Friday will mark a special milestone in the lives of local high school seniors who will be the focus of graduation ceremonies for the two Bladen County high schools.

The graduating seniors from both East Bladen High and West Bladen High, along with family and friends, will converge on Elizabethtown Middle School for the last chapter of high school careers — sending the 265 grads out into the world to seek higher education, the workplace, a military career or to start a family.

East Bladen’s graduation ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, with 130 receiving their diploma.

West Bladen’s graduation event will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, where 135 seniors will be given their diploma.

Bladen Early College has previously celebrated its graduation of seniors. Friday, June 3, was a historic occasion as 40 seniors became the first-ever graduating class from Bladen Early College High School.

The Class of 2022 at each high school established an academic Top 10, and, ranked 1-10, they are:

East Bladen High School

Sydney Gardner

Jayden Willington

Weslyn Hall

Trinity Smith

Lauryn Williams

Latham Waters

Heather Hardin

Jessica Johnson

Devin Avant

Mary Lennon

Bladen Early College

Faith Graham

Cynthia Maldonado Ortiz

Daliyah Carroway

Serenity Flakes

Kayla Todd

Alaina Bordeaux

Jamya Tolson

Charlene Mota-Huerta

Kassie Bagwell

Shelby Tatum

West Bladen High School

Hannah Danielle Kriner

Lauren Alexandria Gooden

Kayla Belle Norris

Haleigh Taylor Fields

Olivia Sam Allen

Jennifer Gonzalez

Tamia Nicole Barber

Karlee Lynn Roberts

Hailey Danielle Guyton

Ashely Jocelyn Argueta Martinez

W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or [email protected].