A warm congratulations to Denis Paladino, graduating senior from Kensington High School.

Just about four years ago, Denis and his 2 younger siblings came to settle in with his aunt and uncle, after a tumultuous few years moving around quite a bit. Now, he is part of a family of 10, including cousins he considers siblings, ranging in age from young adults to a newborn baby. “The baby just kind of hangs out, but the 3-year old never stays still and will put anything in her mouth, so you gotta watch her all the time!” Denis observes good-naturedly. He says the full house feels a little like a party every day, and he’s very grateful to his titi and tio for really stepping in to help them out.

He’s always been a writer, and has always liked English. And, he used to volunteer and help with his younger brother’s lessons and that’s where he realized he enjoyed helping teach. This, plus the support and encouragement of teachers and peers over the last four years at KHSA have led to his plan to become an English teacher!

Until KHSA, Denis describes spending a lot of time in schools where he felt the teachers really didn’t care, and he wanted to become a teacher so he could be the opposite of that, and create a safe space for any student. “Kensington is the first school I’ve been to where I feel like every teacher and every staff member cares if I succeed. And that’s a crazy new experience for me. I was genuinely confused at first – I was sort of suspicious. ‘These are people outside of my house who care?’ It was magical really,” he recalls. Even in his first year there, which was 9th grade, when he was going through a lot of adjustment, he recounts how his grades were strong. “I had so much support from my teachers and I think that’s why I succeeded so well.”

Then the trust grew. “I think it was when I started joining clubs. I went to the GSA with one of my teachers who was one of the kindest to me. That’s when I realized, oh they’re really this nice all the time – they’re just genuinely like this, and it is’t going to end. GSA is where I met my first friends and made my first connections. Because being outside the classroom, you can get to know people and I could really see that they care.”

Another favorite club is Poetry, which he joined in 10th grade after the dedicated encouragement of a few key teachers. “I’ve always loved English class. No matter how stressed you get, there’s something so cathartic about writing about things. And in English class I got to write as much as I want. Mx. Luebbert, and my nominator Sally O’Brien liked one of my writing assignments so much that they each pestered me to join this club, so I showed up! I’m so glad I did. It was awesome.”

His mentors have been so impressed they encouraged him to enroll in the Temple Education Scholars Program. His dual enrollment means he’s in school at KHSA for half the day and then takes classes at Temple which is “pretty cool” to quote Denis. “It’s definitely different from high school but I do like it a little bit more. You’re more independent – unless you go to office hours, the professors aren’t giving you as much individual attention. They don’t remind you that things are due; you have to remember. It’s great practice. I’ll have all of that experience already so I’m going to be ready for full-time college.”

It’s a lot to juggle and he feels tired sometimes but he’s learning “the most important thing in the world; time management. It’s definitely keeping me on my toes.”

He hasn’t chosen his college yet but he’ll stay in-state to remain close to his family. He’ll miss KHSA and hopes to stay in touch with his community there. “The biggest thing that this school gifted me is opportunities. I was able to join the Heights program to get support for college prep. I was chosen to be part of the Temple Education Scholars program where I’m taking college classes. I got to experience a media camp at West Chester over the summer. There were so many opportunities that this school made a point to highlight. I was encouraged to pursue things even if I didn’t think it would happen. I wouldn’t be nearly as prepared for college life if it weren’t for these opportunities granted to me by this school.”

Ms. O’Brien says, “ I have known Denis since Mx. Luebbert, his 9th grade English teacher, put him on my radar. I run the Poetry Club, and I was blown away by the emotional intelligence and thoughtfulness of his writing. When he applied for the dual enrollment program at Temple and talked about becoming an English teacher I remember thinking this is somebody I could not be more excited about the idea of having as a future colleague one day.”

We asked Denis some of our favorite questions:

1. Why do you think you were nominated as Senior of the Month?

People think more highly of me than I anticipate. There’s so many people around me nowadays that believe I’m brilliant and can do great things. It’s a process but I’m trying – I’m learning to believe that too.

2. You were nominated by Sally O’Brien. Explain your relationship to her. Explain their role in your experience at your school.

Ms O’Brien is one of the staff members that helped me grow. She was my English teacher in 11th grade and is the poetry club leader. She bugged me relentlessly until I joined the poetry club. Ms O’Brien has been essential in the development of my personality. She’s helped me grow as a writer and as a person. There are only four staff members at my school that I can say I’ve been completely vulnerable with, and Ms O’Brien is one of them. She’s played a role as a teacher, a mentor, a confidant, and a friend.

3. What is one thing you’d like to share about yourself that most people don’t know about you?

There’s not much people don’t know about me. I’m a very ‘you get what you see’ type of guy. I’ve never felt the need to hide many things. There are lots of things I don’t talk about, but nothing I’m dying to share with anyone. I can honestly say I’ve been true to myself.

I know I’m on the quiet side but I have things to say. That’s why I like writing so much, you can just write it.

4. How did you choose your high school? What do you enjoy most when you arenot at school?

If I’m honest, I didn’t choose my high school. 2020 was a crazy year for everyone, and the insanity led to me being filtered into a random school. I have no clue how I ended up at KHSA, but I’m so happy I did.

When I’m not in school I spend a lot of my time reading online or scrolling through social media. I’m a typical teenager who needs constant stimulation and dopamine. When I’m not doing either of those, I’m journaling/scrapbooking to relieve tension, process emotions, or just have some fun. I spend a lot of my free time writing short stories or poetry as well.

5. What is the best thing about attending school at KHSA?

The environment is definitely my favorite part about the school. We’re given a lot of freedom and leniency. Teachers really connect with their students and form bonds. Even the worst of the kids don’t cause more chaos than just talking too much. The entire feel of the school is very calm, friendly, and safe.

6. What is one thing that the School District could do to improve our service to students?

I think being more intentional with funding could improve the school lives of lots of students. Almost all of the complaints I have with school revolve around a lack of funds and resources within my school. I go to a neighborhood high school in Kensington with a bunch of other lower class kids. We see all the cool things in the schools around us and it just doesn’t seem fair. Our school is seen as a second-rate school, but that just makes us feel like we’re second-rate students, like we’re less than other kids who go to magnet schools. We could use books, supplies, and even staff, but those aren’t things we can afford.

Denis maybe we’ll be so fortunate as to have you back in our schools as an English teacher; wherever you end up we know you’ll be successful and we wish you the very best of luck!