Page 12 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, June 12, 2026 PCSSII student honored with STEM award at Mass. Science and Engineering Fair Middle Schooler Aarti Ravikumar of Malden earns 2026 Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award P ioneer Charter School of Science II (PCSS II) was proud to announce that one of its students has received the 2026 Broadcom Coding with Commitment® Award. The prestigious honor was presented at the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair, which was held recently at Clark University. Aarti Ravikumar, 14, of Malden, gained recognition for her project, Fractal Exploration, in which she used self-built code to tackle real-world research. Using advanced mathematics, coding and image analysis, Aarti explored how fractal patterns GRADUATES | FROM PAGE 1 Class of 2026 members, 20 years from now, may not remember all the lessons they learned, but they will most definitely remember the people who taught them and the many close relationships they made along the way,” Mastrangelo said. Mastrangelo noted that over 50 percent of the graduating class of 2026 had achieved a grade point average (GPA) for their high school careers of over 3.0 (Honor Roll, all “Bs”) and of those, some 118 of the 436 graduates showed a GPA of 4.0 (all “As”) or higher. This is reflected in the fact that over 85 percent of the members of the Class of 2026 are headed to either fouryear or two-year colleges or universities after high school — the highest percentage in years — or a certificate-granting program, with a number of others headed for the trades or military. Of those taking the higher education route, five MHS Class of 2026 graduates are heading to prestigious Ivy League destinations, such as Harvard and Princeton, with others off to MIT, Northeastern, Rutgers, UMass Amherst, Tufts and University of Miami, among others. Earlier in the ceremony, Malden Mayor and School Committee Chairperson Gary Christenson addressed graduates at his 15th MHS Commencement in the city’s top elected post, emcan support real-world applications in areas like medicine and research. Through the development of her own program and analysis tools, Aarti investigated complex mathematical concepts while thoughtfully examining the strengths and limitations of image comparison models and AI systems. The Broadcom Coding with Commitment® Award is presented by the Broadcom Foundation to a middle school student who uses coding and STEM skills to solve a real community problem — one that connects to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Debracing the class of 2026 theme, “2026: Stronger than Bricks.” “You have worked together as activists, advocates for causes and most importantly, helping each other to be successful,” Mayor Christenson said. “That is what stronger than bricks really looks like.” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Timothy Sippel also congratulated the graduating seniors and noted the energy and excitement of the day, addressing the audience at his second Commencement Exercises since first assuming the reins of the district just before the start of the 20242025 academic year. “All of you have shown commitment and collaboration along the path that has brought you to success, and you will continue to succeed if you continue on the same path.” “Continue to collaborate with each other; we are not meant to succeed in isolation,” Supt. Sippel added. “Continue to collaborate with each other, rely on each other.” Over 100 seniors received a record amount of over $135,000 in scholarships at the recent Senior Awards Night. On Sunday, the Malden High School Scholarship Corporation (in existence since 1909) awarded individual $5,000 scholarships to a total of 35 recipients, another new high mark — $170,000 — as announced by Trustee Greg Lucey. The three top-ranked Malden High School students and the velopment Goals. It celebrates young innovators who don’t just learn to code, but code to make a difference. Judges praised Aarti’s work for its depth, strong technical understanding and exceptional presentation skills, with one noting Aarti’s “confidence and excitement for the work.” The project also stood out for its educational potential and future vision, with judges encouraging further development into accessible or web-based tools that could help others engage with these concepts more easily. “We are incredibly proud of Class of 2026 Senior Class President also addressed their classmates and the audience. The #1-ranked student was Valedictorian Kelly Ye. She is headed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology this fall, the third topranked MHS student in as many years ticketed for one of the best institutions of higher learning in the world. Lincoln Boswell, the #2-ranked student, addressed the crowd as the Salutatorian. He is headed to RPI to study robotics in the fall. The #3-ranked Thomas Conti delivered the Class Orator address. He will attend Harvard University in the fall on a full, four-year QuestBridge Scholarship. Malden High Class of 2026 President Linh Do also delivered remarks on Graduation Day, making special mention of Class Advisor Nancy Wentworth and her untold hours and days of assistance to the members of the Class of 2026. All four of the student speakers also took the time to say a heartfelt “thank you” to MHS Principal Chris Mastrangelo for his individual support of each of them and the support of their classmates. Class of 2026 Advisors seeing off their charges at graduation after four years of mentoring were MHS educator Nancy Wentworth and administrative staffer Jeanne Marquardo. Those attending Sunday’s Commencement were also treated to some special performances Aarti. By focusing on an area she is truly passionate about, she delivered a standout project that really highlights her talents,” said Pioneer Charter School of Science CEO Barish Icin. “Her accomplishment reflects the very mission of our school: preparing students for success in college and life by developing strong academic skills, resilience, and a love of learning. Aarti embodies the dedication, ambition, and character we strive to cultivate in every PCSS student.” Through a rigorous curriculum with an emphasis on STEM and the humanities, PCSS preprovided by the MHS Choral Arts Society, under the direction of Todd Cole, and the MHS Band, directed by Lauren Foley. Traditionally, the members of the Class of 2026 who were part of those performing groups left their graduation rows briefly to participate in the vocal or instrumental displays, some in both. Following the speeches, the 458 members of the Class of Aarti Ravikumar with her 2026 Broadcom Coding with Commitment® Award (Photo Courtesy of Pioneer Charter School of Science II) pares students for excellence in any path they choose. The school looks forward to seeing Aarti, as well as all its students, continue to reach their highest potential. 2026 received their diplomas, and at the conclusion the traditional “cap toss” followed. The new graduates’ family and friends then flooded onto the Macdonald Stadium field to offer their congratulations to the strains of what now has become the official theme song of Malden High Graduation Day: Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.’“
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