Check out our website for consistent coverage: knightwriters.org
instagram: @rhsknightwriters
follow us:
Knight Volume 65
twitter: @robinsonknights
Writers May 3, 2024
Issue 4
Smith’s Send Off S
“I’ve had some great memories, some great players, some great teams, it’s been a great 25 years. I just enjoyed every minute of it,” Smith said. Looking back on his time at Robinson, one co-worker, a fellow coach and math teacher Joshua Saunders commends Smith’s service to his athletes and to his school. Having coached the boys basketball team with Smith for
six years, Saunders knows him as an extremely hard worker, and a true knight through and through.
6311 S Lois Ave, Tampa, Fla. 33616
HEADLINES FROM THE INSIDE
Coach Steven Smith departs from basketball By ASHLYN MILLER, INCOMING EDITOR-INCHIEF ince 1998, Robinson has been torn down, rebuilt, refurbished and rebranded. Throughout all this, one factor has remained the same. Every winter sports season, Coach Steven Smith has led the boys basketball team to becoming better athletes, students and better young men overall. However, the ‘23-’24 season was the last time he would take the court with his team.
tiktok: @rhsknightwriters
— NEWS— Ron DeSantis Signs Law Restricting Social Media Access For Minors Steven Smith and Joshua Saunders coaching a boys basketball game in 2008. Photo Courtesy of Robinson Archives
in particular, we’ve had some good victories over “I don’t think anybody cares the years and it’s been a lot of fun,” Smith said. about their individual players “I love Robinson High School. It’s been the more. I think that’s a pretty big ultimate pleasure and joy and honor to be the deal, you have to really love players, head coach of the boys basketball team for the thats the key to being a good coach. last 25 years. It’s been a great experience and it’s His thing was always the way he just time to do something different.” cares for his players and supports Many students have heard the rumors of the program,” Saunders said.”He Smith’s departure from basketball. One of Smith’s really pushed his athletes and current players Malik Williams (‘25) recalls always wanted them to play his freshmen year with Smith and his push of hard, coach smith is just super encouragement. passionate about the game and passionate about robinson basketball, anytime you have “I’ve known Coach Smith since my freshman that kind of pasion you are year because I tried out for the basketball and always going to get a positive didn’t make it sadly, but he encouraged me to enviorment.” keeping pushing because he saw what a great Over his years as the coach, player I could become. He is very passionate about the game of basketball and he love all his Robinson has seen a lot of players and want to push you to be the best of incredible athletes, especially under Smith’s tutelage. Unable your capabilities,” Williams said.
to choose just one player, for Smith every student he has coached has changed him.
“I can’t really specify anyone As the perennial MC for the spirit chant, Steven Smith leads the students. Photo Courtesy of L. Montero
Continued on page 7...
3
On Monday, March 25, Ron DeSantis signed HB3, prohibiting minors under 14 years to own social media...
—PROM — Robinson Royalty
5
Once upon a time, the clock struck 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, where student’s royal carriages....
— A&E — So Long, Joe Alwyn
Swifties from all over the world officially became members of the Tortured Poets Department. “The Tortured Poets Department” is Taylor Swift’s eleventh studio...
7
Aniyah Ritch: ‘Model Student’ Ritch gets her first booking for Macy’s Back to School campaign By ANIKA SANKA, INCOMING FEATURES EDITOR he’s every school’s dream with a sunny disposition and an impressive reputation. While carrying the load of being an IB student, she juggles several band ensembles, being president of Robinson’s Best Buddies club, playing for the tennis team, student government and national honor society. Junior Aniyah Ritch, the model student.
S
And on top of that: she’s an actual model. Ritch began her modeling journey as a freshman when scouted at her local Target.
for the intellectually and developmentally disabled, Ritch is mainstream culture. So, I think that it’s really interesting a strong advocate for disability rights. to be able to meet people from different cultures, different backgrounds, all with a collective dream of wanting to sort “I am very passionate about disability rights, and I feel of pursue something in the modeling industry,” Ritch said. like it’s a very prevalent issue and it’s international. Their community doesn’t have too much advocacy and I would love to take advantage of the privilege to be able to talk about things to empower marginalized communities,” Ritch said.
Including Best Buddies, Ritch has an incredibly busy schedule so flying out to New York to model isn’t always easy. Now that Ritch is officially seventeen, there’s more availability for a different market so she’s open to more bookings. Because she is still a minor, she needs an adult chaperone to accompany her to New York, so there is a lot of sacrifice when it comes to her taking new jobs. It’s also a lot to balance with her rigorous IB schedule.
“I was just walking around Target and a scout came up to me and asked us if I was interested in modeling. We checked the legitimacy of course and I ended up being signed that year,” Ritch said. So far in her modeling career, she has spent time building her portfolio with several photo shoots with The Industry, her mother agency. The Industry is geared towards younger women, and helped her develop as a model “I missed a test on Tuesday when I went up to the shoot, before getting signed with a booking agency. Recently, she and then the day after the shoot was the SAT. I came in received her first paid booking to model for Macy’s Back to at midnight on the flight the night before the SAT, and School campaign. then I took the SAT the next day. So, it does kind of create a chaotic lifestyle when I do have to go away for these “I got the email like a week before because it’s a superphotoshoots, but I do think that from a career standpoint fast-paced industry. It was unexpected, but it was such a it is worth it, I just won’t be able to take every single cool experience. The plan for my agency is to start with booking,” Ritch said. more commercial stuff and then work my way up to high fashion. I might try to stay with a commercial for now Despite the chaos, modeling is highly rewarding for because it’s more sustainable,” Ritch said. Ritch, who describes one of her strengths as being personable. “I love meeting new people and in New York, If Ritch decides to take the high fashion route, she’s it’s kind of like a culmination of people from all across the determined to use her platform for good. With her presidency of Best Buddies club, a club based on inclusivity world who have come to pursue some sort of career in
As well as bonding with fellow models in New York, Ritch also forges connections with those who have similar aspirations.
“Aniyah’s modeling journey is very inspiring for me, and I think it’s important to boost each other up as we continue our journeys. I love watching her succeed and do amazing shoots,” fellow model Ally Linsky (‘25) who’s signed to the same agency as Ritch. Networking with fellow models is highly enlightening for her to discover who she is as a model. A Portrait taken “I would say that modeling has taught me the importance of looking beyond a person’s face because while it is a very superficial industry, it has given me the opportunity to meet people beyond just how they’re viewed,” Ritch said. “It gave me a new perspective on the world of modeling because like one of my greatest fears is being seen as a ‘dumb model,’ but I also work super hard at school, so there’s always more beyond the face.”
by Ritch’s model company as prom. Photo Courtesy of Aniyah Ritch