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Robinson High School 6311 S. Lois Ave., Tampa, FL 33616
Volume 60, Issue 2 |December, 2019
caught between a rock and a hard corner
news
What’s inside
A&E
Look at the best gag gifts to give
Opinion
how should we wish people happy holidays?
Feature
PG 2
THE BEST THINGS TO DO OVER WINTER BREAK
PG 4
PG 6
Robinson adjusts school security to fit with new Florida laws
Find out how guidance helps students through uknighted tree
By: Ameilia Foster A&E and Multimedia Editor
In this photo illustration, editor Anna Woodward poses for a photo taken in between the cracks of a closed blind inside a classroom of the new foreign language building. Photo by Morgan Brazier
PG 7
sports
O CHEER PREPARES FOR COMP SEASON
PG 8
SAVE THE DATE Dec 16
Exam week begins
Dec 20
Last day of first semester
Dec 25
Christmas
Jan 1
New Years day
Jan 7
Students return to school
n Jan 19, 2018, Robinson was issued the construction permit for the new foreign language building; 26 days later, 17 people died at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during a school shooting. Now, nearly two years later, Florida Governor DeSantis has signed into effect laws concerning school safety requirements, including building design, too late for Robinson to change its newest building. The new laws, known as Senate Bill 7030, are a set of recommendations from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission, which was formed to analyze what went wrong during the MSD shooting and to make state-wide recommendations to prevent a similar situation. The Commission submitted their report to the Florida Legislature on Jan 2, 2019 and it became effective on May 8, 2019. Glass is a common motif in the new foreign language building, and although many of the windows can be covered by blinds, it eliminates the possibility of permanent hard corners, which is an area in the room that can not be seen from any windows and is meant to keep students safe during active shooter threats. The building did pass the final inspection on April 12, 2019, but Senate Bill 7030 didn’t go into effect until a month later. “I actually had one of the officers come out and work our site... to take some recommendations and requests back to them [the school security office] to make our school more ‘hard’ so to speak,” Principal Robert Bhoolai said. “Even those classrooms with the windows in the hallway, they do have a way to block those windows in a matter of seconds [in reference to the blinds]. You can create a hard corner but you have to make sure those windows are covered because obviously its part of the wall.” Outside of the structure of the hard corner, the senate bill recommends that hard corners are marked in some way to indicate where
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students should go in case of an active shooter. Robinson administration met with faculty to instruct them to mark their classroom’s hard corner, yet many classrooms go without a clearly marked area. Robinson had school security plans before the MSD shooting, and they evolve constantly to cover any threats as they come up. Each individual classroom has a standard plan according to location, amount of windows, size, etc. Robinson worked with the school district to create security measures for each building that complied with the new senate bill, including the hard corner. “There were some changes [to the school safety plan] based on that bill but we worked through those changes with our You can create a hard corner but you have school security office,” to make sure those windows are covered Bhoolai said. “I don’t because obviously its part of the wall. want to say it wasn’t - Principal Robert Bhoolai hard, but the process was as smooth as it could have been.” Out of the 12 classrooms in the building, two of which are computer rooms, 10 have a large window facing the outside, four have floor-toceiling windows facing the hallway and eight have non-transparent glass through which you can see outlines and shadows. Each large window can be covered by twist-blinds or pull-down shutters, and the blinds on the windows that face the outside aren’t pressed against the glass, resulting in cracks when the blinds are fully closed that reveal corners in the room. None of the glass is bulletproof. “In the classrooms that I’ve been in in the new building, no, there is Continued on page two...
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Robinson adjusts school security to fit with new Florida laws
From page one... not a clear hard corner. Even if there is one, I don’t think that they are sufficient or safe enough,” Elizabeth Weck (‘21) said, who is a team member of March for our Lives Tampa and an organizer for March for our Lives Florida. School shootings became a nationwide issue when MSD survivors started March for our Lives in 2018, and Robinson was built in 1959. All classrooms have glass, and not all have hard corners because gun security wasn’t an issue when the plans were initially drawn 60 years ago. To keep Robinson safe in light of recent events, they adjust every year, not just every shooting. School safety plans don’t just cover building requirements. As a result of the actions of Parkland’s police officers during the shooting, the bill placed emphasis on training for all police officers to prepare them on what to do during a shooting.
“Since then [the MSD shooting], our training has been able to--we get more training throughout the year than we did before,” Officer Jesse Hester said. The ForitfyFL posters up in multiple locations around Robinson that tell students to report any suspicious activity they see are one of the outcomes of the bill. For more of an explanation on the basics of the bill, see [insert]. “All of those things have always been in place in some way or another, but with this new Senate Bill they are at the forefront of the entire schooling experience now,” Bhoolai said. Administration is currently working on an active movement to strengthen security school-wide, and for safety reasons Bhoolai has stated that details can not be revealed. “The security of the new building is as secure as any of the other buildings on campus,” Bhoolai said.
New Florida Senate Bill Explained By Lindsey Chadwick Staff Writer
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s a result of recent school shootings, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 7030, based on recommendations by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission. The senate bill is meant to address school security in terms of gun violence, and the requirements that directly impact Robinson students are broken down below.
Trending on rhstoday.com Robles wins Diversity Educator of the Year for the second time By Kenzie Krcellic Staff Writer Robles strives everyday to empower her students and let them know that they are worth something, that they can make it. With her strong student connections she earned the ‘Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year’ award for the second time.
Keep Our School Beautiful club participates in competition By Anna Woodward Online Managing Editor This year, the Keep Our School Beautiful Club, KOSB, will be participating in the 4th annual Hillsborough 100 Conservation Challenge.
Safe-School Officer Part of the bill requires a Safe-School Officer at each public school. There are four different types of Safe-School Officers, a School Resource Officer, School Safety Officer, School Guardian and School Security Guard. Each position has different qualifications, and has qualifications such as undergoing a background check and meeting training requirements. School districts must notify the county sheriff if there is any misconduct from a Safe-School officer, like unnecessarily firing their weapon. Mental Health The funds allocated for mental health programs were increased with the bill, with a focus on picking up on mental health issues early on in order to prevent later tragedy. School districts must now report which students underwent mental health screenings and are referred to specialists. The bill doesn’t only focus on an individualized approach, but also on a community approach as school districts are now required to have an agreement with a community group
to provide mental health services at schools. Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program The Guardian program, created in honor of the coach who sacrificed himself during the MSD shooting, is a program in which volunteers undergo training to prevent an active shooting threat. All volunteers must go through a minimum of 144 hours of training, including firearm safety, active shooter scenarios and diversity training. Fulltime classroom teachers can now participate in the Guardian program, and must pass psychological screenings and drug screenings to be able to get approval. No school Guardian has the power of arrest. Sheriffs receive compensation for training costs, and all Guardians receive $500 for their participation. Tip Hotlines Part of Senate Bill 7030 requires schools to advertise FortifyFL, a way for students to relay information concerning suspicious activity through their mobile devices. Any information reported is automatically sent to a law enforcement agency and school officials, and the reporter can choose whether or not to keep their identity anonymous. In addition to the existence of the program, a training program will be developed on how to properly use Fortify FL.
Timeline: School Shootings By Ava Hogan Staff Writer
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night Writers have created a timeline of school shootings over the past 20 years to spread awarness on the reality of this growing violence in our schools.
Columbine High School
• Littleton, Colorado • April 20, 1999 • 13 killed, more than 20 wounded
West Nickel Mines School •Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania •October 2, 2006 •8 killed
Northern Illinois University •Dekalb, Illinois •February 14, 2008 •5 killed
Red Lake Senior High School •Red Lake Indian Reservation, Minnesota •March 21, 2005 •7 killed
Virginia Tech •Blacksburg, Virginia •April 16, 2007 •32 killed, dozens more injured
Sandy Hook Elementary
•Newton, Connecticut •July 27, 2012 •32 killed
Oikos University
•Oakland, California •April 2, 2012 •7 killed
Santa Monica College •Santa Monica, California •June 7, 2013 •5 killed
Marysville Pilchuck High School •Marysville, Washington •October 24, 2014 •5 deaths, 3 injured
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School •Parkland, Florida •February 14, 2018 •17 killed
Rancho Tehama Elementary School •Reserve, California •November 14, 2017 •5 killed, 18 injured
Santa Fe High School •Houston, Texas •May 18, 2018 •10 killed
Legally Blonde
Auditions
Tuesday, Dec. 17 12:40-3:30
After the last exam, grab your lunch and head to the auditorium upstairs classroom. Prepare a song to show off your range. Or not, you don’t need to sing to be the show.
Backstage and tech crew wanted
Rehearsals: Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Performances: April 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th at 7 p.m. 2
news
Guidance Helps Students in Need
The Uknighted Tree organized by Robinson’s guidance department is helping students in need this holiday season By Jules Whitaker Features and Opinion Editor
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he guidance office is spreading through some hard time,” Robinson’s help others, so that’s what we would a little holiday cheer this season student services secretary Lily Sallis like to do.” by organizing their annual Uknighted said. Stewart works alongside RobinTree for students at Robinson. Items listed on the angel tags son’s guidance department, orgaThe Uknighted Tree was a project range from gift cards to Nike socks nizing this opportunity to help give started by Robinson’s guidance to makeup and list an item those students at Robinson who may be department as a way to help some of students are wishing for. Angel tags struggling financially a chance to the less fortunate students within our were made available following the receive a gift this season. The gifts immediate community and were due Dec. 6 which allows allows the kids to write down guidance to sort the presents. Here at Robinson High we like to help a gift they are wishing for this Stewart said that once all everybody, but we want to make sure our holiday season. of the items are collected, the own are helped, and that their taken care Students and teachers are compile the gifts into gift bags welcome and encouraged to for each student. After the gift of for the holidays. - Lori Stewart take part. The tree is located in bags are complete, guidance the guidance office where name calls the students down anonytags will hang with the gender mously and separately to hand and item the students are wishing for end of thanksgiving break for anyone them their gift bag for the holidays. this holiday season. interested in donating an item. “Here at Robinson High we like to “Anyone—a student a teacher or “The main object [of the tree] is help everybody, but we want to make any staff member from Robinson— that all of our students are taken care sure our own are helped, and that can come and actually take one of of,” said Lori Stewart, the school’s their taken care of for the holidays,” the tags and purchase the item that’s social worker. “This is the time of Stewart said. listed on the tag. The tree and puryear that we can give of ourselves and chase are for students who are going come from a place in our heart and
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Troupe 2660 set to perform a double feature for their winter show The troupe performs their Christmas show and a new play, “Dystopia” a Teen Parody in two acts By Kenzie Krcellic Staff Writer obinson’s thespian troupe is set to perform their Christmas show on Dec. 12 and 13 in Robinson’s auditorium at 7 p.m., but it has a twist this year. A typical holiday showcase for the troupe consists of joyous one-acts that are holiday themed. This showcase will still be themed but they are also adding a second act, which is a first for the troupe. The first act will consist of many comforting holiday numbers along with famous songs from movies. One being a group performance from Mean Girls, “Jingle Bell Rock”. The first act is filled with many classical songs. Theatre director Maureen Pelamati, speaks on the ending number. “We are closing out the first act with “Let it Go” from Frozen and that should be pretty spectacular, we have Hunter [Patterson] (‘22) playing the part of Elsa, it’ll be a nice song and dance number,” Pelamati said. Debuting at the holiday showcase as the second act is “Dystopia,” a play crafted by Charles Davidson (‘21). The play is about a teen girl, Main Character, who adventures out to defeat villains. “I think people are going to be surprised, like ‘wow, a student wrote that [Dystopia]?,” Pelamati said. As the troupe prepares for the upcoming showcase, excitement sets in. “I’m excited to see how it [Dystopia] will play out,” Alexandria Conley (‘20), theatre president said.
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Teachers and students would visit guidance to take gift tags from the Unknighted Tree. They would return the tags with the gifts attached. Photo by Jules Whitaker
Top 5 Places to Study for Exams
Some of the best study places are right in the heart of Tampa.
By Jaylen Stasio Staff Writer
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eed help finding the best place to study for those annoying mid-term exams? Look no further! PANERA- From the food to the atmosphere, Panera is a well-known place to study. Panera is a quiet, conducive studying environment and perfect for those days when you want to study and enjoy a nice little snack at the same time. The large menu of items to eat and drink accommodates every food mood you could possibly be in.
The main charcters of the one-act play “Dystopia” during the in-school performance on December 4. Photo by Nicole Perdigon
“People should really come because we sell treats during admissions and it gets people into the holiday spirit before the weekend.” The troupe is not only having a bake sale, they are also selling troupe ornaments reading “Have a dramatic Christmas.” The profits from both nights will go to funding and support for Robinson’s threatre program. Tickets will be $5 the days leading up to the show. To purchase your tickets, see any of the troupe members or Pelamati in room AUDC (the upstairs auditorium classroom). It’s important to note that because it’s a double feature, the price will increase to 10 dollars at the door, so make sure to get your tickets early.
STARBUCKS- This coffee place is a fan favorite for scholars and coffee lovers alike. Not only can you study, but you can also enjoy a nice cup of coffee or whatever your “drink” may be. The quiet environment surrounded by the sweet smells of coffee make for one of the most calming and productive study environments available. BUDDY BREW- Much like Starbucks, Buddy Brew is a coffee shop but with a cute and cozy environment. The beautiful scenery in Hyde Park adds to why it’s such a great study spot along with the delicious coffee. The coffee shop’s small size is what makes it so perfect for studying.
DAVIS ISLAND COFFEE BAR- This coffee shop on Davis Island is perfect for a quick little study session. The welcoming service and comfy atmosphere makes for the perfect study environment. Did I mention they have coffee? With a menu that incorporates all types of taste, it’s easy to want to stay here and study for hours. THE BUNKER- This cute cafe is located in Ybor City. It offers quality food and a plethora of drinks plus they have vintage board games you can play while you enjoy your food. The cozy environment and comfy couches allow for a peaceful study session, the delicious drinks are just a plus. The cozy feeling apparent in this little coffee shop allows for the relaxation needed to prepare for those stressful exams. KHAWA- Okay yes, Khawa is also a coffee shop but I saved the best for last. Khawa has arguably the best coffee in South Tampa and is a good alternative to The Bunker if Ybor is a bit to far to go for an afternoon study session. Khawa has the comfy couches and cozy environment and the good food and coffee, plus, they also have a location at international mall.
Faced with a full planner? These study places will help you prepare for exams. Photo by Jaylen Stasio
news
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he superior version of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is “The Grinch”. This animated version follows the lives of Mr. Grinch and his dog Max during the Christmas season. Mr. Grinch, who hates all things Christmas, and his dog Max create a plan to steal all of the “greedy Who-Ville kid’s” presents and Christmas in general. I chose this version of The Grinch versus the original cartoon and the live action version because it stays true to Dr. Seuss’s story and portrays the Grinch as a more friendly character who still hates Christmas, but isn’t as creepy as Jim Carrey’s depiction of the Grinch.
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the grinch
ove Actually” is a heartwarming and hilarious journey through the love story of many different characters. The story is set in Britain around Christmas time and follows eight different characters on their journey to find love which all eventually intersect in an underwater themed nativity play. “Love Actually” is my favorite Christmas movie because it portrays the many facets of love and how love has no barriers during the Christmas season throug humor and sweet stories that can’t help but make you smile.
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LOVE ACTUALLY
Staff writer Ethan Adair attended the Winter
video: tampa’s annual tree lighting
Charlie Brown Christmas” is a classic that follows the story of the Peanuts as they celebrate Christmas. This program captures the real meaning of Christmas through the wise words of Linus, an eight year old whose best friend is a blanket. It emphasizes the more fundamental elements of Christmas with Charlie’s adoption of the tiny Christmas tree and the recitation of the Christmas Story as found in the Bible. This heart-felt classic has retained its appeal for more than 50 years with its lovable humor and universal message.
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a charlie brown christmas
his is one of the funniest Christmas movies ever created. This movie is part of a series of the “National Lampoon’s Vacations”. The Griswalds are a dysfunctional family and everything they do seems to go wrong. In the end, the Griswalds enjoy an old fashioned family Christmas despite the destruction of their house and reputation in the neighborhood. Christmas Vacation’s elevated and a bit inappropriate humor gives it its holiday charm.
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national lampoon’s christmas vacation
The holiday season, filled with love, an empty bank account, the overwhelming smell of peppermint and way too many decisions to make, can be a pain. Worry not, if you or a loved one are struggling to make an important decision, whether its between what holiday movie to watch while cozy-ing up by the fire or which gag gift to get for your best friend, the Knight Writers have done all the hard work for you.
movies for the holidays By Ella Wertz News Editor
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BAG OF BABIES
ow I know what you may be thinking, how on earth would I get a bag of babies and isn’t that illegal? The answer, no it’s not. The best part about this gift is that the recipient can hide the small children in obscure places, confusing innocent by passers. To obtain a bag of babies simply search on Amazon “bag of plastic babies” and you find the first option is a bag of 120 mini plastic babies for a small fee of $8.99 (not including shipping).
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ne of the most accessible gifts for anyone who needs an easy gag gift in a pinch, this gift is the trojan horse of gifts during the holiday season. At first it seems like a good deed, perhaps a little odd to be giving a coupon but upon closer glance it becomes evident that the gift is actually expired and is of no use to the recipient. This gift can be found in your home for a low price of zero dollars.
EXPIRED COUPON
best gag gifts of 2019
his gift idea is one of my personal favorites. This somehow is the most useless yet simultaneously helpful gift of all time. Just imagine your debating your rights as an american, so you take out your trusty pocket guide to the United States Constitution and spit straight facts. This is something that is applicable to a range of ages and demographics which makes it a perfect white elephant gift. This item can be found on Amazon for $8.69 (not including shipping).
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US CONSTITUTION
Village at Curtis Hixon Park for Tampa’s annual tree lighting ceremony on Dec . 6. Scan this QR code to watch his video highlighting the event.
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A SINGULAR EGG
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WEIRD POSTER
his is one of the more bizarre gag gifts, however this poster idea is genius if you’re looking for a more personalized gift idea. Walmart is easily accessible for many and has a wide variety of wacky posters set for all ages, including but not limited to; Jojo Siwa, cats listening to music and dogs playing poker. Which gives you, the gift giver, more involved and makes the present more meaningful to those who may receive it.
Illustration by Kristina Alexander
imilar to another gift, eggs are accessible and come at no cost if you already have some in your house. With this gift you can add a bit of spice and mystery, the egg you decide to gift can be raw or hard boiled giving the recipient suspense until they find a time to crack the egg.
By Nicole Perdigon Print Managing Editor
the ultimate gift guide to annoying your friends
Editor's Letter By Morgan Brazier Editor-in-Chief
When the Knight Writers staff discussed what we wanted the focus of this issue to be, we were at a loss. It wasn’t until our A&E editor Amelia mentioned that our school’s newest building might not be the safest because of all the windows that we decided to talk about school shootings. I thought back to a few months ago when we had a lock-in for five periods of the day because another student at Robinson had threatened to bring a gun to school. Our newspaper class was stuck in the journalism room for the lock-in and while we joked about the situation and had debates about the best chicken tenders, it was still a very real threat that had prompted the lock down. Writing these articles about school shootings and how they have impacted our schools and our mindsets, all I can think about is how normalized they have become. It’s not shocking anymore to hear the term “school shooting”, because they happen so often and we as a country have had so many that no one is surprised anymore when one happens. I’m proud of the work our staff has done this issue, but I hate that school shootings have become so prevalent that we can fill up so much of our paper talking about them.
The Knight Writers newspaper is published by the first period journalism II-V class at Robinson High School.
Editor-In-Chief
Morgan Brazier
Print Managing Editor Nicole Perdigon
ONLine Managing Editor Anna Woodward
Editorial: Generation lockdown By the Robinson Journalism Staff en years ago we wouldn’t have written 1000 words on our front page about how school shootings affect our classroom designs but here we are. It’s no great stretch to say that school shootings have significantly impacted our generation. We hear about it in the news more than we ever should— “students die in school shooting”. Parents wonder if it’s safe to send their kids to school, and we worry if we will come home. Anytime we hear the words “lockdown, lockdown, lockdown” over the intercom—even when we know it’s just a drill—there are some of us whose first thought is “what if it’s real?”. We understand that we are not the only ones affected by this trend of school shootings, we can only imagine the fear parents feel knowing their child might die at school, but they didn’t have to grow up with this fear. They were not raised in a world where the thought constantly crossed their minds that they might be killed at school. We are the first generation to grow up with this being normal. We hear a crash in the hallway and our hearts skip a beat. A fire alarm goes off when there wasn’t supposed to be a drill and we wonder if we will hear gunshots when people start to leave the classrooms. There is a
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Public domain image from openclipart.org.
Happy holidays vs merry christmas Saying “happy holidays” is more inclusive to everyone
Lindsey Chadwick Staff Writer t’s the holiday season and that includes more than just Christmas. For those who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or other religious practices or beliefs, the amount of “Merry Christmas” advertised excludes the existence of these other holidays. As a kid I was taught the phrase “Merry Christmas”. It was what my parents said, it was what I knew. Phrases like “happy holidays” were less common because we celebrated Christmas. But now “Happy Holidays” versus “Merry Christmas” has become a controversial topic. Adopting the phrase “Happy Holidays” allows for people to spread holiday cheer while bringing many people from many beliefs together. Much of what we celebrate during the holiday season emphasizes kindness, charity, giving to others and spending time with loved ones. The way we spend this time may change depending on your religious practices, but the intentions are similar—whether it’s spent on Christmas morning or the eighth night of Hanukkah. America is fortunate enough that we accept and celebrate our diversity and can choose what religions and beliefs we practice. People celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Las Posadas, the New Year and more. To only recognize a singular holiday separates and excludes others. If the season is of
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News Editor Ella Wertz
Sports Editor Jack Kirk
A&E Editor
Amelia Foster
multimedia Editor Amelia Foster
Feature & opinion Editor Jules Whitaker
6 Opinion
rumor that a kid threatened to bring a gun to school and our stomachs feel sick. Maybe it’s not everyone, but enough of us feel this fear in the back of our minds. It should not be okay. Enough of us experience this fear, and the adults who ignore this reality and do nothing to change it should be ashamed. We don’t write this article to cause debate about gun control, or to be called snowflakes by those who feel we are being over dramatic. We write this because so many of us go to school every day with the fear that we will not go home; that the argument we had with our mom over breakfast will be the last thing we ever say to her; that we might have to watch our friends die. We write this to say that, regardless of your opinion on the laws or the ethics of it all, this is how we feel.
People should be able to say “Merry Christmas” or “happpy hanukkah” or whatever they celebrate during the holiday season
love and kindness, this inclusion should be emphasized and saying “Happy Holidays” wishes everyone a positive time of year without leaving anyone out. The point of these modified phrases are not to erase what matters to people, but rather to embrace the many ways we celebrate the winter holidays. “Happy holidays” is a general term that can be used to make sure no one feels like a minority belief, because we all deserve the chance to embrace our cultures and beliefs. “Happy holidays” can be said from Thanksgiving into the New Year. People can use “Happy Holidays” for a much longer time period to mean multiple different things while not offending anyone by not including them. Again, happy holidays should be said over Merry Christmas.
Staff
Ethan Adair Lindsey Chadwick Olivia Godinez Ava Hogan Mckenzie Krcelic Jennifer Le Hanna Malone Jaylen Stasio Meena Vasquez
Publications Adviser Nancy Oben
Jules Whitaker Feature and Opinion Editor
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he phrases “Happy holidays”, “winter break” and “winter holidays”. These are the inclusive terms found acceptable by a majority of public establishments. The holidays most are referring to during this season are Hannukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. People should be able to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” or whatever they celebrate this holiday season. Saying “happy holidays” implies these holidays anyways, why not just say whatever it is you’re wishing to celebrate. I celebrate Christmas. If I want to wish someone a happy holiday season my preferred phrase is “Merry Christmas”. Though not all people celebrate the same holiday or religious practices, the intentions behind these phrases are to share joy and warmth to our
Public domain image from openclipart. org.
Principal Robert Bhoolai
Robinson High School
6311 S. Lois Ave Tampa, FL 33616 Phone: 813-272-3006 Fax: 813-272-3014 School hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. Population 1536 Students 150 Staff
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neighbors. Yet many of these sayings are becoming quietly unacceptable to say. Businesses over the years have begun policing the term “merry Christmas” and other holiday phrases that might be exclusive to other religions. Many have gone as far as banning employees from using it while working on company time. This approach has been taken to include other minority holiday practices. But the erasure of saying Merry Christmas also removes the saying of other holiday tidings. Though they do not make up the majority group, phrases like “Happy Hanukkah” and “happy Kwanzaa” are also encouraged to stay at home. The act of Christmas trees and gift giving and a large portion of Christmas consumerism involve traditions and things that have nothing to do with the religious celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday season is a time of giving, people should be able to say whatever phrase they want to show these affections. I don’t think whether or not someone says “Merry Christmas” over “happy holidays” is done with the intention of excluding anyone— that would be the opposite of the reason for the season.
The role and goal of all RHS Media is to inform, interpret and entertain their viewers through accurate and factual reports, and be accurate, fair and impartial in its coverage of issues that affect the school community. The staff of RHS Media will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical manner, according to the Society for Professional Journalists’
Code of Ethics
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Make your New Year’s Resolution count
Jewish holidays should receive Anna Woodward more consideration By Online Managing Editor Teachers should consider Jewish holidays when planning their classes
Making New Years resolutions that stick are hard, these are some ways to be able to achieve a resolution
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By Meena Vasquez Staff Writer
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fter Christmas wraps up, many look forward to the new year with hopes and new resolutions. Especially this upcoming year, 2020, the start of a new decade. But, very little people actually keep, let alone achieve their said resolution. In fact, many give up after the first week of January. So, how do you make a resolution that’s easy to stick to. Start small. Overtime it’ll become a bigger and better resolution. A resolution doesn’t have to be big and super life changing. Having unrealistic resolutions like this is what can set you up for failure. Common resolutions like ‘’losing 40 pounds’’, or ‘’saving money’’ are way too broad—narrow it down. Instead of telling yourself to lose 40 pounds, set more specific goals like go to the gym every other day or cut down on carbs. If you lose 5 pounds a week, in time, this builds up to the larger 40 pound goal while being more managble. Changing small behaviors can build up a better you. But do it one behavior at a time. Replacing unhealthy habits with healthy lternatives one by one helps pace yourself and makes it more achievable. Meal prepping plays a huge role in the typical “lose weight” resolution. Strategies like this lead up to your goal and set up
feasible ways to get there. Another vital tip in creating a successful resolution is to create a strategy. Planning creates a blueprint of what to do and what not to do to achieve your goal. Using money for example, one can create a system to save where their money is going to; how much money is going into savings; how much money they’re allowed to spend on entertainment; things they want to save up for and more. Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up during this process. A goal is going to take time to reach and it will not happen overnight. Ask for help, don’t keep this resolution a secret. Let your family or friends help hold you accountable and provide support when you do feel doubtful about this goal.
t’s not a surprise that every year, some Jewish holidays fall on weekdays. This year, both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, two of the major holidays, were on weekdays. What’s also sadly not a surprise is that teachers still set important assignments due on these holidays, when a number of students will be absent from school—and have told their teachers in advance. Giving students an excused absence is great and appreciated, but teachers should take into consideration these holidays when planning tests and presentations. Yes, you can make up a quiz, but if you’re in a group project, it’s going to be much harder to present without everyone there. Instead of making a single person make up the presentation or having a group wait until everyone else has gone to present, teachers should accommodate these holidays like they do Christmas. I’m no teacher and I understand that planning lessons takes time and lots of thought and that’s something that we should always appreciate our teachers for, but if you know that a good number of students will be missing, wouldn’t it be easier to switch some lessons around instead of having to postpone a single group or making someone present separately in an environment different from their peers? Although I’m Jewish, I’ve never skipped school for a holiday just because my
family doesn’t practice that way. However, it’s frustrating to see my friends come back from a day celebrating with their family stressed and worried about what they’re going to have to make up. Most of time, that stress comes from missed presentations or tests, not homework. I’m not asking teachers to make classes on Jewish holidays a free period, but minority holidays deserve more consideration. Though the majority of people at Robinson celebrate Christian holidays, it doesn’t mean that we should overlook other religions. With the diversity that Robinson has, teachers and students should have a schedule that also represents minority groups. It’s so important to embrace other religions and cultures instead of ignoring them and giving these students regard for the holidays is a step towards a more accepting and ideal school environment.
Hanukkah decorations in a Robinson classroom
How to block out winter break boredom By Jennifer Le Staff Writer
Fun winter activities you can do over break in Tampa
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fter a dreadful week of midterms, we’re treated with two weeks of winter break. While students who live in much colder states can look forward to snow days and sledding, the Florida winter can be quite restricting as to what festive activities you can do. Besides Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years or whatever holiday you may celebrate, there’s still a lot more winter-themed activities around Tampa to enjoy.
WINTER VILLAGE AT CURTIS HIXON PARK The Tampa Bay Lightning presents a holiday transformed Curtis Hixon Park with many fun sights and activities. No ice to ice skate? Not a problem! The Winter Village includes Downtown Tampa’s only outdoor ice rink with an open view of the Tampa Riverwalk and Hillsborough River. Even if you aren’t an experienced ice skater, it’s a fun experience to share with your friends and family over break. The rink offers rental skates and the individual admission fee is $15 for 90 minutes. Rink hours are extended during break, besides holidays.
VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS STROLL
Experience a glimpse at Christmas past at the Henry B. Plant’s Victorian Christmas Stroll. It embraces the fashion and spirit of the old fashioned holiday. Under the festive decor, you can enjoy jolly music, cookies, and cider with your friends and family as you watch a gorgeous array of Victorian-themed Christmas outfits. Many will be dressed up in the attire of ye olden Christmases to amp up the jolly vibe. You can look forward to this experience in Plant Hall and it’s open until December 23rd.
WATCH NEW MOVIES
The end of the year brings new movies to watch with your friends and family. You can go watch “Frozen 2” or “Last Christmas” if you want to get into the holidays feels. If you’re missing Halloween horror movies, make it a nightmare before Christmas by watching “Black Christmas”. Moving into winter break, new releases include “Little Women” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”. Going to the movies is always an easy and fun activity to spend time with friends and family, or you could even go by yourself.
PAINT POTTERY
Even though it doesn’t get to freezing temperatures in Florida, there’s a chance it may be too cold to be outside comfortably. Painting pottery doesn’t even have to be holiday themed, but if you’re wanting to be in a jolly mood, you can paint yourself a Christmas tree at the Potter’s House Studio for some pottery painting fun.
ENCHANT CHRISTMAS AT THE TROPICANA FIELD
This year, Enchant Christmas: The Great Search, is coming to St. Petersburg. Since Florida lacks the beautiful, frozen scenery of winter, Enchant Christmas will hype you up for the Christmas season with one of the largest Christmas light mazes, an ice skating trail, and Christmas market. You can also look forward to taking pictures with Santa at Santa’s Landing. The wintery-fun will be open until December 29th and you can buy tickets on their website.
Press image from Enchant Christmas
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High Hopes for this year’s competitive cheer team Robinson’s competitive cheer team feels confident going into the 2019-2020 season By Hanna Malone Staff Writer ith the end of Friday night lights’ sideline cheer comes the start of the competition season. The competitive cheer team has been practicing nonstop, preparing for upcoming competitions. Expectations are high for the team, with their 4th place performance at the state competition the preceding season, and the team is competing for the chance to participate at a national level this year, which has never been done before at Robinson. The competition team is younger than it has been in past years, however, with the team being made up largely out of underclassmen; there are only three seniors on this season’s squad. Though they lost twelve seniors from last year’s competition lineup, the underclassmen “This team is young,” Said Lexie George-Lowry, the head coach of the cheer team, “This is only the beginning of the legend and overall impact that they will make for Robinson cheerleading in the years to come.” The bond that teammates have with each other is a key factor in the success of the squad so far. The team comes from diverse backgrounds and cheerleading careers, but still manage to pull through and connect with each other in order to perform their routines.
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“Something that really sets Robinson’s cheer team apart is the diversity, I think. Everyone on our team is so different,” Said Jasmine Harrell (21’), “We have people on the team who have never cheered before, people who have cheered all their lives, and people who come from completely different sports. We’re unique because, somehow, we are able to take all of these different people and make it work and look good, you know?” However, the overflow of under-experienced members on the team does present challenges of it’s own. “We have a bunch of first-time competition girls, so sometimes they get nervous and doubt themselves,” Said Iyana Maggio (20’), “But my job as an upperclassman is to get the bad energy out of their head.” This year’s squad has a focus set on self-improvement in order to build the team up as a whole for their competitions. “My personal goal for cheer is to improve myself all around. Next year is my last year, and I want my jumps, chants and tumbling to be top-notch for my senior season.” Said Jonnee Ward (21’). On Thursday, November 21, the team had their first competition at Newsome High School, where they did not place.
“It wasn’t our team’s best performance,” Said GeorgeLowry, “It was almost half of our team’s first time on the competition mat, so I feel like nerves might have been a factor. However, the girls are more motivated than ever to be our very best at the following competition and at states. I have a good feeling that this year we will be getting some bling.”
Three flyers Ella Wertz (‘21), Jonnee Ward (‘21) and Alison Quigley (‘22) form the top of the cheer pyramid. The team is preparing for their competition season. Photo by Ava Hogan.
Brooke Volpi: goal-oriented
By Ella Wertz News Editor
Senior soccer player Brooke Volpi looks towards a future playing soccer.
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t’s not the game, it’s not kicking the winning goal in a game, it’s not the walk onto a district field that senior Brooke Volpi will miss the most about her soccer career at Robinson: it is the team. “My favorite memory from soccer is the giant sleepover the team has every year. I have so many crazy memories from each one and I look forward to it every year,” Volpi said. “I’m really into team bonding and I think that having fun together is one of the most important parts of any team sport.” Volpi’s attitude and love for her teammates has translated into the team’s success this season. Volpi uses her influence as a captain to set a positive tone for the team. “The biggest difference between this season and last season is probably being a senior and a captain. I feel more than ever so responsible for this team and take so much pride in leading it” As a senior captain, Volpi has a lot of influence on the growth of the team. Volpi has created a specific role for herself on the team as a mentor which allows others
to develop their skills and has really helped the team flourish. “If anyone has questions I’m always happy to answer them and I’m always vocal about pushing our players to do their best during the game as well as during practice,” Volpi said. “I really looked up to the senior captains when I was an underclassman, and I want to be that role model for the next generation.” Volpi’s effort and the amount of the work she puts into the team doesn’t go unnoticed. “Brooke is a great leader and has a passion for soccer like no other. She’s very inspiring and loves to help the team in anyway shape or form,” Meg Courtney (‘21) said. Volpi has signed to play D1 soccer at Elon University in North Carolina to continue her soccer career and love for the game. “I’m so so excited to play in college- it’s been a dream of mine since I first started playing, when I was like four,” Volpi said. Volpi continues to set goals for herself to further her soccer career even though she has already attained her
spot on a D1 college team. So far this season, Volpi has been nominated player of the game against in their games against both Hillsborough and Middleton. During the game against Hillsborough, Volpi scored four goals and made two assists. Against Middleton, Volpi made five assists. However, this success isn’t enough for Volpi as she continues to push herself to achieve more and more. “My personal goal for this year is getting the school record for career assists and maybe be number two in career points scored,” Volpi said. Brooke Volpi (‘20) dribbles the ball. Photo by Merritt McDowell.
Running into division-1 Ethan Geiger has found a way of life in running. By Jack Kirk Sports Editor
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Ethan Geiger (‘20) runs towards the finish line. Photo by Kaitlyn Patterson.
than Geiger has outrun the competition all year, seeing great success in the 2019 cross-country season. While he was breaking records and winning championships, Ethan Geiger (‘20) had a different outlook on the sport than others do. “Well honestly, I don’t see running as much of a sport,” Geiger said. “but rather a lifestyle.” Ethan Geiger has been running with the team since he was a freshman, and has developed into a state champion. Geiger had an interesting start to his running career that shows what kind of athlete he is.
“It’s a funny story but my friend beat me in a 5k [run] when I was in eighth grade and I was like I’m not going to let him beat me again,” Geiger said. “and that kind of gave me the competitive aspect of running.” Geiger has helped his team in many ways in terms of team morale, among other things. “He’s really committed to the team,” teammate Ethan Hunter (‘20) said. “He’s a leader.” Besides being a leader, Geiger has had seven first place finishes on the season, including a Hillsborough County Championship and a 3A State Championship. “He was integral to the team,” teammate Neal Anderson (‘20) said. “without him we
wouldn’t be able to do what we do.” His teammates saw what kind of person he was every time he got on one of those courses, in which he broke various records, such as on the Holloway Park course and the North Port course. “He really doesn’t know what pain is and he doesn’t really have a breaking point.” Anderson said. “He’s caring, looks after the rest of the team and he pushes himself and the team hard.” Cross Country has opened up academic opportunities for Geiger as well, as he is committed to the University of Florida for Division-1 running.
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