As March approaches, there is something that students at Malden High can look forward to: the 85th Junior Varieties (JVs), hosted by this year’s Class of 2026. This annual event differs from any other and is where students can show off their talents and bring them onto the stage. The Class of 2026 has many plans to prepare for this big event ahead of them.
Finding the right theme can be difficult, as students must consider what would appeal to the audience to make the show as entertaining and easy to plan as possible. Junior class President Linh Do stated, “One of the senior class officers actually brought it up to me because we were talking about JV themes in previous years, and how recently it’s been based off movies, and we were thinking of popular movies that have come up over the past couple of years.”
Do continued, “I think it makes it easier for us to plan and decorate… our original theme would have made it confusing for people to understand, and we wanted a theme that everyone would know.”
One of the JVs Coordinators, Vin Chau, noted that “we thought about what would still be popular in the following months and settled on ‘Minions,’ which is not only a classic but also opens a gateway to an entertaining show for a larger age group.”
Although rehearsals have not started, there are many pros and cons to planning. According to class advisor Nancy Wentworth, JVs “is an amazing opportunity to help build leadership skills, meet more students, and see a project come to life,” She continued, “It’s really rewarding to see all the acts come together and know we’re creating something special for the whole school to enjoy.”
However, anyone can agree that it can be overwhelming, having to find time, scheduling, and other responsibilities. “There’s also the pressure to make sure everything goes as planned,” commented advisor Wentworth. But overall, “the pros outweigh the cons.”
Working on JVs can also be an exciting job, especially for those who have already worked backstage. Vice President Rashmi KC shared this excitement, recalling her freshman year “when it was my first time going to JVs.” She found it “very interesting, or something that I wanted to be part of, too.” Now, she is participating in the backstage planning of this year’s JVs. Similarly, Chau agreed with KC, commenting, “I love being backstage, and my experience as a backstage crew member last year drove me to run for this position in the student council. I’m super excited to see how everyone’s hard work will pay off.”
“It feels exciting and rewarding. Working on JV’s is a great opportunity to collaborate with others, learn new skills, and push myself out of my comfort zone. It’s also challenging, but that makes the process even more fulfilling,” stated Wentworth.
There are many things the Class of 2026 hopes to accomplish, whether it is about the fundraising part, planning, working on backstage, materials, or just being able to entertain the audience. “In terms of money, I hope we make at least $12,000,” stated Do. “I know the classes prior to us have made around that amount, and since it’s our biggest money-making event, I hope it brings a lot of engagement.”
Do added that she especially hopes for engagement from “the freshmen, who are newer to JVs and don’t really know the concept, so I hope that this show will introduce them to it.”
“I hope the show not only entertains the audience but also raises significant funds for the Class of 2026,” concluded Wentworth. “My goal is to create an event that’s fun, memorable, and captures the spirit of the Minions theme—full of laughter, energy, and a little bit of chaos in the best way possible!”
Overall, the Class of 2026 has a lot of plans ahead of them, hoping to make this a memorable night for everyone. The event will soon take place on March 14th and 15th at 7 pm in the Jenkins Auditorium, and tickets can be purchased prior to the event for $10 or at the door for $12. If you have any questions, reach out to @ldo26@maldenps.org and follow @maldenco26 on Instagram for any updates.
