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East Bay Celebrates 50 Years

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By JOHN CEBALLOS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

Updated: 11/15/2007 07:12 pm

GIBSONTON - East Bay High School alumni donned their school's red and white colors, roamed the hallways and gathered in the cafeteria once again to commemorate 50 years of history.

However, for many, it wasn't the same hallway or cafeteria of their school days.

"When I went to East Bay, this building wasn't even here," said Tony Tedder, a Brandon resident and member of the Class of 1963.

The high school's current facility opened in 1972, before that classes convened across the street, in what is now Eisenhower Middle School.

Tedder, a Brandon resident, has three daughters who are also East Bay graduates.

About 350 alumni representing 44 out of the East Bay's 50 graduating classes attended the hourlong social at the school's cafeteria at 6 p.m. Nov. 9. The event was part of a two-day celebration, which also included a football game and a barbecue.

The school has been a part of South Shore more than twice as long as the other three high schools in the area - Riverview, Lennard and Spoto - combined.

"We're all really proud of our school and its history," said Alberta Killebrew, Class of 1960 and president of the school's alumni association. "It was just fantastic getting all these people in the same room."

Though Killebrew and many in attendance live in the area, the party drew alumni from across the state and beyond.

"I have a brother who still lives in the area, but I flew in from North Carolina to be here," said Donald Cornelius, Class of 1975. "I'm glad I did."

Cornelius and his six siblings are East Bay graduates.

After the social hour, which included hors d'oeuvres prepared by the high school's culinary club, the alumni walked over to the football field and watched the Indians defeat the Spoto High School 35-6.

During halftime, Rex Taylor - Class of 1959 and a member of the alumni association's board of directors - presented Sharon Morris, the principal, with a $10,000 donation for school materials.

"We are very grateful to the alumni for their generous gift and we're really excited to have them all back," Morris said.

The alumni association, which was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 2003, has contributed materials such as DVD players and televisions to the school.

One of its biggest fundraisers is a golf tournament at the Golf Club at Cypress Creek in Ruskin. The next tournament is scheduled for May 17.

The majority of alumni who attended the social and football game also participated in a barbecue at Lupton's Boggy Bottom Ranch in Plant City the next day.

"It was a lot of work, but it was just a wonderful weekend," Killebrew said. "The school may be different and it's a different time now, but we all still love East Bay."

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 865-1555 or jceballos@tampatrib.com.

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