For over 93 years, Eagle Rock High School has produced thousands of high achieving students who produce real change in the world. If I were to ask alumni about a teacher who inspired them, they would list someone who is illustrious, patient, kind, tenacious, tough, and productive. Johnathan Malmed shares all these important traits, and he is a leader who seeks to better students' lives.
Mr. Malmed was the former sponsor of the Eagle Scream for over 7 years. Being a club sponsor is not an easy job. It requires incredible patience, extraordinary communication skills, and superb leadership skills. Mr. Malmed had exceeded expectations in this field. Throughout his tenure as a sponsor, the newspaper was on the precipice of entering a golden age. Under his leadership, he trained journalists to become highly skillful writers and savvy graphic designers.
With his new position as the DP coordinator, however, it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. His job is all about expecting the unexpected. “Every day is always something different than what I anticipate what I’m going to be doing.” He describes. Mr. Malmed appears to be very calm and at ease within the chaotic world around him. When managing a classroom, or even adults, he has to deal with situations that could cause him to lose his temper. He doesn’t show this, however, as he tries really hard to make his demeanor more outgoing, and friendly.
Mr. Malmed is a big music fan. He loves to listen to Reggae, Indian Tom, soul, and jazz. I can tell instantly from his love of foreign music that he loves to travel. He has gone to Asia, places like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and even India. He describes traveling as a way to escape to “alleviate my anxieties, living in an American culture.” He strives to visit Brazil, or other South American countries, as well as to step foot in an African country like Kenya, or Morocco.
What one might not know about Mr. Malmed is that he starred in a movie. Yes, you heard it right Mr, Malmed is a movie star. His films might not be as big as Joker, or Parasite, but he has his own IMDB page! He starred in a movie called “In the Dark”, where he plays a” racist, insecure, small-minded” man named Phillip! While he did find the script to be a bit messy, and the plot all over the place, he totally enjoyed being on set and interacting with other actors. To this day, he has a close relationship with his fellow costars. He is also featured in a short called My life is a Diet, where he plays a character named Steven who can’t stop talking about sports. Who knows, maybe one day you might see Mr. Malmed on the big screen.
Mr. Malmed is a perfect example of someone who is a hard worker. One who is industrious and diligent in carrying out tasks that are suitable to a signature cause. He is positive, patient, kind, tenacious, and this makes him stand out as a leader. His contributions to our school will be memorialized through Eagle Rock History, from his formal command of the English language to his precise engagement with Students and teachers alike. Swing by the IB office, and say hello to Mr. Malmed, a conscientious citizen with a lot of taste in culture.