The Friar's Lantern—October/November 2017

MEC LOCATION LEAKED?

EDITORIAL:

DEFINING THE PREP IN MALVERN PREP Does project-based learning prepare us for what's ahead in college? Our recent alumni aren't so sure.

We may never know, but seniors caution about smartphone use during the secretive senior retreat.

Page 2

Page 4

October / November 2017

“It was not just a drop. It was a bang,” Mr. Bob Colameco said of his 2017 AP Scores. Why are Malvern's scores below the national average?

Page 7

faculty members, members of Student Council, as well as senior Andrew Brady and sixth grader Nicholas Wehmeyer, who served as Masters of Ceremonies.

The welcoming remarks of the ceremony were given by the youngest student attending Malvern, sixth grader George Bannon, as a symbol of the future of Malvern Prep. Reverend Robert J. Murray, head of school at Saint Augustine’s Prep, lead the school in the opening prayer of the induction.

The students, faculty, and others present then participated in a reflection led by Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, Fr, Michael DiGregorio, O.S.A. Fr. Reilly made installation promises to the students, parents, alumni, and faculty of Malvern Prep. Each promise

'TIS THE SEASON FOR INTRAMURAL FOOTBALL Updates & more Page 16

Volume 18, No. 3

Malvern Preparatory School • Malvern, Pa. • lantern.news

Luke McClatchy ’19 MEDIA AND CULTURE EDITOR n Monday, October 24, Fr. Donald Reilly, O.S.A. was officially installed as the fourteenth Head of School at Malvern Prep. Headmasters from other schools, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, guests, and students in the Middle and Upper School were in attendance.

The induction ceremony was held inside the O’Neill Center Gymnasium after first period. Students walked in by class across a red carpet spread out across the gymnasium floor, while faculty members processed by academy group.

Fr. Reilly sat on stage accompanied by headmasters of other schools, Malvern Borough Manager Christopher Bashore,

O

SENIORS SLIDE. So do AP SCORES.

was introduced by Malvern constituents, including Dean of Faculty Coaching and Development Mrs. Beverly Gordon, Student Council President Liam McKnight ’18, and Director of Augustinian Identity Fr. Christopher Drennen, O.S.A. ’73.

Fr. Reilly was then officially sworn in as the fourteenth Head of School of Malvern Prep, and was presented with the Malvern Preparatory School Seal and Medallion.

The medallion, which was newly designed this year, represents knowledge, faith, and charity. Additionally, it represents the warmth and spread of Christianity, learning, fortitude of faith, peace, and eternity of Augustinian values, according to the program provided at the installation. > PAGE 10 > PAGE 10

#20canchallenge supports communities with Student Council tweaks spirit week Homecoming incentive This year, Student Council made a few changes to improve student Students traded charitable donations for tickets to the Homecoming dance—and an opportunity for gratitude.

Jack Guardiola ’20 COPY EDITOR rom October 2 to 13, Malvern students exchanged 20 cans for a ticket to the Homecoming dance. The #20canchallenge canned food drive before Homecoming gathered almost 3,000 cans—nearly 9,000 servings.

The idea for the #20canchallenge originally came from Director of Student Life Dr. James Fry when after the new Christian Service coordinators were announced. Fry said he contacted the Christian Service coordinators to let them know he would love to be part of the food drive. “[I had this idea] for the challenge where in lieu of paying to go to the Homecoming dance

F

in money, you could use 20 cans,” Fry explained.

Science teacher and Student Council moderator Mrs. Laurie Peslak said that Fry wanted to make the Food Drive more interactive with the students. Malvern’s Student Council plays a big role in food drives and dress down days.

“I know that one of the biggest things was that [Fry] wanted to make it more tangible for people to understand why we are doing these dress down days and food drives,” Peslak said.

“We try to promote [the food drives], encourage people, collect the cans, help donate the cans, and be a vehicle to help with the collection process.” > PAGE 17

participation in spirit week festivities.

Eric McLaughlin ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF n Friday, October 13 students flooded into the O’Neill gymnasium thinking “here we go again.” It was another Spirit Day assembly, and students were expecting the same as previous years.

But this year was different.

“Every year, we send out a survey to the school asking the students to critique Student Council,” senior and Student Council President Liam McKnight said. “We learned that a lot of the things students didn’t like were some of the activities at the Blue-Grey games.”

O

Visit this story online for multimedia features of Spirit Week 2018

McKnight added that students really did not like sumo wrestling. He said that kids were not into it and would quickly get bored.

“We thought to add new events such as bubble soccer, an ice cream truck, and some other new additions to make it more fun for the students,” he said.

Student Council moderator Dr. Joan Dlugos said that they were a little unsure of how bubble soccer would work at first, but enough people showed interest for them to participate.

“We had enough for three teams and a faculty team. It was really exciting to add something new to Spirit Day,” she said. > PAGE 7

October / November 2017

OPINION

O

Page 2 EDITORIAL

Is project based learning the best way to prepare us for life in college and beyond?

I

Editorial Board t’s no secret that college is difficult. No matter what school you go to, you are going to be in an academically rigorous environment that challenges its students.

Malvern, for the most part, does a great job in preparing its students to be ready when they walk onto campus as freshmen.

However, we feel that there is some room for improvement.

October is a month when many college freshmen return to Malvern’s campus for Homecoming, fall break, or just to catch up with old friends and teachers. A common question these alums get is, “How are your classes going?” Our Editorial Board decided to ask these alumni questions such as this one, as well as how Malvern has prepared them for their first couple months of college.

A frequent response was that Malvern prepared them fairly well for adapting to their classes, but many alums felt that they were ill-prepared for the tests and extensive reading that they now face in college. The majority of alums questioned said that their grades were mostly made up of quizzes and tests, and that they had very few class projects.

Alumni said that they were often challenged academically at Malvern, but the tests in college contain so much more content that they have trouble with knowing how to study.

In recent years, Malvern has increasingly

implemented project based learning as part of a 21st century education. Students in this year’s freshman class who attended Malvern’s Middle School will be the first to go through the Academy Model from sixth through twelfth grades. If all goes according to plan, the entire school will be under the Academy Model in just three years.

In a recent update to Malvern parents, Assistant Heads of School Mr. Ron Algeo and Mr. Patrick Sillup described the Academy Model as aiming “to create real learning moments for students as they navigate these incredibly formative years of their development.” The update described two teaching and learning highlights from this fall: a ‘build-it’ project in which a sixth grader built a soda machine out of cardboard, and a freshman math project involving riddles and a contest. Notably, neither of these examples included descriptions of testing.

While students still will have the stereotypical test and quiz, we expect that projects will be more and more encouraged at Malvern.

However, based on what we are hearing from alumni, colleges do not seem to be intending to switch their learning style within the next three years. We also do not see any immediate changes that would make the standardized tests that predict our ability to do well in college, like the SAT and ACT, more project-based.

If Malvern is a college preparatory school,

why are we preparing for the sort of learning we will most likely not see in college?

We agree that it is important to know how to work in a group on a project for future endeavours in life. However, it is more likely that projects like these will be done after graduating from college.

This brings up the question: Is Malvern a college preparatory school or a “life” preparatory school?

If it is a college preparatory school, students in college should be feeling as prepared as possible for their classes. This might mean more substantial tests and quizzes and reading, or less projects. But it will result in a more prepared college student, which is what Malvern intends for all of its students.

While having only three final exams per year is very nice for students and a lot less stressful, it is not realistic to believe that only three of your classes in college will have a final exam. While students might not like this now, they w o u ld pro b a bl y come to appreciate this in years to come.

If Malvern is preparing us for future life endeavours, the project

based learning model makes sense. In working environments, we hear that it is common to work on group projects and have the need to think on the spot and solve problems as they come up. These are definitely important skills to have in life that have an impact way beyond college.

Perhaps the skills of group-based projects have some application even to traditional testing in college.

"In college, working with your classmates isn't just encouraged, it's required," Tyler Pizzico ’17, University of Pennsylvania ’21 said. "It's almost impossible to understand everything in the lectures by yourself, and it's important to establish a base of people to communicate and study with."

Currently, we feel that Malvern is heading towards a more “life” preparatory approach.

Perhaps, the solution is to more evenly distribute time spent between preparing students for life directly after Malvern and also life far beyond Malvern. The balancing factor is showing students how projects and group work can support them on the immediate challenges of traditional testing.

Our Editorial Board acknowledges that this is a very difficult challenge. With the Academy Model moving forward, we encourage Malvern’s administration to handle decisions about the balance of traditional, rigorous assessments and project-based learning assessments with great care.

We want to hear that all alumni feel prepared for the challenges both of college and of life. ◊

OPINION

My Day With Fr. Reilly I spent a day shadowing Malvern’s new Head of School, Fr. Don Reilly.

Cole Cherian ’22 MIDDLE SCHOOL REPORTER ast month, I had the opportunity to spend the day with Malvern Prep’s new Head of School, Fr. Don Reilly. During the day, we went to a meeting, went to my classes, and had a chance to engage with other middle schoolers in the ModSpace.

The day started off in Fr. Reilly’s office in Austin Hall. Fr. Reilly and I discussed my day to day life at Malvern, such as my favorite class, the time I arrived at school, and my experience at Malvern since sixth grade.

We also talked about his experience so far at Malvern. He talked about how he goes to Mass every morning with the other Augustinian Friars, how he looks forward to getting to know the student body at Malvern, and how he saw something special in Malvern—the sense of brotherhood among the students.

We then went to an alumni board meeting. Walking into the meeting, I was very intimidated, so I just listened to the conversation. Fr. Reilly discussed the state-of-the-art pedagogy Malvern is using throughout the middle school and some of the high school—project based learning.

As a lifer at Malvern, I am quite familiar with project based learning. Since I started attending Malvern in the sixth grade, I have had an “academy” of teachers that worked together to create engaging and interesting curriculums that weren’t based on memorization or practice book pages, but building prototypes and research.

When one alumnus asked a question about what types of projects the students are doing, Fr. Reilly asked me to answer it.

I told him that while my friends at my old school were memorizing the parts of a plant cell, I was creating an indoor LED grow box for carrots. I explained that as eleven-year-olds, my

L

classmates and I had contacted a scientist from Finland who had done extensive research and studies on the topic we were doing a project on, and had a conversation with her.

Fr. Reilly was impressed with my answer, and pointed out that it was because of Malvern’s innovative teaching method that I was able to answer a question in a board room full of adults who were much older than me.

After the meeting, we went to my music class. We had been learning about the different eras of classical music. We had memorized nine different compositions by classical composers.

We had learned facts about the major composers of each era. We had also learned about program music.

Fr. Reilly was very impressed with the musical education the students are receiving at such a young age. He also participated in the class, and could name a handful of the songs we had memorized.

We then went to Community Time in the ModSpace, and Fr. Reilly got a chance to meet the other students in the middle school. During that time, Fr. Reilly talked to some of my classmates and me about what projects we were working on and what we liked about Malvern. Fr. Reilly then went around the ModSpace and greeted almost every single student in the building.

We then went to my Spanish class, where my group and I analyzed the data we received from the survey we took on social media use in the Malvern community. We translated the data into Spanish and created graphs and a presentation to share with our classes about our findings.

Fr. Reilly was astonished that we had such proficiency in the Spanish language that we were able to use real world data and give a presentation on it in the language.

PARTNERS IN LEARNING • Fr. Reilly poses with Cole Cherian ’22 after they spent a day together./ Provided by C. Cherian

As the day ended, I went home with some conclusions. Fr. Reilly is a leader who “walks the talk.” He tries to act like Saint Augustine would have. Just like Augustine, Fr. Reilly believes in co-learning. He realizes that we students can learn a lot from him, and he can learn from us. Just like Augustine, he acts with truth, unity, and love. He made an effort to talk to almost all of the students in the ModSpace during Community Time, which is very impressive.

Overall, I learned that Fr. Reilly genuinely cares about Malvern and the community that surrounds it. ◊

Page 3

New eighth grade Summit Trip includes trekking White Mountains Eighth graders will learn about food waste, meteorology, and proper trail conduct, all while thousands of feet up in the air.

This busy, action-packed month held many events organized by Student Council.

Michael Harrington ’19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR rom the continuation of the optiona l color r un at the CARES walk, to the new additions to the Blue and Grey games, Student Council is proud of what they’ve accomplished since the start of the school year.

“A lot has been going on in the past month,” senior and Student Council President Liam McKnight said.

“We had our first activity schedule event with the handball tournament. That was pretty successful we’re proud of ourselves for that,” he said.

Student Council has also decided to continue the 'Splash of Color' at the CARES Walk Fundraiser for the second year in a row. The CARES Walk raised over $15000 which will be split between four charities: Evanfest, Siloam Ministries, Bringing Hope Home, and Cancer Support Community.

Next, Student Council introduced the new and improved 2017 Spirit Week.

“I think that the new Spirit Week and the Blue and Grey games were some of our most successful moments this year,” McKnight said.

New aspects of the week included the addition of bubble soccer at the Blue and Grey games.

“We introduced something new with the bubble soccer… that was something we discussed as a whole council and decided that it’d be a good idea,” he said. “So we actually went out and put that together and it seemed to be a good hit, so we’re proud of ourselves with that.”

Mcknight saw the Blue and Grey games as a standout part of Spirit Week.

“Over the past couple years, Blue and Grey games got a lot of hate. It could be boring to some people, but I think this year we amped it up and improved it with some new events to get students more involved and to not have them zone out every ten minutes,” he said.

After the busy schedule of the beginning of school and the hard work the Student Council has put in so far, they are entering into less of an activity-oriented phase.

“Every year we get feedback from the Blue and Grey games. We review that and look over what we can do better for next year,” McKnight said.

“So that’s what we are doing right now. We’re kind of in a cooldown.”

McKnight said that Student Council will start planning soon for future programming. “Soon enough we’ll get involved in what we’re going to do next, like the next activity schedule, which I believe is Family Feud,” he said.

McKnight is very happy with how the month went for Student Council.

“Thanks to all of the guys who helped out and all of the students who made this a success,” he said. ◊

F GREAT OUTDOORS• Members of the eighth grade class, along with sophomore Tommy Bevevino, enjoy scenery from the top of Hawk Mountain.

Provided by V. Gould

Chris Ayres ’21 CONTRIBUTOR Last year, the eighth grade instituted Summit Trips, which allowed students to go on one of three trips for a week in May after exams. The students were able to pick the trip that interested them the most, like staying in Nicaragua, living on a farm in New York, or going on local excursions.

This year, Middle School Music Teacher Ms. Valerie Gould has a new, exciting idea for a Summit Trip.

“I will be leading one of the eighth grade Summit Trips with [Director of College Counseling] Mr. Ian Harkness,” Gould said. “We will be taking eighth graders up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire.”

Gould stated that she got the idea while designing the Eighth Grade Academy Block and talking about food

waste.

“When I go up to these backcountry huts, the crews that work the huts have to carry everything in and then pack all the trash out,” Gould said. “How do they know how much food they need and how do they make sure they don’t create as much waste?”

While the trip will involve a lot of hiking, there are other values and important topics to learn while on the trail.

“We will be teaching them about trail stewardship, and leave no trace principles, such as not leaving litter or any sign of your presence when hiking a trail,” Gould stated. “They will be learning about food waste from the backcountry huts in the high mountains, and they’ll also be taking classes from the Appalachian Mountain Club.” > PAGE 4

NEWS IN BRIEF Malvern XC finishes season on fire • Cross Country swept

Springside-Chestnut Hill Academy and Penn Char ter, and beat Haverford, Episcopal Academy, and Germantown Academy. The team has been lead by senior standout Peter Borger. Borger recently committed to the University of Richmond to continue his running career there. The Cross Country team also won the Inter-Ac championship on Monday, October 23, bringing the traveling trophy back to Malvern, and took second place in the PAISAA Championships on Saturday, October 29.

M.E.C.O. Applications for Student Leaders Taking Place Right Now •

Malvern juniors have been working hard on their applications to become M.E.C.O. student leaders for next year. After almost 50 students attended the interest meeting, there was a two part written application and each student also had to schedule two interviews with faculty involved with M.E.C.O. to be considered as an applicant. Those who applied will f ind out soon whether they will be M.E.C.O. leaders next year.

Sailing leading • The Malvern

Varsity Sailing team is currently in first place on the season, ahead

of second place Conestoga High School. The Main Line Scholastic Sailing Association runs the program, and the Bell Cup is awarded to the school that is in first place by the end of the spring. If Malvern wins, it will be the program’s fourth consecutive championship.

Sean Oates saves a life • Senior

Water Polo player Sean Oates won the Friday Morning Rally’s Citizen of the week in an October Friday Morning Rally for his actions in a water polo game. When Oates saw an opposing player struck in the head by a shot, he quickly picked him up out of the water and took him to the side of the pool to receive medical attention. “It was Sean’s quick action that I think potentially saved further harm from this kid,” Water Polo Head Coach Mr. Jay Schiller said.

Spirit Day Champions • With some

modifications to the activities to this year’s Spirit Day, the winners of each competition walked away with bragging rights and a Wawa gift card. The winners were as follows: Grizzly Adams ( Jack Magargee ’18), Basketball Competition (Eric McLaughlin ’18, Quinn McCahon ’18, Nate Doherty ’18), Tug-of-War (junior class), and Biggest Splash (Matt Magness ’19).

Eighth Grade vs. Faculty Game •

During Spirit Week, the Eighth Grade Class beat the Middle School Faculty in a game of floor hockey.

Eighth Grade beat the teachers 4-3 due to a last minute goal by Jack Crowley ’22, which was one of his two goals in the game. The game took place in Dougherty Hall, and the win created a four-year win streak for the eighth grade Class.

MP Golf finishes season with Ryder Cup • On Wednesday,

October 25, Malvern’s JV and varsity golfers capped off their season with a Ryder Cup at White Manor Country Club. In this fun, competitive matchup two teams, one led by senior Matt Davis and the other led by junior John Updike, battled against each other. Altogether, there were five foursomes and each group had two-man teams. The format was better ball match play; in other words, the better score was taken between each two man-team and the lower score won the hole.

A win counted as one point, a tie scored half a point for each team, and a loss resulted in zero points.

Team Davis went on to defeat Team Updike 3 ½ to 1 ½ .

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

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

Mission Statement

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

Editorial Policy

The unsigned editorial represents the consensus of the entire Editorial Board. As a team, we agree and stand behind every word. The Editorial Board is a group of students composed of The Friar's Lantern editors-in-chief, managing editors, chief investigative reporter, section editors, social media editor, podcast editor, copy editor, a representative of the freshman class, and a representative from the Diversity Awareness Club. The group is meant to include a group of different students so all opinions and voices can be heard.

Submissions Letters to the editor are encouraged. Any reader may submit a letter via email to mpfriarslantern1@ gmail.com. Anonymous letters will not be published. Editors reserve the right to contact writers or edit submissions for reasons of space or clarity.

Our staff also welcomes feedback in the comments section of The Friar’s Lantern online, or via our social media. Each comment is subject to review by a moderator or an editor-in-chief. Commenter’s email addresses must be verified, and comments are reviewed for defamation, profanity, obscenity, libel, and invasion of privacy. Not all comments are published.

Advertising is at the discretion of student editors.

The Friar’s Lantern reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for high school publication or not addressed to our audience of student readers.

Social Media

The Friar’s Lantern is on Twitter (@friarslantern1), Facebook (facebook.com/TheFriarsLantern), Instagram (lantern.news), and Snapchat (lantern. news). The editors-in-chief, social media editors, and managing editors manage the social media accounts in consultation with the adviser.

Members of the Malvern community are encouraged to follow us on social media for online posting and discussion of student news.Social media reporting is often fast-paced, but our editors do their best to ensure that posted content is accurate and verified. Any inaccurate information will be corrected, with corrections acknowledged. Social media participants must remember that anything posted in response to Friar’s Lantern social media is public and reflects on both our publication and our school. Social media replies and comments will be screened for defamation, profanity, or libel.

Bylines

Online bylines include the name of the lead reporter on the story. Additional contributors are credited as authors on each post, but attribution may not appear in the online byline. All contributors are listed in the byline of stories that appear in print. Graphics, photos, art and illustrations, and all other creative work will be given attribution. Unsigned editorials feature the byline of the Editorial Board.

Updates & Corrections

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

Joining our staff

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

Editors in Chief

Daniel Malloy '18 Eric McLaughlin '18

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

Business & PR Manager Jack Magargee '18

Copy Editor Jack Guardiola '20

Section Editors Friar Life Alex Haylock ’19 Michael Harrington '19

Sports

Garrett Hallinan ’19 Kyle Leonard '19

Media & Culture Luke McClatchy ’19

Social Media Editors Dan King ’19 Joe Lister '21

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

ADVISER

Ms. Kate Plows

October / November 2017

FRIAR LIFE

FL

Page 4 > NEW EIGHTH GRADE TRIP, 3

Junior Christian Service trips require student fundraising Costs are rising for some trips, and students and families must find ways to pay.

Jack Guardiola ’20 COPY EDITOR uniors have selected their Christian Service trips for 2018. Students are charged with raising a portion of their travel expenses, while the remaining expenses are subsidized by the Christian Service program.

Trips to South Africa and Fiji are priced at $2,000 for students, while the other trips to Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, New Orleans, Peru, and Houston are priced at $1,600. This represents an increase in cost from 2017 for some of the trips.

“Last year’s service trip did not include insurance, and then because of the rises in airfare and that type of stuff, we needed to increase the prices,” Christian Service Coordinator Mr. Stephen Borish said.

According to Borish and Christian Service Coordinator Mrs. Kimberly Wright, there are multiple ways a student can pay for his trip.

“In the past, students have asked family members, their parish,” Borish said. “I know students in the past have gone and done collections at their parish where they’ll get up and say ‘I’m going on a trip, this is what I’m doing, at the end of the service I’ll have a collection if you’d like to donate money.’

Other kids have made t-shirts.”

Borish said that other students reach out to organizations or companies. “A lot of companies

J

dedicate a good amount of money to organizations or people who are going to do some sort of goodwill.”

Some students come up with creative ways to raise the funds for the trips.

“One year a student made luggage tags. His father had a business that produced these luggage tags and he sold luggage tags that had Malvern Prep on it,” Wright said.

Other students, like seniors John Connors and Dave Wiener, used more traditional methods to raise their money.

“I had a job for two years beforehand, so I used all the money I had saved up to pay for the trip. I actually worked here, I teach swim lessons at the pool,” Connors said.

Wiener raised the money by asking for it. “First thing I did was I went door to door around my neighborhood asking my close friends who lived there, and then I asked family, brothers, cousins, and grandparents,” he said.

Although some students might be concerned about raising the funds for the trip, it is mandatory that students complete the service trip after junior year as part of their graduation commitment.

Luckily for students and families, an endowment for the Christian Service program covers 50% of the expenses for the trip. However, if a student is struggling to raise the funds, he should reach out to Malvern’s administration, according to Borish.

According to Wright, there are rarely times when a student can’t raise enough money.

“A lot of students actually collect more money than they need, they are so successful at collecting donations that they have excess,” said Wright.

Borish, who is also a 2010 alumnus of Malvern, said he went to Peru and loved it.

“I went to Peru and I went with Ms. Cirone [Mrs. Nicole Wilkinson] and Mr. [Jim] Stewart,” Borish said. “It was just an awesome experience. I spoke Spanish, so I was able to communicate with people, but it was really cool to hear their story and realize that you might meet somebody, and they might live in a super small hut, but they wake up every morning with a smile and are happy.”

Borish stressed the importance of revisiting a site.

“What we see in a lot of communities we work with is we come in, do some sort of work, and because there’s something going on in the community itself or in the government, the issues are never resolved,” he said. “So it’s really important that we build communities that we consistently go back to and help to make sure that they know that it’s important to work on the thing we say we’re going to work on.”

Wright said that every student she has spoken to after his trip loved it. “I don’t know anybody who did not totally enjoy the experience,” she said. ◊

Snap Map leads to M.E.C.O. questions Actually keeping streaks or location actually leaked? The world may never know.

Quinn McCahon ’18 Merion Mercy Academy senior Annina CONTRIBUTOR Baccile was on McDonough’s Snapchat keepn the weekend of September 22, some ing his “streaks” during the retreat. Streaks are students speculated that a feature in when you send Snapchats back and forth with Snapchat called Snap Map leaked the someone for consecutive days. location of the senior M.E.C.O. (Malvernians “I don't know if I can trust that many people Encountering Christ in Others) retreat to future on my Snapchat,” McDonough said. “She was a candidates. good person to do that.”

Baccile clarified what happened during the Snapchat created a new feature in their weekend of September 22. update in June called Snap Map. Snap Map lets “McDonough asked me to keep his streaks you share your current location to your friends and is updated when you open up the app. because he knows that I would not break the “The students don’t know where M.E.C.O. guidelines that he requested,” Baccile said. is and it’s kind of an unwritten rule not to “When Brendan left, I was visiting a friend who tell people,” senior M.E.C.O. Leader Liam was evacuated from the University of Miami McKnight said. “You don’t know where you are because of Hurricane Irma.” going before so when you get there, it makes the Baccile had McDonough’s phone, which led experience even better.” to students assuming that her location was the There is a no phone policy that is explained actual location of M.E.C.O. to students and parents in a meeting before each According to Wired Magazine, Snap Map M.E.C.O. is an opt-in feature. Once you update the app, C.Bennett “It is our expectation that their kids would you are brought through a tutorial on how to use not bring their cell phones,” Co-Director of the M.E.C.O. program Snap Map. After the tutorial, Snapchat gives you three options: “Everyone all your friends, select friends, or only me Snapchat.

Mr. Andrew DiDomenico said. “If we see the phone, we tell you is kind of to put it back in your bag.”

The “only me” feature is called Ghost Mode where you choose tentative not So if there a no phone policy is enforced, how would the locato not share your location with others. Although you don’t share being with tion be leaked? the location with others, you can still see your friends locations their phone.

“When we got home from M.E.C.O., there was a bunch of who have Snap Map on.

Once you get rumors flying around that one of the candidates left his Snap Map Although students going on M.E.C.O. can put the feature on there, you'll see it's good on which would give their location,” McKnight said. “A bunch Ghost Mode, McKnight has some advice when it comes to bringto step back of people not on M.E.C.O. saw that and thought that's where ing a phone on M.E.C.O. and have an M.E.C.O. is.”

“Everyone is kind of tentative not being with their phone,” experience."

September M.E.C.O. candidate and current senior Danny McKnight said. “Once you get there, you'll see it's good to step -Liam McKnight Taylor was troubled at the situation. back and have an experience. Take the time and enjoy the moment “It's definitely upsetting that people really thought it was the and not be looking at your screen all day.” location,” Taylor said. “I heard the M.E.C.O. kids were talking However, when it comes to finding someone to keep your with some of the leaders, and some of the football kids thought streaks, McDonough has a different approach. that location was given away but it truthfully wasn't.”

“My advice is to find someone as far away as possible and have them take your Senior Brendan McDonough was the student whose Snap Map was on during streaks and turn on Snap Map,” McDonough said. “Keep stirring the pot and the September M.E.C.O. create a little bit of excitement, so people get talking about it— and furthermore “I can say that it was not me in that exact location,” McDonough said. “First, the confusion about where M.E.C.O. is.” ◊ people zoomed in where the [location] was and it was someone's house. And second, hours later, she was on the highway. I think that kind of cleared things up.”

O

According to Gould, these sessions will teach the students about meteorology, geology and ecology of the area.

The students that are interested in the Summit Trip will be able to attend preliminary hikes that will prepare them for New Hampshire, Gould stated. She anticipates around ten students attending the Summit Trip.

The first Middle School hiking trip of this year, an excursion to Hawk Mountain in Kempton, PA, took place on October 12.

“Our f irst hiking trip was offered…for kids who thought they might be interested,” Gould said. “Including that one, it will be three or four hiking trips before New Hampshire.”

Hawk Mountain provided some preparation in a sense, but it was not an indication that the students who attended would automatically attend the New Hampshire Summit Trip, according to Gould.

The most recent trip to Hawk Mountain was offered to the members of the Upper School Outdoors Club as well as the eighth graders.

Hawk Mountain served as an opportunity to both connect the Middle School with the Upper School Outdoors Club, and for the participating eighth grade students to see if they'd like to pursue the New Hampshire trip.

The Outdoors Club tries to do an outdoors-oriented event once a month or every six to eight weeks depending on timing, according to Harkness, who co-moderates the club.

“We had over one hundred kids sign up, and that has been one of the struggles,” Harkness said. “It comes down to time. How much time do the students have?”

While offered to everyone, only one member, sophomore Tommy Bevevino, attended the trip with the eighth graders. “ Tommy came to me and said he wanted to go,” Harkness said. “I think it was great that he could attend the trip.”

“It was prett y cool to be able to be outside and do something different during a school day,” Tommy said. “It was definitely a great opportunity that I'm glad I took.”

Tommy also stated that the mountain was very surreal and was an awesome place to visit.

Harkness said he hopes more students from Outdoors Club will go on future hikes, and feels they are great opportunities.

“Our goal with the trip was to just tag along with that Summit Experience,” Harkness said. “Really it is an opportunity to explore the natural Pennsylvania ecosystem.” ◊

Page 5

Teacher of the Issue:

FL

Ms. Jaclyn Cantor

Student of the Issue: Mani Venkatesh ’20

Photography and Middle School Art teacher Ms. Jaclyn Cantor has turned her hobby of photography into a passion and a career.

Sophomore Manikandan “Mani” Venkatesh is thriving in the Malvern community and exploring his interests.

John McGlinn ’18 REPORTER ophomore Mani Venkatesh is loving his Malvern experience and all of his classes as his workload increases.

Venkatesh is taking one of the most difficult course loads out of the sophomore class, but he still thrives in his environment.

“I love AP Bio this year,” Venkatesh said. “I love science and learning about how things work.”

Venkatesh has found a niche in AP Biology, taught by Mrs. Anna Geider. “The labs we are doing are really cool,” Venkatesh says.

One of his favorite parts of Biology is learning about the plants and cross-pollinating, Venkatesh said. He also finds DNA to be really interesting.

Venkatesh hasn’t typically enjoyed English class, but does this year thanks to teacher Mrs. Kathryn Wolstenholme.

“English has always been one of my least favorite subjects,” Venkatesh said. “This year she is making it a lot of fun and I always look forward to class.”

Venkatesh hopes to take AP Economics in the future. “I would love to go into finance or something like that. Maybe I will take AP Chem as well, if it works.”

Outside of class, Venkatesh has other passions on campus.

One of his most important activities is his role on Malvern’s crew team.

Even with Venkatesh’s rigorous curriculum, he still finds time to excel at rowing. He has rowed since the winter of his freshman year, and is considering pursuing it in college.

Rowing is very time-consuming, but Venkatesh finds time to fit everything in and still perform at a very high level both academically and athletically.

Venkatesh said that he most looks forward to competing

S

MS. JACKI CANTOR • Photography and Middle School Art teacher shows examples of student work in the Duffy Center./ A. Haylock

Alex Haylock ’19 FRIAR LIFE EDITOR rt teacher Ms. Jaclyn Cantor never planned on teaching at a private or a middle school. Now, she celebrates teaching both at Malvern for 20 years.

Cantor has been teaching kids since before arriving on campus. “I did three years of a long term sub job for the West Chester/Great Valley school district. Prior to that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer,” Cantor said.

Cantor finally came to Malvern after hearing about a job opening through a friend.

“A friend of mine who knew Mrs. White [art teacher] said they were looking for a photo teacher. I couldn’t keep doing what I was doing…and that’s how I ended at Malvern,” Cantor said.

While Cantor has had teaching experience before, she was expecting some changes in the behavior of students at Malvern but did not see many.

“I was used to public [school] education, and I would think some of the issues that some students have aren’t expected here.

I think I was kind of naive in thinking that,” Cantor said.

Being a photography teacher, Cantor has a long history with taking photos. “In high school, it was the only class I got an A in...and college actually,” she said.

Cantor doesn’t claim to have a single favorite photo she has taken, but she likes different ones, two of which being “The Laramie Project,” a musical put on by Malvern, and another of the facade of a building.

“I have these in my teacher resume,” Cantor said.

Teaching both the Middle and Upper Schools, Cantor has to treat her two classes very differently.

“Middle School is more discipline and classroom management,” Cantor said. “It’s a required class, so you kind of have to steer the kids that actually want to learn art, so you have to do the best you can. For the high school kids, they usually want to take photos.”

Because taking photos is not just a job to Cantor, she is making plans for some of the sceneries she wishes to capture.

“I would love to go back out west to photograph, a backpacking trip. I went out to Colorado last spring, and I would love to again, maybe next spring,” she said.

Outside of teaching and photography, Cantor loves to spend her time solving puzzles and flying kites.

“I’m a huge nerd,” Cantor said. “Last summer my family and I were at the beach, and it was my favorite time of day. And it was just us on the beach flying kites on the beach...that’s fun for me.” ◊

A

One of Ms. Cantor's favorite photographs, from Malvern's production of "The Laramie Project." / J. Cantor

STUDENT OF THE ISSUE: MANI VENKATESH ’20 •Venkatesh enjoys the AP Bio class he is taking this year. / K. Leonard

in the Henley Royal Regatta, a crew race in England that Malvern attends every few years.

Outside of both academics and athletics, Venkatesh can’t wait for the future service trips over the rest of his time left at Malvern. He sees trips as an opportunity to form closer bonds with the people around him. “My favorite Malvern memory so far is definitely the Middle School canoe trip,” Venkatesh said. “We all just had so much fun messing around and we ended up bonding too.”

Above all else Venkatesh wants to spend his time at Malvern forming a close brotherhood. He believes it will make his time in high school worthwhile. ◊

FRIAR LIFE

October / November 2017

October / November 2017

FRIAR LIFE

FL

Page 6

section on Early school start times result in health, Handbook “Expectations of Privacy” economic challenges raises student questions You know it's hard to wake up early in the morning—but do you know the reasons why teenagers should get more sleep?

While the handbook remains unchanged, recent events have drawn attention to the section regarding expectations of privacy.

EXPECTATIONS OF PRIVACY: While Malvern Preparatory School respects the privacy of all students, students and parents must understand and agree, that the need to protect the students, faculty, and staff necessarily requires that:

SCHOOL DAY SNOOZE • Freshman Fran Oschell takes a midday nap during an October school day. Although Malvern starts later than some schools, many students report feeling tired during school. / STAFF

Stephen Fratamico ’19 Starting later in the morning would also mean pushing CONTRIBUTOR back all after school activities as well.

“If you start the day later and finish school later, after tudies show that it would be beneficial for high schools to push back the time schools start in the school activities get affected, and you can say that's just morning to boost productivity. athletics, but that's not just athletics,” Algeo explained.

According to a recent article in the New York Times, “We have robotics, you have mathletes, you have meeting many high school age children may now be waking up too with other schools for activities like Speak Up and the early for their health—and for the economy. play where you only have a certain amount of time in the According to the article, the National Heart, Lung afternoon.” and Blood Institute recommends that teenagers get Algeo does not want to sacrifice extracurricular opporbetween nine and ten hours of sleep, however, most high tunities with a later end to the school day. “As a school school students do not. we are excited about these deep dives and The American Academy of Pediatrics providing learning experiences that are states that middle and high school students what I call on-point,” he said.

The American should start school after 8:30 a.m. But only Despite all the research and interest in Academy of about 17.7 percent of them do, according later starts not all students feel tired during Pediatrics to data from Department of Education in their morning classes. states that the 2011-2012 school year.

Junior Aidan Khalil said that how he middle and high school “It's arbitrary, forced on them against feels in the morning depends on how he students their nature, and a poor economic decision sleeps the night before. “It depends on should start as well,” wrote Aaron E. Carroll, a profeswhen I go to bed,” he said. school after sor of pediatrics at Indiana University of K halil still thinks that moving 8:30 a.m.

Malvern’s opening time later would be Medicine. a good decision, if Malvern removes The New York Times article cites a But only about Communit y Time. “ If we remove Brookings Institute policy brief which 17.7 percent of reported that the added academic benefit Community Time, because [if we don’t] them do. of later start times may be equivalent to then we’ll be in school until four,” he said. about two additional months of school.

This issue doesn’t only exist in Malvern. Matthew Daniels, a junior at They calculated that this would add about $17500 to a student’s earnings over the course of a lifetime. Unionville High School has taken notice of the effect of At Malvern, the issue is all too apparent for students. sleep on students.

“I feel very sluggish in the morning because of the time A recent Huffington Post article stated that Daniels I’m taking to sleep and waking up that early, it’s just really and a group of other teens are pushing school leaders in tough on the body,” junior Buck Walsh said. “I believe Chester County to delay school start times.

[Malvern’s opening time] should be pushed back an hour Daniels will be meeting with community members, or an hour and thirty. That would be nice.” including bussing officials and school leaders, about potenMalvern’s administration has also taken notice of the tial changes in his school’s schedule. He has started a local effects and read the research. chapter of “Start School Later,” a nonprofit that advocates “There has been a lot of research done [at Malvern] for later start times, according to the article. piecemeal,” Assistant Head of School for Student The article reports that the school district’s superinLeadership Mr. Ron Algeo said. “Sleep has been a big tendent is considering the students’ research and proposal. issue, no question about it.”

“It’s one thing when you see the reports and hear AAP According to Algeo, Malvern has taken steps to [American Academy of Pediatrics]...talk about delaying address this issue in the past. school start times, it’s another thing when one of your “The reverse-C schedule was an attempt to address students is right in front of you and talks about real-life this,” he said. “But the solutions don’t come without their experiences,” Unionville-Chadds Ford superintendent Dr. own problems.”

John Sanville told Huffington Post.

One of the biggest said problems Malvern finds with Even though getting school’s starting time to change this is that changing the start time for school comes with would be difficult, Algeo remains hopeful. “It is not somechanging the start time of everything else. thing Malvern is not going to think about and revisit,” he “The issue with that is as an independent school we said. “It is not something we have just shelved away and are dealing with so many other [organizations]. We have said we are never going to look at again.” ◊ public school bussing, so transportation is a huge issue for five out of our seven grades,” Algeo said.

S

•

Absolutely no form of audio or visual recording is permitted on campus, at any time, without the expressed permission of the administration. Students requiring electronic assistance in form of audio or video recording within a classroom must have the permission of both the administration and the instructor. Any posting of audio or video recordings to any online format will receive additional consequences.

•

Students and Parents should not expect privacy for personal items brought on campus, including cell phones, computers, notepads, cameras, electronic devices, and/or any other item(s) that are examined, collected, or confiscated during the School day or at any School related activity.

•

Malvern has the right to and may search bags, lockers, and cars of any student during any school related function or activity.

•

Malvern may bring in outside resources to assist in the safety and security of the school. This includes, but is not limited to, breathalyzers, and drug and/or alcohol detection kits (including hair, saliva and urine sample kits) and dogs trained to detect contraband items.

•

The students may be asked for a “turn-out” search, which includes, but is not limited to, students emptying pockets, back packs, book bags, vehicles and storage areas at the request of the Dean of Students.

2017-18 Malvern Preparatory School Student Handbook, p. 52-53

Rohan Jhunjhunwala ’18 REPORTER he handbook contains a section on student expectations to privacy which essentially outlines the school’s abilities to search items brought onto campus. These clauses grant the administration permission to search personal items and to enlist outside resources to perform the search.

According to Dean of Students Mr. Tim Dougherty, people's belongings are allowed to be searched occasionally but for good reasons.

“The idea is that, once you’re on campus, in the interest of community safety and norms you may be occasionally asked to have your belongings looked through,” Dougherty said.

The school has, in the past, gone to greater lengths to maintain the level of community safety on campus.

“We’ve had dogs in the past.

We’ve had dogs come in and go through the hallways and go through lockers,” Dougherty said. “We used to go on a trip where there would be a bag search because we’d be going on [that] ski trip for a couple days... it happens.”

According to Dougherty, these searches are intended to preserve the health of the student body.

“It’s to make sure kids don’t have anything that could be detrimental to their health or others’ health,” he said.

Despite what is presented as the intention of this policy, the nature of the policy seems to give some students concern.

Senior Patrick McNally believes while the school should be allowed to search school property like lockers, they should not search personal property without a valid reason.

“It’s not fair if they do,” McNally

T

said. “It’s not their property. If they tell you the reason, you can either accept or deny.”

This concern for being searched without sufficient justification seems to be mirrored throughout the student body.

Senior Student Council class representative Louis Margay also expressed a similar sentiment. He is a supporter of preventing illegal behavior on campus, but he believes that in order to protect student privacy, searches should only be conducted with sufficient justification.

“I think this policy is a bit too authoritative,” Margay said. “While I understand the need for Malvern to conduct searches in order to inhibit any behavior that is illegal or goes against Malvern's principles, I think there should be some level of privacy for a student. I believe that in order to search a student, the school should have to present a legitimate reason for doing so.”

While students have expressed concerns for being searched without proper proof to back up claims, this seems to be something that Dougherty believes the school will not do.

“If there’s no evidence against [a student] what am I going to do?

Make false claims against [him]?”

Dougherty said.

Dougherty believes that while these policies strive to respect students privacy, they also must serve to protect the community. He hopes to balance the need for student privacy with safety.

“It’s to protect everyone, faculty, and community members,” Dougherty said. “The broader good has to be a concern. Everyone is entitled to their privacy until there is a time when community standards have to be upheld.” ◊

Page 7

FL

Seniors slide, and so do AP scores Teachers, administration, and students speak to the effects of seniors quitting on AP exams and a solution which would replace AP classes.

Dan Malloy ’18 that Malvern makes us take EDITOR-IN-CHIEF the test even if it can not give Several AP ccording to statistics us any credit at the college we Classes' test released by Malvern, 13 are going to,” Brady said. scores at out of 18 AP test averThere is a rule that if you Malvern are ages released from spring of take 3 or more AP classes well below 2017 were lower than the as a senior and one of them the national national averages in those cannot be given credit by the average. tests. Malvern’s scores were college, you do not have to close to a .54 of a point lower take the test. However, that Some students say they are on average for the 18 test samonly applied to a few seniors not trying ple size. last year. on the tests.

Some teachers have also Junior Dylan Tran said Why? been say ing their scores that he would not try his very declined from spring of 2016 best on the test if it did not to spring of 2017. AP United count for anything.

States History teacher Mr. Robert Colameco “I would answer probably all the questions was “shocked” by his scores from May. for fun, maybe draw some cool pictures on the Since 2002, Colameco’s percentage of Scantron,” Tran said. passing scores (students who get 3’s and above) Ostick said it is disappointing when he has never dropped below 68 percent. But that hears about seniors going into the exam room changed dramatically in 2017 with only 42 and putting their heads down. percent of students passing.

“It was not just a drop. It was a bang,” he said.

AP Calculus BC teacher Mr. Tom Pannulla said the scores did not drop too much, but they could be much better.

“AP Calc BC is a pretty senior-heavy course. For both of my years teaching the class, I think [the senior slide] definitely affected the scores,” he said.

Pannulla said there were a lot of 1’s in the score results. AP Economics teacher Mr. John Ostick said the same about his similarly senior-heavy course.

“There are too many 1’s. There were some 4’s and 5’s, but there were too many 1’s and 1’s are unacceptable,” Ostick said. “That’s a problem I have with the results on the AP test.”

Senior Nick Villano has taken several AP classes while at Malvern, and he has seen elements of the senior slide.

“I know a lot of people take naps or draw pictures or other things,” Villano said. “I would definitely try once I am in the exam room to see what I know.”

Senior Drew Brady said some seniors last year didn’t even attempt the exam while in the room.

“I do not blame them because it is odd

A

“If they are in it for the right reason, to learn at a very high academic level, they excel,” Ostick said. “But if they are in it for the wrong reason, to have it on their college transcript because their parents or potential coaches say they have to have it on their transcript for admission, to me that’s the problem.”

Brady, who recently committed to Cornell University for rowing, said he chose to take three AP classes this year because he saw past rowers do the same.

“I felt that I needed to if I wanted to be prepared for the rigor of an Ivy League school,” Brady said. “Coaches also told me over the summer that taking AP courses in field of study I am going to major in will help my admissions profile and would ease my course load.”

Sillup thinks there are two main drivers for students who choose to take AP courses.

“It’s an indicator that you’re taking the most rigorous courses offered by that school,

and you can potentially get college credit,” Sillup said.

Director of College Counseling Mr. Ian Harkness said that AP certainly has respect and credit nationally. However, there is a movement among independent schools to move on from AP. Independent schools from Scarsdale High School near New York to The Haverford School removed AP classes in favor of courses in which cover the same advanced topic but without the restrictions of the College Board.

Students still have the option of taking the AP test at those schools.

In recent discussions about the relevance and effectiveness of AP classes, Sillup brought up the idea of offering college-accredited classes at Malvern replacing APs. “Let’s say we offer Villanova University Business Calculus. If you take Business Calculus and you meet all the requirements set forth by the educator, we want to give you that college credential,” Sillup said. “You’ve also been exposed to all the knowledge for BC Calc, so you have the choice to sit for that exam.”

Sillup said Malvern teachers would have to become an accredited teacher by a certain university in order to teach the class at school. He said they are in discussions with the University of Pittsburgh to partner with Malvern.

Sillup thinks these classes can give students a much higher chance of getting college credit since a college class is more likely to count for credit than an AP course.

Having a teacher grant you college credit without having to take the AP test could lessen the effects of the senior slide during those exams.

Harkness said Malvern will consider all the best options going forward in their decisions on AP classes.

“If we are going to be one of the best of the best independent schools, we need to know what the highest curriculum measures and how we are preparing you for the future,” Harkness said. ◊

> STUDENT COUNCIL, 1

Student Council did decide, however, to keep some of the same festivities for Spirit Week that had been done before.

“We kept World Cup soccer and Jimmy’s BBQ for the events during the week,” Dlugos said. “We got rid of the smaller events like Fastest Kid and Closest to the Pin.” These decisions have to be a consensus among each class’s Student Council representatives.

McKnight said that they meet a couple times a month to discuss events being held. He added that the month of October is always a hectic month so they try not to look too far into advance at these meetings.

“This is our biggest week of the entire school year. We have been focusing on this since we started school, and there were lots of revisional plans that we had to make,” Dlugos said. “The guys [Student Council representatives] make the plans, and my job is to help them follow through with it.”

In previous years, students volunteered to participate in activities just moments before the

competitions started. This year, Student Council decided to change this process up a bit.

“We talked about who would be a good fit for these competitions and who would want to do them,” McKnight said. “We hoped to improve the competitiveness of the games by doing this.”

The overall student reaction to this year’s Spirit Week was very positive. One of those who liked it was senior Patrick Keenan.

“In previous years, I really did not enjoy going to the Blue and Grey games,” Keenan said.

“I always found them very boring and the same kids would participate every year.”

Keenan said that he was pleasantly surprised with the changes to this year’s activities.

“I did not expect bubble soccer to be a fun thing to be a spectator for, but it was actually really funny watching kids getting decked and being flown all over the gym. I was happy that the last Spirit Day in my Malvern career was the best one,” he said. ◊

THUMBS UP • One of the traditions of Spirit Week that has remained the same for a few years is the after-school Jimmy's BBQ feast in the O'Neill parking lot. Senior Jack Walker approved. / G. Reilly

FRIAR LIFE

October / November 2017

Page 8

Does Malvern #TakeAKnee?

Former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, Colin Kaepernick, started the controversy when he first sat during the national anthem August 2016. Where does Malvern stand on the issue?

Alex Haylock ’19, Joe Lister ’21 during AGE Block. “You would be tone deaf to your country if Another emerging argument is that Kaepernick has the FRIAR LIFE EDITOR, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR you didn’t acknowledge how divided we are right now,” he said. right to protest the racial inequality in America, but doing so FL players are showing their discontent for the He also hoped that the AGE block will challenge students through the national anthem is incorrect. “I think that obvistate of the country in different ways, but should to make a choice. He said that guys now have to understand ously, bad things are going on in the U.S. But I don’t think the kneeling during the national anthem be one of that they have to get to a position and defend that position. right way of going about that is kneeling during the national them?

Athletic Director Mr. Kurt Ruch says that he at first didn’t anthem,” Sposato said.

Kaepernick claims that he sits to protest the understand why Kaepernick was kneeling, but later began to Other NFL athletes are now actively claiming to protest injustices he sees in the treatrealize what was behind the quarterback’s the mistreatment of minorities in the United States. Math ment of African Americans reasonings. teacher, Mr. Jim Stinger offers what he thinks an athlete should and other minorities within the United “At first I didn’t understand it,” Ruch do when wanting to tackle a problem publicly.

States. said. “As I found his reasons…it made sense.

“Part 1: I am a high profile person who people tend to look "This is not something that I am going I kind of understood where it was going to up to. I have a forum...at the national anthem I can make a to run by anybody," Kaepernick told NFL. go.” statement,” Stinger said. “Part 2: Come to me with questions, com. "I am not looking for approval. I have Ruch said that there was a conversation I can articulate why I’m upset and why I’m doing this.” to stand up for people that are oppressed. with players and coaches about what would Stinger says that he thinks that players should show a cer...If they take football away, my endorsehappen when the anthem played. “I talked tain reverence for the flag. “My first instinct is that you should ments from me, I know that I stood up for to the head coaches, and the head coaches use supreme acknowledgment to the symbol of the country,” -Math Teacher what is right." talked with their players,” he said. he said.

Mr. Michael Rawlings “I think that it’s to protest police bruRecently, the NFL released a statement But Stinger also can see why players would be willing to do tality, and what’s going on in America,” that its athletes are encouraged to stand dur- so, as long as they are able to explain why. “If you’re a professaid senior Zamir Shelton. ing national anthem, but have the right not to. According to sional athlete with a high profile, and you feel like this is the Many NFL teams have turned down the opportunity to Ruch, Malvern would take efforts to protect students who best way to do it, I understand,” he said. sign Kaepernick, because of how he is at the center of this con- opted to protest.

“When you make the decision to walk that path, people “We would be free speech,” Ruch said. troversy. The country has been split in two: those who believe are going to be coming up to your locker that Kaepernick has the right to kneel in protest, and those “We would respect it and try to make sure asking you questions,” Stinger said. “You that the student is not penalized.” who think it is disrespectful. better be prepared to say this is why, here is “I think it’s all in the way it’s interpreted by people,” junior Since Kaepernick, various other athletes where there should be a dialogue. They betAndrew Sposato said. “Some people see it as we’re kneeling have opted in different ways to protest the ter be ready to articulate a very firm answer down because this should not be a corrupt country. Everyone problems they have found throughout the about that.”

Cases for and against Kaepernick have should be treated equally. But some people see it [the anthem] country. as being for our troops. That’s for the people that give us rights.”

“I really like how the Eagles linked since sparked debates across the country Kaepernick’s protests have also forced high schools, both arms, showing how we stand together,” about what the American flag stands for, local and national to make decisions on what their athletes Sposato said. “Doing something like that so what is considered disrespecting it, and -Athletic Director how people in positions of power should can and cannot do. The hashtag “#TakeAKnee” has started to that [they] know we’re standing together as Mr. Kurt Ruch appear on social media in support for him. a country, against all of the horrible things go about making a statement.

Math teacher, Mr. Mike Rawlings, claims that these pro- going on.”

However most seem to agree that there test are nothing new.

Reactions to this have varied, from burning player’s jerseys, are groups within the United States that are facing injustice, “Here this goes again… people using sports arenas to to funding athletes to help continue and fight injustice. and there needs to be away to safely approach the topic. advance political causes,” Rawlings said. “Wherever you can “I feel like it’s more of the football thing, that it’s a popular “I do think something needs to be done,” Sposato said. get your voice heard, you get it heard.” thing that people are seeing, because it has an effect there,” “But personally I don’t know what.”

Colin Kaepernick declined comment for this story. ◊ Rawlings used this issue as a freshman discussion issue Shelton said. “I don’t think it’s to protest the national anthem.”

N

“You would be tonE deaf to your country if you didn’t acknowledge how divided we are right now."

“We would be free speech. We would respect it and try to make sure that the student is not penalized.”

What's your take on #takeaknee?

Visit this story online at lantern.news for more student & Faculty perspective, or to share your own.

Page 9

Garrett Reilly ’18 them in person.

CONTRIBUTOR Senior lacrosse player Quinn McCahon, ast February, Malvern Prep’s Eric Spanos who has committed to play at the University of '21 became the youngest player to ever Notre Dame, was previously committed to the commit to college for lacrosse.

University of Pennsylvania, a decision he made Spanos, originally from Howard County, freshman year. McCahon decommitted from Maryland, is 14 years old and starting his Penn last summer because he felt he rushed freshman year at Malvern Prep. His parents into his decision. are Jamie and Jason Spanos. They now reside in “I visited a couple of colleges but I feel like Pottstown, PA. Spanos plays for the Malvern I was so young looking back at it,” McCahon Prep lacrosse team as well as his club team, said. “I kind of hopped in on one choice thinkRising Sons. ing, ‘Oh it’s Penn, it’s an Ivy League school, it's It is not common for a player this young to a great program’ and not really knowing what already be looking at colleges but Spanos feels life would be like there.” he has made the right decision.

McCahon believes early commitments “Originally my coach asked me to make a were caused by pressure from coaches.

“I know a lot of college coaches put preslist of the schools I wanted to go to,” Spanos said. “Maryland was always that top school for sure on kids, especially freshman year, because me and I was presented with the opportunity they will give you a deadline,” McCahon said. to go there so I just took it.” “‘Alright you have five days to give me an Since Spanos was so young, the recruiting answer, yes or no.’ I feel like that is really hard process and communication was complicated. on kids, especially for an amazing academic “They reached out to my coach and every and lacrosse school. That pressure makes a lot time they wanted to talk of kids commit early. I've to me I had to call them,” heard that happen to a lot he said. “We would talk of kids.”

As the youngest about how school is going, McCahon is in favor player to ever how lacrosse is going,we of the new NCA A rule planned visits and stuff commit to college for because it takes away from like that. That’s also how I that pressure. lacrosse, freshman “I think it's great for the committed.”

Spanos’ family, espeEric Spanos knows he game because kids are so young freshman year,” he cially his parents, was very will face pressure to said. “So you’re not really supportive of him. “My famfulfill expectations. ily was all for it,” he said. mature enough to make that “My mom and dad helped decision because college is me through the process. such a huge part of your life They would be in the room that you need to wait, I mean helping me through it and just like guiding I don't think you are even ready junior year, I me.” really think you’re ready senior year knowing “[Eric] fell in love with everything there, where you want to go.” our family is UMD legacy, Jason [Eric’s dad] Head Varsity Lacrosse Coach Mr. John went there,” Mrs. Spanos said. “The culture McEvoy said the new NCAA rule is really of the school and the lacrosse program is just not new. what he is looking for. In spending time get“This is an old rule and they are just tryting to know the coaches, especially John ing to enforce it now. It closes the loopholes Tillman, Eric knew without a doubt this was [in recruiting],” he said. “When they mean the place for him.” no contact, they mean no contact...it makes Mr. Alex Haynie, a middle school lacrosse it more of an even playing field and alleviates coach and teacher at Malvern, was surprised the pressure and anxiety.” to have a college commit on his middle school According to McEvoy, there has been a team last year. “I was obviously surprised, most previous balance between the top Division people were,” Haynie said. “It seemed like a 1 schools getting their recruits early and the very early stage to commit. I was very happy “mid-level” Division 1 teams waiting later in for Eric. I didn't even know him at the time, I high school for their recruits. This balance is met him a couple weeks later when we started now affected by the new rule. the season.”

“The bad is that ‘mid-level’ Division 1 Haynie, a former college lacrosse player at teams that have been fishing out of a pool of Princeton University, said that being the coach late bloomers are now competing directly with of a college commit didn’t affect his coaching the top Division 1 teams,” McEvoy said. style. “He was a middle school lacrosse player Spanos’ decision has not come without just like everyone else out there,” he said. “We criticism. The Baltimore Sun reported on were going to ask everybody to work hard and Spanos’ commitment including tweets that give it their all to try and win games and have said: a good time doing it.”

“Sorry this is ridiculous. @CoachTillman1 Shortly after Spanos’ commitment, a new should be embarrassed. @TerpsMLax should rule was put in place by the NCAA preventbe embarrassed. #LostRespect” (@WNYLax) ing commitments and communication until September 1 of a player’s junior year of high “Is Coach Tillman giving out illegal gifts to school. The rule states: recruits? DOJ tells me they are close to incrimiIn lacrosse, to specify that: (1) off-campus recruitnating evidence... #CrookedTillman” (@realing contacts shall not be made with an individual Trumplax) [Included is a picture of Maryland Lacrosse baby clothes.] (or his or her relatives or legal guardians) before September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior As the earliest lacrosse commit ever, year in high school and that contacts that occur Spanos knows there will be a lot of pressure during a prospective student-athlete's junior year on him. may occur only at the prospective student-athlete's “I’m just going to have to step up my educational institution or residence (NCAA). game,” he said. “I’m going to have to work a Though this rule now prevents Eric from lot harder because people are going to expect almost all communication with the Maryland a lot more from me. I think it’s on me to just coaches his commitment is still valid. He can to fulfill those expectations and work hard.” ◊ not call or email them but he can still talk to

L

The Malvern community responds to one of its members making history.

October / November 2017

FRIAR LIFE

FL

Page 10

Friday Morning Rallies aim to communicate, build community The Friday Morning Rally Committee is looking to make the next one better than the last.

O'Shaan Allison ’18, Stephen Fratamico ’19 CONTRIBUTORS

W

ith some mixed reaction around the newly implemented Friday Morning Rallies, Malvern faculty and student leaders are seeking new ways to increase their popularity and garner student approval.

The Friday Morning Rally was launched in mid-September by Theology teacher Mr. Alex Haynie and a team of seniors. Every Friday morning, all students are to report to the Duffy Theater for ten minutes to get updated on all of the upcoming events that are happening throughout next week.

Haynie is enthusiastic about the new tradition. “I've been thinking that Malvern could use something like the FMRs for a couple of years, actually,” he said. “We get together as a school community once a week at Chapel, but I think meeting more frequently can help our community in a number of ways.”

According to Haynie, meeting in Duffy on Friday mornings allows Malvern to showcase student work, have student performances, share “sneak-peeks” of upcoming theater productions, and offer community members a chance to make in-person announcements.

However, student reaction has been mixed so far. Some students expressed that they would rather use homeroom time for other purposes.

“I think they are a waste of time because the time in homeroom can be used for other things like catching up with friends or doing work,” junior Christian Galilea said. “They told us that they were going to make announcements and some other things, but none of that has actually happened.”

“I kind of like the premise of the idea, but I would like to have homeroom to study for a test or plan for my day,” senior Andrew Oberkircher said. “Also, specialty homerooms

ENTERTAINMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS • Junior Chase Sakers plays guitar at a recent FMR (left) while senior Christian DiCicco (right) makes a few announcements. / C. Bennett

can’t experience the FMRs.” Specialty homerooms that are for academic credit like Liturgical Music are not regularly attending the FMRs, as this is graded class time.

Other students recognize that planning the FMRs is challenging. “I believe that Friday Morning Rallies are interesting when somebody does something on stage that is recognizable instead of seniors just talking about intramural stuff,” freshman Alex Zevalny said. “I do think that they can improve, but it’s kind of difficult.

Oberkircher proposed one option. “Maybe the possibility to opt out of it where you could check in with your teacher and study or something, but then that could lead to people not going at all,” he said.

Haynie said that planning for the FMRs

> INSTALLATION, 1

In his Installation Address, Fr. Reilly spoke of the life of Saint Augustine, how it can relate to everyone in the Malvern community’s everyday lives, and how throughout his life Augustine “transcended the ordinary.”

Reilly also discussed Augustine’s passion for knowledge, learning, the truth, and his resilience to keep searching throughout his life for the answers that eluded him. He mentioned how Malvern values community, friendship, and brotherhood in its individuals.

He also discussed the importance of Malvern’s Venn Diagram, which includes global awareness, Augustinian identity, and entrepreneurship. Fr. Reilly equates each component of the venn diagram to one of the Augustinian values. He described global awareness equating to unity, Augustinian identity equating to truth, and entrepreneurship equating to love.

Fr. Reilly’s installation address clocked in at 37 minutes.

Fr. James Flynn, O.S.A. closed the ceremony with an Irish prayer and blessing.

As his first act as Head of School, Father Reilly used the loudspeaker during the last period of the school day to declare November 6, 2017 as a school holiday and gave Malvern faculty, staff, students the day off.

As one can imagine, students were ecstatic.

“It was a good ceremony I guess, it was very well done,” junior Zhengguo Hao said.

“Sitting on the bench and bleachers was very tiring and uncomfortable. But, we got the day off which is of course a good thing,” “Yeah no complaints about the ceremony, and the day off? Come on, you have to like that,” junior Patrick Durkan said. ◊

began last spring. “Last spring I met with Mr. Algeo and we discussed how we might roll-out these FMRs this year,” Haynie said. “The student leaders of the FMRs have been great and very willing to donate their time for the good of the community.”

According to Haynie, the plan is to continue the FMRs for the rest of the school year.

“We know these will ‘evolve’ over time, and we expect that many times the FMRs might be made up of mostly announcements. But I have already been contacted by faculty members and students who have ideas for the time during the FMR, so that's great.”

Haynie said that feedback from students and faculty on the FMRs is extremely important, and from his perspective the feedback has

been positive.

“Feedback has been very positive. A ton of students and a lot of faculty members think they are very valuable for our community and the faculty think the FMRs offer the students a lot of opportunities,” Haynie said. “I hope they can be entertaining and informative, and ultimately, help build our community.”

Some faculty members have also showed a positive response to the Friday Morning Rallies.

“In my 33 years, this is one of the best things that Malvern has ever done,” economics teacher Mr. John Ostick said. “Having senior leaders take charge and lead is awesome for this school.”

Senior Max McCool, one of the hosts for the Friday Morning Rally, sees benefit in the rallies for communication.

“At first a lot of people were kind of bored with the first Friday Morning Rally,” he said.

“We're going to be more informative and a lot more entertaining for the audience.”

Haynie first experienced a version of the Friday Morning Rally when he was a student at Germantown Academy. He thought it was a great idea to bring the rallies to Malvern.

History teacher Mr. Andrew Burke will be taking over Haynie’s leadership role with the rallies while Haynie is out on paternity leave.

Burke thinks the key to building the rallies as a tradition is student involvement.

“This is only going to work if the community is willing to support it by lending their talents to the program,” Burke said. “However, it is up to the students to make it happen.”

“It will be fun to see what the student committee comes up with next,” Burke said. “I think that it is a great way to bring the community together to close the week.” ◊

Fr. Reilly settles into new role Gavin Canzanese ’19 CONTRIBUTOR ow four months into his term as Head of School at Malvern, Fr. Don Reilly, O.S.A. is finding that his role is just as much learning as it is leading.

“I don’t think you’re born with leadership,” Reilly said. “I think you learn it. I think it’s a matter of practice, a matter of consideration,” Reilly claims that leadership is taught, not instinctively given, and with that knowledge he comes armed with techniques to help and cultivate leadership within the community. He is committed towards the feeling of brotherhood and wants to teach leadership within the student body.

“It’s interesting to become a great leader. I think for me it’s empowering people, identifying leadership potential,” he said.

Reilly is also invested in the traditions of a 175-yearold school. “What I wanted to bring was a sense of respect for [Malvern’s] tradition and appreciation for all the good things that are happening here. It’s a good school,” he said.

“If I am bringing anything, it’s to keep us on the track that we are on. Being who we say we are, under truth, unity, and love,” Reilly said. “Pursuing truth about ourselves to know God. Unity, we do that in community, from which comes great friendships which we call brotherhood. And love, a way of expressing our faith and gratitude through love and service.”

Reilly said that the foundation of the school’s new strategic plan, which he has been charged to lead, is community. “We celebrate our Augustinian tradition, and make that alive, and communicate that as much as we can.

Emphasize our identity and our mission,” he said. ◊

N

Page 11

Malvern debuts new mascot On Friday, October 13, Auggie Tolentine was introduced to the Malvern Prep community at the Spirit Day and Pep Rally festivities.

Eric McLaughlin ’18 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ith a packed O’Neill gymnasium, Auggie Tolentine donned his costume for the first time on Friday, October 13 and took the floor. It was his formal introduction into the Malvern community, and the reviews on this newest addition were mixed.

As reported in a Friar’s Lantern article last May, Malvern raised funds to purchase a new costume for the mascot at last year’s B.A.S.H. The previous costume was the same one used in the early 1980s and was getting older every day.

According to Mr. Chuck Chinici, Malvern’s first ever mascot was debuted in the mid 1970s and another one was made a couple years later.

“Around 1983, we came up with the mascot we have had up until now,” Chinici said. “He was a standard at many Malvern events. He was a very visible mascot and was seen at all of the pep rallies and games.”

The latest mascot was designed by the same person who designed the original Phillie Phanatic costume, according to Chinici.

“We sent the designer multiple drawings, and he came up with what eventually became the Friar costume,” he said. “We had two different Friars when we first introduced it. There was the happy Friar and the angry Friar.”

The Friar of the early eighties was debuted in a similar way to which this year’s mascot was, minus the social media teaser posts which appeared on Malvern Prep’s instagram feed in 2017.

Chinici said that the mean Friar was introduced in front of the entire school at a pep rally before a big game.

“The mean Friar was used to provide an extra ‘umph’ to a team when they needed it for a big game,” he said.

This Friar costume turned 34 years old this past year. That means he was double the age of most students in the senior class.

Because of this, it came as no surprise as to why many people did not want to put on the costume.

W

“I definitely would not have wanted to put the old costume on. I can only imagine how gross it must have been inside of it,” senior Tim McLaughlin said.

Chinici agreed with this being the reason why the mascot’s number of public appearances began to diminish over the past couple of years.

“Over the years, students would less and less be willing to get in the costume. We had to get the mask redone multiple times, and the costume was placed away. After this, if students did want to wear the costume for a Friday night game, no one knew where it was,” Chinici said.

The decision to purchase a new Friar costume came last May and the actual costume came a couple of weeks into the school year. The design is of a younger, more athletic looking Friar with a brand new mask, hands, feet, and robe.

“I think that the design for the mascot is pretty cool,” senior Patrick Keenan said. “I like how it has a more muscular build and looks more intimidating than the old one.”

However, not all students thought the new design was so great.

“I didn’t really like the new mascot design. I thought that its smile was very creepy and strange looking,” junior Andrew Curran said.

The name for this new mascot is Auggie Tolentine, representing both St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentine, an Augustinian Friar whom the longstanding Tolentine Hall is named after.

Not any student can volunteer to be Auggie. Tryouts were held to qualify for the position. Chinici said that there will be a group of students who will be the Friar.

The plan is for the new Friar to be more prevalent at events held on campus. This is part of the reason why Malvern got the new costume in the first place.

“It depends on the student, but I think that you can expect the Friar to be at many of the football, basketball, and maybe hockey games,” Chinici said. ◊

REVITALIZING AN OLD TRADITION • According to Mr. Chuck Chinici, the previous mascot costume was 34 years old, making it twice the age of Malvern's seniors. Malvern Prep introduced the new mascot costume in a series of teaser Instagram posts during Spirit Week, with the full costume reveal during Friday's Blue & Gray Games. / Top: Provided by C. Chinici, 1981, 1985 / Bottom: Malvern Prep Instagram

MENTION THIS AD WITH PURCHASE AND WE WILL DONATE $100 TO MP!

Granite Run Buick GMC & The Irish Family Proudly Support Malvern Prep

“Go Friars!”- Ryan Irish 93’,T,P22

(888) 566-1991 www.WelcomeToGraniteRun.com 1056 E. Baltimore Pike ROUTE 1 BYPASS & BALTIMORE PIKE MEDIA, PA

Monday - Thursday 8:30am-9:00pm Friday - Saturday 8:30am-6:00pm

October / November 2017

SPORTS

S

Page 12

Matt Hopkins ’19 swims for Team USA in the 2017 Summer Deaflympics

Malvern’s Fall Teams Go Pink This October, Malvern student-athletes have been showing their support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pink uniforms and equipment.

After qualifying for the competition exclusive to athletes with hearing disabilities, Hopkins travelled to Samsun, Turkey to compete with fellow swimmers from all over the world.

Brian Szipszky ’20 REPORTER unior Matt Hopkins has been deaf ever since he was born.

But after he found a passion for swimming, he learned to overcome this obstacle and succeed at the sport—as well as other aspects of his life. His participation in the 2017 Summer Deaflympics was one of the high points of his journey.

The Deaflympics have been held every four years since 1924, with a different host city every competition.

Athletes must meet the qualification times in order to compete for their nation.

“Once I made the times, I contacted the Deaflympics to let them know I wanted to go,” Hopkins said.

“I only found out I made the times a couple months before I left, but after that I knew it was something I wanted to do.”

While abroad, with 97 countries participating in the competition, Hopkins was able to help Team USA place fifth in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Junior and teammate on the Malvern swimming team Louis Franzone said that Matt spoke highly of the experience upon his return to America.

“I know Matt really enjoyed the Deaflympics,” Franzone said. “His whole family went, and he talked about representing Team USA. It was just a great experience for him.”

Hopkins uses hearing aids to help him, but when he is underwater, Matt cannot wear them.

“At practices, a lot of times I’ll have to talk to a friend to understand what the coach said,” Hopkins said.

“And then during meets, I can’t hear the beep that sets you off the block.”

Jay Schiller, Varsity Swimming and Water Polo Head Coach, has tried to find ways to make it easier for Matt to compete. One of them is an interesting technique that may actually give him an advantage over his opponents.

“When the start goes off, there

J

INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE • Junior Matt Hopkins competed in the 2017 Summer Deaflympics in Turkey. / B. Szipszky

is also a light, and light moves faster than sound,” Schiller said. “If he picks up that light, he could get a faster start than everybody else.”

Back from his overseas competition, Matt’s focus is now on the success of Malvern’s swim team. In particular, he eyes a championship with the team.

“Winning the Inter-Ac is definitely my goal for this season,” Hopkins said. “We are definitely talented enough to do it.”

Last season, The Haverford School won the league championship over Episcopal Academy, and beat Malvern in the semi-finals.

“It’s definitely not going to be easy, but we certainly have the talent,” Schiller said. “Matt is going to be a big part in our success this year.

With his disability, Matt has accomplished much in his swimming career. In addition to representing his country abroad, and competing with a successful Malvern swimming team, Matt is also a great teammate.

“Matt’s a really well-liked kid on the team,” Schiller said. “He is supremely confident, and has a great sense of humor, which, I think, really inspires his teammates.” ◊

SHOWING OFF THE PINK • Football players model pink helmet strikes at a recent practice. Since the team does not provide custom game uniforms, players purchase the pink gear themselves. "We throw a lot of pink on. We like to show a lot of support," senior Dom Massimo said. / A. Haylock

Sean Oates ’18 REPORTER ach of the past few years in October, NFL players and teams have caught the eyes of viewers by accessorizing their uniforms and equipment with pink accents in support of BCA Month.

This month, Malvern athletes have been seen joining in on the pink movement.

In 2009, the NFL launched their “Crucial Catch” campaign. Every game played in the month of October was to feature players, coaches, and referees wearing pink with their uniforms, pink ribbons painted on the fields, and other flashes of pink in stadiums and other merchandise.

At Malvern, the impact of the campaign can be seen on the field. Malvern’s soccer and football teams have embraced the BCA movement this October, wearing special pink jerseys and equipment like gloves and sleeves for gameday.

The soccer team has been showing their support in their October games, wearing uniforms with “Malvern” written across the front chest in pink, as well as a small pink ribbon on the back.

“We have sick long sleeve jerseys this year,” senior soccer player Phil Kramer said. “They are grey and pink, and they are really awesome.”

In addition to the jerseys, the players have been wearing pink socks, sweatbands, and athletic tape.

The recent home soccer games against The Haverford School and Episcopal Academy have drawn large student sections this year, and the team has taken notice of this.

“I know Friar Nation has seen us wearing them at

E

our recent home games, and hopefully we will keep wearing them for the next couple of games,” Kramer said.

Kramer also mentioned that fellow senior Mike Castaldi and assistant coach Kieran Kielan were the two who were responsible for acquiring the team’s pink apparel.

Malvern’s other fall squad bringing pink onto the field with them is the football team. Players all have a pink stripe running along the center of their helmets between strips of blue. While the team does not receive special BCA jerseys like the soccer team, football players accent their gameday apparel with smaller pieces of pink equipment. Players have pink mouthguards, towels, gloves, socks, tape, and sweatbands.

“We throw a lot of pink on. We like to show a lot of support,” senior football player Dom Massimo said.

“Everyone has got pink socks, mostly. A lot of people also have pink sweatbands. I pulled out the pink tape last game.”

Since the team does not provide custom game uniforms, it is on the players themselves to show their support. From what can be seen from the stands, they have been doing a good job of this, as every player has some sort of pink touch on their attire.

“We all do it as individuals. We all buy it ourselves,” Massimo said.

Malvern’s support of pink has not been limited to the fields, however. Leaders of Friar Nation advertised a pink student section theme for the Saturday afternoon Homecoming games this year. Students filled the stands wearing pink, matching their peers competing on the fields below. ◊

HATS OFF • Varsity football celebrates as a team after their Friday, October 27 31-7 win over The Haverford School. Malvern Prep's record is now 4-4, while Haverford School is 1-7 / S. O'Meara

Page 13

Tackling Concussions at Malvern While concussions are taking the spotlight, especially in football, Malvern is trying to get ahead of the curve in concussion prevention and research.

Frankenheimer prepares lacrosse team for season The intense workouts get the team ready to face off in the early spring.

TECHNOLOGY IMPACT• The GForce Trackers on Malvern Prep's football helmets track the force of each blow to the head. Head Athletic Trainer Mr. William Mills is collaborating with interns to analyze this data.. / K. Leonard

Garrett Hallinan ’19, Kyle Leonard ’19 “The GForce tracker tracks the force of each blow,” SPORTS EDITORS Gueriera said. “So if someone does get a concussion, they he first thing a player should do if he feels that he are able to measure what the force was that may of caused has suffered from a concussion is to tell someone. it. The Defend Your Head is a shell that goes over top of It is not worth the risk to go back in the game and a helmet as an added layer of protection.”

Ms. Carly Burns is on an internship at Malvern with get even more hurt.

“We do not want anybody to ignore the symptoms; Mills and his athletic training team. She is also helping we want them to embrace them and make sure they see a Mills with his dissertation as he works towards his DSc qualified professional to help them,” Head Football Coach in athletic training and neuroscience. As a part of this Dave Gueriera said. process, she is involved with the GForce tracker program At Malvern, the best person to go and see for a conat Malvern. cussion is the Head Athletic Trainer Mr. William Mills.

“What we’re doing is setting up and activating those “I think here at Malvern we do a good job [with conGForce trackers to record the impacts,” Burns said. “You cussions],” Gueriera said. “Mr. Mills is at the forefront on can actually go on the computer and see the location of prevention and treatment of concussions. As Malvernians, the hit. It’ll come up with red for the most impact, yellow we are in really good hands.” for medium, and green for not as much of an impact.”

Juniors Tyler Francis and Andrew Franks have both The GForce program also involves what Burns referred suffered concussions this year due to football, but for difto as a “sideline viewer” tool, which tracks every impact ferent reasons. that occurs on the field within 200 yards. Data for each Francis suffered his concussion during a practice, and impact is immediately registered; a flash drive collects all was officially diagnosed after a JV game against LaSalle. of it and it can then be viewed on a computer.

At first, he was unaware that he had gotten one.

Malvern has about 100 of these GForce trackers. These “During the first couple days, I didn’t trackers will not only be used for football; really realize it. Towards the end of the the goal is for them to be used for all sports Malvern now week, I started to get more symptoms,” at Malvern. has about Francis said. “I couldn’t concentrate or Malvern has a leading research team 100 GForce focus, I started to forget more things. on concussions, consisting of Mills, trackers that Assistant Trainer Mr. Ryan O’Kane, Noises and light started to bother me too. are helping I finally went to Mr. Mills, and he diagBurns, and the other student interns workthe concussion nosed me.” ing in the trainer’s office. They are pioneers team to Francis missed two days of school, in the field, and are more advanced in their collect data and has missed four weeks of football. research and protocols than most college on concussionHe had to take multiple tests with Mills programs. related impact that tested his reactions, his speed, and “ We actually are doing cutting in athletics. his memory. Francis has suffered three edge research here at the school,” Mills said. “Even though we’re a little school concussions now, and he said this one is in Malvern, Pennsylvania, we’re doing the most serious.

Francis did resume playing again, but his concussion research at the highest level even Division I schools [in was still affecting his ability to play. the NCAA] are doing right now.”

“Originally, Mills had me take the test again, and then A team of faculty and staff make up Malvern’s concusI was going through contact,” Francis said. “I think I came sion team. This team includes Mills, School Nurses Mrs. back too early and I wasn’t fully healthy, so that made my Catherine McGettigan and Mrs. Carly Lynch, School symptoms come back.”

Psychologist Dr. Dorothy Sayers, Upper School Learning This explains the importance of being fully healed Specialist Ms. Francine Cox, Middle School Learning from a concussion before returning to the field.

Specialist Ms. Carissa Casey, and Middle School Athletic “A player is more prone to another concussion if he Director Mr. William Haus. They meet every Wednesday hasn’t been healed,” Gueriera said. “Concussions that are to communicate over who has suffered a concussion. They treated correctly tend to have no side effects.” check in with any person who has sustained a concusFranks suffered his concussion through playing tackle sion either in or out of school. The protocol and recovery football with a bunch of his friends after an Eagles game. process is geared towards constant communication with Franks missed four days of school, and also was academi- the student in regards to his symptoms and how he feels. cally limited for another week. He was also subjected to “Before we had this, I was trying to manage it all, and multiple concussion tests. it was a lot of work,” Mills said.

“It really messed me up with schoolwork. I really In regards to the future, Mills thinks that while great missed two full weeks of school work, which I eventually progress is being made, Malvern’s research on the topic have to make up,” Franks said. “I got hurt right before the will not stop and the ways Malvern tries to prevent concussion will evolve. start of the opening of Inter-Ac play, so I’m missing a lot of the important games of the season.”

“The goal for me would be every athlete who starts Malvern is taking huge strides in the right direc- in sixth grade or ninth grade gets one of these [GForce] tion when it comes to prevention and detection to keep sensors, so that every activity that they participate in is the players as safe as possible. This year, each player on part of the data on the sensor,” he said. ◊ Malvern’s football team has a GForce Tracker and Defend Your Head to reduce the chance of concussion.

T

THE GRIND NEVER STOPS • Mrs. Mary Frank Frankenheimer puts the lacrosse team through one of their grueling Wednesday workouts. / K. Leonard

Kevin Boyle ’18 CONTRIBUTOR ednesday workouts are not the lacrosse team’s traditional weight training. When the weight room is closed, the team goes over to Dougherty Hall’s gym to perform high intensity workouts.

Athletics Administrative Assistant Mrs. Mary Fran Frankenheimer has a group fitness certification, and has been leading the Wednesday workouts for the lacrosse team. She teaches group fitness classes in the area.

“I’m a certified GRIT trainer which is a small group workout class type thing, bodypump and body combat,” Frankenheimer said. “I got into all of this when I graduated from college and I had stopped playing a varsity sport.”

Due to lack of equipment, the workouts mainly consist of body weight resistance, speed and agility training.

“With these guys I do more bodyweight resistance,” Frankenheimer said. “More speed and agility work because I have a bigger group so I don’t always have enough equipment to give everybody, and I try to make the workout different every single time.”

Senior lacrosse player Matt Hilburn said that these workouts prepare him for the last second in a game where you need to push and give that final effort.

“I feel it's better in that way so I can just dig deep and give it all I got for those 30 seconds,” Hilburn said. “I know that I don’t have to run constantly and I’m not going to finish for a while.”

Senior lacrosse player Sam Sweeney said that the Wednesday workouts are a lot faster paced than their traditional lifts.

“Lifting, you can get bigger and bigger,” Sweeney said. “This one cuts you down and makes you faster I guess, so we’ll be ready for the season.”

Short breaks keep the workouts up-tempo.

“I feel Mrs. Frankenheimer really focuses on pushing yourself as hard as you can for a short amount of time,” Hilburn said. “Then you have a very short break then you have to get right back into it.”

The workouts aren’t just about improving your body physically.

“I think building trust and building a relationship so that they’re willing to give me 100 percent because they trust me and my goal is to make them better,” Frankenheimer said.

Taking these movements from the training sessions to the practice field helps the players. “[Head Coach] Mr. [John] McEvoy asked me to do it another day a week,” Frankenheimer said. “I feel like that’s good sign that the kids are receptive, it works. And a coach’s big thing is mental toughness so I feel like that transitions to a game very well.”

Frankenheimer’s workouts are not the only type of conditioning done by the lacrosse team.

“I think the workouts are going to prepare us well for quickness and speed because your overall core strength will help that,” Hilburn said. “We sometimes have runs with McEvoy which will help us with endurance and everything like that.”

Frankenheimer enjoys the friendships she has developed through working out the team.

“I have been a teacher my whole professional career and a coach, and working at Malvern I didn’t have that component,” Frankenheimer said. “Last year working with the kids has made me be able to to build those relationships again which is what puts you into the educational career in the first place.” ◊

W

Visit this story online for video and more photos of Mrs. Frankenheimer's workouts with the team.

October / November 2017

SPORTS

S

Page 14

Pro Indoor Lacrosse returns to Philadelphia A new professional lacrosse team is coming to Philadelphia.

Liam McKnight ’18 CONTRIBUTOR n September 12, the NLL (National Lacrosse League) held a Press Conference to announce their partnership with Comcast Spectacor and bring a team back to Philly.

After 28 seasons and six championships, the Philadelphia Wings relocated in 2014 to play at the Mohegan Sun Arena as the New England Black Wolves. But just four seasons later, Comcast President and CEO Dave Scott decided to buy the team back and bring indoor lacrosse back to the City of Brotherly Love.

The new team looks to replicate the success of the Wings of the 1980s and 1990s, but before they get underway in the 2018-2019 season, they still need one thing: a name. Fans are able to vote for the team’s name, but according to uslaxmagazine.com, the Wings seem to be the frontrunner in the competition.

For some, it was hard seeing the team move in 2014. One Malvernian who was disappointed was former Wings player from 1991 to 2001 and current Malvern lacrosse head coach Mr. John McEvoy.

“It was a bummer. It was like selling the house you grew up in. It’s been a part of your whole life, then it’s just gone,” McEvoy said.

Although it was sad, it was necessary and a smart business decision.

“It was a disappointing situation. However, the team wasn’t making money and couldn’t afford to stay in Philadelphia,” Malvern parent and former Wings player Mr. Scott Gabrielsen said.

The Wings just weren’t pulling in the fan base they did during their peak. According to McEvoy, in the late 1980s and 1990s, there would be 18,000-20,000 fans at each game.

“It was really exciting and really loud. It was just a really good time. I would chalk that success up back then right time right place,” McEvoy said.

Lacrosse was new around that time, so that’s why McEvoy thinks they were successful.

“People were intrigued by it, it was fun to watch it was really fast paced, aggressive, physical, and most of the guys back in that time were local,” he said.

Gabrielsen, a five-time champion with the Wings, is happy the team is coming back.

“I was extremely excited when I heard the news. Really happy having played for Wings and being an alumni of the team,” he said. “I’m very proud of the years I spent on the team and the friendships and bonds that were made with my fellow teammates. It’s real exciting to have the team back as it validates all the blood, sweat and tears we put in.”

But a question that remains is: if the Wings left Philadelphia because they couldn’t bring in enough money, why did the NLL decide to bring the franchise back there for the 2018-2019 season?

Gabrielsen thinks the franchise’s history is more than enough of a reason for Philly to be the location.

“There is an incredible stories history of the Philadelphia Wings.

They are recognized as one of the best indoor lacrosse franchises ever and some of the best players that ever played the game played for Philadelphia,” he said. “They play at the Wells Fargo Center with the Sixers and Flyers and it’s a smart move from Comcast to buy them.”

McEvoy looks at the team's success in the past and thinks they could replicate that if done right.

“I think they’re revisiting the fact that if they can put the right product out there and they market it well, it can be successful, as seen in the past,” he said.

McEvoy says the sport has grown tremendously over the past decade, especially in the Philadelphia area.

“The Philadelphia area is considered a hotbed for lacrosse. It’s a hot area where there is the most condensed amount of players, but there was no pro team, so that doesn’t quite make sense,” he said. ◊

O

Athlete of the Issue:

Keith Maguire ’19

So far playing three years on the varsity football team, junior Keith Maguire has impacted games both offensively and defensively.

Steven O’Meara ’19 PHOTO EDITOR e has caught the eyes of college coaches throughout the country. He is focused on helping the team win the Inter-Ac this year for the 33rd time in school history. And to top it off, he was on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays after making an unbelievable catch against The Haverford School.

Junior Keith Maguire is currently a starting linebacker and wide receiver on Malvern’s varsity football team. While playing for Malvern, he wears number four, and it has been his number since he f irst started playing.

“That was the first number I had, and I kept getting, so I stuck with it,” Maguire said.

On October 28, the football team played The Haverford School at Malvern Prep. In this game, Maguire made the play of his life.

With a little under a minute left in the first half of the game, junior quarterback Drew Gunther lobbed a fade pass towards the right corner of the end zone. In a manner that could be described as “Odell Beckham like”, Keith Maguire jumped up, glided back, and caught the catch with one hand, while the other hand was secured on his defender.

The next day, this catch was rated on SportsCenter Top 10 as the second best play of the day.

“It was pretty crazy,” Maguire said. “I was in shock when I heard it was on there. It's just something you would never think would happen.

Everyone was really proud of me.

They were in shock too. It was just a weird crazy moment.”

Although Maguire’s best play of his career so far was on offense, he prefers playing defense more.

“I like defense better, but offense is right there. Offense is more exciting, getting the ball and scoring, but making big plays on defense is more fun,” he said.

Maguire described his history with the sport.

“When I was about six, I started playing flag football, and when I was seven I started playing tackle football,” Maguire said. “I just liked it.

I enjoyed playing it as a kid and was pretty good at it, so it was fun to play.”

His passion for football was influenced by many people, but one of the main people behind this was his father.

“My dad coached me up until high school, and he helped me a lot.

He made me tougher and helped me learn some things about football to get better,” Maguire said.

Over the course of his time playing for the varsity football team, Maguire has had a few mentors on the field as well. Some have been seniors who have left that have imparted wisdom of the game during Maguire’s freshman year.

“When you're younger, the guys above you try to ease you in, so a lot of the seniors mentored me, but there wasn't one individual person who did

H

INCREDIBLE GRAB • Junior Keith Maguire is having a breakout year on the football field. On October 29 at the Haverford game, Keith made a one handed catch that ended up on SportsCenter Top 10. / S. O'Meara

it,” Maguire said. sophomore Ry a n "It's just something One pl ayer in Maguire, who has you would learned a lot from t he prog ra m who never think him on and off the Maguire considers a would happen. friend and mentor is field.

Everyone was senior linebacker Cole “He is a great really proud brother, very posiMcCabe. They both of me. They have played together tive and humble,” were in shock for the past three Ry a n s a id . “ We too. It was just work out together years and learned a lot a weird crazy and just do almost from each other. moment.”

“I know during everything together.

-Keith Maguire '19 freshman year, Keith He is always keeping used to look up to my confidence up.” me because we were “His biggest both the younger guys on the team,” strengths are being a leader and not McCabe said. “I just tried to teach focusing on the outside noise and him how to be a leader and lead the just playing his game, doing his job,” defense, and just be him. He's a tal- Ryan added. ented kid, I mean all he has to do is So far, Keith has seven offers go out there and just do him.” from various universities, including According to McCabe, Maguire UNC, WV U, Vanderbilt, Duke, is the same guy on and off the field.

UVA, Temple, and Army.

“Keith is just a great guy in gen“I'm trying to go with a scholareral. He is a great teammate, he leads ship, so whatever schools look at me by example, and all the younger guys is what I will be choosing from,” he look up to him,” McCabe said. said. ◊ One player on the team who looks up to Maguire is his little brother,

Page 15

Football begins Inter-Ac play after tough national slate

S

SPORTS

October / November 2017

Four straight losses can have a very negative impact on any team, but the Malvern football team is staying positive.

Stowe Milhous ’19 CONTRIBUTOR fter a tough four-game losing streak, the football team was excited to start their Inter-Ac schedule against unbeaten Penn Charter.

The defending co-Inter Ac champion football team started out a hopeful season with a strong win over St. Augustine Prep.

However, the tides quickly turned after the team lost four straight games to LaSalle College High School, Pope John Paul XXIII, the McDonogh School, and the Peddie School, all of which were very tough opponents.

“I knew the teams that we were playing, like I knew the programs were solid,” Head Coach Dave Gueriera said. “I didn’t realize how good each individual team was. Year after year, you don’t know who’s coming back, who transfers in, but I was impressed with the four teams that we lost to.”

Although, team morale was kept high even through this losing streak.

“They know the out of conference schedule that they played was really tough,” Gueriera said. “But I think that having going through this four-game losing streak, they still have confidence in themselves that they are a good football team.”

Coach knows, however, that the team will have to improve on mistakes they have made up until this point in the season to have success in the Inter-Ac. “We have to sharpen up mentally. We’re still playing really good football teams and teams that will make us pay if we make mental mistakes,” Gueriera said.

Junior offensive lineman Jake Hornibrook would definitely agree with Coach Gueriera’s thoughts.

“All four of those games were winnable games, we just made dumb mistakes, like penalties, and some things also just didn’t fall our way,” Hornibrook said.

While the team will have to combat their mistakes, many of the players feel that they are ready to take on their Inter-Ac schedule.

“I feel like we’re ready for the Inter-Ac with the tough schedule we had,” Hornibrook said. “It definitely prepared us. We definitely won’t see anything we haven’t seen.”

Along with being prepared, it seems like the players won’t let the losing streak weigh down on them once Inter-Ac play begins.

“I think that we’re a resilient bunch,” Gueriera said. ”and I think our minds are in the right spot. With the Inter-Ac starting, we have a nice bye to rest up, we’re one hundred percent healthy.”

And the players did look well-prepared and mentally intact when they kicked off their Inter-Ac schedule facing Penn Charter on Homecoming. Coach Gueriera knew it would be a tough game

A

INTER-AC STREAK • Malvern faces off against The Haverford School on Friday, October 27. The result was a decisive 31-7 win, and a feature on ESPN SportsCenter for junior Keith Maguire's one-handed catch. “I think we should go 5 and 0 in the Inter-Ac and win it outright,” junior Jake Hornibrook said. / S. O'Meara

facing the undefeated Quakers, even saying the week before the game that Penn Charter would be their toughest competitor in the Inter-Ac this season. Malvern won this game 23-9. After starting out slow, the team picked up their play and had a very sound game on both sides of the ball. After a slow start, the team was able to take over the rest of the game on both sides of the ball and ended up with a 23-9 win, clearly showing they were past the losing streak.

“It wasn’t that hard [to overcome a losing streak going into the Inter-Ac],” senior defensive back Liam McKnight said after the Penn Charter game. “Yes, we did have a losing streak. But at the same time, it prepared us for the Inter-Ac, so we felt very well-prepared.”

While the team knew that Penn Charter would be a big game, many players are are looking forward to other games in which they will see the biggest two of Malvern’s biggest rivals Inter-Ac rivals.

“We’re definitely looking forward to the EA game and the night game against Haverford,” Jake Hornibrook and junior wide receiver and defensive back Ryan Iacone both said.

Both players agreed that losing to Episcopal last year on a

field goal that they and many others believed didn’t actually go in makes them want to beat Episcopal that much more this year.

Hornibrook and Iacone also both share high share high expectations for their Inter-Ac performance this year.

“I think we should go 5 and 0 in the Inter-Ac and win it outright,” Hornibrook said.

This may be what all the players think, but senior McKnight knows what it will take to accomplish this goal.

“We can’t really take any team lightly, so we’re going to take every week with the same focus,” McKnight said. “Episcopal and Haverford are always big games, but then we have Germantown Academy and Springside Chestnut Hill. People might think these aren’t big games, but that’s not our mentality. We are focused the same for every game.”

The team has started their Inter-Ac schedule with two strong wins over Episcopal and Penn Charter, so we’ll see how they do for the rest of the season.

“I guarantee an Inter-Ac Championship,” Ryan Iacone said.

Update: Malvern defeated The Haverford School 31-7 on Friday, October 27. This win moved them 3-0 in the Inter-Ac and 4-4 overall. ◊

Nick Harris ’22 wins diving silver medal at Junior Pan American Games Eighth grade diving phenom was invited to compete internationally, and ended up contributing towards the USA medal count.

Ryan Maher ’19 REPORTER ompeting against more than 100 divers under the age of 18 from across the world, Nick Harris traveled with the USA junior national diving team to Victoria, Canada for a week long competition.

Harris practices and competes with the West Chester Diving club, coached by Thomas Gallagher.

“The ultimate goal for the 2017 season was to make the Junior Pan Ams,” Gallagher said.

To qualify for a spot on the junior national team and compete at the Junior Pan Am games, divers from all over the country compete at a qualifying meet to earn a spot on the team.

The United States team only takes the top two divers from each event. Harris ended up qualifying for the 1m dive and the 3m dive for the games.

The date for the Junior Pan American games was set for September 25. Harris, along with the other 23 competitors for the USA junior national diving team, their families, and 12 coaches, set off for Victoria.

C

Harris did not have any prior international competition experience going into the Junior Pan Am games. Nevertheless, he set his goals high.

“My goal going into the meet was to get top five,” Harris said.

Harris’ family (mother, father, and sister) traveled with him to Canada to share the experience of his first international meet."I like traveling to different competitions, and I love going and supporting him," Harris' mother, Gwendolyn, said.

Opening ceremonies commenced on September 28. The diving portion of the Junior Pan Am games hosted around 120 divers from 45 different countries.Harris was exposed to tough competition in all of his events.

“My best competition was a Mexican who was 13,” he said. “My dad said he was Olympic ready right now. He was insanely strong and just blew everyone away.”

His first international event was the 3m dive, where he took a sixth place finish.

In the 1m event, Harris took home the silver, scoring a 344.85. A score is a compilation

of the two or more judge’s performance ratings, along with the degree of difficulty of the dive.

“I wasn’t expecting to get a silver medal because it was my first international meet,” Harris said, “but I was really happy with the performance.”

“Nick ’s 1 meter competition was the best performance he has ever done,” Coach Gallagher said. “Capturing a silver medal for his first international meet was a huge accomplishment, and I know all the coaches at West Chester Diving couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Looking forward, Harris hopes that his experience at the Junior Pan Am games can translate to more opportunity in the future.

“It was an awesome trip,” Harris said, “and I hope I can get more international experience.”

Harris will be diving for Malvern Prep’s Swimming and Diving team in the winter, along with his West Chester diving team.

“Nick’s next goal is to to make a Junior Worlds Team. But in the back of his head right now, he is looking at Olympic Trials for Tokyo 2020,” Gallagher said. ◊

SILVER DIVE • Eighth grader Nick Harris dives at the junior PanAm Games. / Provided by N. Harris

Page 16

Technology helping Malvern sports Watching film is a huge part of Malvern athletics and high school sports in general.

Companies like Hudl and Krossover’s goal is to make editing and processing film as easy as possible for teams to use.

’Tis the season for intramural football With the end of the season, members of the intramural committee share some highlights.

Garrett Hallinan ’19 SPORTS EDITOR fter weeks of hard fought games for Malvern Prep intramural football, Team Some Guys takes home the title.

During the week of October 30, teams played in a tournament of champions. Each grade level had one representing team.

The intramural committee, composed of students from the junior and senior classes, selected the playoff teams based off their records.

Throughout the course of the season, however, the intramural committee did much more than pick the teams for the playoffs.

“We [the intramural committee] run the intramural Instagram, analyze and ref the games, and do all the write ups,” junior and intramural committee member Billy Carlini said.

A

WORKING HARD OFF THE FIELD • Senior Quinn McCahon spends some time on his Hudl account during the school day. / E. McLaughlin

Kyle Leonard ’19 However, Krossover has become the more beneficial tool SPORTS EDITOR for the basketball, soccer, and basketball teams, with Hudl ilm allows teams to rewatch practices and games trying to even the playing field. to help them improve and refine the plays that “We went to [Krossover] because they were the first they run. It also allows teams to scout opponents to break down the film for you. Hudl didn’t do that origito learn their plays and schemes. Athletes also use Hudl nally; the coaches had to do that,” Ruch said. and Krossover to create highlight films if they’re interested Head basketball coach John Harmatuk said that in playing at the next level.

Krossover has made a big difference for him. As a basAccording to their website, Hudl’s mission is as ketball coach, he likes Krossover due to the fact that it can follows: break down the film possession by possession and formu“Hudl now offers the tools to edit and late stats and shot charts. This saves him share video, interact with stats, and create time and helps his players stay engaged. quality highlight reels for entertainment “The fact that you can individualize "You can and recruiting purposes. The whole expeit makes it much better,” Harmatuk said. actually watch rience is available online, giving coaches “In Krossover, a kid’s shot chart can come replays during and athletes secure access at home and on up; I can click on wherever he shot from, the games of and that video will come up.” the go.” previous plays,” Krossover offers a similar product to Both Ruch and Harmatuk have Kennedy said.

Hudl, and according to their website: noticed that Krossover’s ability to break “It’s just like the “Our passion is designing and builddown film for coaches has made Hudl NFL, except we can use it in high step up their game to stay with the ing tools that help coaches and athletes school." win. We are rapidly growing our team competition.

-Football Manager with the best and brightest talent who “Hudl is getting into it [breaking Griffin Kennedy '18 share our hustle and passion.” down the film] because they lost so many At Malvern, both of these proschools to the competition. They saw grams are used by coaches. Hud l how many lacrosse and basketball teams is used by the football team, and K rossover is wanted that ability,” Ruch said. “They’re doing that now in used by the basketball, soccer, and lacrosse teams. football with their own programming, so you have these Head football coach Dave Gueriera is a huge advocate for programs Hudl’s designed because of the competition.”

Hudl. He said that it has made life a lot easier for him and One of the biggest components in both Hudl and for football coaches in general.

Krossover is the ability to create highlight films for ath“Before Hudl, you had to watch games on DVDs. You letes to expose themselves to colleges. Athletes can take didn’t watch your own practice, you never filmed your the individual clips where they look best, compile them, practice,” Gueriera said. “It’s immeasurable the effect that and create a fairly short reel. This can all be done through it’s had on my coaching style and on the game.” the Hudl and Krossover websites.

Hudl can download film to its website and make a Ruch and Harmatuk remember when athletes had to clip for every play. bring their film to create videos outside of school to create “You may have 180 plays in one game, and there’s a their highlights. clip for each play,” Gueriera said. “It’s easy to organize, it’s “Instead of kids using third parties to put together easy to put notes in it. It makes scouting and film evalutheir highlights, now a player with a coach or a kid with a ation that much more effective.” parent can sit and use Krossover or Hudl and design their Filming practice is one of the most effective aspects of own highlight film they can share with a college,” Ruch Hudl for Malvern football, according to Gueriera. said. “It makes their lives easier, it’s faster, and it’s cleaner.”

“I’m able to watch and send notes to the players from “Companies used to charge families three to four each practice film. That night of the practice you see the thousand dollars to send out video to colleges. Now you mistakes, and you can correct them going into the next can do it for free,” Harmatuk said. “Hudl and Krossover practice,” Gueriera said. allow you to create your own page and hook up colleges to Senior and football manager Griffin Kennedy helps your videos. The digital world that is saving us.” head up Hudl usage with the team. As the manager, one of According to Harmatuk, professional and collegiate his jobs is to film and share each practice with the players sports programs have a technology called SportsView and coaches. He said that Malvern football uses a new that contains an algorithm that makes the camera and program called Hudl Sideline, which essentially acts as the video do literally everything by itself, with no human an instant replay tool. involvement. These technologies make things even easier “You can actually watch replays during the games of on coaches and players. previous plays,” Kennedy said. “It’s just like the NFL, While SportsView and more advanced technologies except we can use it in high school.” like it aren’t readily available to Malvern right now, the Athletic Director Kurt Ruch has overseen Hudl being existing technology, namely Hudl and Krossover, have used at Malvern since its initial introduction in 2006. made an undeniable impact on sports. ◊

F

INSTA-FAMOUS • The lively @mpintramurals Instagram account, managed by junior Billy Carlini, keeps Malvern up-to-date with intramural happenings.

Carlini, with the help of other members from the intramural committee, post highlights and interviews on the intramural Instagram of the players and coaches on a weekly basis.

“We try to get two cameras for each game to film from different angles,” Carlini said. “I compile a video using iMovie, and I ask members of the committee what song and plays to use.”

For one of the games, junior Nolan Rogers brought in his family’s drone to capture video footage from an aerial view.

“The drone makes for more of an exciting video,” Carlini said, “and I am very thankful that he brought it in.”

Games are played on Quigley Field during Community Time, which gives students the chance to go out and support their friends.

Junior and member of the intramural committee, Jack Boyle, credits part of the higher levels of student involvement this year to this

MOVE THE CHAINS • Senior Jimmy Gabrielsen looks upfield to gain yards after making a good reception at a recent intramural game. / G. Hallinan

> PAGE 17

Page 17 > INTRAMURAL FOOTBALL, 16

model of scheduling. Student participation was previously declining due to games scheduled after school, when some students needed to catch buses or depart for athletic events.

“Now since we have it during Community Time, it is a gym class for them [the student athletes]. It is a chance for them to go out, get excited, and hang out with their friends,” Boyle said.

One of the great things about intramural football is that anyone can play.

“We have a lot of good athletes and over time they had to choose sport over sport,” Burke said. “They get the opportunity to play sports they would not have gotten to play.”

Junior Luke DiGiacobbe, member of the intramural committee and quarterback for Team 13, has enjoyed every moment playing intramural football.

“My favorite part of it is how much fun we have and the competitive spirit. Everyone is out there playing and enjoying themselves,” DiGiacobbe said.

Currently, his team is 4-1, making them the best junior team in the league.

“We work together really well, and we are complete,” Luke said.

“We have everything you are looking for on a team. We have a good defense and offense, we communicate, and we game plan.”

The intramural committee predicted Team 13 to defeat Team Kevin Meehan for the junior’s championship game.

Burke said, “If you only had one dollar to bet and the odds against Team Kevin Meehan winning was a million to one, I still wouldn't waste my dollar by picking them. It isn't going to happen.”

In a surprisingly close game, Team 13 came out on top by a score of 35-28. With one minute left in the game, the score was tied 28-28 and Team 13 had the ball. In an unbelievable last minute drive, DiGiacobbe led his team all the way down the field. He completed a big pass to junior Matt Civitella, who made it all the way to the one yard line.

With just five seconds left in the game, Luke threw to junior Matt Irvine, who made a great catch in the back corner of the end zone to seal the deal.

“Team 13 has a very good offensive team,” Carlini said, “but they have some holes in their defense, which will have to be corrected when they play deep threat teams like Some Guys [senior team].”

The senior’s championship game resulted in a stunning upset. Team Some Guys defeated The Soul, a previously undefeated team, by a score of 28-14.

“Naturally, The Soul was the favorite,” Carlini said, “but Some Guys have the better athletes and that gave them a big help. You cannot beat Some Guys twice.”

As for the freshmen, Team Dirty Birds upset the Boyertown Bears; the intramural committee had predicted the Bears to win 24-21 in overtime.

“They [the Dirty Birds] have all of the big athletes and names of the freshman class,” Carlini said. “If you look at the roster, they just have more talent.”

The sophomore championship game was a blowout. Team Waynie, led by sophomore Ryan Maguire, defeated the Guy Fieri’s Spicy Hot Wings.

On Friday, October 27 there were four teams left in the tournament of champions. Team Some Guys was awarded the number one seed, followed by Team 13, Team Waynie, and the freshman’s Boyertown Bears was the number four seed.

Like the NCAA March Madness tournament, the top seeds play the bottom seeds. Therefore, Team Some Guys played the Boyertown Bears, and Team 13 took on the Guy Fieri’s Spicy Hot Wings.

Expectedly, the older teams took down their younger opponents.

Finally, it was the e.Championship took place on Thursday, November 2 during Community Time. The seniors’ Some Guys faced the juniors’ Team 13. Senior Griffin Kennedy, the assistant coach of team Some Guys, expected to bounce back from their regular season loss against Team 13.

“I am excited to see what today brings,” Kennedy said. “I know that we are ready. There are has been a lot of film study over these last few days on this team [Team 13]. I think we are feeling good today, and we are ready to go.”

With the return of senior Matt Davis, wide receiver for Some Guys, and a stellar performance from their quarterback, senior Connor Reagan, Some Guys went on to defeat Team 13 by a score of 35-14.

“It was a heck of a championship,” senior and coach of Some Guys Andre Quintiliani said. “There was a great group of guys out there, and they wanted every single play. Thank you to Coach Burke. We are champs!”

Burke appreciates the opportunity to see students involved in intramural play. “Watching the students play gives me another frame of reference as to who they are,” he said.

The intramural committee is in the process of making an awards ceremony to commemorate this intramural football season. Players and coaches, look out for awards like MVP, best bounce back player, best uniforms, coach of the year, and defensive player of the year. Mark the date on your calendars; Carlini expects it to be during a Friday Morning Rally in mid November, and congratulations, Team Some Guys. ◊

ALTAR OF CANS • Junior Matt Hopkins stands next to the growing stack of cans in the Duffy Center gallery, for scale. Director of Student Life Dr. Jim Fry said the cans will be used as an altar during Mass in the chapel, then students will take the cans to a truck for delivery to parishes. / K. Leonard

>#20CANCHALLENGE, 1

Fry said there was a fantastic response from the students, who gathered almost 9,000 servings of canned foods in exchange for Homecoming tickets.

“I think there was a great response [from students.] To date, we’re just shy of 3,000 cans, which came in at about four and a half hours, which is exciting. I’m very proud of the students,” Fry said.

Since there were almost 3,000 cans brought in by students in exchange for a Homecoming ticket, this means nearly 150 Homecoming tickets were given away.

“There were about 140 students who took advantage of the #20canchallenge between October 2 and 11,” Fry said.

Sophomore Rowan Cabahug-Almonte participated in the challenge.

“I found some 98 cent cans, so I saved a whole ten dollars and 40 cents. Helping people is also a pro,” CabahugAlmonte said.

With roughly 140 tickets traded for cans, and each ticket priced at $30, the #20canchallenge saved students a staggering $4,200.

Usually the Homecoming dance is funded by ticket sales. Fry explained that the couples who purchased tickets still covered most of the dance funding.

“Historically speaking, there’s usually around 350 couples that attend the dance. So we kind of back out 140 couples. There’s still 210 couples. That’s probably close to what our expenses are,” Fry explained.

A free Homecoming ticket was not the only incentive for bringing in cans.

“Everyone who brings in 20 cans will have the opportunity to write a thank-you note to someone who has helped them get to where they are, or they can dedicate those cans in memory or in honor of somebody that has been a big influence on the them,” Fry said.

Sophomore John Giordano said he brought in 20 cans for the challenge, but he didn’t take the free ticket.

“It’s for a great cause. Knowing that I helped someone feels great,” Giordano said.

The cans will end up at St. Patrick ’s Church in Malvern. The church has a partnership with Saint Patrick’s in Norristown, as well as Mother Katharine Drexel in Chester.

“Ideally, we’ll make sure that both have a nice donation to help support and feed people in their communities,” Fry said.

The cans will be presented as an altar during chapel, according to Fry. That altar is currently under construction in the Duffy Center gallery. Each student will carry cans out to a truck, which will transport the goods to the parishes.

“The idea is having a little more of an educational experience with it, so it’s not so much of a passive ‘I’m just going to drop off the cans and not think about it anymore,’” Fry said.

Assistant Head of School for Student Leadership Mr. Ron Algeo expanded on what this means for Malvern students and striving to be more like Christ.

“We have an opportunity, on a much smaller scale, to sacrifice whatever it may be, whether it be meals at home or money, to help others in need. So in a small way, we’re emulating what Christ did for us,” Algeo said.

Although students can no longer trade cans for a ticket to Homecoming, Fry wants to make it clear that the #20canchallenge isn’t yet over.

“An important thing to know is that the #20canchallenge isn’t stopping,” he said. “We’re going to carry it through the duration of the food drive, which ends on November 11.” ◊

HALLOWEEN • Junior Gavin Canzanese, left, and junior Charlie Andress, right, were the top two contestants in the 2017 Halloween Costume Contest for the upper school on October 31. Our issue is late because we were just waiting to capture Halloween at Malvern Prep in print. Not really. But if you're reading this caption, you might just like your school publication enough to appreciate the humor. / R. Maher

October / November 2017 MEDIA & CULTURE

MC

Page 18

“The Thinning” distorts dystopia I love awful movies, so when I found out that Logan Paul was going to star in one, I was beyond excited. Little did I know, this movie was going to be one of the worst things I have ever seen.

Tommy Ludin ’20 CONTRIBUTO R et me start by saying that this movie was extremely difficult to sit through— and I watched this one hour and thirty minute YouTube Red web film to completion.

The movie is about this stupid test that all kids have to take every year, that determines if you live or die. The test is named the “Thinning.”

Get it, like thinning the population? I would like to mention that the government lets first graders take the test.

So yeah, the government in this movie kills six-year-olds.

The movie starts off with a 17-year-old named Blake.

But I'm just gonna call him Logan Paul, because that’s who he’s played by. Anyways, he’s sneaking out of his house.

This house has like fifty guards and all it takes for Logan to get out was a jump of a two-foot fence.

He sneaks off with his girlfriend to his neighbor's pool just to be caught. Now, on the night before the ‘big test,’ you would think he would be studying for his life. But no, he’s just chilling with his girlfriend with no problems.

The story then cuts to total dweeb Laina, or Peyton List from the hit movie “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.” She is tutoring a young student for the ‘big test’ the next day.

The kid is too stupid to pass so he asks Laina for one of her ‘super techy contacts’ that lets him see all the answers for the test.

The doctor then calls about Laina's mother who is currently in the hospital. So Laina goes to the hospital to find her mom, and her mom isn't taking her meds and is about to die. She then has to take care of her two younger siblings.

Logan is seen asking Laina for her ‘super techy contacts’ but it turns out the ones she gave to the kid were her last ones.

Logan then panics, not knowing if he is going to pass.

Maybe he shouldn't have come to her three minutes before the test starts to buy the stupid cheat contacts, I don't know.

So the test begins and they are done within 20-seconds. I have no clue why a test determining if you live or not is so short. It turns out that Logan's girlfriend is taken away because she didn't pass the test.

Logan then throws a temper tantrum, grabbing a fire

L bladerunnermovie.com

“Blade Runner 2049” focuses on what it means to be human

Blade Runner 2049 has hit box offices, and it's a new classic.

Henry Hague ’19 CONTRIBUTOR fter thirty-five long years, the sequel to Ridley Scott's critically acclaimed masterpiece, “Blade Runner”, has finally been released and it's in a category of its own. The sequel to the original “Blade Runner”, “Blade Runner 2049”, premiered in the United States on October 6, 2017. This sequel has been long awaited by fans of the original film, and the beautiful cinematic universe that Ridley Scott created so long ago.

The sequel follows in its predecessors shoes by focusing heavily on the theme of what it means to be human, and also separates itself from other Holly wood sequels today by not rehashing the same characters and just mixing up the plot slightly.

Denis Villeneuve, the director, has truly created an experience that feels like a continuation of the universe and not just some remake created purely for the purpose of fanservice. It is too soon to know if “Blade Runner 2049” will be as revolutionary for film as the first one was, but as of now, the universe has a promising future.

The “Blade Runner” franchise is, at heart, a Sci-Fi neo-noir film and it focuses heavily on the gritty realness of hypothetical problems the human race could encounter in the future.

The philosophical questions that arise from a form of entertainment is what makes these movies so legendary.

The original “Blade Runner” became considered a masterpiece due to its deep questioning of morality, and of course revolutionizing the meaning of special effects. The newer movie creates the same atmosphere through a color scheme that differs so drastically from scene to scene, masterful cinematography, and of course modern day special effects such as CGI. Using these techniques we are transported into Los Angeles and the year is 2049.

The gruesome profession of a Blade Runner, hunting down stray replicants (Artificial Intelligence created to do the things humans didn't want to do) is still going strong. From that enter the main character, Agent K, played by Ryan Gosling. This Agent K is a replicant that hunts

A

down other stray replicants in hiding and brings them in... if possible.

Throughout the movie there are many twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. Not only is the plot a very intricate and complex thing, it is supported by an all star cast. Harrison Ford makes a return as the dark and brooding Deckard Shaw, a retired Blade Runner, along with Robin Wright whose character “Madam” is the head of the Los Angeles Police Department. Jared Leto also plays in a supporting role as the main villain, Niander Wallace, who wants to find a way to make replicants the dominant species.

The film gets so many things right that it is difficult to talk about what it does wrong. The visuals and sound design are huge attributes to the overall feel of the movie, and Ryan Gosling's performance really embodies the character development that is appropriate for a replicant in K’s position. However, the film is not perfect, as no film could ever truly be perfect.

The main thing about the movie that could be nitpicked is the pace.

The movie is not an action film and while it is a Sci-Fi film, there are no laser guns or swords made of plasma that we usually associate with such a genre. Some people will be turned off by the pace, believing it to be slow and not exhilarating enough.

With a run time of two hours and forty four minutes, it is entirely possible that it may seem to drag on for a long time. There are some minor plot points that are never explained and some people believe that the sequel tried too hard to live up to the reputation of its original.

All that being said, the movie is one of the most radical ideas in the past decade and creates a visual mood that is second to none. While some may dislike the pace of the movie and others may praise it as a form of art unlike any other, only one thing is certain. To truly experience this world that was first created by Ridley Scott and now is being continued through director, Denis Villeneuve, you must see the movie for yourself. ◊

YouTube

extinguisher and bashing one of the guards heads. The girlfriend manages to escape the guards grasp but her friends won't let her pass. What awesome friends.

So the girlfriend is taken, and probably killed, because she ‘failed the test’. The movie then time jumps a year to their final “Thinning” test as

seniors.

Laina is then quizzing her little sister, who is on her way to taking her first ‘test’. They give these tests to first graders. Laina is not even worried about her sister and the movie forgets about the little sister for about an hour.

Logan thinks it's unfair that his stupid girlfriend was taken away from him. So Logan devises a genius plan, and makes a video saying that he is going to purposely fail the test to be with his lady.

The dad finds this video after Logan has started the test, and freaks out. He grabs an antique chair that he was just sitting on to then smash it on the ground. The scene gets me super scared and intimidated by the dad. Just kidding, this scene is garbage.

The dad does everything in his power to keep his son alive. So he calls into the school making a few changes to his sons score because the dad is the almighty governor.

Laina scored a 98%, and fails the test. Obviously, this is not possible because she is super smart and got a great score.

This leads to many questions. Questions like: if they wanted to better their society why would they take out the girl with one of the higher scores and not one that just made it on the cut off?

There would be no more questions asked. But back to the story, the government has just messed with the wrong chica. Laina has 99 problems but the government ain't one.

She is taken to die then escapes and hacks their computers.

She then exposes everyone’s test scores and showing that the school is like totally corrupt. The parents want their children back.

But wait, surprise—None of them actually died. They were just making tablets for the kids to take the test on, in a secret base.

Verdict: This movie is garbage, never watch it. ◊

“Mac and Me” promotes, without plot "Mac and Me" really isn't a movie. It's a one and a half hours of advertising.

Aidan White ’20 REPORTER few years ago, one of my close friends and I were look ing online for a quick laugh. We found this short video of a weird ET rip off named “Mac and Me.” When I was looking through movies to review, I suddenly remembered this movie. So, the same friend and I promptly sat down this month and watched the movie we had discovered before.

What we saw was far worse than we ever could have imagined. The movie starts off on a planet full of these weird, fake looking aliens. Every time these ‘aliens’ are shown, it looks completely ridiculous.

A

Also, the world is full of Coca-Cola. The alien dad sticks a straw into the planet and starts drinking the Coke out from under the crust. This, only like 30 seconds in, is the first case of awful advertising in the movie.

The aliens will literally die if they don't drink enough Coke.

So, this weird rover lands on the Coke planet, sucks the aliens up, and flies back to Earth. And just like that, the breathtaking epic Mac and Me begins.

The next scene has a few scientists inspecting the weird rover Wikimedia Commons thing. The aliens pop out and just kinda meander out of the building. Nobody really tries to stop them, they just kind of walk out. But, in all the wackiness of the aliens walking away, the smallest alien “Mac” gets lost. > PAGE 19

Page 19

LOST SO FAR We made a word cloud from the lost and found emails that have come from the Dean of Students' Office so far this year.

Lost items are typically turned in at the Dean of Students Office.

“Lost & Founds” are located in Stewart, O’Neill, Duffy, and the Learning Commons.

We will update this word cloud as the 2017-18 school year goes on.

What do you think will be the most-frequently lost item of this year?

-A. Gallary

> "MAC AND ME," 18

Mac falls into the car of our human protagonists, Eric and Michael. Michael is Eric’s older brother who loves to skateboard, drink Coke, and meet sick babes. Eric is in a wheelchair.

Their mom, Janet, is moving to a new house in California because of her new big job. We find out later that her big job that she had to move for was to be a cashier at Sears.

Also, her husband is dead.

Once they get to their new house, Eric starts to see Mac walking around. Eric tries to let his parent and brother know that there is this alien walking about, but of course nobody believes him except for his neighbor.

This would be cool, except his neighbor is a girl! Ew, cooties! Eric quickly brushes his neighbor off and continues to try to find Mac. Then, there is a few scenes where Mac ruins stuff in the house and it gets blamed on Eric.

Eric keeps telling people that it's actually an alien causing the damage, but for some reason people won't believe him. They end up calling a doctor in, and in a very serious and kind of sad scene, Eric is diagnosed with Schizophrenia.

But, fortune starts to shine on Eric when he finally corners Mac and proceeds to follow him. While following, Eric loses control and falls off a cliff. Don't be sad though, Mac uses his magic Coca-Cola powers to levitate Eric and save his life.

After Mac saves Eric, Mac starts communicating with him. Eric then traps Mac and sucks him inside a vacuum cleaner. Now Mac is his own personal plaything, in which he could do with as he pleases.

So to hide Mac in public, Eric sticks him inside a Bear suit and pretends like he's

a hyper realistic toy. Then, Eric takes his new toy to the coolest place in town, the local McDonald’s.

This scene has got to be my favorite in the movie. There is a choreographed dance where Bear Mac busts a move in the McDonalds.

Here at this wonderful McDonald's, Mac replenishes himself with a cold refreshing Coke.

Do you see what I'm saying about the advertising getting in the way of the plot?

The movie is full of stupid, inconsequential scenes like this where the only purpose is to advertise. They go to KMart and get all this brand name food, and it leaves the viewer wondering, what's the point?

I can go on and on about the plot in the movie, but there really isn't that much more. It's all just advertisements until the end. If you really care about what happens, Mac finds his family, they drink Coke, and become U.S. citizens. In the end, the ‘movie’ is a whole bunch of nothing. No plot, no purpose, just a quick cash grab after the success of ET. I love watching bad movies. I have had movies in the past I would recommend to people if they want a laugh (Cool Cat, Book of Henry, anything Neil Breen) but I find it hard for me to recommend this one.

Sure, this movie will have its moments, like the dancing at McDonald's scene and the mountain falling scene, but in the end it's just nothing. A nothing movie with a nothing plot that nobody will remember. ◊

Page 20

DNA testing is totally tubular (but probably not that accurate) Buckle up and prepare for the tale of one guy spitting into a tube and waiting for several weeks to see what it meant.

Ethan Rowley ’18 MANAGING EDITOR, PRINT o I spat into a tube for science (or so I tell myself).

There I was, in homeroom like any other day, except this day was different. About a month before I’d agreed to order one of 23andme.com’s DNA testing kits and write a column about the results. The newspaper gets a column, I get to learn about my genetic makeup, seemed like a win-win to me.

The process is actually pretty unglamorous. You go to 23andme’s website, order one of their genetic testing kits, and then wait a few days until it comes in the mail.

Admittedly, I was completely confounded when I tried to open the box. It took me far too long to realize it’s a sleeve you slide off then a tab you pull up and open the entire top of the box. But hey, you live and you learn, right?

Inside the box is a vial with a funnel on it. Since your saliva is an easily-acquired and easily-transported bank of your DNA, the 23andme uses saliva samples to gather DNA. So I spent homeroom the next day spitting into this vial. After that, you unscrew the funnel from the top of the vial, and screw on the lid they provide.

After that, you put it into and seal a specially marked plastic baggie, put said sealed bag back into the box, and close the box.

Again, the box’s function went over my head as I asked my mother for packing tape. She noted that there was already an adhesive on the inside of the tab I had pulled to open the box, and that you just needed to peel the plastic covering off of the adhesive for it to stick when you pushed the tab back into the box.

I’m not very good with packaging, ok?

Thankfully, that was the end of my packaging pains. Now, I settled in for the projected six to eight week wait until my results got back. Surprisingly, it only took two.

The results weren’t incredibly surprising, although there were a few bits that certainly stood out to me. It should also be noted that DNA testing isn’t entirely reliable. It measures your supposed makeup based on certain genetic markers that are common among certain ethnicities, and isn’t a perfectly accurate method

Friar

S

Trying something new every month.

of tracing heritage.

The largest group present by far was Eastern European at 53.1%. I certainly expected this to be the largest group, although perhaps higher if anything.

Both of my maternal grandparents’ ancestors and my paternal grandmother’s ancestors all hail from Poland. Despite this, I somehow wound up with the one Irish name in the family rather than the three Polish ones. Probability is weird like that.

It should be noted though that Poland has spent much of its history being carved up and having its borders erased, redrawn, and then erased and redrawn yet again, especially by Germany and Russia. As a result, it wouldn’t be too surprising if there are a lot of Russian and German ancestors in my past.

I suppose this might account for the 15.4% block of the results that is categorized as “Broadly Northwestern European”. This comprises the modern day Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

Going back to the Irish, the report says that I’m 17.2% “British & Irish.” Again, this largely checks out with my concrete existing knowledge of my family history. My paternal grandfather, James J. Rowley Sr., is the son of two Irish immigrants who met and married after individually emigrating to the United States.

My grandfather’s sister, my great-aunt, also used the same 23andme service and came back with 99% “British & Irish” ancestry, so if anything I’m surprised my figure isn’t higher.

This is categorized separately from the specific “French & German” category, which came up as 3.3% of my lineage. I know my maternal grandmother would occasionally talk of a French aunt somewhere in the mix, although I’m not entirely sure.

The smallest portion under the greater European umbrella is “Scandinavian”. Somehow I have 1.3% ancestry in that. My only guess as to where this comes from is that it might be involved with the Viking raiders who began staying in the British Isles rather than raiding them, and even that scenario is highly unlikely.

Combined with the “Broadly European” portion, European ancestry supposedly comprises 99.9% of my genetic makeup. Again, not surprising given my known family history. I’ve known that none of my

NEANDERTHAL? • With his 23andme results, Ethan learns he has more Neanderthal genetics than 82% of other users.

A. Haylock

ancestors were in the United States until 1900, and fresh Irish and Polish immigrants were far more likely to keep to their own people rather than venture out and mix with people whose family had been in the United States for generations.

Perhaps the weirdest part of this whole system is the bit that tells you how much Neanderthal DNA you have in you. Humans and Neanderthals, before the latter species went extinct some 40,000 years ago, did indeed intermingle and have hybrid children, and as a result many people today (including yours truly) carry Neanderthal genes in their DNA. Apparently I have more DNA markers that are related to Neanderthals in my genome than 82% of 23andme users. I don’t know if that has any implications, but I’ll take it.

All in all, I’d say the experience was a fun one.

Is it worth your $100? Depends how much you value your $100. It’s a nice one-off thing to do, though given the unreliability of genetic genomic testing it certainly isn’t the master key to your ancestral heritage. ◊

NOVEMBER ATHLETICS Football

Soccer

Home November 11, vs. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 1 p.m.

Home November 11, vs. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 1 p.m.

Away November 4, vs. Germantown Academy, 2 p.m.

Away November 3, vs. TBD (First Round of PAISSA) November 7, vs. TBD (Second Found of PAISSA) November 9, vs. TBD (Third Round of PAISSA) November 15, vs. TBD (PAISSA Chaimpionship Game at Immaculata Univeristy), TBD

Water Polo Home November 1, vs. Friends Central. 4 p.m.

Away November 4, vs. TBD (Eastern Championships) November 5, vs. TBD (Eastern Championships)

Basketball Home November 29, vs. Friends Central, 4 p.m.

Away November 27, Tri Scrimmage: Reading and Avon Grove

Hockey Home November 10, vs. Spring-Ford, 7:30 p.m.

November 22, vs. Unionville, 7:15 p.m.

November 27, vs. Downingtown East, 7:30 p.m.

November 30, vs. Salesianum, 6:15 p.m.

Away November 17, vs. Bayard Rustin, 8:30 p.m.

November 20, vs. Archbishop Carroll, 8:55 p.m.

Rugby Home November 24, Apple Pie 7's Tournament (Fairmount Park), TBD

GOOD LUCK FRIARS!

AND THEY'RE OFF • Malvern Cross Country launches from the starting line at their home meet versus THe Haverford School on October 10. The varsity team finished the season with a Inter-Ac championship and second in the PAISAA championships. / A. Haylock