Malden High School to hold 180th Commencement ceremony on Sunday for Class of 2024

‘Pomp and Circumstance’ set for 444 graduates this year; big day ‘caps’ busy week for seniors

By Steve Freker

This Sunday, June 2, Malden High School will recognize and honor the 444 members of the Class of 2024 with its 180th annual Commencement Exercises. Graduates, families and friends will gather at Macdonald Stadium (15 Pearl St.) for the 2:00 p.m. ceremony with much “pomp” and lots of “circumstance” as Malden High’s newest “alumni-to-be” are welcomed into the ranks of graduates.

This year’s MHS Class of 2024 has a vibrant collection of successful and talented students with success in many areas, including academics, social activism, athletics and the arts. “This Malden High School Class of 2024 has faced and met many challenges and is destined to be among our most successful graduates,” said Malden High School Principal Chris Mastrangelo, who will be presiding over his seventh MHS Commencement Exercises.

Graduation Day marks a jam-packed Senior Week of activities, which kicked off last week with Senior Prom on May 22 and continued this week with Senior Scholarship Night on Tuesday, National Honor Society Induction on Wednesday evening and the annual Senior Cookout in the Malden High School Courtyard yesterday afternoon. At Senior Scholarship Night, over 100 members of the Class of 2024 received a school record-high $120,000-plus in scholarship awards. An additional $50,000 in scholarship awards from Malden High School Scholarship Inc. will be announced at Sunday’s Commencement as well by representative Greg Lucey. Many members of the Malden High School Senior Class of 2024 volunteered their time at this past Tuesday’s regional Special Olympics event hosted by the Malden Public Schools Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Wellness at Macdonald Stadium in Malden.

This year’s class speakers include some remarkable students, with #1-ranked Class of 2024 senior Colby Parker serving as Valedictorian. Alejandra Fernandez is the #2-ranked MHS Class of 2024 senior and will deliver the Salutatorian address, Also scheduled to speak at the 180th Commencement will be MHS Class of 2024 President Meklit Abel. She also served this past year as the Malden Public Schools Student Representative to the Malden School Committee. The Class Orator – the #3-ranked student in the Class of 2024 – is Ivan Wu.

In addition to the student speakers, the Master of Ceremonies for the event will be Principal Chris Mastrangelo, who will introduce Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy for remarks, along with Mayor and School Committee Chairperson Gary Christenson – a proud 1986 Malden High School graduate – who will bring greetings from the City of Malden at his 13th consecutive Commencement as mayor. Some special performances at Sunday’s Commencement will be provided by the MHS Choral Arts Society, under the direction of Todd Cole, and the MHS Band, directed by Lauren Foley.

Parking is limited in the neighborhood around Macdonald Stadium, and those attending are urged to arrive early and also to consider alternative means of transportation, such as public transportation, as the stadium is located directly adjacent to the Malden Center MBTA Orange Line Station, which is also a public bus hub.

There is a rain date, Monday, June 3 at 4:00 p.m., should the need arise, though the weather forecast is picture-perfect for the big day on Sunday, with sunny skies and pleasant, mid-70s temperatures as the forecast.

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