Mainland High’s Class of 2012 to Celebrate Graduation, Remember Fallen Classmates

Thursday Evening's graduation ceremony at Mainland High School will be a joyous event, mixed with somber  memories of classmates who won't be graduating.  When Mainland's class of 2012 receive their diplomas on the football field at the Linwood school Thursday evening, four members of the class will be there only in spirit.

Two of the four students killed in a car accident involving members of the school's football team last August, Edgar Bozzi of Somers Point and Casey Brenner of  Northfield , were going in to their senior years.

A plaque (pictured) remembering the  four team members who died in August's crash, also including underclassmen Dean Khoury and Nicholas Conner, was unveiled this week on the Mainland campus.

Two other Mainland students in the class of 2012 died the previous year.

The loss of  their schoolmates served as a rallying point for Mainland High School this year, with the students, faculty and members of the school's family finding strength by coming together as a community.  What they accomplished together is impressive and worthy of recognition.

Mainland's graduates will share one of the most special days of their lives Thursday, culminating at the commencement ceremony on what should be a warm, summer evening.

Mainland's principal Mark Marrone says teachers from the school's sending district's in Northfield, Linwood and Somers Point have been invited to participate in the ceremony and members of Mainland's  class of 1962 will be honored for the 50th anniversary of their graduation.

Please leave your personal congratulations to the graduates in the comments section below