VP Biden To Deliver Commencement Speech At Cypress Bay Graduation

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Graduating seniors at Cypress Bay High School in Weston will make history next month at their graduation.

Not only will Vice President Joe Biden deliver the keynote address, but the graduation ceremony will be held in the new Marlins Park, becoming the first school to hold its commencement in the shiny, new stadium.

"It's going to be an unforgettable experience. Not many people can say the Vice President of the United States talked at your graduation," senior Felipe Lozano said.

Biden will give the commencement speech during the graduation ceremony on June 4th.

"It's a good story I can tell to family and friends throughout the rest of my life," senior Philip Goldstein said.

School officials said the ceremony was originally set for June 3rd at the University of Miami's Bank United Center, but Biden was only available on June 4th, when the facility was not available.
So Broward County's largest high school booked Marlins Park for the 2012 graduation.

Of course, the new venue came with a much higher price tag. The cost is $17,000-- or $6,000 more than the original venue.

The money will pay for the closed roof, air conditioning, ushers, ticket takers and security guards.

An anonymous private donor is paying for the $6,000 price difference.

"They have Biden the VP of the United States, but they also have Marlin Stadium which has never been open to any graduation so they are first on a couple of things," Principal Charles Scott Neely said.

"I'm sure he'll give a great speech and let us know what the real world is like since that's what we're heading off to," said senior Elinor Tiape.

So why Cypress Bay High? Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz happens to oversee the district. She also happens to be the Chairwoman for the Democratic National Committee.

Whatever the reason, though, students are pumped.

"I think it's an amazing honor. It's definitely a testament to excellence of Cypress Bay," Lozano said.

About 7,500 people are expected to attend the graduation ceremony. Cypress Bay has 4,210 students.

The stage will be on the field and students will sit in the stands behind home plate.