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By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE It was three years ago last month when the

world of Sam Jean-Gilles changed. On Jan. 10, 2010 in Port

au Prince, Haiti, Jean-Gilles was just another teenager prac-

ticing basketball after school. At 4:52 p.m. everything

changed.

Just 10 miles outside the Haitian capital a 7.0 earthquake

struck, the worst in the country in over 200 years. When it

was over, more than 200,000 people were dead, thousands

injured and almost a million homeless. Hundreds of thou-

sands of residential and commercial structures crumbled and

life as Haitians knew it would never be the same.

Morgues were overwhelmed with bodies, riots broke out

By DAVID WELDON

MELROSE The city will begin efforts to make a $500,000 commit-

ment to the purchase of new textbooks for the public schools, to replace

long outdated materials, to bring under-served classes up to parity and

to enable a new approach to teaching mathematics.

The School Committeetook up lengthydiscussion of the textbook top-

ics Wednesday night, Jan. 23, with an early commitment by Mayor

Robert Dolan to take the request to the Board of Aldermen. Dolan cau-

tioned committee members to getit right whenmaking final purchase

decisions, since this would be a once in a decade investment.

The new textbook purchases have been given urgency by a dramatic

shift in how mathematics willbe taught in the schools.Current textbooks

do not address the new approach and schools Superintendent Cyndy

Taymore would like those textbooks to be available to teachers this

spring. That will enable teachers to familiarize themselves with the new

textbook material this summer and be able to use them in the fall.

We have the opportunity to raise the rigor of what we do overnight,

Taymore said of goals and hopes with the new approach to math-

ematics. This is one of the most significant opportunities we will have

to change how we do business in the schools.

There are actually three changes underway that are impacting the

MELROSEWEEKLYWEEKLYNEWSNEWS

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Volume 9, Issue 5, 24 Pages melroseweeklynews@rcn.com Family-owned publication serving Melrose Friday, February 1, 2013

MELROSE Critics of Mayor Robert J. Dolan

and his perceived heavy-handedness howledwith

indignation thisweek after the aldermens Appro-

priationsCommitteevoted8-3 Monday to support

a one-time 26 percent pay hike for the citys chief

executive officer.

Ward 2 Alderman Monica Medeiros and alder-

men-at-large Donald Conn and Jaclyn Lavender

Bird voted against the Dolan pay raise. Lavender

Bird, often a Dolan ally, recounted feeling threat-

ened by the mayor and the leader of a group

pushing for the raise because she told them she

could not in good conscience support it. She said

she was made to feel like a skunk at a lawn

party for opposing the measure.

Lavender Bird explainedthat shewas takingher

sentiments public because she will not tolerate

behavior like this on any matter before the Board

of Aldermen.

Dolan critics were quick to seize on Lavender

Birdsremarks, sending e-mails and a letter to the

editor which appears in this week paper.

Dolan seeks a yearly salary of $125,000 effec-

tive next January, up from the $99,896 he now

Young Bruin

CAVAN OLEARY knows that practice on the ice at a Mount Hood pond may one day lead

to the big time. (Mike Angelo Photo)

Dolanraise

attemptdraws ire

From Haitian ruins comesa basketball standout

Melrose hoop star Sam Jean-Gilles and Sherlock family fight for a future

THE SHERLOCK FAMILY OF Melrose has opened their home to MHS hoop standout Sam Jean-Gilles, a survivor of

the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Pictured from left to right is Faith Sherlock, son Matthew, Sam Jean-

Gilles and John Sherlock. (Donna Larsson photo)

City may borrow moneyfor school books,

other learning materials

DOLAN RAISE Page 18 STANDOUT Page 12

BORROW MONEY Page 18

7/29/2019 Sam Jean-Giles Article

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SPORTSFEBRUARY 1, 2013

PAGE 12JEN GENTILE, Sports Editoremail: jengentile@rcn.com

By JENNIFER GENTILEMELROSE The Melrose girls varsity gymnas-

tics team is one win away from sweeping the Mid-

dlesex League for a fifth straight year. On Friday,

the team hosted Woburn and tumbled away with

their biggest point total of the season, beating the

Tanners 138.8-127.45.

Melrose bested Woburn in all four events, win-

ning the vault 35.9-33.0 behind the legs of Cassidy

Barbaro, Alyssa McFarland, Julia Lamakin, Brooke

Norris, Morgan Phipps and Annalisa Debari, who

earned a 9.5 in the event. On bars the team edged

Woburn 33.8-25.0 after routines from Alex

McGuire, Lamakin, Kate Dreske, McFarland,

Phipps and Debari, who led with a 9.4. Melrose

performed stronger than usual on the beam

thanks to Alicia Valdez, Kayla Heislein, CourtneyRoderick, Phipps, McFarland and Debari who

helped beat Woburn 34.6 -32.35. The teams top

score on beam was McFarland with a 9.0. Mel-

roses floor routine also topped by a score of 34.5-

32.6 by performance from Amanda Cain, Audrey

McFarland, Norris, Dreske, Rachel Ardizzoni and

Debari, who wowed with a 9.4 performance.

Melrose hosts a season finale Friday night at

home on Tremont Street against a strong Stone-

ham team as they look to sweep to a 7-0 season.

On Friday, Feb. 8 at Burlington High they will take

part in the Middlesex League meet where they will

attempt to retain their official league title.

and cholera became an epi-

demic still plaguing the country

to this day.

Sam Jean-Gilles was only 16.

Now, he is senior captain on

the Melrose High School Red

Raider basketball team, helping

to lead the undefeated Raiders to

another playoff run. Jean-Gilles

(pronounced Jean Jeels) was

a major reason the Raiders were

a 20-3 power last year and the

number two seed in the Division

2 North playoffs. This season

Jean-Gilles has done even more,

averaging 14 points a game for

Melrose who are now a top five

ranked team and on the verge of

sweeping the league.

Its been a long road for the

son of Smith Jean-Gilles and

Monique Gilles of Port au Prince.

Its a road that started in the ruins

of Haiti, led to high school bas-

ketball courts of Tennessee and

finally here to Melrose.

That fateful day

Sitting down with Jean-Gilles,

one is struck by his polite man-

ners. He takes consideration be-

fore speaking and when he does

he talks fondly of his native landand of that tragic day.

I was outside with my friend

walking from school after bas-

ketball practice at 4:52 when it

struck, he says. It was scary. I

thought it was the end of the

world. The buildings collapsed

and we couldn't use our phones

because everything crumbled.

In the aftermath, Jean-Gilles

lost friends and family. I lost my

mother's aunt, who was visiting

from Massachusetts when she

died. I also lost my teammate,

our school's point guard.

In the days that followed,Jean-Gilles was among those

who helped pull bodies from rub-

ble.

Shortly afterward, he was

brought to the U.S. through the

efforts of Reach for Your Dream,

which connects international stu-

dents with host families for edu-

cational and athletic

opportunities in American

schools. Jean-Gilles moved to

Tennessee with teammate Skal

Labiessiere to Evangelical Chris-

tian School where he led the

team to a state title in basketball.

There the 62 forward faced thechallenge of learning English.

But he speaks the common lan-

guage of basketball, which has

been the one constant in his life.

It was blind luck that in 2011

Gilles found his way to Melrose

High School while staying tem-

porarily with a relative. In April

2012 Jean-Gilles moved in with

the Sherlock family of Union

Street. The family is dad John,

mom Faith, son Ryan and son

Matthew, the Red Raiders stand-

out guard and Gilles fellow tri-

captain. The quirky living

arrangement was arranged at theSherlock's prompting. Keeping

Sam on the team and in Melrose

was that important to the Sher-

locks.

A new life for #13

Coming to Melrose High

School was an understandable

adjustment for Jean-Gilles.

I didn't know anybody com-

ing in. Public school is different.

But Matt was in my history class.

He saw my State Championship

ring, smiles Jean-Gilles. Peo-

ple always assumed it was for

football and when he realized it

was basketball he asked 'Are you

going to try out for the team?' So

I did. Then we became friends.

Matt remembers the day

clearly. Someone said there's a

new kid from Tennessee and I

saw his ring during class, I

thought it was the coolest thing

he laughs. Sam started coming

to practice and he'd come over

after school and hang out while

we waited for practice or a

game.

But as for this living arrange-

ment? I love him living here,

says Matt. Sam's a brother to

me now.

The feeling is mutual for

Jean-Gilles, whose older brother

Daniel lives with their parents in

Haiti. I see Matt as my brother,

says Jean-Gilles. We go to

school together, practice and

watch television together.

While they dont have native

language or cultural identity in

common, Matt and Sam both

share a passion for basketball

that transcends any barrier. The

two are an effortless duo on the

court; Sherlock can be counted toslide a pass to Gilles who powers

inside for a lay-up, both operat-

ing with a fluidity and trust built

after two seasons together on

the court.

For Jean-Gilles to perform at

this level in another country only

three years after the earthquake

is impressive. After all hes been

through, one wonders if his bas-

ketball skill was a God-given gift.

Jean-Gilles has seen more than

STANDOUTcontinued from page 1

TEAMMATES ON AND OFF the court, seniors Sam Jean-Gilles (left) and Matt Sherlock both

serve as captains on the undefeated Red Raider basketball team. (Donna Larsson photo)

Gymnasts remainundefeated

after Woburn win6-0 Lady Raiders could

sweep league Friday

STANDOUT Page 14

7/29/2019 Sam Jean-Giles Article

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quake is impressive. After all

hes been through, one wonders

if his basketball skill was a God-

given gift. Jean-Gilles has seen

more than any high schooler

should in his young lifetime but

has managed to keep his focus

on school, basketball and his de-

termination to go to college. It's

enough to earn praise from his

coach and teammates.

Anyone who meets Sam is

immediately struck at his nice

disposition, says head coach

Mike Kasprzak. Hes a real gen-

tleman and it carries over on the

court. He has also shown hes a

great high school player.

Great things were expected

last year from Jean-Gilles when

he took to the court.

Last year he was brand new

from a different country and we

asked him to take a leadership

role and maybe that wasnt fair

of us, said Kasprzak. But he

has such a good character. This

year hes settled in and he has

taken a tremendous leadership

role; we have young guys on this

team that need to learn by his ex-

ample. He has wisdom and will

speak up if he feels people arent

being treated right, whether its a

referee or another player. Thats

going to carry him his whole life,

you cant put a value on that.

Last season Sams teammates

nominated him tri-captain along

with Matt Sherlock and junior

Frantzdy Pierott. The three are a

commanding presence on thecourt and its evident as Melrose

continues its 12-0 season. But

between Sam and Matt, theres

no worry of sibling rivalry on

the court, though bringing

games home with them can be a

challenge. Sometimes we get

mad at each other like brothers,

Matt says. We might come

home, talk about stuff that hap-

pened in a game but wake up

and everything is fine.

There's never a dull moment

at the home of the Sherlocks,

who on any given day will host

half the varsity team at their

house before games. The doorsare always open on Union Street.

Sam is easy to live with, says

Faith Sherlock. And he is a won-

derful addition to our family.

It was John Sherlocks idea to

extend the invitation to Sam.

Last year Sam's only option

was to live with an uncle in

Dorchester, says Sherlock. I

told him 'You don't need any

more disruptions, Sam. You can

stay here.' He had one year of

high school left, it made sense to

stay where everyone knew him.

Sam needs some consistency in

his life. His family was in agree-

ment and we took it from there.

One person who didnt object,

even if it meant sacrificing his

bedroom, was older brother

Ryan Sherlock, a 2011 MHS grad-

uate now studying at Bridgewa-

ter State. I thought it was a

great idea and told my parents

that Sam could have my bed, my

TV in my room. I was more than

willing to do whatever it took to

make him more comfortable.

What happened in Haiti really

opens your eyes.

When they are together as a

family, for Ryan its seamless.

Sam is like my second brother

now. Theres been no struggle or

language barrier. We get along

great.

Like Sam and Matt, Ryan has

basketball in his blood. He

served as captain of the 2011

MHS varsity basketball team

who became the first in 20 years

to qualify for tournament. Ryan

likes what he sees in Jean-Gilles

game. Hes a committed and

strong willed player. Hes always

hustling and has a big heart for

the game.

In 2012, Jean-Gilles showedgreat promise on the floor during

the Raiders 20-3 season but new

opportunities emerged in 2013.

He has been able to get his

hands on the ball more and now

averages 14 points a game with

double-digit rebounds. Against

Reading this season he hit for 23

points and 12 rebounds. Over the

summer he was the MVP out of

175 athletes at Rising Star Bas-

ketball Camp of Massachusetts.

As an athlete he is thriving, help-

ing Melrose play some of its best

basketball in the history of the

program.

I like everything about theteam, the guys and coach. My

teammates are my friends, said

Jean-Gilles.

Matt Sherlock has long im-

pressed at MHS. If one player

alone represents the Raiders

steady progression over the last

four years, its Sherlock. Melrose

has climbed from 3-17 bottom-

dwellers to one of the most tal-

e nt ed t ea ms i n t he sta te .

Sherlock has shot his way

through good times and bad.

I enjoyed my freshman year

o n t he t ea m, I mad e g re at

friends. And I got to play with my

brother Ryan, he says. Obvi-

ously its a lot better when you

win games and I'm happy we

have a good team.Both Jean-Gilles and Sherlock

admit they should have gone fur-

ther in the playoffs last season,

when they were eliminated in the

Div. 2 North State Semifinals by

Brighton. They have an even bet-

ter chance this season. The team

is undefeated, ranked top five in

polls and lead the league in de-

fense.

An uncertain future

While their basketball skills

are on the same level, Matt and

Sams college options are quite

different. While Matt is leaning

toward playing for Keene State,

Sam is not eligible for financialaid or student loans which limits

his college dreams. It's an issue

the Sherlocks are working dili-

gently on to find any opportunity

for this great high school athlete.

The entire Melrose commu-

nity has been very supportive of

Sam, says Faith. For that,

were very thankful.

John knows the challenges

they face. Sam comes from a

different culture we know noth-

ing about. He doesn't have a net-

work of support around him so it

was hard to put our finger on

that. There's a lot we don't un-

derstand and there are moun-

tains to climb. Sam going back to

Haiti is not a good option given

the state of the country. His best

bet is to go to college. I don't

know how to make that happen.

There is no one here, anyone in

his family our ours, who has the

financial capability to do it.

Were still looking for a cre-

ative way to fund Sams college

education, Faith adds.

Besides schoolwork and serv-

ing as team captain Sam also

works part time in Melrose. In

June he will earn a diploma from

MHS and beyond that his future

is wide open. He does plan to re-

turn to Haiti someday but he'd

like to attend college first in the

U.S. where he hopes to study

business, engineering or foreign

language. When asked what he

is misses about Haiti, Jean Gilles

answers carefully. I miss some

friends and my family.

Yet Haiti is still plagued by

cholera and unlivable conditions

in tent cities. Here in the U.S.,

he'd no doubt thrive on a college

team, especially in light of his

breakout senior year.

Im sure someday he will re-

turn and help out Haiti, says

Kasprzak. But there is so much

he has done here and a future for

him now. God works in mysteri-

ous ways.

For the Sherlocks, they want

the same things for both their

boys. I want to see Matt go to

college, play ball and do well,

says Faith. And we want the

exact same thing for Sam.

No matter where the road next

takes Sam Jean-Gilles, what willkeep him going will be his con-

stant. Wherever he lands, #13

will forever be connected by bas-

ketball, the sport that saved him.

If you are interested in learning

more or have any suggestions,

thoughts or ideas, contact col-

legeforsam@gmail.com.

Page 14 Melrose Weekly News, Friday, February 1, 2013

THE RAIDERS BIG MAN Sam Jean-Gilles had 23 points and

12 rebounds against Reading this season, which has helped

the Red Raiders remain undefeated at 12-0.

(Donna Larsson photo)

STANDOUTcontinued from page 12

FREEDOM

Melrose 10-0, 12-0

Wakefield 7-3, 9-3

Burlington 6-4, 9-6

Watertown 5-5, 8-5

Stoneham 5-5, 7-5

Wilmington 0-10, 2-10

LIBERTY

Woburn 7-3, 9-4

Arlington 6-4, 6-6

Reading 5-5, 6-6

Lexington 4-6, 6-8

Winchester 3-7, 5-8

Belmont 2-8, 2-11

Middlesex League boysbasketball standings

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