![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)
![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)
Yearbook Staff Successfully Delivers the 2021-2022 Book
After a year of hard work, the yearbook staff completed the design and content for the book by their final deadline, April 2. Yearbooks are now available for distribution.
Sophomore yearbook staffer Elizabeth Bird works on getting interviews for her spread as the yearbook staff approaches their final deadline of the year. Yearbooks are available for purchase for $85 here.
June 7, 2022
Yearbook distribution is a signal that the 2021-2022 school year is coming to a close, giving students a chance to look back. With history teacher and yearbook advisor Michelle Menna, editors-in-chiefs seniors Ellie Schubert, Soifa Difulvio, Christine Choung, Payton So, and Evie Josselyn, as well as juniors Miriam Ahmed and Jack Capobianco leading their effort, the yearbook class wrapped up their final deadline on April 2.
The school yearbook serves as a snapshot of the school year and showcases pictures of every student and staff member, as well as photos of special events like homecoming, sporting events, pep rallies, spirit weeks, and regular school days. As they approached their final deadline, the yearbook team checked for grammar mistakes, edited photos, designed spreads, and finished writing stories.
Senior Aarushi Raghupathi has enjoyed her three years on staff. “Towards the end of my freshman year, when we were all doing our course selections, the class of 2018 yearbook had just just taken a field trip to New York since there was a convention there,” Raghupathi said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I want to go on a New York trip!’”
The yearbook class aims to take a trip to a convention for student journalism if they get nominated for prestigious publishing awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, or CSPA.
CSPA is an international student press association that was created in 1925 to bring high school and college student journalists and academic advisers together, and the Rock Ridge Yearbook program won a Crown, their highest award, for the 2018 book.
For many yearbook members, perfecting the yearbook is a critical part to providing the school body with memories to last a lifetime. “The yearbooks hold so many memories of some of the greatest years of your life,” sophomore yearbook staffer Elizabeth Bird said.
The Yearbook class isn’t just a class that makes the school yearbook. “To me, the yearbook is where I had time to work and make lifelong memories and friends,” sophomore Naolee Makonnen said. “Having people like that in my class made it very fun and easy to finish the yearbook right on time.”
The yearbook delivery has been making customers pleased. “When I bought it, it was perfect,” freshman Harmony Dickerson said. “I am very happy with the hard work that the yearbook team did in making a perfect yearbook.”
Yearbooks are available for purchase for $85 here.
![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-600x400.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_3870-600x471.jpeg)
