Every morning, you’ll find Malcolm Henry at Daystar’s front entrance, waving at parents and greeting students with a smile. “I love that part of the day,” says Malcolm, describing his role with Student Support Services. “Even when a student starts the day crying, I tell them it’s going to be a good day. Seeing their smile after that is awesome!”
Malcolm knows firsthand the lasting impact of an encouraging school culture. Years before serving on Daystar’s staff, he enrolled as a student. In the wake of a distressing experience during fifth grade at another school, Malcolm attended a Daystar shadow day. “So, when am I transferring?” he asked his parents after feeling an instant connection to Daystar. On February 1, 2011—his first day as a Daystar student—he recalls feeling as though he’d been part of the school “since Pre-K.” At the end of eighth grade, Malcolm said, “I wish they had a high school—I don’t want to leave!”
Though he had to depart for high school, Malcolm’s love for Daystar never ended. After graduation and a winding college journey, he found ways to stay connected: coaching sports teams and playing drums for chapel. What started as a volunteer commitment eventually grew into a permanent position in Student Support Services. The community that once mentored and nurtured him was now the community God was calling him to serve.
On any given day, you can find Malcolm visiting classrooms, leading “Guidance Lessons” on Daystar’s core values, or checking in with a student. “Listening is a huge part of my job,” says Malcolm, “way more than talking.” He understands that often, students need to know they can share what’s on their minds and in their hearts. He recalls a recent chapel where students were invited to speak about their faith journeys. “Sometimes,” Malcolm says, “they’re just looking for someone to invite them to share. It was one of the best days of the entire year.”
Malcolm’s experience as a former Daystar student helps him connect with current students on a personal level. Even so, he recognizes that today’s learners face new pressures—particularly around technology. “Your phone can’t tell you ‘no’,” he reminds them, pointing to both the benefits and the dangers of perpetual connectivity. Many students are also still coping with the aftereffects of COVID, carrying extra stress on their shoulders. “No matter what they’re bringing in,” Malcolm says, “we have to respond with empathy and grace.”
Malcolm and the Student Support Services team demonstrate this empathy and grace in practice, even when discipline is required. In those situations, the staff takes a restorative approach, ensuring social and emotional support remain front and center. “My goal,” Malcolm explains, “is that students don’t see me and think, ‘Who’s in trouble?’ I want them to see me and know things are going to be okay.”
Daystar is far more than a workplace for Malcolm. It’s a community defined by kindness and genuine concern for the “souls that fill this building every day.” Whether he’s listening to students, coaching volleyball, playing drums in chapel, or offering a smile and wave at the front door, Malcolm commits himself wholeheartedly to helping every student feel seen and supported. Having experienced that support himself, he’s grateful for the chance to carry it forward to the next generation of Daystar students. “Daystar isn’t just ‘Christian’ on the website,” he says. “It truly lives out that love in everything we do.”
Empowering students to positively impact the world through a faith-based, culturally-engaged, globally-minded education.
