Helias Catholic High School will celebrate graduation for the Class of 2025 at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8, at Ray Hentges Stadium in the Crusader Athletic Complex.

This year’s graduating seniors have collectively earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to continue their post-secondary education, including prestigious awards such as the Mizzou Chancellor’s Award and Missouri Bright Flight Scholarship; full-tuition scholarships to institutions including Kansas State University, St. Ambrose University and Webster University; a variety of academic and athletic merit scholarships; and many from local and community organizations.

The Class of 2025 includes 81 percent of graduating seniors who will pursue post-secondary education at a college or technical school, 14 percent who will enter the workforce directly, and 3 percent who have chosen to serve our country by enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Seven seniors earned the John Baptist De La Salle Service Award for contributing 500 or more hours of service over their high school years. These students and other honors will be recognized during a senior awards ceremony the morning of May 8 following the Baccalaureate Mass.

The scripture reading for Sunday’s ceremony comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3, verses 1–8 and 11–15: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to be silent, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better than to rejoice and do good in life. That everyone may eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God has done this, so that all may stand in awe of Him. What is has already been, and what will be has already been; God will call the past to account.”