Nothing Was About to Rain on This Ceremony the Second Time Around

Last Thursday when heavy rains began drenching the graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2011 at St. Petersburg High School, school principal Al Bennett abruptly canceled the ceremony.

It was first come, first served for those who wanted to grab their diplomas. They were all stacked on the stage.

This left quite a few graduates and parents upset. This was the lone chance for a student to get his or her name called, walk the stage and have Bennett present the diploma. It was the culmination of 12 years of hard work. It was the lone chance for parents to get a photo of their children marking a significant chapter in their lives.

After receiving many calls in the immediate days afterward from angry parents and upset graduates, Bennett decided to do something about it.

"He said it tugged at his heart," St. Petersburg High School assistant principal James Adams said of Bennett's decision.

For those that still wanted to, a second ceremony was held at the school's auditorium Tuesday so graduates could hear their name, get their diploma from Bennett and have their parents video tape or shoot photos of the moment.

Of the 360 graduates of the Class of 2011, some 70 took advantage. About half of the 800 seats in the auditorium and balcony were filled. Administrators, teachers, student resource officers and staff volunteered their time to see that the ceremony went off without a hitch.