Page 10 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 17, 2020 “Malden: Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday” Malden City Council President (re)elect Jadeane Sica By Peter F. Levine C ongrats to newly minted City Council President Jadeane Sica as she takes over the lead council seat from outgoing prez…Jadeane Sica. Ms. Sica did an outstanding job in her tenure at the helm by the way. That is not a typo! Jadeane will begin her second straight term as City Council president – not seen in these here parts since the most honorable Ward 7 Councillor Neal Anderson pulled off the same feat a few years back. Only the second time this has ever occurred. Jadeane killed it as prez this past year, bringing back a sense of decorum and dignity that was missing – somewhat – in years past. Her ability to bring people of different stripes together and get (expletive deleted) done was an amazing thing to watch. She also kept everybody in check with facts and no fake news in the “wild west” or as we know it today, Facebook. Did I mention that Ms. Jadeane has deep Edgeworth roots? Her parents Edgeworth royalty. No kidding! Jadeane! My sincerest condolences on the loss of your beloved grandmother – Nancy (Caruso) Rigano – passing away on December 31st at age 87. Great quote released by the family: “Our mom finally decided her love and devotion she had given her large family was enough and she could now rest. She filled us all with the greatest lessons of life, love and family, and knows we are ready to continue her legacy of the Rigano family. She is now with all the other great moms who will be watching over their children from above. I can only say thank you mom for all you have done for us.” Wonderful remembrance. I wrote about that fabulous shot taken on Waite’s Mount that appeared on the City of Malden webpage recently. I mistakenly thought Paul Hammersley might have taken this beauty, but it turns out City of Malden Communications Director Ron Cochran took the photo. Take it away, Ron: “Believe it or not I actually shot that using my iPhone. I have the frozen toes of hiking up there to prove it. If you look at our city Facebook cover photo, it is actually a cover video. You can see the bushes blowing in the wind. I knew the photo would be spectacular that day so I rushed up and grabbed a million shots.” Merle Haggard once asked the age-old question “Are the Good Times Really Over?” Well, Larry Bird isn’t walking through those doors anytime soon, and Elvis has definitely left the building, but that does not mean the good times are over. Especially in Malden. We are witnessing a resurgence in these here five square miles like we’ve never seen before. Engaged “progressives,” blue collar lunch bucket old school Dems, and all those who defy labels have energized the populace like never before. But mostly (in my humble opinion) because of the outstanding leadership from Mayor Christenson on down – his staff (thank you, Maria Luise and Kathleen Manning Hall), his directors (thank you, Ron Hogan, Jimmy Cahill, Anthony “Chic” and Eric Rubin), and all those who choose to work in city government (thank you, Jeri Scibelli, Betty, Marie, Lillian and Lauren)! With that said, we all like to look back from time to time and reminisce of simpler, more carefree times. Malden was (and still is) a great place to grow up in. I have many of these memories. Believe it, or not. Today’s generation will make tomorrow’s fond memories, I am sure of that. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to share a few of mine: the Malden of my youth: • Was filled with Little League and Babe Ruth League coaches who were fully invested, fully engaged and highly knowledgeable • Had two movie theaters (Strand & Granada) within walking distance of each other • Had educators who cared (thanks, Mr. Duff, Mr. Fitz and Mr. Carroll), who thought “outJadeane Sica City Council President side the box,” who were part of the community • Had Donnie Brunelli • Had one family vehicle – no air conditioners – and black & white TV (believe it, or not)! • Had athletic coaches who pushed you to be better, who showed you the fundamentals. And took a vested interest in your abilities and your future • Like Rob McCarthy’s uncle Joe, Mr. Grimes, Lou Racca, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Gormley, Mr. Patrie, Mr. Covelle, Mr. Rosano, Mr. Collins and a just back from Nam, Johnny Marsinelli • Had an Italian Feast (St. Rocco) every second weekend in August on Pearl Street since the beginning of time (and still do) • Had neighborhood restaurants and pubs where they knew your name, what you ate (and what you drank) and they knew your parents also • Had a downtown that was safe, accessible, full of life, but still quaint • Had neighborhoods with unique characteristics and unique “characters” with local kids marking their territory as the previous generation before them had done • Had a park system that alMALDEN: TODAY | SEE PAGE 16 Malden Catholic High School invests in new STEM certificate D evelopments in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) lead to innovations, new products and processes that sustain the U.S. economy, and trained workers in these areas play a key role in the ongoing growth and stability of our nation. To respond to the needs of this growing marketplace, Malden Catholic High School added a four-year STEM Certificate and three Project Lead the Way (PLTW) engineering courses to the curriculum in fall 2019. Malden Catholic is one of the only schools in the major metropolitan area to offer PLTW courses that engage students in compelling, real-world challenges that allow them to step into the role of an engineer with a problem-solving mindset and determine functional solutions. Reportedly, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important in the 21st century as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. Also, the U.S. Department of Commerce cited that STEM occupations are growing at 17 percent while other occupations are growing at 9.8 percent, and STEM degree holders have a higher income even in non-STEM careers. “We believe that STEM curriculum and PLTW creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy and enables the next generation of trained innovators,” stated Malden Catholic Headmaster John Thornburg. “We added this challenging STEM curriculum to give our students every possible advantage and the means to become highly successful leaders as they prepare for their college careers.” “Our intention is to prepare students for the global workforce,” said Malden Catholic STEM Director Dr. Diane Perito. “We offer an outstanding foundation for students with skills in science, technology, engineering and math to help them build interest and launch a future career track that began with an MC STEM certificate,” she commented. “We recently built three new PLTW laboratories to simulate modern work environments with experiential learning space and adjacent computer labs for data manipulation. Plus, we will expand the offering to include 12 PLTW classes over the next two years.” To forge a path in the information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop capabilities in STEM at levels far beyond what was considered acceptable in the past. The Malden Catholic STEM Certificate requirements include completing four years of mathematics, four years of science, one semester of Introduction to Technology and three STEM-based elective credits, which may include AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Computer Science, Intro to Computer Science with Python, Java Programming, Robotics I: Mobile Robotics, Anatomy and Physiology, and Marine Biology – along with the three new PLTW engineering courses: Intro to Engineering and Design, Principles of Engineering, and Environmental Sustainability. Students must also maintain a grade of 85 percent and above in all STEM courses. STEM activities provide hands-on and minds-on lessons for students. Beyond the classwork, the teens are required to participate in an extracurricular STEM-based club, such as the Chemistry Club, STEM Club, Model Bridge, and Robotics, for a minimum of three years. To earn a STEM Certificate, students must also participate in the STEM Innovation Fair for three separate years. This includes choosing and researching a topic of interest, conducting independent research and experimentation and presenting their findings at the STEM Innovation Fair. In February 2020, the fair will be held at Malden Catholic, and from there six students will advance to the Regional Competition held at Tufts University in March. Winners from that event will then move on for a chance to win the State Competition held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in May. The STEM Certificate can be achieved in two ways: through a standard track or in an AP/ Honors track. Students who achieve the certificate through AP/Honors are also required to take one AP course, one PLTW engineering course and a third AP or PLTW course. They are also required to obtain a qualifying score of 3 or higher on AP exams and must receive a rating of proficient or higher score on the PLTW End of Course Assessment. As an additional benefit for those who complete the STEM certificate, students can apply for “AP + PLTW Student Achievement” recognition on a College Board application and for college credits for STEM and Project Lead the Way AP courses.
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