![Surrounded by her fellow HBCU alumni, Director of Equity and Virginia State University graduate Lottie Spurlock talks to the audience about why attending an HBCU was right for her. “I don’t know if I appreciated it then like I do know, but going through attending [an HBCU], I felt like I was not robbed of any college experience,” Spurlock said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_4866-2-900x605.jpg)
![During halftime of the homecoming football game, senior Jack Capobianco wins homecoming royalty and is officially crowned by junior Maggie Miller. “I wasn’t expecting [winning homecoming royalty] at all,” Capobianco said. “I was very surprised but very excited.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC_0911-900x600.jpg)
![Leaving the season behind, sophomore Aiden Patel walks along a golf course holding all his golf equipment. Patel, although not yet a senior, is already thinking about his future in golf. “Hopefully, [I’ll continue golf] in college, and if I can go pro, a 100%,” Patel said, “But if I cant, Ill probably just find a job.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Aiden-Patel-900x600.jpg)
![The Phoenix prepare to face the Huskies in a new play. “[We could improve by] focusing on trying to get people healthy, running the ball, and getting people work at different positions just in case [of] injuries,” Qadri said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DSC_0070-900x630.jpg)
![At Rock Ridge’s home meet on Jan. 4, sophomore Micah Younger, junior Alyssa Tucker, and sophomore Lilia Jones line up at the start line for the Girls 55m Dash. “[The most difficult thing about this season] is that I’m not at my best right now, but I’m going to get there in [outdoor track],” Younger said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_0524-900x600.jpg)
![Senior Mehma Kathuria keeps the ball away from the Bolt defender. “Our game was together, we were playing with a new play,” Kathuria said. “[The Team’s] chemistry builds and gets better every game.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/use-this-e1676057711919-900x883.jpg)
Arts & EntertainmentKaris Adnan, Rachel Adams, Smrithi Balakumar, and Mariam Abdelsayed | March 1, 2023
Read Story
NewsAnushka Goski, Aarohi Motwani, Sudeepa Pasupuleeti, and Sruthi Sakala | February 8, 2023
Read Story
As the winter sports season came to a close, a new chapter in the 2022-23 school year began: spring sports. The first day of tryouts for spring...
For the past two decades, the Virginia Law-Related Education Institute’s Virginia High School Mock Trial Program has been educating high schoolers...
![Freshman Brian Ayewouadan keeps the ball in his possession as he tries to move it away from the Pioneer defender. “We could have definitely had more goals, and our strikers were a little bit off. This was my first varsity [game] as a freshman, and I was kind of nervous, but I actually did pretty good,” Ayewouadan said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DSC_0452-e1678394890698-900x879.jpg)
As the 2022-2023 spring sports season began, returning and new varsity soccer athletes tested their skills and teamwork with their first scrimmage...
A Royal Debrief On Dec. 8, 2022, the royal family and the world were rocked by the shocking details Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan,...
On Feb. 14, the Loudoun County School Board gathered to discuss changes that would affect LCPS for the 2023-2024 school year. From attendance...
Before heading off the playoffs, the Phoenix returned to their home court for one more game. On Monday, Feb. 6, the Phoenix boys and girls varsity...
-
Rock Ridge High School38Tuscarora51Jan 25 / Boys Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School58Broad Run49Jan 20 / Boys Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School34Broad Run52Jan 20 / Girls Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School42Loudoun Valley55Jan 17 / Boys Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School21Loudoun Valley64Jan 17 / Girls Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School42Lightridge27Jan 13 / Boys Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School22Lightridge46Jan 13 / Girls Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School47Loudoun County51Jan 11 / Boys Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School20Loudoun County35Jan 11 / Girls Varsity Basketball
-
Rock Ridge High School61Briar Woods48Jan 9 / Boys Varsity Basketball
![Surrounded by her fellow HBCU alumni, Director of Equity and Virginia State University graduate Lottie Spurlock talks to the audience about why attending an HBCU was right for her. “I don’t know if I appreciated it then like I do know, but going through attending [an HBCU], I felt like I was not robbed of any college experience,” Spurlock said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_4866-2-300x202.jpg)
![For the past two decades, the Virginia Law-Related Education Institute’s Virginia High School Mock Trial Program has been educating high schoolers on the American legal system by allowing them to experience law as attorneys and witnesses. Throughout the school year, participating high schools across the state work on civil and criminal cases before ultimately partaking in regionals in the spring. Following that event, there are states and then nationals, where the state winner represents Virginia and Washington D.C. at the National High School Mock Trial Championship. s Rock Ridge’s Mock Trial club has been preparing for the 2023 regional competition on Feb. 11.
The Phoenix Mock Trial chapter unofficially began in May 2022, when three then-juniors—Greeshma Yadlapalli, Jahnavi Haryani, and Ananya Cheela—realized that their school didn’t have any law-related classes or clubs. They wanted a space for students to learn about how case proceedings actually work. “For our specific career it’s hard to get in court and actually see what it’s like because, of course, confidentiality and all that,” Haryani said. “[Mock Trial] gives you a great view of how everything goes and it can help you further [consider] if you really want to do this in your life.”
The group researched possible law competitions and came up with the idea to form a club of their own, quickly finding sponsors in history teachers Josh Dobbs and Steven Mobley. The group worked hard over the summer and were able to officially form the club in August 2022, with seniors Yadlapalli and Cheela serving as co-presidents who completed the appropriate paperwork, advertised the club at the club fair, and ultimately interviewed possible club members. With an official group of nine members, the club registered for Mock Trial Regionals, and planned to participate in the event for the first time.
Click the link in bio to read more about Mock Trial Regionals!
Piece by: Adi Kidiyoor and Manika Porchezhian
Graphic by: Manika Porchezhian](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
From the dreamy opening chords of “Daydreaming” to the last electric notes of “Kiwi” at the end of his set, Styles kept his audience...
It’s 9 p.m. and you just came back from work. You decide to relax and spend some time decompressing. That’s when it hits you: you have an...
