![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)
Students Slide into Winter Break With Holiday Outfits
During the week of Dec. 12-16, SCA held a spirit week that ended with a pep rally to get students into the mood for winter break and the holiday season.
Economics teacher Peter Kim gets pied in the face by senior Akarsh Kontham, after gaining the most money from the hot chocolate sale.
January 17, 2023
Giving a festive feel to the last week of school before winter break, SCA hosted their winter spirit week Dec. 12-16. Students looked forward to the week of dressing up because it made school more fun. For senior Jenna Whaley, spirit week “[made] school go by faster.”
Spirit week started off with Merry Monday Morning, where students dressed in festive pajamas. Many students enjoyed the pajama day, since it is comfortable and easy to do. “I saw a lot of teachers and people that usually dress up fancy, wear pajamas,” freshman Angel Labosette said.
People wore their favorite artist’s merch, or dressed up as their favorite artist, for Tuesday’s Spotify Wrapped theme. On Wednesday, students got to wear their craziest hats and socks. On Thursday, the planned Slay vs. Sleigh spirit day turned into a snow day, canceling school. Finally, Friday was Festive Fits, featuring ugly sweaters, Santa hats, and fuzzy socks to show the holiday spirit.
Junior Nicole Smith felt that everyone can have a lot of fun during spirit weeks. “I really like that everyone can try to express themselves differently and how everyone wears something completely different,” Smith said.
The spirit week ended on Friday with a pep rally, hyping students up for winter break. At the pep rally, SCA announced that the juniors won spirit week with 16 points, seniors were second place with 13 points, sophomores third place with 8 points and freshman last place with 7 points. The pep rally featured games like a STEM vs. humanities teachers dodgeball game, chicken toss that the seniors won, and economics teacher Peter Kim getting pied in the face.
![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)