The Husky Way: Helena High School seniors graduate in special ceremony
Published 4:09 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Helena High School seniors from the class of 2025 were celebrated on Monday, May 19 at a special graduation ceremony at Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center. (Reporter photo/Alec Etheredge)
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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Publisher
HOMEWOOD – Standing on a stage inside Samford University’s Pete Hanna Center, Helena High School Senior Class President Kaden Vanderford addressed his peers and reminded them of the most important part of high school.
“I would like to extend my gratitude, not only to the faculty for making my experience here the most memorable in all the best ways, but also to the football coaches and team for ensuring our class of 2025 never saw Pelham win on a Friday night, let’s give it up,” he said with a beaming grin. “Y’all really made sure life was better at Helena.”
Resounding excitement took over the crowd as they remembered their 4-0 record in a rivalry that runs deep.
That school spirit was prevalent throughout the building on Monday, May 19, as the HHS class of 2025 celebrated their graduation during a special ceremony.
Vanderford turned to a more serious note after his affective start, sharing his biggest piece of advice for his classmates as they move forward in life.
“Get out of your comfort zone,” he said. “Anyone who knows me, knows I am an extrovert, although getting to that point has been a challenge you all have unknowingly witnessed. I have found getting out of my comfort zone has brought many smiles to many faces. That being said, being comfortable in everything you do is not the way to go about life. Be someone you never thought you’d be, do that thing you never thought you’d do because in the end, failing and learning is much better than regretting what you never tried.”
He also credited former middle school teacher and Shelby County Teacher of the Year Anna McEntire for helping take a big step in both education and life because of how she handled teaching online during his seventh-grade year, or, also known as the COVID year.
Vandeford said it was her simple smile and positive greeting that made a difference each day. He took that and used it as an example for what this year’s graduating class can do for others as they tackle the next step in life.
“No matter what may be going on in your life, you can be the difference in somebody else’s, and that’s a far greater feeling than anything you could ever imagine. I would like to thank her for showing not only me, but others what it truly means to live the Husky way.”
Valedictorian Lindsay Lane Etheridge shared a similar message, using her love for music and poetry to relay her thoughts.
Specifically, she highlighted the poem “When the Pawn” by Fiona Apple, relating it to the future ahead.
“We are all standing at the starting line of something new,” Etheridge said. “As exciting as that is, it’s also scary. There is pressure to figure it all out, be successful and do everything right, but what that poem reminded me of is the real strength we carry isn’t how perfect we are or how far ahead we seem, it’s in how we think, how we face challenges and how we show up even when we are unsure.”
She said she isn’t worried about this year’s class making this transition from high school, knowing what her classmates are capable of.
“As I look out at everyone today, I realize I’m not worried” she said. “I’m not worried because each and every one of you is capable of doing something extraordinary. You have something valuable and something the world needs. In case nobody has told you, you are more than enough exactly the way you are.”
She also interviewed several classmates and the advice they had to give or have been given themselves as they prepare to embark on a new journey.
Those remarks included:
-“You are what you think about.”
-“Do not fear death, but rather the unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, but just live.”
-“Don’t compare yourself to others, everyone is at a different stage of life with different goals. Just because someone is doing something different doesn’t mean what you are doing is wrong.”
-“What is meant for me will find me.”
-“Don’t give up, you haven’t reached your full potential.”
-“There is no need to have regrets because every step of it all, good or bad, made us who we are in order to prepare us for what’s next.”
“These aren’t just words,” Etheridge said. “They’re reminders that even when things feel uncertain or overwhelming, there’s wisdom in trusting yourself on the journey you’re on. Everyone has a purpose and everyone has a gift. You have something beautiful to offer the world. Go and be good, go and be great.”
She also got to share the stage with her best friend since kindergarten, Kylie Hosey, who earned the honor of being this year’s salutatorian.
Hosey, like her friend, helped prepare the group for the future by having them relish in the past and present.
“These moments the past four years, whether they seemed big or small, have shaped us into who we are,” she said. “These moments have allowed us to learn, grow and change for the better. The interactions we’ve had, the memories we’ve made and the lessons we’ve learned have all been woven into the fabric of who we are.”
She added that they will continue to be challenged, but that they will evolve.
“As we step into our future, it’s important to know that the past we built together deserves to be remembered,” she said. “These chapters were more than a stepping stone. As we move on, let us carry those memories with us.”
The last four years were especially meaningful to Helena High School Principal Ashley Bahr, as the class of 2025 marked her first to principal from freshman year to graduation.
With that, she told the graduates how enjoyable it has been to watch them grow and prepare for the journey of this next step.
“As you are about to enter a new phase of your life, I encourage you to embrace the new adventures ahead with the same enthusiasm that has carried you through high school,” she said. “Know that you have the strength, knowledge and character to do what you want.”
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