WESTBROOK – Besides coping with the usual nerves that accompany high school graduation, Westbrook High School seniors this year might have to cope with something that no class has had to deal with at graduation in almost 40 years – the elements.

That’s because, in a big break with tradition, the Westbrook High School class of 2012 will not be graduating inside.

Instead, the June 8 ceremony will be held outside at the school’s Olmstead Field at 6 p.m., the first time since the 1970s that a Westbrook graduation has been held outside.

Not surprisingly, the move to have the graduation on campus instead of at an offsite location like Portland’s Merrill Auditorium came as a cost-saving measure. What is surprising is that the decision to move the graduation came not from the administration, but from the students themselves.

Erin Wilson, the vice president of the senior class and one of the top five students in the class of 2012, said this week the idea came about during a discussion at the beginning of the school year between herself, senior class president Gabby Ledue and her father, senior class adviser Peter Wilson. Wilson said they were brainstorming ideas about graduation locations with an eye on “what would save the most money and still be important to our class.”

Quickly, Olmstead Field became an intriguing possibility.

“We liked this idea because (having graduation at the school) means more to us than graduating in an auditorium where we’ve only been once or twice,” she said.

She said the class really didn’t have a connection to the Westbrook Performing Arts Center, as the new middle school was built after this group of seniors had already moved on to high school.

Still, the entire class had a vote on the matter. So, in October, the seniors were given a choice among Merrill Auditorium, the Westbrook Performing Arts Center and the football field, and the vote wasn’t even close.

“Overwhelmingly, it was the football field,” Wilson said. “I love it, I think it’s a great idea. I’m glad our class decided to do it.”

Westbrook High School Principal Thomas O’Malley said the choice to keep the graduation at the school underlines the special connection that this senior class has to the school and the community as a whole.

“We have a unique and wonderful group of seniors,” he said.

Now all that the seniors and the school administration have to hope for is some cooperation from Mother Nature.

“I’m trying not to think about it too much,” Wilson said.

Fortunately for Wilson and the rest of the seniors, the administration is looking at contingency plans in case the weather takes a turn for the worse on graduation day.

“It’s a huge risk (to have an outside ceremony),” O’Malley said. “(But) all of our students are optimistic about it.”

Just in case, O’Malley said, plans have been made to move the proceedings into the Performing Arts Center in case of rain, and the staff will be watching the forecast carefully in the days leading up to graduation to make sure that the graduates and their families know about any possible changes as fast as possible.

“The sooner the better for everyone involved,” O’Malley said.

But pushing the thought of rain aside, O’Malley said it will be a special event at Olmstead Field, with the graduates seated on the field for the ceremony and the families seated in the stands and on special seating brought in for the occasion. The school is taking care to make sure there is a special atmosphere for the seniors and their families.

“We want this to be a formal event,” O’Malley said. “We want it to have pomp and circumstance.”