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Smooth night for Mainland grads
Valedictorian rejects 'hollow cynicism' of previous years
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LINWOOD - Mainland Regional High School's graduation ceremony went off smoothly Friday, breaking a trend of controversial student speeches over two of the last three years.
Unlike 2006 and 2008, this year's speakers said their time at Mainland was well worth the effort.
"We've gotten more out of school than facts and formulas and six-minute dances for Mr. Mainland," said valedictorian Jacob Reses. "Our classes have helped us broaden our horizons. School was never just about facts and figures. Our teachers gave us the freedom to explore and discover, to think for ourselves and not just regurgitate information.
"So to those who have said this ceremony, these years, were pointless, we humbly disagree. To those with the audacity to have called what we learn here, what we have taught each other, hollow, we reject your hollow cynicism."
Salutatorian Kara Dods told her class and onlookers that, "As we move forward, we must go after our dreams, for in their pursuit, we will find success and happiness."
"We are ready once again to challenge ourselves with new goals and aspirations, neither of which will be achieved without hard work," she said. "The diamonds will only be found after digging in the dirt."
The day wasn't completely without problems.
School officials are offering a $500 reward for information that would identify who tried to sabotage the school's graduation ceremony by digging about 25 holes in the football field and then covering the holes with sod.
The resulting traps resulted in what Mainland Principal Robert Blake called a real safety hazard.
"I'm pretty upset," he said. "People could have been hurt."
Blake said the discovery was made before the 9 a.m. graduation practice when school staff saw dirt thrown on chairs on the football field. A further investigation turned up the holes, he said, adding a custodian fell into one of the holes.
Students reporting to the auditorium before practice were told of the problem, he said, and about 40 of them went to the field and cleaned off the chairs while a half-dozen custodians filled in the holes.
"The students worked their tails off," Blake said, adding the rest of the seniors calmly waited until practice could start around 10:15 a.m. "This graduating class was just terrific. I really applaud them."
Blake said the identity of the saboteurs remains unknown and that the district will "pursue prosecution to the fullest extent possible."
Anyone with information can call the high school or the local police department, Blake said.
The graduates are:
Jessica L. Abbati, Theodoros Vasilios Adamakos, Angelica Marie Agovida, Morgan Rae Alvarado, Natasha Amin, Rami Amir , Janam K. Anand, Amanda Melissa Applegate, Michael Ryan Arlan, Alexis O. Arroyo, Ronni V. Auld, Nicole Renee Bader, Caitlin Brooke Baehrle, Mark Guy Battisti, Brandon E. Beach, Lauren M. Begleiter, Sarah Elizabeth Bell, Christine Mara Bennett, Michael Julian Benninger, Christopher Bergen, Subasish Bhowmik , Jonathan A. Biel, Merritt Rollins Bishop, Michael L. Blumberg, Theresa Kathleen Bollinger, Scott H. Bowland, Austin T. Boyle, Erin Marie Brady, Kevin Sean Brady, Daniel Vincent Branciforti, David W. Brandt, Troy A. Brennan, Shaun Michael Brenner, Jessica Hannah Brezel , Paul Francis Brown III, Rachael Ashley Browndorf , Chelsea Leigh Bruno , Michael Buonasorte, Kevin Rae Caampued, Christian Dante Cabahug, Julianna Lisa Calabrese, Anna Francesca Calise, Michael James Callaghan, Ian W. Campbell, Melissa Lynn Capille, Brenton Anthony Caprio , Caitlin Mary Caputo, Michael J. Cardy, Javier Quintero Carranza, Maya S. Cash, Michael Andrew Castellani, Christine Casula, Anthony Michael Cerino, Veronica Louise Chaffin, Franklin Joseph Champion, Cynthia Louise Chelius , Simon Joseph Chey, Frank Joseph Chipolone, Yvette Marie Claudio, Natalie Elizabeth Cohen , Lauren Elle Colasurdo , Samantha Jeanine Conley, Heather Anne Cooper, Brendon Jon Copeland, Dana Marie Cosentino , Kristen Kelly Costello, Angela Marie Cottrill, Brian J. Coulter, Erin Marie Coulter , Kelsey Lynne Coyne, Julie Ann Crawford, Jonathan M. Crooks, Kate Lyn Danielle Crooks , Matthew J. Crowne, Aaron Darnell Culver, Elizabeth Ann Cummings, Shawn R. Cunningham, Lindsey Grace Curtis, Anessa Custovic, Danni Chelsea D'Angio, Jalissa Areeka Dabney, Carin Dailey, Paige Alyssa Daly, John C. Daniels, Minhquan D. Dao, Anthony J. Darrer, Mya Carol Davis, Alexandra Rae DeCasien ,
Michael D. DeCourcey, Salcia Ariana DeJesus, Jonathan Luis DeLaCruz, Nicole Elizabeth DeLeo, Nicole Vencenza DeMarco, Rylee Ann Dempsey, Daniella DeSalvo, Desmon Devery, Christopher Michael Devine , Casey Thomas Dillon, Lauren M. DiSabato , Nicholas Rocco DiSciascio, Daniel Scott DiStefano, Sarah Anne Divel, Kara King Dods , John Patrick Dojoles, Samantha Dumapit Domingo, Sarah Theresa Donegan, Shawn E. Donohoe, Danielle Claire Douris, Amanda Marie Driscoll, Josephine M. Droney , Donald John Dunleavy, Christopher Michael Durante, Bruna Duvert, John Joseph Dzindzielewski, Lauren Ann Early, Eileen W. Echikson, William Robert Edmunds, Anne Therese Edwards , Scott David Endicott, Kevin Christopher Engelman, Zachary G. Ernst, Robert Donn Erskine, Joseph F. Ertel, Jeremy Ryan Ervin, Leanne Rose Etling, Kyle Eric Evangelist, Andrew Michael Everett, Donley Exantus, Jean J. Exantus, Melissa Anne Fabi , Gianna H. Faccenda, Jacob Adam Fahringer, Jessica L. Farley, Brian M. Farnham, Matthew Jules Fekete, Daniel Ryan Feldman, Shelby Alexandra Ferguson, Christian Joseph Feriozzi, Kelsey Lynn Fernan, Reny Emmaline Ferrari , Martha Marie Fischer, Jaime Madelyn Fitzpatrick, Jonathan Robert Fleishman, Theodore Joseph Foltz, Brennan Clark Foxman , Justin Michael Friedrich, Jake S. Fulginiti, Rebecca Lee Gall, Kevin S. Gallagher, Timothy J. Gallagher, Fenil B. Gandhi, Jeremy G. Gano, Bobbi Leigh Garcia, Samantha Morgan Garlitos, Carol Lynn Garrett, Zoe Elizabeth Gasparott , Takirah LaShawn Gayle, Kathya Gisell Gensollen, Allison Jean Giampapa, Kayla Ann Gillespie, Joseph A. Girgis, Matthew J. Gitsas, Francis Jonathan Glover, Shekinah Shemirah Nike' Goldberg, Brandon Scott Goldfine , Michael William Gonzalez, Scott Gordon, Bobbie Green, Brianna Teresa Griffin Smith, Ashley Marie Grist, Daniel Reavis Grossman , Jack Grossman, Sandra George Guirguis, Jesse Handler, Tyler Andrew Haney, Catherine Regina Hanlin, Allison Rachel Hansen, Laura Hartman,
Matthew W. Hauser, Terell Lamonte Haygood, Khylie Melissa Heins, Paige Frances Hennessy , Frank Hernandez, Matthew Thomas Hernberg , Molly Beth Herring, Kylie Rae Hickey, Mark Andrew Higginbotham, Sam Homayouni, Sara Homayouni, Daniel Charles Howarth , Mark Ishman, Christopher Stanislaw Jelesnianski , Yvonna Lee Jones, David Jung Hoon Ju , Caitlin Ries Juliano, Charles Kaczmarski, Jr. , Lauren Marie Kancy, Matthew Joseph Kancy, Ian William Kane, Jackson Henry Kellum, Christina Lorraine Kelly, Shelley Lee Kelso, Kristin Leigha Kendall, Nadia Khan, Kang Min Kim, Corinne Marie Klain, Michael Alexander Klinger, Kristy Marie Kolakowski, Michael Andrew Kramer, Stephen John Kroger, Jr. , Victoria Marie Kugel , Vienna Maria Laielli, Kathleen Elizabeth Lajiness, Morgan Elizabeth Lambert, Natalie LaTouche, Marco Leggi, Michael Anthony Letizia, Samantha Lauren Levy, Michelle Doralyn Lewis, Ari Solomon Lewkowitz , Joseph Robert Lindell, Richard Stephen Link, Vincent Gerard Logan, Kayla Rose Longstreth, Paul Christopher LoPresti, Christopher Anthony Losco, Jr. , Morgan G. Lovelace, Jonathan Andrew Lovell, Michael F. Mabkhouti, Alexandria Elizabeth Mangold, Danielle Elizabeth Mann, Dylan Brower Marciano, Laura Ashley Markey, Stephanie Masco, Meredith Agnes McCabe, Ryan Michael McClain, Colleen Elizabeth McClintock , Michele Elizabeth McElhinney, Jacqueline Anne McKeone, Kelsey Mary McKnight, Tess Abigail McLaughlin, Katherine A. Meeker, Robert Alex Mika, Alana Vincenza Milich, Bryan A. Miller , Lancelot Orlando Miller, Padraic Donovan Milligan, William Robert Minter, Jr. , Ashley Ryan Miskiewicz, Maxwell Jacob Mittelman , Lauren Ashley Moesta, Nicholas John Moglia, Matthew Scott Morrison, Erica Michele Moss, Meghan Ashley Mullen, Julio Murillo Juarez, Kara Ann Cecilia Murphy, Angelica Sara Mussa, Morgan M. Napoliello, Tammy Elizabeth Newsome, Nicole Marie Notaro , David Andrew Noveck, Matthew Francis Nugent, Stephanie Michelle Nunan, Melekije Nuredini, Brandon Franklin O'Donnell, Paige Virginia O'Sullivan , Erin Marie Oechslin,
David Lawrence Ojserkis, Jessica Nichole Orapallo, Michael A. Otero, Slave Palifrov, Laura Therese Pancoast, Ankit S. Patel, Tanha Patel, Alexis Monique Perez, Julissa Perez, Luis Perez, Matthew Leonardo Albert Petrille, Joseph C. Pettinelli, Noltide Pierre, Michael Joseph Plantarich , Maegan Ashleigh Pollinger, Zachary A. Polokoff, Lea Marie Posa, Brendan Patrick Powell, Robert Ian Previti, Saba Qadir , Charles J. Rabey, Jr., Samantha Nicole Randour, Brooke Ashley Rasner, Christopher Thomas. Reale, Scott Edward Reardon, Julian Thomas Reece, Katie Marie Remvidas, Karen Denise Rentschler, Jacob Bernard Reses , Jenna Lee Revelle, Jacob William Rittberg, Nicholas Juan Rivera, Kristy L. Rodriquez, Christina A. Rowland, Sean R. Rush, John Joseph Rutkowski, Tasnim Salam , Daniel John Salerno, Johnathan Sanchez, Carlos Santiago Gomez, Carissa Isabel Santora, Jose Cicero Santos, Joseph A. Sanza, Christopher Robert Savio , Mark J. Scarlata, Matthew R. Scarlata, Matthew E. Scherr, Caitlin Marie Schlachter, Sharon Elizabeth Schwertly, Timothy W. Scott, Ryan James Seckinger , Michael Certo Shaughnessy, Shelby Morgan Shim, Kylie Inzou Siang , Erica Ariel Sickler , James Lawrence Slota , Jessica Jacquelyn Smith , Justin E. Smith, Philip C. Smith, James M. Snook , Brittany Lynn Somers, Ariel Beth Spanier, Danielle M. Spatola, Dana Lynne Spatz , Danielle Paulina Spaulding, Leo J. Spear, Kyle William Speirs , Thomas D. Splinter, Devon Michael Staples, Caitlin Alice Steedle , Meriel Katarina Stein , Kayla Lynne Stone, Alexis Storck, Joanna Christine Sutor, Matthew Christopher Tan, David Edward Tarnovski, Brooke Anne Thomas, Michael A. Thomas, Tyler Brennan Thompson, Cynthia Samantha Torres, Francisco A. Trejo, Dylan Eaton Turner, Julia Lynn Utts, Daniel F. Vanlieshout, Nelson Velez, Leandro Vicente Hernandez, Brianna Veronica Virden, Alyson Anne Waldron, Ryan W. Walker, Brandan Matthew Wall,
Jennifer Elizabeth Wallen, Kyle J. Walter Davis, Megan Marie Ward, Nikki M. Waterman, Joshua S. Way, Michael Thomas Weatherby, Daniel Patrick Weesner, Devin Elizabeth Weesner, Brooke Erin Weidlich, Alexander Henry Weidman, Lindsey Paige Weintraub, Samantha Joan Weiss, Ryan J. Wigglesworth, Peter B. Williams, Ryan J. Williamson, Brittany Lyn Winsor, Amanda Rae Wise, Christopher Richard Woolston, Melissa Ann Worrell, Angela Xu, Christopher A. Yard, Rachel Elizabeth Yaure, Shivon Yeoman, Thomas Yu, Kristen M. Zarra, Wenhan Zhang, Jordan Harris Zuck
The Press is not responsible for errors in graduate listing provided by the schools. Any discrepancy, omission or misspelling should be brought to the attention of the school.
Top 5 Mainland Regional graduates
Jacob Reses
Rank: 1
Linwood
College: Princeton University
Major: Political Science
Kara Dods
Rank: 2
Linwood
College: Rutgers
Major: Biochemistry
Tasnim Salam
Rank: 3
Northfield
College: The College of NJ
Major: Medicine
Subasish Bhowmik
Rank: 4
Northfield
College, Cornell University
Major, Pre-Medicine/History
Melissa Fabi
Rank: 5
Linwood
College, Cornell University
Major: Biochemistry
Posted in Atlantic on Saturday, June 20, 2009 3:10 am
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