As senior year comes to a close, more and more students are planning their futures while reflecting on their experiences as high schoolers at Malden High School. With so many incredible students at MHS, it comes to no surprise that they are all aiming for success, and surely they will attain it.
Throughout the school, students are pursuing several post-secondary options from the Military Force, Trade School, or a traditional four-year College or University. No matter what they choose, one thing is for sure: these students have left an incredible impact on MHS that will be felt for years to come.
Senior student Vincent Thai has great aspirations for the future as he hopes to study Computer Science in college; though he is not yet committed, Thai has many options that he is considering.
Thai is proud to see how far he has come over the years while studying at MHS. “I wouldn’t be able to get very far academically if it weren’t for the friends I made and the staff I’ve met throughout high school and I’m only thankful for them for helping me become the person I am today,” confessed Thai.
Over the years Thai enjoyed learning from his teachers, including Computer Science teacher Paul Marques, math teacher Elizabeth Tirrell, and English teacher James Valente. He truly felt supported during his time at MHS.
“Additionally, I enjoyed my time learning intermediate software engineering as I was able to get food in the class, joke around with students, and learn a lot about coding,” explained Thai. As a YMCA Leader, Thai enjoyed volunteering at several different events and spent a lot of time running Indoor Track where he made many new friends.
When looking towards the future, Thai is excited for all that will come of it: “I’ll definitely miss my friends. As we head our separate ways [I] will miss the clubs, sports, and teachers I’ve developed attachments to.”
“I think some students put a lot of emphasis on school and inadvertently forget to care for themselves and others in the process..”
Vincent Thai
“I think some students put a lot of emphasis on school and inadvertently forget to care for themselves and others in the process, so I find them to often place a significant amount of their values on tests or admission results. I find that as we are moving forward to college, we should make sure we do not continue this malicious mentality and find value in other things we also care about to become a better person,” Thai expressed.
Senior student Jelani Tah is a well-rounded athlete, student, and musician looking to major in political science, stemming from his involvement in Speech & Debate and Youth & Government. Though he is not committed just yet, it is clear to anyone who knows him that no matter where he goes, he will shine.
Tah can confidently say that he has truly grown throughout high school, both personally and socially, learning from his experiences. “In my earlier years, I was really introverted and I kinda struggled to find things that I loved. But now, while I still have some introverted qualities, it doesn’t stop me from being a leader and from forming connections. I’ve made so many new friends and taken advantage of many great opportunities that I wouldn’t have been able to in my freshman and sophomore years,” expressed Tah.
MHS has always been a lively community filled with great minds and people ready to welcome anyone. “I think I speak for a lot of the seniors when I say the thing I’ll miss most about MHS is the people I’ve met and grown closer with. I’ve formed some really strong friendships here and I hope to maintain them after graduation,” said Tah.
Though Tah feels that high school was anything but easy for himself and others, he is “…glad to get to share this moment of success with such a unique and talented group of individuals.”
Emma Spignese-Smolinsky, a Cross Country Captain and the Play Production President is prepared to take her next step as a Theater Major at UMASS Amherst. With her strength and confidence, Spignese-Smolinsky is destined to succeed.
“I’ve grown a lot as a person throughout high school. I’ve become more mature and become more confident in myself,” Spignese-Smolinsky said, reflecting on her time in high school.
Spignese-Smolinsky enjoys the performing arts, most especially Play Production; for her first three years of high school, Advisor Leanne DeRosa led her and the rest of the theater to great success. “I would not be where I am today without her, in terms of my theater experience,” explained Spignese-Smolinsky.
“I love being able to see my friends every day and having such a great community that I’ve made with play pro and concert choir and track. It’s going to be hard to leave that behind,” Spignese-Smolinsky expressed.
Racha Oumark is looking forward to studying Geology in college. Though she has not committed just yet, she cannot wait to decide where she is headed.
Oumark had a great time at MHS and knows deep down that she will miss being in these halls for a long time. She enjoys “just walking around with friends in the halls or trying to hold in our laughs in class; the little things like that make it all the more enjoyable,” Oumark explained.
Over the years, Oumark has felt that she has truly changed so much. “Not only do you grow up, but you genuinely mature, and become an adult,” expressed Oumark. In just four years she feels that she has experienced a world of growth and experiences.
When looking to the future, Oumark is sure that she will miss being in the building. “I’ll honestly miss it. Even if Malden High wasn’t perfect, it’s still where we all grew up and matured. It’s where we saw the same faces, every day we knew who we all were without actually knowing each other. It’s where we made new friends, and so many memories,” Oumark commented.
The Class of 2024’s time at Malden High School is slowly coming to an end. With every passing day, they continue to show us just how incredible they are now and will continue to be looking into the future. No matter where all of them end up, one thing is for certain: they have showcased to all of Malden just how capable they truly are.
