With more than 1,300 guests in attendance at the Overland Park Convention Center on Saturday, November 1st, the event, raised over $4.4 million in scholarship support — funds that will provide students most in need with access to Catholic education across the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.

We came together on All Saints Day to celebrate faith, community, and the life- changing power of Catholic education. This year’s celebration also paid tribute to
Monsignor Thomas Tank, a visionary leader within the Archdiocese known for his deep humility and lifelong dedication to serving others.
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“CEF is about giving kids an education,” says Tank. “it’s about truly giving that opportunity for a quality academic education, but even more importantly an education in coming to know and to love and to serve Jesus. And that really is what our life is about.”

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The evening also featured the presentation of the 2025 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence Award to Our Lady of Unity Catholic School in Kansas City, Kansas.

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Among the evening’s most powerful moments was hearing from Leonardo Estrada Pineda, a senior at Bishop Ward High School and proud CEF scholarship recipient.

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"Receiving a CEF Scholarship to attend Bishop Ward High School is truly a blessing in helping me pave the way for my future." says Pineda. "At Bishop Ward, I have been able to grow stronger in my faith and meet some of my closest friends. But it’s not just that, the teachers and faculty really do care for me and want me to reach my full potential. They provide support and opportunities that I couldn’t have imagined."

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Guests also heard the Pickens family’s story—an inspiring journey shaped by hope, perseverance, and the power of opportunity. Thanks to scholarships from the Catholic Education Foundation, their children are able to attend Bishop Ward High School, where they have found both a vibrant faith community and life-changing educational opportunities.

Hear the Pickens family story.

‍Click here to watch all of the videos shared during the program.

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