Simon Tang

A whiz at mathematics, Simon Tang will leave a heady legacy at Malden High School.

As a junior, he took AP calculus and statistics a year ahead of his peers. And because Malden High doesn't offer calculus II, he took the course last summer at Tufts University.

As a senior, he devised a way to find a formula for any pattern of numbers, an accomplishment that one of his teachers hopes will get published in a math journal.

``That's big," said Paul Marques , Tang's computer science teacher. ``When it comes to writing code and solving complex problems, Simon is just off the charts."

Tang, 18, is headed for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to study computer science and engineering.

``In high school, I always pushed myself a little bit," said Tang, who speaks in a quiet, measured tone. ``I wanted to get credits for college."

School wasn't always easy for Tang, however. As a child, he struggled to read. At home, his parents, Hui Cao and Hoa Tang , spoke only Chinese. As the oldest of three children, Tang had no one with whom he could practice speaking English.

``My parents were busy working," said Tang, who still speaks Chinese at home. ``They didn't know English that well. Instead, they worked with me on my multiplication tables."

At school, Tang got extra help with reading under Title I, a federal program for low-income school districts. As a youngster, he learned nursery rhymes like ``Humpty Dumpty," and played games like ``Simon Says." ``I got to be the leader," he said, smiling at the memory. ``My teachers were very helpful. We did many fun things."

Tang moved on to harder stories and books. After ninth grade, he was placed in honors English classes, tackling ``Hamlet" and other classics.

Last month, Tang received a college scholarship for former Title I students from David Driscoll , the state education commissioner.

``I am happy," Tang said of the financial boost. ``There will be less burden on me. I can just focus on getting my education."