The Mexico High School class of 2025, once and for all, answered the question they have been hearing for their whole lives: What do you want to be when you grow up?

For Tate Ellison, the answer to that question is “a phlebotomist.”

The families of MHS seniors joined the class of 2025 in the Sports Complex Thursday morning for Decision Day where seniors, like Ellison, would have their post-high school paths broadcast to attendees.

As a Mexico native, Ellison is a product of the Mexico Public Schools district starting his journey at Hawthorne Elementary. In second grade, he moved to Eugene Field and continued from there to MMS and MHS.

He will be attending MACC to study phlebotomy. A career path he only recently considered.

“They hold blood drives at the (Hart) Career Center and I went to every single one,” said Ellison.

Ellison received a $500 scholarship for his donations that also inspired his future career.

“It just seemed like a fun job and the recruiter said I get to be a vampire, so that was pretty cool,” he said as he waited in the front row for the Decision Day slideshow to begin.

The idea of Decision Day came from rootEd.

The national organization, known as rootEd Alliance, works in conjunction with the Missouri Career Advising Initiative to aid students, particularly in rural communities, with post-graduate planning and career guidance.

“Every year, I change it up just a little bit,” said Rebecca Moppin, Mexico High School’s college, workforce development, community outreach and scholarship coordinator. “I try to do something a little different, get some different prizes, and I think it’s a great way for them to kick off graduation week.”

Moppin said she focused on getting items that would help students once they left high school with the grant money.

Up for grabs were a number of items including televisions, refrigerators, laptops and small appliances.

Around the complex were booths with representatives there to provide information, promotional items and, perhaps most importantly, the raffle tickets that would enter them into a drawing for some of the many door prizes.

Some of the ways students could earn tickets included talking to volunteers at the booths, writing thank you notes to the person of their choosing and getting their picture taken.

The prize table was filled with donations from the community and local businesses as well as grant-funded goodies secured by Moppin.

“It’s one of the last times that they’re kind of all together so we don’t let underclassmen in,” said Moppin. “It’s just strictly for the seniors.”

The seniors, who are just two days from graduation, have had a busy week between baccalaureate night on Sunday, the senior sunset barbeque on Tuesday and scholarship night, which will be held tomorrow.

“Locally, we give about $350,000 out in total,” said Moppin. “The class will bring in close to a million dollars in scholarships.”