Strolling through the campus gates of Atlantic Coast High School, it takes attendees a few double-takes to recognize each other. Students and visitors were adorned in anything from big, colorful outfits—fully decked out with heels, makeup, wigs, props, and accessories—to the simple but recognizable signature looks of famous anime, superhero and video game characters.
This was the scene at the fourth annual StingrayCon at Atlantic Coast, hosted on March 1. The event – which was nominated for the “Best Jacksonville Convention” By Folio Weekly last year– welcomed 400 attendees to enjoy 80 vendors and volunteers set up in the courtyard, gym and classrooms leading to the auditorium.
Caroline Posey, who went cosplaying as the famous Vocaloid named Gumi, and was a contestant in the cosplay competition, said the day was filled with activities and games to entertain everyone who set foot on campus March first.
“The market and vendors were really fun this year,” said Posey, a junior at Atlantic Coast. “I liked how they had sword-fighting, even though I struggled to do it in heels. But it was really fun. We had DnD done by our students—super awesome, super fun, like I said—and it was just overall really fun. So yeah, highly recommend. Go! Go to StingrayCon!”
Mr. Joseph Rawlins, the mastermind behind the event, says this year’s turnout was successful, emphasizing a change in the dominant age group of attendees, giving him hope the event will stir interest for many years to come.
“We had far more students come out this year than previously—there was a noticeable shift in terms of the attendance towards a younger crowd, which was really cool, cause that’s kind of what StingrayCon is geared for—kind of like a ‘first con experience,’” Rawlins said.
On the right side of the campus, chalk is handed out for guests to leave their mark on the campus courtyard until the rain eventually washes it away. Across the courtyard, resident Stingray nerd Mr. Matthew Zur—a chaperone for the Nintendo Smash Bros. contest—stands tall on a table while giving instructions on how the competition will work. About two dozen contestants stare up at him, making sure they soak in every detail.
Outside the campus gates, there are four food trucks offering different foods. The most popular being the boba tea truck with its sweet milk tea topped with chewy, syrupy boba pearls, as well as some light and airy strawberry cream cake. Nearby was the popular Southern food truck with its cheesy, salty loaded fries, sprinkled with bits of bacon and sauce on the side.
In the auditorium, there is a studio Ghibli movie playing with the lights down low while people take a breather from the excitement outside. Then, out and into the spiraling hallway of Building 200, posters advertising StingrayCon with popular characters and puns are peppered around. One showcases Pikachu, the Pokémon, saying “Pika-achoo! Come to StingrayCon, March 1st!” and another depicts Deadpool making a heart shape with his hands while sharing his love for chimichangas … and StingrayCon.
Then, in the choir room, three tables are set up with about five people per table, each experiencing their own adventurous stories. The one closest to the classroom door cycles through two different Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) campaigns within the six-hour day, with a few hour-long breaks in between:
One story was about a tyrant king, who absorbs his power from an evil witch locked below his castle. The party members, rebels who were locked up in jail cells one story above her, devise a plan to take her down and slay the king for outlawing magic.
Another story depicted the mysterious but welcoming Mother Mourn—who leads the party to her warm orphanage surrounded by the drowsy, depressing village, pleading with them to help her find her 25 missing children. Can she be trusted?
However, DnD isn’t the only main event of the convention. Attendees all have their own niche interests that are celebrated together at StingrayCon, a reason Zur was ecstatic to join the fun again this year.
“I think the environment is really great, it’s gotten better every year,” Zur said. “I think the thing that I love the most about it is it’s a place where a lot of people who don’t typically have a way to express themselves in an environment that’s safe— or they feel nervous about expressing their interests—they have a place to do that with StingrayCon.”
Breaking from their prior activities, at 1:10 p.m., competitors and attendees rush to the auditorium, hoping to not miss the cosplay competition. As the cosplayers wait in a line beside the stage, “Hot To Go!” By Chappell Roan plays, and the entire auditorium bursts into dance, raising their arms in the air to form the letters “H-O-T-T-O-G-O.” After a few minutes, the competitors walk across the stage, and the audience is instructed to return by 4 p.m. when the winners would be announced.
In the gymnasium, or StingrayCon’s “Vendor Hall”, vendors welcome incoming customers with beaming smiles and waves. Some are in cosplay, and others are in their most stylish outfits—graphic hoodies, big earrings and colorful hairclips: But almost everyone is making small talk, cheerfully chatting and giggling together. Some vendors even decide to give out small free gifts and stickers—especially if it matches someone’s cosplay.
In the lunchroom, there’s a few more vendors, and some tables for resting. Near the kitchen and lunch line area, there’s a small pin-making booth, where guests can draw on a small circular piece of paper and make it into a pin for free.
Nearing the end of the day, volunteers are seen packing and wrapping up events—such as the foam “combat” ring, and the video game truck. Most guests stroll toward the auditorium to see the winners of the cosplay contest and listen to any final regards from Rawlins. A few awards are handed out to runners-up, but some noticeable awards go to two Madoka Magica cosplayers—cosplaying as Sayaka and Madoka—winning the “Rookie Cosplay Award”, and a Sailor Moon cosplayer with a transforming dress winning the “Veteran Cosplay Award.”
It was rumored that this StingrayCon would be the final StingrayCon Atlantic Coast hosts for an uncertain amount of time—maybe forever, as Rawlins is soon to be leaving his teaching job at Atlantic Coast to pursue therapy.
However, at the very end of his closing speech, Rawlins excitedly mentioned to stay tuned for StingrayCon 2026.
“We have somewhere around $1200 left—so we profited that much from the convention to spend on upgrades for the club for next year,” Rawlins said.
Rawlins will need some help to keep the legend of StingrayCon alive at Atlantic Coast—and luckily, some heroes disguised as teachers: Matthew Zur, Jacob Askey, and Benjamin Rowan—have shown interest in taking over the event in the coming year. Rawlins is leaving his teaching position at Atlantic Coast next year, but hopes to remain a consultant in the planning and execution of the event in 2026.
“It’s been really bittersweet, the idea of stepping away from all this stuff,” Rawlins said. “That’s just really hit me during this last nine weeks, the idea that after 17 years of teaching, I’m going onto new things—being a therapist and stuff. I think with StingrayCon, I don’t have that kind of remorse or like, bittersweet feeling yet because I do intend to come back and help some of the teachers here run it. So that part feels good, still.”