at their home. They live on a lake in a community that is almost exclusively white, and they also have two black housekeepers who live with them. Similar to most thrillers, something funky is going on.

“Get Out” is the first movie of its genre to directly tackle the issue of race in America. It is coming from a black perspective which is something you don’t see enough of in Hollywood. This only makes the success of the film more impressive.

What I love about this movie is that Jordan Peele’s comedic background can still be felt throughout the film. Yes, there are parts of the film that are utterly serious, but there are also parts that are comedic. They offer a refreshing change of pace that you just don’t expect.

“Get Out” may not be my absolute favorite film of all time, but I love how it tries to do so much. Jordan Peele’s directorial debut gets somewhere around a 9/10 in my mind. My recommendation to you is to get out and see it before it gets out of theatres. ◊

“Logan” Shows Viewers a Different Side of the X-Men On March 3, this third installment in the Wolverine solo series was released in theaters across the U.S. Michael Harrington ‘19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR Logan” tells a much different story than its two predecessors which is not a bad thing at all. It stands out among the three as a masterpiece of a movie with a brutal and epic storyline.

The movie tells the story of an X-Men universe in the near future of 2029. Mutants are no longer being born for a reason that is unknown to the populus. Those who remain are few and decreasing constantly.

It opens up to reveal that James Howlett (aka Logan), the Wolverine, is no longer in the prime of his youth. He is done with his days of heroics and fighting. He spends his day as a limo driver, saving money to pay for medication for his dear friend Charles Xavier or as he was known in his glory days, Professor X. Logan, along with an old mutant friend Caliban, watch over and take care of the elderly and dilapidated professor. This sad existence they live as outcasts of society all changes when a woman named Gabriela tracks down Logan and tasks him with bringing her and her daughter Laura across the country to a place known

“

as Eden.

He initially refuses Gabriela’s request, but after it is revealed that Laura is actually a mutant very similar to Logan, they start their trek at Charles’ behest despite a reluctant Wolverine.

“Logan” is a much much different type of X-Men movie than anything that has been produced before. It’s R-rating is a telltale sign of a change from the beginning, and let me tell you, it is a wondrous change indeed. I never knew that I needed an R-rated Wolverine movie until I watched “Logan” and was entranced by the incredibly brutal and gory fighting. This R-rating allowed the movie to portray Wolverine’s true nature as a violent killing machine better than anything I’ve ever seen.

A really big part of “Logan”appeal is the depth it goes into with the relationships between the characters. Charles and Logan’s relationship is portrayed as a very fatherly one. Charles took Logan in many years ago, and now that he is struggling, Logan feels that it is his duty to take care of him. He is like a son who is watching his father go through the pain of debilitating disease.

The intense emotions between these two truly allow “Logan” to transcend the title of same old

superhero movie and earn the mantel of a motion picture with substance. The relationship between Laura and Logan is also a very heart-wrenching one. They are very similar both in terms of mutation and personality. Both are very cold, angry, do not work well with others, but when they finally do feel safe around someone that person has their utmost trust. They hate each other at first, but throughout the story their dynamic becomes that of a father and daughter. You really feel the intense emotions felt between characters that are brought to life before your eyes.

“Logan” shows viewers a much more nittygritty side of the X-Men world. There is so much struggle and pain experienced by Logan and his group. The ways they overcome these trials and tribulations really portrays the strength and endurance of the human spirit excellently. That is really what makes “Logan” one of my favorite X-Men movies to date, it's ability to reveal the people behind the superheroes. It really helped me to understand the psychology of Wolverine especially better.

If you are looking for a gritty, action packed, and overall brutal film, than “Logan” is perfect for you. ◊

>FILM FAILURES, 13

My words simply won't do these fight scenes justice. Please, if you have time, go on your computer and watch one of the fight scenes. You will not be disappointed.

If you did watch one of the scenes from this movie, you will notice something right away. There is somebody commentating over the entire movie. This is what is called a “Video Joker.”

You see, the only copy of this movie that exists as of right now is the version with a “Video Joker.” The “Video Joker” is almost like somebody sitting next to you during the movie and cracking super cheesy but harmless jokes.

Now, if you were watching a regular movie this would be incredibly annoying. But “Who Killed Captain Alex?” is not a regular movie. Having this incredibly charismatic and lovable “Video Joker” amplifies the chaotic and spastic nature of the movie.

“Who Killed Captain Alex?” is a quotable, entertaining, and bad movie I would recommend to anybody looking to laugh and have fun with a movie. “Who Killed Captain Alex” will not give a super enlightening movie experience but it will make you laugh. ◊

Blackfriar

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Boccuti, rugby team hopeful for season

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March 2017

Is Head Coach Matt Boccuti ready to lead his team to a state championship?

Ryan Maher ’19 CONTRIBUTOR ver the years, Malvern rugby has gained the skill and talent it needs to build a solid team. Currently, they have their eyes on a possible state championship at the end of the season.

Rugby is one of the most unique sports at Malvern, mostly because they are the only Inter-Ac school with a rugby team.

Because of this, Malvern has competed in the Red League, a large, competitive league that is made up of teams like St. Joe's Prep and La Salle College High School. This season, Malvern is going to compete in a new league: The Gold League.

Coach Boccuti, head coach of the team for the past three years, said, “The competition will be a little less than what we had last year, but the league still has teams like Conestoga, who made the state finals last year.”

With a new league and new competition, Coach Boccuti hopes Malvern can stay focused on their goals, and play to their standards.

“Since we are in a new environment, it’s up to the guys to really play

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Malvern rugby engages in a scrum as a part of a 72-5 win over Unionville on Friday, March 24. / T. PERO

their game, not knowing the opponent,” Boccuti said.

Boccuti was previously the assistant coach under former head coach Jack Foley. “Being a coach on campus, recruiting is an important thing that the prior coaches hadn’t really done,” Boccuti said.

In Boccuti’s first year, they graduated 21 seniors, and were left with many underclassmen with little experience. He made sure that he instilled in his players the importance of making sure that they set a certain playing standard instead of caring about wins and losses.

“Now,” Boccuti said, “a loss is

pretty low for the team. They are really in a good place to be successful this year.”

Evidence of this attitude has shown in their first three preseason matches. The first scrimmage they played, they lost to a strong Media team.

However, they won their next two matches versus St. Gregory’s, a strong team that made it to the state final four last season, and St. Augustine's, whom they beat for the Augustinian Cup. The Augustinian Cup has been played between Malvern and St. Augustine’s for many years, and is greatly anticipated by the players and

Football to open season vs. St Augustine’s Prep at Villanova Coach Gueriera’s tenure will begin with an Augustinian trifecta.

Eric McLaughlin ’18 SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR alvern opened last season on September 2 at St. Augustine’s Prep in New Jersey. The Friars hoped to get their season off to a fast start and be 1-0 on the bus ride home.

But things didn’t go their way and Malvern headed home 0-1 with a 47-30 loss to their fellow Augustinian school.

The football team, however, will get a second chance against the Hermits on Friday, September 1 at Villanova Stadium.

“It would be huge to beat St. Augustine’s to start off the season,” junior football player Liam McKnight said. “We had a tough loss to them last year and nobody has forgotten about how bad that felt.”

Last year, St. Augustine’s went undefeated in the regular season but eventually lost in the New Jersey state playoffs. They are returning many players from last year’s roster and are expected to continue right where they left off.

Many teams prefer playing weaker opponents to start the season so the team can build up their confidence, but new head coach Dave Gueriera said that he would rather have a more challenging first opponent.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Gueriera said. “We can never lose focus, each week we have a championship game.”

Recently announced captain for the team next year, junior Joe Basiura agreed that he likes playing stronger opponents to start off the season.

“I think that playing better teams at the beginning of the year prepares us better and gives us a better chance of beating the other teams in the Inter-Ac,” he said.

“I’d rather play a good team like St. Augustine’s to start off the year,” Liam McKnight said. “We definitely want the best

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competition possible because every non-league game is only preparing us for the Inter-Ac and playing good non-conference games will pay dividends for later in the season.”

Coach Gueriera said that although the team will spend a lot of time in the preseason on preparing for St. Augustine’s, the opening game will not be the sole focus of the summer. The main goal of the season is to win the Inter-Ac. “During preseason we will install the majority of the offense and defense for the season.

Each week during the season we will tweak the playbook to exploit the weaknesses for that specific opponent,” Gueriera said.

That being said, the Friars would definitely love to start the season 1-0.

“Starting 1-0 is always good and it’ll build momentum going into the rest of the season,” McKnight said.

Gueriera agreed. “I think it’s important because it starts the year off on the right foot for the program. A confident team playing together is always hard to beat,” he said.

Perhaps the biggest storyline of this game does not involve a single play, player, or coach.

This will be Malvern’s first game with Malvern incoming Head of School and current St. Augustine President, Fr. Don Reilly.

After hearing about the announcement of this game, Fr. Reilly provided a prediction.

“Given the score the last time the two brother teams met, I think it’s going to be a close call.

The older brother (Malvern) might have a score to settle,” he said.

“This is a great game for both schools and pays great homage to our Augustinian Family.

It’s going to be an electric night at Villanova against a very good St Augustine Prep team.

And of course we want to get that win for Fr. Reilly’s new school,” Gueriera said. ◊

>BASEBALL, >BASEBALL, 11

coaches. “[The game against St. Augustine's] was a good win,” Boccuti said. “They are a really physical team, and we lost last year because of that”.

He also said that, “the three preseason games we’ve had, the guys have shown me that adversity doesn’t faze them very much. As a coach, that is a hard thing to instill in a team, but that culture is something that the guys brought to the table”.

The rugby team is also a senior heavy team, consisting of many experienced players and leaders.

“Guys like Luke Stratton, who has been captain for a number of years now; Jack Ludin, Kyle Hegarty, Nick Gatti, are all the seniors that are moving in and taking over,” Coach Boccuti said.

Senior Jack Ludin has played rugby since freshman year and is excited for what the season holds.

“One of our goals is winning the state championship, which takes place in May,” Ludin said. “I honestly think we have a good shot to win it.”

Many of the newcomers to the rugby team have also noticed the camaraderie and the heart that

Malvern Prep is not a member of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), a requirement for the tournament that was unknown to Coach Hilliard and Malvern Prep.

“We play out of state teams all the time with no issues, our games all count, we don’t have any illegal players or 5th year players, we’re not an IMG Academy type school,” Hilliard said.

According to Hilliard, the contract that Malvern signed never stated that participating teams were required to members of their state associations.

Hilliard said that the contract’s termination clause states that USA Baseball had to notify a team of their removal from the tournament outside of 180 days before the start of the tournament. USA Baseball notified Malvern of their ineligibility well within the 180 limit, violating the contract.

As of press date, USA Baseball has not responded to request for comment.

Hilliard also stated that Malvern has a waiver that allows them to play against PIAA teams.

Malvern is not a member of the PIAA for many reasons.

“There are a bunch of independent schools in the state, including us, who never elected [to be apart of PIAA] because we allow kids to reclassify, or take a grade level over again,” Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch said. “We do not want the PIAA governing the amount of games we play. We do not go for State Championships with other public schools.”

Even though Malvern not being a member of the PIAA prevents them from participating in tournaments such as this, Hilliard believes being in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISSA) is much more beneficial for his players.

“The PIAA has a game limit of 20, meaning you’re only allowed to play 20 games the entire season,” Hilliard said. “Being that were not in the PIAA we don’t have to abide by those sanctions.”

Malvern Rugby possesses when playing.

Sophomore Joe Carpenter started playing rugby this season and has been enjoying his first year on the team.

“I really like the atmosphere of the team,” Carpenter said. “Everyone is really nice, and everyone loves the sport. They have a fun time while their playing, and I’ve had a lot of fun with the team so far”.

Carpenter is one of the two players who have gotten injured so far.

Carpenter broke his leg in one of the preseason games, and senior Zach Maher dislocated his shoulder in the St. Augustine's game.

However, the team still has its expectations high. “We are a pretty good team. So as long as we stick together, I think we will be good,” Carpenter said.

With the season fast approaching, Boccuti is ready for what the future holds for the team.

“Culture wise, each guy has a similar idea of the values that we hold important on the team. Expectations are high,” Boccuti said. ◊

From a baseball perspective, if Malvern plays 40 games, as opposed to the PIAA 20 game limit, players can have as many as 100 at bats, compared to only 50 at bats.

“So in terms of prepping guys for college, our guys are going to be more prepared,” Hilliard said.

Despite not being able to play in the tournament, Malvern will still travel to North Carolina over spring break to get some work in.

“For Plan B, [USA Baseball is] helping us because they want us down there,” Ruch said.

According to Hilliard, Malvern would like play 4 teams while in North Carolina.

They are currently scheduled to play Brother Rice from Chicago, The Canterbury School from Ft. Myers Florida, Fuquay Varina High School from Fuquay Varina North Carolina, and Charles E. Jordan High School from Durham North Carolina.

They will play their games at Duke Universit y and at the Holly Springs Salamanders stadium.

Although the team is disappointed in not being able to participate in the tournament, Coach Hilliard still has his team focused on the regular season and the teams they will play.

“Honestly it's disappointing that we can't compete in the tournament,” senior leftfielder Vince Sposato said. “But we're going to try to make the most out of our trip.”

Sposato and the rest of the team are doing the best they can to take advantage of this opportunity.

“We will still be able to play some of the teams in the tournament, so we will be able to face some really good competition. I'm upset that we can't play to in actual tourney, but I'm very excited that we get to go down to NC and play some of the top teams in the country,” Sposato said.

Malvern will no doubt have a very tough regular season schedule ahead of them, so Hilliard is putting an emphasis on focusing on the games that count.

“We still have a large season to play so we can’t get caught up on that,” he said. ◊

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Chronicle

Alumnus of the Issue: Matt McManus ’08 McManus came back to Malvern earlier this school year to take a job as the Director of Alumni Relations and Athletic Development as well as Assistant Varsity Basketball coach.

Ethan Rowley ’18 While at Malvern as a student, McManus said that his he said. “They set you up for life, and that’s something that you MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT favorite class was Spanish. can’t teach, but it’s very much a huge part of what Malvern does.” alvern’s Director of Alumni Relations and Athletic “I liked Spanish a lot, I won the Spanish award freshman McManus said that he hopes Malvern students who have Development Mr. Matt McManus ’08 said that he year,” he said. “[I] might have been a bit of a troublemaker back graduated remain aware of the fact that their actions reflect knew he wanted to work at Malvern someday when in the day, but looking back at it. I always enjoyed Spanish.” on others. “The last thing that I would want to hear is that a he was still in high school.

Conversely, McManus said that math was his least favorite. kid who went to Malvern was out doing something that he “I knew it as soon as I went to school, and as soon as I “Math always proved difficult, thank God Mr. Stinger liked shouldn’t have been doing, because that reflects poorly on the graduated school,” he said. basketball and I was a hoopster so he let me off the hook a few rest of us,” he said.

When a role came open in Malvern’s Development Office, times,” he said.

McManus jumped at the opportunity. “I said ‘this is no doubt Beyond the classroom, McManus was involved in basket“I hope that they understand that once they leave campus, the door that’s opening for me, I’ve got to jump in it while I ball and track, “[I played] basketball all four years, [I] ran track that the Malvern brand doesn’t really leave you. I hope they can, it’s my opportunity to get back to the school full time,’ so senior year. Thinking back on it, I didn’t do as many things as hold themselves with a certain amount of responsibility and I did,” he said.

I would have liked to have done, so I definitely have regrets.” pride in the school.” he said.

As Director of Alumni Relations, McManus is responsible He also claims to have had the shortest commute to McManus says that Malvern students should realize that for building and maintaining relationships Malvern of any student. the Alumni office is a resource to students who have not only with Malvern graduates.

“That grass field over in the top right corgraduated from Malvern, but also from college.

“A lot comes out of thin air,” McManus ner of campus, there are 12 houses in that “Don’t lose that connection with Malvern. We’re always “They set you up for life, and that’s something that you said. “For instance, in the fall one of our development and my mom and dad still live here as a resource for guys in college and guys who have graducan’t teach, but it’s very oldest alums drove up from Tennessee at the top,” he said. “I lived closest to the ated college, don’t ever hesitate to come back,” he said. much a huge part of what without any notice and just showed up. school, yet freshman year I led the entire “I talk to guys who are in college all the time looking for Malvern does.”

You drop everything, ask them what they school in lates because my one brother was internships or jobs and I’m hooking them up with alums who want to do, show them the campus, that a senior and he was driving. He had open are looking to hire these guys, so don’t get lost out there. Jump type of stuff.” periods first period, so into college and have a great time, but always McManus said that on a day-to-day basis, his primary he wasn’t really concerned with getting know [that] we’re here for you,” McManus alumni role involves outreach. “On a day to day, I normally try to school on time, and I was a freshman said.

“After being in the workforce to reach out to alums, to meet them, pick their brains about trying to make a good name for myself.

McManus also shared some advice for for the past three or four their thoughts on the school, if they want to get involved in the Mr. McGuire was not very happy with my current students, “Get involved in as many years and seeing what it’s like working at a massive school in some capacity,” he said. homeroom attendance.” things as you can, because you don’t want corporate company, it’s very His role as Director of Athletic Development, on the other Outside of Malvern, McManus says to be like me where you look back and say much based off [of] what hand, deals with raising funds for athletic teams. that he likes to keep moving.

‘I wish I would’ve tried that,’ or ‘I wish I you’re starting to learn “The Athletic Development piece is working with virtually “Now that I live downtown there’s so would’ve done that’. Get involved and jump here.” all of the sports teams to get them the funding that they need to much to do,” he said. “I love trying new into it without any regret,” he said. do the things they want to do throughout their season spots to eat. Going down to the beach He also added the need to be thankful and offseason,” he said. in the summers, playing hoops. I hit the gym every mornfor Malvern’s surroundings and circumstances.

“For instance baseball wanted to raise money ing before work. [I enjoy] other types of exercising too, “We are unbelievably fortunate to go to a school like this, last year to buy new batting cages, which they have whether that’s biking or playing hoops, tennis, just and we are in a very, very small percentage of people who get to now,” McManus said. “[the teams] have a few items staying outdoors and staying active. [I’m] always on come get an education, meet these people, have these sorts of that they want to have for the immediate future, the move.” resources laid out for us,” he said. “We should never take that and then a few years down the road, so I have a McManus says Malvern has changed a lot since he for granted and give back and help those who are less fortunate hand in that.” was in high school, both physically and in pedagogy. than we are as much as possible.” ◊ He is also enjoying his job as Assistant “From a school standpoint, the kids are a lot Varsity Basketball coach, “You get to more forward-thinking know the kids, you get to know the parand f ut uristic in ents, and I love that aspect of getting the way that some involved in different ways.” of the things that Only seven years removed from I k now t hey ’re high school, McManus is colleagues doing on campus with many of his former teachers. with projects that “It’s funny because now you’re are helping realon the other side of things, so w orl d i s s u e ,” they’re all trying to say ‘hey, call he said. “That’s me by my first name’ but it’s still somet hing we very difficult to get past four years never dealt with of calling them ‘Mr. so-and-so’ or [when I was in ‘Mrs. so-and-so,’” he said. “I’m not school],” he said. used to that aspect but I’m slowly “ The colstarting to get used to it.” laborative effort “Now that I’m on this side of that I see them things and I’m a colleague with doing now is so them, these are just normal people,” much different than McManus said. “They like to have what I had going to fun, go out, and they’re just so down school,” McManus to Earth and care so much about the said. “After being in kids, but it’s hard to see that when you’re the workforce for the 14-18 years old and you have so many past three or four years other things going on. The perception and seeing what it’s drastically changed.” like working at a masMcManus said that there are several sive corporate company, things that get him excited to go to work it’s very much based off every day. He said that going to work [of] what you’re starting every day “doesn’t even feel like a job.” to learn here.”

“What’s not to like about coming back McManus said that to this campus, getting to see the kids, the the friends he made are unbelievable staff and faculty that we work one of the things that with. It’s the type of situation where you come to mind first and don’t feel like you’re going to school or going foremost when he thinks to a job every day, waking up saying ‘aagh, about Malvern.

I’ve got to get up and go to work,’” McManus “When you’re 13 [or] 14 said. “I get to wake up and go back to the it’s so hard to wrap your head high school I went to, and it’s a place I love, around ‘oh, that kid’s gonna be so it’s easy for me.” the best man at my wedding,’”

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