St. Petersburg High School
{{Short description|Public school in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox school
| name = St. Petersburg High School
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| motto = Loyalty and Service to God, Country and Home
| established = 1898
| closed =
| type = Public secondary
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| principal = Darlene Lebo
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| headmaster =
| head_name = Second Master
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| head_name2 = Assistant Headmaster
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| teaching_staff = 83.00 (FTE)
| enrollment = 1,710 (2023-2024){{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=1201560&SchoolPageNum=10&ID=120156001675|title=St. Petersburg High School|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|accessdate=December 8, 2024}}
| grades_label =
| grades = 9–12
| streetaddress = 2501 5th Avenue North
| city = St. Petersburg
| state = Florida
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| country = USA
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| district = Pinellas County Schools
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| accreditation = Florida State Department of Education
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| colors = Green & White / Black (unofficial)
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| mascot = Green Devil
| free_label = Emblem
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| yearbook = No-So-We-Ea
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| website = {{Official website|url=https://www.pcsb.org/stpete-hs}}
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St. Petersburg High School, founded in 1898, is a secondary school in the Pinellas County School District in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's current building, a historic landmark, was built in 1926. It was designed by Missouri architect William B. Ittner. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The school was billed as the nation's first million dollar high school.{{cite web | url = http://www.stpete.org/StPeteHigh.htm | title = Urban Design & Historic Preservation Division: Local Historic Landmarks – St. Petersburg Central High School | publisher = City of St. Petersburg
| accessdate = September 12, 2012
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071111225514/http://www.stpete.org/StPeteHigh.htm
| archivedate = November 11, 2007
}} The school previously occupied several other historic locations around St. Petersburg, including a location at Mirror Lake (1919–1926).{{cite web | url = http://www.stpete.org/HSMirrorLake.htm | title = Urban Design & Historic Preservation Division: Local Historic Landmarks – St. Petersburg High School at Mirror Lake | publisher = City of St. Petersburg
| accessdate = September 12, 2012
| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080914180319/http://www.stpete.org/HSMirrorLake.htm
| archivedate = September 14, 2008}}
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme at St. Petersburg High School is the oldest in Florida, IB school number 250 in the world.{{cite news|last=Winchester|first=Donna|title=Baccalaureate leader heads to NYC offices|work=St. Petersburg Times|page=1, North Pinellas|date=September 1, 2005}}{{cite web | url = http://www.stpetehigh.com/IB/ibframeset.htm | title = St. Petersburg High School International Baccalaureate Program}}{{cite web | url = http://www.ibo.org/school/000250/ | title = St. Petersburg High School | publisher = International Baccalaureate Organization}}
Effective July 1, 2017, former assistant principal Darlene Lebo was promoted to principal, succeeding Al Bennett who was promoted to become the Pinellas County School District's Director of Athletics, Pre-K-12 Physical Education, Health Education Programs, and School Wellness.
The school currently has 2,013 students enrolled.
Academics awards
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Central High School
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| location = St. Petersburg, Florida
| coordinates = {{coord|27|46|40|N|82|40|6|W|display=inline,title}}
| area =
| built = 1926
| architect = William B. Ittner
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| added = August 1, 1984
| refnum = 84000946
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- A 2003 Newsweek magazine survey of the top 100 high schools in the United States placed St. Pete High as #25. In 2005 (based on 2004 numbers), the survey ranked the school as #35. In 2006 (based on 2005 numbers), the Newsweek survey ranked the school as #63. The ranking is based on the number of IB or Advanced Placement (AP) exams given at a school divided by the number of graduating seniors.
- Was ranked as the #2 high school in the Tampa Bay area by the Tampa Bay Times in 2013, behind only Pine View School.{{cite web | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8759025/site/newsweek/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050810025503/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8759025/site/newsweek/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 10, 2005 | title = The Complete List of the 1,000 Top U.S. Schools | date = August 5, 2005 | work = Newsweek}}
Traditions
St. Petersburg High School is the home to Reliance Church, which meets in the school's auditorium.{{cite web|url=http://www.reliance-church.com/|title=Reliance Church|website=Reliance Church|accessdate=11 April 2015}}
The campus of the school is also host to a weekly fresh market event. The Kenwood Sunday Market is held from 10 am - 2pm each Sunday, year round. The event is brought to you by Tampa Bay Markets. The focus for the market is fresh, green, renewable and hand made.
School renovations
=Fire=
On August 31, 2012, around 4:00 AM, a fire started on the roof above the Auditorium (Theatre). The Fire later spread into the Auditorium and then crept into an equipment room. The School incurred over one million dollars worth of smoke and water damage. The school's auditorium was reopened to all students on December 11, 2012, after all damage was either replaced or repaired.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/fire-cancels-classes-does-over-1m-damage-at-st-petersburg-high-school/1249040/|title=Fire cancels classes, does over $1M damage at St. Petersburg High School|website=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=2016-06-08}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.suncoastnews.com/su/list/news-suncoast-pinellas/classes-canceled-after-fire-at-st-petersburg-high-479534|title=Classes canceled after fire at St. Petersburg High|website=www.suncoastnews.com|access-date=2016-06-08}}
=Renovation project=
During 2019–2020 school year, the entire campus was upgraded as part of the $32-million project.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/education/2019/05/13/groundbreaking-to-kickoff-st-petersburg-hs-renovation-project|title = Groundbreaking to Kickoff St. Petersburg HS Renovation Project}}
Notable alumni
File:Zac MacMath 2012 Philadelphia Union.jpg]]
- Jacob Barnes – Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher
- Charlie Crist (1974) – 44th governor of Florida (2007–11), Florida's attorney general from 2003 to 2006, a U.S. Representative from Florida's 13th district from 2017 to 2022.
- Jim Haslam (1948) – founder of Pilot Corporation
- Ben Hayes (1975) – MLB pitcher{{cite news |last1=Banks |first1=Don |title=Coming around |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-coming-around/157959660/ |access-date=27 October 2024 |work=St. Petersburg Times|page=4 |date=22 April 1985}}
- Charles Horton – football player
- Joe S. Lawrie (1932) – U.S. Army major general{{cite news |date=April 22, 1932 |title=Joe Lawrie Will Attend Louisiana State Next Fall |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-attend/125962534/ |work=St. Petersburg Times |location=St. Petersburg, FL |page=Section 2, Page 1 |via=Newspapers.com}}
- Zac MacMath – goalkeeper in Major League Soccer
- Milt May (1968) – MLB player{{cite news|last=Topkin|first=Marc|title=Meet the Rays|work=St. Petersburg Times|page=6X Sports; Baseball 2002: Play Time; Rays 2002|date=March 31, 2002}}
- David Mendelblatt – yachtsman and ophthalmologist
- Mark Mendelblatt – yachtsman, silver medalist at 1999 Pan American Games and 2004 Laser World Championships
- Shannon O'Donnell, (2002) – National Geographic Traveler of the Year
- Will Packer – American film producer{{Cite web |last=Thornton |first=Cedric 'BIG CED' |date=2014-05-29 |title=Will Packer Wiki: 10 Facts About the Movie Producer |url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/the-american-black-film-festival-10-facts-about-will-packer/ |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=Black Enterprise |language=en-US}}
- Grady Sutton – actor{{Cite web |date=1995-09-25 |title=OBITUARY: Grady Sutton |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-grady-sutton-1602975.html |access-date=2023-08-11 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
- Bill Young – U.S. Congressman from 1971 to 2013
Former principals
- Al Bennett (2006–2017){{Cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/controversial-pick-for-next-principal-of-st-petersburg-high-put-on-hold/2324776/#:~:text=Petersburg%20High%20put%20on%20hold,-By%20Colleen%20Wright&text=Robert%20J.,the%20new%20principal%20at%20St.|title=Controversial Pick for Next Principal of St. Petersburg High Put on Hold|last=Wright|first=Colleen|date=May 22, 2017|website=Tampa Bay Times|language=en-us|access-date=May 23, 2017}}
- Dr. Julie Janssen (2003–2006)
- Linda Benware (2000–2003){{Cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/07/Neighborhoodtimes/A_fond_farewell_for_a.shtml|title=Neighborhoodtimes: A fond farewell for a favorite principal|website=www.sptimes.com|access-date=2016-06-08}}
- Thomas Petit (1995–1999)
- Barbara Broughton (1991–1995)
- William Grey (1983–1991)
- Vyrle Davis Davis (1973–1983) (also first African-American area superintendent in the United States).Pioneer, educator honored. Tampa Bay Times. September 7, 2013. 1B.
- Ronald R. Hallam (1969–1973)
- Fred "Doc" Geneva (1967–1969)
- Douglas McBriarty (1964–1967)
- Dr. Albert J. Geiger (1934–1947)
References
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External links
{{Commons category|St. Petersburg High School}}
- [https://www.pcsb.org/stpete-hs School homepage]
- [http://www.wikimapia.org/#y=27778816&x=-82667913&z=18&l=0&m=a&tag=school Satellite Photo 2004]
- [https://www.tampabay.com/news/st-petersburg/2019/09/18/st-petersburg-high-school-is-engraved-on-a-mirror-lake-condo-building-why/ St. Pete High history]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Petersburg High School}}
Category:Educational institutions established in 1898
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Pinellas County, Florida
Category:High schools in Pinellas County, Florida
Category:1898 establishments in Florida