![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870.jpeg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.jpg)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
![Gracing stages, football games, and even the big screen, Taylor Swifts popularity doesn’t seem to be declining anytime soon as she’s been almost everywhere on social media, and just this December, [Swift] won TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year award. This brought along magnificent pictures of Swift, articles praising her, and some controversy between Swifites (Swifts most devoted fans), and other people on whether or not she should have won this award.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/taylor-swift-person-of-the-year-1-1094x1200.png)
NEHS Wraps Up Pajama Project With Christmas Spirit
National English Honors Society celebrates the end of their pajama project with a “Polar Express” movie night.
January 15, 2020
Friends and family gather in the library to participate in the NEHS movie night.
Dec. 11, 2019, the National English Honors Society held a “Polar Express” themed movie night to celebrate the end of their Pajama Project Drive. NEHS collected books and pajamas from the week of Nov. 11 to the week of Dec. 16. Throughout the time of the drive, decorated boxes were set up in most of the English teacher’s rooms for student’s to drop off donations.
NEHS president senior Kate Bishop was inducted into the honors society as a junior and became president at the end of her junior year. Bishop, along with the other NEHS officers and members, worked hard to put together the community event. Other than having fun and celebrate the holidays, the event served as the culmination of the Pajama Project Drive. “We encourage people to bring in new kids’ pajamas or gently used books and that will all go to underprivileged kids in Loudoun county that may not have those things,” Bishop said.
The movie night attracted many students, including sophomores Yasser Mengaoui and Ariana Snekeim. “I feel like it’s a Christmas tradition. I don’t celebrate Christmas, but every Christmas time I watch this movie [“The Polar Express”] with my friends and family and it just makes me feel joyful for a new year,” Mengaoui said.
The food was also a favorite. “It was fun, I liked the food,” Snekeim said. Along with the Pajama Project collections, the movie night was also an opportunity to further benefit NEHS.
“The concessions we’re selling go back towards NEHS for things the chapter may need in the future,” Bishop said.
This was the honor society’s first event of the year and they plan on having more, including an open mic night on Jan. 16 and another in April at RRHS.
