The Blackfriar Chronicle - November/December 2015 by The Friar's Lantern

CHASTITY & CONTROVERSY Our staff reflects on some favorite holiday traditions. > PAGES 14-15

November / December 2015

Alumnus and current student weigh in on postponement of presentation by Catholic speaker Jason Evert. > PAGE 16

What do ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth’ and ‘Edge of Glory’ have in common?

NEW CHRISTMAS PARTNERSHIP

Christian Service celebrated with St. Patrick’s Parish in Norristown, replacing the Best Nest organization.

> PAGE 12

> PAGE 5, Photos 8

Malvern Preparatory School . 418 South Warren Avenue . Malvern, PA 19355

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 3

Malvern and Notre Dame sing for Make-A-Wish Foundation For the third year, Malvern’s Men’s Chorus and Notre Dame’s Women’s Chorale met at LOVE Park in Philadelphia to sing a few Christmas tunes and raise money for the MakeA-Wish Foundation Michael Harrington ’19 REPORTER t the center of a Christmas Village in Philadelphia's Love Park, surrounded by shops and food vendors, Christmas carols echoed on a Saturday afternoon. Singers from Malvern Prep's Men's Chorus and Notre Dame Women's Chorale prepared for their noon performance to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 nonprofit organization founded in the United States that grants the wishes of children with lifethreatening illnesses, according to their website. “The first year we didn't really know what to expect and every year it has gotten better and better - more organized, more people, more crowd, better facility,” Malvern’s Choral Director Mr. Ed Liga said. “It's become a really great way to start off the Christmas season.” Senior Michael Gormley has performed in the concert for two years now, and he loves being able to perform at a venue like LOVE Park. “It's a great opportunity to go out into the city and sing in front of hundreds of random people,” Gormley said. “If I wasn't involved in men’s chorus, I would want to come and see it because we sound really good and it's just a great opportunity.” All of the members of Malvern’s chorus came to enjoy themselves at LOVE Park, even though attendance at the event is not

MALVERN & NOTRE DAME PERFORMED AT LOVE PARK ON SAT. DEC. 12 / M. HARRINGTON

mandatory. “They all come,” Liga said. “I don't require it for a grade because it's a Saturday morning. I just make it known to them that it's a really good time. Even some alumni come back.” Malvern’s students aren't the only ones who have a great experience at this event. Notre Dame’s women’s chorale loves participating just as much. "It's always a fun event and it's really great to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation," senior Allison McGee said. "It’s very cool how a big crowd comes out to LOVE Park and

Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools visits The process behind the decennial accreditation and how Malvern prepared for the visit. Ben Yankelitis ’16, Tyler Pizzico ’17 we have weakness they’ll say ‘Hey, why don’t you try doing this?’ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER and it becomes great dialogue." rom Monday, Nov. 2 to Wednesday, Nov. 4, the Malvern There was a lot of work done in preparation for the short, campus hosted eight representatives from the Pennsylvania three-day period the representatives were at the school. Association of Independent Schools who “The three day visit in a way is a little antievaluated the school. climatic because there is a tremendous amount of It was “a fairly uniform passion for the miswork that’s done in the year leading up to the visit It was “a sion of the school in a profoundly personal way” itself and then it’s over before you know it,” Talbot fairly uniform that stood out to the PAIS committee, according said. “But that’s not to discredit any of the prep to Kolia O’Connor, Director of PAIS and Head of work. Mrs. Giordani did a titanic amount of work passion for School at Sewickley Academy. that should certainly be appreciated.” the mission of This is the first PAIS evaluation of Malvern The planning began about a year and a half ago the school in a with Head of School Mr. Christian Talbot, who for Giordani and Assistant Head of School Mr. personal way” arrived in 2012, because the last one was in 2005. Steve Valyo. that stood out Despite this being his first encounter with the Each school must prep for the PAIS evaluation organization, Talbot knew the process well. thoroughly, drafting a document outlining its plans to the PAIS “The accreditation takes place every ten years,” and goals for the ten year period. A document that, committee. Talbot said. “However, there is a follow up midterm “with all of its appendices, adds up to over a thouevaluation every five years.” sand pages,” Talbot said. There were eight people on the visiting commit“In the body of the ten year accreditation docutee, each from other independent schools across the state. ment, the organization highlights commendations and proposes “It’s a great professional development for the PAIS visiting recommendations,” Talbot said. “Then five years later, they return committee to come out because they’ll take away things from us to see how we are living up to our own expectations and how we and apply them to their schools," said English Teacher Mrs. Susan > PAGE 8 Giordani, who helped organize a large portion of the visit. “Where

everything is very Christmas-spirited.” Some parents and other family members of the choir members came out to show their support down at LOVE Park. Mrs. Cathy Preston, mother of Notre Dame Chorale member Cayla Preston, has attended and enjoyed the event each year. She likes that Malvern and Notre Dame perform together at LOVE Park and thinks that it is a great opportunity for both schools. “It's a nice way to give back to the community, to be part of a charity so they can give back to the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” Preston said. f

Malvern reacts to new Star Wars Who will be in front of the line on opening night - Malvern students or Maxwell Talbot? Tommy White ’17 REPORTER ta r Wa rs: T he Fo rce Awakens is considered to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It is expected to make a lot of money at the box office and it probably will set many records. Many people have been going bonkers over this movie, especially within the Malvern community. “I’m extremely excited for it,” junior Amir Webb said. “We’ve had to endure the prequels, so now I’m ready.” “I’m really excited to see how they’re going to continue on the series,” senior Will Schaffer said. “I think it’s

going to be a really exciting experience.” In an email from Head of School Christian Talbot, his son Maxwell Talbot said, “I think they’re the best previews I’ve seen in awhile.” It has been 10 years since the last Star Wars movie (Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith) came into theatres. Disney has decided to have > PAGE 3

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

EDITORIAL Malvern can put an end to grade grubbing and it’s all in the system. Editorial Board he end of the quarter means a stressful time for students, parents, and teachers alike. Students do whatever the teacher allows to squeeze every point in every class to boost their GPA just that little .04. Teachers sift through emails from students and parents trying to work their way up to the next letter grade. Parents plead for any last chance to get their son just the extra half a percent to get above that dreaded “B-.” It doesn’t have to “B” this way. Malvern should eliminate the concept of honors and switch from a letter grade system to a number grade system. To get honors at Malvern, a student has to get above a 3.0 for second honors, 3.5 for first honors, or 4.0 for distinguished honors, and have no B- or below. Honors at Malvern aren’t worth anything. The award is simply a piece of paper that is crumpled up and placed in a backpack after the honors assembly. Honors create infinite and unnecessary stressors on students and teachers. The difference between a 82.44% and an 82.45%, can be the difference between Distinguished Honors with a 4.03 or no honors with a 3.99. A system without honors and a more exact GPA calculation than the current letter format would help dramatically with “grade grubbing.” The current system translates a percentage grade for students into a letter grade based on the percentage range it falls in, and then from there into a GPA. This system makes cut-offs important, even if the percentage change is very small. Under the current system, it is very easy for a student to try and pull the heartstrings on their

caring Malvern teacher to bump them that .5% to increase their GPA .04. What if the system bypassed the letter grade assignment, thus eliminating the importance of cut-offs? After all, what’s the real difference between a student with a 91.7% and one with a 92.5%? The way GPAs should be calculated is taking the percentage performance in the class, dividing that by 20 and then subtracting one. Let us show the difference between the old and new system. Under the current system, a student with a 91.7% receives an A-, and consequently a 3.7 GPA. But if he just gets that extra .8%, he can bump his GPA up to a 4.0 in that class. As you can see, there is an incredible motivation to beg and plead for every last point under the old system. Under our proposed system, a student with a 91.7% receives a 3.585, and that extra .8% would only increase his GPA .04, instead of .3. There is significantly less reason to beg for every point when the difference is .04 and not .3. The goal of a student would no longer be at a certain threshold that they need to be concerned of reaching at the end of a quarter. Instead, the student will need to work M. PICHOLA hard all quarter to assure that the final number grade of the quarter will be positive. GPAs could continue to be weighted with the same difference they are now, this merely eliminates a huge difference between percentages with miniscule disparity. We have to end grade grubbing by eliminating the system in which we calculate GPAs that encourages the behavior.f

OPINION Typewriting a New Revolution

Yes, Band Aid, they know it’s Christmas

Old typewriters are given a new life as children and adults alike spark a new interest in the machines.

Ben Yankelitis ’16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Zac Chan ’16 CONTRIBUTOR irst used over a century ago, typewriters were forgotten when computers were introduced to the everyday household. However, they are now making a resurgence. I think a good word to describe myself is “enthusiast”. I am an enthusiast when it comes to many things - when I was younger, it was trading cards, from Pokemon to Yugioh to the MLB. When I was in sixth grade, I started a coin collection. I now have two giant boxes, the kind you get filled with paper from an office store, full of coins. I have hundreds and hundreds of wheat pennies alone. (For those who don’t know, wheat pennies were pennies made up to 1956, when they were replaced by the current design). I have pennies made of steel, from WW2. Have you ever seen a magnetic penny? I have a bag full of stamps, a mini collection of professional athletes’ autographs, and a basement full of computers as old as 1993. Now, I have nine typewriters, and a vintage adding machine to go with them. I find typewriters to be enthralling. First invented in the late 19th century, they essentially helped to bring mainstream printing to the common household. There was no longer a need to painstakingly handwrite notes, papers, or documents. The typewriter was basically a dumbed down, physical version of today’s Microsoft Word - press the key, and the letter appears on paper. There was no backspace. There was no undo button. An error could be rewritten over with a correct letter or written over in red, but it was still there. Perfectly typed pages were practically masterpieces. As time passed and the rest of the world evolved, so did the typewriter. Some of the earliest typewriters included bulky, twenty-plus pound models > PAGE 9

The Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging

Examining a fundamentally flawed Christmas song

chimes of doom. Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you. Do They Know It’s Christmas? -Band Aid

101 will play everywhere during the Christmas season - Christmas songs followed by more Christmas songs capped off with one more Christmas song. “Feliz Navidad,” all of Bruce’s Christmas masterpieces, and T Swift’s “Last Christmas” are kindly shoved down your throat. But, there is one song that plays on perpetual repeat during this time of year that annoys me a bit - Band Aid’s 1984 song, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, featuring vocals from Paul Young, Boy George, George Michael, Simon Lebon of Duran Duran, Sting, and Bono, attempts to remind us that there are others in the world suffering. The song highlights situations in Africa, specifically the 1983 famine in Ethiopia. While I admire their work and dedication to bring awareness to a serious problem, the lyrics are polarizing two groups of people. Several lyrics in the song suggest that we are different people that are better than the people suffering in Africa. The song refers to fellow humans as “the other ones” who live in “a world outside your window.” This wording

makes the people in Africa seem incredibly different and that we would not even be able to relate to them. Asking if Africans know it’s Christmas even separates us even further for no apparent reason. According to the Pew Research Center, the country of Ethiopia (the country Band Aid is advocating for) is 63.4% Christian and makes up 2.4% of the world’s whole Christian population. So, I would say yes - they do know it is Christmas time and they do not need us to remind them of the fact that it is close to December 25. And in reality - our brothers and sisters in Africa will most likely be celebrating a more wholesome Christmas as their day will not revolve around physical materials. Perhaps the Christmas bells that are the chimes of doom actually ring here. Yes, we should be thankful that we will have food on our plates and gifts under our trees this Christmas. But why would we thank God that the people in Africa are suffering and not us? We are the same people as them - brothers and sisters in Christ. Bono screams out, “Thank God it’s them instead of you.” We should simply thank God for what he has given us. We were never taught to thank God for what others do not have, celebrating what we have at the expense of others. We are all a unified group of people that should be working together. There is no doubt that we have to, “feed the world.” But let’s show some respect and decency to another group of human beings. A song on repeat on B101 should not tell us what to think. f

In reality - our brothers and sisters in Africa will most likely be celebrating a more wholesome Christmas as their day will not revolve around physical materials.

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

FRIAR LIFE Homecoming strikes big at Malvern Homecoming was well enjoyed, but what made it so special?

Mr. Chris La Tempa joins college counseling New Associate Director of College Counseling describes a winding road to his field. Mike Flanagan ’16 CONTRIBUTOR ecoming a college counselor was not Mr. Chris La Tempa’s initial plan. Instead, his passion for debate led him gave him aspirations to be a lawyer. But as the time to decide where he would devote his studies drew nearer, the economic climate demanded fewer lawyers. He talked with several lawyers and found that most, if they were given the chance, would “not do it over again.” Mr. Chris La Tempa was raised in a small town in northern New Jersey and attended a small public school. When it was time for him to choose his destination for higher level education, an “absolute love for dynamic and engaging discussions” drove him towards Lafayette College. Ultimately, he chose to major in American Studies with a concentration in social justice and a minor in psychology. Upon graduating Lafayette, he found himself on the path to a secure, well paying job in retail. “I hated it. Retail just wasn’t for me,” he said. La Tempa’s following career move was all about “being in the right place at the right time.” He returned to Lafayette to visit a friend working for admissions, and met a woman putting in her two-weeks notice that same afternoon. One thing led to another, and suddenly he was filling this woman’s shoes in college admissions, even with his limited knowledge of what admissions was. “I really enjoyed speaking about my experience and getting other students excited for college, because I think it’s a phenomenal growth experience,” he said. His tenure at Lafayette lasted for three years. Seeking more engagement with students and an opportunity to advocate for their cause, La Tempa turned to high school college counseling and landed a job at Salesianum School in

B SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE HOMECOMING AFTERVIDEO PRODUCED BY THE DJS.

Garrett Hallinan ’19 CONTRIBUTOR omecoming was considered to be a hit by most of the 381 Malvern students in attendance. There was a photo booth, food, and student DJs. “Compared to last year, we had a lot more student input and time [to prepare],” said Mrs. Pam Whitney, who has been the Head of the Homecoming committee for the past two years. Whitney is also the head of the Prom committee and asked the students on the Prom Committee what they wanted for the dance. The result - sophomore Desmond Papariello, senior Andrew Panzo, and senior Christian D’Ascenzo answering the call to DJ the dance. “I don’t know [if student DJs will return in the future], it’s usually up to the kids if that’s what everybody wants,” Whitney said. “We might mix it up and have something new for next year. Only time will tell. We have a whole year to plan,” she said. “Homecoming was great. It was very different from my other school,” freshman Jordan Berry said. “I did not eat any of the food because I wasn’t hungry. I had the drinks and they were good. The music was great.”

Tommy Pero ’17 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR ake a look inside Student Council workings for the coming new year. First, Student Council organized an opportunity for students to not shave, according to Student Council President Alex Freud. For all of “Januhairy” (January), students will be able to pay a fee somewhere between $5 and $15 to not shave for the entire month.

Both Berry and junior Jack Ludin agreed that Homecoming was great and should not be changed. “Homecoming was a lot of fun. My friends and I had a good time,” Ludin said. “The DJs did a nice job, and the music was fun to jump around to.” Senior Tim Irvine said this dance was his favorite from any of his previous dances and helped the class come together. “They played a ton of old songs that we did freshman year. Since we’re the senior class and it was our last one, we had to enjoy every second of it, so it was, by far, definitely my favorite dance,” Irvine said. “I am definitely going to miss homecoming because there aren’t too many things like it where there’s such a strong brotherhood.” Desmond Papariello said that he wants to continue DJing in the future and potentially do it professionally. “There was a lot of stress building up to it, and there was a lot of work we had to put in to get to the final product, but it was all worth it at the end. I think the end product was an amazing, beautiful thing that we all worked hard for,” Papariello said. “And it was one of the best DJing nights of my life.” f

“You can just grow out your beard as much as you want, and you can actually start over Christmas Break,” Freud said. “That money is going to go to charity.” Freud said that Student Council is also bringing back Winterfest, set for January 29. He said that this year’s Winterfest will come with a dress code theme similar to last year’s ugly Christmas sweater theme. While Winterfest is coming back, Freud says Quidditch most likely will not. As always, Student Council will also be holding a dodgeball tournament on the Friday before Christmas break. Student Council is still planning an event with Villa Maria Academy that will include a dance and talent show. There will be a dance competition with a prize, but the cause is still being decided, according to Freud. “They make a lot of money,” Freud said. “If Malvern joins in, it’ll hopefully double.” f

The

BLACKFRIAR Chronicle

is a monthly student-run publication at Malvern Preparatory School. Its online affiliate is the Friar’s Lantern (www.mpfriarslantern.com). Mission Statement The Blackfriar Chronicle and The Friar’s Lantern are the student-run publications of Malvern Prep. The principal goals of the publications are to provide accurate and relevant information to the Malvern community and to offer a forum for intelligent dialogue on all things Malvern. The reporting for these student publications is conducted thoroughly and edited by student leaders to ensure this accuracy to the best of our ability. In order to fairly provide all points of view, contributions from all members of the Malvern community are welcomed and encouraged through letters of opinion, student reporting, and respectful commentary. mpfriarslantern1@gmail.com / Twitter @friarslantern1 / facebook.com/TheFriarsLantern / Instagram mpfriarslantern1 EDITORS IN CHIEF SECTION EDITORS EDITORIAL BOARD Justice Bennett ’16 All editors Friar Life Media & Technology Ben Yankelitis ’16 Mike Flanagan ’16 Tommy Pero ’17 Jack Magargee ’18 Mike Harrington ’16 MANAGING EDITORS Sports Local/World News Three additional members TBD Print: James Faunce ’16 Michael Droogan ’16 Jack McClatchy ’17 Online: Chris Bunn ’16 Social Media Editor Patrick Ferraiolo ’17 Podcast Nick Li ’17 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER Arts Desmond Papariello ’18 Tyler Pizzico ’17 Jimmy Canuso ’17 Graphic Designer Matt Pichola ’16

>STAR WARS, 1 the new movie in theatres over the holiday season to ma ximize its viewership. “I’m really excited,” Talbot said. “I think J.J. Abrams has proven himself to be a great re-inventor of some franchises, so everything I have seen so far is encouraging.” Talbot remembers the origins of the saga. “I was a little kid,” Christian Talbot said. “It was on TV, it came out when I was two years old.” The movie is additionally anticipated by all ages. “I think it’s going to be the best movie ever,” Maxwell Talbot said. “I’ve never seen one person in history with a three-bladed lightsaber.”

LA TEMPA / M. FLANAGAN

Wilmington, Delaware. He found being involved in the application process proved much more rewarding than the admission side. Unfortunately, his work load involved being responsible for over 90 students, and he began to feel that his work was being spread too thin. “What drew me to Malvern was a very strong sense of community,” he said. “I see a lot of collaboration among faculty and staff and the administration here, which I think is very powerful.” Malvern provided an opportunity to lessen his case load and subsequently increase his time getting to know his students better. With only 37 students under his watch, La Tempa is able to understand his students at a much deeper level. “I enjoy building that rapport with students, and I think Malvern’s culture certainly lends itself to building those connections between students and faculty,” he said. While most of his efforts are devoted to his work, La Tempa does find time to explore other passions. “I love to golf,” he said. “I was a caddy in college, so that was probably the peak of my golfing career given how frequently I got to go out.” But if there was one thing La Tempa wanted to emphasize it is this: “I love deep philosophical discussions about all sorts of things.” He asks for students who have questions about culture and philosophy to “pop in and throw some knowledge at me.” He says his door will always be open.f The original Star Wars saga was one of the greatest sagas in the history of film. Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace alone made $1,027,044,677 in the Worldwide Box Office. “The first time I saw Star Wars, I jumped off the couch,” Maxwell said. There are many lessons to be learned from Star Wars, and there are also many opinions on which lesson is the main lesson to be learned. If there is anything for sure, the Star Wars saga will live on in film and in people as well. “I’ve learned that even though someone can turn to the Dark Side,” Maxwell said, “that same person can also turn back to the light.”f

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

FRIAR LIFE

Defamation performs at Malvern Students talk race, religion, gender, and class in one loaded courtroom drama - Defamation. Justice Bennett ’16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF efamation, a cou r t room drama that explores themes of race, religion, gender, and class, came to Malvern on Monday, November 2. In a coalition bet ween the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS) and the Multicultural Resource Center (MCRC), Canamac Productions presented a showing of Defamation to a Duffy auditorium full of students from around the area. Assistant Director of Admissions and Diversity Mr. Patrick Williams said students from 27 different schools in the area. The plot of the play is a civil suit between a South Side AfricanAmerican woman sues a Jewish North Shore real estate developer for defamation. The legal issue is whether or not she was falsely accused of stealing his watch and causing her financial harm, according to the website. A unique aspect of the performance is that at the end, the judge turns to the audience to decide the verdict. The judge conducts one initial vote asking the audience to vote either undecided, for the plaintiff, or for the defendant. Members of the audience are then given a chance to explain their reasoning for their decision in front of the rest of the audience. After, the Judge takes another poll

DEFAMATION POSTER DEFAMATIONTHEPLAY.COM

asking for people to either rule for the plaintiff or the defendant. The audience at Malvern ruled in favor of the African-American plaintiff. According to the moderator of the play, after 205 performances of Defamation, 166 of the audiences have sided with the South Side African-American woman. However, after 17 performances at Catholic schools, only one sided with the African-American woman. No Jewish schools have reached that verdict. President of ADVIS Ms. Barbara Kraus-Blackney described the event as a great success. “It was one of the more fulfilling days of my term at ADVIS,”

Kraus-Blackney said. “It was great to see such a great student interaction. It covered several of topics in one dramatic play in a much more dramatic way than one speaker could.” Senior and Diversity Awareness Club President Mike Flanagan shared similar thoughts as Kraus-Blackney. “I feel like given the size of the room there were definitely kids out there that wanted to participate that didn’t,” Flanagan said. “That was kind of a negative, but the kids that did go up definitely enjoyed it and had something to say.” Williams is still undecided. “As far as getting a sense of the impact and how it was received is still to be determined, but I think ultimately the messages of the play were powerful and should stimulate some good conversation,” he said. Malvern was given 40 free slots for students, so f irst spots were offered to the Diversity Awareness Club members. Then, Williams opened the invitation to the Upper School and acted on a first-come firstserve basis. Williams said he wants to have Defamation back to perform for the 8th grade and upper school and another show at night for parents. “I think it would be something to get some of these conversations discussed on a widespread basis with the student body,” Williams said.f

Malvern hosts Speech and Debate tournament Malvern’s Speech and Debate Club hosted a league tournament for the first time ever. Eric McLaughlin ’18 REPORTER alvern hosted a Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) tournament for the first time ever this year on November 19. There were some challenges in hosting, but it was an overall success. The monthly tournaments are usually at larger schools. “Normally they need 45-60 classrooms for this event to work,” Kenworthey said. “There are usually 250-300 people who come to each event.” This caused for a bit of trouble for Malvern’s smaller campus, but it was able to be resolved. “This was the first time the tournament was hosted by school that is not one building,” Kenworthey said. “This caused a bit of confusion among the students and the judges.” The biggest challenge came from figuring out room numbers. Kenworthey discovered that there are about ten rooms at Malvern that do not have a room number. This made it very challenging. “Thanks to the student helpers, the debaters, speakers, and judges all found their way to the rooms to be on time,” Head of the PHSSL Bonnie Perry said. “The help from volunteers made the tournament run smoothly.” Kenworthey still thought the

STUDENTS GATHER IN O’NEILL FOR TOURNAMENT KICKOFF / E. MCLACHLAN

tournament was a good experience for the visitors. “Other teachers and students got a sense of what Malvern is and I feel they were impressed by the school,” Kenworthey said. Just like many clubs at Malvern, the Speech and Debate Club is an extracurricular activity. There are no grades and you have to make time out of your schedule. It can be very difficult to find enough time to go to practice, do your homework, eat dinner, do homework, and then work on an extracurricular. Malvern’s Speech and Debate students excel at this.

Many other schools have a class where they prepare for the debates and belong to multiple leagues and compete all over. “This is their crew. This is what they do 24/7. This is their weekends and most of their week.” said Mrs. Jessica Kenworthey, Moderator of the Speech and Debate Club and Theology teacher. This does not phase the Malvern students who often place in the top of some events. This year, sophomore Rohan Jhunjhunwala has an undefeated record in his debates. f

Campus Hero of the Issue: Mrs. Susan Sarafinas Learn about the saint of college admissions.

Villa, NDA defeat Malvern in Empty Bowls bowl-off Over 250 bowls made for January’s Empty Bowls in one day. Jack McClatchy ‘17 NEWS EDITOR n a bid to help make bowls for Malvern’s Empty Bowls event in January, the ceramics studio in Duffy opened for a bowl-off as Malvern faced off against Villa Maria and Notre Dame on Dec. 12. A rou nd 2 0 st udents f rom Malvern, Villa Maria Academy, and The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur participated throughout the day, making 259 bowls for Empty Bowls. Villa Maria and Notre Dame students made 145 bowls while Malvern made 114 bowls.

I PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MALVERNIAN

Nick Li ’17 SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR s you can see, [with everybody coming in and out], my office is like Grand Central Station,” said Mrs. Susan Sarafinas, Administrative Assistant to the Counseling Department. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Sarafinas is a hidden hero on Malvern’s campus. In her fifth year at the institution, Mrs. Sarafinas’s job as Administrative Assistant consists of all things college. In addition to aiding the twelve members of the Counseling Department at Malvern and reporting to her three immediate directors, she prioritizes preparing students and families for the college experience. Her daily tasks include sending college applications, managing college representatives’ coming to campus, helping students finalize applications, and more. Malvern seniors would not get accepted into colleges if not for the work of Mrs. Sarafinas. Mrs. Sarafinas regards her office in the second f loor of Tolentine Hall as the Grand Central Station of Malvern Prep. Faculty members and students stop in throughout the course of the day and it is always busy. It even served as the “pre-Learning Commons”. Students would stop by her office and utilize the large table and computers, and some even continue to do so now. “It ’s great,” Saraf inas said. “Everyone starts to feel like family.” At home, Sarafinas is no stranger to a busy schedule. She has four children - two in high school and two in middle school - that constantly keep her moving. In her free time, which is scarce, she loves a good book or TV series. “[I love being] able to steer my kids in the right direction based on what I get to do with the kids at Malvern,” Sarafinas said. “Malvern is a great place to work and a fabulous community. Every day feels like the first day all over again.” f

“A

For the first time, Malvern is collaborating on Empty Bowls with student artists from Villa and Notre Dame.

“Since this is the first year we’re doing Empty Bowls with Villa and Notre Dame, we thought this was a great way to get bowls made,” senior Tait McGlinn said. This is not the first time Malvern has hosted a bowl-off. Alumni beat current students in a bowl-off on Saturday, Nov. 28. Malvern lost to Conestoga High School last January, but beat The Haverford School in 2014. Malvern’s eighth annual Empty Bowls will take place on January 9. The event fundraises for Bethesda Project, an organization that helps Philadelphia’s homeless. For the first time, Malvern is collaborating with student artists from Villa and Notre Dame. The bowl-off was part of a series of Open Studios that the Empty Bowls Committee hosts in the months leading up to the Empty Bowls dinner. Open Studios began this year in November, and continue until the week before the event. Villa Maria art teacher Mrs. Sarah Bacastow was contacted by Malvern’s ceramics teacher Ms. Plows about working together, according to Bacastow. “We thought it was a great idea, and we’re just thrilled to be here,” Bacastow said. Villa has a ceramics program, but Bacastow wants to see it expand. “Currently we have Ceramics 1 and 2, and we’re hoping to add Ceramics 3 and 4 next year. We have four wheels and one kiln,” she said. McGlinn made a trophy for the > PAGE 5

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

FRIAR LIFE Student of the Issue: Zamir Shelton ’18 Sophomore Zamir Shelton is thriving both in the classroom and out of the classroom. Zachariah Chan ’16, Ben Yankelitis ’16 CONTRIBUTOR, EDITOR-INCHIEF amir Shelton is a current Sophomore at Malvern, who has attended since freshman year. Even though he has only been at Malvern for a year and a half, Shelton has already plunged into a multitude of different activities outside the classroom. He participates in the Diversity Club, Peer Educators, Impressions, and the Outdoors Club, working most closely with the Diversity Club. “I do a lot to help with the Diversity Club,” Shelton said. “I also help Mr. Williams with school promotion.” On December 10 Shelton and other members of the Peer Educators visited St. Martin de Porres, Shelton’s old school, to discuss the transition from middle school to highschool with 8th graders. He said that Malvern is popular with students from St. Martin de Porres. To get into Malvern each morning, Shelton has to catch a bus and a train. The trip totals two hours. Yet, he still has enjoyed his experience at Malvern. “I like it here,” he

Teacher of the Issue: Mrs. Harriet Lappas Malvern’s government guru discusses herself and her career. Tommy Pero ’17 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR fter living all across the Northeast, Lappas believes she is finally home. Lappas grew up the daughter of Greek immigrants in an ethnic area of Jackson Heights in New York City. “It was a great way to grow up. It was like it takes a village to raise a child,” she said. Lappas went on to New York University where she majored in Political Science and double minored in English and Psychology. Later, she received a teaching degree also from NYU. One of Lappas’s first jobs was working in a fur market in New York City. She taught at a few other schools before moving to the Southeastern Pennsylvania area, where she taught at Merion Mercy for four years. Lappas’s husband, Steve Lappas, worked as the head basketball coach for Villanova University and later for the University of Massachusetts. Now, he is a CBS Sports Network College Basketball Analyst. When the Lappas family moved to Massachusetts, she took time off to raise her two children and later worked as a substitute teacher. The Lappas family later returned to the Philadelphia area after Mr. Lappas’s coaching tenure at UMass ended, and Mrs. Lappas decided she wanted to return to teaching full time. “Even though I’m a New Yorker, I’ve moved to Philadelphia three times,” Lappas said. “And this is the third time, so I always say ‘three time’s the charm.’”

ZAMIR SHELTON ‘18 / N. LI

said. “Everybody’s easy to talk to and the teachers are always willing to help.” He has no specific favorite part of Malvern and rather enjoys “the whole school in its entirety.” During the school day his favorite class is Honors Latin II. Shelton referred to it as the “greatest class ever.” His favorite teacher is Mr. Mike Rawlings. In his free time Shelton enjoys playing video games and going on Sporcle, a popular online trivia website. “I just to the video game category and go ham,” he said. Shelton’s favorite movie is Scott Pilgrim vs The World. f

Lappas said she and her family couldn’t decide where they lived, but she eventually concluded that Philadelphia was her home. Lappas and her family bought a house in Malvern before Lappas had even known there was a job opening at Malvern Prep. “My fate sent me here,” Lappas said. She said she is lucky that the job opening was for government, her area of expertise. Lappas loves the service aspect of Malvern, “I think it adds dimension to the students here that a lot of schools don’t have,” she said. “A lot of the private schools in the area are great academic schools, but I really think they’re missing that empathy and that compassion that I think we teach here.” She also loves the talent diversity at Malvern. “I love that there’s kids dedicated to the yearbook, or to the newspaper, or to the play, and obviously our athletes are great,” she said. “I love that [Malvern is] a little bit of everything.” While she says her greatest accomplishments are her children,

MRS. LAPPAS IN ST. RITA’S / T. PERO

Lappas is proud of her work with Malvern’s student mentoring program, The Adelphia Society. According to Lappas, the idea for a student mentoring program came from the Board of Trustees a few years ago. They later asked Lappas and Mrs. Eileen Day, who is no longer at the school, to head the program. “It’s only the third year [of The Adelphia Society], so there’s a lot of room to grow.” she said. “I think it’s been a great thing. It’s really helped freshmen transition.” Outside of Malvern, Lappas loves going to the beach, spending time with family, reading, and cooking. For the future of Malvern, Lappas hopes the Diversity Initiative is implemented. She also believes Malvern is ahead of the curve in its new education philosophy. “The rest of the schools in this area, and in the nation, are going to have to play catch-up at some point, and we’re going to be sitting in a really good spot,” she said. f

Christmas gift-giving partnership transitions After Malvern parted ways with Best Nest, a new organization will take its place for the annual Christmas party. STUDENT POTTERS FROM THREE SCHOOLS AT WORK / J. MCCLATCH Y

> BOWL-OFF, 4

winner of the event. “It took me about two weeks to make it,” he said. “But I wasn’t working on it constantly. I had to throw it and let it dry.” Starting at 11 AM, the ceramics studio was open to anyone who wanted to come make or paint a bowl. Judges Mr. Tim Anderson and Ryan Wheeler ’12 evaluated the bowls based on quantity and quality at 3 PM. Tickets for Empty Bowls on Saturday, January 9 are available at www. mpemptybowls.org. f

HEART, FRESH OFF THE WHEEL / A.PANZO

Danny Malloy ’18 REPORTER he social services organization Best Nest, with whom Malvern has partnered with for many years, will no longer be involved with the Christmas party and gift giving this year. Director of Christian Service Mr. Larry Legner explains the change. “[Best Nest] was taken over by a corporation,” Legner said. “Instead of being in one building, their workers were now spread across the city at different locations and the resources were spread too thin to do another party.” Legner was sorry to see the the partnership end. “It didn’t have to do with them being unhappy with us,” Legner said. “We were very sad when we had to break since we were together for so many years.” The show will go on, however. This year, Malvern is partnering with another organization, St. Patrick’s Parish in Norristown, to have a Christmas party with second grade students on Sunday, Dec. 13, according to Legner. St. Patrick’s Parish has many poor migrant farmer members and has mostly Hispanic members. According to an email Legner sent to parents, last year the pastor baptized more than 300 children of various ages. More

PILES OF BAGGED GIFTS AWAIT PICKUP ON DEC. 13 / J. MAGARGEE

than 500 children are enrolled in CCD. “We were very grateful for the invitation,” said Sister Marie Horstmann, St. Patrick’s Director of Religious Education. “Our kids never get to do anything like this.” Sister Marie describes how she thinks the partnership will go. “We will have to see how Sunday goes.” Sister Marie said. “Then we will decide if we want to do it again.” “Our kids are very excited.” Sister Marie said. “It will be a good experience for them to see the campus, and to experience the kindness of young people.”f See photos of the Christmas Party on Page 8 and online at The Friar’s Lantern.

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

SPORTS Herren delivers thoughtful message to students Last month, Chris Herren, author of Basketball Junkie, talked to the Malvern students about the dangers of drug addiction. Patrick Ferraiolo ’17 to tell the students about his backstory. A half hour video from the ESPN SPORTS EDITOR Films 30 for 30: “Unguarded”, was shown to the students right before Herren hris Herren gave one of the most thought provoking and unique speeches took the stage. The video described Herren’s fall into drug addiction and his Malvern has heard in recent years, according to many in the Malvern eventual triumph. community. In his own words, “I am not your ordinary By the time he walked onto the stage, some of the students speaker.” did not know what to expect, and were blown away with what he Towering over the Malvern community on the Duffy stage, had to say. “The fact Chris Herren’s presence made clear the reason he was here. He “His talk caught me by surprise,” senior Rob DiCicco said. that he was not here to talk about his own story. He was not here to tell “The fact that he chose to focus on the importance of self-esteem chose to the people how he screwed up throughout his life. Chris Herren and self worth really hit me hard.” focus on the was here to challenge the Malvern students to ask themselves why Herren kept stating that the choice to not just drink alcohol, importance they choose to make bad decisions. but to make bad decisions was one that we make on our own. of self“I am not here to talk about the last day,” Herren said. “Instead, “I doubt that your parents even know who you are,” Herren esteem and I am here to talk about the first day.” said. “Because they do not know the way you act on Friday and self-worth hit According to Herren, the first day of any drug or alcohol Saturday nights. What is so terrible about yourself that you have me hard.” addiction is during the ‘innocent fun’ that high schoolers have. to turn to drugs and alcohol on Friday and Saturday nights?” “It all starts in basements with beer and keg stands,” Herren The Malvern community took a lot from this presentation, and -Rob DiCicco ’16 said. “It all starts with just drinking in the woods with your friends the timeliness of the speech was most appropriate. or in a basement where parents told you that you were safe.” “I thought that it was definitely a very good experience,” junior Throughout his whole presentation, Herren’s main point of Gabe Canzanese said. “The timing right after homecoming was emphasis focused on why students succumb to the temptations perfect because some people were tempted with alcohol at the after of drugs and alcohol. He was blunt, succinct, and stern with his parties, and this gives us a time to reflect on our actions. He had a simple message. great message and surely impacted me. It was interesting, yet very serious.” f “What is it about you that makes you feel so inadequate that you have to have drugs or alcohol?” he asked. What made his speech especially unique was the that he did not have

New scoreboard is game-changer for O’Neill Basketball Coach John Harmatuk said he hopes the new video scoreboard in the O’Neill Gymnasium will energize the fans and team. John McGlinn ’18 REPORTER ith the addition of a video scoreboard, The O’Neill Gymnasium becomes one of the most advanced facilities in Southeast Pennsylvania. The new video scoreboard will enhance many aspects of Malvern Basketball, said Mr. John Harmatuk, Head Basketball Coach and Assistant @MALVERNPREPHOOP TWITTER Athletic Director. “With this we can now show “The scoreboard was paid for by rosters during the games and display “The scoreboard will the school, and is just one of our new prompts to get the fans excited, and change many aspects Daktronic boards,” Ruch said. “All of more into the game,” Harmatuk said. of the game, especially the boards needed to be replaced on all The players think this will add a recruitment, When new the fields, except for the football scorenew aspect to their personal game. recruits and students board which was put in when the new “Being able to watch replays in come in on a visit to see turf was installed.” practice of our team working together, our campus, they will The soccer and baseball fields are our team notices the mistakes that we see how our basketball both undergoing a process to bring in are making and finds solutions to elimfacility is one of the new Daktronic LED scoreboards, and inate future problems,” sophomore Jack best in the area.” although they are not video boards like Leyden said. the one in the O’Neill Gymnasium, Harmatuk is excited for the oppor-Coach John Harmatuk they are an upgrade from the previous tunities that the scoreboard may bring. scoreboards which are being replaced. “The scoreboard will change many Harmatuk said the new basketaspects of the game, especially recruitment,” he said. ball scoreboard is leased. “Many electronics like our new “When new recruits and students come in on a visit to scoreboard are leased because of the constantly updated see our campus, they will see how our basketball facility technology these days.” is one of the best in the area.” Ruch said the only board not being replaced now is Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch said the new board the swimming board. He hopes that the swimming board will be replaced once the swim season is over. f is part of a campus-wide update.

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XC finishes second in Inter-Ac Spearheaded by a first place finish from Senior Co-Captain Colin Wills, Malvern Cross Country misses first place for only the second time since 2002. Mike Droogan ’16 SPORTS EDITOR inning the Inter-Ac has become an annual routine for the cross country team, so despite the loss of four top runners expectations remained high, Coach Mike Koenig said. Unfortunately, nearly every key runner suffered an injury at some point in the season. The team couldn’t get back to 100% at Inter-Ac championships and finished second. The team then finished 9th in states, the lowest finish since Koenig started coaching in 2002. “Injuries hit us and it was really rough from there,” senior co-captain Addison Mueller said. “[At] InterAcs everyone came back and we thought we were going to do good but we just couldn’t get it together. One word to summarize the season: Injuries.” Despite the injuries, there were still plenty of bright spots in the season, one of them being Colin Wills. As captain it was his job to keep morale high and the team focused. “It’s important to keep your head up and not skip a beat with training,” Wills said. “The younger guys knew they had to step up, people who joined the team late knew they had to step up, you just have to keep doing what you do normally.”f

Freshmen complement experienced swim team Expectations are set high for the Malvern swimming team, with a good freshman class as ying to the talented senior yang. Patrick Ferraiolo ’17 SPORTS EDITOR ollowing an Inter-Ac championship last year, the bar is set high for the Malvern swim team this year. They have multiple talented returning seniors and a good supporting cast of underclassmen. The Malvern swim team maintains talent from last year’s Inter-Ac winning team, with many of them committed to colleges for swimming. “We have a talented group of seniors this year,” Head Coach Mr. Jay Schiller said. “Billy Beard, who has accepted a scholarship to swim for the Penn State Nittany Lions, is our returning individual All- American. He will be the key for us in the sprint [freestyle] and the butterfly.” This year, seniors Aaron Salinas and Will Schaffer are the team captains. Aaron has committed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and will swim their next year. Schaffer is currently being recruited by a couple Ivy League schools and is soon to make a decision. Schaffer’s brother, C.J. ’14, currently swims at the University of Pennsylvania. “We are going to rely heavily on our captains for their leadership and swimming ability,” Schiller said. Other keys to this year’s season will be All-American relay member Zach Maher and distance swimmer Cullen Robinson. “This year we have a couple good freshman coming in with a solid team from last year,” Robinson said. “I believe that we can win the Inter-Ac undefeated, with only The Haverford School standing in our way.” The team is giving high praise for this freshman class, hoping that they will fill in the gaps. Not only will this be beneficial this year, but it is a good sign for things to come in the future. “The freshman have been the surprise of the season so far. We have a very talented and large [freshman] class, that we are looking to getting contribution from,” Schiller said. “Our depth is going to be outstanding and it will be a huge factor in beating The Haverford School for an Inter-Ac Title,” he said. Schiller also said that he expects the divers this year to have a huge improvement w ith sophomore Patrick Sayers and freshman Trevor Henderson leading the way.f

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

Sports What is The Friar Club? Alumni group seeks to change sports funding at Malvern. Danny Malloy ’18 REPORTER he Friar Club is a new, centralized group of benefactors who will fund sports at Malvern starting this year. “The Friar Club hopes to be a communication and logistics hub for the various athletic programs, boosters, and friends of Malvern Prep,” President of The Friar Club Eric Moore ’02 said. A committee of Malvern alumni will run The Friar Club, Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch said. The Friar Club hopes to organize athletic funding in a new way. Prior to The Friar Club, each sports team would have to fundraise on its own, Ruch said. “There wasn’t really one [central club] in stone or organized.” “The Friar Club will implement a membership structure which was modeled after successful collegiate athletic fundraising programs,” Moore said. “There will be annual membership due, which will go directly into a general athletic fund.” Moore and Harmatuk described the details of membership within the club. “The first 50 dollars you donate will go to the athletic department as a whole,” Head Basketball Coach and Assistant Athletic Director Mr. John Harmatuk said. “Any money you donate after that as a member of the Friar Club can go to whatever sport(s) you want. “After the dues, members will then have the option of donating additional money in order to reach greater membership benefit levels,” Moore said. Malvern Prep

merchandise, event invitations, and VIP treatment were some of the greater benefits Moore listed. How is the funding distributed? “Friar Club members will have the option to donate to the athletic program of their choosing, so inevitably, some sports will receive more funding than others,” Moore said. “However, the general athletic fund was established in order to offset some of the imbalance and allow for discretion of funds on an ‘as needed’ basis.” The Friar Club has said that they will be actively involved with sports fundraisers going forward, although the group has not organized a fundraiser yet, according to Moore. The Friar Club expects increased funding for all sports, and that athletic facilities, strength and conditioning, and athletic training will benefit, Moore said. However, Head of School Mr. Christian Talbot explained that Malvern does not offer athletic scholarships, and these would not be funded by The Friar's Club. "We only offer academic merit scholarships," Talbot said. "There is a persistent and false rumor that we offer athletic scholarships." The Friar Club hopes to be more than just a fundraising entity. “Our main objectives include enhancing alumni involvement in the athletic programs and improving the ‘gameday’ experience for everyone,” Moore said. Harmatuk summed up the impact he hopes the group will have. “It’s just going to help us support athletics in any way they can,” he said.“It is just going to bring everyone together inside of athletics.”f

The Heyward Cup is awarded to the Inter-Ac school that accumulates the most points from all the sports seasons. Points are awarded 7 points for first place and then 5,4,3,2,1 points for second thru sixth place respectively. After the fall season, Malvern is in first place with 27 points, edging out Haverford School by one and a half points.

Squash team rebuilding After the victory in Division 5 and winning the Consolation Final in Division 4 at the National Squash Championships, squash looks to rebuild.

Athlete of the Issue: Matt Davis This month’s athlete of the issue is the Most Valuable Player of the Inter-Ac and PAISAA state champion golf team, Matt Davis. Eric McLaughlin ’18 REPORTER he Malvern golf team had unprecedented success with a 39-2-1 record this season. At the end of the season, the team won the Inter-Ac Individual Championship, the Inter-Ac Championship, and the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Championship. Malvern’s lowest scorer was sophomore Matt Davis. Davis averaged a score of 37.6 strokes, about 1 stroke over par. His best score of the year was a 32 tying the league record. Davis also had the lowest score in three separate Inter-Ac tournaments. Golf is a very difficult sport. It takes full commitment and dedication to excel and the top players spend many hours a week working on their game. Although the Malvern season is only during the fall, golfers have to work on it almost all year long. “In the winter it is tough to go out and play because of the weather,” Davis said. “So I’d say I only play about once a week, but I also hit balls and practice 2-3 times per week.” The summer is when many golfers become fully committed to the sport. “In the summer, I probably play 7 days a week,” Davis said. “My favorite part of playing this year was that I just

M. PICHOLA

MATT DAVIS / E. MCLACHLAN

like to play the game,” Davis said. Like any successful sports team, Malvern had great team chemistry and camaraderie. “It was a great group and we had fun every single time we played together and we also pushed each other to get better,” Davis said. Davis said that competitiveness led to their success and their undefeated Inter-Ac record. “My favorite memory was the trip we had to Naples, Florida for 4 days before the season started,” Davis said. “Not only was it a good time winning the Inter-Ac, but I really enjoyed the season because of the kids on the team.”f

Sean Ward ’17 CONTRIBUTOR osing seven key seniors from last year, the young Squash team had its first match of year on December 1st against Conestoga, losing 9-0. The Malvern squash team is known for its success, winning both Division 5 and the Consolation Bracket in Division 4, but after losing its core group of seniors from last year it is unlikely the team will repeat its success. Despite the huge loss, Head Coach Mr. Imran Khan said he remains optimistic for the team’s future. “My goal is to see what we can achieve in four or five years,” Khan said. He plans to reach these future goals by “getting players smarter and fitter.” For the first time, the squash team worked out in the summer during a two week offseason program. “I started the camp this summer to get players more court experience and get them thinking more heads up,” Khan said. Coach Khan, with the help of captain Kevin Roussey, has also taken

the initiative to recruit more students and introduce them to the sport of squash. In fact, Coach Khan’s number one goal for the season is to introduce new kids to the team. “Squash is the best thing I’ve ever done,” Roussey said. “Anyone can come - there are no cuts.” The squash program has three teams and plays against several high schools in the area including Episcopal Academy and The Haverford School. On days the team doesn’t have matches, the team either practices in the morning or afternoon. Although the outlook of the team this season is not positive, the future definitely looks bright. “Eighth grader Patrick Murphy currently has a concussion but when he gets back will most likely play on varsity,” Roussey said. Junior Tommy White, a thirdyear varsity player, will also look to make an impact as a top player on the team. Khan noted the team’s continued improvement. “The process of getting the team back to where it is in position to win championships starts today,” Khan said. f

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

FRIAR LIFE

“I

t was fabulous, I think one of the best Christmas parties we ever had,” Director of Christian Service Lawrence Legner said. “The entire day embodied exactly what Christmas should feel like.” This party took place on Sunday when the students from St. Patrick’s parish in Norristiown came to campus and met with Malvern and Notre Dame students. “The students were great with the children and helped escort them to all the day’s activities,” Legner said. “The kids were so appreciative and happy just to get to talk to them.” “This is something these children will never forget. This hospitality and giving is something not experienced in Norristown,” Sister Marie, the director of religious education at St. Patrick’s said. “The children were excited to just get on the bus.” Legner noted that many of the students had never been on a bus. let a lot a bus heading to Malvern. The children’s gratitude will continue all the way to Christmas morning when they open the presents Malvern students sent in for them. “Usually, Christmas is about giving and not receiving,” Legner said. “But on this fabulous day I received great joy from the smile on the children’s faces. That was my Christmas present and reward for a great day of service.” Photos by Dan Malloy ’18

More photos online at The Friar’s Lantern

> PA ASSOCIATION OF IND. SCHOOLS, 1

the event, Talbot feels the experience was mutually enjoyable utilized their recommendations.” and beneficial. According to Talbot, every category gets a one page narrative “It was an extremely favorable outcome. The representatives with these recommendations. The categories of the self-study are were very pleased with what they saw and I was very pleased with philosophy and mission, governance, administration, financial their feedback,” he said. management, institutional advancement, school and commuAccording to Talbot, the PAIS team considered our selfnity, programs, personnel, health and safety, study an exemplar of the genre. “With all of and physical plant. the changes over the past decade, they were However, the recommendations are just extremely impressed with how adaptive we were “Malvern of course that: recommendations. in our style of learning.” Talbot said. doesn’t have to “Malvern of course doesn’t have to accept The accreditors saw that everyone was accept every every recommendation they make. However, united in a search for a tight-knit community. recommendation they expect we will give them thoughtful “Jay Harvey, the Vice Chair of the visiting they make. consideration,” Talbot said. “If we decline a committee, touched on the oneness and saw recommendation, PAIS operates under the that every member of campus is pushing in the However, they assumption that we will do something else to same direction, towards the same goal,” Talbot expect we will give fix the issue they pointed out. After all, we want said. “When everyone has the same mission and them thoughtful to become the best school we can be.” vision, you get very powerful results.” consideration.” The document from PAIS is in draft form To prepare for the trip, the Malvern facand the recommendations and commendations ulty divided up into ten teams “to attack the -Mr. Christian Talbot are unavailable to the school community. The ten different sections of a self study,” Mrs. review from the committee is complete but Giordani said. The self study explained the difmust be approved before it can be viewed by ferent aspects and highlights of Malvern. Every the Malvern community. Talbot is the only person at Malvern Malvern employee was a part of the team. The study was officially that has seen the review. called The Malvern 2015 PAIS Self Study. Including attachments “PAIS will read the report and decide whether to give us our to the document, the study totalled more than 1,000 pages. next ten year accreditation. I believe that meeting is in the middle In a November interview with The Blackfriar Chronicle, Valyo of January so I don’t know if the final draft is something we can said “The self study is great because you’re assessing and evalurelease before then,” Talbot said. ating what you’re doing. You’re looking at your strengths, your Despite the anxious anticipation and hard work required for challenges, and your plans for the future.”

Giordani, in cooperation with Mr. Valyo, helped organize the event. Gift bags, transportation, hotel accommodations, and dinner were all organized for the PAIS representatives before the visit. Students led tours to introduce the representatives to the campus. Highlights of the trip for the visiting committee included attending a speech by Mr. Alex Haynie at Monday Morning Chapel, evaluating a fire drill, sitting in on classes, and eating lunch with students in Stewart Hall. “The goal was to have each accreditor see each class,” Giordani said. “The committee sat in on each class for about five to ten minutes.” The visit ended with a meeting between the visiting committee and the Malvern faculty that shared some high level overview of the visitors’ experiences. O’Connor had glowing words about his experience. “People take very seriously the Augustinian and faith based mission of the school,” he said. “The boys are committed to one another and the faculty are committed to the boys. It makes for a really warm, self supporting community.” He offered some advice on how to nurture our community even further. “You all have a lot to be proud of and I hope that you appreciate what a special place you have here and you take good care of one another and your teachers,” O’Connor said. The PAIS visitors seemed to enjoy the Malvern experience. “One of the members of the visiting committee said ‘they asked me to come and I was really busy,’” said Giordani, “‘but because it was Malvern I came.’” f

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

MEDIA and TechNOLOGY Back to the Future Day: Video chats yes, self-tying laces no

Gadget Gift Guide 2015

October 21, 2015 was Back to the Future Day. Did the world live up to this muchanticipated, historic day?

Christopher Bunn ’16 MANAGING EDITOR WEB hether you’re figuring out what to get for the techinclined in your life or you're planning out your own list, here are some of the best gifts in tech.

Kyle Leonard ’19 CONTRIBUTOR lmost 30 years after the production of Back to the Future II, America and the rest of the world got to celebrate Back to the Future Day, which occurred on October 21. Hover boards, flying cars, video chat, Pepsi Perfect; these are some of the things that Back to the Future Day entailed, most of which came true. However, most of us are still wishing for the flying cars and hover boards that are less than 10,000 dollars. October 21, 2015, was the day Marty, Doc Brown and Jennifer traveled to in the movie. The Back to the Future Day hype enthralled America. For example, Pepsi released the Pepsi Perfect bottles used in the movie, and Nike introduced a replica of the sweet shoes Marty wore in the future, except without the self-tying laces. Some avid fans from Malvern also dove into Back to the Future Day. Junior RJ Napoli dressed up as Marty McFly for the annual Halloween contest. He was pretty excited for October 21. “There were a whole bunch of things they did for it,” Napoli said. “It was also the only day I could dress up as Marty McFly and not look out of the ordinary.” He also had some criticism for how we handled this day. “There was a ton of hype for it, but I thought that they could have done more for it.“ He a lso thinks we cou ld ’ve gotten f ur ther technologically. “The interview with Michael J. Fox (Back in Time) hit it spot on - we could’ve gotten further in technology, with the flying cars and stuff like that, but we put all of our

Google Cardboard

RJ NAPOLI AS MARTY MCFLY / MPFRIARSLANTERN INSTAGR AM

focus into building handheld devices for our own personal use,” Napoli said. Senior Ted Holleran is also an avid Back to the Future fan, and he was pleased with how America received Back to the Future Day. “There were a lot more people that received it than I thought, and it was much bigger than I thought it would be,” Holleran said. So what will the world be like in the next 30 years? Who knows, but hopefully there will be flying cars and self-tying shoelaces to satisfy the Back to the Future fans who were a little disappointed in not seeing some of their favorite objects from the movie available on the market.f

$15 -$130 at google.com/get/cardboard/ Google Cardboard is currently the cheap way to experience virtual reality. Simply download the Google Cardboard app and place your phone in the viewer. Most viewers are made of cardboard, but some are made of aluminum or plastic. If you’re crafty, you can buy the lenses and make your own version using the instructions on the Google Cardboard website.

Google Chromecast (2nd Gen) and Chromecast Audio $35 at Google Store Chromecasts get a bad rap from both students and teachers. The 2nd gen version of the Chromecast has an improved WiFi connection and it’s perfect for home use. Easily cast just about anything to your TV, including photos and Netflix shows. Chromecast Audio can connect to your wired speakers and play music over your home WiFi.

3D-ification of Peanuts Hollywood makes a spin on the long-running comic strip, Peanuts. Michael Harrington ’19 CONTRIBUTOR ollywood may have thought that this was a good idea, but the fans of Peanuts are not very happy about the loss of the classic 2D look. Friday, November 4, the new and improved Peanuts Movie was released to theaters. People were very worried that this movie could mess up by not staying true to the classic comic strip. Some students at Malvern share the public’s opinion, hoping that it is good but knowing it can fail. “If they do it right, it could work,” freshman and fan of Peanuts Ryan Mills said. Ryan thinks that there are many ways that Hollywood can mess it up. He hopes that they don't try to modernize the movie too much. Ryan always liked the original soundtrack; if the movie makers try using newer songs, the movie will already be ruined for him. Also, Woodstock is a must-have. “I'm gonna go see it when I can,” Mills said. “I thought it was really well done. I liked how they took a lot of his original comics and pretty much spat them back out at us.” said Pat Ferraiolo ’17. Pat saw the movie, and he really enjoyed it. He liked how Charlie Brown was made into a 3D character because he always thought of him as a 2D character. His favorite part was seeing Lucy pull the football before Charlie Brown was about to kick it. “It could probably look really weird, because it's like a 2D cartoon,” Cristian Galilea ’19 said. He does not think that the switch to 3D is a good idea. He likes the classic feel of 2D. Cristian is glad that Hollywood is still making Peanuts movies, but he wants them to stay true to what they have done. He also thinks that the movie would be a lot better if Snoopy is still a main character. Others are excited about the prospect of this new 3D version.

We check out this year’s best picks in the tech world.

PEANUTSTHEMOVIE.COM

“I think it would be cool to see it in a 3D animation,” Henry Hague ’19 said , a fan of the TV series as a kid. Although Henry likes that Hollywood is trying out the new concept, he thinks that a ton of things could go wrong. He would like it if the movie was a little modernized, but stayed true to its core values. Most people want the classic Peanuts that they have known for years, while others wouldn't mind if Hollywood modernized it a little bit. Hopefully, the movie lived up to the standards of the many fans and followers of the beloved comic strip and be a success among the masses. f

> TYPEWRITERS, 2 meant to sit on a desk. Some were big and heavy enough that they required an entire other construction just to hold them up. Eventually, the portable typewriter came, as small typewriters were bolted to the bottom of carrying cases. In the latter half of the 20th century electric typewriters were introduced, which evolved into word pads - a typewriter with a digital screen, where a typed line would appear and could be edited before being printed onto the page. These can still be bought in office stores today. So what brought on the typewriter revolution? There are a couple reasons. Authors such as Ernest Hemingway used them. Tom Hanks once agreed to an interview after being sent a typewriter. Typewriters often make cameos in movies, like in Perks of Being a Wallflower (the movie that piqued my interest in the machines). There are newly designed electric typewriters made specifically for

Anker 2nd Gen Astro E3 Ultra Compact $22 at Amazon. A heav y workd ay combi ned with no signal in the basement of Carney equals a dead phone by noon. Anker’s 10000mAh battery pack is relatively affordable and offers two USB ports. Despite its compact size, this battery pack is large enough that it can charge both your iPhone and your iPad. Give your friend the gift of not having sit right next to the wall during class.

Amazon Fire 7” $50 at Amazon. The perfect gift for younger family members. For $50, you get a solid tablet good enough to watch videos and browse the web. However, the screen quality is on the lower side, and the design is rather uninspiring. Despite this, the tablet checks off most boxes, and the price is low enough so that it can be easily replaced if lost or broken.

Moto 360 (2nd Gen) $300 at Motorola Motorola’s latest smartwatch work s w ith both Android phones and iPhones. Using Moto Maker, you can customize the watch’s color, size, and band. Unlike the Apple Watch, Moto’s offering has a circular screen and is $50 cheaper. Why not have a smartwatch that actually looks like a watch? f hipsters. But possibly the most surprising reason of all - Edward Snowden. The NSA leaks sparked a gigantic, national and international movement for security and personal privacy. Who knew if they had already gained access to your phone, tablet, or even computer? That’s where the typewriter comes in. The words aren’t stored on a hard drive, or on the cloud, or on some encrypted USB stick to be secretly shared. The only copy is on the physical piece of paper in front of you. Some governments or government members still use typewriters today - type the documents, and store the papers in a vault. A piece of paper can’t be hacked. So why do I collect typewriters? I don’t do it for security, and I don’t consider myself to be a hipster. Typewriters, much like coins, played an interesting part in the history of the world, and I appreciate just how cool they really are. f

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

Media and technology Malvern adapts to life with Schoology Teachers and students share their thoughts on Malvern’s switch to Schoology. Rohan Jhunjhunwala ’18 CONTRIBUTOR his school year brought about Schoolog y, a new on l ine learning management system for teachers and students, replacing MyBackpack. It has been over three months and people have began to form opinions. Here are some opinions from members of the Malvern community.

Zach White ’16 What do you think of Schoology? I think Schoology is pretty good, but Backpack is a lot better. It was a lot easier to use, and I just feel like I did better when I was on Backpack. Schoology or Backpack? Honestly I think that Backpack was the best thing ever.

Scott Sanders ’18 What do you think of Schoology? I personally dislike it, in that Backpack was a lot easier than Schoology. All Schoology ever does is send you notifications. Schoology or Backpack? Backpack. Bring back Backpack.

Mr. Eric Miller

What do you think of Schoology? I think [with] Schoology the assignments are easier to see. Grades are a lot harder to see. Schoology or Backpack? Backpack, because that’s what I’m used to.

What do you think of Schoology? There are some good things and bad things about Schoology. I have a lot of success communicating with students and parents through Schoology. I like the gradebook feature and the updates I can get. The only thing that I am struggling with now is that my second quarter classes cannot be uploaded into the system. It has some great features, but If I can’t use them for those three main classes it is going to be a problem. Schoology or Backpack? Personally I didn’t like Backpack a whole lot. I never really used it to its fullest capabilities, I didn’t try either. I am all right with the Schoology. I have done online quizzes and things like that. They are easy to set up and easy to manage, but if my classes don’t get set up that does not matter.

Alex Reber ’17 What do you think of Schoology? I think Schoology is alright. It helps me a lot getting to know my grades and my percentage and everything. It is kind of hard to decipher, but it is working out pretty well. Schoology or Backpack I would like to go back to Backpack. It was a lot more simple. I was kind of used to it.

Itching so much for the August 2016 release that I had to sit down and review a trailer that was released five months ago. Ben Yankelitis ’16 EDITOR IN CHIEF fter spending time filming the highly anticipated superhero movie Suicide Squad together, Will Smith told Beats Radio 1, he has yet to meet Jared Leto because he stayed in his “Joker” character the whole time. Suicide Squad will not be your average superhero movie. The cast is full of A-list actors including Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis, and more. In the movie, the government gathers a group of supervillains. They are “the worst of the worst.” The government hopes to enlist them to take on the most difficult, dangerous, and deadly missions around. And that’s about all we know so far… The three minute preview reveals very little about the plot, but introduces a lot of characters and many themes that the movie will explore. Viola Davis’s character Amanda Waller says “getting people to act against their own self interest is what I do for a living.” But is just punishment for these villains to force them into these suicide missions? In the trailer, Will Smith’s character Deadshot asks “So that’s it, huh? We’re the patsies. We’re some kind of suicide squad?” The trailer is fantastic. Perfectly edited. Once the members of the squad are introduced a haunting and opera-esque cover of the Beejee’s “I Started a Joke” plays. Each character is introduced in a manner which portrays them as insane, yet lovable. Clips of meaningful dialogue are immediately followed by intense scenes of gunshots, car chases, and hand to hand combat. Cara Delevingne’s character Enchantress who is projected as the movie’s ultimate “bad guy” is shown briefly in

Dan King ’19

Trailer Review: Suicide Squad

Mr. Kevin Quinn What do you think of Schoology? As a whole I like it as a learning management system. There’s a lot that are out in the market. I have had a chance to use a few. Backpack was not a learning management system it was more of a digital gradebook.

dark scenes where a frightened demeanor hints that some sort of dark spirit has over taken her, possibly like how the government overtook the squad. The movie takes place in the same universe as Batman, as both are part of DC Comics. Ben Affleck is a part of the cast according to IMDB, but is not explicitly seen in the trailer. There are flashes of people wearing cheap Batman costumes, however. Pictures from the set have also shown Batman in the film. How Batman will actually fit into the movie is still a big question though. The trailer ends introducing the most anticipated character. Jared Leto will be the first to act as the “Joker” since Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight. Leto’s appearance in the trailer is a bit terrifying. The face that Leto gives the camera at the very end stares straight into your soul. You will probably see that face when you are lying in bed at night. Overall, this trailer is a 6/5. It is a huge home run. Can trailers win Oscars? Seriously, I was able to write this much about a three minute trailer. Suicide Squad is released August 4 2016. f

No More Smartboards Malvern has decided to get rid of most of the Smartboards in the school in favor of Chromecast. Jack Magargee ’18 MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR f you’ve been around Malvern since the start of the school year, you might have noticed a lack of smartboards. Well, they’re gone. Get over it. Now we have Chromecast. For those unfamiliar, Chromecast is a device made by Google through which you can stream the feed from a device such as a phone or laptop to a displaying device such as a projector or television. Chromecast was originated for and popularized by its ability to stream video.However, its popularity is hurt by the widespread use of competitive devices such as Smart TV’s and Apple TV. A classroom application for Chromecast is not uncommon. That’s not to say it’s popular, it’s just not uncommon. Its main service is the streaming of videos; it was not created to display an entire monitor screen for extended periods of time. “The appeal of the Chromecast is combined with the Chromebooks we’re using and the touch screens,” Technology Support Specialist Mr. Nathan Duane said. “You have a touch screen anywhere in the classroom, which generally means that Chromecast can incorporate more people and technologies into the classrooms than smartboards.” If you have seen Chromecast in use in a classroom,

Schoology is a bit more put together than some of the other options. I like that it is a little bit more dynamic, a little bit more intuitive to use, but it’s certainly not perfect. As a whole it is a good option for a learning management system. Schoology or Backpack Schoology, hands down.f

ARE PROJECTORS NOW OBSOLETE? / J. MAGARGEE

you probably noticed how often the feed becomes disconnected, especially when switching windows. This problem comes from the fact the Chromecast is primarily a video streaming device. It was not made to switch between windows or programs. Responding to that request is not its expected job so it just disconnects. “It’s hard to learn with a broken Chromecast,” sophomore Tim McLaughlin said. “Without smartboards or a working Chromecast, it’s tough to stay involved in class.” Chromecast does have its upsides. “I’ve only used it a few times. It’s been fine,” Social Studies Department Leader Mrs. Beverly Gordon said. “Every time I’ve needed it, it’s been there.” Chromecast has more realistic applications by subject. For example, a teacher who is more likely to use visuals and videos in the curriculum, is more likely to use Chromecast than a teacher who has little need for visual support. Chromecast is changing the nature by which we take in information in the classroom and stay engaged while doing so. It is one of the more significant changes to Malvern this year. f

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

NEWS El Niño vs. Malvern

Guide to local elections: Democratic Edition

Prep for some snow days because El Niño is coming this winter.

Last month, we gave you the local Republican candidates, now it’s the Democrats’ turn.

Michael Harrington ’19 CONTRIBUTOR he largest El Niño since 1997 will hit North America and is predicted to stay until the spring. What is an El Niño, besides some Spanish vocabulary directly translated to “the little boy”? “El Niño is a natural phenomenon that occurs when unusually warm ocean temperatures develop in the Tropical Pacific. The warmer the ocean, the stronger the El Niño,” Glenn “Hur ricane” Schwa r tz , Meteorolog ist a nd Hu r r ica ne Specialist at NBC10 said in an email interview with The Blackfriar Chronicle. “The mechanisms for how El Niño develops and strengthens are not well understood. But it has been reported on for centuries, so it is nothing new,” he said. “The phenomenon has always been occurring, but this year’s El Niño is a very big one. There is a very high chance of torrential weather hitting our area this winter, which means a chance of days off.” El Niño this year started forming a few months ago and will likely

continue through winter. According to Schwartz, it has already been connected to the unusually active hurricane season in the Eastern and Central Pacific and usually suppresses tropical activity in our part of the world. Assistant Head of School Mr. Valyo determines all canceled days. He makes the call by seeing what the biggest school districts around Malvern are doing and using his own personal judgement to determine if the school day is canceled. Mr. Valyo also consults the head of maintenance to see if the condition of the campus is good enough for the day. If there are too many canceled days in a year, then there are repercussions. “We would have to add some days at the end of the year or take away part of Easter vacation,” Vaylo said. Students are hoping that this year’s El Niño causes some bad weather. “I like days off,” Sean Upadhyay ’19 said. f

Terrorist attacks impact class discussions, potential trip Recent attacks in Paris and the spread of ISIS could threaten a scheduled Malvern trip to France.

Jack McClatchy ’17 WORLD NEWS EDITOR lthough most local elections have come and gone this past month, these names will show up on your ballots next November, and it’s important to know who they are, and what they’re running for.

Jack Stollsteimer: Running for Attorney General Chair of the Haverford Township Democratic Party and former prosecutor Jack Stollsteimer announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Pennsylvania on August 13, 2015, saying that he has more legal experience than current Attorney General Kathleen Kane, and none of the baggage associated with her. “The fact of the matter is, she committed a crime,” Stollsteimer said in a phone interview. “I would be surprised if she were to run for reelection.” Kane has been indicted on counts of leaking materials from a criminal investigation to humiliate political opponents and has had her legal license revoked. The State Legislature has now launched an investigation into whether or not she can be Attorney General without a law license. Stollsteimer is confident that voters will make the right choice. “The voters are usually fair when it comes to voting in an election,” he said. “And they will make a great choice, whoever the eventual winner is.” Stollsteimer is running against fellow Democrat Steve Zappala, and will face off against either Senator John Rafferty or Todd Stephens, the Republicans who have announced their candidacies.

Katie McGinty: Running for US Senator Former chief of staff for Governor Tom Wolf, Katie McGinty is running in a primary against current frontrunner and former US Representative Joe Sestak, and mayor of Braddock John Fetterman to take on incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey. McGinty has earned the endorsement of governor Wolf and former governor Ed Rendell and has been called an establishment candidate, with Sestak being the populist and Braddock the outsider. She earned a name for herself with Pennsylvania voters by marching with workers for the $15 minimum wage and has also campaigned against Senator Toomey’s views with Social Security and Medicare. “He has voted to privatize Social Security and to end Medicare as we know it,” she said. “It’s not right, and not good for Pennsylvanians.” She said that despite her views on social issues, she has hesitated to call herself a candidate campaigning solely for entitlements. “These aren’t entitlement programs I’m working to save, they are programs that people paid into, and have a right to get back.” “I don’t campaign for handouts,” she said. “I campaign for a handup.” The Pennsylvania Democratic Primary for Senate is on April 26.

Jack McClatchy ’17 NEWS EDITOR n the wake of the Paris terror attacks, terror and talk of terror has flooded the media and dominated conversations across America. Malvern is no exception. In classrooms and the hallways, “ISIS” can be heard dozens of times in a single day. Global Perspectives teacher Mr. Andrew Burke has said that Middle Eastern history will be part of his curriculum for his freshman students. “Right now, they aren’t quite informed about it, and there are a lot of kneejerk reactions,” Burke said. “But, by the time this unit is done, I hope their eyes will be opened, and they can see why ISIS is happening.” Burke said his unit on Middle Eastern history will go from the end of the First World War and the fall of the Ottoman Empire all the way to the modern day. US Congressman Ryan Costello, who represents the 6th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, which includes Tredyffrin, Malvern, and West Chester, held a phone town hall in November, where he fielded questions about ISIS and Syrian refugees. “[Syrian] refugees are victims,” he said in the town hall. “But until we’re sure no refugees are dangerous, we can’t provide aid to them by allowing them into the country.” “People who fight for ISIS are enemies of the state,” he said. “Any American who goes [to Syria] and fights for ISIS should go under US surveillance.” In a phone interview, Costello said that anyone who goes to fight in Syria, for either ISIS, Syrian opposition, or the Kurds, should be tracked by the U.S. Government. Malvern isn’t just talking about ISIS though. There are some concerns about a trip to France, and Paris in particular, scheduled for March 2016. French teacher Ms. Teresa Lohse, who is leading the trip, has done what she could to adjust the trip. “I’ve talked with Mr. Talbot and Mr. Algeo, and we’ve decided to wait until the State Department gives an advisory to change the trip drastically.” After the Paris attacks, the State Department gave a general travel warning to Americans traveling abroad, and will last until Feb. 24. Malvern’s trip to Paris is scheduled from March 25 to April 2.

State Senator Andy Dinniman: Running for Reelection Senator Andy Dinniman represents Pennsylvania’s 19th District, which includes Tredyffrin, East and West Whiteland, and Coatesville. Dinniman is known for being bipartisan, and prides himself on being the only Democratic State Senator from Chester County. “The last time I was elected, I carried 95% of Democrats, two-thirds of Independents, and one-third of Republicans in the district,” he said in a phone interview. “People don’t look at me as partisan but as some who tries to bring people together.” “If I weren’t, I wouldn’t be senator right now,” he said. “Chester County is a Republican county, and I can’t be partisan.” He is also one of three State Senators to not cash his paycheck during the ongoing budget battle in Pennsylvania. “It is shameful that we have let this budget go as long as it has,” he said. “I don’t think it would be right for me as a senator to cash my paycheck when others are suffering through this budget battle.” “I’m not going to blame either party for the budget,” he said. “But, both are at fault here, and we all have to agree on a budget that is sensible. The Governor’s wasn’t sensible, and the Republican’s wasn’t sensible either.”

State Representative Greg Vitali: Running for Reelection Greg Vitali represents the 166th Legislative District of Pennsylvania, which includes Haverford Township, and parts of Radnor and Marple Townships as well. He is running for his 13th term in Harrisburg, and chairs the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. He has also served on the State Government, Appropriations, and Judiciary committees. He is also part of the 20-member Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board, which inspects all Department of Environmental Protection regulations. Vitali has been easily reelected in the past, averaging over 63% of the vote since 2008. “It’s come to a point really where I can just compartmentalize the process, until the time comes that I need to really think about it,” he said in a phone interview. Vitali has a differing perspective than most with running for reelection. “State legislators have a 24 month term. In those 24 months, I make sure I build a relationship with my constituents, so they know me, and they know my views,” he said. “That way, when it comes time to campaign, I don’t need to raise as much money from special interests.” “It really frees me up to be my own person in the Legislature,” he said. “And not be beholden to these special interest groups.” f

While Lohse won’t say there’s nothing to worry about, she said Malvern won’t do anything in haste. “The company we’re doing this with, EF Tours, is really understanding with this,” she said. “We can change anything about the trip up to the last minute, so we’re going to take as much time as we can.” “The first thing any American should do when they travel abroad is check with the American embassy,” Costello said. “They have the most up-to-date information about potential threats in the country, and whether you should be careful.” f

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

ARTS Truly a Wonderful Life For MTS

It’s all in the Bass

Malvern Theatre Society’s performance of It’s a Wonderful Life stood out in a long line of successful shows.

Research done by Northwestern University tells that the key to a pump up song is bass.

Jack Magargee ’18 MEDIA & TECH EDITOR t really was a Wonderful Life for Malvern Theatre Society’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life. I had the great opportunity to see the show on opening night and I’ll admit I held it to a high standard based off of last year’s production of The Laramie Project, but I left pleasantly surprised. A quick synopsis of the show’s plot: George Bailey is a man who is going into heavy debt and is about to commit suicide on Christmas Eve when an Angel named Clarence shows him the positive ways that he has benefited the lives of those around him. It’s no secret that MTS lost a very strong class with the class of 2015, but It’s a Wonderful Life really showcased the future of the program at Malvern. Behind memorable performances from junior Nick Gatti and sophomore Pat Sayers, the cast was very strong. However, anyone present would admit that junior RJ Napoli really stole the show playing the wheelchair-bound Mr. Potter. I’d be remissed if I didn’t mention the girls from Notre Dame and Villa who lent their talents. They are

crucial to the shows at Malvern and MTS wouldn’t be the same if it were all guys. The set, as always, looked spectacular. It was designed as a bridge with the backdrop being a black wall covered with bright stars. The many snow showers were also a nice touch. MTS has a prominent name around here for many reasons, not the least of which would be the professionalism of all those involved. I’ve been backstage for the musicals, I’ve seen the catwalks and I can truly appreciate the amount of work that goes into one of these shows. You could really see that hard work, not only by the actors, but also by the stage crew, directors, lighting, and sound. It really is a group effort. My only regret about the show is that I only saw it once. f

Music staff enthusiastic about recording studio A history of the state-of-the-art Malvern Recording Studio, and where it may lead students in the future. Joseph Markferding ‘16 CONTRIBUTOR n the second floor of the Duffy Arts Center, right behind the choral room, there are students learning how to make tracks right in our own recording studio. “It’s a full-fledged recording studio,” Malvern Music Teacher Mr. Emanuel Del Pizzo said. “We have 10 stations, including the main station. With everything in the room, it’s fully capable of doing professional recording sessions.” Del Pizzo is a longtime musician and teacher who has been working at Malvern in the music department since 1999. After his first year, Del Pizzo said the administration approached him about new courses. “They asked me, after my first year in 1999, at the end of the year, ‘Is there anything you think would really go well here? Any type of course?’” Del Pizzo said. “I said, ‘well, I have an idea but it’s really expensive.” Del Pizzo said the administration asked him to present them with a budget that they would then accept or reject. “So, I came up with something to jump start [the recording studio], back when it was located in the basement of Tolentine, and it got approved,” Del Pizzo said. “So we put it in action the next year.” Since that point, the Malvern recording studio has grown. Currently, the studio is fitted with all industry-standard, state-of-the-art technology all at a student’s disposal, said Music teacher Mr. Jonathan Springer. “Students are engaged in music production projects using looping, midi, sampling and recording technologies. They’re also involved in editing of sound effects and soundtracks for film and movie clips.” Springer said. Each day, two or three Music & Recording Technology classes are held, Del Pizzo said. “It’s a completely project-based class where students record songs and create projects that they are then graded on.” Del Pizzo said. A large part of the studio’s operations include live recordings in the band room, Del Pizzo said. “In Jazz Improv, a large part of the class involves acoustic recording in the [live room]. We’ve also done a lot of recordings for guys doing demos for colleges.” Del Pizzo said. Since the studio’s inception, there have been Malvern students that have gone on to do impressive things in the music industry who are thankful for

Colin Price ’18 REPORTER veryone knows that feeling you get while listening to a certain song. Most athletes like to listen to these songs before big games. Some artists, listen to these songs to get in the zone. So, what is it about this music that gets our heart racing? Research done by a team at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business says it’s all in the bass. The team, led by Columbia professor Adam Galinsky, started off by asking people to listen to certain songs and asked them how powerful they felt afterwards, according to a paper by Dr. Galinsky. From there, the team had people listen to the songs that made people feel most and least powerful, and asked them to fill in the missing letters: P_ _ ER. Those who listened to the power provoking music were more likely to fill in POWER than PAPER. The common theme to these powerful songs - bass. But how much bass? According to Mr. Ruch, Malvern Prep’s Athletic Director, Inter-Ac league rules indicate that for Indoor games, such as basketball or waterpolo, music can be played for warmups, timeouts, and intermissions. No noise makers during play are allowed. For outdoor games, the Inter-Ac says pretty much anything goes. However, Ruch says that Malvern allows only clean music. Sophomore and DJ Desmond Papariello agrees he shares in the powerful feeling after listening to a pump up song. “When I listen to a pump up song I feel inspired to make a song that has that same effect in other people.”f

Mr. Rob Muntz Art Teacher Cissy Strut - The Meters Thunderstruck - AC/DC Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes Eye of the Tiger - Survivor Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne

Des Papariello

’18

DJ + Producer Lord Knows - Meek Mill Around the World - Red Hot Chili Peppers Take U There (Zeds Dead Remix) - Jack U Tale of 2 Citiez - J Cole Roses (Des Remix) - The Chainsmokers

Jake Hodlofski

’18

Varsity Goalie Roses - Chainsmokers Jungle - Jay-Z Runaway - Galantis The Nights - Avicii

Kevin Doyle

’18

Varsity Quarterback Warriors- Imagine Dragons Roses - Chainsmokers Dream (remix) - Imagine Dragons History - Lauren Alaina

Mike Harrington

’19

BFC MVP Baba O’Reilly - The Who Won’t Get Fooled Again The Who Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

Jack Magargee

’18

BFC Media & Tech Editor Thunderstruck - AC/DC Welcome to the Jungle - AC/ DC Paranoid - Black Sabbath

Fr. Thom Meehan O.s.A Theology Teacher Let There be Peace on Earth Oh Happy Day - Gospel Impossible Dream - Man of La Mancha Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga

RECORDING STUDIO EQUIPMENT iMacs Logic X Music Production Software Fostex/Presonus Studio Speakers 48 Channel Tascam MU-1000 Mixing Board Oxygen Controllers Roland FA08 Studio Synthesizer STUDENTS WORK ON RECORDING STUDIO PROJECTS / D. MALLOY

their opportunity to use a professional recording studio, according to alumnus and recording artist John Scargall. “I think having a recording studio on campus is essential for Malvern Prep students, especially for anyone thinking about getting into the music industry,” Scargall said. Del Pizzo said the studio is a great learning tool for student musicians. “It almost hyper-jumps you as a musician. You spend a week in the studio, and you come out the other end way better than the day you went in.” Del Pizzo said. “I find it an amazing teaching tool. I wish other schools had it.” Del Pizzo said. f

Presonus Firestudio Boxes Minimoog Voyager xl synth JVC Sony Numark/ Audio Technica headphones Patch and XLR cables Various types of microphones for live recording

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

SPORTS / FRIAR LIFE

MIDDLe SCHOOL Middle School creates new type of canned food drive

Winter Track: Running for the “Cold” Medal

The middle school discovered a way to collect cans and have fun while doing it. .

Chris Abbott ‘16 CONTRIBUTOR inter Track started up again on November 30, as new and returning faces alike were encouraged to join the sport. Coach Mike Koenig, entering his 16th season of coaching, wants to get new runners in shape for spring sports as well as get veteran runners recognized by college recruiters. “We want to build a foundation for runners to get conditioned for spring sports whether it be spring track or baseball,” Koenig said. “But in terms of exposure of the top athletes, indoor track is better than any other season we have in terms of of getting these guys getting recognized by colleges on a national level.” Winter Track has a relatively small squad of about 20 runners, but that doesn’t bother Koenig. “The juniors and seniors are going to come out,” Koenig said. “But the important thing is generating interest from underclassmen, guys that we can hold onto and develop for four years.” Senior Evan Tate is returning to Winter Track for the first time since freshmen year.

Joe Lister ’21, Cole Cherian ’22 MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORTER, MIDDLE SCHOOL CONTRIBUTOR

n a unique spin on the traditional canned food drive, the Middle School turned this year’s collection into a game. Middle School Head Patrick Sillup described the resulting collection of about 1500 pounds of cans as connections with the food banks, that “extraordinary.” made this such a smashing success,” Sillup credits the idea to two stu- Sillup said. dents, Bobby Becket ’20 and Teddy The students who proposed Hawke ’20, two students in the the idea never expected to receive Leadership and Christian Service so many can donations. “It was an groups. “They had seeded this idea amazing success,” Becket said. “We of, hey, wouldn’t it be cool if we sort brought in one thousand, four hunof gamified this canned collection,” dred and forty six cans.” Sillup said. The middle school also The students thought had a dress down day that Middle School this could be a good encouraged students to Canned Food sevice opportunity for bring in more cans. Collection: the Middle School. “We The students had fun decided it was a fun way in the process, but also to incorporate a break realize how much their from normal activities in efforts will positively the Middle School, and affect others. “It’s amazalso to do service at the same time,” ing, and we know that those are going said Hawke. to people in need,” Becket said. The game worked by splitting The students had even bigger students up into “drill squads.” Each plans, but had to limit the program drill squad competed to bring in cans, this year. “We were gonna partner and then create a building out of the with other schools but we had to cans in under 60 seconds. cut that off because we didn’t have “Day to day, we had grade level enough time,” Becket said. competitions [in Alumni.] If you won On Monday, November 30, a your grade level competition, you got Mr. Softee’s truck rolled into camto absorb the next team’s cans,” said pus. Delivering two kinds of cones, Sillup. “And then we had the school- it was free to the Middle School. wide competition in the Mod Space.” According to Sillup, a teacher The competition was judged by approached him and asked about three eighth grade students with a a way that the middle school could Chester County Food Bank repre- recognize the student’s efforts. After sentative observing the event. After bouncing around ideas of dress down two rounds, it was a tie between days, the Experiential Group came the seventh and eighth grade drill up with the idea of the surprise ice squads. The judges determined that cream truck. the eighth grade drill squad came out “I don’t think ever y action on top. deserves a reward,” said Sillup. “[The “For most schools, it’s more about students] worked really hard at that collection than connection,” Sillup drive and we were really proud.” f said. “But for Malvern, it was the

1,446 Cans

Winter Track team hopes compete and prepare athletes for spring sports.

“I ran freshman year but I got injured,” Tate said. “This year I’m looking to outrun everybody else and make up for the lost time.” Practices take place outdoors on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Winter Track does not have an Inter-Ac championship. However, there is a state championship each year. “We don’t have to peak for an Inter-Ac championship,” Koenig said. “Having said that, if you win indoor track states, you are the best in the state. There is no question.” The recruiting process for Winter Track has been slightly more extensive this year. Junior Zach DeStefano designed and hung posters around campus. “Things have been going pretty well,” said Koenig. “It’s generated a decent amount of interest.” Winter Track is known for providing Varsity Letters to every participant, regardless of skill level. All are encouraged to join, even those with little to no experience. “I’m always looking for guys who got cut from hockey or basketball,” Koenig said. “Those guys are typically eager to join a team” f

Students win journalism competition at Temple Seniors competed at regional scholastic journalism conference Benjamin Koo ’16 CONTRIBUTOR eniors Zac Chan and Michael Droogan will advance to the Pennsylvania School Press Association finals in March after their performance at Temple’s regional journalism competition on October 13. “When I got the news I advanced I was pumped because I felt it was a testament to all the work I've put into the paper,” Droogan said. “I'm really excited to represent the BFC.” The journalism class, which is co-taught by Ms. Kate Plows and Mr. Jay Rogai, took a field trip to Temple University to participate in a Pennsylvania Scholastic Press Association write-off. Students competed in news writing, editorial writing, sports writing, and feature writing. “It was a chance for them to see journalism in context outside of the classroom,” Plows said. It was the first time Malvern

students entered such competition for journalism, and although it was an exciting event, there was doubt trailing in the minds of Plows and her students. “I remember telling them on the way down that we’re not going to win anything, not to expect much,” Plows said. “[They had] big competition against other schools with good journalism programs.” Rather than winning in their events, the students and Plows hoped to learn new things through seminars and writing. “I wasn't really interested in the competition itself and didn't think I would do too well,” Chan said. “During the competition, I was actually a bit upset. The pencils we had were really bad - the erasers tore through paper- so I kept crumpling up paper and starting over.” Droogan had mixed feelings about the trip to Temple. “I enjoyed going into the city and doing the competition so I would do it again,

but the other stuff like hearing the speaker and talking in groups I could do without,” he said. Plows feels that the trip was a success. She is proud of her students, especially because two of them were unexpectedly named competition winners. Droogan and Chan will compete at the state finals on March 4, 2016, at Penn State University Park. The journalism class will end in January, but Plows hopes the two students will continue practicing writing for the competition. “I'm practicing sports writing by working in the paper, but right now I'm more worried about getting all my college apps in,” Droogan said. “After I send the last app I'll be able to focus on the competition more.” Although Chan said he is interested in computer science and graphic design he called the Journalism class, “one my favorites of senior year.” f

Middle School Varsity Soccer ends season with a gong The Middle School Varsity team, who had Inter-Ac championship expectations, ended the season with four players injured, one home win, and a cursed gong. Joe Lister ’21 Academy (the team did beat Upland Country Middle School Reporter Day School, but the gong was not present.) he Varsity soccer season may “Against EA, we were losing be over, but players are trying two to nothing,” said DeVido. to spread the word on what “It’s gone “They brought the gong off the they say ended their season. from, let’s field, and scored two goals. They A f ter t he tea m ma nager win the rang the gong twice and seconds Tommy Bevevino ’20 purchased a league, to, later lost off of an EA goal.” “goal gong” off of amazon.com, the let’s break Bull offered a possible alternateam was really excited. the curse.” tive to the gong for next year. “We thought it would be super Coach DeVido “Maybe next time cool, and give us a lot of luck,” and we'll buy an Asian then “it ended up being cursed. It hat. Those are usuwas a huge letdown,” said Alex Bull ally lucky,” he said. ’20. Midd le School Varsit y But according to Bull, the team did ring it Coach Chris DeVido is also a few times. disappointed. “Everything [is Those rings came against Episcopal wrong],” he said. “It's gone from,

let's win the league, to, let’s break the curse.” One time an exchange student from Spain went in the game for about five minutes. “That’s the first time he’d played for that long,” said DeVido. “Slide tackle right to the ankle, out for the rest of the season.” The gong had been on the field then. And wherever the gong goes, the trouble follows. “When it’s in the Mod Space, weird things would happen,” said DeVido. “Records would fall over, things like that.” DeVido once spilled sauce all over his shirt before the biggest game of the season. “I couldn’t even look nice for the game.” At one point the gong was in Mr. DeVido’s locked classroom, and

something was taken from it. But is it just a coincidence? Paul Gleason ’20 is the only one on the team who thinks so. “Personally I don't think anything can get cursed. I don't think we're cursed by a gong that we bought.” There are many ideas of how to get rid of the gong. One is a dunk tank, another is melting it down and selling the metals. A popular idea is using a “demon buster.” Some think that the team should sell the gong on eBay. But if DeVido could see one good thing about this curse, he'd say it involves the Augustinian virtue of Unitas. “I think it’s making our guys stronger, it’s bonding us together… you can’t let curses run your life.” “Don't buy Asian percussion instruments,” warns Bull. f

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

We asked our staff to write about some of their favorite holiday traditions. From singing in Duffy to escaping a family lock-in, here are some of our perspectives on what makes Christmas merry. Santa’s Wardrobe Malfunction Looks like that beard might not be too real, after all. Danny Malloy ’18 REPORTER just wanted to get a glimpse of Santa riding his big red firetruck down the street that night, but I may have seen more than I wanted. Back when I was a little kid, one of the best parts of the Christmas season for me and my siblings was seeing Santa Claus sitting on top of a wailing firetruck while handing out candy canes to each house in my neighborhood. I never liked candy canes, but that’s not the point. I got to see Santa himself, in the flesh, right on my street. Not one of those fake Santas at shopping malls. On one of those nights, back when I was 6, we did not get to see Santa in time, as he had just passed our house. Naturally, I was not putting up with that. So, we all got in the car and started to follow after the truck. It didn’t take a whole lot of time to find him, he was only a few streets over.

We pulled up to get a perfect view of him as he was going to each house on the other side of the street. There he was, on top of the truck, saying “Ho, ho, ho!” and waving. It just so happens there was a huge tree right alongside the truck, and as the fire truck started moving again, a tree branch clotheslined Santa off his chair. I was shocked at what happened and I waited to see what Santa would do next. He got up and while the rest of his costume remained intact, the critical piece, the beard, seemed to have been knocked off. Who thought Santa was actually just a 20-year old dude? My parents saved the day by covering our eyes, so the tradition was still intact because that would have been a hard one to explain. f

Christmas Weather Is it really Christmas without snow? Jack Magargee ’18 MEDIA & TECH EDITOR his year’s Christmas is already terrible and it’s not even here yet. Watch any Christmas movie ever. What do you see outside? Snow. Snow is a staple of the holiday just as much as eggnog and outdated movies. For the Philadelphia area, where we are used to the white stuff that falls from the sky, we have yet to have a day below the freezing point as of December 9 (with this expected to continue for some time) and that has me worried for the 25th. Why is there unseasonably warm weather? Why can we comfortably wear T-shirts in December? My guess is global warming but you’re entitled to your own opinion. W hatever the reason, this weather is really bumming me out. I honestly don’t feel the Christmas spirit at all. Not even ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas programming

has helped. That’s right, watching Fred Claus and Santa Clause 3: Jack Frost back to back did NOT make me feel better. Usually by now, me and my ugly sweaters are inseparable, but I haven’t even touched them yet. Christmas falls on a Friday this year, and that’s pretty great. It means we get a full week between No-NayNever and shredding through wrapping paper. I also get a full week to get hype for Christmas. Recommended Christmas hype materials: gingerbread house, 101.1 radio playing non-stop, as many Christmas specials as you can mentally take, and last but not least, a fire playing on a TV screen somewhere because who actually uses a fireplace? Christmas 2K15 has been lackadaisical so far and that’s because it lacks-an-icicle. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get a Christmas miracle.f

Locked up before we open up Hitting up Broadway for the Holidays. One of my favorite family traditions and why I love seeing the shows. Michael Harrington ’19 REPORTER wo yea rs ago, my family decided to go see the Christmas Spectacular. We loved it, so we decided to go again the next year. We ended up seeing How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and we loved it even more. This year we are seeing Elf! When my family decided to see a show for Christmas, I was excited because I had always enjoyed seeing musicals. I had seen a few through the Malvern Broadway trips but never a Christmas one. I remember the anticipation during the ride there like it was yesterday. My family drove to the train station and then took a train up to N.Y.C. At the train station my siblings and I were all jumping around and bugging my parents for a snack like all kids and teenagers do. We sat and waited until the train arrived, and when it did, my siblings and I rushed onto it as my parents followed behind us. I sat at a window seat and watched as the landscape

quickly passed by. When we finally arrived, it was amazing. I remember the bright lights of the city twinkling before me and thinking to myself, ‘Wow.’ We then went to the show a few hours after arriving. We left that night, and I remember the sadness as the twinkling lights of the city faded away in the distance. I relaxed the rest of the train ride, waiting for my warm bed and the sweet release of sleep to grace me. I had such a great time and didn't want it to end. That was my first Christmas musical experience and it was awesome. I enjoyed myself with my family, I saw a great play, and I just had a fun time. My family decided that we should keep doing it every year. This has turned into my favorite Christmas tradition because it is such a good experience. I get to go to New York City, see a Broadway musical, and spend time with my family during the holiday season. My family grows close when we see a show. We

are united by the laughter, enjoyment, and overall fun atmosphere of the musicals. My siblings and I always can't wait for the one day of the year when we have the tradition. The anticipation just builds up until it explodes out of us the day of our departure. The constant fighting and rocking back and forth won't stop until we are in our seats at the show. My parents like it just as much as we do. They feel the fun and enjoyment of the plays and can't wait to do it again the next year. You don't need to be a kid to enjoy a musical. It as an activity fit for all ages. This tradition is so great because of that. The whole family is having fun. So next time your family has nothing to do on Christmas, give this a try. It is fun for everyone. The shows are great, you get to go to New York City, and your family will feel how you should during the Christmas season - very happy. You can really feel the Christmas spirit. f

My family definitely has one of the strangest, coolest Christmas traditions. Justice Bennett ’16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF hree years ago, I found myself with my hands glued to a personal fan and unable to open all my Christmas presents. Every Christmas Eve, my parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents lock up me and my cousins in a basement or room together. With duct tape, couches, drilling wood over windows, door knob removing, jingle bells, and everything else you could probably think of. They do whatever they can to trap me and all my cousins in the space. The tradition started when the parents would try to sneak downstairs and open all the presents before my grandparents even woke up. My grandpa immediately started locking them on Christmas Eve so that he could see that “wow” face when they saw the presents. Now it is just ingrained in the family. While we are locked up, the parents celebrate over wine and have a grand ol’ time reminiscing over their childhood days and about how the trap they devised this year will definitely be the one the children will never overcome. So how’d I find myself with my

hands all torn up with burns unable to open my Christmas presents? Well, my cousins and I were all locked in the second floor. We couldn’t figure out how to escape the doorway and so we decided the window on the other side was the only way. I held a closet rack out the window while my cousins scaled down the wall. When I was the last one, I tied a rope around the bowflex and thought I would try to Spidermanesque-ly go down the rope to the ground where we would retrieve our Christmas presents in the family room through the window we left open on the first floor. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. My hands, without gloves, started to slip and the friction between the thick ropes and my hands gave me significant burns. And so I found myself unable to participate in one of the best parts of Christmas - opening up the presents. I’ll never forget those amazing bonding experiences though - jumping out of windows, unscrewing hinges, karate kicking down boarded doors. One day, I will be the one locking my kids up. Happy Holidays! f

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

November / December 2015

No Nay Never: A Malvern Necessity

What’s Eve without Adam? My family’s favorite holiday: Christmas Adam. Ben Yankelitis ’16 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF n a galaxy far, far away (apartment buildings in Exton) a long, long time ago (25 years), my parents and their friends, just out of college, wanted to celebrate Christmas together. Due to family commitments both the 24th and 25th of December were booked. They settled on December 23rd— before they all had to leave and celebrate with their families. Together, they had their own time to be with friends and then have the chance to be with their families and Christ on the 24th and 25th. They found the perfect tradition and it just needed a name. Some refer to December 23rd as Christmas Eve Eve. In 1997, Seinfeld provided the day with the cult holiday of Festivus. Yet, my family and our friends refer to the day as Christmas Adam. In Scripture, it was Adam and Eve, so it only makes sense to put Adam next to Eve on the calendar. Right? Growing up my parents would throw big parties for that day. I remember preparing for the day each year. While we cleaned up the house (a very stressful task)

everyone in my family still had big smiles on their faces. Friends we had not seen all year joined us for the Christmas Adam festivities. Parents talked and laughed upstairs, while the kids ran around the basement playing hide and seek. Later in the night, everyone would play in a quiz game that my dad had prepared before the party. The quiz was made up easy multiple choice questions, but the possible answers included names of the people at the party. Laughter was contagious. The night culminated with a delicious ice cream bar, and kids do really love ice cream. As we have all gotten older and everyone has gone their separate ways the parties have ended. Yet, everyone remembers Christmas Adam. Every year, texts are still sent wishing all a “Merry Christmas Adam”. Christmas Adam is the time to put all stress of the Christmas season to the side and just chat with friends and have a great time laughing. So, each December 23, wish someone a Merry Christmas Adam and enjoy the initial confused look on their face, then spread the good word. f

As we enter the Christmas spirit, there is one thing that I always looked forward to during my Malvernian Christmas: Marty Farrell’s rendition of “Wild Rover.” Patrick Ferraiolo ’17 SPORTS EDITOR It was the day before Christmas break at Malvern, 2013. Everybody was in a frenzy, it was truly an amazing scene. There was dodgeball, which followed the mass, and of course, the senior skit made us laugh. My Christmas spirit was extremely high, Then, I was all set to leave the Duffy Center saying goodbye, when all of a sudden, this man walks out onto stage, he wasn’t shy.

hola

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What you need to get for Christmas Just buy John Scargall’s album. Tommy Pero ’17, Ted Holleran ’16 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR, COLUMNIST hristmas time is once again upon us. Whether you can’t come up with the perfect gift or spend countless hours googling “normal teenage boy gifts” to tell others what to buy you, you’ve come to the right place.

Jeb Bush Guacamole Bowl ($75) America’s greatest political family is at it again. Governor Bush’s website says, Jeb and his wife Columba, “love whipping up guacamole on Sunday Funday.” Now you can too.

Roswell UFO Crash Site Soil ($15.72)

Breakthrough - John Scargall ($8.99) We all know this is the greatest album of all time. For only $8.99, it’s a steal. The campus store was selling these for $10, a full $1.01 more than amazon. Corporate America is beating the small guys senseless again.

Bradley Fletcher’s Game Worn Pants ($100) If you’re an amateur collector of sports memorabilia, this is perfect for you. Just a note that they might be a bit singed, especially after this former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback got burnt by most wide receivers in his 2014 season.

Check out this great souvenir from the most important event from the 20th century. It not only caused President Eisenhower to strike the transgalactic alliance with the aliens, but it also gave us the technology to make iPhones, nuclear submarines, and much more.

Ronald Reagan Stand up Comedy Special ($4.95 - $16.62) W h i l e y o u ’r e m a king some guac, listen to soothing voice and exhilarating punchlines from ol’ Rawhide.

V- Moda Crossfade M-100 Wireless Headphones ($300 - $40,000) High quality sound meets high quality materials. These headphones are fully customizable and can be configured to be made of sterling silver, 14K gold, and even platinum. And you thought Beats were expensive.

36 Pack of AAA Batteries ($10.44) Nothing says “Happy Winter Holiday of your choice” like electricity in a fun, packable, transportable, and most importantly safe way.

Huzler 571 Banana Slicer ($3.76) Do you ever want to up your potassium intake but struggle over the difficulty of slicing bananas? Now you don’t have to fret any more. With this baby, you can slice away and actually enjoy it too. On top of that, the reviews say it saves marriages. f

kay, it spent me an hour trying to make that paragraph rhyme, so don’t expect the remainder of this to be in comedic time. OK... that was the last attempt. But, I will never forget my freshman year at Malvern. It was the first time I experienced the “Wild Rover.” It came as a super surprise when this man walked out on stage. The whole school erupted. As a freshman, I had no idea what this person was all about, or why he was so special to this school. He then began to sing the “Wild Rover,” an old Irish song made famous by “The Dubliners”. I never expected this song to bring the whole school together. As I watched from the upper deck, I saw the whole school singing and chanting the chorus: “NO NAY NEVER! (clap clap clap clap clap) NO NAY NEVER NO MORE! WILL I PLAY THE WILD ROVER, NO NEVER, NO MORE!” I never thought that a simple song from way back in the day could unify the school. It sent me home extremely happy and in the Christmas spirit. It really was the focal point of that day, and Marty Farrell, the man, the myth, the legend, was the one who sent us all home happy. It had been a tradition at Malvern for many years, and this year will be the first time that he will not being doing it. The “ Wild Rover” is something that really needs to be apart of Malvern. It’s just one of those little, subtle aspects that Malvern has which makes this place special. Whomever is the person to continue this trend has big shoes to fill. I will be anticipating who will lead us out of Duffy into the true Christmas season every Friday in the future. f

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! Have a safe & great holiday with your loved ones. -The BFC Staff-

November / December 2015

THE BLACKFRIAR CHRONICLE

OPINION Catholic author and public speaker Jason Evert was scheduled to speak at Malvern on December 11 but postponed, according to an email sent by Mr. Alex Haynie to the senior class. Evert founded The Chastity Project to promote the virtue of chastity to young teens. His speech would have occurred during the school day, but December 11 was instead a regular “A Schedule” for the Malvern students.

Evert was in the area this December giving talks at other institutions such as Saint Norbert’s Catholic Church in Paoli, PA. No official reason was given for the postponement. Theology teacher Alex Haynie’s email to the senior class said that Evert was invited back to the Malvern community. Due to scheduling, this would occur at the earliest in the fall of 2016.

LETTER: Proposed speaker does not COMMENTARY: Jason Evert should contribute to a diverse community have spoken at Malvern Alumnus believes Jason Evert’s remarks in videos and publications are counter to Malvern’s diversity goals.

It is important to listen to people with different views than your own, so that we each grow in tolerance and respect.

cision. But homosexuality is not an illness, addiction, or choice. am a proud Malvern alum. I proudly wear the It is naive to think that no students at Malwatch that I received when I won the Loyalty vern are gay. It is equally naive to think that Award. Every day I walk around the campus current students don’t have family members or of The George Washington University wearing friends that identify as LGBT. Moreover, evemy class ring, and carrying the lessons I learned ryone has a female role model in their life. Pope as a Friar. Francis seems to directly challenge Evert’s perLast Tuesday, I took my class ring off. spectives when he said, “Who am I to judge?” On Monday, I received word that Malvern In my mind, Malvern is a place where diverhad invited Jason Evert to speak on campus. sity matters not only diversity of race, gender, When I researched Evert’s videos and published religion, or socio-economic status, but also dimaterials, I couldn’t believe that Malvern would versity of thought. I did not agree with everypromote a speaker who has made misogynistic thing that I was taught in my morality classes, statements about women but never did I think that and debunked claims about my ideas and beliefs were homosexuality. The word ‘struggle’ not acknowledged as much Chastity is an important as the avid churchgoer sitmight be used conversation. What does it ting across from me. mean to be chaste? How on when talking about I spent countless hours earth can we do so in our hyfighting illness, trying to show Malvern per-sexualized world? This combating a drug students that diversity can dialogue is important, and habit, or if one is strengthen a campus. As Malvern is a great place to President of Diversity Club, wavering on an have that conversation. There I spoke with students and might be a student that hears important decision. teachers about programthis message and comes away But homosexuality ming that Malvern could do from it completely changed. is not an illness, to showcase how diversity However, for that message to addiction, or choice. can enhance an education. be received properly, it needs This passion for diversity to be given by someone who followed me to GW. I now truly can be respected by all coordinate multicultural students. engagement programs for the Office of UnderEvert may promote some positive messages graduate Admissions, and try to live diversity as in his presentations. However, the views he propart of my everyday student life. motes on his website and videos do not repreI put my class ring back on Thursday when sent the Malvern that I know and love. Evert’s talk was postponed. It fit just as it did on Mr. Evert makes the following comments in Monday, but I knew something was missing for a video entitled Modesty and Romance: the three days that it was off. I felt like I didn’t “Men need to be challenged to be gentlemen, have the support system that I once thought and when women set the bar so low, guys aren’t gothat I did. Why? ing to be these knights in shining armor… When I believe that there is dignity in every hushe hangs it all out, from a man’s perspective, no man life and that every person on this Earth can offense, but you are man-begging.” make a positive impact if they choose to. TeachWhen I first heard these comments, I imers and administrators shared this view with me mediately thought about rape culture. On colwhile I was walking among my Friar brothers lege campuses, the phrase of “she was begging just two years ago. for it” is thrown around so often for rapists to If Malvern wants to be one of the best prijustify what they have done. Malvern should vate schools in the nation, having Jason Evert be preparing young men for college. A speaker speak to students is not the way to do it. Evert whose message suggests in any way that a wommay do a wonderful job promoting chastity, but an might be responsible for a man’s behavior any speech that suggests that the onus of modbecause of her attire presents an antiquated and esty is on women or that love is not equal, no possibly dangerous view. matter who the lovers are, does not contribute In Evert’s A Third Option for Homosexuality, to Malvern welcoming a diverse community. which can be found on The CatholicTV NetIf Malvern brings speakers to campus like work’s channel, Evert frequently uses the phrase, Jason Evert, it truly can’t support the person “struggle with same-sex attractions.” The phrase that I am. same-sex attractions can also be found all over I hope to see positive change come from this the Chastity Project’s website. The LGBT stuletter, but if it doesn’t, my class ring will come dents I know are not facing struggles with who off again. I cannot support an institution that they love, but too often facing struggles with gives visibility to bigotry. family members and institutions that do not acAnthony Abron cept them. MP ’14 The word ‘struggle’ might be used when The George Washington University ’18 f talking about fighting illness, combating a drug habit, or if one is wavering on an important de-

John McGlinn ’18 homosexuals only have two options: hide your REPORTER feelings or embrace your gay identity. He said hen I hear that another guest speaker this at his talk, and, like others, I was initially is coming to Malvern, I usually just unsure of the message he was trying to send. shrug it off, but this was different. It But Evert explained that this is where the was Jason Evert. Church comes in. I anticipated his visit for many weeks, The Church's role is to embrace everyone, knowing that he would be coming to my parish, whether or not they feel like they belong in sociSaint Norbert, to speak on Thursday - the day ety. Evert bases his teachings off Pope Saint before he was planning on speaking at Malvern. John Paul II, who lived the most chaste life posThen, to my dismay, I heard the news that sible. John Paul II said that even if a man has he would not be coming. I did not understand same-sex attractions, his body is heterosexual why anyone would be against a man who is and that he was made to give life. sharing a message of love This is also Evert’s mesand chastity. sage. He is not a homophobe I had heard a lot of criti- he is just restating what The Malvern Prep cism about Evert on camJohn Paul II said, which is and Augustinian pus so when I went to Saint the truth. The Church calls Norbert I was unsure of what homosexuals to live lives of community’s mission to expect. Evert seemed like chastity and service. is to live by truth, a fairly normal guy who was I understand that many unity and love. not advocating any harmful people do not agree with all We should be able messages. I was soon proven of Evert’s teachings, but I to trust that the correct when he started to do not understand how this speak, because the words would reach such a level that leaders of our school that came out of his mouth people might walk out durare providing us were words of love and chasing his talk or refuse to hear with thoughtful tity. He spoke no hate or him speak. It is important to opportunities which detest towards any group(s) listen to people with differhelp us strive for of individuals or ethnicities. ent views than your own, so He told anecdotes of people that we each grow in tolerthose three key who were converted not just ance and respect of different aspects. into a more chaste life, but views - whether we agree also about people turning to with them or not. God. The Malvern Prep and One particular story really left an impact on Augustinian community’s mission is to live by me. Evert told a story of how he met a homo- truth, unity and love. We should be able to trust sexual man who was a Christian but left the that the leaders of our school are providing us Church because he felt unwanted and unloved. with thoughtful opportunities which help us Evert assured him that all are welcome in strive for those three key aspects, and that they the Christian Church. The man immediately will provide us with a great experience. began crying and gave Jason a big hug saying Evert is an international renowned speaker how much it meant to him to just hear that he who speaks of chastity and love, but he is much belonged. more than that. We can all learn so much from Hearing Evert speak left an impact on who him about family life and Saint Pope John Paul I want to be as I go through not only my high II’s message. school years, but through the rest of my life. We should be able to listen and learn from Whether someone is looking to change his/her Evert after he has had so many years of speakway of life into one that is more chaste, or one ing. Millions of people who have heard his mesis just seeking how to respect their girlfriend sage are now living better, more chaste lives. f more, Evert can help. During Evert’s speech there was no trace of loathing towards any member of the homosexual community. I felt as though he was embrac- We encourage your comments and ing homosexuals and telling them that everyone opinions on the stories published in The Blackfriar Chronicle. is welcome at God’s table. However in one of Evert’s books and on his website, many people see several examples Brief comments are welcome online of homosexual hate. After examining both his on stories at The Friar’s Lantern book called Pure Manhood and his website, I (mpfriarslantern.com). understand why many students and members of the Malvern Community would be opposed If you would like to elaborate on your opinion, we encourage you to submit to having Evert visit Malvern. The message Evert is advocating is not a guest commentary or letter to the homophobic. Evert notes that it may seem that editor at mpfriarslantern1@gmail.com

Dear Editors: