~ Excellence in the MPS ~

Malden High School presents Pillar Awards to First Semester honorees

By Steve Freker

The “Pillar Awards” are presented to students who embrace all that makes Malden High School a great place in which to learn and thrive, according to MHS Principal Chris Mastrangelo. Mastrangelo recently announced the First Semester awardees taken from nominations by MHS administrators, educators and staff members.

From a historical perspective, Mastrangelo and his administrative team created the Pillar Awards in the fall of 2021, just a year after the onset of the once-in-a-hundred-years COVID-19 and the school lockdown that ensued. With students back in school fully, after returning on a limited basis in the spring of 2021, the Malden High principal said he and his staff were looking for ways to boost morale and accentuate positives at MHS, following a grueling 16 months trying to adapt education to COVID-19 response and restrictions.

“To this day, it remains a great way to recognize students and we placed a pretty high bar with the qualifications we were looking for before bestowing this honor,” Mastrangelo said.

Since its launch in fall 2021, Malden High School has been recognizing students as Pillar Award honorees on a regular basis, its third academic year later. “We now have a special display case where we honor our Pillar Award winners by their photos and names,” Mastrangelo said. “Students are excited when they see themselves listed as Pillar Award winners and so are their friends and other classmates.”

Pillar Awards are presented to Malden High School students who have consistently shown themselves to be exemplary school citizens, exhibiting qualities of academic success, a positive outlook and displays of kindness and compassion for their fellow students and school staff.

Following are the most recent Pillar Award honorees, chosen for their excellence in the First Semester of the 2024-2025 school year.

Edaina Abrhame

Isaac Aguilos

Walter Amaya Lara

Isabella Arevalo

Anthony Arevalo Rodriguez

Kely Charles

Wender De Abreu Moura

Marvin Desgazons

Maria Barbosa Gadeia

Luis Custodio Tobias

Sarahy Escobar Ayala

Christaleen Guillaume

Fatima Husain

Derline Hyppolite

Jaylen Jeudy

Katie Liang

Matheus Lima

Marie Melo

Mauro Mendes

Julianna Mercidieu

Saima Valencia Montoya

Arthur Erthal Moreira

Leica Naceus

Johnny Phu

Rayane Santos Rodrigues

Cortez Thou

Hui Anna Zheng