Our Lady of Perpetual Help School will celebrate its 40th anniversary of service in Hawaii with a Mass and dinner on Sept. 21 at the Marriott Ihilani Resort in Ko Olina, Kapolei. The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Larry Silva at 5:30 p.m. Dinner, with entertainment, awards and prizes, follows at 6:45 p.m.

Located in Ewa Beach, Our Lady of Perpetual Help provides the best quality Catholic education from kindergarten to grade 8. As its mission statement proclaims, it educates students “to be active Catholics, responsive producers, holistic learners, and capable communicators.”

With the needs of the whole child in mind, the faculty and staff adopt methods of instruction that embrace a variety of learning styles and recognize the unique needs of each student.

An inclusive, holistic philosophy extends to the school’s Gospel-based approach to fostering student self-discipline. This approach encourages students to pursue “life-giving” behaviors and to recognize and alter “life-blocking” behaviors. The result is a positive family dynamic that thrives on campus. Each day students are called to be “living testaments” to the mission of Our Lady of Perpetual Help School.

Throughout the year, the school celebrates the spirit of community at school Masses, prayer services, awards ceremonies, P.T.S.A. meetings, and special events such as Grandparents’ Day, Advent, Lent, and May Day Programs, Catholic Schools Week and spelling and geography bees.

Students participate in a variety of extra-curricular activities. Students elect representatives and officers to serve on the student leadership council, which coordinates service-oriented and morale-building programs throughout the year. Sports activities include participation in the Catholic School League in volleyball, basketball and track and field.