Malden High offers nontraditional approach to earn diploma

Front row (l to r): Jennifer McDonald, Talia Petrillo, Tayla Alburn, Erin Titus, Cassandra Noonan, Robert Tower, James Noel, Esaie Louis, Mrs. Denise Keefe.Back row (l to r): Mrs. Maureen Vona, Mrs. Judy Sullivan, Mr. Edward Cook.

The following was submitted by Malden High School:

The goal of the Malden High School Pathways program is to provide within a single organizational unit, an array of educational, counseling, outreach, transitional programs, and services to students who require an alternative to the regular day program at Malden High School.

The philosophy being that all students have a right to an education which meets each individual needs and unique style of learning. Students receive instruction in academic studies and daily social skills. Skills are taught not as an end in themselves, but rather in their relation to educational, technical, and vocational training within the community.

Recently, a group of students from the senior English class celebrated the completion of their Memoir Project.

The assignment was to write a short memoir: about a specific personal memory. Together with Pathways teacher Edward Cook, students read various drafts, discussed and criticized each until they submitted a final draft. The class brainstormed and discussed topics, identified a memory, and then began the process of drafting and redrafting their memoir until a final draft was completed.

The final draft had to meet the requirements of the rubric for a score of 4/4.

“The students were much invested in the process and produced some poignant and powerful pieces,” commented Cook. “After one of these was read to the audience yesterday several people were observed wiping tears from their eyes.”

These groups of MHS seniors need some partial English credit and are scheduled to graduate in June.