EDITORIAL:
WE WANT A SAY, NOT A SURVEY
Progression of construction
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With new changes announced for next year, we explore student input on changes being brought to Malvern.
MAY 2018
Senior Farewells
Looking past the noise and the smells of on campus construction, Malvern sees progression on the new Center for Social Impact building.
College Map
Looking back on their four years at Malvern Prep, senior staff members reflect on their experience as students, and give their insight on what got them to this point.
Want to know where the class of 2018 is ending up? Check out the College Map, showing you more stats than ever.
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Malvern Preparatory School • Malvern, Pa. • lantern.news
new class created by student Find out more about the idea for a new economics class created by Claudio Chieffo '19.
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Volume 18, No. 8
New schedule for 2018-2019 features daily chapel, weekly masses Among the numerous changes occuring next year, Malvern welcomes their sixth new schedule in a row for the 2018-2019 school year. Chase Bennett ’19 conversations was that the 20 minute afternoon EDITOR-IN-CHIEF break was too much,” Sillup said. “OK, let's shave he new schedule to be rolled out in the it down. I think there is a value to having a little fall looks similar to this year’s, but new bit of a rhythm to go get a drink, get a snack, highlights include a daily restroom, whatever it might be, chapel, weekly masses, a shortand close out your day.” ened Community Time and The 2018-2019 schedule will “We want to help shortened afternoon break. also only feature two different students develop “The idea of this schedule variations: a regular schedule and a skill set that’s very Augustinian, coming into this year is providan activities schedule for masses looking within ing a level of consistency that and other events requiring allotyourself and being I think a lot of people have ted time. present with God.” been after,” Sillup said. “To be “Essentially the the charge able to say there’s a consistency was to not change the sched-Mr. Rick Poce Twelfth Grade Academy Leader to this and this is what it would ule but to have a schedule that look like, was the goal this time would allow for chapel starts and around.” weekly mass,” Sillup said. “The All class periods next year will be locked at clarity will be having only two schedules, no P.D. 60 minutes besides third period, allowing for an [Professional Development] schedules.” extra ten minutes for lunches. This year, Professional Development schedThe new schedule will still contain a 30 ules cut classes short to 45 minutes and dismissed minute community time after first period but a students at 2 p.m. Following the students’ disshorter break after fourth period lasting only ten missal, faculty and staff used this time for meetminutes. ings during the 2017-2018 school year. “ W hat we had heard from a lot of “I realized that P.D. schedules present such a
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different rhythm for 45 minutes versus 60,” Sillup said. “Even teachers are feeling, ‘Wow, how am I going to work through this content or this project?’ Preserving that contact time [between teacher and student] felt really important.” Replacing P.D. schedules next year will instead be “P.D. days.” These days serve as a day off from classes for students and a day for development for the faculty. “P.D. schedules felt very abrupt, felt tricky. We bundled the days around very natural breaks such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, even a Monday after a M.E.C.O. weekend,” Sillup said. “We intended for the days not to be disruptive in any way. We wanted to bundle them at places where we already use that time in that way.” Another new change in the schedule that has caught the eyes of students is the new chapel starts everyday. Students will spend twenty minutes in the chapel daily following homeroom from 8:25 to 8:45, immediately heading into their first periods afterwards. See the 2018-2019 School Schedule on Page 19
“The goal is basically to get a good five to ten minutes of meditative activity each day, along those lines,” Twelfth Grade Academy Leader Dr. Rick Poce, who will lead the services said. “The activity is going to be a centering type of prayer or centering. That could simply be teaching students how to get their day organized in terms of their thoughts.” Sillup also hopes the morning chapel will bring the community together as a whole and help bond or unify the school. “It could be a wonderful time to make schoolwide announcements. We will all be together, middle school through seniors which consistently, we don’t do right now,” Sillup said. “The idea is to start as a community [with a] diverse set of experiences and then set the stage for a really successful day.” A requirement for the chapel in the morning is that attendance is mandatory, even for seniors. According to Sillup, the new mandatory chapel will eliminate senior privilege, the ability for seniors to arrive late at school if they have an open block during their first periods. > Page 19
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EDITORIAL is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. The website for the publication is lantern.news. 418 S. Warren Ave • Malvern, PA 19355 lantern.news Distributed free on stands at Malvern Preparatory School
Mission Statement
In the age of 21st Century learning, Malvern is constantly changing and adapting. The student body wants to be a part of the experience, not part of the email. Editorial Board does not carry the same value of listening to stun the last six years at Malvern, there have been dents and involving them in the design. six different schedules, two different heads of The student body wants to be a part of someschools, three different homework sites and sev- thing bigger than a survey you could find on the eral dress code changes. bottom of a CVS receipt. We want to be a part Malvern prides itself in always having the of the building process so that we can help make best interests of students in mind. things right the first or second time The student body appreciates this, around, not the fifth or sixth. There’s a difference especially when these changes are This isn’t to say that students get between “did you like this or not?” and “we built this explained to us, and even more when “no say” or have absolutely zero input. together—how can we student voice is part of the process. A new economics course is going be make this better?” But because of how rapidly led in part by junior Claudio Chieffo. changes come to Malvern, and with Discussions about a new student how little time those changes stay disciplinary committee have begun before the next “iteration,” we cannot help but won- to gain traction within administration. We first der how much student input is considered. reported about the possibility of students having For the 2018-2019 school year, students will be input on “character issues” in 2014, so we are glad given a heap of new changes including but not lim- to hear progress on this matter. ited to a new schedule, dress code, classroom locaThe Editorial Board believes that inviting stutions and buildings. However, some of the student dents to be a part of the community that designs or body is still unclear about why these changes were builds new changes that come to Malvern will help implemented in the first place. improve the overall shift and ensure that the changes It seems to be a common theme at Malvern only have to occur a minute number of times. that changes are made abruptly, the new experiIt's impossible to avoid change. We know that ence or change occurs, and then the school seeks it will happen sooner or later. Including the student student feedback. Following J-Term, students were body in these changes helps promote the idea that sent a mass email reading “Surveys [J-Term + AP we are a family learning from each other, helping Institute]” that asked students to fill out a survey each other grow, not consumers of a product. regarding their J-Term experience. There’s a difference between “did you like this Prior to J-Term, many students felt they knew or not?” and “we built this together—how can we very little about the experience. AP students weren’t make this better?” notified that they couldn’t take J-Term classes until We understand that coming up with the right right before Christmas break. schedule or dress code can be difficult, but we also The idea of only being able to submit uniform don’t think it should take six tries to reach somesurvey responses hinders students’ ability to have a where near there. say on said changes. Answering “strongly disagree” The implementation of student voice during
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the building process can help eliminate problems that students could foresee in the future instead of having to wait an extra year to execute a schedule change because the problem was overlooked. The past five years alone have been a rollercoaster. It’s time to find the solution and it starts with the students. Not only do the changes cause a lot of up and downs throughout the year, students find themselves lost looking for the reasons behind the changes. When one is tasked with educating 500+ young men who will soon be facing real world issues, it can be easy to adopt a “father knows best” mentality, in which, students face changes that may be in their best interest, but do not understand the reasons for those changes. By allowing students to work behind the scenes, we can make sure that everyone is not only ready for the change, but understand why they need to happen. We hope and assume that changes made at Malvern have the students’ best interests at heart. We understand that some changes are made regardless of student input because sometimes others know best. We also know that change is part of our world, both in education and beyond. We aren’t saying that the changes being made are poor or that we can do better, but that rather we should be included in the process to improve them. A school community in the midst of constant change should have room for students to take an active role in shaping those changes. Ultimately, we hope that the changes occurring have some room for its students to be a part of it, so the Malvern experience can be creating traditions instead of a tradition of change. ◊
Farewell: Mr. James Stewart “There is no pretension about him,” college counselor and english SPORTS EDITOR, MEDIA AND teacher Mr. Richard Roper said. CULTURE EDITOR “There is no attempt to make you t was the fall of 1970 when Mr. feel he is more important.” Stewart first stepped on Malvern Roper is sentimental in seePrep’s campus. He was excited to ing his friend and colleague leave start up his career, and many good Malvern. “I am selfishly sad about things were to come of it. his retirement,” he said. “But, I am “I initially came to be a teacher extremely happy for him because MR. JAMES STEWART and an assistant football coach,” he has done what St. Paul said, G. HALLINAN Stewart said. “A friend of mine was ‘Fight the good fight, run a good the head football coach, and his words about the race,’ and he deserves rest.” school interested me. I came out and met with Although there are many positive ways Father Knap and got hired.” to describe Stewart, Roper chose one word: In addition to his teaching, Stewart has “Genuineness,” Roper said. “I always felt that I held the positions of Dean of Students, Dean could go and talk to him about whatever was on of Studies, Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic my mind and have no fear of it coming back to Director, and Assistant Headmaster. He was haunt me. I always felt that he was in the middle appointed Head of School in 1990, and President of the fray of teaching with me and with us.” in 2006. He retired from his leadership role in Freshman Sean McCarthy described Stewart’s 2012, but continued to teach in the languages class as engaging. department. “I look forward to going to class, Mr. Stewart Throughout his years at Malvern, Stewart always asks us oral questions and gets us all taught Latin and Spanish, but his main focus involved at the beginning of every class, it’s really was on the latter. just a relaxed environment with Mr. Stewart,” “[The students] leave with a feeling that they McCarthy said. have accomplished something and have learned McCarthy said Stewart is different from how to speak the language,” Stewart said. “It is other teachers he has had. “He makes an effort to the best part of the day.” get all of us involved in class with oral questions Stewart’s humility and respect toward others and activities, instead of the usual worksheets and is admirable. busywork.”
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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 Friar's Lantern editors-in-chief, managing editors, chief investigative reporter, section editors, social media editor, podcast editor, copy 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.
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Bylines
After 48 years of dedication to Malvern Prep, Mr. James Stewart’s teaching at the school has come to an end. Garrett Hallinan ’19 Luke McClatchy ’19
The Friar’s Lantern is the student-run publication of Malvern Prep. The principal goals of the publication 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.
McCarthy also said that punishments in Stewart’s class can be very humorous. “One time someone was acting up in class, and Mr. Stewart got upset with him and told him to leave class and count all the doorknobs in the hallway. He thought it would take him the rest of class but he came back five minutes later and said there were thirty, and got kicked out again,” McCarthy said. Spanish teacher Mr. James Kirchner reflected on the many years he has worked with his close colleague. “I have been at Malvern for 23 years and I have worked with Señor Stewart all of those years, his impact has been tremendous, to me he is the epitome of what a language teacher should be.” Kirchner said. “He bleeds Malvern blue and grey, his love for this place is unsurpassed.” Kirchner still remembers the day he discussed his salary with Stewart after he was hired. “When I accepted the job in August of 1995 we had not discussed my salary yet, so Mr. Stewart said to meet him at Aronimink swim club the next afternoon to discuss it,” Kirchner said. “I did and he and I sat there in the chairs by the pool in our swim trunks and we discussed my starting salary.” One word came to Kirchner’s mind when asked about Stewart. “Sobresaliente, there is no direct translation for it into English, but it means above and beyond the call of duty, it is used to describe the guy that gives 100 percent,” Kirchner said. ◊
Online bylines include the name of the lead reporter on the story. Additional contributors are credited as authors on each post, but attribution may not appear in the online byline. All contributors are listed in the byline of stories that appear in print. Graphics, photos, art and illustrations, and all other creative work will be given attribution. Unsigned editorials feature the byline of the Editorial Board.
Updates & Corrections
At times, online stories will be updated as new information surfaces. Verified inaccuracies will be corrected. When this occurs, a correction will be published at the bottom of the story with the date of the most recent revision and details of the change.
Joining our staff
New contributors are welcome throughout the school year. The Friar's Lantern staff meets twice each week at 7:45 AM in Duffy 118. Please contact any member of the staff listed below for the most up-to-date meeting schedule.
Editors in Chief Chase Bennett '19 Alex Haylock '19
Managing Editor Ryan Maher '19
Assignments Editor Michael Harrington '19
Section Editors Friar Life
Joe Lister ’21, Jack Guardiola '20
Sports
Garrett Hallinan ’19, Kyle Leonard '19
Media & Culture Luke McClatchy ’19
Social Media Editors Steve O'Meara '19 Stowe Milhous '19
Photography
Ethan Surocvik '19
EDITORIAL BOARD All editors Member(s) of Class of ’21 -TBAMember(s) of Diversity Club -TBA-
ADVISER
Ms. Kate Plows
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Everything you need to know about Senior Assassin
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Local burglary results in security precautions Malvern restricted students’ movement around campus while suspect in gun store burglary was reported at large.
With some students waking up as early as 5:30 in the morning to eliminate their targets, Senior Assassin is clearly a competitive game. Gavin Kane ’21 CONTRIBUTOR magine it’s 8:00 p.m. on a Friday night. You and your family are sitting in your living room watching a movie. You look out your window and you see a figure creeping through your lawn. For many, the police would instantly be called; however, for someone playing Senior Assassin, this would mean that their opponent was trying to eliminate them. In the month of May, most of the seniors at Malvern Prep gather to play Senior Assassin, a game that is based off squirting an opponent with a water gun, to make some final lasting memories as seniors. “So at the beginning everyone gets a target, you have a certain amount of time to get your target,” senior Tim McLaughlin said. “You’re not allowed to get them on campus or when they are in their car, or when they are in their house, unless someone who lives in the house lets you in.” The goal of the game is to squirt your target with a water gun, or “eliminate your target.”
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Alex Haylock ’19 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF n early morning burglary at Chester County Outdoors on Lancaster Avenue on Tuesday, May 15 resulted in some Chester County schools, including Malvern Prep, taking security precautions. CBSPhilly reported that the burglary happened at around 5:11 a.m. According to 6ABC, two suspects were arrested. East Whiteland Township police apprehended one suspect, but another suspect was still at large as the school day began. Malvern Prep responded with a restrictive movement protocol, according to an email sent to students and parents after the incident. The school also stationed a security person at one door in each building for students to enter and exit, according to the email. Some students found themselves locked out of their regular entrances before they could reach their homerooms. Students weren’t officially notified until the campus update email was released. At around 9:10 a.m., Dean of Students Mr. Tim Dougherty announced over the loudspeakers that students would not be able to leave their current locations at the end of first period, and that all students would stay there for the
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ELIMINATED • Max McCool eliminates fellow senior Danny Garrity at Chipotle. / S. SALLE
“You have to get them with a water gun, and get a video, or a picture, or someone has to be there to witness it,” McLaughlin said. Getting squirted by another senior isn’t the only way to be eliminated. If a senior doesn’t eliminate their target within the time limit, they are automatically eliminated from the game. Tim first-hand experienced the time limit rule when he was eliminated from the game. > PAGE 14
duration of Community Time. Before the end of first period, the second suspect was apprehended. At around 9:15 Dougherty announced that students were allowed to move freely around the campus. All of the doors to buildings were unlocked. Police stated that two suspects, Shane Wolf, 23, of Downingtown and Daniel O'Brien, 22, of Malvern, were taken into custody. CBSPhilly reported that police recovered 24 guns from the two suspects. East Whiteland Township Police tweeted a press release describing the burglary, stating that the two subjects are believed to be the only ones involved and that the incident is being investigated. Many Malvern students were aware about the burglary before Malvern began to take precautions, either by hearing about or seeing the incident on their way into school, or through social media posts from other schools. “We have been made aware of a robbery at a local gun store and are taking extra precautions here on campus for safety,” a 9 a.m. tweet from Villa Maria Academy stated. ◊
John McGlinn, P ’14, ’16, ’18 to give 2018 graduation speech Malvern parent and trustee will speak at his last Malvern graduation as a parent. Joe Lister ’21 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR ven before Mr. John McGlinn finalized his speech for the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2018, he had a gist of what he wanted to say. “It’s still coming together, and I don’t plan to relate to many platitudes,” he said. “[I’ll say] what I wish MR. JOHN someone would’ve told me when I was that age and graduating from high school.” McGlinn grew up in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, which is near Reading, about an hour from Malvern. He went to high school at Holy Name School and the Hill School, eventually going to the University of Notre Dame for college and the University of North Carolina for graduate school. He came back to the area and sent his sons to Malvern Prep. His sons Dan ’14 and Tait ’16 have continued on to Notre Dame, his third son John ’18 will attend Cornell University in the fall, and his daughter Kelly will attend the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur as a freshman next year.
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McGlinn served as Vice Chairman of the Malvern Prep Board of Trustees in 2017-2018, and will serve as Chairman of the Board beginning in 2018-2019. He currently works as an investor at Archbrook Capital Manager where he is a founding partner. He also serves on the Board of Alexin LLC, TrayPak Corporation, and Argus Event Staffing MCGLINN LLC. He said he first began talks with Malvern about being the graduation speaker earlier this year. “Fr. Reilly and I started talking about it in February when it was becoming clear that I may be the next Chair of the Board of Trustees, and we agreed that it was probably a good idea,” McGlinn said. However, it wasn’t until a little later that he became the official speaker. According to McGlinn, he felt nervous. “Like any person, I was immediately stressed out. It was intimidating, but I was also very honored,” he said. “It’s a neat thing to think about, I had a lot of fun thinking about what I’m going to say, and how I’ll present things.”
Malvern selected him for a few reasons, he said. “When Fr. Reilly and I first talked about it, we thought it we be a good idea to introduce me as the Chair of the Board,” he said. “But, also I have a son graduating, I know a lot of boys in that class, some very well, and I’ve known several since they were young.” In addition to his personal connections to many of the seniors and his new role, his love for Malvern also played a role in his selection. “Frankly I love Malvern, I love its mission,” he said. Overall, McGlinn is excited for the opportunity to speak, especially because of his love for Malvern. “I come from a Notre Dame family, and from the first time we pulled on this campus eleven years ago… [I thought] the similarities between Malvern and Notre Dame are really strong,” he said. “[They have] strong academics, strong athletics, and strong spirituality. And that’s had a huge impact on our family. I’m honored to be able to give back to this place.” ◊
NEWS IN BRIEF New dress code changes announced • On May 23, Assistant Head for Student Leadership Mr. Ron Algeo announced to the student body that the fall and spring dress code will remain the same, but the winter dress code will become more formal with the return of jackets and ties. A new twist on the formal dress code will be the introduction of class ties. Design for the ties were voted on by students during a schoolwide assembly. Colors for each class tie will be chosen at a later date not yet disclosed. Seniors will get to wear any tie of their choosing, but all other classes must wear a certain color that has yet to be selected for each class. Middle School Summit Trip canceled • Eighth grade students
who planned to attend an end-ofyear Summit Trip to Nicaragua will now have to find another destination. The trip was canceled due to violent protests in the region. Other trips include a service trip to Costa Rica. a trip to New Hampshire to learn about wildlife and geology, a week and a half long trip to Spain to experience culture, and a trip to Delaware to go to the Delaware Nature Society to learn about wildlife and learn how food is grown. St u de nt Cou nc i l o f f ice r s elected • Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors elected their Student Council Class Officers for the 20182019 school year. Class of 2019: Dan King, Joey Koch, Ryan Marine, Stowe Milhous
Class of 2020: Alex Bull, Colin Dougherty, Colin Hueston, Jerry Yang Class of 2021: Sam Bevevino, Cooper Frankenheimer, Gavin Kane, Adams Shang Malvern Wawa reopens • The Wawa located in the Malvern borough reopened after months of renovation. The renovated Wawa features a brand new restroom. Seniors recognized at tribute • The Malvern community gathered during chapel Monday morning, 5/21, to commemorate the achievements of the class of 2018. Students that were a part of different honor societies spoke on the behalf of the various groups. Senior Harrison Naughton was acknowledged with
an award voted on by the senior class. Four seniors—Chris Hisey, Isaac Salinas, PJ Crane, Louis Margay—were acknowledged for their appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Malvern votes for “Coolest Teacher” • On May 22, Malvern Prep students were encouraged by several emails from teachers and administrators, as well as extra credit points in some classes, to vote for who they thought was the coolest teacher on campus in a 93.3 WMMR contest announced on the Preston and Steve Show. However, no Malvern Prep winner was posted on Preston and Steve website or social media. WMMR did not respond to our request for comment.
Friar Rowing wins at Stotesbury Regatta • During the Stotesbury Regatta, May 19-20, Malvern Rowing took first in the Varsity Heavyweight Quad, winning for the second consecutive year. Senior rowers John McGlinn, Christian Franck, Drew Brady, and Casey Lauder brought home this prestigious win. Head Rowing Coach Craig Hoffman was presented with The Joseph F. Brennan Memorial Coach’s Award. Track Finishes Second at States • Malvern’s track team was runner up in the PAISAA State Championship, and came second in the Inter-Ac. Germantown Academy was declared champion of both. ◊
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Student involvement possible in disciplinary process Idea advocating for more student input regarding discipline or policy changes gaining traction for near future. Ryan Maher ’19 Because of this possibility, Dougherty sees the funcMANAGING EDITOR tion of the advisory committee as helping give suggess heads of their respective departments at tions on policy, or reforms that the school is planning Malvern, the team of Mr. Ron Algeo, Mr. Tim on making. Dougherty, Dr. James Fry, Mr. Kurt Ruch and “More policy and suggestions, handbook revisions, Mr. Paul Simpson are looking into giving senior privilege, schedule changes, all that students the opportunity for leadership and kind of stuff. More like shaping policy than character development within the Malvern enforcing it,” he said. “I think our community. Although the purpose for now is set to guys are ready to The idea of having a student disciplibe helping with policy, Algeo sees potentake on that nary advisory group began to form within tial in the group evolving into more than sense of maturity." the group through brainstorming ways just that. that Malvern students could help and “We want to make sure that we put - Mr. Ron Algeo Assistant Head of School benefit the Malvern community through people in a position to be successful, but for Student Leadership leadership. they also have a responsibility to help this “Between Mr. Simpson and Mr. community grow, learn and improve our Dougherty, they felt as though there could practices,” Algeo said. “I think our guys be some valuable experiences in character development are ready to take on that sense of maturity.” and class leadership through using a disciplinary adviThe set up of the group is also being discussed. The sory committee,” Assistant Head of School for Student amount of people on the committee, what classes will Leadership Mr. Ron Algeo said. be represented, and if the group will work in tandem There are many groups and extracurriculars at with a team of teachers are all factors that are currently Malvern that Algeo sees as opportunities for student being considered. leadership, but he sees a different, more unique poten“Maybe like two seniors, two juniors, one sophotial for the advisory committee. more and one freshman along with academy leaders, “We are not trying to dump these things on groups myself, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Algeo, etc. Still a pretty big that already exist,” he said. “Again, the original premise group, so it would be hard to find time where all of our was how can we provide some leadership opportunities schedules match up to meet occasionally,” Dougherty that are really authentic that maybe we don't have yet.” said. The idea of having students involved in disciplinary The tasks that this committee could possibly be takissues has been implemented in other schools across the ing on are serious, so Dougherty and Algeo both agree country, and even within the Inter-Ac. The Haverford that the students chosen will have to be trustworthy, School and Germantown Academy have similar stu- and mature. dent groups that look at disciplinary and policy issues. “We need to shape the application process, what The Friar’s Lantern first reported on a previous version requirements should look like for the students applying,” of this possibility at Malvern, which previous Head of Dougherty said. School Mr. Christian Talbot as part of a “Character “Number one characteristic is somebody who has and Integrity Task Force,” in 2014. a track record of maturity,” Algeo said. “What I mean “I worked in another school that I saw pieces of by that is if you want to have a positive impact of this this idea,” Algeo said, “but we want to make it work community, there's an element of maturity that's in play for Malvern.” here. You have to be able to listen with an open mind There were a few different proposals on what the and open heart.” groups function will be. A key aspect of this that With all of these things still being considered, there Dougherty is looking into is what type of issues this is a lot of planning left to do. However, the entire team group will have input on. of teachers involved are hopeful and excited for this idea. “The group's purpose is malleable right now,” he On May 21, the Assistant Heads of School Mr. said. Ron Algeo and Mr. Patrick Sillup held an assembly The question is whether the group would be more with the ninth, tenth and eleventh grades, concerning beneficial in helping with policy issues, or discipline alterations to the 2018-2019 school year. During this issues within the student body. A possible complica- meeting, they introduced the creation of the studenttion of having students give input on disciplinary cases led disciplinary policy, which brought the possibility that are more severe, such as plagiarism or cheating, is to the attention of the student body. that the opinions from students on the committee could “Mr. Dougherty will formalize the idea, and once potentially be biased. we have the final proposal what it would look like “There could be a problem with students being there be a communication to the student body early exposed to private stuff, which would be unfair to every- in the fall right when we get back to school. I’m really, one involved. If you have a relationship with the student, really excited to see what happens with this. It could or if the student is a senior and you’re a sophomore… all be awesome for the students and for the Malvern comof these situations could pose problems with the com- munity,” Algeo said. ◊ mittee being swayed a certain way,” Dougherty said.
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Student Council President Billy Carlini is already prepping student events for the next school year Alex Haylock ’19 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF n the top of Carlini’s list for next year is finding a place for the senior lounge. “Obviously, planning on space to get to be an issue, but we have a couple ideas in mind,” Carlini said. “So, we hopefully get a new senior lounge.” Carlini and the rest of student council have been making plans ever since elections and already have clear ideas for the future. “We want that to be that or maybe we're like a house cup type event where each grade gets a point system to [encourage] school spirit,” Carlini said. “We also want to do E-Games with a projector on the side of Duffy.” Student Council even plans on working on these separate from ideas already set in place since Carlini’s election. “We have nothing to do with the actual E-Games league, but it’s what we plan on doing,” Carlini said. “Look out for a video game tournament, that probably will happen. We don't know if we can get stuff like Fortnite, with the guns but look for a video game tournament.” Carlini is also has plans to create a deep connection between the events that Student Council organizes and Friar Nation. Most of his ideas regarding Friar Nation has to do with the student section during Malvern games. “[For] student section themes, we want Friar Nation to be like a big part of Student Council next year, Friar Nation has to be a huge deal,” Carlini said. “Look out for pineapple themes for basketball game and a lab coat theme.” Carlini thinks it’s essential that the student section looks impressive to people outside the student body. “The student section is really important because it reflects your school. You have parents and other pedestrians at games. They’re outside of the school, they’re not coming in on days like family feud, or the days of the dodgeball tournaments. I think the student section is a big key to make Malvern look not only exciting... but to make sure people have fun. People have fun when the student section has fun,” Carlini said. Carlini also wants more student involvement during football games, particularly during halftime. “[For themes] we’ll do like a Mario theme for football game at halftime, we'd have like four freshmen
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dressed up like Mario people do a Mario Kart race,” Carlini said. Carlini’s dream for halftime also extends to basketball games. “The half court shot at the basketball game will be back before halftime, [but] there will be more halftime events at basketball games,” Carlini said. To Carlini, the student section will show the public Malvern’s school spirit. When you’re at a game is when they’re gonna see the Malvern brotherhood. Much like the previous Student Council President, Carlini also hopes to incorporate his own new events into the school year. “Next year, the pep rally, we have some really cool ideas with that maybe like a DJ to make it more like a dance party, or maybe get someone to do something with the lights,” Carlini said. “We also want to do blackout in Dougherty and make a huge mosh pit. That’d be cool.” Carlini hopes that more activities that bring the campus together will be the theme of the year. “I want the events to be more exciting, more stuff like the senior basketball game, that was awesome. Stuff like that is that what next year will be all about,” Carlini said. There also events from previous years that the Student Council plans on bringing into the 2018-2019 school year. “[We’re] definitely keeping the egg toss,” Carlini said. “And we’re also keeping most of the blue and grey games. Jimmy's BBQ will also be back.” However Carlini plans to improve many events that already take place throughout the year. “We want the dodgeball tournament to be better,” Carlini said. “It’s already really cool, but we want to make it even better… We need to we need to have better communication with the school.” Overall, Carlini and the rest of Student Council are working on making sure that every student Malvern gets an experience, but also have a voice on campus. “The long term goal for the whole year is for the new things that we implement to become tradition,” Carlini said. “And to listen to the school and then voice that to the rest of the student council. My job is to listen to the campus, that's pretty much it.” ◊
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Construction comes with growing pains As construction on the Center for Social Impact progresses, difficulties regarding health and class logistics arise. Jack Guardiola ’20, Joe Lister ’21 “Some of my classes are in the LC, and at times that’s as FRIAR LIFE EDITORS distracting as well, depending on the type of class I have set up,” ver the past month, construction workers have been demol- he said. “If I’m trying to instruct, it’s challenging, but if students ishing parts of Carney Hall to make the connection of are working in groups, it’s productive.” Carney and Sullivan Halls possible. The problems in Carney are not limited to noise. Teachers “The process is you do all your rough-ins, you get all your and students have also experienced classroom odors from conelectrical roughed-in, get all your sewers and your storm drains. struction fumes. A lot of that stuff is running between Carney School Nurse Mrs. Catherine McGettigan and Sullivan,” Director of Maintenance Mr. Jeff did not know that there might be these issues Kinney said. when construction started. “We’re trying to stay on the In order to connect Carney and Sullivan “In the last few days, teachers have come to schedule so we Halls with the Center for Social Impact, all of me because of the odor that has been occurring can get the school opened next “that stuff ” must be removed from the ground in some of the classrooms,” she said. September." and moved elsewhere. If any health hazards were to come up, then After everything is out from under the the nurse's office would have to deal with it, - Mr. Jeff Kinney ground, foundation will be laid for the new buildaccording to McGettigan. Director of Maintenance ing. After that, steel structures will be set up. “We would work in conjunction with the con“After all the foundation is done, you’ll start struction company and Mr. Kinney. That’s who to see steel structures going up. That’ll be by August. Before we worked with when we felt that the odor was pretty predomithat, demo work will be done on Sullivan, everything is being nant on the lower level,” McGettigan said. gutted,” Science Teacher and Eleventh Grade Academy Leader With construction ongoing, Malvern ended up taking more Mr. Kevin Quinn said. ”From June 11, it’s 100 percent off-limits precautions to keep classrooms safe. to all Malvern employees and students, it’s a job site.” “We didn’t realize the outside air ventilators were on, so all With progress on the new building, some students might have the air that was outside, which was the exhaust, was coming into to find a new place to park their cars in September. the classroom,” Kinney said. “As soon as we were made aware "There will be a larger area disrupted from the construction. of it, we turned off the outside air ventilators, and that stopped There will be a large part of the parking lot, around 50 spaces the problem.” that'll be taken over by a construction trailer and construction Kinney made sure he was vigilant in taking care of the issue. equipment, but we'll still have full access to Carney Hall,” Board “As soon as we were aware of [the fumes], the nurse came of Trustee member Mr. Kevin Traynor said. Traynor serves as down and checked it out, I came down and checked it out, the Chair of Facilities on the Board. superintendent came and checked it out, and we shut the job According to Traynor, the campus will have up to 50 con- down,” Kinney said. “There was nothing going on until we corstruction workers working on and around the building in the rected the problem, then we started the job back up.” 2018-2019 academic year. In addition to turning off the ventilators, the school has "We will be doing all the interior fit out, meaning building solved problems with fumes in another way. the walls, finishes, electrical, mechanical, inside the building,” “We have a fan at the end of each hallway which is blowTraynor said. ing out into the stairwell, and the stairwell windows are open,” Kinney has heard some complaints from teachers about class- Kinney said. room fumes and noises over the past few weeks with construction. Despite fumes possibly entering the building, Kinney said Math teacher Mr. Kevin Moore began the year in Carney 206. people should not worry. “As far as a hazard, you would have to He now teaches in Tolentine 331 because of construction noise. have long-term exposure to that.” “A student asked a question, and I couldn’t hear him ask the Sullivan Hall was built in 1951, 38 years before asbestos was made question,” he said. illegal, and 27 years before lead-based products were made illegal. From there, the decision was easy for Moore. It took “about “When Sullivan was remodeled back in the 1980s, there was five seconds” to decide to leave Carney. some asbestos left in there that was taken care of,” Kinney said. “My goal is to create the best possible conditions for my stu- “In the day, a lot of pipes were wrapped with asbestos, and all dents,” he said. “I felt that there were areas on campus that could that has been removed.” better suit learning at the time.” Kinney says that any residual asbestos would be taken care Since Moore left his original classroom, he has had a more of by construction. regular teaching experience. However, despite consistency in “Now that we’re gutting the whole building in Sullivan, all classrooms, Moore still has had some problems teaching. that will be exposed, and if there is any left, by law, we’ll take
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that out,” he said. “If there is any left in Sullivan at this point, we’ll have it taken care of while the kids are off campus.” Lead paint will not be a problem either, according to Kinney. “Every time they do a renovation or remodeling job, by state law we have to have certain inspections done. One of them is for asbestos or lead paint abatement,” he said. “For many of these contractors to come on or even to accept this job, there are things that have to be done by the state and there are certain requirements.” Moore understands that these problems are temporary issues with available solutions. “I think it’s a fair thing [for construction] to happen and I believe if we continue to be proactive with planning of where to learn and where to have our classes, we’ll be okay,” Moore said. Finding classroom space is being solved by bringing in additional modular classrooms. Students have seen the new modular classrooms as they are being installed on the far side of O’Neill near the lacrosse wall. According to Quinn, these modular spaces, which will contain six classrooms, are intended to hold the science classes that are typically held in Sullivan. "The students will be able to conduct their science classrooms completely [in the mod spaces],” Traynor said. In addition to moving classrooms, the Learning Commons will be relocated to the current school store space and area outside of it in Stewart Hall, which will have a domino effect on other facilities. “The LC is going to get moved, that’s going to be where the existing bookstore is. The existing bookstore is going to be where the health room is. The health room is where [Mr. Kurt Ruch] was. And [Ruch] has already moved down to the old building where Jay Schiller used to be in the old equipment room,” Kinney said. In a school-wide meeting on May 23, Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick Sillup added that all of Stewart Hall will be open to students for collaborative learning during all periods except third. Sillup also discussed the idea of transforming hallways of Carney into an area of intellectual space, not just a transit area. Possible examples for redesign stated during the meeting included furniture and access to electricity. For Kinney, opening the CSI for Malvern students on time is his primary goal. “We’re trying to stay on the schedule so we can get the school opened next September,” he said. Although the campus may feel some of the strain of a new building on campus, many are hopeful for what is to come. “It’s bittersweet: on one hand we know the spaces we are in right now, we’re not going to see them again. It’s like moving out of a house. But it’s exciting, because we know what’s on the other hand of it,” Quinn said.◊ See week-by-week progress on the Center for Social Impact on Malvern Prep website under "About Us"
Senior Prank brings Life in Color back to Malvern Alex Haylock ’19, Chase Bennett ’19, Ethan Surovcik ’19 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF, PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR n May 11, the seniors’ final day of high school, the class of 2018 decided to take the annual senior prank to the next “level.” At 11:45, the beginning of the third lunch period, the Class of 2018 all gathered at the senior parking lot to prepare and get changed into their all-white clothing, ready to celebrate their last day of school. The seniors began a full-on charge around the ring road in a counterclockwise direction towards the St. Augustine statue. After taking a quick breather, they headed up towards the “Duffy Beach,” the field and stage in front of the Duffy Center. The students began blasting music out of speakers to recreate one of the most beloved events of Malvern students: the annual EDM festival, Life in Color, a concert sprays the crowd with paint during performances. Prior to the prank, some seniors headed into Stewart Hall to create a diversion away from other seniors preparing Duffy Beach for the performance. Once ready, seniors sent the student body flooding outdoors to witness the madness. Students doused themselves in copious amounts of powdered and liquid paints. Senior Des Papariello DJ’d the event, playing Malvern’s favorite songs including “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott. The mini music festival included a classic Malvern mosh pit, crowd surfing, and naturally, raving to Avicii’s “Levels.” “It wasn’t the best,” Dean of Students Tim Dougherty said. “It was a creative one though.” Dougherty confirmed that seniors who participated in the prank did not receive a Saturday detention. ◊
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FRIAR LIFE IN COLOR • Seniors lift fellow classmate above the raving crowd. This years senior prank included Desmond Paperillo '18 as DJ, and a whole lot of colored chalk and paint./ A. HAYLOCK
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Student-centered learning spawns new class at Malvern An idea for a new course has become reality for the 2018-2019 school year. Luke McClatchy ’19 we seriously began to brainstorm exactly how MEDIA & CULTURE EDITOR the actual class would look, and then he paired unior Claudio Chieffo came up with an idea me with Mrs. [Beverly] Gordon and Mr. [John] to introduce a proposal for a new econom- Ostick,” Chieffo said. ics course, Economics of Financial Choices, The original idea for the class has changed and he has seen successful results. over time, and Chieffo is all for it. “It all started after a chapel service. “The idea has gotten a lot better than origiSomebody said that they wanted to be a business nally honestly, and the first thing I thought was major and I was thinking the same thing, but it was going to be a personal economics class. then I thought about what I knew about business But, thanks to the great people I was paired and I said to myself, ‘not much,’” Chieffo said. with, it has become a lot more involved and Taken back by this realization, Chieffo practical,” Chieffo said. decided to take action Economics teacher CLAUDIO CHIEFFO '19 into his own hands. Mr. John Ostick is “Everybody always “Everybody always complains excited to teach new that we don’t have a practical ideas to his students. complains that we don’t business course for personal or have a practical busi“For years now the professional use, so I thought it would be a good idea to imple- idea has been that high ness course for personal ment it." or professional use, so schoolers aren’t exposed I thought it would be a to these ideas enough, good idea to implement it,” Chieffo said. the goal is to make these kids aware of the deciRather than offer it as a J-Term course, sions they will be making later in life.” he said. Chieffo decided a full year course was necessary. Ostick is very impressed with how the idea “Right from the beginning I wanted it to was presented to him for the course. be an elective, because a J-Term course would “This year a few juniors, Claudio Chieffo not be long enough and an independent study being the main one, asked if there was any wouldn’t be enough, I wanted it to be a mass chance there could be a course about their scale class and for everyone at Malvern to take lifelong financial decisions. Mrs. Gordon, Mr. this class,” Chieffo said. Sillup, and I got together and said that was a Chieffo finalized the details and prepared great idea,” he said. to pitch his idea to Malvern. Rather than create an entirely new course “The first thing I did was I went on my com- from scratch, they decided to rewire the current puter and typed up what I thought the course non-AP Economics course. would look like so I would have something to “We took the class that had been around propose,” Chieffo said. “Then I got some feed- for years and restructured it, making it more back from other students about what they would about the financial decisions and such Claudio want out of it and pitched it to my counselor proposed to us, so that is what we are designMrs. [Kelley] Bittner.” ing,” Ostick said. Chieffo also showed his idea to Assistant The class will be open to all Malvern juniors Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick and seniors, according to Ostick. Sillup. “There are no prerequisites, the course is “After I took it to Mr. Sillup that is when not honors or AP level, we will look at those
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financial topics from a project based level,” he Whenever Malvern introduces a new course, said. “The course will also be open to the parents they must send it to the NCAA for approval. and alumni, along with experts in the field, to “One example of this is freshmen used to partner with us in the lessons.” take a course called Ancient Civilizations, but The AP Economics course will not conflict it was changed to Global Perspectives. Since the with the new course. “Students who want to take course title changed, the class had to go through Economics at the highest level, at AP, can still the NCAA again for approval,” Simpson said. take this class as well, I want to make sure there Not all courses Malvern proposes count for is no confusion there,” Ostick said. NCAA credit, however. The course is not merely a financial literacy “There are definitely courses that have class, according to Ostick. “This is a much more been rejected by the NCAA, such as Social project based level with consultants from the Entrepreneurship. It is not an NCAA approved outside talking about their case studies. It is not class,” Simpson said. “That doesn’t matter a financial literacy class, the reason I say that is though, we are not beholden to them. We still financial literacy would not be accepted by the see it as valuable, but we want to make sure a NCAA, they would claim there is not enough student takes the core courses necessary.” academic rigor,” he said. Dean of Faculty Coaching and Development The issue of whether the class would be rec- and social studies teacher Mrs. Beverly Gordon ognized by the NCAA and how students would says the course will be much more aligned with get credits for tak ing current events than previous the course was one that years. Chieffo needed to work “We will be using out“We will be using outside resources, such as guest with faculty to resolve. side resources, such as guest speakers, alumni, local “The whole eligibility speakers, alumni, local busibusinesses, and the Wall and credit process was a nesses, and the Wall Street Street Journal to make it big hoop we had to jump Journal to make it more more connected with the through when this course connected with the real real world." became a reality, but with world,” she said. “There - Mrs. Beverly Gordon our great faculty, I feel we will be topics ranging from Dean of Faculty Coaching and Development got that done pretty eastrade and tariffs to the way ily,” Chieffo said. in which businesses runs at a Director of School micro level, it will deal with Counseling Mr. Paul Simpson said that the a variety of topics.” NCAA has specific guidelines students must The material will be heavily influenced by follow if they wish to participate in Division I current events. or II athletics. “Last year in my economics class I focused a “All Division I and II athletes must go lot on the close connection between economics into the NCAA eligibility center and create an and politics, it was an election year and made account, and answer some questions. They only a lot of sense,” Gordon said. “So look for that look at the core five classes a student is taking or but even more so next year, along with outside has taken, and the student has to meet certain experts.” ◊ standards for their credits,” Simpson said.
Teacher of the Issue: Mr. James Kirchner Spanish IV teacher Mr. James Kirchner has been teaching at Malvern for 23 years. Steve O’Meara ’19 “It's the only thing I am good at, professionally. When I SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR came back from Spain, my first full time job with benefits and ver his time here, Kirchner has been a regular teacher, everything was as a live in counselor for juvenile delinquents. I department head, and the Delco van driver. did that for two different institutions for about a year and a half. Starting at the beginning of this school year, Kirchner I realized that, one, I like helping adolescents, and number two, started to drive the Delco van. I realized the person inside of me who speaks Spanish was dying “I go to Drexeline shopping center every morning around and I desperately needed to do something about that. So I went 6:45. Five families meet me there, five middle schoolers jump back to school to get certified to teach Spanish,” Kirchner said. on the van, I bring them to school, we do our Kirchner went through different stages durthing. Little after 3 o'clock, I drive them home. ing his time here. Their parents are waiting for them at Drexeline. “Malvern is the perfect place to teach. My “Every student I say adios until tomorrow morning, and the 23 years at Malvern have not been the same. I encounter, whether it's in van stays with me,” Kirchner said. I feel like I am in my fourth stage of teaching the classroom Kirchner grew up in Pittsburgh and went overall. The first being public school overall, or outside, I to Central Catholic High School in 1978. At and then at Malvern I am in my third stage,” want to help him to become home, he had nine siblings, six sisters and three Kirchner said. a better young brothers. He was the eighth child. “The first stage was working with giants like man than he was After high school, Kirchner attended Jim Stewart, Fran Kenney, Al Tomaszewski, yesterday." I nd ia na Un iver sit y of Pen ns ylv a n ia , Lida Rosle, learning from them. Second one - Mr. James Kirchner Universidad de Valladolid, and Millersville was I was department chair for six or seven Spanish Teacher University for his Masters degree. years. So I experienced the campus and the Kirchner also lived in Spain for about a year students and my colleagues in a different way. over two different spans of time. And now with the elimination of departments, “The first one was official. I got 21 credits towards my bach- I am no longer a department chair anymore so I have reached elors degree at IUP. The second one I told my parents I was what I consider to be a very good place,” Kirchner said. going over there to visit my friends for a month and I would “Every student I encounter, whether it's in the classroom come back and start the job search, but one month turned into or outside, I want to help him to become a better young man seven months. I taught English, hung out with my friends, and than he was yesterday and the 50 or 60 guys who come into my solidified my love of the language and language skill,” Kirchner classroom on a regular basis, I want to help them speak spansaid. ish better than they did yesterday. Simple. I don't know fancy Teaching Spanish was not Kirchner’s first job. language, I don't know fancy labels, very simple,” Kirchner said.
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Kirchner takes a pride in his students’ success. “As a young man, as a professional, if you're using Spanish out there and you can more than just defend yourself in a conversation, if you can make nice contributions in a conversation, in Spanish, at the college level and beyond as a professional. My goal, even though I never get to hear much about it, I want other people to say, that guy knows what he's doing, that guy can handle himself in a Spanish conversation. That guy can write a paragraph or report in Spanish,” Kirchner said. ◊
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AP testing policies remain mostly consistent for 2018-2019 For now, most current Advanced Placement policies will carry over to the next school year—but the AP U.S. History course ends at Malvern in 2019. Mike Harrington ’19 ASSIGNMENTS EDITOR tudents who are taking three or more APs will still be able to drop the number of tests they take to two in 2018-2019. However, the current AP U.S. History course will not exist after next year. “We have found that in looking at other peer schools they do U.S. history in one year rather than two. When you do this over two years, it limits the type of history you can otherwise have access to because now you are scheduling yourself for a two-year look at U.S. history,” Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick Sillup said. This argument has led the decision to change the U.S. history program from the two year experience it has been to a one year survey course. “Pushing it into one year in sophomore year opens up other histories and more options. So it would look different in that it would shrink to a one year approach as opposed to a two-year approach,” he said. However, this year’s sophomores who have decided to take AP U.S. History will still be able to take the class because they have already taken a one year class featuring the first half of U.S. History. Rising sophomores will be the first ones truly affected. The sole AP U.S. History teacher Mr.
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Bob Colameco found out about this around Christmas. He thinks that there are significant reasons in favor of and against the decision. “We as a department have always tried to figure out what we could do to broaden our course offerings. One of the things to do is to make U.S. history a one year course. That’s what’s called a survey course—beginning to end in one year,” he said. Some problems he pointed out involve preparation for those who want to pursue the possibility of taking the AP test and simply finding a teacher for the course. “On the AP level, we’ve never wanted to do that because we think it’s so much material. It’s also difficult to find someone who’s willing to teach it because it is so much material,” Colameco said. “So they thought the best thing to do might be to just eliminate it. It’s trying to kill two birds with one stone. It would open up the course schedule.” Colameco feels split on the decision to eliminate the course. “I have always been in favor of broadening the course appeal and the course offerings. By the same token, I do think there is a lot of value to the AP history class… To be honest, I have mixed feelings,” he said. However, Colameco is glad that the option for taking the AP test will still be available for those seeking it.
“I think there will be a distinction in the tenth grade survey course between what we are calling a regular course and an advanced course,” he said. “Those students in the advanced course will have the option of meeting with somebody, I suspect me, to practice or get some guidance if they want to take the AP exam. This is because you don’t have to take an AP course to take the AP exam.” While this is the biggest foreseeable change as of now, other changes may be instituted in the future, according to Sillup. In November, The Friar’s Lantern reported that all but five of Malvern’s AP offerings reported 2017 scores that were below the national average. Sillup has been trying to account for student opinion regarding APs. “AP tests are not cheap. If someone is saying ‘I know this university is not going to accept this test, then why do I need to take this external test that I may not be able to use?’ You can counter that and say, well you have worked really hard and earned this right to take it, and hey, you might transfer to a college that might take it so you could always use it,” Sillup said. “That’s been a lot of the source of this—how do we best meet the students needs from a policy perspective?” Sometimes the student might want to take the test, but not feel ready for the AP exam for multiple reasons.
“I went all out on all of them,” junior Anthony Papa said. “The only one I actually did not take was the AP Latin exam because we finished really far behind in material, so I feel like it wouldn't be worth the effort to try and make up all the work when I had the other APs.” Teachers understand the amount of work needed to study. “I think it worked out really well since most of the teachers knew that this is the two weeks for AP, so they kind of backed off a little bit. The only homework I had was AP stuff. The teachers give homework, but it's more optional,” Papa said. AP AB and BC Calculus teacher Mr. Tom Pannulla said sees a difference in student motivation for his AP classes. “Students sign up for APs either for a GPA bump or making their transcript a little better, which is fine and that helps for sure,” Pannulla said. “But if you're going to take the exam and it doesn't matter to you, then kids are just taking it to get out of something they don't have to do.” Pannulla noted that some students may not try on AP exams because their college of choice does not accept AP scores. “But there is always a chance that the immediate school you are going to next year won't be the school you are going to in two years or three years,” he said. ◊
Next year’s shortened J-Term to hold student-run courses Malvern will shorten the length from eight days to five days, and the J-Term will include student-led courses, among other changes. Brian Szipszky ’20 REPORTER ith the first J-Term in the books, the Malvern administration looks for ways to improve its experimental January program. They will focus on increasing student engagement and keeping courses active. In regards to the first year of implementation of J-Term, Assistant Head of School for Academics Mr. Patrick Sillup believes it was an overall success. “I think there were some real positives and highlights from a coursework perspective,” Sillup said. “I think there are things based on direct feedback from students, parents, and faculty that we would do differently… I was happy to have an experience on campus that gave guys access to different grade levels, and different teachers around different topics.” Assistant Head of School for Student Leadership Mr. Ron Algeo also believes the program had a few hits as well as a few misses. “It was far from perfect… I think that’s to be expected,” Algeo said. “That’s something I really applaud Malvern for, where we would like to be able to provide some experiences for you guys that are outside the box, creative, innovative, but at the same time really impactful.” Algeo said that providing these unconventional classes could be problematic during the regular year, so Malvern explored other options. They found their answer in J-Term. “Sometimes, in a traditional school setting, that’s taking a risk. So, we took a risk with this,” Algeo continued.
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Sophomore Jack Jogerst, who took a World War II history class, said he thought J-Term presented a wide range of different classes. “I really liked my own class,” Jogerst said. “I thought there was also a really good diversity in the options you had and the classes you could take.” Algeo believes the positives that were taken from J-Term prove that the program itself was worthwhile and could be improved in the future. “I did hear from students that there were several classes they thought were great, they thought it was awesome,” Algeo said. “And I heard from students that said their classes were not great, they didn’t like them. So, I think those hits make us think there’s a chance we can improve this. It seemed like it was worthwhile, and if we really take a hard, honest look at it, at what worked and what didn’t work, we can recreate as much of that as possible.” Sillup stated that based on student surveys, students viewed morning courses more favorably than afternoon courses, as well as courses that were more hands-on over passive ones. “Students enjoyed the courses more when they were being actively engaged,” Sillup said. “Some of the more not so positive feedback came when say, they saw a film in block one and then another film came up in the afternoon, and maybe it was on a day we showed a film to the whole grade. There was a lot of sit-time.” Algeo thinks one important area for improvement with the J-Term program are connection and engagement with students. “If there are students in classes that they didn’t sign up for, or it was low on their list, that makes that connection really
difficult,” he said. “If we can minimize that as much as possible, I think that would help immediately. And that’s where student leadership comes in.” Students interested in teaching a course may have opportunities to meet with administration in the summer and in the fall leading up to J-Term to sort out the syllabus, coursework, and any other details. “The ideas that a lot of students have are wonderful ideas,” Algeo said. “To allow them the creativity and the authority to come up with those ideas and have a lot of input as to how they implement them will be critical. But we need to give that support and feedback. We can’t say, ‘oh, you have great idea,’ and then come January, ‘are you ready?’” Another major addition to the program includes the shortening from an eight-day program to five days. J-Term is currently scheduled listed from January 3-11 on the 2018-2019 school year calendar. “It was clear the eight days maybe hit a bit of an exhaustion point,” Sillup said. “But at five, I think that would hit the right chord. So, J-Term next year will be just one calendar week.” Algeo is hopeful that J-Term will continue to develop and improve throughout the next couple of years and could eventually include big leaps forward such as classes that take place outside of Malvern and extended J-Term programs. “I think that with success comes a greater desire to expand and improve,” Algeo said. “And if we ever reach that level of success, we would have to be ready for that.” ◊
PUPPY LOVE • Finals are around the corner, so the Social Entrepreneurship Class brought a treat to campus: three dogs and a bunny. During the visit by Wayne-based organization Pals for Life, students were able to pet animals for stress relief and learn about the organization's services from the animal handlers. / A. HAYLOCK, A. WHITE
FRIAR LIFE
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MAY 2018
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PAT KLINGES
St. Joseph's University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? Has to do with the spirit, size, business school, and overall gut feeling. Which other colleges were you looking at? SJU, Delaware, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Penn State. How would you describe your college search? The college process for me was quite exciting. I visited numerous schools and could not wait to start my applications and get going. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? My advice for students entering the college process is stay ahead of all tasks when it comes to typing essays and applications.
BOBBY FISH
St. Joseph's University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? Honestly, the convenience. I chose St. Joe's because my brother is at Drexel now and he is going to be a senior when I am in my first year. I think it offers a lot of opportunities, with it being a business school and having a lot of relations with kids who are going there. It's close, only twenty minutes from my house. Which other colleges were you looking at? I applied to four schools. I got denied by Villanova, wait listed by Delaware, so that left me with St. Joe's and Loyola, which was kind of a reach because I thought it was far. How would you describe your college search? Tedious. I think it had to do with a lot of meeting the expectations of what my parents wanted me to do. But, I think that there is a lot of stress involved that really doesn't have to be applied in the first place. If you know where you are going to go, then that is great, but in the end you do not have to decide right away. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Consider each aspect of what you are looking for in a college... Create a list of questions that you can ask yourself, see if you can put yourself in that situation, and see if you are good for that school.
MIKE HENNIGAN
James Madison University
JACK WALKER
University of Delaware
What was the main reason behind your college choice? When I was going through my college search, I was looking at a lot of the schools that my sister looked at, like Fairfield and Providence. Basically, it came down to Richmond and Providence, and I chose Providence because it is a Catholic school and also because of the size. My sister is up at Fairfield, so I will have her and her house. Which other colleges were you looking at? I applied to Richmond, Lehigh, Providence, Fairfield, and Fordham. I applied to five, which is a little bit on the smaller side, but those were the schools that I visited and I really liked. How would you describe your college search? It was really fun. I enjoyed going on trips with my parents. It was really fun trying to picture myself where I would live the next four years. I didn't really find it stressful. I know some kids were freaking out on the acceptance day. I knew that I had a lot of good options and I would take any of the acceptances that I got. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Don't stress out. Start going on trips early . You are not going to know where you want to go or what you want to do right away, and that's alright. Take a deep breat, take a good look, and say a prayer on it, and you will figure it out.
What was the main reason behind your college choice? You have to find the place that feels right. You are going to go to a lot of colleges and see the campus and everything about it, but you have to have a college that feels right when you are on campus. I went to Providence and I loved the college, loved the campus but it didn't feel right. Which other colleges were you looking at? I looked at Providence, Fairfield, Delaware, Gettysburg, and St. Joe's. How would you describe your college search? It was tough, and it was boring at times because you had to do all of the Common Application stuff, which was kind of annoying. It was fun visiting colleges, seeing the campuses, and all that. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? You have to find the college that fits right for you. If you have any interest, you should start looking and searching colleges online, looking up things about it to see what you want to do in the future and see what colleges are good for you.
WILL HEITMAN
Penn State University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? Delaware was just a good fit for me, I visited there and felt really comfortable on campus. Which other colleges were you looking at? Fairfield, Penn State, and Stanford. How would you describe your college search? It was a rigorous process but a good time, visiting all the schools and visiting past Malvern guys. It was a great experience. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Don't focus too much on other people's opinions and just do what you want to do, do you man. Enjoy the process you only do it once.
COLIN PRICE
Providence University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? It's affordable, it has a lot of outside connections with a big alumni base, and it's also really fun. Which other colleges were you looking at? Clemson, Wisconsin, Delaware. How would you describe your college search? As long as you follow through the steps, it's not that difficult to do. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Follow your heart and go where the wind takes you.
Contributors: Luke McClatchy, Ryan Maher, Garrett Hallinan, Chase Bennett, Alex Haylock, Jack Guardiola, Louis Franzone, Brian Szipszky, Kyle Leonard
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PETER BORGER
Richmond University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? I knew I wanted to run in college. I also wanted to go to a school that had business. I also had to look at the fact that if I didn't run, would I still be happy at the school, which I definitely found at Richmond. Which other colleges were you looking at? Tufts, Bucknell, Duke, Hamilton, Colgate, Wake Forest, Boston College. How would you describe your college search? I was looking to go Early Decision; I knew the statistics for getting into a school make it easier to get in Early Decision because you're binded to go there. When I went [to Richmond] everything kind of clicked on the visit; all the kids were so nice, the campus is sick, the coach is awesome, and the people made it easy. I ended up committing a week after my visit. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? For juniors, do research over the summer of junior year so you have of your stuff ready, because fall of your senior year is the busiest thing. You're going to have so many essays, the Common Application takes a lot of time, your resume. Just be really proactive about, because it'll be there in no time.
What was the main reason behind your college choice? It was the right fit for me, I was recruited there for football and it was just an easy decision. Felt more like home than the other schools I was looking at. Which other colleges were you looking at? Bucknell and Fordham. How would you describe your college search? It's really important to find the school that's right for you, and it's important to know what suits you best. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Keep working hard in school and keep an open mind. One school might pop out of nowhere that you weren't looking at.
ALEX STRIMEL
Catholic University
FRIAR LIFE
MAY 2018
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What was the main reason behind your college choice? I chose to go there because I really like their engineering program, and the people I met, the faculty and the students. Which other colleges were you looking at? Carnegie Mellon, Lehigh, Lafayette, and Bucknell. How would you describe your college search? Kind of fun. Also, tiring because you're always driving to far places. But it's really cool to say, 'wow, I'll be spending my next four years here'. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Rising seniors, just relax and do your best, but don't stress out about it.
NICK VILLANO
Villanova University
What was the main reason behind your college choice? I wanted to go to Emory because it was easy financially, sits on a great location that I kind of feel familiar with, and the feeling on campus is like no other. Which other colleges were you looking at? Nova, Hamilton College, University of Chicago. How would you describe your college search? Stressful. It's just hard trying to put yourself in a college's atomsphere.
DANNY GARRITY Lehigh University
What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? I feel like the essays were the hardest part. The way I got through those was by separating myself from the result and stressing about it the least I could. Trust the counselors, too, they know everything.
What was the main reason behind your college choice? One thing that I really loved about Catholic is that it's right near Washington D.C. I want to major in engineering, and there's tons of opportunities there. Also, Catholic has a huge faith background, and I really love that. I visited the campus, and the people were so nice, and I just thought it was awesome. Which other colleges were you looking at? Vanderbilt, Lehigh. How would you describe your college search? Definitely eye-opening. Going into it, I was really stressed out and overwhelmed. Mr. Roper was my college counselor and he definitely helped me a lot through it. I thought visiting colleges was the coolest thing. We saw all of these amazing campuses, which got me really excited for the next four years of my life. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? For the juniors going into their senior year looking at colleges, be open-minded about what you want do to and where you want to go. For the underclassmen, be especially open-minded about getting involved in stuff here at Malvern. I know it can be the arts, athletics, whatever. Just don't be afraid to get get out of your comfort zone and try new things.
BRENDAN DEVINE
Northwestern University What was the main reason behind your college choice? I chose Northwestern because they wanted me to wrestle there. It's a really good school that I [normally] wouldn't have gotten into. Which other colleges were you looking at? Boston College, Villanova, Penn State. How would you describe your college search? Frustrating until the very end. The whole process is flawed, in the way that you put in all that work just to get into one college. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Don't stress out too much, things will work for everyone.
MARTY PAULINA
University Of Maryland What was the main reason behind your college choice? The campus feel. Which other colleges were you looking at? Penn State, James Madison. How would you describe your college search? Frustrating. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Start the process early, work hard in the start, then slide. Don’t slide early.
PATRICK MCNALLY
University of Alabama
MIKOLAJ FIGURSKI Emory College
What was the main reason behind your college choice? I got the most money there, most scholarships. Which other colleges were you looking at? Auburn, Loyola Maryland, South Carolina. How would you describe your college search? It was okay, kind of annoying at the end because of so much stuff but it wasn't terrible. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Do everythng right away so you don't have to worry about it.
KYLE MURPHY
Valley Forge Military College What was the main reason behind your college choice? I wanted to go into the military. It is close to home and I love the feel there. Which other colleges were you looking at? Gettysburg, Bucknell, and Moravian. How would you describe your college search? It's pretty nerve-racking at first, but once you settle down and go everywhere it is just an enjoyable time. What advice would you give to rising seniors & underclassmen? Get your applications in on time and don't wait until the last second to do them. Keep working in school and keep your grades up, and keep an open mind.â—Š
MAY 2018
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MAY 2018
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OPINION
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MAY 2018
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SENIOR FAREWELLS
GRADUATES OF THE FRIAR'S LANTERN STAFF SHARE SOME MALVERN WISDOM IN THEIR PARTING COLUMNS
Don’t wait
Malvern is a time to expand your comfort zone
Sometimes, you have to cut off your thinking brain and jump in.
It can be easy to stay within your “bubble” while at Malvern, but the moments you step out of that “bubble” are when you learn the most. Trust me.
Dan Malloy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ’17-18 ’ve spent most of my life waiting. Waiting for the right opportunity, the right motivation, or the right words to say. But that “right thing” never comes. I’m a Malvern lifer. I’ve seen three Heads of School, supercookies, and a library where we had real books instead of Chromebooks (shocker). I’ve hustled to gather accolades and experiences in the classroom, in the newsroom, or on the track. I thought after all I’ve accomplished and seen by this point, I’d be a much more fearless, confident person sitting at graduation. But I still feel like the scared little Malvern sixth grader afraid of not reaching my potential, afraid I didn’t do enough, or afraid I’m not ready for what will come next. People who know me would characterize me as a thinker. I often think too much that I walk into walls or lose important items on the regular. But most of the time I’m thinking about my ideal world. The land of the fantasy world can be both good and bad. On one hand, it reminds you of your direction—what kind of friends you want to have, what kind of success you want to have in your school/work, etc—and can motivate you. Venture into your head too much, however, and you lose sight of what is in front of you (figuratively and physically). You also get afraid of messing up that fantasy. I had that fear early on in my Malvern career. I would get so nervous before anything I did, especially in social situations. I wanted to talk to people and show everyone my personality, but I felt like there was something blocking me. It took the help of those around me to help me learn to “jump in” to difficult situations. Joining newspaper my freshman year was a blessing. Barely opening my mouth during the day then sitting down to challenge an administrator on a new policy was definitely a tone-switch. But I had older editors and an adviser to push me to do that. As the years rolled by in high school, the challenges I faced got more complex. Leadership positions, increased academic pressure, and social complexities presented lots of problems. Some of these problems I’ve hit head-on, but others I’ve tried to run away from. I’ve run away when I doubt myself or think something is an impossible hurdle. As Editor-in-Chief, there have been times when I’ve said to myself, “There is literally no way I can do this.” With managing the workload, public speaking in front of the staff, and holding people accountable, I thought I’d never be able to rise to the challenge. So I shied away from my responsibilities at times. The key to anything is momentum. Once you jump in and start doing something, all of your previous conceptions go out the window and your mind goes into overdrive looking for solutions. If you just keep at it for long enough, you’ll hit a groove and forget about all your doubts. I truly found my stride when I stopped making excuses and got to work, even when I had no energy or when I didn’t know what to do. Malvern is a special place because it provides the experiences you need to grow and the necessary support you need to push past your barriers. If you’re struggling, lower your ego and look to those around you. Your family, your trusted teachers, your brothers at Malvern—they can help you pull yourself back up. Life’s too short to wait on getting the things you want. Jump in now, and you won’t regret it. ◊
I
Eric McLaughlin ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ’17-18
“J
oin as many new clubs as possible. Sign up for everything.” Underclassmen at Malvern have heard this piece of advice year after year. I know this because I remember hearing this speech as a freshman and sophomore. While signing up for almost every club at Malvern may have worked for some kids, I do not recommend it. As a freshman, you are worried about getting accustomed to a new school, teachers, and classmates. If you sign up for almost every club Malvern has to offer, you are not going to have the time to reflect on what really interests you. Instead, you might just choose the club that your friends are going to. If your only motivation for doing something is because all your friends are doing it, there really isn’t any point in joining the
club in the first place. The point of this My advice for the underclassmen is to pick one club or activity column is not to tell that is “different” for you or that might push you out of your shell. you that you need to One club, that’s it. join the newspaper. I’m not saying that you have to fall in love with the first club you try, but at least give it a shot. Go to a few meetings and if you It is to tell you don’t like it, try something else. If you put yourself out there and to try something are willing to try new things, odds are you will find something different. you’re passionate for. When I came to Malvern, I had no idea what was going to be my “thing.” In grade school my entire life revolved around sports. Whatever time of year it was, I was playing some type of sport. And when I wasn’t playing sports, I was watching them on TV. I figured that I would continue playing multiple sports throughout my four years at Malvern. However, this would not be the case. I decided to sign up for the newspaper because I had always been interested in sports journalism. I used to (and still occasionally do) watch SportsCenter for hours on Saturday mornings. For those who aren’t familiar with SportsCenter, the shows are one hour long and are repeated every hour. So basically, I would watch the same thing over and over again, but I was still fascinated by it. I can also remember reading the Sports Illustrated that came in the mail every week cover to cover. I was captivated by anything that had to do with sports. Still, joining the newspaper at Malvern was definitely a step outside of my comfort zone. I had never written an article before, I had never interviewed someone, and I didn’t know anyone who was already on the staff. It was unlike anything I had done before but I figured I’d give it a shot. I was extremely lucky that the first club that I decided to join was one that I thoroughly enjoyed. Over my four years, I have tried to make the most of opportunities that the newspaper has provided me. I have written everything from feature stories about the crew team to the security protocol on campus to editorials about fraternities in college. I have attended national conventions in Florida, New York, Seattle, and Dallas. > PAGE 15
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OpINION
MAY 2018
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The Comeback Kid
<Witty title with a truism>
It’s like I never left.
Life takes turns that you’d never expect. Embrace them and run with them as fast as you can.
Jack Magargee ’18 BUSINESS MANAGER ’17-18
*
Ms. Plows isn’t making me say any of this. I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t this kid drop out of the Friar’s Lantern? I really loved his fashion reviews, it’s a real shame. And I agree with you on that one. It is a shame that I stepped back and it makes it even worse that it was senior year, when I should’ve been leading. I’m not here to hand out advice, you’ll get enough of that from the other guys but I’m going to tell my story and my thoughts in the hope that some guy who comes after me can find some inspiration. First, I want to address why I made the tough decision to not do any work newspaper work for a while. It was just too much for me this fall. I was overwhelmed. I pushed myself past my limits and one more thing To me, journalism is surely would’ve made me snap. conveying information I don’t know how I did so much in the in a succinct and first semester. I would go from rugby to play appealing way. I gained rehearsal to a college course to go home and an appreciation for this (finally) eat and shower before starting my and a love for it too. work which would keep me up to the small hours of the night. It makes me sick that in And they took me to the spring of senior year I couldn’t even manDisney World and that age half that. I was a victim of the senior made it all worth it. slide. I’m not offering this up as an excuse, because if it is one, it’s a bad one. Why am I saying this? Simple, I don’t want people to repeat my mistakes. Also it’s worth noting that I’m in my bag that this is probably the last column I’ll write. I feel the need to clarify what I see as my mistake. My mistake wasn’t trying to do the most I could—that is something I see as very important and will never regret. It was quitting something that I enjoyed and had done so much for me. If you go back and read the titles of everything I’ve written you’d see some ‘unique’ stuff. That’s because I got to write about the things I care about. Even though the things I cared about were movie trailers and male rompers. I had incredible amounts of fun churning out review after review and pun after pun thinking I was funny. I truly did enjoy my time with this publication. My time here has done more for me than I could have imagined going in. This was not something I saw myself doing going into high school but surely enough, Jack Marchesani forced me to write for him only a month into freshman year and I was hooked. This was the first time I got to show the world my true voice. Over the next four years I got to meet some of my best friends while also learning the artform that is journalism. I use the word artform very intentionally. To me, journalism is conveying information in a succinct and appealing way. I gained an appreciation for this and a love for it too. And they took me to Disney World and that made it all worth it. I know I’m ranting here and I appreciate it if you’ve gotten this far with my erratic thoughts. I just want to write this all down while I’m in a correct mindset. The end of senior year puts your mind all over the place. You get one million anxieties and insecurities about what you’re going to do with the rest of your life. Every little thing gets sentimental towards the end. I heard a friend in the caf say “this is my last first lunch, I’m really gonna miss it.” I’m not as affected as that guy but I am sad about leaving some things behind as I move on. The first thing that hit me was the Choral Concert for the Spring Arts Show. In the middle of one set, I looked up and realized that was the last time I’d perform on the Duffy stage. About two weeks later I played my last game on our home rugby field. After both those incidents, I sat in my car for some time and thought about the best memories I had at each of those places. This is the third wave I’m getting of that senior sadness. I’m truly going to miss this and the countless memories I’ve made through it. After all, this has been a large part of my development into the person I am today. Freshman year I was lost in the spectacle that is the Activities Fair until a voice said “hey FJ, you want a piece of candy?” This came from Jack Marchesani who, as I mentioned, leveraged my desire for some Twizzlers that day into a permanent gig writing for him. For those uninformed, FJ is my old nickname: “Fat Jack.” Seems cruel right? Well, when I was still on the huskier side freshman year, it certainly was. But over the years, as I shed some pounds, the name became ironic and didn’t bother me. If the original FJ knew what he was signing up for four years ago, the candy bribe (probably) wouldn’t have been necessary. I’m not FJ anymore. He probably won’t follow me to college, but I don’t mind leaving his memory in the Duffy Computer Lab because he made that place his home. ◊
Ethan Rowley ’18 MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT ’16-18 ’ve been waiting for this moment for several years. I’ve read this exact same column in at least 14 different ways over the past three years. Seniors that I’d bonded with and formed friendships with, seniors that I’d never really spoken to, and seniors that I knew casually in the newsroom all offered advice with their one opportunity as a member of the staff to write whatever they wanted and have it published. And now that I’m sitting here, it’s way harder than those guys made it seem to offer sage advice to transform the Malvern experiences of younger students from sixth to eleventh grades. OK, maybe that’s a bit of a lofty goal, but that’s all one can hope for with their senior column, right? Something that I’ve always noticed at Malvern, from being a fifth grader shadowing on a cold winter day to sitting in class as a senior in May, is that Malvern is full of wonderful little moments that set it apart from any other school I’ve seen. Those moments come in all varieties from the downright ridiculous to living examples of the brotherhood that we so pride ourselves on. The first of those little moments came on that first day that I’d been on campus, as a scared fifth grader getting the first taste of Malvern. Those moments are also very reflective of the way that I got to Malvern as they’re completely unexpected. See, I never thought I’d ever be here until I was here. A
I
year before I first walked off the bus for my first day of sixth grade, I had no idea that Malvern would be where I’d spend the following seven years. I have no family connection to Malvern, and as someone who went to public school K-5, I had no reason to believe I’d need a new school. I honestly couldn’t have told you what Catholic schools were in the area other than maybe St. Katherine’s and St. Monica’s, the two parishes that I’d belonged to that point in my life. I knew―not just thought, knew―until probably a third of the way through my fifth grade year that I would go all the way through K-12 in the T/E School District and graduate from Conestoga High School. Funny how life doesn’t go to plan, isn’t it? That is, of course, unless you’re my mother. My mother had always wanted me to go to Malvern. I’d learned to swim in the O’Neill pool at an age before I can remember, and my mom would always tell me before I went to Malvern how wonderful the students were, how great the school was, etc. You know, the usual things a mother will say to persuade her son to go to the school she wants. My dad and I, as fathers and sons do when mothers make suggestions that at the time seemed ridiculous at the time, laughed it off. Lo and behold, come fifth grade, I wanted a different schooling environment than what public school could offer me and Malvern was immediately on the list of potential destinations to transfer for middle and high school. So, on that cold winter day, fifth grade me was taken from Mr. McEvoy’s office in Austin Hall by Nate Albergo ’17 to give me a taste of Malvern as a student for the first time. Ironically, on a day which I was known exclusively as “shadow” (as all shadows were), a lightbulb went off after several of these great little moments. I could tell you about how surprised I was by how loud Mr. Wasson was at all times, or how much I loved the history-themed décor of Mr. Chinici’s office, but no, I’ll > PAGE 15
The Illusion of Academia As clichéd as it sounds Malvern isn’t about the classroom. You can Google the derivative of sin(x), but using only a ruler and compass you can’t derive the lasting relationships built at Malvern. Rohan Jhunjhunwala ’18 REPORTER
“I
f you discuss the multiple choice in any way, with anyone, your scores will be cancelled.” Those were the closing words of my high-school academic career, and I’d like to examine them for a second to more broadly examine the difference between knowing facts and learning. Those who know me probably think that this is turning into a college-board rant, and I’ll promise ahead of time that it won’t (in fact I won’t use the word “college”, or “board”). Essentially, I’m trying to analyze some of the misguided values we hold as a society (wholeheartedly including myself). The parting words of wisdom I was given as I finished my AP Latin exam told me to do exactly nothing to reflect on my progress. I shouldn’t talk to anyone, and I should eagerly await my score: a number from 1 to 5 which somehow evaluates not only my year at Malvern, but the sum total of my experiences which make me a person. As a proud graduate of AP Statistics, I’m 100% confident that this mindset makes no sense. The experiences at Malvern mean more than any set of numbers can convey. Coming from someone who spent almost every spare minute obsessing about numbers: whether it was my GPA or a college’s (technically, I didn’t lie earlier, because here, I said “college’s”, but I’ll stop) admittance rate, I’d like to say that this is entirely unhealthy. Please do not follow in my footsteps. Your Malvern experience cannot be distilled to a number, and by chasing perfect numbers, you only lose sight of what really matters. At Malvern you hear this a lot, but I’ll repeat it because I can. I’d like to encourage you to take risks and explore fields far outside of your comfort zone. You can succeed, but it’s very likely you won’t be perfect right out of the gate. That’s OK! Malvern is unique in that it provides an environment which encourage these pursuits. We’re a small, tight-knit community, and while everyone here would love to see you succeed, we’ll always be there to pick you back up if you don’t. I’m more proud of my narrow one-point loss in wrestling than a number of my academic accolades, and my actual proudest accomplishment at Malvern came in the form of my one (and only) win. The student section made that moment truly special, and I might not have won without them. At Malvern, you’re only given four years, but you can fill these years with enough memories to last a lifetime. However, in order to do this you might have to do things you never could see yourself doing. As an introverted nerd, eight years ago if someone told me that I’d come to Malvern, a school with a heavy athletic focus, I’d probably have been confused. If they then told me that during my time there I’d participate in both wrestling and crew, take six language credits, and attend a black-out football game wearing a fluorescent orange jacket, I would laugh and walk away. > PAGE 15
MAY 2018
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Plows leaves after 11 years Ms. Kate Plows is moving on from Malvern Prep after this year, leaving huge shoes to fill. Dan Malloy '18 Eric McLaughlin '18 Alex Haylock '19
She noted that Verdi’s editorial got a lot of attention because it wasn’t all public relations. FORMER EICS ’17-’18, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF “People started picking hen you walk into up the newspaper a little bit D u f f y 118 — a l s o more and reading it a little known as the newsbit more. It just kind of grew paper homeroom—the first from there,” she said. thing you notice is the wall. Plows still had no idea It displays every issue of The that she would eventually be Friar’s Lantern (or Blackfriar putting nearly as much time Chronicle) in chronological into the newspaper as she did order over the past six years. into her full-time job. The second thing you’ll “The turning point for me EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS • Current Editor in Chief Chase Bennett explores the Space Needle in Seattle with Ms. Plows. The Friar's Lantern was in Seattle for notice is probably a bluewith the publication had to be the NHSJC conference in 2017, one of a series of trips to national conventions that haired teacher and adviser, who Plows organized for the staff. / PROVIDED BY K. PLOWS the Fall 2014 JEA Convention has most likely been there since I attended in D.C.,” Plows said. well before 7:30 a.m. “I didn’t know that there was a world of high school journalism Art teacher and Friar’s Lantern adviser Ms. Kate Plows came before that convention. I remember riding in the subway full of to Malvern originally as a ceramics and eighth grade art teacher. high school journalists to the convention who were so excited Since then, she has inspired many students to take up the craft. about their papers and what they were doing. That whole conven“I kind of only took ceramics because of other people's recom- tion made me realize that this was a ‘thing.’” mendations,” junior Claudio Chieffo said. “Then I ended up really At the convention, she was also able to make connections liking it, and I finally took the chance to take it again as a junior.” with people outside of the Malvern community who were willing Chieffo thinks that it’s Plows’ teaching methods that have to help in any way. When she returned from the trip, Plows said kids excited for her class. that she was extremely energized to share all of the new styles and “Her patience with teaching all the steps is what really makes techniques that she learned with the rest of the staff. her a good teacher. It can get boring and probably get tedious if “I guess the moral to this particular story is that when you’re you are doing it over and over again, but she never gets annoyed starting to figure out what it is you care about, look for examples with us or anything,” Chieffo said. outside of your bubble,” she said. “A lot of times there a lot more Plows took over advising for the school newspaper six years people who care about that quirky little thing you care about than ago. At the time, she was a ceramics and graphic design teacher what you see here.” with no previous journalism experience. Plows said the impact of The Friar’s Lantern is best measured “When the previous adviser stepped down, I thought the by the growth of the individuals involved. newspaper could be a good way to start showcasing the work of “There are alumni now who look back on their work for this my graphic design students,” Plows said. “I really wasn’t all that newspaper as life-changing for them,” Plows said. “For some interested in journalism.” people, this helped them find their voice. It helped them find English teacher Mr. John Bohannon was the previous adviser. what they were good at, what they cared about, and I hope that He handed her one Editor-in-Chief and four other students will- carries on for a long time.” ing to write and design for the newspaper. Former Editor-In-Chief Tyler Pizzico ’17 said the newspaper “She took a very mediocre publication at best when I had it,” is as great as it is because of Plows. Bohannon said, “and has turned it into a nationally recognized “I graduated Malvern an alumni of two great things: the and awarded newspaper.” school and the Friar’s Lantern. I️ am forever thankful to call her Plows immediately jumped in the role, determined to cre- a mentor, a teacher, and a friend. Wherever she calls home next ate something out of the small staff she had. In one of her first is a lucky place,” Pizzico said. issues as an adviser, the 2012 Editor-In-Chief Tom Verdi wrote Bohannon also sees the self-growth of the students on staff as an editorial claiming why Malvern should not have taken away one of the reasons why the newspaper has become so successful. sugary drinks in the cafeteria. “[Ms. Plows] was able to improve the newspaper by enabling stu“It was the first time in a long time that there had been an dents to lead, to discover, and to realize their full potential,” he said. editorial or a column written at Malvern that was any type of Since Plows became the adviser to the Friar’s Lantern, she has pushback,” Plows said. won several awards as adviser, including the 2017 Pennsylvania Plows said that some previous articles published in the news- State Journalism Teacher of the Year, 2017 National Journalism paper had been written by the communications staff at the school. Education Association Rising Star, and 2018 Special Recognition
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> SENIOR ASSASSIN, 3
“I didn’t get out by the guy who had me, I got out because I didn’t eliminate my target within the time limit,” McLaughlin said. Senior Assassin players took heavy precautions in effort to not get out by the person that was supposed to eliminate them. “So in the mornings before I went out to my car, I had my little brothers look around and make sure no one was hiding,” McLaughlin said. “There were a bunch of people who would drive to their target’s house and get them while they walked to their cars.” About two-thirds of the senior class played Senior Assassin this year, so McLaughlin had to be on the lookout for most of his peers trying to eliminate him. “I think only about 80 kids signed up [for Senior Assassin], and there is about 120 kids in our class,” McLaughlin said. McLaughlin pointed out a few crazy stories from this year’s game of Senior Assassin. “I’m not gonna use names, but I know one kid who drove over a curb to escape their assassin because they had their car blocked in in a parking lot,” McLaughlin said. “This person drove over the curb down a little hill and into another parking lot to get away.”
Upper School Dean of Students Tim Dougherty has been around the Senior Assassin game for awhile now. Dougherty has been able to see many classes play the game over the past years. “It has been a while [since the game has been played at Malvern],” Dougherty said. “I think different years, there have been different popularities of it.” Dougherty noted how each senior class that has played this game has been unique about it. “Sometimes classes are more quiet about it than others,” Dougherty said. Dougherty pointed out that different schools have different rules for the games due to an experience he had in early May. “I only know different schools have different rules because some girls were on campus maybe a month ago, maybe they were here for either the matinee, musical, or the play and they had water guns,” Dougherty said. “They were polite. I said ‘excuse me, you better take those to your car,’ and they said ‘Oh, our school rules say that you can do it at other schools,’ and I told her politely, ‘Well my school rules say that you better put your water gun in your car.’” Being around for a long time as a teacher and Dean of Students, Dougherty has seen it
Adviser from the Dow Jones News Fund. In her job as adviser, Plows helps manage students in getting their stories done, reads every single story, helps design and layout the paper, and also helps manage the website. This is all atop of her primary job as an art teacher, teaching five or six classes each semester and running Cups for Caritas. The ceramics project Cups for Caritas, formerly known as Empty Bowls, raised over $100,000 over the last ten years for Bethesda Project, an organization that helps Philadelphia’s homeless. Many people, including our staff, sometimes wonder how she does it all. “It’s definitely a huge loss for the arts department,” Chieffo said. “I love the newspaper, and I think she has one of the biggest roles in that. And then also, [with] ceramics I just think its sad to see her go when good teachers are so hard to come by.” Chieffo took Ceramics I one as a freshman, but made sure to take Ceramics II as a junior “It’s definitely sad, if anything,” Chieffo said. “Honestly, her charisma makes you want to just keep trying. Even though [class] might be done, you still want to keep going.” For Plows, she does it all because she wants to instill lifelong values into her students. Chieffo has already found values in the form of pottery. “[She taught] the whole idea that something doesn't have to be or look perfect for it actually be worth something or have value,” Chieffo said. Plows gets the most out of all her hard work when she sees that her students have grown not only as students, but also as young men. “I think there is something very powerful that happens in learning when people begin to develop the empathy to tell each others’ stories. You have to listen very closely, you have to reframe and edit and ask clarifying questions. You have to be selfless in a way,” Plows said. “If there is one thing that I want Malvern students to develop more of it is empathy. You guys are wellpositioned to become leaders in our world, but you have to lead with empathy and with an open ear and open heart to get there.” The next time you are on Malvern’s campus, look at the wall in Duffy 118. It is pretty remarkable to see the growth the newspaper has experienced in only six years when looking at the front covers of each issue. Underneath the issues from the past two years, you will see a physical representation of the term “hard work pays off.” In the past few years the newspaper has won many awards from national write-off competition winners to national journalist of the year finalists to a gold rating by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, one of the highest honors in student journalism. None of these would have been possible without the hard work and incredible dedication from Plows. From all of us and the rest of the students you have impacted during your time at Malvern: Thank you, KP. ◊
all. He mentioned something that happened to a non-Malvern student that involved the game Senior Assassin and a run in with the police. “A couple years ago, the [police] chief called and told us a story about a kid from Great Valley or Tredyffrin-East who was trying to shoot his target with his water gun and was outside someone’s window in their bushes,” Dougherty said. “The neighbor called the police and it was dark so the police came and they were yelling around the corner and the student didn’t believe them that they were the police, and they ended up pulling their guns on him.” Brother of Tim McLaughlin, freshman Brendan McLaughlin was highly involved in his brother’s game. He did everything that he could to help his brother win. “One time these two seniors came up to me and asked me for our garage code. They also were trying to bribe me with Wawa for me to let them into our house,” McLaughlin said. Brendan felt really confident in his brother and thought that he was going to place well within the game. “I was feeling pretty good about it because Tim was playing very safe and I would check around our house every time before we would get out of the car when we got home,” he said.
“He would rarely go outside and would lock his basement door too.” The entire McLaughlin family was involved in Tim’s game, and sometimes, they weren’t too happy about it. “They were not too invested in it. They just kind of let it happen. Although they did get annoyed sometimes because they would go ask him to bring the trashcan up or something like that and he would say, ‘No it’s too risky,’ which I don’t blame him for,” Brendan said. McLaughlin was very excited to see the game play out, and he is excited to play it when he is a senior. “I was really excited to see how the game played out and how my brother did. It seems like a really fun experience,” Brendan said. Brendan pointed out how he noticed a stronger bond between some of the seniors through Senior Assassin. “The game’s a real test of who you can trust and who to look out for. I feel like the game brought people together to work towards the common goal, which definitely strengthened the seniors’ bonds,” McLaughlin said. ◊
MAY 2018
Page 15 >Malvern is a time to expand your comfort zone, 12
Most importantly, I have made friendships and bonds with other students on staff that I probably never would have if it weren’t for the newspaper. I have spent countless hours with these people trying to make deadline, editing stories, and scrambling to get last minute pictures for stories. We laugh, struggle, and celebrate together for each and every issue, bringing us closer and closer each month. The newspaper forced me to expand my “bubble” to not only new students at Malvern but also to my understanding of how to write. It forced me to gain confidence in myself as a writer and a leader. I never envisioned myself writing thought provoking editorials and actually enjoying writing them. I never would have seen myself as the senior standing in the front of the room leading the meetings, but now, both of these things seem like second nature to me. The point of this column is not to tell you that you need to join the newspaper. It is to tell you to try something different. Malvern has so much to offer, and you get the most out of it when you push yourself to try something new. In 20 years when I look back on my Malvern experience, I’ll remember my friends and the good times I had with them, but one of the first things I’ll remember is my time spent with the newspaper. The newspaper pushed me to grow as an individual and because of that, it is the most valuable experience I have had at Malvern. ◊
>THE ILLUSION OF ACADEMIA, 13
Today, I still sit here as a nerd. I’ll be entirely honest about it, but each of my experiences outside the classroom have served to slightly round out my personality in a way that I’ll always be grateful for. In the stories that I’ve put together over the years for the newspaper, I’ve had to consider an intersection of two distinct fields: science, and human interaction, the latter generally remains a mystery to me. However, in doing this, I’ve had a chance to escape the frictionless vacuum we work in within the classroom. I’ve had to think about how what I write and develop can affect the community around me. I have a reputation of a “STEM kid”, so I never thought I’d say this, but there’s only one lesson that needs to be taken from Malvern, and that is a lesson in humanity. As a student who is not of a Catholic background, what a Catholic education has given me is a set of remarkably varied influences which has allowed me to consider how I can better interact with others and use these interactions not only to develop meaningful experiences for myself but also use these experiences help drive me to become a small part of a better tomorrow. I’m known to ramble, so I’ll keep my point brief. Entertain me for a second, and put down the textbooks and calculators. Now, take a second to picture a moment in your Malvern career when you were truly proud. Let’s be honest, if you really think about it, the moment you’re thinking about probably isn’t academic. It might not be a moment in a classroom or even on Malvern’s campus. Ten, 15 or 20 years down the road, all you’ll have is a collection of moments. I’d like to urge you to maximize the value of these moments, by sharing them with fellow, students, friends and ultimately brothers. ◊
><Witty title with a truism>, 13
tell you about the silliest and dumbest of all the moments from that day. During a lunch or break period Nate was giving me the speed tour of all the important buildings on campus, and as we walked out of Sullivan’s front door and turned right, I saw the most ridiculous thing I’d ever seen on any school grounds in my 11 years on Earth. I saw a student swinging around a block of ice the size of his torso with his tie. Is there any deeper meaning that you should draw from that specific story? No. It’s just as funny and dumb as it sounds, but that’s the point. That’s one of the perfect varieties of Malvern’s little moments that I love so much about this place. It’s absolutely ridiculous, and it’s a completely pedestrian moment that would otherwise be forgotten yet always brings a smile to my face, even seven years later. But most importantly, those moments are always unexpected. They’re not scripted, they’re never planned, they’re unique and they just happen. These moments, like most of my greatest experiences at Malvern, came from nowhere. If you told me on that cold day seven years ago about half of the things that I’d wind up doing by the time I graduated, I’d have been shocked. My parents got me to do stage crew as a sixth grader as a way to give me an activity to do in the winter other than just coming home and sitting around. Seven years later I’ve stage crewed 14 shows with MTS and they’ve all been an absolute blast. I joined the staff of this publication as a freshman after two juniors sitting in the row of seats behind me in the computer lab asked me if I wanted to be part of this. I’d never even thought remotely of ever being part of anything relating to journalism before.. Taking Graphic Design my sophomore year put me on the track to be a two-year editor responsible overseeing the layout and design of a
newspaper; when I first signed up for the class I thought at most I’d learn how to make some OK art and funny memes in Photoshop. What’s the point I’m trying to make? I’ve been asking myself the same question for the duration of the time that I’ve been writing this. There’s a lot to share, and one column isn’t nearly enough for any one person to impart all of their wisdom and ideas onto a reader. But I think the salient point here is that Malvern will present you with tons of unexpected and surprising things, and that you should cherish and take advantage of all of them. The best things that have ever happened to me here have been completely unforeseen. In fact, my very existence here was completely unexpected. Most of my favorite memories here are small things that just happened in the course of a day. One of my mistakes here was at times getting too focused or stressed over school work and forgetting to enjoy everything else going on around me here. I probably missed more than a few open doors as well along the way because of that. Don’t try to plan your time here. If you do, you’ll lose perspective of everything you have around you, and you might miss an opportunity that could totally change your time here for the better. I’m not a very spontaneous person by nature, and even I’ve realized the importance of never shoehorning yourself into any one thing at this place. But most importantly, make sure to enjoy it while it lasts. In his column last year, former EIC Tyler Pizzico had a line that really resonated with me, “Life is too short. Period.” Your time here especially is too short. Make the most of it while you can, those of us on the way out are jealous of all of you who get to stick around. ◊
SPORTS
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MAY 2018
Page 16
TWO FRIARS, TWO BASEBALL PLAYERS,
ONE DESTINATION
Seniors Billy Corcoran and Brady Devereux will be taking their baseball talents to the University of Pittsburgh. Garrett Hallinan ’19, Kyle Leonard ’19 SPORTS EDITORS ith a few weeks left in their Malvern baseball careers, seniors Billy Corcoran and Brady Devereux are hoping to make the most out of them. After reclaiming the Inter-Ac Championship in a victory over Springside Chestnut Hill on May 8, they have one remaining goal: win the state championship. After suffering a couple tough early losses, including Inter-Ac rivals Episcopal Academy and Germantown Academy, the team has been on a tear as of late, winning ten straight games. During this run, Devereux has seen a lot of development from each member of the Malvern baseball program. “I think we are doing pretty well as a team,” Devereux said. “We have definitely stepped up with some of the younger guys, and a lot of the younger guys have grown into the program and the Malvern baseball culture.” Corcoran, who was recently named MVP of the All-Inter-Ac Baseball Team, acknowledged the team’s early struggles, but has watched the team turn things completely around. “The first part of the season wasn’t the best but we really picked it up,” Corcoran said. “We are on a roll, and I think things are going well.” This year, the varsity baseball team’s core values are selflessness, energy, and excellence. Corcoran believes they have been the keys to the team’s success. “We have tried to emphasize those this year and I think most of our players do have those core values,” Corcoran said. “I am going to try to carry them with me for as long as I play baseball and even out of baseball. They are good things to have even when you are not on the field.” "I THINK Among the three, Devereux chose which one SELFLESSNESS IS he values the most. PROBABLY THE “I think selflessness is probably the bigger thing BIGGER THING THAT I TAKE that I take away that the coaches have really drilled AWAY THAT THE in me. I think that is one of the most important COACHES HAVE parts of being a good person, being able to put REALLY DRILLED other people in front of yourself,” Devereux said. IN ME." Next year, the University of Pittsburgh and its baseball program awaits the two seniors. However, - Brady Devereux '18 they took two very different paths to their commitment. Corcoran committed to play for the Panthers during his sophomore year. Devereux, who initially committed to play at Wake Forest University, flipped his commitment to Pitt before his senior season. Both Corcoran and Devereux appreciate the coaching staff at Pittsburgh and cite it as a major reason why they chose Pitt over other schools that were interested in them. “They are texting us every week or two to see how we are doing,” Devereux said. “I think that is really important and it is also special because you know that they care about you and they want you on campus.” Corcoran saw promise not just in the coaching staff, but in the Pitt baseball program in "COACH general. HILLIARD “When I committed there, they weren’t that EXPECTS THE good. They had just joined the ACC and they BEST OUT OF didn’t have the best record,” Corcoran said. “But YOU AND THAT now, they are getting better recruits and are 8 IS WHAT YOU games above 500 right now. They are doing well.” SHOULD EXPECT Corcoran and Devereux appreciate all that WHEN YOU GO Friars Head Coach Fred Hilliard has done for TO COLLEGE." them over the years. He has had a big influence on their baseball careers and their lives outside - Billy Corcoran '18 the diamond. “He wants to know everything, and he doesn’t just want to be coach,” Devereux said. “He is a part of your life.” Corcoran drew similarities between the coaching staffs of Malvern and Pitt. “I think Malvern coaches run their ship pretty close to college baseball,” Corcoran said. “I definitely see accountability in both staffs. Coach Hilliard expects the best out of you and that is what you should expect when you go to college.” Hilliard speaks very highly of these four year veterans, especially the way they go about they work at their craft. “Both of them are fierce competitors and good guys who work hard on and off the field,” Hilliard said. Hilliard also believes that Devereux and Corcoran have set the example for the program and for future Friar ballplayers. “I think that the work ethic and the example they have set for the guys younger them is something that will carry over in years to come as they graduate because that has become the way to do things,” Hilliard said. ◊
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A. HAYLOCK, R. MAHER
Page 17
Athlete of the Issue:
Quinn McCahon ’18
SPORTS
MAY 2018
S
Baseball clinches Inter-Ac championship Varsity baseball added to an already impressive season.
McCahon has made a tremendous impact on Malvern athletics and is grateful for everything that he has learned. Garrett Hallinan ’19 SPORTS EDITOR hroughout his years at Malvern, senior Quinn McCahon has been a great contributor to the lacrosse, football, and basketball teams. With amazing athletic abilities and strong leadership skills, McCahon is the type of player any coach would want on their team. “[McCahon] is a really good person,” teammate Billy Carlini said. “He is down to earth, and he is a leader. Physically, he carries himself well, and kids seem to follow him.” McCahon, who has been on the varsity lacrosse team since his freshman year, was elected captain by his teammates for his final season. QUINN MCCAHON '18 • G. HALLINAN “[McCahon] won’t just be talking the whole time, but he will lead by example,” Carlini said. “He will practice what he preaches. A lot of times the best captains are not the best players, but in this case he is one of our best players and best captains.” McCahon’s versatility sets him apart from other lacrosse players his age. “He can do all of the above,” Head Coach John McEvoy said. “He can play offense and defense, get loose balls, and he has a good feel for the plan.” In addition to being an all around player, McCahon can be depended upon during the toughest times. “Every time you are doing bad you can give the ball to Quinn,” Carlini said. “He is smart too, so athletics aside he is a high IQ lacrosse player.” McCahon enjoys competing alongside his fellow Friars. “The kids at Malvern are your brothers for life,” McCahon said. “Being able to battle on the sports field with them is definitely a special feeling.” McCahon cares for all the players who came before him and the ones who are to come. “In general, wearing the Friars on your chest represents not only yourself but everyone who has come before you and worn that jersey,” McCahon said. “It is a pretty special feeling every time you put that #20 or #2 jersey on because you remember all of the alumni and all the people that are going to come in the future and wear that jersey.” McCahon’s athletic career at Malvern isn’t quite over. As the number two seed, the Friars earned a bye through the first round of the playoffs. “I have gone three years now in lacrosse without winning an Inter-Ac,” McCahon said. “Hopefully come May 21, we will have an Inter-Ac Championship.” Win or lose, McCahon knows what is most important, and that is having the right mindset. “Being able to play a sport at Malvern has taught me to be determined and relentless in everything,” McCahon said. “It [playing a sport for Malvern] teaches you to be a great overall person because you always have Christ incorporated with sports, whether you are praying before or going to mass. You have the core values that Malvern teaches you, and you are always a good sport.” McEvoy appreciates how McCahon has handled himself over the years. “I think he is a ‘do the right thing’ kind of kid. I am proud of him and how he represents our school.” In realizing that his time at Malvern is coming to a close, McCahon shared some advice for the younger students. “Cherish every moment you have, whether it’s practice or a game,” McCahon said. “Cherish every single moment you have because I remember being a freshman and looking back you see seniors crying because it is their last game. Now, I am that person and I do not have any other sports to play at Malvern. Practice can be a grind and so can games. But, enjoy every moment that you have.” McCahon will miss wearing the Friar jersey but knows that all good things must come to an end. “Being able to play all the sports at Malvern has been a blessing,” McCahon said. ◊
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SWINGING IN SUCCESS • Charles Andress '19 hits a base hit as fellow Friars watch from the dugout. / A. HAYLOCK
Stowe Milhous ’19 SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR here was plenty of action, dispute, and drama in the baseball team’s thrilling win over Springside Chestnut Hill that clinched the Inter-Ac league title. Overall, Malvern baseball has 24 wins and 7 losses this season (as of May 14). Led by seniors Brady Devereux, Billy Corcoran, J.R. Byrne, Connor Dillon, and Ryan Dillon, the team has had strong performances all year with wins against top teams in the region. “We beat St. Augustine’s down at the Tom Hinkle Tournament, and they are the best team in New Jersey,” Byrne said. “Beating Chestnut Hill for the Inter-Ac was a really tough game, and then we had a good win down in Florida.” After a rocky start to Inter-Ac play, the team was able to rebound well and win its seventh league championship, and its fifth outright championship, in eight seasons. “We started off 1-2, losing to EA and Germantown, which is a really bad start and we thought we had lost the Inter-Ac at that point,” Byrne said. “But everyone [in the Inter-Ac] started the season 2-2 which gave us new life, and now we clinched the Inter-Ac and we’re 7-2.” The league clinching game saw Malvern down 3-0 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. However, the team’s relentless character was put on display, with Lonnie White hitting a two-run home run to give the team life. Then, with the Friars down to their last out, Grant Burgess stepped up to the plate. He was struck out, but was able to reach first on the third strike bouncing in the dirt. Burgess would then steal second base and Connor Dillon would knock Burgess in with a hit up the middle to tie the game at 3 a piece. The game would then go into extra innings. After not letting up a run in the top of the eighth, the Friars went up to bat with Lonnie White coming up clutch yet again. White reached first after being hit by a pitch, then made it all the way home for the winning run after errant pick off attempts. Now on a hot streak, the team looks to continue their high level of competition as they round out the regular season. “Really in these last ten to 15 games we started playing better baseball and it brought the season to be a successful one,” junior Grant Burgess said. “We still have a chance to win 30 games which was one of our goals we set early in the season. We keep playing the way we are, we’ll be good.” The hot streak can be accredited to multiple facets of the team, the first of them being great senior leadership. “The senior leadership has definitely been a big part of [the recent success],” junior Colin Wolfe said. “We have some good leaders and good captains. They’re always coming to the field ready to play, helping kids out who are younger, and keeping the program’s culture. Just good leadership this year.” Two seniors specifically, Devereux and Corcoran, have been an inspiration to the team this year. Both seniors will be going on to play at the University of Pittsburgh.
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“We try to learn as much as we can from them [Billy and Brady],” Burgess said. “They’re the ones that talk to the team before the games, and someone’s going to need to fill those shoes next year. Looking at the way they lead in practice and games, not only how they perform on the field but off the field too, where they bring a certain presence, like a mentality.” Not only have Devereux and Corcoran been good leaders for the team, but all the seniors have stepped up in their new roles this year as the ones the younger guys look up to. “It’s been a lot different [being in a leadership role],” Byrne said. “Like you have to make sure underclassmen are always doing their job and make sure they’re buying into the system. It’s been kind of cool to see us grow as a team.” Another characteristic of this team which has helped to bring about success is contributions coming from every player. “[The younger talent] has definitely been one of the big things this year,” Wolfe said. “A couple freshmen coming up playing some good time and playing well, and sophomores also. The underclassmen have been doing really well this year.” With a lot of young talent as well as the strong senior class, many players have had a heavy impact on the team this season. “Chris Newell [junior] and his bat, he’s been doing well and hitting the ball solid,” Burgess said. “Lonnie White as a freshman has been stepping up. He’s had a few really good games with big hits. Jordan Dissin [sophomore] as well, he’s played a good part for us. Connor Dillon, a senior, he gets on base and makes stuff happen, so he’s a good leadoff hitter for us.” With only a few games remaining in the regular season, the team will rely on these contributions and the senior leadership to continue their success in rounding out the regular season and into the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Baseball Tournament in which the Friars have been given the top seed. “We’re just going to look to pursue the private school state championship coming up, and that will be exciting,” Burgess said. “Just taking care of business.” ◊
MAY-JUNE ATHLETICS BASEBALL ** Saturday, 5/26- Semi-Final of PAISSA State Tournament @ the Perkiomen School- 4:00 p.m. ** Saturday, 5/26- PAISSA State Championship @ the Perkiomen School- 7:00 p.m.
RUGBY Friday, 6/1- Sunday, 6/3- CRC 7’s Tournament
SAILING Sunday, 6/3- Regatta @ the Corinthian Yacht Club- 12:00 p.m.
GOOD LUCK FRIARS!
MEDIA & CULTURE
MC
MAY 2018
Page 18
Movie Review: “Avengers: Infinity War” Nineteen movies and 36 hours of film have all lead up to the this movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How does it fare against the rest? Aidan White ’20 REPORTER left my house, to go to a packed theater on the weekend “Avengers: Infinity War” came out. Half of my friends there with me were huge Marvel Fans, and the other half couldn't care less. So, what did everyone think? Well, other than a few minor confusions, my friends who had not seen a ton of Marvel actually liked the movie. They thought it was entertaining for an action movie and that they were excited for the next one. My big Marvel fan friends were blown away on the other hand. My one friend, had his jaw slightly ajar through most of the scenes. He adored every moment, and can hardly wait for the next movie. So, what did I think? I thought it was alright. Some of the scenes were boring to me. Though there were a ton of characters, there was basically an A and a B plot for this movie. One story followed Spider Man and Iron Man, and the other followed Captain America and Vision. I loved the Iron Man/Spider Man parts and it just blows my mind that they kept clipping back to this boring plot about Captain America fighting these forgettable sidekicks. The Iron Man plot was set on this bright and cool looking planet, while Captain America’s was filmed in this boring, colorless, CGI Wakandan battlefield. I truly felt that the film would come to a grinding halt every time the focus shifted towards Captain America. But other than that, the movie was pretty jam packed. Because they had to fit so much into this one movie, it moved at a fast pace. The movie had to move to the next part very quickly, but for this kind of film, it works. The fast pace gives the feeling that the heroes of the story have limited time, and that they were really fighting against the clock. Usually in these movies, the action feels fake. It is usually just one big superhero fighting hordes of faceless enemies. Though this was definitely true for some parts of the movie, more specifically the Captain America parts. I also felt that the fight scenes had more interesting choreography that movies in the past. For the first time in a long time, I am actually excited for the second part in a two part movie. I would not call this movie a masterpiece, but for what I was expecting, “Avengers: Infinity War” actually blew me away. ◊
NECTAR brings NYC feel to Main Line The nice spice offsets the price.
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Chris Ayres '21, Chase Bennett '19 hile Avengers: Infinity War might have been one of the most anticipated movies ever, this summer still brings multiple promising movies, including two more from Marvel. In addition, the next standalone Star Wars movie, centered around young Han Solo, comes out at the end
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of May, and June will feature sequels to both Incredibles and Jurassic World. This summer will also bring smaller films, such as Crazy Rich Asians and Uncle Drew. After receiving responses from 90 upper school students, it's clear that Deadpool 2 is the most anticipated movie around Malvern, which is not surprising given the success of the original. ◊
LOVE IN COOKING • NECTAR provides cuisine that will satisfy any occasion. / E. ROWLEY
Ethan Surovcik ’19 CONTRIBUTOR ocated right outside of downtown Devon, NECTAR has always been one of my favorite restaurants. The level of quality and service they offer has always impressed me, and it’s pretty much the closest you'll get to a “high society NYC spot” on the Main Line. The food is always spectacular, and little touches like complimentary valet parking make the experience one to remember. While the prices may be a bit much, this is the perfect place for a date or a special occasion. NECTAR’s mission statement is a quote by the Dalai Lama, “Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon,” and I think they deliver on that in every respect. The Vibe: NECTAR basically feels like a refined NYC spot (very similar to the celebrity cult favorite Nobu), but on the Main Line. You know this place is going to be a treat when you first pull into the parking lot and are greeted by the always friendly valet staff. If you like cars, their parking lot always seems to be loaded with dozens of Audis, Range Rovers, Benz’s with a few Bentleys and Ferrari’s sprinkled in the mix. The special feeling doesn't disappear once you enter, as the high ceilings and imposing buddha artwork seem to enhance the vibe. Another notable aspect is the music they play, as it always has a trendy club vibe. On one visit, my friend Will West ’19 said, “This is like Malvern Dance music.” No matter what area you sit in, you feel pampered. The outdoor seating is especially nice on a summer night. Overall, I always love the atmosphere at NECTAR, and it’s one of the main parts that keeps me coming back. The Food: The best part about NECTAR is the food. They have an Asian fusion cuisine with inspiration from traditional French cuisine, and that odd blend works perfectly. While the portions can seem a bit small, the flavor of pretty much never disappoints. Starting with sushi, I had the Avocado roll, Spicy Crunchy Tuna roll and Seared Tuna roll. The sushi menu offers all of the typical sushi favorites, but where it gets interesting is the specialty roll section. The Seared Tuna roll is from that menu, and the blend of sesame seed coated tuna, and sweet eel sauce is delectable. Another starter that you have to try is the Pork Dumplings. They use a special shiitake sauce that gives them a very subtle salty taste. Moving on to entrees, I shared the Nectar Lo Mein, Chicken Pad Thai and Chinese Sausage Fried Rice with three people. The Chinese Sausage Rice was very different from a typical fried rice, with little bits of bacon mixed into the rice that made it so savory. The Chicken Pad Thai was super salty and savory, and I loved every bite of it. The Nectar Lo Mein was very good, but didn't really offer anything special compared to a typical Lo Mein dish. For dessert we enjoyed the Warm Cinnamon Waff le and the Mini Doughnuts. The Waffle had a Pan-Asian sweet sauce on it, and is truly one of the most memorable desserts I can remember. This is worth the trip alone. The Mini Doughnuts are a NECTAR take on Dunkin Donuts munchkins, with delectable sauces on the side. These are super fun, and are great without the side sauces. Overall, everything I have tried here has been amazing and has never let me down. In Closing: The only complaint I have about NECTAR is the price. As you might have guessed from my opening paragraph, this place is not a bargain in any respect. A group of three people can expect to spend around $200 on one meal here. For most people, that is outrageous and seems very overpriced. But there's something special here, a vibe that promises to give you a memorable experience, and food that matches the price. While NECTAR may seem like a pretentious place only for wealthy foodies, I find it to be worth every cent. This is truly the best place to have any special occasion, as NECTAR’s culinary panache fades into the background as you and your friends enjoy a night out. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. ◊
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MEDIA & CULTURE
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Day 7
Day 8
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MAY 2018
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2018-19 Upper School Schedule > NEW SCHEDULE, 1
“It will be tough to do because we believe in the community experience so I don’t see that being possible,” Sillup said. “With the chapel start, I don’t see how the two can coexist right now in those ways.” During an assembly on May 23, Head of School Fr. Don Reilly O.S.A. announced to the student body that the administration is willing to talk about a replacement policy for senior privilege. Reilly acknowledged that there should be something to acknowledge the senior class but has not yet figured out what it will be. Members of the junior class who will be seniors next year have expressed their views about the removal of the policy. “I think chapel everyday next year isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I just think it’s kind of out of the way,” junior Connor Cary said. “I just think it’s unfair for seniors because [Malvern is] going to take away the senior privilege that we have been waiting for since we were freshmen.” Some believe that the time used in chapel is unnecessary and would prefer for their privilege to return. “I don’t think we should have chapel in the morning every single day next year because I want to come in late during my opens,” junior Ryan Mills said. “We get enough break during the day anyways, we don’t need more in the morning.” “I think the quiet time in the morning is a good idea, good concept, but I don’t think we need it everyday,” junior Trevor Henderson said. “We could maybe do it on Wednesdays when we have Mass so we could be prepared and focused for the day.” Although he offered different ideas for the chapel, Henderson is still not fond of the idea. “As a senior, I’m not really a fan because it takes away from our privilege because [the chapel] is mandatory,” Henderson said. “I think it’s unfair because we have been waiting all these years and now it’s being taken away from us.” Despite student concerns about the schedule change, Poce anticipates that morning chapel may help students to focus on the school’s Augustinian values. “There’s definitely going to be a teaching aspect such as mindfulness, learning how to be in the present and not in the past or future,” Poce said. “We want to help students develop a skill set that’s very Augustinian, looking within yourself and being present with God.” ◊
REGULAR
ACTIVITIES
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
HR
8:15- 8:25 10 min
8:15- 8:25 10 min
HOMEROOM
CH
8:25- 8:45 20 min
8:25- 9:15 50 min
CHAPEL/MASS/ASSEMBLY
Pd 1
8:45 -9:45 60 min
9:15- 10:15 60 min
CT
9:45- 10:15 30 min
0 min
Pd 2
10:15-11:15 10:15- 11:15 60 min 60 min
2
11:15-11:50 11:15- 11:50 35 min 35 min
LUNCH
1
Pd 4
3
8
5
Community Time
11:50-12:20 11:50- 12:20 Pd 3 & Lunch
6
7
4
1
LUNCH 8
6 LUNCH
2
LUNCH 4
6
12:20-12:55 12:20- 12:55 35 min 35 min
3
LUNCH
5
LUNCH
7
LUNCH
1
LUNCH
12:55-1:55 12:55- 1:55 60 min 60 min
4
1
6
3
8
5
2
7
1
6
3
8
BREAK
1:55-2:05 10 min
1:55- 2:05 10 min
Pd 5
2:05-3:05 60 min
2:05- 3:05 60 min
BREAK 5
2
7
4
ANOTHER ROUND OF SCHEDULE CHANGES • The 2018-2019 schoolday schedule for Malvern's upper school features a 30 minute Community Time in the morning, a ten-minute break in the afternoon, and daily chapel. The Activities Schedule extends the morning assembly time to 50 minutes and eliminates the morning Community Time. / PROVIDED BY MR. PATRICK SILLUP
Lacrosse wins Inter-Ac Championship • Malvern’s varsity lacrosse team defeated The Haverford School 17-13 to claim the Inter-Ac title on Monday, May 21. The game was held at Cabrini University, and numerous fans could be heard cheering on both sides. The Friars’ victory was their seniors’ first Inter-Ac championship. / S. O'MEARA
MAY 2018
Page 20
Staff
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ith summer right around the corner, you obviously want to stop and think in detail about the past the nine months of school. Lucky for you, our staff has put together a list of highlights throughout the year that you may reflect upon at your leisure. You’re welcome.
August / September
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he first day of school came with some changes to the dress code and the attendance policy in an attempt to unify the upper and middle schools. The new school year also introduced the first Friday Morning Rally, or FMR, a weekly gathering of the whole upper school. Every Friday, freshmen through seniors get together to hear announcements, listen to live music provided by the student body, and one lucky Citizen of the Week gets a donut, a Malvern delicacy. A change to this year’s calendar also came with a change from quarters to semesters. The soccer team returned a couple days late to the start of school due to a trip to Italy. During their nine day trip they played teams from both Italy and Switzerland. Academy leaders introduced the AGE block, where each class would get a chance to talk about grade-wide issues. The Chinese I and II classes returned from a 14 day trip of a three city tour of China. While there, the group visited the Great Wall, the Emperor’s Summer Palace, and tried to figure out how to eat rice with chopsticks. Also the Duffy clocktower got repaired; the time on campus was no longer permanently stuck at 10:57.
October
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alvern inducted Fr. Donald Reilly O.S.A. as the new Head of School in the O'Neill Sports Center, accompanied by a speech that clocked in at around 47 minutes. The event was attended by other local Headmasters, Former Heads of School’s, faculty and staff of Malvern, members of the Board of Trustees, and students from both the Upper and Middle School. Reilly is the fourteenth Head of School to lead Malvern Prep. From October 2 to 13, Malvern students exchanged 20 canned goods for a ticket to the homecoming dance. The #20CANCHALLENGE canned food drive before homecoming gathered almost 3,000 cans—nearly 9,000 servings. The cans went to St. Patrick’s Church in Malvern. Malvern debuted its new mascot Auggie Tolentine at its Spirit Week Pep Rally festivities. The costume was bought after Malvern raised $25,000 at B.A.S.H. last year, $10,000 more than the original goal. In October, The Friar’s Lantern reported on a drop in AP scores at Malvern Prep. 13 out of 18 Malvern AP test averages released from spring of 2017 were lower than the national averages in those tests. “It was not just a drop. It was a bang,” Mr. Robert Colameco said. Malvern athletes joined the pink movement by incorporating the color into their gear and uniforms. Senior water polo player Sean Oates courageously saved an opposing player struck in the head by a shot during a game. He quickly picked him up out of the water and took him to the side of the pool to receive medical attention. “It was Sean’s quick action that I think potentially saved further harm from this kid,” Water Polo Head Coach Mr. Jay Schiller said.
November/December
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TS put on their first fall musical with “Little Shop of Horrors”, a story of how “Audrey 2” took over the world. The first performance updates were released where teachers gave feedback for each student instead of a quarter grade. The tenth anniversary of the fundraiser “Empty Bowls” transitioned to “Cups for Caritas” which shifted the event from a stew dinner to a pancake breakfast featuring ceramic mugs for OJ or coffee. Villa Maria Academy launched their first edition of their newspaper, “The Villa Voice.” The issue was put on stands in December prior to winter break. Our former Editor-in-Chief Eric McLaughlin ’18 tried ketchup for the first time in his life. “The ketchup really did not taste like anything,” McLaughlin said. The Friar’s Lantern explored the necessity of sleep and factors that can affect the quality. Technology, dream water, and even struggling with insomnia are all contributing factors to students losing sleep. The Friar’s Lantern published an article on the campus culture of vaping. With the fad gaining traction on school campuses, students, administration, and local vape shop owners gave their input on the smoking alternative.
January
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ortnite. Here to help us procrastinate, smash our TVs and break our controllers. The game, released in summer of 2017, gained major traction worldwide and naturally Malvern as students began to obsess over the game during the new year.
2018 also brought the announcement of a new building on campus: The Center For Social Impact. The building will soon connect Carney to Sullivan via a glass bridge, and will launch the campus into the 26th century. The long-awaited J-term finally arrived in its red fire truck following Christmas break this January. With its specialized classes and AP institute, J-Term stretched two weeks allowing students to experience new topics before continuing with regular school days. One of the J-Term options included a service trip opportunity for students to travel down to Houston, Texas after Hurricane Harvey to help the
community recover. Student Council took advantage of J-Term and introduced two activities to the student body: bubble soccer and penny wars. Malvern’s decorated swim team brought home the first National Catholic Championship since 2008. Fr. Thom, O.S.A. suffered two strokes, and was brought to Bryn Mawr Rehab to receive treatment and begin his recovery process.
February
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he city of Philadelphia descended into chaos after the Birds caught that dub over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. Students were given the day off on the following Thursday to attend the parade. Malvern held the annual SpeakUp! meeting on campus on February 6. The event was attended by students and parents from Malvern and surrounding schools including Notre Dame, Villa Maria and Devon. Father Reilly hit the road, visiting Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. to visit alumni and talk about Malvern with them. The Friar’s Lantern analyzed data from the Counseling Department which indicated that Malvern’s grades are rapidly inflating.
March
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fter hearing Tim Mitchell give a convincing speech on what you should do if your canoe gets stuck in a tree, the student body decided that the President and Vice President team of Billy Carlini and Jack Boyle would be a better fit for our 2018-19 executive board. The Malvern choir, along with other participants from Malvern, Villa Maria, and Notre Dame, performed the Living Stations of the Cross for the Malvern community. The tradition held right before Easter break, allowed students to reflect on the message of the day. No team gets Malvern more hype than Villanova basketball, and winning the 2018 National Championship was another Philly win that got Malvern out of school for a parade. The Wildcats got the dub by a score of 79-62 against Michigan. It was the school’s second championship in three years and made Philly the first city to win both a Super Bowl and an NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship in the same year. On March 18, Malvern hosted its first ever diversity conference, ST@ MP (Speaking Truth at Malvern Prep), with keynote speaker Darnell L. Moore. The conference consisted of multiple breakout sessions with opportunities for open discussion and plenty of student involvement. After the tragic school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, Malvern held a memorial walk on the month anniversary to remember and celebrate the lives of the victims. Instead of walkouts that occurred at many schools nationwide, students chose to perform a solemn memorial that would keep in line with the school’s Augustinian values. After the memorial walk, there was a moving chapel service in which students read the biographies of the victims.
April
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alvern students unofficially mourned the death of Avicii, the artist who made all the music we love but can’t find the name of the song because there are no lyrics. “Levels” will forever play in our hearts with the dundunduns beating in our heads. RIP brother. The rugby team traveled to Italy, played some of the top competition in the country and enjoyed the authentic, Italian deliciousness. If you ever heard the sound of gears grinding underneath the wrestling mats, then that is the sound of all of the work of the robotics club coming full circle. Malvern finally brought home it’s first Robotics Mid-Atlantic competition win. Schedule changes for the 2018-2019 school year were announced in an email to parents and posted under ‘Resources’ on MyMalvern. The schedule is set to affect major events on the calendar, such as prom, Easter break, graduation, and J-Term. With April also came the Brotherhood Issue, which profiled 24 students who hadn’t previously been covered in The Friar’s Lantern this year. We told the stories of unique people and their perspectives on campus.
May
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ampus has never looked as adorable as when the non-profit organization, Pals for Life, brought three dogs and a bunny to Duffy Center. Students got the opportunity to sit and pet the animals as a chance to de-stress before finals. The community was put on edge when a local gun store was burglarized and put Malvern students at risk. Most doors on campus were locked and students had to stay put until the suspects were caught shortly after first period. The varsity baseball team won the Inter-Ac Championship 7-2. Both senior captains of the team, Brady Devereux and Billy Corcoran are going to University of Pittsburgh for baseball. The 2017-2018 Spring Arts Festival took place on May 3, which showcased all that Duffy has to offer. The event allows graphic design, studio art, ceramic and sculpture students to showcase their artwork to the public. The festival ended with the men’s chorus and band performances at night. At a school assembly for grades 9-11 on May 23, the administration discussed schedule and dress code changes for the 2018-2019 school year, and asked the student body to complete a survey about “class ties” for next year. ◊