About an hour later, they again walked through that arch as the school’s newest alumni, ready for the next stage of their lives.

“The future is so bright for each and every one of us,” said Lauren Gibb, who spoke during the commencement ceremony on behalf of the graduating class.

She said “hard work, faith and determination” will help the graduates achieve their dreams.

There are 40 members in the Class of 2025. Six of the class members — Alyssa Elbert, Sasha Hess, Elena Knox, Cambree Lunn, Mariah Myers and Luke Royster — graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

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St. Edmond High School teacher and coach Mike Szalat speaks to the class of 2025 during St. Edmond graduation on Sunday.

Nine of the class members are in the St. Edmond Honor Society for their academic achievements.

Other graduates earned credits at Iowa Central Community College during their high school career. Graduates were also recognized for volunteer service and donating blood.

All of those honors were plainly visible as the graduates came into the gym with colored cords draped over their green graduation gowns. There were gold cords for Honor Society members, green and white cords for those in the top 20 percent of the class, silver cords for those with volunteer service honors, blue cords for those with Iowa Central credits and red cords for the blood donors.

In welcoming everyone to the ceremony, Monsignor Kevin McCoy, pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Parish and president of St. Edmond Catholic School, singled out the parents of the graduates.

“I am particularly grateful to the parents of our graduates,” he said. “Indeed, you are the primary educators of your children. St. Edmond is privileged to partner with you in the formation of your children, your most precious asset.”

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St. Edmond Class of 2025 gets ready before the graduation ceremony on Sunday.

Teacher and coach Mike Szalat was chosen by the graduates to be the faculty speaker. He recalled specific memories of the members of the class. He offered words of wisdom from Albert Einstein, Yogi Berra and Yoda.

Szalat broke into song twice. He referenced the movies “Vision Quest” and “Total Recall.”

Then he turned serious, telling the graduates “You will always have a home here.”

Szalat guaranteed that all the teachers who guided the students through their school days will be there to support them in the future.

Lastly, he expressed his hope that the graduates will come to know Jesus as he has.

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Lauren Gibb speaks to the St. Edmond Class of 2025 during graduation on Sunday.

Gibb was the final speaker.

She recalled never believing that the year 2025 and their high school graduation would arrive so quickly.

“Our class has been known as a class that gets along very well,” she said.

Senior members of the St. Edmond Chor, singing together for the last time in any kind of formal setting, sang “93 Million Miles.”

Then the graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas from Mitch Lunn, the chairman of the St. Edmond Catholic School Board. He and his daughter, Cambree Lunn, posed for a selfie on the stage after he presented her diploma.

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Hadley Oswald fixes Josie Harvey’s cap before St. Edmond graduation ceremony on Sunday in Fort Dodge.

The Rev. Ross Caniglia delivered the invocation and benediction. Two soldiers from the Iowa Army National Guard bought the flags of the United States and Iowa into the gym early in the ceremony.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
St. Edmond graduate Cecilla Galvan hands her cap to her younger brother Ivan Galvan after St. Edmond graduation ceremony on Sunday.

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Delaney O’Connor, left, and Logan Reed give each other a fist bump during St. Edmond graduation on Sunday in Fort Dodge.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
LEFT: St. Edmond graduates Clare O’Connor, left, and Delaney O’Connor share their second grade photos after St. Edmond graduation on Sunday in Fort Dodge.

-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla
RIGHT: St. Edmond graduate Kade Schlegel holds up an old school photo of himself after St. Edmond graduation on Sunday.