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School stirs up spirit for big game, dance
By WAVENEY ANN MOORE, Times Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG -- Homecoming, a tradition of football, festivities and unfettered displays of school spirit indigenous to American institutions of learning, made its annual effervescent showing at several area schools last week. At St. Petersburg High School, someone landing from Mars or even from outside the United States might have wondered about the girl blithely walking by in enormous green sunglasses, the boys and girls sporting green hair or green and white Dr. Seuss-like socks and various outlandish displays meant to honor the colors of the school. The homecoming festivities included the traditional pep rally. Thursday's was for the school's football team, which went up against Boca Ciega High School on Friday. During the rally, principal Linda Benware gamely allowed herself to be lofted on high by the cheerleaders. "I really do enjoy it," she said of the boisterous homecoming celebrations that include a big dance, big game and themed dress-up days. The oldest high school in the city, St. Petersburg High School was founded in 1898 and graduated its first student in 1901. The school has deep roots in the community, and the children of many of St. Petersburg's most prominent families are among its graduates. Counted among its alumni are Charlie Crist, education commissioner and candidate for attorney general, and former Florida House Speaker Peter Rudy Wallace. "One of the things that we find about the homecoming spirit at St. Pete High is we have many alumni who return," Ms. Benware said. "They participate in many of the activities. They come to the game. I've had maybe a dozen people who actually come by and want to visit. It's not only homecoming in name. It is homecoming in spirit. It is homecoming in reality." The events of last week brought with them at least one moment of seriousness. A member of the homecoming court was disciplined. The student will be suspended effective Monday, Ms. Benware said, adding that because of the pending discipline, the student was not allowed to participate in the weekend's homecoming activities. Ms. Benware said she could not discuss the circumstances. The principal said that during homecoming week, teachers gallantly struggle to keep minds focused on learning. Some even give tests and quizzes, she said. And guidelines for costumes also seek to keep students on track with school district regulations. "We do ask them that any costume they wear must conform to the dress code," Ms. Benware said. "They are really so cute when they dress up," the principal of the 2,400-member student body said Wednesday. "Yesterday we had two girls dressed as cactus. It is very humorous, and we have to laugh with them and enjoy that side of the student." Another, she said, dressed up as Snow White and spent all day hunting for her seven dwarfs. The theme of this year's homecoming was "A Night at the Oscars." Wednesday was Celebrity Day -- hence the appearance of the frazzled Snow White -- Monday was pajama day and Tuesday, Western Day. Just before Thursday's mid-morning pep rally, senior Becki Hopkins carefully dabbed green lip gloss on her lips. She enjoys the spirit of homecoming, she said. At the rally, the cheerleading team repeated a crowd-pleasing stunt they had tried only once before. They raised Ms. Benware, clad in green pants and white shirt, high in the air. "We did this a few weeks ago. It was spur of the moment," said Lisa Boyle, varsity cheerleading sponsor. "These cheerleaders adore her. She's very supportive of this cheerleading team. She's firm and fair, but she's all about the kids. There are not a whole lot of adults who would trust a bunch of 18-year-old kids throwing them up in the sky." The varsity cheerleading team, made up of 18 females and four males -- including three members of the homecoming court, spent long hours preparing for the week's events, said Mrs. Boyle, a former St. Petersburg High cheerleader. But even with a varsity team sporting a losing record, the St. Pete High spirit lives on. "One of the things that the kids are really good at is acknowledging individual successes," Ms. Benware said. "Even if the team doesn't win, it doesn't seem to matter to them."
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