From military heroes to lawyers, Malden High School has produced some incredible individuals. A few of them were recognized at the recent Malden High School Alumni Association (MHSAA) Hall of Fame Banquet.
The event is held biennially, making this the 6th banquet in the organization’s history. Eight individuals were inducted this year, increasing the total number of Hall of Fame members to 45.
On the day of the banquet, members of the association gathered for a luncheon in the Gallery and joined many students in the Jenkins Auditorium for a presentation. There, the attending inductees gave a few words of encouragement to the students.
The presentation was led by Principal Christopher Mastrangelo, who was honored to have the chance to meet these people. He noted the generosity of the association by recalling the story of a high school student who needed financial assistance to graduate. He called the association and their response was “when and how much,” proving the willingness of the association to help MHS students.
Emery Haskell led off the group of nominees. A member of the class of 1973, he was active in the U.S. Navy while also becoming an attorney. He felt a sense of pride and duty in serving his nation, so that’s what he did. Haskell mentioned that this service gave his life some direction and taught him his life’s purpose and mission. From then on, he dedicated his life to helping others, not just as an attorney but as the Malden Fire Commissioner. As if that wasn’t all, Haskell earned the Bronze Star for his work with the Navy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Next to speak was a fellow class of 1973 graduate James Barretto, who was very interested in speaking with students, especially those who struggle in school. “I’d rather talk to the kids who have no dreams or no hope because, in high school, that was me,” he confessed. Barretto mentioned that he was often facing detentions at Malden High and had no idea where he would go after graduation. Still, he managed to find his way into a litigation career and served in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. The highlight of his career came in 2009 when Barretto was appointed as a District Court Judge by former Governor Deval Patrick.
Malden City Council icon Neal Anderson, a graduate of the class of 1962, followed Barretto. Father of current Malden High guidance counselor Kristy Magras, he first became a member of the council in 1983 and served for almost 30 years. He is perhaps best known for his campaign slogan, “Together We Can Make a Difference.” Before he was a notable member of the Malden government, he had to find his way. Guidance counselors told Anderson he was best fit for a trade, but he went into the Navy for the Vietnam War, which kick started his career. “When I came back home, I wanted to do something to uplift people,” stated Anderson. His first work came through helping people of color find jobs after the Civil Rights Movement to knock down discriminatory barriers in hiring. “I didn’t find my calling until I got out of school until I got into the real world until I found somewhere where I could express my passion for helping people,” said Anderson.
The resilient Charles Desmond spoke next. A member of the class of 1963, he was left for dead on the battlefield in Vietnam as an Infantry Squad Leader. Luckily, he made it out alive and established himself a successful career. He worked as the chair of the Mass Board of Higher Education and was at UMass Boston for 30 years. He has multiple doctorate degrees and is a Fulbright scholar, an extremely prestigious award. On top of all of his work in education, he earned Silver and Bronze Stars for his time in Vietnam. “The future that you’re going to have is the one that you’re going to make,” he stated. “No one knows what you are capable of doing.”
The final speaker at the presentation was Jordan Shapiro, a civil lawyer from the class of 1960. He is very grateful for his time at the high school, saying, “I was born to help people in that way as a lawyer.” He spends a lot of time helping nonprofits and is the president of many charitable associations. On top of that, Shapiro wrote some best-selling law books and received multiple professional awards within his profession. He is highly dedicated to the Malden community.
Class of 1979 graduate Philip Bynoe could not be in attendance at the presentation. He studied at the Berklee College of Music and went on to win an Emmy Award. He was nominated for a Grammy Award three times and has performed with several accomplished groups. Now, he is an educator at the L.A. Music Academy in California.
Two inductees, Class of 1954 graduate Norman Silverman and Class of 1960 graduate Paul Sieswerda, are going into the Hall of Fame posthumously.
Silverman was a philanthropist and was very committed to making a difference. The Silverman Foundation Institute for Health Care Quality at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is named after him. He was a big contributor to the FAME foundation in Malden.
Sieswerda was the Curator of Fish and Mammals at the New England Aquarium. He would later be honored by MASA for work in the Space Shuttle Student Program. He later founded Gotham Whale, a non-profit organization for marine mammals. He also authored several children’s books.
The MHSAA will nominate a few more inductees for their Hall of Fame Banquet in 2026. To wrap up the presentation, Mastrangelo left an inspiring message about Malden High School. “Go chase your dreams,” he exclaimed, “but when you get there, never forget where that dream started.”
