Members of the Skate Club pose for a photo at Flynn Rink in Medford. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY BO STEAD
As the piercing cold temperatures drop in Malden, so do the moods and emotions of many students at Malden High. Finding fun indoor activities for a reasonable price has become increasingly more complex as the weather worsens. Luckily, the Malden High Ice Skating Club has entered its second year of providing the perfect space for all MHS students interested in ice skating with their friends at a social event outside the school grounds.
While Malden High does offer a plethora of various types of student-ran clubs, the Ice Skating Club is one of the most unique and inclusive clubs at Malden High as it is open to every and any student interested and is set at a reasonable price to make it easier for students to participate without worrying. Additionally, the physical aspect of skating is meant to be an escape from all the mental stresses that students of all grades go through during the winter—and even spring—season as tests and assignments pile up.
Junior and Head Copyeditor for The Blue and Gold Chouaib Saidi described the club as an environment where “everyone is welcome even if they have no experience ice skating whatsoever; we believe that it’s necessary to have this gathering to free everyone from the stress that high school entails and to remind them to have fun sometimes.”
As welcoming and intriguing as the club sounds at first glance, there is no surprise that student participation is exceptionally high and arguably the highest at Malden High, with about “50 plus students on our first night, and since then, we’ve consistently had over 20 students every event,” explained chemistry teacher and club advisor John Frigo.
Highly favored among students, Frigo is part of the reason why many kids feel comfortable enough to attend an event outside of school. “Mr. Frigo is a great guy to be around, especially because he’s always with us when we’re skating; he’s always encouraging and nice when it comes to beginners and even challenges some of the higher-skilled skaters; it feels weird when he isn’t there, it’s like a missing piece of a puzzle,” commented Saidi.
Although the club itself sounds like the perfect social event for students looking for something to do, those unfamiliar with skating may be intimidated at first by the size of the packed rinks and sharp blades that glide right past you.
The events’ timing and location were also a concern for some students: they feared that the group would disband and lose track of each other. This was the case for junior Alecia Louigene, who, before her first skating event, had never been on the ice before, and taking it on for the first time was scary until her experience towards the end made up for it entirely. “I got there pretty late and was confused at first, but overall it was a great experience and what I loved was how organized everything was. When it was time to leave, we all were together and walking together to a place to eat, and that was so nice,” explained Louigene, who further expressed her desire to go again to their next event and bring more people with her.
While giving students the chance to explore new innovative activities, having fun overall is the main motive behind the Ice Skating Club. It ensures that students feel appreciated and heard. “Sometimes, when you work so hard as a student, it is discouraging when it feels like there’s nothing that the school organizes for you, but the skating club really helped that feeling go away because it is something that we can all look forward to on Fridays now,” explained junior Yeleul Mekonnen. He added that there is not anything that the club can improve on since it is so straightforward and fun. Mekonnen describes it as a “conclusive activity for the season.”
The temperatures will soon rise again. Still, the Ice Skating Club hopes to have a lasting impact on students beyond this season and after everyone graduates. “I think that a lot of the kids that go feel more connected to their community now,” stated Frigo, who emphasized that that is one of their biggest goals as a group.
President and founder Bo Stead, who is Editor-in-Chief of the Blue and Gold’s website, is someone Frigo recognized for his diligence and friendliness when advocating for the club. He “does a really good job fostering a good sense of community within the Ice Skating club,” said Frigo.
If you and your friends, or if you are looking to make new friends, want to ice skate and enjoy the “pure vibes”—as described by Saidi—be sure to keep up with the Ice Skating Club on Instagram @skatemalden for more information and updates on upcoming events.
