Three local brothers will soon be saying good-bye to high school together.

The Edwards brothers -- Sean, Killian and Darren -- will graduate from Hanford High School on June 5, ending their high school career and embarking on a new chapter in each of their lives as they branch out separately in search of his own identity and place in the world.

Sean and Darren are twins, and ended up in the same grade as Killian because of an age requirement when their family moved from the San Jose area 16 years ago.

"It's like they missed a year," said Grace Edwards, the boys' mother.

The boys are from a family of 11, eight boys and three girls, ranging from 12 up to 31 years old.

Jokes about the size of their family and how did three of them end up in the same grade are things each boy takes in stride as just something people say.

"You have to share a lot when you come from a family this big," said Killian, who added another component that comes along with being in a large family.

"When my mom gets mad she'll call me three different names before she calls me Killian," said Killian. "She'll even call me my sister's name sometimes."

Each brother is excited, and ready to find their own place outside of Hanford High's doors.

Sean, 19, plans to attend Fresno City College to major in Art; Killian, 17, plans to leave for the Marines on June 30; while Darren, 19, plans to attend College of the Sequoias.

Killian is often mistakenly identified as Sean and Darren's triplet brother.

"He is so close in age to Sean and Darren that people think they are triplets," said Grace.

The twins were born on April's Fools Day, and she has never dressed them alike because she knew early on they had their own personality.

The trio may be close in age, but they have different plans for the future.

It was his three-year pottery class that inspired Sean to his future career choice.

"Pottery is my favorite class," he said. "It's something that I love to do ... If I could teach pottery that would be awesome."

Sean's favorite creation to date is a ginger jar with its own separate lid.

Twin brother Darren's artistic talents lie toward music, with the eventual goal of teaching.

"I play the guitar," Darren said. "I would love to be a rock star one day."

Besides joking around and hanging out, the three of them share a love for metal music. The three often do hardcore metal dancing in the living room.

"The music that we listen to is underground," Sean said. "It's not heard on the radio."

Killian expects people to not get his name right the first time upon meeting him.

"My father named me Killian because it's a cool name," he said.

The youngest of the three leaves on June 30 for San Diego to begin his new life in the military.

"I leave 25 days after graduation," he said. I want to do something in law enforcement.

"I'm the squad leader for Hanford. I will be a small arms technician."

The jokes simmer as the brothers speak on what they will miss about these days.

"I'm gonna miss high school and hanging out with friends," Killian said. "I'm ready to go, though."

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

(May 17, 2008)