St. Pete High Graduation Washout: 'It's Kind of a Shame'

ST. PETERSBURG - One of the seniors left out in the rain -- without hearing his name called or walking across the stage or taking his diploma was Cody Pogorelc.

He is the son of St. Petersburg High School business teacher and athletic coordinator Ed Pogorelc.

"He was sort of upset," Pogorelc said of Cody's reaction to the ceremony's cancellation. "We wanted to get a picture of him getting his diploma. I guess we'll have to do that at some other point.

"When I saw the wind die down at 7:45 p.m., I was like, 'We're in trouble.' If the wind would have continued we would have been OK. When the wind died down, that's when that big dark cloud came in.

“It's kind of a shame."

Cody won't get to take part in Tuesday's make up ceremony indoors, as he will be on a cruise, paid for well in advance. It was either go to tonight's function or lose money on the cruise. It was not hard a decision.

Still, the ritual of graduation was lost for Cody and others who cannot make up their ceremony tonight.

Ed Pogorelc noted that in his 12 years at the school, this is the second time a graduation was interrupted by a rainstorm. Some years ago, the school continued to call out each graduate's name, rather than canceling the ceremony on the spot. Graduates raced to the stage to grab their diplomas and then sought cover.

Pogorelc claimed the reason why St. Petersburg High School doesn't hold its graduation ceremonies at Tropicana Field like so many other local schools is that the ceremony location is voted on by the senior class. The seniors voted to hold the ceremony at Stewart Field, despite the chance of summer rainstorms (and lightning) that begin about this time of the year.

"It's a tradition," Pogorelc said of holding the graduation ceremonies at Stewart Field. “St. Petersburg High School is big on traditions. The classes really remain tight and close to traditions."