Charity Starts at Home(room) - Malden Catholic - A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School - 99 Crystal St., Malden, MA 02148
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C ry s t a l 9 9 Malden Catholic – A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School – 99 Crystal St., Malden, MA 02148 Charity Starts at Home(room) By: Emerson Tully Office Staff thanked Malden Catholic for the gen- that don’t necessarily have the resources to have Editor erous donations during the Advent prayer ser- even one gift to open, and we provide that gift.” vice, saying: “We are blessed in many ways, in Like most drives at Malden Catholic, it Malden Catholic’s Campus Ministry has our office, to have long standing donors such as was because of the generosity of the students been hard at work this past winter striving to ex- Malden Catholic whom we rely on annually to that the children in need got the toys that could ceed expectations for their charity events. Starting help us support some of the neediest families in transform their Christmas morning. The success off strong from November 3rd through the 22nd, our surrounding communities!” When MC put of the toy drive was not so much about the rec- Campus Ministry collected close to 1,000 non- together their first Lancer Santa Toy Drive in the ognition as it was about helping those in need. perishable food items for the Bread of Life Food late 1980s, they reached out to DCF because they From December 6th through January 7th, Drive to help support Bread of Life’s faith-based serviced ten local communities around the city Campus Ministry also held a coat drive, which mission to, “feed the body and nur- Dr. Baccari says, “Was primarily the ture the soul.” Bread of Life was work of the students, with the ex- founded in 1980 and brings togeth- ception of a group of adults.” The er over five-hundred volunteers success of this charity event ended from forty partner organizations up bringing exactly 150 coats to An- to offer free food to less-fortunate, ton Cleaners, located on 780 Main hungry people. MC is very fond of Street in Malden. Ms. Callahan, Bread of Life’s core values, which Girls Campus Minister, says that, include providing nutritious fresh “In my eyes, the coat drive was ex- food to consumers, grounding their tremely successful. I helped bag work in their faith-based mission, up all of the coats and can confirm and treating others with respect. that we were able to give a lot of Because of this, MC has been work- coats to families in need. Especially ing with and supporting the orga- with how cold it has been lately, nization for over twenty-five years. I think that’s super necessary.” Members of the Brother Gil- After being cleaned, the bert Chapter of the National Hon- coats were donated with the open- ors Society are particularly proud of handed help of nearly 90 social ser- their collaboration with the Bread vice agencies that made sure that not of Life. They have proudly worked only the coats that MC donated, but alongside Kathleen McKenna, a also the coats from over two-hun- past MC volunteer nurse and mom dred and fifty schools as well as over of three MC graduates. She is a three-hundred companies, clubs, volunteer with Bread of Life and and organizations, were brought with her help, over the years MC to those in need, free of charge. students have provided Hallow- Being so involved with een bags, Thanksgiving baskets, these charity events, Dr. Baccari Christmas gifts and Easter baskets was asked why he puts so much to families in need. They were even work into these drives. “The reason honored at a volunteer recogni- why I do it is because faith with- tion dinner reception at Anthony’s out works is no faith at all. I feel Malden for their acts of kindness. as though this is what I am called This year’s food dona- to do and in this case called to lead tions from the Malden Catho- at Malden Catholic,” said Dr. Bac- lic community were left in boxes cari proudly. “To be a role model near the reception desk. Dr. Bac- so that the students can see that you cari and Ms. Callahan, with the have to put your faith into practice.” help of others, brought them Even with the huge suc- Photo Courtesy of Malden Catholic to the Bread of Life food pan- cess of the charity events over the try and warehouse in Malden. Students and staff pose in front of toy donations to the Department of Children and Families. past few months, Malden Catholic’s Following the food drive Campus Ministry is already eagerly was the Lancers Santa Toy Drive, which ran from of Malden, including Malden itself, each year. planning more charity events. Coming up is the November 23rd through December 17th. Work- MC wants to make certain that each year the Buy a Bed campaign, led by the Mission of Deeds. ing with the Department of Children and Fami- community as a whole provides toys to a good This mission was founded in 1993 to provide beds, lies (DCF), a tradition that has been ongoing for number of children and families in the area, es- furniture, and household necessities to those in over 30 years, MC helped contribute what Dr. pecially during the holiday season. Mr. Bucchino, need, free of charge. With every dollar donated Baccari says is a “conservative guess” of three Boys Division Leader, is a big supporter of DCF to the Mission of Deeds, one step closer to buy- hundred unwrapped new gifts. Catherine Mi- and said: “I think about the children on Christ- ing a bed for a child in need of one is in reach. chaud, along with the entire Metro North DCF mas morning opening their toys. There are kids
Opinions Opinions 2 March 2022 The Best of Both Burgers Crystal 99 By: Jared DeSimone Staff Writer do, the writer who reviewed the fries of the restaurant, gave the crown to. Five Guys’ burgers get a 3.5 in time Student Newspaper to prepare. The burgers do not take a long time to cook, The idea of a burger often delights people, but but there is a wait. With patience, you will find that it is Malden Catholic High School in some cases, restaurants will let you down. There are worth the wait. The size of the burger scores a 4.5. These 99 Crystal Street Malden, Massachusetts 02148 many restaurants that will proudly say they have a qual- burgers are daunting when trying to take the first bite, (781) 322-3098 ity product, but among these, which is the best? The quest but you will find that you love every bit of it. The quality to determine this is a follow up to “One Guy’s Thoughts of the burger scores a 4. All of the ingredients are kept Editors-in-Chief On Five Guys Fries” written by Orlando Putnam-Bagley. on standby in coolers, and there are no freezers what- Brooke Langis The first burger place to be considered is McDon- soever. The burgers are grilled in the restaurant, and in Courtney Casaletto ald’s. Many love the place for its fast service and good most locations, for the customer to see. The taste of the food, but being that fast comes with a sacrifice; most of burger scores a solid 5. When you eat a Five Guys burg- Managing Editor the food is pre-prepared. What would you rather eat: er, if you are like me, you will find nothing whatsoever Lilah Paige store bought cookies or homemade cookies? Most people to dislike. Most will love the taste of the grilled burg- Editors would agree that homemade is the way to go, or in the er patties to the delectable taste of the fresh tomatoes. Katelyn Cirame restaurant business, food that is made fresh. McDonald’s I have mulled over the burger for a while and cannot Aaron Hulse still made the list, because although their burgers cannot come up with one reason to give the taste anything less Orlando Putnam-Bagley be held against freshly made burgers, they are good for than a perfect score. Finally, the healthiness of the Five Jonathan Tran being pre-prepared. I determined this with a grading sys- Guys burger scores a 3. Although the Five Guys burger Emerson Tully tem I made based on the one designed by Orlando: look- tastes great, they have a large average calorie intake of ing at the time to prepare the burger, size of the burger, around 840. This is way above the average calories for Staff Writers Michael Casey the quality of the burger, the taste of the burger, and the a burger of 520. This alone would get them a score of Jordan Bartlett healthiness of the burger. This will all be graded on a 2, but one also should consider that their food is fresh Jared DeSimone scale of 0 to 5, with 0 being the worst and 5 being the best. and their burger patties are completely preservative Myles Goodreau McDonald’s scores a 5 in time to prepare. This is free. These factors convinced me to be lenient towards Lily McDonough because it is done within minutes of an order. Having all the high calories and give them a 3 instead. This would Hoang Ngo food pre-prepared has its advantages, the main one be- give Five Guys an overall score of 20 out of 25, or an 80% Jorge Ortiz ing that they can complete orders in a time that is noth- on my grading system. For a fast food chain, this is an Kenny Ramirez Jacqueline Smiles Rodriguez ing short of astounding. The size of the burger is a 3. This excellent rating. I could only see a higher score in small Tomaz Silveira is because most would agree that although they are al- family owned businesses where the process is even more Andrew Webb ways satisfied with the size of the burger, it isn’t very big personal and not large scale. Considering Five Guys Brandon Wong which is why it scores a modest 3. The quality is a 2, be- is a large restaurant chain, this score is phenomenal. cause although all the ingredients aren’t bad, they aren’t It is no surprise that a restaurant that has quality Staff Artists and Photogra- overly good either. When a restaurant sacrifices quality fries and a side to a meal would have a quality burger too. phers for speed, it is noticeable how the flavor goes down. Most Although the fries may often steal the spotlight, these Alexa Alcindor Isabelle Brady people can tell when something has been freshly made burgers deserve their praise. Many people consider this Rachael Burke or just reheated. The taste of the McDonald’s burger is their go to burger place. There are many reasons for this Eddie D’Angelo a 3. McDonald’s has been making it an art to make the too, they have a great toppings selection for burgers, they Evelyn Maradiaga most delicious food possible in the least amount of time. encourage employees to compete to see who can provide Anne Meza Although the burgers aren’t fresh, they do have the best service, and they make sure to keep high quality Helen Nguyen a satisfying taste to them. If you are looking for a quick ingredients. McDonald’s, being only 12% percent behind, Kimberly Nguyen good meal, then McDonald’s is definitely your place. also deserves to be mentioned. Although their ingredi- Faculty Adviser Finally, in healthiness, the McDonald’s burger scores a ents are not as fresh, these burgers have been satisfying Mr. Christopher Cleary 4. You read that right. Although McDonald’s is known people’s hunger for around 70 years, and many love the as one of those unhealthy fast food restaurants, the fast service and quick meals, rightfully so too. Although, plain burger there has a calorie count of 250, contain- to me Five Guys will always be the superior burger place. These opinions do not rep- ing 12 grams of protein. The average burger contains Some honorable mentions from my best burger survey resent the views of Malden around 520 calories, and a regular burger at McDon- are Wahlburgers in Lynnfield, MA, Christopher’s in Catholic as an institution ald’s is well below that, earning a well deserved 4 in Reporting on current events and Cambridge, MA, and Carol’s in Medford, MA. I hope this publishing student opinion, we at the healthiness. Be aware that this 4 in no way means that article has convinced you to see for yourself which burg- Crystal 99 hope to inform, challenge, McDonald’s burgers are healthy, just that in the realm er is truly better. If you disagree with my grades, please and entertain our readers, and allow of burgers, they are one of the lower calorie choices. make your case for why you think it is graded wrong; or students an outlet to communicate This gives McDonald’s a score of 17 out of 25, or a 68% if you have a restaurant I have not mentioned which you with their peers. on my grading system. A 68% is not bad; although think should have been considered, please let me know. If you would like to contribute to the there are many restaurants with better tasting burg- Also, I give inspiration for this article to my friend Or- paper, submit an article, or offer your ers, McDonald’s has a household name, fast food, and lando, who first put the idea for writing this in my head. suggestions, contact any editor or a good tasting burger, which is why it scored this high. Mr. Cleary. This is why McDonald’s is a very popular restaurant. In This Issue... I chose this as my first restaurant to review because it - What’s New In School To place an advertisement in the is the most well-known one, and most have had it and Crystal 99, contact: enjoyed the food, so it creates a reference for the next. - Winter Sports Summaries Christopher Cleary clearyc@mal- - Potentially Controversial Opinions dencatholic.org I surveyed my peers at MC, and the most vot- The Crystal 99 is published by School ed upon restaurant for having the best burger was Five - Arts Updates & Reviews Publications Company. Guys. This is no surprise because it is the one that Orlan-
March 2022 C ry s ta l 9 9 Opinions 3 Slow Down the Fashion Industry By: Jacqueline Smiles Rodriguez have gained attention and become a trend be- Staff Writer cause of the amount of clothing you could buy cheaply, in contrast to more luxurious items. The popularity of fast fashion has expo- Various pieces of clothing also become pop- nentially expanded within recent decades, offer- ular and form micro-trends. Micro-trends ing widespread and unbelievably cheap access to start and end quickly. Fast fashion makes trendy clothing and accessories. Although it is det- following these trends more accessible due rimental to our environment and society, it allows to the cheapness of their clothing that can lower income individuals to attain a variety of be produced quickly due to the unethical fashion normally out of their reach. Moreover, be- labor used to create it. This contrasts with ing able to criticize fast fashion is a privileged po- past years, in which trends only caught on sition, simply due to the fact that being able to af- with a minority of people. These trends were ford ethically-sourced clothing is a privilege itself. spread through magazines and celebrities, So, how do you slow down fast fashion? and they were kept for years. The short life There is almost no way to effectively discard of trends that drive the production of fast this clothing once you buy it. When a customer fashion clothing only enhances the subse- returns fast fashion items, they are often just quent wastefulness and overconsumption. thrown away. Donating very cheap clothing isn’t Fashion is expressive, and how you recommended either, because itplaces the bur- dress can alter people’s perception of you den on the buyer. Thrift stores are now receiving and grant you certain opportunities. Lower plenty of cheap clothes that won’t last. Most only income people don’t have many options Art by Anne Meza keep items for a few months until they are sold. when it comes to clothing. Buying ethical definitely afford to think ethically. In this re- Purchasing fast fashion isn’t the main clothing requires research and financial means, spect, we are all victims of wasteful capitalism. problem; overconsumption is. This is when people and it’s often just not achievable. It’s almost im- Fast fashion will never be sustainable for our envi- buy more than they need or will even use. Many possible to completely avoid fast fashion when ronment. However, because lower income people buy fast fashion because they can’t afford ethical people publicly judge and degrade what others have to resort to fast fashion, it seems to be here to or sustainable clothing. However, when someone are wearing on social media. This can include out- stay. There is almost no way to avoid unethical con- reaches triple digits at checkout, they definitely can. dated trends and knock-offs. Although it is diffi- sumption, even if you try, but overconsumption Many people on social media post large hauls from cult to shop more ethically for many, when people trend is a trend that can and should slow down. well-known, unethically-sourced brands. Hauls spend lavishly on cheap sites like Shein, they can What’s Going on in Ukraine? By: Orlando Putnam-Bagley Ukrainians have already fled the country by the verely impacted the Russian stock market and value Editor thousands to neighboring Poland and Moldova to of the ruble. Select Russian banks have now been seek refuge, but Ukraine has since banned all men of removed from the global banking system, SWIFT, Recently, we have heard quite a bit about fighting age (18-60) from leaving the country, as they and Germany has revoked the permit for construc- the war in Ukraine between invading Russian Forces now must stay and fight against the invading forces. tion of the Nordstream 2 gas pipeline which has and the defending Ukrainian army. The President of Putin has seen the expansion of western dealt a major blow to Gazprom and the rest of Rus- the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, decided to forces and interests deeper into Eastern-Europe in sia’s natural gas industry, which makes up nearly send troops into the country for a full-scale invasion the form of NATO as an existential threat to the 60% of its total exports. These actions, combined on February 24, 2022 after posturing and accumu- Russian Federation, and the invasion of Ukraine with the economic sanctions, are meant to target lating troops on the border of the eastern-european is a last- ditch effort to stop Ukraine from joining the wealthy and powerful Russian oligarchs and country since March 2021. This was directly after the NATO and the European Union and instead to elites, which will hopefully dissuade Putin from Russia’s parliament declared the regions of Donetsk have them stay neutral or pro-Russian. Putin has continuing to wage war in Ukraine or cripple Rus- and Luhansk in Ukraine as sovereign republics. It is used propaganda and misinformation to try and sia to the point where it is no longer able to do so. important to note that these regions of Ukraine con- control the narrative around the invasion, accusing We admire the bravery of the Ukrainian peo- tain a high percentage of Russian speakers and Rus- the west of being similar to Nazi Germany in its ex- ple right now who currently fight for their country sian seperatist movements that have been fighting pansion eastward and touting a “genocide” being against a much larger invading force, and we pray the Ukrainian government for eight years since the conducted in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces for their safety and continued sovereignty. Ukrai- invasion of Crimiea. As of the writing of this article are trying to stop. These claims are all verifiably nian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stayed in and according to the Ukraine’s health ministry, the false and the United States has released and contin- the capital of Kyiv, and he has refused to be evacu- civilian death toll stands at 352 people and rough- ues to release information publicly about Russia’s ated to a safer location. In response to evacuation of- ly ~1,700 civilians injured although these num- plans which has helped keep the narrative clear fers, he is quoted as saying “I need ammunition, not bers may have increased at the time of publishing. and based in truth, undoubtedly throwing Putin a ride” which has undoubtedly given the Ukrainian The war so far is being fought violently and off his strategy from the beginning of the conflict. people much-needed hope. Kyiv is currently under quickly, and United States intelligence sources have An unexpected and overwhelming amount siege by Russian forces and the future of the capital released information predicting that the war will be of support has come out in favor of Ukraine from is uncertain, but with the continued support from short. Casualties are projected to reach above 50,000 not only western countries aligned with the Unit- European allies and the United States donating arms people with over 1.5 million Ukrainians expected to ed States but also globally. Even the Taliban have and weapons, Ukraine may be able to continue to be displaced. Already, many of us have seen videos condemned Russia’s recent actions and the mysteri- defend themselves from the Russian invaders. With of large explosions, T-72 tanks and armored vehicles ous hacker group, Anonymous, has cyber attacked Ukraine applying for a fast-tracked membership making their way through the countryside, Mig- the Kremlin and released thousands of documents with the European Union, the future may not be as 29s airstriking apartment buildings, and Mi-8 heli- from the Russian military to the public. Because of grim as some are predicting for the country but much copters flying in formation over Ukrainian towns. the invasion, Russia has now been hit with crippling still remains to be seen. Until then, slava Ukrayini! These videos taken by brave civilians are shocking economic sanctions from both the United States and *This article was finished on March 2, 2022 and but have also helped the Ukrainian army keep bet- the European Union, the most intense sanctions may not reflect any developments that occurred ter tabs on Russia’s advance into the country. Many ever issued against Russia in history, and it has se- after this date.*
Opinions 4 CRYSTAL 99 March 2022 Scrolling Your Way to Insecurities By: Jordan Bartlett is something rarely shown on social media. Staff Writer Social media not only affects the nega- tive internal thoughts of teenagers, it also af- Have you ever mindlessly scrolled for so fects their productivity. This can include school long on social media that you suddenly saw a sud- work, sleeping habits, and social interaction. den change in content? A change from cat memes When teens constantly scroll through social to passive aggressive posts by an influencer? On media, they get sucked in and end up procras- the outside, social media seems harmless, but on tinating, rushing through, or just not doing the inside, it’s a smorgasbord of negative ideas. their schoolwork. When students are in school, These negative ideas aren’t only based teachers and administrators might have a “no on what is being posted, but they are also based phone rule,” but computers and tablets have just on what the posts are making people think. Re- as many distractions as phones. You can access gardless of intent, there is always a way to in- almost anything just through a quick Google terpret a post in a way that does not align with search. This causes students to get distracted by the original message. Teenagers scroll through what’s on the screen, rather than paying atten- Instagram and TikTok and see people that are Art by Kimberly Nguyen tion to what is being taught in the classroom. As petite, and skinny. As they scroll through these parison to others and disappointment in one’s teachers are lecturing in class, the students are images, they compare posts to their own body own appearance and life result. With these ideas in sending text messages to one another about what image. They start to pull at their skin in the mir- mind, these apps are trying to convince the world is going on in their life, rather than taking notes. ror and wonder what they would look like if they that the best version of yourself is rich, has a good Not only are students texting during school, they just lost a few pounds. Social media influencers body, and has lots of followers. MC sophomore are also texting and using facetime in their free often are not trying to make people feel this way Bella Maser says: “Social media shows you what time rather than actually hanging out in person. about themselves; they are just confident in who other people want you to see. Celebrities are not Teenagers tend to believe that texting and snap- they are and want to share it. Many influencers going to post a picture that they look bad in; they’re chatting build better relationships and friendships try to spread positive messages to their follow- going to post what makes them look good. It’s than having real conversations face-to-face. This ers and encourage self love, but, as their follow- hard to not compare yourself to them, even know- creates isolation for these students and causes ers have been scrolling through these pages for ing that not all is real. I think that once we see what them to text instead of speak to their friends so long, they are already fixated on the fact that other people are, we immediately assume that we that are just an arm’s length away. This isolation their body doesn’t live up to society’s standards. have to be the exact same in order to be beautiful.” causes people to build a relationship with their With this mindset, insecurity spreads rapidly. Teens are not only seeing these unreal- cell phone rather than with one another. As a Not only does social media result in poor istic expectations, but also literal unreality. Ce- member of society, try your best to look for the body image in teens but it also sets unrealistic ex- lebrities post pictures that they look good in, brighter side of social media. Try to find the light pectations for the people using the apps. Whether and influencers are editing the photos to morph at the end of the tunnel so that you, as a person, these apps are showing you workout videos with their bodies into looking “perfect.” The truth is can attain a good mindset and experience the ben- unattainable goals or videos of people with mas- there is no perfect; there is no specific way you efits of social media, rather than the afflictions. sive houses and an abundance of followers, com- have to look in order to be pretty, but this idea By: Tomaz Silveira How Essential is Work? parts of the world such as Africa and South Asia. “The Abolition of Work” (1985) as follows: “No Staff Writer Employees are mostly in a transactional one should ever work. Work is the source of all relationship with consumers; they produce goods the misery in the world.” Importantly though, Work is a subject with a long philosophi- that consumers buy. But this need not be the case. Black defines work as “compulsory production.” cal pedigree. For example, in The Republic, Plato Physicians at a free clinic are not paid by their His abolition of work is thus compatible with proposed a system of labor specialization based patients. Nevertheless, such employees expect voluntarily engaging in economically productive on inborn abilities. He argued that this will en- to earn income. Alternatively, some instances of activities. Alternately, Danaher (2019:54) sug- sure essential tasks will be performed by those work go uncompensated altogether, such as pris- gests that the world of work is “structurally bad.” capable of performing them. Thus, Plato acknowl- on labor. So too for those who volunteer or pro- The labor market in most developed countries edged the centrality of work to our lives. It is the vide unpaid care work for children, the aged, or makes work bad for many and is getting worse primary source of income and a central feature of the ill. Thus, work need not involve working for because of technical and institutional changes. day-to-day adult life. Thus, no phenomenon ex- others, nor need it be materially compensated. Additionally, many workers receive little erts a greater influence on human life than work. Work generally involves altering the social recognition or sense of community through By work, I mean the familiar things we world in worthwhile ways. Raymond Geuss their work. Much socially valuable work is in- do in fields, factories, offices, homes, etc. to make (2021:5) calls this “objective” value. By work- visible to its beneficiaries. Many jobs are dull or a living. Examples include driving a taxi, run- ing, we generate goods that others can enjoy. unchallenging, contributing little to the develop- ning a cash register, working on an assembly In most cases, a person is compensated not for ment or exercise of our more sophisticated hu- line, or teaching. Some have observed that life their labor, but because their labor contributes to man capacities. As Marx suggested, workers is understood in work-like terms: parenthood is goods with this ‘objective’ value. Therefore, some have little if any say over what is produced and described as a job, those with romantic difficul- activities are arguably not work, because they gen- how. Work is compelled by economic neces- ties ‘work on’ their relationships, and what was erate value for the actor instead of for others. For sity and not an intrinsic satisfaction in working. once exercise is now ‘working out’ (Malesic 2017). instance, in leisure, we engage in activities that This system also isolates them from other work- Not all work takes the form of employ- produce goods for our own enjoyment. We can- ers, inasmuch as capitalism treats workers as in- ment. Workers can produce goods without be- not hire others to sunbathe for us or enjoy a mu- terchangeable and pits worker against worker. ing mediated by employers. In some cases, a sical performance. Leisure thus produces subjec- Anti-work theorists typically call for work to be worker also owns the enterprise (for example, tive value that cannot be exchanged with others. re-valued to minimize the influence of work on a restaurant owner who is also its head chef), Crucially, much of the skepticism sur- our quality of life. That work is unavoidable, nec- which has actually been the predominant form rounding the value of work really skepticism essary, and also frustrating might suggest the wis- of work throughout human history. For exam- about the veneration of the “Protestant work dom of a reevaluation of the necessity of work. ple, over half of all workers are self-employed in ethic.” The anarchist Bob Black opens his essay
March 2022 C ry s ta l 9 9 Opinions 5 The MC Schedule: Turning Back the Clock By: Brandon Wong Staff Writer Modified annually for the past half-decade, the Malden Catholic school schedule has brought about a perpetual cycle of change, a constant that neces- sitates a prompt end. The numerous it- erations to best adapt learning objectives and school functions have instead fos- tered avertible disorientation. Through discussion with individuals in the com- munity regarding this matter, I have as- certained the need for a better structure. Therefore, the school schedule requires amendment to satisfy the student body and faculty alike, with its flaws being minimized as much as possible. In craft- ing the variations of schedules depicted, I centered on the following four criteria to address all fundamental concerns: pro- ductivity, efficiency, clarity, and security. First, the most notable alteration is that both the boys’ and girls’ divisions have alignment in scheduling. In recent years, there was confusion over the dif- engage in their studies, which provides a signifi- instruction would not be grouped with those that fering class times in the respective schools, which cant opportunity to complete schoolwork without require the extra time to carry out their agenda. often left instructors who taught on both sides in strenuous efforts later in the day. To compensate Another reason the hour-long block was unfavorable situations. Such troubles consisted of for the elimination of homeroom, roll call would be in place was to accommodate the four lunch pe- extremely short lunch breaks and not being able taken during study hall, with the exception being riods. Following the current construction of sep- to attend homeroom due to overlapping classes, club days; this notion signifies that seniors’ ability arating lunches by gender and grade level, each among other inconveniences. Instituting the same to leave early on most days would be restricted un- group still maintains a certain time in which they schedule eliminates these apparent problems. til after attendance at around 2:10. For faculty, de- have lunch; in these models, first-year and sopho- Moreover, these models retain the seven-day ro- partment chairs, and instructors with special roles more girls always eat in the fourth period of the tation that has been in place since the 2018-2019 such as Br. Puccio who would not have classes to day, the junior and senior girls in the fifth period school year, disregarding the one last year due oversee, the remaining eligible teachers would ob- of the day, and so on, and so forth. The distinct to the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. serve around the forty homerooms in the school. change is that to retain the notion of a drop pe- Every class spans the same amount of time, forty- Many students have had conflicts this riod while having adequate time to enjoy lunch, a eight minutes, with each one being reduced to for- year surrounding club participation, particular- specific grade pairing would drop a class once in ty-three minutes in the activity and delayed-start ly due to athletics. The daily practices promptly the rotation for their lunch period. For example, schedules; additionally, the latter schedule re- after school inhibit one’s prospect of attend- first-year and sophomore boys’ lunch in the sixth quires the first period of that particular day in the ing meetings regularly. As a result, the current period would substitute as their drop period of rotation to be the last block to accommodate lunch layout of the schedule requires an individual the day, which in these depictions, is shown to be scheduling, which in this model would be Period to dedicate more effort and time into one or the Period F on Day 1. Although the proposed amount A on Day 1. Subsequently, the break between each other, which is counterproductive for both the of lunchtime presents the issue of maintaining period is reduced to four minutes and the concept student and the school higher-ups, especially oversight due to the considerable length of time of the homeroom block would be dismissed from with the latter promoting participation in such for authority figures, the myriad of advantages all the schedules. Announcements would be sent extracurricular pursuits. Therefore, the activity these models offer outweigh this one slight flaw. daily via student email and reiterated in what is block incentivizes participation for all students, In all, the total time of instruction on a typ- called the “activity block” to offset the removal especially those with commitments after school. ical day, excluding breaks, lunch, and the activity of homeroom. By implementing these revisions, Furthermore, the hour-long block is done block, amounts to 288 minutes, which is slightly this additional time is allocated toward more away with to promote a more balanced schedule. shorter than the average from the last five sched- academic and extracurricular-related activities. One might contend that the hour-long block was ules; however, this redesigned normal schedule of- In the respective normal and activity beneficial due to its ability to conduct assessments fers more coherence and organization that steadies schedules, the activity block from the 2018-2019 and labs in STEM-based classes more easily. How- the imbalances with recent school schedules. The and 2019-2020 school year makes its return; the ever, aside from this point, I contend that classes activity schedule and delayed-start schedule lack of time in the delayed-start schedule does not become unproductive and tedious for students in would also have 258 total minutes of instruction, a allow for existance of the activity block, but the this stretch of the day because of the drawn-out time substantial increase over the 223 minutes from the schedule’s rare occurrence holds little impact re- relative to other periods. To counteract the absence aforementioned schedules this year. Combining gardless. The activity block is not related to the the of an hour-long period, classes that require addi- the best aspects from a collection of schedules that activity schedule, as the period takes place daily at tional time occasionally could converse internally span over a decade, I believe these models demon- the end of each day, whereas the activity schedule about beginning at an earlier time, around 7:45 or strate an ideal mix of simplicity and convenience occurs sporadically for school functions such as 7:50, when they happen to be the first period of that bestows faculty transparency and encourages Mass. The activity block would consist of some- the day; this idea holds resemblance to the “shad- better academic performance and extracurricular thing like five days of study hall and two days of ow period” that occurred during the 2019-2020 participation for the students of Malden Catholic. clubs in the seven-day rotation. The period would school year. In doing so, courses that do not bear grant a set time for students during the day to the requisite of requiring these extended stretches
Opinions 6 CRYSTAL 99 March 2022 January Sixth: A Strategy Centuries in the Making By: Myles Goodreau everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of do you mean to say “patriot” and say “terrorist”? Here Staff Writter people....As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections are bunch of politicians supporting people who wanted quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.” to harm their colleagues. While liberals sing Hamilton Remember that day where all those radi- This is a major Conservative telling us that in order to win, and fail to pursue those who incited the rioters, people calized right-wingers stormed the Capitol build- you have to suppress votes. Of course, this strategy isn’t new. like Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene are throw- ing, back when Joe Biden wasn’t in office yet and Conservatives have done this for years. I can already hear ing parties to remember all of our “silenced patriots” who Donald Trump was? How about when the Repub- the complaints, “Conservatives didn’t suppress people of are in prison for committing an actual crime. These poli- lican party was like, “Not me though. I’m a ‘good’ color…That was the Democrats.” However, if we’re being ticians are walking a dangerous wire aligning with these Republican”? How about when the party switched practical, the party switch and the Southern Strategy are people. As Lin-Manuel Miranda once said, “If you stand back after they saw that people were still support- real, verifiable history. The progressive party certainly used for nothing, Burr, what’ll you fall for?” Well, Republicans? ing Trump? This quick flip-flopping shows how to call itself Republican a century ago, but which party’s I know this was an article about January 6th. much the radicalization goes beyond Trump. Not supporters are more likely to wave a confederate flag now? Sorry if I’ve digressed, it’s just that we watched a poten- satisfied with simply attempting to overturn an Whether in the form of Jim Crow literacy tests tial systemic collapse, and elected officials mostly seem election on January 6th, the Republicans are intent and grandfather clauses or Georgia’s new restrictive vot- interested in politically profiting from it, which is kind of on disrupting the right to vote around the country. ing laws, voter suppression has always been a conserva- not cool. It would just be super awesome if, the next time Did you know that in 2020, 39.66% of par- tive cornerstone. To say this tactic is an artifact of Trump Republicans try to mount a coup, we can have some ac- ty registration was Democratic, while a 29.09% of is ahistorical. January 6th has been in the works for de- tual punishment for those that led it. Until then I guess, party registration was Republican? How have Re- cades. Even “sensible” Republicans like Liz Cheney, happy anniversary January 6th. Sorry your Party’s so lame. publicans managed to win since then? By using Mitt Romney, and Rand Paul have all cried about the same strategy they always have: whatever tech- voter fraud, so I don’t think they deserve our applause nicality they can. Trump and Bush lost the popu- for saying an election wasn’t rigged; it’s the absolute lar vote and still won. How do the Republicans bare minimum of being a good human being, which do it? By suppressing as many votes as possible I think Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, to game the electoral college. Why are conserva- Matt Gaetz, and other grifters need to learn about. tives so opposed to making Election Day a national Grifting is when a politician stands for some- holiday? Easy, because it means more votes, which thing they don’t actually believe in their own benefit. In means less of a chance for Republicans to win. this case, the support of all the deranged QAnon sup- Maybe you’re inclined to think this is just the porters is at stake. So yeah, great benefit. One of my opinion of a radical, antifa leftist. Fair point. Don’t favorite moments of 2022 was watching Carlson call out take my word for it; trust the founding father of mod- Ted Cruz for correctly calling those great American pa- ern conservatism, Paul Weyrich, who created The Heritage triots “terrorists.” Cruz clearly didn’t get the memo that Foundation. Weyrich gave a speech in 1980 to a crowd it was cool to support the insurrectionists, and seeing which contained Ronald Reagan where he said, “Now many him try to say it was a “mistake” never gets old. How of our Christians ....want everybody to vote. I don’t want Art by Alexa Alcindor Plastic Surgery and the Ever-Evolving Beauty Standard By: Lily McDonough botox was now being used for wrinkles. From the ‘40s gery a way to “enhance” your physical features. Nia Staff Writer to the ‘70s, massive cosmetic surgery discoveries be- Banks, owner of Art of Balance Wellness Spa, says gan to emerge, and as the public response was most- that “Not only are we reconstructing function of the There is no absolute standard of beauty. ly negative, procedures were usually carried out in face and body, but now we’re also helping to bol- It redefines itself constantly. Politics and societal secret. This had a harmful influence on the public be- ster confidence by doing cosmetic procedures.” No standards are often the main contributors to main- cause features like ski–slope noses and full lips were offense to Banks, but that is literally insane. Plastic stream beauty standards. In 17th Century Europe, surgery may help you feel better about your looks, new trade routes supplied nobles with an abun- but we need to stop equating beauty with self-worth. dance of new goods such as grains, meats, and You are so much more than what you look like. spices. The plethora of new foods eventually led to The intense focus on physical beauty has larger bodies among high society. Therefore, plump- been engraved in our minds since we were very ness was associated with nobility and, thus, beauty. young. Plastic surgery itself is not the problem – it’s It was also around this time that the Enlight- our subconscious. If we all had high self-esteem, it enment introduced the concepts of race and white wouldn’t matter if someone lied about getting lip fill- supremacy, as stated by Leah Donnella of NPR: “The ers or not. In The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison writes, work of some early racial theorists …defined the cat- “[She] was introduced to another [power] – physi- egory of ‘white,’ or ‘Caucasian,’ as being the most cal beauty. Probably the most destructive idea in the beautiful of the races…It was important for [those ra- history of human thought… [it] originated in envy, cial theorists] to be superior in all areas…they wanted thrived in insecurity, and ended in disillusion.” It’s the people they called ‘their women’ to be the most mostly girls who are influenced by the fixation on beautiful, and ‘their men’ to be the most virile.” The beauty, even when it comes to female empowerment. importance of wealth, and of course, whiteness, was Choosing to “enhance” your appearance is supposed and is the main force which establishes the beauty to make you feel empowered because you chose to standard. Nowadays, it just takes a different form. do it. Not only is that illogical opinion to have, but These socially-driven beauty standards Art by Helen Nguyen it isn’t feminist. Why do we have to use feminism as were not the main purpose of plastic surgery in the a justification to do things? Men don’t have to use early 20th century, when it rose in popularity in believed to be “natural” and “just genetic” when in their manliness as an excuse to, say, get a toupee. the United States. After WWI, many returning sol- reality, the models idealized in magazines and on Nothing is solved when we shame others for diers were disfigured and found it difficult to find runways didn’t actually possess these features. To- getting plastic surgery; they aren’t responsible for work. Soldiers started having cosmetic work done day, secret procedures still have this effect on people. your insecurities. The best thing to know is that it in order to improve their chances of employment In 2020, when the pandemic had first hit, takes time to unlearn limiting beliefs, especially when and acceptance from modern American society. over 24 million procedures were performed globally. it comes to physical appearance. We can’t expect our- In the following decades, people started getting plas- Why would the pandemic double the amount of pro- selves or others to stop feeling like we have to change tic surgery purely to enhance their appearance. Even cedures? On social media, a new trend emerged: the our looks to live a good life, but we can start equat- if you didn’t have third degree burns, some natural wellness movement. Self-worth and self-confidence ing things like knowledge, discovery, and experience facial features were being deemed “ugly” and “in- have always been associated with “loving the skin with a good life, too. That is the true form of self-worth. appropriate.” Instead of being used for crossed eyes, you’re in.” This industry instead started calling sur-
March 2022 C ry s ta l 9 9 Opinions 7 Settlers of Catan: The Best Board Game? By: Orlando Putnam-Bagley played on a hexagonal board with hexagonal gameplay meant to represent the unfairness of un- Editor tiles, each tile corresponding to one of 5 resourc- fettered capitalism, but let’s be honest, it’s not fun es - wood, bricks, sheep, rocks, or wheat - and is unless you’re the one winning (which in that case Have you ever played a board game for randomly assigned a number from 1 to 12 (ex- the game probably inflates your ego by orders the first time and really thought to yourself “I cluding 7). Each number on each tile corresponds of magnitude). Catan on the other hand is more just want to play that again”? I would assume to a dice roll and when the number on the tile is egalitarian, and nobody is truly above the powers many reading this article do not remember their rolled by a player, each player with a settlement of the dice gods; even when you are ahead, you first game of Monopoly or Candyland, and for (usually portrayed as a tiny house on the board) don’t usually get exponentially disaffected by dice good reason. Many of us were introduced to these next to said tile receives the resource type on the rolls, and you must always be on your toes. When games as children so young that it is hard to recall tile. When a 7 is rolled, a “robber” is moved from you roll (unless you roll a 7), you can usually ex- when we even learned about their existence, but the one desert tile on the board (which creates no pect your situation to improve or not change and now, they have become so ingrained in American resources) and can be placed on a different tile you have options to trade cards with other play- culture that they are almost intrinsically linked to to prevent that tile from producing resources to ers or build things and whatnot, but other play- the word “board game.” But, let me ask you an- hinder other players. Players can also purchase ers also get a boost each round as players can col- other question: do you like these games? Do you “development cards” which each have different- lect resources even when it’s not their turn. This think that these games deserve to be the pinnacle of properties ranging from being able to build two makes the game dynamic and moves it along at board game supremacy? My personal answer is no. roads automatically (road-building card), to ask an incredibly consistent pace every game. While I have never had fond memories of Mo- all players to give you all of a certain resource they Monopoly is sporadic in playtime, you can almost nopoly in particular, and I associate it with getting have (monopoly card), or to move the robber on always expect a game of Catan to last 1-2 hours insults and chairs hurled at me by family members demand (knight card) among others. The goal of every time depending on the number of people because the dice decided to roll a certain way. It is the game is to reach 10 points which can be accu- you’re playing with. Catan plays consistently for a game meant to pin people against each other in a mulated from settlements/cities, certain develop- practically every game; the gameplay is dynamic cutthroat miniature Gilded Age capitalism simula- ment cards, and 2 achievement cards that reward and every player’s turn always involves everyone tor that drags on for literal hours. I can count the the player with the most knight cards (has to be else. Each player has a multitude of different op- amount of times I have finished tions and ways to play each turn a game of normal Monopoly instead of being more binary on one hand because the game like games such as Monopoly. can last upwards of 6 hours or I will also mention again more! How is that fun?! Because that the Catan board is hex- of this, I have become a staunch agonal in nature and I will ex- opponent of Monopoly, and I plain why this is much better have instead adopted a new fa- than turn-based games that are vorite board game, which I be- played on a grid and not just lieve to be the best board game simply because hexagons are ever created: Settlers of Catan. the best shape (although they Instead of playing as an most definitely are). When you 1890s entrepreneur in the shape move in any direction from the of a tiny metal race car (or thim- vertex of one hexagon to an- ble -- I don’t judge) hellbent on other, you move exactly one acquiring real-estate and devel- unit of length no matter what. oping it, Catan sets a different When playing on a grid, you scene. You pick the color of hous- can only do this by moving in es and road pieces ranging from cardinal directions and when white, red, blue, or orange, and Photo by Lilah Paige you move diagonally you move you build a civilization, so-to- a distance of 2 units. That is sim- speak. You build your empire on a majestic island at least 3) or the player with the longest continual ply just a disgusting, irrational distance to move full of forests, mountain ranges, wheat fields, and road (must be more than 5 road segments long). and there is no excuse that we shouldn’t be play- green pastures teeming with white fluffy sheep. It Obviously these are not all the mechan- ing chess on hexagonal boards, but I digress. is a peaceful setting to say the least, and whether ics of the game as although it is fairly intuitive, it Catan has many features and mechanics or not you like the game, you can probably agree also has many rules and is complex in some re- that put it a cut above the rest in terms of over- that the artwork is very pleasant. In contrast to spects. The best players can manage all of the fac- all board game experience. From the beautiful artwork on games like Monopoly, which at first tors and mechanics in the game and strategize, artwork and pleasant rustic aesthetic of the game may seem “modern,” they ultimately come off as and if done correctly, playing smart can minimize art to the hexagonal board that allows players to uninspired or soulless like that corporate artstyle uncontrollable factors of luck from giving your traverse the board in whole number intervals, the you see Facebook use. Catan brings the notion that fellow players an advantage over you. Monopo- physical appearance of the game is top-notch. With board games can have good, well-balanced game- ly doesn’t give much to the player in regards to its intuitive mechanics such as resource collection, play while also being visually pleasing. Monopoly agency in the game; you basically get two options trading, and development cards, Catan is able to and Life do have a lot of bright colors, but unless every turn. You land on a property and you either combine many simple mechanics into emergent you are younger than 7, I wouldn’t believe that buy it or you don’t, and if you have the misfor- gameplay that is greater than the sum of its parts. the colors and artwork are what draw you to the tune of landing on someone else’s property by Although I may be personally biased, as I am pro- game. Going further into depth about why Catan pure chance, then you’re gonna have a bad time. ficient in absolutely destroying every single per- is supremely better than Monopoly and other I find this to be an unbalanced and unfair system. son I can convince to play with me, I still believe games will involve me going into detail about the You must roll every time, but that roll can have that this game is perfection incarnate in regards respective mechanics of the games, so buckle up. a high chance of putting you out of the game, or to board games. So, dear reader, if you have ac- Settlers of Catan is not a well-known game even worse, letting you toil away for multiple cess to this game that I hold so dearly to my heart, to many people, which is understandable, so al- rounds with not enough cash to do anything, please consider giving it a try with your friends low me to explain how it basically plays as simply but not enough to be out of the game completely. instead of any inferior linear roll-and-move game as I can (you may skip this portion if you already Some people may see this as simply a quirk and experience Settlers of Catan for yourself. know how the game functions). Catan is a game of the game’s design or intentionally frustrating
News 8 CRYSTAL 99 March 2022 Buying a Ticket to the MC Community By: Jordan Bartlett our athletic coaches, so the prospective students more comfortable and welcome throughout the Staff Writer could come and talk to a coach they are interested day. Additionally, the teachers try their best to in playing for.” Along with the athletic coaches, make the shadows feel at home and make them Whether they are from down the street there were members of the arts programs avail- comfortable in the high school environment. or across the world, Malden Catholic students able for the interested families and students. Seeing the new students entering the have all experienced the uncertainty of choos- The MC Experience is not the only way that building is not only strengthening the Malden ing a high school. Clarity and certainty are pro- incoming students can get involved with Malden Catholic family but is also a very rewarding expe- vided in Malden Catholic’s admissions process, Catholic; there is also the option of shadowing. rience for administrators. The administrators get a including multiple opportunities for incoming Shadowing allows an incoming student to attend sense of pride because they have the opportunity freshman or transfer students to get a glimpse a school day with a current Malden Catholic stu- to meet those who have chosen Malden Catho- of what the codivisional school is all about, dent. This especially gives a more comprehensive lic for their future. This idea proves to them that such as Shadow Days and The MC Experience. idea of the day-to-day life at MC. The hosts of the people are drawn to what goes on at the school, The admissions process can be challeng- shadows are chosen by Mr. O’Neill, and he works and they want to be a part of the community. ing, but Malden Catholic works to make it an to carefully select just the right people to show Many of the administrators and teachers at MC enjoyable and helpful experience. The admin- the interested students around the school: “When are alumni, and to them, seeing the incoming stu- istrators and students at MC are very welcom- looking for shadow hosts, we want someone who dents brings them joy as well because they are see- ing, which allows incoming Lancers to get a true is outgoing and friendly, has a positive attitude ing new students emerged in the MC experience. feel for the school as well as what it will be like about Malden Catholic, and is willing to share Administrators work hard to make admis- when they attend - whether that is in the fall or their MC experience with an 8th grader.” The sions a personalized process. They get to know mid-year. The admissions director Mr. Mat- shadows also have to have a working schedule. each prospective student to find out what their thew O’Neill provided some detail regarding Due to COVID-19 protocols, there can interests are, and they build off of those ideas to the MC Experience Night: “This year was a lit- only be a certain number of students in a single motivate them to join the Malden Catholic com- tle different because of COVID-19. We had two classroom, which limits the amount of pos- munity. Based on these interests, the new students rooms opened in the cafeteria and in the gym.” sible hosts. The hosts of the incoming students can locate clubs or sports teams that attract them, In the cafeteria, there were tables show- are mostly freshmen, but there are also current which helps to better their high school experience, casing the variety of STEM programs that the sophomores who have had shadows as well. and make them feel at home when they enter 99 school offers. This provides the incoming students When asked about her time spent as a shadow Crystal Street. The admissions process at Mal- with the opportunity to do hands-on work with host, sophomore Mia Fronduto said, “It’s fun den Catholic is an enjoyable and exciting experi- involved students and staff. The gym was yet to have a shadow, but you can tell that they are ence for not only the incoming students, but also another amazing experience for the students, as nervous.” Shadowing can be challenging in this for the rest of the Malden Catholic community. Mr. O’Neill described: “In the gym we had all of way, but hosts are able to make shadows feel By: Katelyn Cirame And the Crowd Goes Wild... lowed students to return to the stands. Editor Now that winter sports are in full swing, every basketball game fills the Merely making a sports stands with not just students, but also team can be an accomplishment in parents, teachers, and the cheerlead- itself, but playing in front of a cheer- ing squad keeping the crowd excited. ing crowd makes the whole experi- The student council has taken the re- ence way more exciting. At Malden sponsibility of creating themes for Catholic, students never disappoint these games. Having themes at these when it comes to going plus ultra games can bring the crowd closer to- and filling the bleachers to the brim. gether and create a more exciting and During MC’s fall sports sea- vibrant scene. Some themes for the son, the stands were consistently season included the blackout theme packed, despite sometimes chilling for their first home game of the season, temperatures. At the football team’s a neon theme, a Christmas theme, and many home games this year, an excited many more. A sophomore student that crowd of students and families were attended one of the games said, “The always ready to cheer. The crowds at crowd was very active and vibrant and the football games also followed spe- Photo by Eddie D’Angelo stuck to the theme. The game was also cific themes, including a neon theme Malden Catholic boys support the Boys Varsity Basketball team from the stands. very fun to watch and the crowd made for their first home game against Wey- it an even more exciting experience.” home games. The team had many themes but mouth Highschool, a black out theme for the These fan attire theme nights certainly seem like- their most important one was their “pink-out” homecoming game against Gloucester, a white- ly to continue in future seasons as well. theme for breast cancer awareness. Not only out theme against Saint John’s Prep, and finally a The girls varsity basketball team at MC was the crowd covered in pink, but the players USA theme for their senior night against Xaverian. has also had an amazing season. Even though also got new pink jerseys to wear at this game. The team also hosted a Mayor’s Cup against Mal- the stands at the boys games are often more As the month of January came around and den High which utilized a flannel theme. MC’s full, the energy at the girls’ games never disap- Covid rates began to rise, Malden Catholic had students embraced these themes enthusiastically. point, especially playing at the TD Garden. The to enforce a spectator ban. This ban made it so Another team that students showed up student council also helped by creating themes anyone desiring to attend boys or girls basketball excitedly for was the girls volleyball team, which for the girls games too, including a white-out games had to have a pass from MC and each player had an amazing season, making the playoffs for and pajama theme. Even without a cheerlead- was only allowed two passes. After a month or so the first time. The volleyball team followed foot- ing team to keep the crowd excited, students of this ban, as infection rates declined in the com- ball’s example, taking part in themes at their never stop cheering on the girls on the court. munity, Malden Catholic lifted the rule and al-
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