GRADUATION 2025 ADDRESS: Malden High Principal Chris Mastrangelo tells grads to ‘Make it Happen’

Following is the text of Malden High School 8th-year Principal Chris Mastrangelo’s speech on Graduation Day, Sunday, June 1 at Macdonald Stadium

Well, here we are, the only thing in the way of you receiving your diplomas is my speech. I promise I will be quick.

June is a month of celebrations. We celebrate the end of the school year, the start of summer, our Pride with the LGBTQ+ community, but today we celebrate these incredible graduates that sit in front of me.

Let’s Make it Happen! Be honest, who is sick of hearing it at this point? When we started the year, we used this phrase as our mantra. It seemed appropriate. It was a bit vague in the sense that we never truly identified what “it” was. That was on purpose. You see the truth is, that everyone’s “it” is different.

For some it meant graduating. For others it may have been to make a team, get the lead in the play, have your artwork displayed at the Blue and Gold Gallery, get the job you wanted or maybe even to talk to that special someone that you had always wanted to talk to.

Regardless, the Class of 2025 certainly made it happen. If your “it” was to graduate, let me be the first to congratulate you. Perhaps your “it” was to gain acceptance to MIT, which three of you did. Perhaps it was to get accepted to Brown or Cornell, of which we had four and one, respectively. Maybe it was Northeastern (12), Tufts (four), UC Berkeley or any of the other incredible schools that you will be attending next year.

The “it” doesn’t matter. What matters is that you identify it and pursue it. You have spent the past four years developing the tools that you need to find your success. You have been guided by educators that care about you and want you to achieve every goal that you set for yourselves.

Sure, you learned about mathematical equations, sentence structure, US and World History, how to properly use science lab materials, and maybe even a new language. But more importantly you learned about yourselves: your strengths, your weaknesses, your talents and your passions. You have found your confidence, even if you were knocked down a few times while finding it. You entered as scared and confused kids and are leaving as enthusiastic and confident adults.

As you leave I want you to remember a few things. First, I love you all very much. Second, there are many people in your lives that love and care about you and will always be there when you need help. Third, you have left your mark on Malden High School, and Malden High School has left its mark on you, don’t ever forget where you came from.

You are ready to change the world. You are ready to achieve greatness. You are ready to show the world what we at Malden High School already know, that you are special. You are smart, resilient, strong, beautiful, and absolutely nothing can stop you. So leave here today with the strength from all that love you. In closing, GO MAKE IT HAPPEN!