By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables Senior High School auditorium filled with applause, laughter, and a few joyful tears on October 24, as nearly eight decades of Cavaliers returned to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary. Organized by Friends of Gables High (FOGH)—the nonprofit that supports the academic and aesthetic life of the City Beautiful’s only public senior high school—the event drew about a thousand alumni, students, faculty and civic leaders for an evening that was part pep rally, part homecoming, and entirely heart.

A living timeline of Coral Gables history

For many in attendance, the celebration marked their first return to campus in decades. As they stepped into the auditorium, echoes of assemblies and plays from their youth seemed to rise from the walls. Class rings glinted under the stage lights; old classmates greeted one another as if no time had passed. The program captured the same blend of energy and affection that has long defined Gables High’s spirit.

The evening’s emcees were Mike Lowell, former Major League Baseball star and two-time World Series champion, and fellow Class of 1992 graduate Ronald Yacoub. Their camaraderie set the tone for a program that balanced nostalgia with celebration. Together, they introduced a procession of former coaches, administrators, and city officials who reflected on the school’s influence across generations.

Civic pride meets school spirit

Among the dignitaries were Miami-Dade School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas, who led a spirited cheer alongside the Cavaliers’ dance team and cheerleaders, and several current and former Coral Gables commissioners. Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago—good-naturedly booed when he confessed to being a Gulliver Prep graduate—took the teasing in stride before praising Coral Gables Senior High as a cornerstone of the city’s identity. Lago tied the city’s past, present, and future to the fortunes of its public school.

The night opened with a rousing set by the Cavaliers Marching Band, followed by performances from the Gablettes and the cheerleading squad, who kept the audience on its feet. Tributes honored Gables’ storied athletic past, including the 1967 football team, named the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Team of the Century, and the 1980 boys’ soccer team, which captured a state title.

A campus transformed but familiar

Outside, the courtyard buzzed with reunion energy. Food trucks served local favorites while music floated through the evening air. Tables displayed photo collages from each decade, reminding visitors how the campus and its students evolved along with the city. Alumni wandered through tours of new classroom buildings and athletic facilities, pausing at preserved architectural details that trace the school’s 1950 origins.

The nostalgia extended to the memorabilia table, where visitors bought vintage yearbooks—some reclaiming editions they once lost in moves or floods. Proceeds, along with funds raised throughout the evening, benefit FOGH’s ongoing efforts to beautify and modernize the campus.

Friends of Gables High carries the mission forward

For FOGH, the anniversary was both a celebration and a rallying call. Lead organizer Bertha Lowell described the event as a highlight of a year-long campaign to support students and facilities. “We haven’t finished,” she said. “We’ll continue to fundraise and celebrate our school’s 75th anniversary through the end of the school year.”

Lowell thanked the alumni whose donations, attendance, and enthusiasm made the night possible, extending “heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us in celebrating this milestone occasion. Your presence and continued support made it possible for us to honor 75 years of tradition, excellence, and Cavalier pride.” She also encouraged former students to join the alumni association and follow FOGH on social media: “Your high school needs all the support it can get—and you make a difference.”

A tradition renewed for the next generation

By night’s end, the courtyard lights glowed across a campus alive with conversation, music, and laughter. Alumni swapped stories with students who now walk the same halls, bridging the school’s first seventy-five years with its next chapter.

As the last notes from the marching band faded and the auditorium dimmed, one truth resonated: Coral Gables Senior High’s spirit endures—adaptable, inclusive, and as proud as ever. In the City Beautiful, the Cavaliers are still charging forward, 75 years strong.