Graduation Ceremony 2025

Our First-Class HERI Graduation Ceremony will be held Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida

REGISTRATION ENDS MARCH 1, 2025.

After registering be sure to get in your REQUIRED ITEMS asap. Any questions email HERIJAX@yahoo.com.

Just an FYI there probably won’t be much correspondence (other than your receipt) until mid February.

Important Dates & Updates

Event Date: May 31, 2025 (Saturday) * unless changed due to circumstances beyond HERI’s control

Registration CLOSES on March 1, 2025.

Late fees apply after 12/31/24. (See details under Pricing.)

GRADUATION CHECKLIST UPDATES: All required items must be turned in by dates listed on graduation checklist **UPDATES to the checklist: Required Items deadline for those registering during the regular registration time period has been extended to February 15. A $25 fee will be added (a notice to pay will be sent to you) for not turning in your required items by the stated deadlines. If it is not paid your graduate will not walk. HERI doesn’t want any graduate to not have their items included–that is why the deadlines are so important. **Another UPDATE to checklist — only 5 photos allowed for slideshow. Thank you for making these changes to your graduation checklist.

You can also see required items deadlines under Important Forms below.

Location & Time & Dress code

Place: Evangel Temple Sanctuary (*unless changed due to circumstances beyond HERI’s control)

Address: 5755 Ramona Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32205

Time: Graduates should be there by 10 AM. (Doors open at 9:45AM)

Lunch FOR GRADUATES will be served at approximately 12:00 PM (please bring your own lunch if you have special dietary needs)

Ceremony begins: 2:00 PM (lasts approximately 1.5 to 2 hours)

Doors open at 1:30 PM for parents* and guests.

There is not normally a limit on the number of guests you can invite.  HERI will email info about guest limits if anything changes closer to event. (No reserved or saved seating please.)

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Pricing

***ALL Graduation-related fees are NON-REFUNDABLE***

> Graduation price per graduate before December 31st, 2024 (includes cap, gown, tassel, diploma cover, memorabilia booklet & lunch)  

HERI Member Graduation Cost: $125

Non-member additional fee: add $50 to Member Graduation Cost (Non-member grad cost: Total $175)

**HERI membership can be purchased from the main page on HERIJAX.com. Please register for HERI Membership before registering for Graduation.

DATES & PRICING FOR LATE REGISTRATION

> Late registration added fee between 01/01/2025-01/31/2025:  add $25 to the Grad Costs above

> Late registration added fee between 02/01/25-03/01/2025:   add $50 to the Grad Costs above

NO REGISTRATIONS AFTER 03/01/2025!

OPTIONS & ADD-ONS:

Cap/Gown color: Black; Tassel color: tbd

* Gown Sizing (Height of graduate): options:

4’6″- 4’8″ up to 180 lbs

4’9″- 4’11” up to 180 lbs

5’0 – 5’2″ up to 190 lbs

5’3″- 5’5″ up to 210 lbs

5’6″- 5’8″ up to 235 lbs

5’9″- 5’11” up to 260 lbs

6’0” – 6’2″ up to 280 lbs

6’3″- 6’5″ up to 295 lbs

> *Plus size gown:  (if normally wear plus size clothes &/or exceed weight on size chart above): additional $5

> Extra Tassels (optional):  $5 each
> Honor Cord (optional):  $8 each
> Honor Stole (optional): $14 each

> Volunteer Buyout (optional):  add $75  (see details below)**

**HERI is a volunteer organization.  Each graduate’s parent/guardian is required to volunteer with at least one HERI graduation 2024 committee OR “buyout” this obligation for $75. 

If you choose to volunteer and have not fulfilled your part of your obligation, HERI will invoice you for the $75 that is due before graduation. If unpaid, the graduate will not be allowed to walk. 

ALL PARENTS/Guardians ARE REQUIRED TO WORK ON A GRADUATION COMMITTEE (**exception the “buyout option”). The volunteers will help to make this ceremony wonderful for all the graduates.

THE COMMITTEES INCLUDE:

Preparation committees:

PowerPoint slideshow of grad photos ____ Graduates’ Introductions____Ceremony Programs ___

Memorabilia Booklet _____Graduate’s Certificates ___ Cap/Gown Distribution ____Gift bag preparation _____

Graduation day committees:

Decorating _____ Lunch serve/pickup: _____Introduction Reader____ Walk grads through day _____

Oversee hanging racks ____ Take pictures ______Door attendant during rehearsal (great Dad job)_____

At registration you will select a volunteer activity. Many hands make light work:) At the beginning of the year (probably February) a volunteer will contact you to let you know exactly which volunteer area you will assist with. If activities get filled up, you may be asked to select another area. Thank you for your understanding.

If you would like to assist with a volunteer leadership position please contact herijax@yahoo.com. Team leaders are needed to help everything run smoothly.

(If you have more than one graduate participating this year— you only need to sign up for one volunteer activity or pay one volunteer buyout fee per family. {So, when registering for two children and choosing the buyout option — only select the buyout option on one graduate’s registration— for the other please select the volunteer option and make a comment in the comment section: state that you have two graduates — and already paid buyout fee or registered for a volunteer activity.})

***ALL Graduation-related fees are NON-REFUNDABLE***

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REQUIRED ITEMS

Before registering for graduation it is important to thoroughly read all the instructions and information (fees, date, place, rehearsal, times, required items, etc.) on this HERI Graduation Ceremony information web page.

One registration form must be completed per graduate.

Your student is not registered until payment has been received in full.

FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE (even if event has to be rescheduled)

PLEASE NOTE:

The deadline to turn in all required items is based on your registration date. See below* EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!

Required items:

• 5 Color Photos for ceremony Slideshow

• Graduate’s Introduction for ceremony

• Life Verse for Memorabilia Booklet

• 1 Black & White Photo for Memorabilia Booklet

Deadlines to turn in required items:

• If you registered during Regular Registration dates (until December 31) —DEADLINE to turn in all required items is February 15, 2025.
• If you registered during Late Registration dates (January 1-31) —DEADLINE to turn in all required items is February 15, 2025.
• If you registered during Final Registration date (February 1-March 1)– DEADLINE to turn in all required items is March 10, 2025.

***If required items are not turned in by the deadlines stated above an additional fee of $25 will be added and invoiced. If it’s not paid, graduate will not walk. There is a lot of preparation involved in making this event a blessing to the graduates; it’s important to have all required items in on time. Thank you!

Below are instructions on how to submit required items & links to registration & introduction & life verse forms:

STEP 1:  GRADUATION REGISTRATION (includes: Graduate Photo and Introduction Release Form)

Click here to complete and submit this form (if you have not already registered).  Graduate is not registered until this form has been submitted AND payment has been received.  If you are mailing a check, you will need to give yourself additional time.  (Please email herijax@yahoo.com and inform us that you will be sending a check.) Last day to submit a form and payment is 03/01/2025.  

It is critical that you and your graduate check yes on the release form on the registration form. Checking yes on this release form allows HERI to put graduate’s photos in slideshow, read graduate’s introduction, print graduate’s photos in memorabilia booklet, put graduate’s name in program, etc… This is due upon registration.  Parent and graduate need to check yes on the release part of the registration form. The graduate will not be able to participate in the ceremony unless both parent and graduate check yes on the release form.

STEP 2:  Graduate’s Introduction form *click here

Before you submit form please read below:

You need to turn in your Graduate’s Introduction by deadline which is based on your registration date–see required items list above for exact deadline dates. (Most need to be turned in by February 15.) Form to be completed by the parent and graduate.

Click on the above link to complete and submit this form. It must be submitted online.  (FYI: after you submit this form — there will be no acknowledgement that it has been received)

As your student’s photo slideshow is playing, the graduate’s introduction will be read.  Rather than just reading each graduate’s name, as he/she walks across the stage. We like to make it more personal by introducing each graduate to the audience. At the graduation there will be live readers to introduce each graduate, but we lack the information needed to give your graduate a personal introduction, and that’s where you and your graduate come in. We need a 75 word or less paragraph of information that introduces your graduate to the audience. While this is being read during the ceremony, photographs of your graduate will be shown on the big screen. It is up to you to provide this information.

HERI reserves the right to ask for an edit or edit as needed.

If we have not received this information by the final deadline of 3/10/2025, our slideshow may be sent to be created without your student’s introduction.

STEP 3:  Graduate’s Life Verse (for memorabilia booklets) form* click here

Before you submit your life verse please read below:

You need to turn in your Life Verse by the deadline which is based on your registration date–see required items list above for exact deadline date (most need to be in by February 15). Form to be completed by the graduate and/or parent.

Click on the above link to complete and submit this form.  It must be submitted online. (FYI: after you submit this form — there will be no acknowledgement that it has been received)

Each graduate who participates in the HERI ceremony will receive 1 graduation memorabilia booklet. This is a small booklet containing a photo of each graduate, as well as their favorite or life verse, for example: John 3:16 or Carpe Diem.  (You have an option on the registration form of purchasing additional booklets.) 

HERI reserves the right to ask for an edit or edit as needed.

It is important that this form is completed by the required items deadline as it will be needed to be printed in the memorabilia booklet.  If we have not received this information by the final deadline of 3/10/2025, booklet may be sent to print without your student’s information.

STEP 4: EMAIL 5 Color PHOTOS needed for the ceremony slide show.  (These should be emailed to us as per the directives below).

You need to EMAIL your Photos by the deadline which is based on your registration date–see required items list above for exact deadline date. (Most due by February 15.)

During the ceremony we will display pictures of your graduate as they walk across the stage to obtain their diploma.  We ask that you (parents/graduates) provide these pictures to us for their slideshow. The photos are a timeline of your child’s life. You may include up to five photos. Below is a recommendation of the timeline: 

• Photo 1: Baby or young child photo (fully clothed *remember that this is a formal graduation ceremony)
• Photos 2: A young child photo 
• Photos 3 & 4: Two teen years photos 
• Photo 5: Senior Picture
•  (no bathing suits please)
•  (These pictures can be of graduate participating in hobbies, mission trips, sports, etc.) 

We thank you for submitting modest photos!  HERI reserves the right to crop photos or to request an alternate photo.

When submitting your photos, attach them to an email, label them with the graduate’s last name, first name and in the order you want them to run (01 will be the beginning and 05 will be the end) when displayed on the ceremony presentation screen. 

Example:

Smith, John 01
Smith, John 02
Smith, John 03
Smith, John 04
Smith, John 05

Please send all photos in .jpg format and of an appropriate resolution to be viewed on a large screen.

Email photos to HERIJAX@yahoo.com & cc HERIgraduation@gmail.com with your graduate’s name in the subject line.  Format the subject line as such: (Graduation Pictures – Student last name, first name). Be sure to attach the photos to the email.  

There is a lot of preparation work involved in getting the slideshow together.  If we do not have this information by the final deadline of 3/10/25 we may send the slideshow to be created without your graduate’s photos. 

STEP 5: EMAIL 1 Black and white Senior PHOTO needed for the graduation memorabilia booklets. This is a senior photo of the graduate. This can be a cap and gown photo, but it does not have to be.  Due on date based on registration date –see required items list above for your due date. (Most due February 15.)

If you choose to use a cap/gown photo—you will NOT have your student’s cap and gown prior to the due date of pictures.  Many photographers have a cap and gown to use. If you need to borrow a HERI cap and gown for photo, please talk to the Graduation Coordinator to schedule a time to pick one up for your photo session (only as available & will need to be returned or a $40 fee will be charged).

• Email to HERIJAX@yahoo.com & cc herigraduation@gmail.com with the below in the subject line:

Memorabilia booklet Picture- your graduate’s name in the subject line (Last name, First name).  

Sample subject line:  Memorabilia Booklet Picture – Smith, John

Remember to attach your photo to the email.  HERI reserves the right to crop photos or to request an alternate photo.

If we do not have this picture by the final deadline of 3/10/25 we might have to send the memorabilia booklet to be created without your graduate’s photo. 

**CAP & GOWN pick up time and place TO BE ANNOUNCED by email (usually in April).**

If HERI needs additional information or confirmation, we will reach out to you via the email and/or phone number you entered on the registration form. Please respond to our request as soon as possible, to ensure HERI has the data needed to include your student in the graduation ceremony and program. 

All questions can be submitted to HERIjax@yahoo.com

We look forward to a wonderful HERI Graduation Ceremony!

Thank you for your participation!