Junior Malina Dinis serves as the Class of 2024 President. She is known for never wearing sneakers to gym class and often participating in her socks. However, her greatest aspect to highlight is her prideful leadership of the class.

Malina dedicates herself to the class day in and day out. Hannah Goncalves, the Vice President of the class, describes Malina as selfless, dedicated, and a strong leader, stating, “You can tell she is always thinking about other people and how it will affect them.”

Goncalves also informed me that Dinis attended a leadership conference for a weekend and plans to spend a week at another conference this summer to further improve her skills for the class. While every officer desires to do this for their class, Malina goes above and beyond to try and fulfill everyone’s wishes.

Malina’s interest in leading our class sparked when students from the Class of 2019 visited our middle school to discuss future positions in office with us, the incoming freshmen. Since there weren’t many opportunities in our middle school, she believed high school would be her time to shine. With her mom’s support and her strong personality, she ran for Class President, won the position, and has been serving as President for the past three years.

The first two years posed challenges in getting students involved and increasing participation due to COVID-19, according to Malina. However, as we entered our Junior year, there were high hopes because it marked our first year of a normal high school experience.

Pleasing everyone is difficult, so the officers prioritize the majority’s desires. Despite some individuals always having something to say about activities or disagreeing with decisions, the officers follow the overall vote, shaping our Junior year’s experiences.

Our Junior year has exceeded expectations. The only disappointment was the absence of a field trip. However, we emerged victorious during spirit week, earning a total of one hundred and eighteen points. The log cabin was filled with students who enjoyed a night of dancing and laughter with friends during prom.

“Overall, participation has skyrocketed compared to previous years, and we couldn’t be happier,” Malina said. “With increased participation, we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Multi-Sport Athlete

Malina excels in tennis and soccer. Juggling these commitments along with being a class officer is demanding.

“It calls for long and busy days,” she says. Often, she stays after school for meetings, which means attending practices late. She emphasizes the importance of playing tennis for herself, as it helps maintain her love for the sport.

Last summer, she even dedicated time to the gym, building her strength and skills in preparation for the upcoming tennis season. Her dedication paid off, as she won nine matches.

Her coach, Steven Duquette, praises her “everlasting commitment” and considers her the varsity team’s “most complete player.” He commends her unwavering support for her teammates and dedication to improvement as a student-athlete.

In addition to tennis, she also plays soccer. She spent most of her youth playing for the Pioneers and now represents our high school on the field. She is a superstar athlete in both fall and spring sports.

Malina believes that taking leadership in her tennis matches benefits the team and reflects her commitment as Class President, where she takes ownership of the class. However, regardless of her athletic success, she always prioritizes her Presidency. She would skip practices to be there for the class because, as she states, “presidency comes first, and sports come second, no matter what.”

What Will the Future Hold?

For the class, Malina wants the upcoming year to be the most memorable for the Class of 2024. Together with the other class officers, she is planning multiple field trips, aiming to create lasting experiences. Additionally, she intends to increase their presence on social media to effectively spread information and engage with the class.

Reflecting on the successful prom, Dinis hopes that the current sophomores will join them in making their senior year one of the most unforgettable experiences. Furthermore, the Class of 2024 aspires to establish a tradition that future classes can carry on, eagerly anticipating what that tradition may be.

As for Malina herself, she will continue serving as the Class President for the fourth year, captain the Varsity Tennis team, and work towards attending college. After high school, she plans to stay close to home and major in Biology, aiming to become an orthodontist. She hopes to find a job where she can showcase her independence within her field of work.

Entering their senior year, the class’s ultimate goal is to strengthen their bond and bring everyone closer together. Having spent twelve years with most of their classmates, they recognize that this is their final year together. It’s a time to come together, embrace the remaining time, and appreciate the long journey that has led them here.

Looking ahead to their senior year, it’s crucial to remember that this is the end of their high school journey. Malina has been the Class President since the Class of 2024 began their high school experience, and she will be the one leading them to graduation. On behalf of all the Class of 2024 classmates, I express gratitude for her hard work and dedication.