Editorial: Robinson Needs to Tighten Up on Cheaters
The R’s lax cheating policy allows cheaters to get ahead, and honest students are left in the
Even as early as 20 years back, cheating was something considered hush-hush. Shady dealings of answer sheets, notes passed under desks, stuff you couldn’t talk about with anyone other than your accomplice out of fear of intense repercussions in the form of detention, or worse. Now, with the introduction of technology like smartwatches and AI, cheating has become easier than ever, and yet, people hardly face the consequences of their actions.
The cheating policy has been adjusted with the times to reflect these changes. The honor code does make provisions for “using unauthorized devices during a test or quiz,” but the enforcement of the consequences for cheating leaves much to be desired. So, what is actually supposed to happen when somebody is caught cheating? Well, there is no specific action given in the Student Code of Conduct for Hillsborough County, nor is there a section about academic honesty in general, but according to the Robinson IB academic honesty policy, all cheating will be handled by the individual classroom teachers. They are responsible for deciding a proper punishment, such as redoing the assignment or receiving a zero.
As for consequences outside of that specific classroom, those are supposed to be handled by the Honor Council, with the consequences being a certain number of service hours based on the severity of the offence, and on the fourth offence being caught cheating, removal from the IB program. An additional consequence in very severe cases could constitute a report of academic dishonesty sent to colleges or scholarship programs.
Here are the issues with this policy. Firstly, this can only really apply to testing. Any homework assignments completed with the use of AI or help from another student -- given that it isn’t directly copied -- would be very hard to detect, and even harder to prove, meaning that, besides the most egregious of instances, they will fly under the radar. And, even then, most teachers don’t bother to
Robinson’s Food Waste has Become a Problem
The food wasted every year at Robinson has become excessive, and there’s a lot more we could be doing about it
By LIAM EICEBERG, STAFF WRITER
The provision of lunch to students is one of the foremost responsibilities of the school board, district, and state. While Robinson provides a consistent lunch, there is a lot more our school board could be doing to mitigate the food waste problem that results from our overproduction and overserving of cafeteria food.
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enforce this policy because of its epidemic nature; they will just give the student a disapproving glare.
Secondly, a lot of teachers don’t even actively monitor classrooms during test times. Barring standardized testing such as AP exams or EOCs, teachers often utilize class time during a test to catch up on grading, emails or even just leave for moments. This creates an atmosphere that allows students to believe that they won’t get caught, and oftentimes, they don’t. This has the consequence of making it so that oftentimes when students are caught, it comes after dozens of other instances of cheating when the teacher wasn’t paying attention, which leads to the next point.
Four chances are far, far too many. Although it might sound harsh, the odds of a student’s first time cheating being the time they get caught are slim. This gives them the opportunity to learn from the mistake they made that got them caught in the first place, and “improve” on their cheating. The first offence’s consequences need to be immediate and more severe than a few hours of community service, which most students do anyway. That policy is far too lax to be effective in discouraging cheating.
Because of the lack of enforcement of cheating policies, it has created a culture of mutually assured silence in which nobody says anything about cheating out of fear of incriminating themselves in the eyes of their peers, the majority of whom cheat in some way or another. This perpetuates a self-fulfilling cycle where cheaters aren’t persecuted, do well on assignments and then continue to cheat. They need to see that their actions have consequences and that they can’t get away with it every time. It’s also incredibly unfair to students who actually are honest about their work, because cheaters can mess up the curves and averages for the whole class.
This response needs to come from a place of ensuring that teachers are properly monitoring in the first place and aren’t letting cheaters get away with it out of a “they’ll do it anyway” mindset, and from an increase in consequences and making those
Pretty Campuses but Pricey Regrets
Choosing colleges for their aesthetic appeal over affordability and academics is a growing but costly trend
By SOPHIE LE, INCOMING CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF
While talking to a graduated senior about her friends’ big college decisions, she reveals to me that one friend had chosen her school solely based on an aesthetic video seen on TikTok. While baffling, this isn’t uncommon.
According to a 2022 survey by Sallie Mae, “Nearly 30% of students said social media content influenced their college choice.”
Generation Z’s is known for having an obsession with fitting into an “aesthetic” but this ideology has been extended so far into reaching into undergraduate school choices.Choosing a school based on surface level factors such as social media’s presumed “prestige,” campus beauty and traditions rather than necessary components such as resources, programs and if it is the right fit can make or break the overall college experience. The fantasized image can be easily shattered when students attend the college and realize it doesn’t fit their superficial wants.
According to NCES, “about 1 in 3 college students transfer institutions, often citing poor fit or unmet expectations.”
This problem can be sourced to social media. These platforms are already known for highlighting only the perfectly cut scenes of life and ignoring anything undesirable. Unfortunately, manipulated media can skew people into believing things that are truly unrealistic.
“A 2023 Pew study found that 54% of Gen Z relies on social media for major life decisions—more than any previous generation.”
There is no difference when promoting colleges by romanticizing schools instead of showcasing the true student’s experience. The TikTok trend “A day in my life as a student at __” emphasizes the “perfect” lives students have at certain colleges. These videos of course lack any mention of academic work load or financial aid, tough subjects that don’t fit the “perfect” college experience. Instead, they promote an ideal life given by attending these schools.
In addition, students who focus on aesthetics lack priority in economic affordability. Choosing the “prettier” school over the one that is best fit for the student. Ignoring the practical choice can lead to excessive debt for the rest of an individual’s life.
In fact, “Americans owe about $1.6 trillion in student loans as of June 2024 – 42% more than what they owed a decade earlier,” Pewresearch reports.
While factors such as location and Greek life can affect important aspects of a college
As we wave our last goodbyes, we also pay our farewells to the many events that shaped journalism at Robinson this year.
Our newspaper staff
experienced many unknowable setbacks such as Hurricanes Milton and Helene who pushed back deadlines and stories. However, our team pushed forward to cover all needed perspectives and voices that would have gone unheard. While our annual FSPA Districts at USF was canceled, we attended FSPA states in Orlando and brought home eleven all-Florida awards.
We learned from this conference about how fast journalism is expanding through multimedia and the significant increase in the use of AI. We strive to adapt to these new changes and allow it to reinforce our love for the infinite channels that journalism can follow.
Our editorial board and staff writers will be continuing to grow and maintain the standards set by the legacy of the past Knight Writers. We hope to bring the Knight Writers to a new level and bring in new readers.
This issue is filled with unique angles and coverage. We hope you enjoy our first issue and come back for our next ones!
KnightWriters
experience, people allow FOMO [fear of missing out] to drive their decision making. Schools like University of Miami, Tulane University and University of Los Angeles hold social clout on platforms advertising an “aesthetic” lifestyle to those who attend. This strategy is successful because of the students who unintentionally advertise the college to others by posting the campus way of life. Students become obsessed with being a part of the school rather than actually benefiting from a degree through the institution.
While researching schools from social media is a convenient way to discover possible dream colleges, it is important to remember that what people post is only a snippet of real life. Instead, talk to current students to find out if these “pretty” schools are right for you.
This Knight Writers newspaper is produced by the Journalism II-V class at Robinson High School.
Incoming Content
Editor-In-Chief
Anika Sanka
Incoming Online
Editor-In-Chief
Sophie Le
Incoming Print
Editor-In-Chief
Grace Shafer
Outgoing Editors-In-Chief
Ashlyn Miller Yesenia Rosario
Incoming Sports Editor
Garret Senzon
Outgoing Sports Editor
Jordan De La Cruz
Incoming Opinion Editor
Sadie Scheu
Outgoing Opinion Editor
Sophie Le
Incoming A&E Editor
Ryan Rolle
Outgoing A&E Editor
Grace Shafer
Mission Statement
Outgoing Features Editor
Anika Sanka
Lead Illustrator
Janiece Mitchner
Outgoing News Editor
Winter Carbajal
Outgoing Multimedia Editor
Coleton Rone
Outgoing Fun Coordinators
Annabelle Bulger
Malia Rodriguez
Senior Staff Writers
Joey Treviño
Jasmyn Mitchner
Staff Writers
Allison Bartlett
Carson Coulon
Kieran McIntosh
Julian Thompson
Liam Eichberg
MyNejia Mislaps
Alysha Klingman-Mutchler
Mercedes Pepple
Wareesha Farad
Publications Advisor
Nancy Webster
Principal Dave Brown
The role and goal of the Knight Writers 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 Knight Writers will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical manner, according to the Canons of Professional Journalism developed by the Society for Professional Journalists.
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Aesthetic scenery from Le’s campus tour of Harvard University. Photo by S. Le
Who’s the Next Pop Sensation?
Can anyone follow up BRAT summer?
By RYAN ROLLE, A&E EDITOR
The summer of BRAT by Charli XCX will for ever go down in history - the lime green, the classic album font, the house music revival. Everything was absolutely iconic, to the point of Kamala Harris basing her TikTok campaign off of it. Having an album so massive that it defined an entire season is something only a few can achieve. Charli herself was teasing a song called “A different Kind of Summer” at Coachella, publicly ended the season of BRAT, yet will she take this summer too or will someone new fill the spot? This summer A$AP Rocky, Lorde and Addison Rae are all dropping albums this summer and only one can take the top spot that will hold the media’s attention for more than a couple of weeks.
A$AP Rocky hasn’t released an album since 2018, yet he still constantly finds ways to stay culturally relevant. Recently on social media, songs like “Demons” have been rising in popularity and used for trends. Along with that, the genre “cloud rap” has been on the rise, and Rocky has been a large contributor to it. Cloud rap can be defined as a subgenre of hip-hop with a dreamlike sound. This hazier version of rap is a fun summer sound, which is one reason Rocky could take this summer with his new album, especially since he hasn’t released for so long.
According to Complex, Rocky purposefully seldom releases albums to make sure each is a work he’s proud of.
“I think those people who really take their time to put out timeless pieces, projects and bodies of work, that’s all that matters. I don’t think they’re putting out music to stay relevant,” Rocky said. His dedication to his craft allows him to have a good chance of being this summer’s biggest artist.
Another artist who is known for her sparse album releases is Lorde. Since her debut album “Pure Heroine” was a defining album of the 2010s, Lorde has been more quietly producing music,
focusing on passion within her art. Her most recent album, “Solar Power,” has gone mostly unnoticed by the media, as after her superstardom, she decided to revert back into being a smaller artist. However, her music has been regaining popularity on social media, with famous TikTokers like “grapejuicenads” promoting her music. With influencers who are known as “profession al fangirls,” Lorde albums have been brought into the light.
People often associate Lorde with Charli XCX, as they had insecurities towards each other’s success and both marketed their music towards a similar audience. This, however, was fixed with the song “Girl, So Confusing” in Charli’s album BRAT. This collaboration potentially brought Lorde back into the spotlight, right in time for her new album.
fashionable and unique influencer, other tiktok stars who trying to repeat their success from 2020. This step in a new direction is definitely in Rae’s favor as she’s moving with the times, but the combination of just starting her successful music career and the questions of her authenticity makes her one of the more questionable runner ups to
Recently, Lorde released the single “What Was That,” which brought hundreds of fans to Washington Square Park to sing along, where she ended up making an appearance. The carefree, nostalgic sound of this single could end up curating the vibe of summer 2025.
Another artist that benefited from a collaboration with Charli XCX is former TikTok star Addison Rae. Rae started out with a song called “Ob sessed” that ended up being more of a joke to her audience. Recently, though, she has undergone one of the most successful rebrands of this time. Starting out as a stereotypical popular girl, Rae has started to create more fantastical songs like “Diet Pepsi” and “Von Dutch a.g. cook remix that features Addison Rae.” She has also focused on fashion and mystery, drawing crowds that once hated on her.
Overall, there has been a theme of ccess within the music industry of both angelic-sounding music and fun house music. With A$AP Rocky’s cloud rap, Lorde’s carefree pop music and Addison Rae’s effortless whimsicality, they all have the potential to be the artist of this summer. My personal vote is for A$AP Rocky, his dedication to his craft and perfectly chosen samples make great songs that are both chill and upbeat at once. Lorde’s music is wonderful, but not as suited for all audiences, it’s targeted more towards artsy pop lovers. Addison Rae is also due for a breakout within the music industry, but many people question her authenticity. No matter who sweeps this summer, there is a lot of exciting music currently
Her newest single, “Headphones On,” has also been getting attention from social media, with people questioning the authenticity of her rebranding. However though, no one can question the cool girl vibe she has been curating. She has major potential to be the BRAT of this summer with her dreamy and whimsical sound. After disappearing from TikTok for a while, Rae has slowly started to reshape her image
Watchlist Quiz Results
If you got mostly “A” for answers, you should watch “Megan 2.0” this summer! A sequel to the original “Megan,” a newer, flashier AI has come into existence and threatens humanity, so Megan has to return in order to set the record straight on who the best is. A unique and funky watch, Megan is perfect for the girls who like a little horror and drama.
If you got mostly “B,” you should watch “John Wick: Ballerina,” Taking place in the world of “John Wick,” “Ballerina” follows the path of Eva Macarro as she begins training as an assassin to get revenge on the people who killed her father. A perfect watch for those who like pure, cold action.
If you got mostly “C,” the “How To Train Your Dragon” remake is for you. The original animated movie is redone in live action, and it looks to bring the world to life with new, fresh visuals that do the original justice. If you are a fan of nature and beautiful visuals, I would recommend this to you for sure.
If you got mostly “D,” James Gunn’s “Superman” is calling your name. A bright, colorful Superman that seem to draw heavily on the comic material, you want something that’s fun and will lift your spirits this summer.
If you got mostly “E,” it’s time to get on the track with “F1.” Fast paced, energized, and full of racetrack action and team conflict, you want a drama that will keep you on the end of your seat with a healthy amount of racing.
Summer Watchlist Quiz
By ANNABELLE BULGER, FUN COORDINATOR
It’s almost summer. Exams are starting, burnout is at an all-time high, and I bet that you’ll want to wind down after this wild exam season. Luckily, the Knightwriters have compiled a list of the most anticipated movies this summer and created a quiz to help you find the top one for your summer watchlist.
1: It’s the day after school ends, what are you doing?
A. Sleeping in.
B. Getting a summer workout in
C. Spending time with your family/pet/friends
D. Researching activities to do around your community
E. Training for summer sports/intensives
2: What’s your dream summer vacation?
A. Universal
B. Staying home
C. Somewhere scenic
D. New York City
E. Anywhere in Europe
3: What summer job do you want?
A. Beauty retail
B. Spy
C. Pet care
D. Barista
E. Assistant mechanic
4: What’s your summer jam?
A. Von dutch by Charli XCX
B. Paint The Town Blue by Ashnikko
C. Northern Attitude by Hozier and Noah Kahan
D. Two Faced by Linkin Park
E. antidepressants by bbno$
5: You got arrested, what for?
A. Slaying too hard
B. You didn’t
C. Trespassing
D. Property damage
E. Traffic violations
6: What’s your summertime drink?
A. Starbucks refresher
B. Water with a little lemon
C. Iced chai or matcha
D. Non-alcoholic margarita
E. An energy drink
7: It’s the day before school starts again, what are you up to?
A. Getting your “first-day-back” outfit ready
B. Spending the night out with your friends
C. Playing video games
D. Finishing your summer homework
E. Driving around with your friends
Graph depicting top 3 artists’ monthly listeners.
Charli XCX album title crossed out to replicate her Coachella billboard. Photo from bratgenerator.com
Lorde performing. Photo from Glamour
Addison Rae performing. From Yardbarker
Spring Sports Review
As The End of the School Year Approaches, Spring Sports Start to Wrap Up
Robinson isn’t normally known for its sports excellence. Despite this, however, the Knights found success in many of the spring sports they competed in. Let’s review Robinson’s achievements this spring and see how they’re proving that RHS is a sports powerhouse in our district.
Girls Tennis
For girls’ tennis, this season was an interesting one. The team played an incredibly difficult schedule, facing off against much larger schools such as Gaither, Sickles, Newsome, and Plant. This schedule led to the team being considered an underdog, going into the district playoff with a losing record. Any negative perception of the girls teams instantly disappeared as the team played their first playoff game, however, with Robinson destroying Riverview and claiming third in the district. Aside from their success, one of the most impressive things about this Robinson team is the positive attitude they maintained throughout the season. Despite playing incredibly difficult matches, they persevered.”We had a fun and successful season, placing third at districts and growing together in the process,” Captain Isabella Musolino (‘26) said. “We will practice in the come back better than ever”. all season playing and imbetter teams, and now to train in the offseason.
On the boy’s side of the court, things were just as successful. The boy’s tennis season began with an air of uncertainty, with several key seniors having graduated. However, any doubts of the team’s strength were quickly dissipated as freshmen stepped up to fill important roles.”We played hard all season and won all of our district regular season play,” Tennis Captain Nate Clement (‘25) said. “Although we were in a new district and had to face some tough competition, we won five of seven (matches) and for the third time in a row became district champions. We are confident that we will make another run at states, and overall, this year has been an extreme success. We are excited to finish strong.”Easily winning districts, the RHS boys have asserted themselves as a powerhouse in the area, and are definitely a formidable opponent for any team, regionals and beyond.
Girls Lacrosse
Another spring sport that experienced success on both the girls and boys sides was lacrosse, with both teams flipping the narrative on RHS lax. The girls experienced adversity from the getgo. Their season was almost canceled due to not having a coach, and even when a chaperone for the girls was found, the team had a lackluster turnout that led to a lack of depth and substitutes. Despite these challenges, however, the girls didn’t give up but were instead motivated to work even harder, fighting to overcome the shortcomings experienced by girls’ lacrosse in the past. “Our 2025 season had a lot of ups and downs, but we did well pushing through despite the tough circumstances,” Captain Elina Sizemore (‘27) said. “We had no subs the majority of the season, but the team worked hard to put us in a good position. Next year is looking a bit rough, but the returning players will be working hard to build the team up again and make next season great.”Despite facing difficult teams, having few players, and almost not being able to compete this season, the girls stayed upbeat and played as hard as they could, a mentality the team should look to bring into the next season.
By Garrett Senzon, Sports Editor
Boys Lacrosse
For RHS Boys Lacrosse, this season was for the record books. In the past, wins for the Robinson boys’ team have been hard to find. Before this year, the boys had never achieved a winning record, and even finished multiple seasons with zero wins. But this year, it was different, with boys fighting to earn a 12-3 regular season record and even advancing to regionals. “This season can be summed up as the year we made history for the program. We did things like having the highest win record in Robinson Lacrosse history and beating Steinbrenner for the first time,” Captain Aidan Parks (‘25) said. “It’s not looking great for next year. There are so many kids who are doing so good, like Bryce, Amir, and Will, who will carry the team, but unfortunately, it’s a 10-12 person sport”. Although they achieved unparalleled success, they’re losing a massive number of core players this offseason and will have to fight to reach the same heights next year.
Throughout all of the Robinson teams competing this spring, one thing is clear: a focus on development and sustainability, ensuring success in future seasons as well as the present. This trait was especially noticeable in girls track, who, despite the number of seniors leaving, are keeping an extremely positive attitude for next season.
“Overall, the team has shown so much growth with the gain of many new freshmen, leading to the team having good, strong relays. All relays made it out of districts to regionals,” Captain Bryn White (‘25) said. “Next season is looking great, with hopefully even more incoming freshmen.”With the freshmen this season continuing to develop and new freshmen coming to reinforce the team, next season’s prospects look bright as new talent refreshes girls’ track. This season, the girls were able to advance all the way to regionals for all of their relays, an impressive feat that demonstrates the huge amount of skill spread throughout the entire team. This widespread success is something the girls’ team is looking to continue in the upcoming seasons.
Not all teams at Robinson are going to be suffering in the following years, however, with the Knights’ softball team now primed for success. “This softball season had many twists- from losing a coach to gaining an even stronger leader,” Captain Lillian Davis (‘25) said. “Next year, the team will be upperclassmen-heavy and filled with lots of leadership, the perfect group of girls to continue to rebrand Robinson softball.” At the beginning of the season, the Knights switched head coaches from Bayli Robinson to Jesse Strong, a transition that seemed to threaten the team’s prospects this season. Despite the change in leadership, however, the knights persevered, fearlessly moving through a schedule stacked with teams such as Gaither and Steinbrenner. Next year, the girls are due for an even more successful season, with the team only losing two seniors while hopefully gaining a plethora of new talent with the incoming freshmen as well as the experience of the returning players.
A focus on young talent is a theme common throughout both bat-and-ball sports, with the boys’ team also focusing on development for next season, hoping to capitalize on a promising group of underclassmen. “I think as a team we did well, but definitely left a lot on the table,” Captain Brady Capps (‘25) said. “Many ups and downs throughout the season led us to miss out on a bid to regionals, but we showed the county what we can do as a team. We have incredible young talent, and I’m excited to see what the guys can do next year.” Despite a somewhat disappointing end to the 2025 season, the boys managed to maintain a positive attitude and already have their eyes set on next season. This year, the baseball team is only losing six seniors from its varsity team, managing to keep the majority of the roster for next season while being able to reinforce any holes with players from JV and incoming freshmen.
The girls weren’t the only ones tearing up the track, however, with the boys also experiencing a great season, although not necessarily an easy one. “Track season this year got off to a bit of a rocky start for the distance side with a few of the 4x800 guys being injured, but once they returned redemption was inevitable,” Cap tain Peter Smalley (‘26) said. “Throughout the season, there were many strong per- formances and promising talent shown by our underclassmen. This year was mainly a year of growth and development for our team, and we have high hopes for next season.” This season, the boys managed to qualify a large number of athletes, pushing past any initial resistance to achieve success on the track. Multiple athletes were able to break out of districts to regionals, and with the amount of expe rience underclassmen gained this track season, this year wasn’t just successful but also crucial to the development of the boys’ team.
Last but not least, the sport that Robinson has undoubtedly experienced the most success in: Flag Football. This year, the flag team is in pursuit of its ninth consecutive state championship, having already established itself as the most successful flag program in the entire state, and one of the most prominent in the entire country. Despite this, however, the season wasn’t always easy. After losing many key seniors last year, the girls varsity team only received several freshmen, with the team once again being upperclassmen heavy. Additionally, the team strug gled on the field, losing to Alonso, Land O’Lakes. Despite struggles, however, the team stayed positive.
“The flag season has had some ups and downs, but we’ve grown and continue to grow from them,” Captain Haidyn Spano (‘25) said. “So far we’ve gotten to regionals and are aiming to win another state title.”
