ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s one of the most historic high schools in the state of Florida, and this year, St. Petersburg High School is celebrating its 100th anniversary.
As part of the celebration, the school is inviting the community out for a self-guided historical tour this weekend.
On Thursday, Spectrum News got a sneak peek and met with a special Green Devil family who is celebrating generations of St. Petersburg High School grads.
It’s a trip down memory lane for Robert Ulrich as he looks through his old St. Petersburg High School yearbook from the year he graduated, 1951, when he was named “most likely to succeed.”
Years after graduating as a Green Devil, he went on to serve as St. Pete’s mayor and started his own Green Devil family, who are all proud graduates of St. Petersburg High, including Robert’s daughter, granddaughter and grandson, Zack, who will be graduating himself this year.
Spectrum News/Fallon Silcox
“Right when I was a little kid I knew I was coming here. I would come to all the basketball games, football games, and hear about how great of a school it is from my grandfather being here, coming and swimming here, being the president of his senior class, all that stuff,” said Zack Spinazzola.
They all came together in St. Pete High’s own historical museum with all the memorabilia from the last 100 years. Even Robert’s mother, Esther, taught there in 1926.
“You have this great sense of identity with the community. It’s as if you didn’t know any other community except St. Pete,” said Robert.
Zack says the sense of community is one thing that hasn’t changed, even after one hundred years. “I’ve been blessed to come to a school like this and succeed and do great things through it,” he said.
The community open house is on Saturday from 3-5 p.m. It features a self-guided historic tour, and opportunities to connect with alumni.