![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)
![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)
Last Spirit Week of the School Year Comes to an End
May 16 marked the last spirit week of the school year, and students went all out for their last time to express school spirit. Students showed their spirit with trendy spirit days such as Adam Sandler Day and Anything But a Backpack Day.
![“Anything But a Backpack Day” brought out the creativity in senior Alexa Kim, who brought her mini remote controlled Range Rover to school. “I really loved today's spirit day, because it [was] a chance for me to be absolutely ridiculous,” Kim said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_5610-1-2-675x900.jpg)
“Anything But a Backpack Day” brought out the creativity in senior Alexa Kim, who brought her mini remote controlled Range Rover to school. “I really loved today’s spirit day, because it [was] a chance for me to be absolutely ridiculous,” Kim said.
June 6, 2022
Although admittedly nervous about how Adam Sandler Day and Anything But a Backpack Day would go, Principal John Duellman was happy with how the final spirit week of the year turned out. “It was an outstanding spirit week,” Duellman said. “The goal is always to maximize participation and our SCA has done a great job this year.”
Monday: Denim Day
Denim Day kicked off the last spirit week of the year, with the SCA encouraging students to wear as much denim as they could. Even though jeans are a typical everyday article of clothing, Counseling Secretary Jackie Sanabria wanted to make sure she participated, since it is the last spirit week of the school year.
Tuesday: Pajama vs. Professional Day
For Pajamas vs Professional Day, students wore their favorite pajamas or their most professional attire. Even though most students wore their pajamas to school, some sported their most professional attire. “It was a chance for me to dress cute, even though I had to sit in study hall for three hours,” sophomore Haley Sutton said, referring to the testing schedule for the day.
Wednesday: Anything but a Backpack Day
This spirit day had students planning in advance as they schemed about what creative items could hold their belongings for the day. This spirit day also saw the most participation from students.“I really appreciate how [the SCA] went out with a bang,” senior Alexa Kim said. “[The idea of Anything But a Backpack Day] is something interesting and new and a trend,”
Thursday: Adam Sandler Day
For the fourth spirit day of the week, students dressed up as Adam Sandler in baggy clothes. Some went all out wearing socks and sandals, with some girls even wearing their brothers’ or dads’ clothes. “I love the school spirit, I like to participate in spirit weeks because it’s fun to do,” sophomore Manasvi Sharma said. Sharma wore a long white shirt with a collar and swim trunks that belonged to her father.
Senior Tanyka Matthias also participated in Adam Sandler day. “The people that I have seen so far went all out, it looks really good,” Matthias said. She paired her baggy clothes with sunglasses and a cap.
Friday: Class Colors
For the final spirit day of the school year, each grade represented their class by wearing their assigned color. Freshmen wore black, sophomores sported gray, juniors wore white, and seniors wore red in the form of their senior class t-shirts.
![In a historic presidential election, voters nationwide turned out to make their voices heard. Virginia’s 10th congressional district had three key national positions up for election: president, senator, and representative.
In the race for the House of Representatives seat previously held by Democrat Jennifer Wexton, the Republican Party nominated Mike Clancy, while the Democratic Party put forward Suhas Subramanyam, a former Virginia General Assembly Senator. Subramanyam won the seat with a 52% majority.
For one of Virginia’s Senate positions, Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine and Republican challenger Hung Cao faced off. Kaine took the position with a 54% majority.
For the White House, current Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump fought to obtain the 270 electoral votes needed to get the bid. News outlets worldwide tracked the results live, with close attention to seven key battleground states: Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina. Trump ultimately crossed the 270-vote threshold early on Nov. 6, with the swing states playing a pivotal role in his campaign’s success.
This election was the first presidential race for many Gen-Z voters, who entered a sharply polarized environment. Adela Booth, mother-in-law of Representative-Elect Subramanyam, traveled from Connecticut to support his campaign, encouraging young voters to engage in the political process. “Vote,” Booth said. “Get involved in politics. Even [if] you don’t think it applies to you, it applies to you. You will carry this debt. It will affect your grandchildren and you have to do something about it. You can’t sit back and watch anymore.”
✏️ and 📷 by Shivu Sathe](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)