THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 20, 2020 Page 9 MHS celebrates Black History Month with several events By Steve Freker Malden High School (MHS) celebrated Black History Month with several events recently. A schoolwide Door Decorating Contest was held where small groups of students chose themes and creatively decorated doors of classrooms and offices throughout the three buildings of the high school. A group of “Celebrity Judges” for the contest included Malden Mayor Gary Christenson; Superintendent John Oteri; MHS Principal Chris Mastrangelo; Olympia Stroud, the High School Equivalency Coordinator from the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education (DESE) and a Malden native; MHS Administrative Assistant Judie Sullivan and MHS House Principals Heather Northrup and Marta Cabral. The overall winning Decorated Door was on Shannon Alexis’s room in Brunelli House, which portrayed a likeness of a young African-American woman, and also included was an interactive series of mini-history lessons all around the artwork which were accessible by scanning through a phone app. The “Most Malden” award winner was the MHS main office door, which portrayed the Malden High Step Team as well as some key historical events. Black Culture Club advisor Kristy Magras’s offi ce door won the “Most Creative” prize for a colorful display featuring African-American ancestry. The “Most Inclusive” winner was a main offi ce door featuring UniINTERACTIVE CELEBRATION: Supt. John Oteri (left) and Mayor Gary Christenson (center) were on hand to congratulate all those who took part in the Malden High School Black History Month Celebration. (Steve Freker Photo) THE WINNER: The overall winner combined art with technology to deliver some historical information. (Steve Freker Photo) fi ed Sports and its origin. “It was a tremendous way to bring the school community together to celebrate Black History Month. We had nearly 25 doors decorated by our students, and next year there will be even more,” said Principal Mastrangelo. “The creativity level and artistic talent displayed by our students was fantastic,” said Superintendent Oteri. “Especially impressive was how the overall winner intertwined history and art with technology and learning.” Following the Door DecoratPROUD PARTICIPANTS: displaying their work at the MHS Main Offi ce. This creation won the “Most Malden” award. (Steve Freker Photo) ing Contest, MHS hosted an Interactive Celebration of Black History Month in The Gallery at the School. The celebration included a detailed display of artifacts and implements of culture from the African world by MHS African Arabic Culture Club advisor Amine Yakine, a Malden High teacher. Also included was a poetry reading, a stunning fashion show by MHS students, featuring African dress, and some guest speakers and refreshments. The events were capped by MOST CREATIVE: This door decorated with a colorful display featuring African ancestry was the “Most Creative” winner – produced by students from Kristy Magras’s Black Culture Club students. (Steve Freker Photo) the showing of the Spike Lee film “Crooklyn” in the Jenkins Auditorium that evening, a depiction of an African-American family’s life in some turbulent times in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the 1990s. FASHION STATEMENT: These MHS students displayed some authentic African dresses in a fashion show in the MHS Black History Month Celebration. (Steve Freker Photo) MOST INCLUSIVE WINNER: A door celebrating AfricanAmericans’ involvement with Unifi ed Sports for the disabled and challenged won “Most Inclusive” Award. (Steve Freker Photo) BLACK HISTORY MONTH: MHS principal Chris Mastrangelo kicked off the interactive celebration by thanking all in attendance. (Steve Freker Photo)
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