![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
![Junior Alex Alkhal pitches the ball. “[I] just let it go and keep practicing so we can focus on our goal for the next game to get better as a team,” Alkhal said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DSC_0013-1-1200x929.jpg)
Each year, the beginning of senior activities starts with seniors painting their parking spots a few weeks before the first day of school.
From Aug. 8 through Aug. 20, seniors came together to commemorate the start of their final year of high school. “It’s definitely really exciting and kind of sad,” senior Answesha Rout said. “We’ve been looking forward to [painting our parking spots] for so long – maybe since middle school.”
With this long-awaited event, many seniors took their time trying to figure out which designs truly represented them. “I’m a big fan of the show One Piece, so I designed it out of that,” senior Ajay Nayak said. Designs varied, as many seniors couldn’t stick to just one idea. “I like blue and the ocean, so I took inspiration from pictures on Pinterest,” senior Leillah Kafumbe said. “I turned it into a collage and added random squiggles.” Other parking spots featured inspirational quotes, collages, and cartoons. Each of the parking spots was a result of the Class of ’26’s individuality.
The process was a collaborative effort, with friends and family showing up to help paint. Seniors traded paint brushes and brought speakers that blasted playlists ranging from pop music to early 2000s music keeping the energy and the vibes high, despite the heat and humidity.
The Phoenix parking lot now reflects the school spirit of the Class of ’26 – bright, creative, and united as they embark on their final year of high school.
