RHS Knightwriters Vol. 60 Issue 3 | February 2020 by Knight Writers

Robinson High School 6311 S. Lois Ave., Tampa, FL 33616

www.rhstoday.com | @RobinsonKnights| @RobinsonSports_

Volume 60, Issue 3 |February, 2020

Luxury at a Cost inside Luxury apartments being built south of Gandy cause

What’s Page 2 Stuents paint a mural for biology teacher, Ms. Stanford.

gentrification in the neighborhoods around Robinson. By Ameilia Foster and Morgan Brazier A&E and Multimedia Editor and editor-in-chief

Page 4 Learn what’s going on at this year’s Gasparilla art and music festivals.

Page 5

Read about the Knightwriters’ opinion on Hillsborough County’s sex education policies

Page 6 Find out about the importance of exercise and how to make it fun.

Page 8 Editor contemplates the reasons she believes Netflix is losing its edge.

Save the date FEB 27 Conference night

MAR 2 Non-student day

MAR 4 SAT day

MAR 16 Start of spring break

MAR 23 Students return from spring break

Construction workers work on a entrance to a new luxury apartment complex. This complex is being built south of Gandy and is included in the 2748 units that have been completed, or under construction, since 2016. Photo by M. Brazier

he Robinson school zone encompasses the entire south of Gandy neighborhood, an area that is historically lower-income. Between 2016 and now, 2748 luxury apartment units have been built or are currently under construction south of Gandy. The process of building luxury apartments in this neighborhood to conform it to middle-class standards is gentrification, which will push economically disadvantaged people out and change the area’s culture.

“

None of the three [apartments under construction] have been affordable housing. - Stephanie Poynor

”

These 2748 apartment units come from seven different apartment complexes, six of which are currently finished. Out of those six apartment buildings, the cost for a two-bedroom twobathroom apartment ranges from $1726 to $4254 a month. If rent costs 30 percent of monthly income as recommended, the renter would have to earn at least $5,800 a month to affordably live in the cheapest apartment. To

put that in perspective, the median household income for south of Gandy is $60,000 a year, or $5000 a month, according to the US Census Bureau. This means that none of these apartments are affordable for the average south of Gandy resident, including Robinson families. “None of the three [apartments under construction] have been affordable housing,” Stephanie Poynor, a real estate agent and founder of the group STOP Overbuilding SOG, said. “These builders aren’t meeting the needs of people who are coming to live here.” According to the Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy, when expensive apartments are built in low-income areas, it raises the cost of living in the neighborhood and can make the area inaccessible to economically disadvantaged people. For renters, the nearby luxury apartments increase rent. For already economically disadvantaged people, which is 48 percent of Robinson’s population according to the School Improvement Plan, this leads to forced displacement due to an inability to maintain rent payments. “It [south of Gandy] is important to me because it is where I live and I’d like to be able

to get around without as much traffic, to have the same restaurants that have been there my entire life that are locally owned,” Emily Dusold (’21) said. “Just in general, [I want] to see people be able to live here reasonably, to not have to pay too much.” Gentrification impacts the school environment as well as the neighborhood culture. An influx of wealthy residents can increase a school’s funding and it increases the capacity rate. Continued on page 2...

One of the new apartment complexes waits for new residents. Photo by M. Brazier

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Luxury at a Cost As Robinson is the only public high school available south of Gandy, economically disadvantaged students have no other option because nearby private schools are out of budget. “At this time we don’t have to worry about any full accommodations because we just built the new addition of the 10 classrooms and two computer labs, so even at full capacity we should have enough classrooms for every teacher on campus and all of the students,” Principal Robert Bhoolai said. “The concern would be if the South Tampa area continues to grow which, that’s what the trend is right now, would we need additional classrooms in addition to the new addition to provide space for students? The answer to that is absolutely.” When luxury apartments are built in neighborhoods, the residents attract middle-class businesses, such as high-end coffee shops and boutiques. Gentrification can lower crime rates in areas and bring in new businesses. Those new businesses can however push out current

businesses that were affordable for lower-income residents who cannot afford the middle-class businesses that come in.

“

They [the new residents] are going to demand ‘Oh we need more trendy places, we want this to be more like Hyde Park’ and that’s not what south of Gandy is. - Emily Dusold (‘21)

”

Gentrification may lead to new businesses in the area, but it doesn’t solve pre-existing problems such as the fact that south of Gandy is considered a food desert. For residents, the closest large grocery store is on Gandy, which creates a destitute of easily accessible fresh food. The lack of transportation rate is higher in lower-income neighborhoods such as south of Gandy, while the middleclass residents that would live in these luxury apartments

would be able to afford transportation to a grocery store. “We are considered a food desert down here [south of Gandy] because we don’t have any place that sells fresh fruits and vegetables or fresh meats so all that folks who live down here who don’t have transportation are kind of stuck with poor food choices,” Poynor said. Once a lot is zoned for residential use, it can only be used for housing. STOP Overbuilding SOG went to a City Council meeting on Feb. 13 to petition to rezone one of the south of Gandy lots. The City Council denied the petition. Of the seven apartments, six are currently accepting residents. “Realistically, the only thing it [the luxury apartments] is going to do to the neighborhood is gentrify it,” Dusold said. “They [the new residents] are going to demand ‘Oh we need more trendy places, we want this to be more like Hyde Park’ and that’s not what south of Gandy is.”

RHS is adorned with a mural masterpiece Sarah Sanford enlists student artists to create a mural for her classroom. By Ella Wertz News Editor

hroughout the year, Robinson has been working to make the school a more positive and beautiful place for students. SGA and other on school organization have been making colorful and inspirational posters to adorn the walls of on campus. One teacher, has gone one step further in the beautification process in her classroom by adding a student-painted mural to her wall. Sarah Sanford, Pre-IB and IB SL Biology teacher, shifted out of the traditional setting and into IB two years ago. She moved into a new classroom this year, With the intent in making her classroom unique to her Sanford decided she wanted a mural. “It used to be Mr. Everhart’s room and before that I think it was Mr. Atkin’s room so this room has been used by a lot of people so I really wanted to do something to make it my own because this is where I plan on staying for a while,” Sanford said. The mural itself adds color and personality to the room, Sanford’s hope is that student participation in this mural will create a safe space and a comfortable atmosphere to aid student’s learning. “I really feel like letting the students take some ownership over the room helps us all feel a little bit more at home,” Sanford said. “So I asked some students if they would be interested in painting a mural and they agreed and its been slow going but it’s well worth the wait. It really does make it feel like a more interesting place to be,” Juniors Amelia Foster and Eli Duffey are the two students taking on the daunting mural task. They started working on it over summer by coming up with ideas and sketches. With little time to actually work during school, it has been a lengthy process. “[So far, the creation process of the mural has been] Definitely difficult because I’ve never done something so large-scale before and it’s hard to find a rhythm when we only have 40 minutes during lunches,” Duffey said. Since Sanford is a biology teacher, she wanted to center the mural around one of the main themes in her biology curriculum. Sanford and the muralists researched specific

Photo by N. Perdigon

plants and animals that were native to Florida. Sanford wanted to really showcase the various unique tropical and subtropical plants that students couldn’t find anywhere outside of Florida. The theme of the mural is diversity of life while encompassing many species that students could find in their own backyard. This mural allows students to create something in their learning space that they are proud of and influence other students to take part in this beautification process at school. “Everybody knows that it’s our own students that are painting it so I think it instills a little pride in all of us because its something from us by us I think its cool that students get to look at the talent of their classmates you know going out and buying a picture but knowing that it was made by or students and it showcases our talent really kind of makes it better,” Sanford said. Duffey hopes that this mural will leave a legacy and hope that other student will be pushed to utilize their creative side on campus. “It’s just a pretty cool thing to do because it’ll be there even after I’m gone and maybe some kid in the future will see it and be inspired to do their own,” Duffey said.

Photo by N. Perdigon

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News

WE HAVE ISSUES.

Knights are putting down their (Under) Armor for Nike gear

Hillsborough County Athletic Departments have made the switch to Nike from Under Armor.

By Ella Wertz News Editor illsborough County signed a contract that was passed on Feb 19, 2019 with Nike. The contract entails a complete switch of brands from the district’s previous deal with Under Armor. The switch of brands will be gradual. As teams need new uniforms, the district will buy Nike uniforms for the team. This re brand will span over three years. Nike entered a Head to Toe agreement with the district, meaning that Nike will supply sports with everything from footwear to equipment. According to the district, Hillsborough County Public Schools will recieve $405,000 from Nike, initially, for gear and other team needs. In return, the district has promised a sale of $1.3 million in Nike products from the parents and students every year. Robinson’s plan for implementing the Nike brand into our athletic program is that each team will be given Nike not immediately, but when their other uniforms start to wear down. “Ultimately, we will re brand all of our uniforms by purchase, purchasing in 2022-23 and we will have our whole-wide school in Nike gear and we will move forward,” Luis Suarez, Assistant Principle of Administration and Athletic Director, said. This deal with Nike provides the district with up to $400,000 in Nike products every year and gives large discounts on gear to parents and students. This deal will last five years. It officially started in Feb 21, 2019

Trending on rhstoday.com Class of 2020 national merit scholar finalists announced By Morgan Brazier Editor-in-Chief On Tuesday, Feb 11, Robinson announced the class of 2020 National Merit Scholarship finalists. Seven semi-finalists were selected back in September and now, six finalists have been announced.

Graduating With Flying Colors By Jules Whitaker Feature & Opinion Editor As seniors grow with anticipation over the thought of graduating high school in their cap and gowns, some plan to graduate with their wings as well.

Robinson’s Latin Club hosts the Regional Latin Forum

By Hanna Malone Staff Writer Early in the morning on Saturday, Feb. 1, Robinson’s Latin club met in the auditorium with clubs from eleven other schools to participate in the Regional Latin Forum. This competition determined if they qualified for states. For the eighth consecutive year, Robinson High School won the first place overall trophy, which includes all academic and creative score totals.

and will end in May 21, 2024. When the contract ends, there is an opportunity to renew it for another five years under the same conditions. Nike will supply the uniforms for men’s football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track and field, and wrestling. Regarding the the deal with women’s sports, flag football, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball will also be supplied with Nike gear. For other sports, like cheerleading, that Nike doesn’t support they will be given gear from independent companies that specialize in the specific gear for that sport. Robinson doesn’t only value the gear, but also wearing the name Nike is a very big honor for our school. “More importantly, it is the relationship with them [Nike]. We just did Under Armor because we wanted everything to look the same and be stylish. The Nike partnership is a little bit different because now they are getting something from us being who we are and then providing us with gear to keep that relationship strong,” Joshua Saunders, Flag Football Coach, said. With this brand change, Suarez pushes Robinson to understand that nothing changes except the materialistic aspect of sports and the integrity of the Robinson athletic program remains the same. “Nothing changes. Sports stay the same, stadiums stay the same, naming rights stay the same. The only thing that changes is our apparel,” Suarez said.

Robinson Students see Congress hands on

Robinson students got the chance to spend a week in Tallahassee learning about what goes into running the government. By Anna Woodward Online Managing Editor This semester, students from across the state have been getting the chance to see what it takes to work in Congress in a week-long program called the Page Program. This program allows for high school students to spend a week in Tallahassee, volunteering in the Florida Senate and helping with the current session. Multiple students from Robinson were able to participate, including Leif Holmström (‘21). Holmström heard about the program through his mother, who is involved with a group that lobbies for gynecologists. He later signed up and joined 19 other students from across Florida from Jan. 13-17 for the opportunity. Not only did the program provide participants with the chance to help out and give back to the government, it allowed them to learn more about politics and the history of Florida’s legislature. “It was pretty cool to go through certain areas of the old capitol and see the crazy

history we have...as a state,” Holmström said. While Holmström isn’t planning on pursuing politics in the future, he thought that the program was a great opportunity. “It’s good for applications and things in the future for colleges, but also, it was fun to do,” Holmström said. Carson Revie (‘21) also participated in the program. Revie discovered the program after visiting Tallahassee and seeing participants walking around. He later researched it and decided to apply himself. Revie saw his experience as a memorable one. Not only did he get to distribute documents and act as a “messenger” in Congress, he got to learn as well, even participating in a mock session on the house floor. “I liked meeting new people and getting to know the Florida House,” Revie said.

Leif Holmström (‘21) participating in the Page Program in Tallahassee. Photo by L. Holmström

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Young Sinatra sings his heart out Robinson’s spring talent show performers were over the moon By Jules Whitaker Feature and Opinion Editor ebruary 13th was a night full of song, dance and romance and showed “Robinson’s got talent” with the annual spring talent show, hosted by troupe 2660. The lineup of events featured original songs, covers, comedy acts and instrumentals by Robinson students. At the end of the show, emcee Samantha Garcia (‘20) announced top three performances of the night. The 3rd place act was Brennan Bush (‘22), who played the piano and sang Daniel Caesar’s “Best Part”. Lucy Frank (‘21) was awarded 2nd place for her original song “relapse”,

Photo by J. Whitaker

accompanied by the ukulele. Matheus Stimac (‘22) was the 1st place winner of the talent show with his cover of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon”. “I loved their performances. Honestly, I did not think I’d win first place… Hunter Patterson wrote her own song and I was like ‘that is just amazing’ and so did Lucy and it was just beautiful,” Stimac said. The night saved the best for last when the final act, Stimac, walked on stage in a black suit and stepped in front of the mic. The Spotlight really was on him. His charismatic stage presence, along with his voice, helped fly everyone to the moon. “Frank Sinatra is someone I love to listen to,” he said. “…So that’s like my favorite song and it’s something I have an emotional attachment to.” For most of the song, Stimac sang behind the mic stand, but towards the middle of the song, he brought out a surprise. His hand was met by emcee Garcia as he led her to a quick waltz, spinning her around and then leading her back off stage before finishing the rest of his song. Stimac was inspired by Sinatra’s style and saw the

interlude as a chance to get creative with the song. “I’m an old soul, so ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ is a song that—when I first heard it back when I was very little—I just loved it and that song resonated with me,” he said. 2nd place finalist Lucy Frank (‘22) saings her original song ‘Relapse’ while playing the ukulele.

Brennan Bush (‘21) sings “Best Part” from behind the piano during the talent show.

Photos by J. Whitaker

Not so school sports

Festival Fever

By Meena Vasquez Staff Writer aylor Matthews (‘21) first stepped foot on the rink in 3rd grade, after seeing a Lighting game on TV. ‘’I was watching [a] Lighting [game] on TV and I thought it would be cool to do it. I started playing around 3rd or 4th grade,’’ Matthews said. Since Robinson has no hockey team Plant was the only school in the area with an ice hockey team. He decided to try out for the team his freshman year. Fast forward to junior year, #14, Photo by J. Whitaker

By Jules Whitaker Feature and Opinion Editor hough the parade ends in January, Gaspar’s celebrations follow into February and March with the annual Gasparilla art and music festivals. Curtis Hixon hosts these respective events in the upcoming weeks in the wake of Gasparilla’s pirate invasion. GASPARILLA FESTIVAL OF ARTS Gasparilla’s festival of the arts celebrates its 50th anniversary this year on Feb 29 lasting through Mar 1. The event showcases local artists, provides opportunities to buy one of a kind pieces and brings the community together. Artists’ mediums at the festival range from sculpting to clothing to painting to photography. Artists even take “junk” and turn it into art; some create their works on old Volkswagen cars. An interactive installation at the art festival is the Nomad Art bus. The bus, parked on the lawn in Curtis Hixon, is a free painting activity where patrons get hands on, contributing their own creativity to the art’s festival. Each year colorful, unique designs decorate the bus and serve as a perfect symbol of the community of artists and people brought together during the Gasparilla festivals. GASPARILLA MUSIC FESTIVAL This years music festival, scheduled for March 7 and 8, includes over 30 artists, ranging in popularity and style but consistently bringing enjoyable live music to downtown Tampa. Some of the biggest names include Brandi Carlile, Portugal. The Man and SALES.

This hockey player is breaking the ice between Plant and Robinson’s rivalry.

Taylor Matthews starts as the centerman for the Plant Panthers’ ice hockey team. his practices are at Plant every Monday with games on Fridays. At the start of the season, Matthews was named assistant captain of his team. He holds the season record for most points per game and his team has made it to playoffs and states every year. This year, the team went 13-4-8. Matthews’ favorite thing about his hockey team is the opportunity it gives him to meet other guys he usually wouldn’t meet and that it brings different schools together. ‘’I wouldn’t see these people [my teammates] because they go to plant and I go here. Even though I see them twice a week, it’s still fun,’’ Matthews said.

This equestrian is taking the reigns and riding into success.

t 10 years old, Katelyn Hatton received the Christmas present that gave her passion and a love for horseback riding. What started from a Groupon deal transformed into a sport that still excites her to this day. “Horses are the first thing I fell in love with. It was the first thing I valued over myself... It’s my home away from home and I don’t have to be an IB student there,” Hatton(‘21) said. This past year, Hatton traveled to become a different the World Grand person when I’m on a horse. You don’t just Championship Horse Show and think about yourself and your performance. finished in 8th place out of 42 -Katelyn Hatton contenders. Since Robinson high school does not currently have an equestrian team, she rides at Avalon Stables. Each Saturday Hatton goes down to the barn where she and her horse, Sparky, improves their routine for shows. Her half-hour lessons are a favorite part of her weekend. “Going out there and forgetting everything I have to do. I become a different person when I’m on a horse. You don’t just think about yourself and your performance,” Hatton said.” It’s [also] thinking about your performance, but also having

“I

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to accommodate a different animal that you can’t really talk to and have their own opinions.” Hatton’s favorite thing about her sport is that riding her horse is a stress reliever and she enjoys the challenge of working with her animalpartner. The horseback riding community’s support has given her a second family that encourages her in riding. The barn has been a home for many lasting friendships. “[It’s because] they don’t know what you do outside of horse riding and they don’t care,” She said. Although Hatton’s friends graduated high school, They stay in touch by watching her shows online and congratulating her performances. “It’s a really close connection to a community of people that are nonjudgmental of what you do and always support the fact that you ride a horse and that we know each other through [horse riding] this,” Hatton said.

Photo by J. Whitaker

What to expect from Gasparilla’s art and music festivals.

As the sun sets, the concerts will create an unforgettable atmosphere, with lights, fog, colors and energetic performances. These back to back performances will offer many different sounds, appealing to all types of music lovers. The two-day event has a variety of music ranging from classic rock to 70’s music to indie and synth pop. One-day and two-day tickets are available on the Gasparilla Music Festival website. One group-performance at the music festival is a local garage band named Visit Neptune and was started by four boys from Jesuit high school. The event will also feature musical performances from students enrolled in the Straz Center’s School of Rock. The festival also features a silent disco set off in a separate area of the park. Noise canceling headphones offer different DJ’s that will play their own set list, creating a party where people can dance with their friends while selecting which station they listen to. Each DJ will have a different genre, providing a variety of music that parallels the set list on the lawn. These events differ greatly from the more iconic Gasparilla parade, but offer another chance for Tampa to celebrate it’s rich cultural history and celebrate the arts.

Photo by J. Whitaker

Interested in helping your peers make informed decisions about their health and future while getting service hours? Apply to the Teen Connect Youth Advisory Board by April 3rd

04 feature

Editor's Letter By Morgan Brazier Editor-in-Chief

Last issue of Knight Writers, we focused our front page article on the schools newest building and its safety in regards to school shootings. I worked on the article with our A&E editor, and while it was an important piece, it was not very difficult to write. This issue, Amelia and I worked on the front page article together again, but this time it was a much bigger undertaking. We started with the general issue of overbuilding in the neighborhoods around Robinson and spent most of our time trying to make this a relevant story for a 16-year-old to read. Our preliminary work involved making sense of statistics and attempting to explain how everything connected. We wrote about 800 words of our first draft before realizing everything we wrote was extremely hard to follow if you had no prior knowledge of the issue, which most of our readers wouldn’t. So we reworked the article and eventually ended up with what we now have printed on the front page of this paper. This has been the most difficult article I have ever written but I am proud of the work we have done. Writing such an expansive piece is an experience that has grown my knowledge and for that I’m grateful.

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

Is the gasparilla invasion too much

A weekend of fun leaves lasting damage to the Bay area.

By Jaylen Stasio Staff Writer

asparilla is a tradition for all Tampa natives. People travel from all over the state to experience the pirate invasion. This designated weekend is set aside for going to the parade, dressing like a pirate, and general partying. Despite all of the fun, the downsides of this celebration are severe. The trash that accumulates from the parade damages the ecosystem and pollutes the bay. With all of the beads being thrown, food sold and drinks drunk, trash litters the streets. Despite the fact that there are clean up committees, the amount of beads that find their way into the bay poses risks to the animal and marine life. Banning the throwing of beads would help reduce the trash and keep plastic out of the bay. Another recurring issue is the amount of drunk people wandering the streets. Bayshore is blocked off during the pirate invasion, but that doesn’t stop curious people from wandering. People that live off of Bayshore every year have the same issues, “a drunk person passed out in my lawn,” or “people left their trash everywhere.” With the amount of alcohol consumed on this day in public, people are passing out left and right and causing damage to private property. People are allowed to have fun, but this weekend ignores the crime that is public intoxication. If self-control

Tampa’s treasured Gasparilla parade helps local business.

By Jules Whitaker Feature and Opinion Editor

Photo by A. Kirkner

is not put in place, it should be enforced. With the consumption of alcohol comes the impairment of decisions. Drinking irresponsibly leads to making impulsive decisions that can result in severe consequences. This past Gasparilla, a man was driving under the influence and crashed into a ride share, killing two people. This further proves the dangers of Gasparilla. People should be responsible for their own decisions which is why no matter what the instance—whether it be a parade like this or even just a night out with friends—the only way this problem can be avoided is if people hold themselves accountable despite the buzz. Gasparilla is a unique experience in Tampa, but with outcomes like this, the negatives consequences trump the positive. The lack of self-control that comes from this weekend hurts the city as a whole, leaving all sorts of lasting impressions that don’t end when the parade is over.

he annual Gasparilla pirate invasion is a unique treasure to Tampa with its parade and festivities. Although the event brings chaos and crowds Bayshore, it results in a huge influx of tourism and boosts the local economy. The Gasparilla pirate parades bring a long awaited weekend of partying, drinking and collecting beads. With at least one million people attending one or more of the parades, every business in Tampa can thrive off of the event. Tampa stores prepare for the Gasparilla season, decorating their windows with skulls and pirate swords; adding festive specials to their menus and merchandise. Restaurants, bars, boutiques and more take advantage of the opportunity and add to the Gasparilla spirit. Leading up to and after the parade, the bars and restaurants in the area are crowded with people. Businesses gain a lot from this boost in tourism, as more people spend money and support the local economy.

Not only do restaurants and local stores gain more business during the weekend of Gasparilla—transportation systems do too. The many tourists who come to Tampa for the weekend use Uber and Lyft to get around, directly supporting Tampa’s locals. Options like Uber and Lyft also offer an easily accessible and safer alternative for the weekend vacationers to help get around the city. The 2020 Gasoparilla parade had a “Captain Morgan” deal where adults could use a code to get a free ride with Lyft to reduce the risk of drinking and driving. The parade itself has job opportunities for the weekend in construction, security and with clean up crews. These are all necessary to keep Bayshore safe. Police cars and officers are spread throughout the parade route keep things in order and to provide protection. The heightened measures taken encourage people to drink responsibly and allow for people to enjoy themselves and feel safe while doing so. These jobs also bring more opportunities to the Tampa workforce. Though Gaspar comes to Tampa with a pirate invasion, he leaves more than just beads. Small businesses in the community are left with more money earned and increases in tourism stimulate the economy, leaving the locals with a little more pirate booty.

Photo by A. Kirkner

Editorial: Sex Education By the Robinson Journalism Staff

ame three things you’ve learned in school. Nice, now notice how you didn’t say sex-ed? In Florida and seven other states throughout the country, any sex-ed lessons taught in high schools have an “abstinence only” policy, basically meaning they only teach students to not have sex and don’t teach them safe sex practices. This is a huge disservice to students. According to the Center for Disease Control, 40 percent of U.S. high school students reported having had sex. So clearly attempting to scare students out of having sex isn’t working, otherwise this number would be a lot lower. The fact that there is an abstinence focus also means that the 40 percent of students who are sexually active are not receiving critical information about birth control, consent, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases which are all extremely important things to have an accurate understanding of. Not telling students that condoms are only about 85 percent effective isn’t going to stop them from having sex and we have seen the “abstinence only” approach fail year after year, but it can lead to an increase in teen pregnancy rates and risk the spread of STDs—teenagers are not safer, they are just more at risk. Schools can educate on the practice of safe

News Editor Ella Wertz

Sports Editor Jack Kirk

A&E Editor

Amelia Foster

Multimedia Editor Amelia Foster

Feature & opinion Editor Jules Whitaker

Staff

-Ethan Adair Lindsey Chadwick Olivia Godinez Ava Hogan Mckenzie Krcelic Jennifer Le Hanna Malone Jaylen Stasio Meena Vasquez

Publications Adviser Nancy Oben

sex without condoning or encouraging the behavior, but school’s have a responsibility to educate students and that includes their health. To assume that an abstinence only sex-ed class is the best approach is ignorant. All that this does is put students in an unsafe position when they do have sex. They will not know how to properly use contraceptives, they will not know what is normal to expect and what should cause concern. They will feel shame for a normal experience because they haven’t been taught anything about it. Regardless of your personal opinion on teenagers having sex, some of them are still going to do it. Accurate and realistic sex-ed lessons in schools do not put “bad” ideas in students heads and to say it is better for students to just turn a blind eye and pretend none of them are having sex is naive and it’s not helping anyone.

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

Newspaper staffers investigated the current policies on the school district’s sex-ed curriculum. Scan this QR Code to read the article on RHSToday.com.

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Opinion 05

From proven champion to unproven coach

After being on the baseball coaching staff for nine years, Alex Barron has taken up the head position. By Jack Kirk Sports Editor

he Robinson baseball team has a His players share a similar sentiment, with change at the helm as they welcome the familiarity being a benefit in getting the new head coach, Alex Barron, in for ready for the season. his first year. “I think it’s kind of just picked up where Coach Barron played collegiate baseball we left off,” sophomore catcher Jan at Southeastern University, where his Gonzales said. “He seems like he has a team won a national championship in his good control on things, he’s researching freshman year, and another three regional a lot of things, he’s fitting the role pretty championships in his time there. His team well.” won over 35 games each season and more Even the older players feel that Barron is than 40 in two of those years. coming in and bringing good things to the “I’ve pitched in a lot of big games, and I table. won more than I lost,” Barron said. “He knows how to handle kids, he knows Even in his time as a player, he showed how to reach us well,” senior pitcher Issac qualities that would help him transition Kauget said. “He’s putting us in a really into the coaching position later on. good spot to win some ball games.” “I loved when I was in college, helping out With his first season just getting started, the younger guys and showing them kind his team feels confident in their position of what we do,” Barron said. “So it was for the games ahead, which is a testament kind of a natural progression.” to the job Barron is doing. Coach Barron gives a speech to his team. Photo by J. Kirk Some of his first year players have already “He’s doing a great job,” Kauget said. “This started to see what kind of coach Barron is. team is really in a good place right now to “I think he understands us as players since he’s younger and I think he’s doing a lot for start this season and we’re excited man.” the players,” freshman shortstop Maxwell Ruyle said. “I think he’s very supportive and he Though his playing time might be over, the head coach has found a way to stay around gives a lot of help if you ask for it.” one of his biggest loves. Barron worked for nine years as an assistant coach under former head coach Kevin “Baseball has been my passion my entire life,” Barron said. “You can’t play forever but McCray, learning how to be a head coach, both on and off the field. you can be around it and this is how I’m doing that.” “He was just very open with kind of just talking to me about how, you know, to run everything besides practice and besides coaching in a game,” Barron said. “Kind of taking care of all the other things that come in, dealing with parents; being structured; handling all the other little nuances that come with it.” He now has his chance to leave a coaching legacy at Robinson with the help of the lessons he learned from McCray. “He just showed me how he went about things—very professional, very regimented— and so I was able to take that and kind of start to use those things to find out my identity, breathe in my own life, but have some structure to kind of help me outline what Coach Barron hits ground balls I want to do,” Barron said. infield during practice in the With the years he put in as an assistant coach, Barron already has a foundation to work preseason. with when it comes to a lot of his players. “A lot of these guys are familiar with me, so the transition’s been pretty smooth,” Barron Photo by J. Kirk said.

Opinion: You should exercise to improve your health Exercise has many benefits, both mentally and physically, which teens are losing out on By Ava Hogan Staff Writer

ome may say that the trouble of going on a run isn’t worth the minimal outcome, but exercising benefits your body in ways other things cannot. According to Time Magazine, research has linked physical activity to alleviating symptoms of depression; lowering risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity; and living longer. Benefits of exercise can be split up into two categories: mental and physical. According to medlineplus.gov, exercise can reduce your risk of depression by releasing chemicals to make you feel more relaxed and improve your mood. An article in www. waldenu.edu states that exercising can also act as neurological support. Scientists have proven that cardiovascular exercise gives your brain a boost and jump starts a process called neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is a process that creates new brain cells and improves the overall performance of the brain. It also strengthens the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for memory, so exercising can improve your chances of maintaining a strong memory. The other category is physical. According to www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, exercising can help reduce your risk of diabetes and some cancers. Most people would agree that exercising is a better alternative than possibly being diagnosed with a life-altering disease. In a more obvious standpoint, exercising is a great way to reduce body fat and balance out one’s weight. Time Magazine states that emphasizing the importance of physical education in schools could help students adopt good exercise habits that remain with them when they become adults. It can build confidence which leads to many of the mental benefits working out is a cause of. In addition, cardio exercises help to strengthen your heart, which will improve the chances of a heart attack free life. All in all, the physical benefits of exercise greatly out way the risks of disease and illness. Many of our school officials agree that teens need to be more active. Nurse Chapman says, “personally I think they [teens] need to put their phones away and get up and get outside.” The amount of exercise being undergone by teens has decreased in the past 20 years. ABC News reports that globally, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity slightly decreased in boys between 2001 and 2016—from 80 percent to 78

06 Sports

percent—but there was no change over time in girls, remaining at around 85 percent. Overall, exercise has a plentiful amount of benefits: some long term, some short term. So sign up for that yoga class, join that running club. Just 30 minutes a day can change your life. Push your body to its limit, see what you’re capable of. Your body will thank you.

Photo illustration by K. Hatton

Opinion: Youth shines in girls basketball season Girls’ In a season that ended in the first round of the playoffs, it was development that sports was the main priority exist too T By Jack Kirk Sports Editor

By Hanna Malone Staff Writer

“Hey, are you going to the game tonight?” A simple question that’s asked every day throughout the week, in which a high school is hosting a home match, Whether it’s basketball, soccer, or football. The game asked about is almost always the boys varsity team. I’ve noticed that a vast amount of people show up to cheer on male athletes, applauding them for every pass and score, but the stands at the girls’ games are oddly barren and quiet. It’s almost surreal going to a girls soccer game with the stadium lit up, bleachers practically empty, and with only the echoing sounds of the players’ shouts and the “thunks” of the ball in play. With a 10-4 standing, the girls won more games than their male counterparts, who went 4-8, so why aren’t people showing up to watch their games too? I’m not saying that the boys’ teams aren’t worth watching, Friday nights spent cheering on Robinson’s football team with my friends are sure to be some of my favorite high school memories because of the radiating school spirit and social setting. However, with some thought, I realized that none of the other sports have that same hype surrounding them, yet they are equally interesting to watch and have higher records than the football team does. Sports like girls soccer, lacrosse, flag football, softball, volleyball and basketball get nowhere near the same amount of attendance and recognition from the school and community as the boys football and basketball teams do. Our flag football team is sponsored by Nike and has won five state titles for crying out loud. The girls’ games themselves have the potential to have the same passionate and exciting atmosphere as the boys’ games, the opportunity just isn’t being taken advantage of. In professional sports, female athletes struggle with the same bias, but in their case it affects their paychecks. The gender pay gaps in professional team sports is severely unbalanced. In the NBA, the top salary peaked at a grand $37.4 million; the WNBA’s highest salary was a mere $117,500 in comparison. During the World Cup, a male soccer player would earn $3,000 more for a losing efforts than a female player would in a win. A bat boy for the New York Yankees baseball team can earn more than an NPF softball player. All of this goes back to audience preference. Since more people attend male sports games and tune in to watch them on channels like ESPN, the higher demand generates more attention from companies looking to provide partnerships. Sponsors and partners promote teams and its members though advertisements and major brand endorsements. This exposure to consumers and watchers only heightens the popularity of male sports teams, feeding into the demand and continuing the cycle. Women’s sports do not receive such treatment. Girls’ teams do not inherit the same reverence as boys’ do. But I assure you, they put in the same effort and work just as hard.

he Robinson girls basketball team faced an overhaul this season after losing five seniors who made substantial contributions the year before. In what was a worse season recordwise, the Knights focused more on dealing with the youth of the team than in years prior. “This season was so much different for us because our team was so young,” senior player Emily Kemp said. “We were much more focused on developing the younger players because they were the bulk of our team.” Of these younger players, one stood out in particular. Freshman player Julia Miller led the team in scoring in her first season and secured a starting position on the team. “I was pretty happy in how I played most of my games, but this off-season I’m going to continue to develop my game,” Miller said. “I mainly just took advantage of opportunities [I had] being able to play as a freshman.” With Miller leading the team so early, she gained respect from both her teammates, as well as opponents. “She was definitely the biggest part of our offensive production. Teams had to focus on her so much that it helped other players get open shots,” Kemp said. “She is a very talented and experienced player, and I’m sure she will lead the team in scoring again next year.” The team only had three seniors, leaving them with the responsibility of guiding them through the season. With so few seniors, the team will be able to retain the majority of their roster next season. “I’m going to miss our seniors because they contributed a lot and they were great teammates,” Miller said. In what was Coach Hanna Kotzen’s second season with the team, she coached her team to the playoffs with a 9-13 record.

“She’s always pushing us to do our best, trying to get us out of our comfort zone,” Miller said. The team lost in the first round of the playoffs to Jefferson, but junior Sydney Stout believes the team will be stronger moving forward. “I think we established great team chemistry and created a bond within us that will help us in seasons to come,” Stout said.

STAR SHOWCASE

Sophia Guillermo ('21) lines up a free throw attempt.

Julia Miller (‘23) calls out plays for her team. Photos by J. Kirk

By Jack Kirk Sports Editor

Treyshawn Howard (‘22)

Howard prepares to shoot a free throw. Photo by J. Kirk

Treyshawn Howard is a sophomore basketball player that leads the team in rebounds per game with 11.2, as well as blocks, with 2.5. He is also third in points per game with 10.4. “He tried his hardest, worked at his best,” senior teammate Joshua Hall-Gomez said. “It showed through the stats and it just showed throughout the year.” Howard proved to be a critical piece in the team’s 9-14 season, in which they reached the second round of the playoffs. “Treyshawn has done a great job for us all year. He’s relentless on the boards and just plays good defense,” Coach Steve Smith said. “He’s done a great job for us.” Howard did not only help the team with his own individual stats, but he also helped his peers reach new heights. “On the court Treyshawn pushes me to work harder and be more competitive,” senior forward Zachariah Hearing said. Off the court, Howard and Hearing formed a bond that exceeds just basketball. “He’s like a little brother.” Hearing said. “We like to just joke around and push each other around.” Treyshawn does not want this season to be his peak. “I have to do more,” Howard said. “...keep training; get better; help the team out as much as I can.”

Emily Kemp (‘20)

Kemp attempts to drive past a defender. Photo by J. Kirk

Emily Kemp played three different sports for all four years of high school. Kemp was on varsity for both the girls basketball team as well the flag football team for all four years, and played on the varsity volleyball for three of the four years of her high school career. “I have really cherished my team on each team,” Kemp said. But her participation in sports did not start in high school, and she does not want it to end in high school either. “I’ve just played sports all of my life, so there was no question I’d want to continue in high school,” Kemp said. Kemp hopes to play club sports after high school, but has not engaged in any recruitment processes for any collegiate varsity sports. Kemp received the Miss Florida Flag Football award in 2019 and has helped her team to a state championship in all four years of her playing. She was also named by her peers as the most athletic female among the class of 2020. Kemp has gotten more than just awards and recognition from her time representing Robinson, as she has also formed bonds during her seasons “I’ve made just about all of my best friends through sports here at Robinson,” she said. Not only has Kemp performed well herself in the sports she has played, but she has also left an impression on her teammates. “Her work ethic has helped motivate me to become a better player as well as a person,” basketball teammate Sophia Guillermo (‘21) said.

Sports 07

Netflix is losing its edge

Review: To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

By Nicole Perdigon Print Managing Editor

hen I think of watching movies or TV shows, I immediately think of Netflix. Starting in middle school, the only way I watched TV was through Netflix; it seemed like the platform had so much entertainment that I would never be able to watch it all. But after years of being my top streaming platform, Netflix is losing its edge and honestly doesn’t have the same appeal it used to, and I think the only way for them to get better is to make a change. Netflix began declining when it started taking popular titles away and began replacing them with Netflix originals; which, with the exception of a few, are generally awkward and not well produced. The first movie that comes to mind is Tall Girl, which is by far the most cringe-worthy Netflix Original I have ever watched. The dialogue in the movie is horrible, like that one quote about the size 13 Nikes—who even wrote that and thought it was a good idea? It seems this way with most other originals; the characters don’t have great chemistry and the acting seems like just that, acting. You would think if Netflix were going to take a risk as big as creating its own content, it would do a better job at writing scripts and finding actors that work well together. It wouldn’t be such a problem if Netflix kept some of its better titles. One of the titles I wish

hadn’t been taken is Friends, which was removed because the streaming rights are now owned by the streaming platform HBO Max. This same problem is happening to all Disney produced media because the streaming rights are now owned by Disney +. Disney does not plan on sharing the rights and are not going to renew any contracts with Netflix. I know it’s not Netflix’s fault, it just feels like they could be doing more as a large corporation to make sure they keep their content up to par with other streaming platforms. I don’t love what Netflix is becoming but I know the problems it has are fixable and it has time for redemption. With all that being said, if it keeps down the track its on, I’m canceling my subscription.

If the Netflix Original logo pops up before what you’re watching, proceed with caution.

By Kenzie Krcelic Staff Writer etflix is pretty much known for cheesy rom-com originals that appeal to teenagers nationwide. After falling in love with Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinky’s romance in 2018, I wanted more. Fast forward to now, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You is out and as lovey-dovey and complicated as high school relationships can get. The main character, Lara Jean,is a hopeless romantic who is known for having her love letters addressing her crushes sent out by her sister, leading to her getting together with the guy of her dreams, Peter Kavinsky. She starts off the movie in complete shock, not really knowing how to handle the fact that she has her first boyfriend, and he’s everything she’s ever wanted. At the beginning of P.S. I Still Love You, Lara Jean and Peter are seen in a cheesy almost flawless relationship. It all seems nice, but I immediately took notice of a few nuances, where everything wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. During these fun gooey times, Lara Jean battles some personal insecurities. She seems to think Peter is stuck on his ex, Gen, who has bad blood with Lara Jean. They also share subtle arguments which they tend to have a lot. To me, I felt like they were getting annoyed with each other, but no one was saying anything about it, and it got me thinking, are they really a match made in heaven? John Ambrose is a new character introduced to the series and honestly, he has the sweetest most genuine heart. John Ambrose was sent a letter in the first movie, and in P.S. he made his appearance by sending a letter back to Lara Jean. After not responding back to his letter, they coincidentally ended up meeting where they volunteered and got increasingly closer everyday. I wouldn’t have cared if Lara Jean wasn’t dating Peter, but it just seemed like obvious flirting; not to mention, she also kept her relationship with Peter a secret from John Ambrose, which just provoked more and more flirting.

The poster for P.S. I Still Love You, depicting Lara jean’s two love interests.

A huge part in the movie is the Star Dance at Belleview, where they volunteer. Lara Jean ends up choosing between Peter and John Ambrose. In the end, she made her choice. And I’m not quite sure if she made the right one. Something that I can confidently say satisfied me was that Lara Jean finally realizes her own self-worth and eventually gets over her own insecurities, and that’s what makes this movie such a joyful coming-of-age movie. The real draw that I had to P.S. I Still Love You was the connection between the two main characters; it was the perfect dose of love and joyous moments mixing with the realities of high school romance as well as showing the inhibiting habits of teenagers. Dwelling less on your insecurities and focusing more on the good things is something that everyone, regardless of age, can take away from this movie.

Highlights of the Florida State Fair A recap of everything you’ll want to find next year.

very year, the boring month of February is lit up with fun rides, games and cool shows at the Florida State Fair. The fair draws you into the simplicity of the multicolored tents and pretty lights, but it’s easy to get lost in all that there is to do and try. If you missed out on going to the fair, here are the top five memorable things about it.

S Above: An indulgent donut from the fair. Left: One of the giraffes in the animal area. Photos by A. Krinos

T A picture of one of the largest ferris wheels at the fair, set against a perfect clear sky. Photo by J. Whitaker

A&E

DEEP FRIED FOOD

ure, deep fried food may not be good for you everyday of the year, but it’s fine to have a cheat day at the fair, where basically everything was fried. Walking into food dense areas, I was bombarded with multiple vendors selling fried desserts. I’m not crazy about fried food, but I took my chances with fried Oreos. The fair got real creative this year with fried bubblegum and fried KoolAid, which I wasn’t bold enough to try. And if you’re all worn out from spinning around in the teacups, it’s nice to treat your self with something savory—and most likely fried—and a funnel cake. Can’t decide if you want a doughnut or a s’more? Feast your eyes on a s’moredoughnut concoction. The fair never stopped combining different foods you’d never eat together on a regular basis, so it’s a good time to try new things.

BUMPER CARS

o me, you can never go wrong with bumper cars. It’s fun and doesn’t require too much effort to do. If you’re too intimidated by roller coasters or more thrilling rides, this was a safe one that people of all ages can enjoy. There’s just something amusing about bumping into other people without them getting upset at you for it.

By Jennifer Le Staff Writer

FUN HOUSES

f you weren’t into stomach hurling rides, the fun houses around the fair grounds were a great laugh to do with friends. I had to be careful not to slip on the moving floors or run into my own reflection in the mirror maze so that I could make it to the very top and slide my way back down. Though it may not be fun for the faint of heart, the Haunted Castle spiced up my day at the fair.

ANIMALS

fter getting worn out from rides, a real treat was getting to see all the cute animals at the petting zoo. While they couldn’t eat any of the fried food you enjoyed, it’s fun to feed the little goats with whatever food animal food was in those cups. They’re all pretty friendly animals, so it’s fun to pet them if they walked toward you. There’s even a giraffe who, while towering above you, liked to bask in all of the attention it got.

FERRIS WHEELS

t’s hard to take in the fair all at once, so seeing it from a higher perspective was breathtaking. The Florida State Fair had four different Ferris Wheels on the grounds, all with just as much of the experience, though I prefer the tallest one for the biggest view of the fair. Watching the sunset from above the fair was gorgeous, which is why you probably saw countless photos of the same view on your Instagram feed. Just breathing in the air from above was relaxing after a long, stressful week.