![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)
LCPS Leadership Conference Goes WILD For Student Leadership
LCPS held its first WILD Leadership Conference on March 3, 2023. This conference aimed to give student leaders in different school organizations the opportunity to learn more about leadership skills, how to apply them, and how to teach them to others. The last event formally started at 9 a.m. and ended at 2:30 p.m.
The “Amazing” Tei Street invites a student onto stage during her opening speech to demonstrate her perspective and tips on leadership. Street stated she was the one who was honored to be a part of this conference and be able speak in front of rising student leaders. “To see young people make a decision not to sleep in, not to get up and play video games, but to come and flex their leadership muscle, is probably one of the most humbling things I can possibly explain,” Street said.
May 10, 2023
On March 13, 2023, LCPS hosted its first WILD Leadership Conference. This conference was designed for leaders of different student organizations such as SCA, NHS, DECA, sports teams, drama, FBLA, Key Club and more. The event was designed by LCPS extracurricular specialist Lin Fiscus, who wanted this event to be unique as well as to put a good first impression on those who attended. “WILD [stands for] we’re intentional about leadership development,” Fiscus said. “We’re trying to be intentional about helping student leaders grow their leadership abilities.”
LCPS’s first WILD Leadership Conference opened up with the “Amazing” Tei Street hyping up and thanking the audience for coming to the conference on a day off. After Street’s presentation, students went to the academic wing to either lead a session or attend another student’s session for 45 minutes. During these sessions, students spoke about their experiences with leadership and participated in various activities meant to demonstrate leadership skills. After this, the students who watched another student’s presentation instead led their own presentations, while the presenters during the first period viewed the new presentations.
When presentations were concluded, students moved to the main gym to share ideas in circles of eight to ten students. Afterwards, half the students could participate in a series of carnival-style games in the main gym while the other half ate lunch. These two groups switched after 30 minutes.
Finally, the WILD Conference ended with six separate presentations on unique topics or issues student leaders could tackle. These sessions honed in on a certain topic, such as diversity in leadership, and showed students how they can approach these challenges or concepts with a different perspective and incorporate them into their own leadership skills.
In the main gym, students participate in carnival-style games designed to promote leadership involvement in small groups while students work together to win various games. The games were run by Student Council Association (SCA) members, and these games ranged from playing jump rope, using a fake elephant trunk to knock over a bottle, a celebrity quote trivia game and more. This section of the WILD conference was meant to be a time for students to unwind and relax, as well as be a reward for them coming to school on their day off.
Photo by: James Bowels
The “Amazing” Tei Street presents in front of a smaller group of students near the end of the WILD conference. At the end of the conference, students were able to choose one of six different presentations to attend that covered various issues or topics that student leaders are able to learn about. “What an amazing thing to do, to value student voice and student leadership,” Street said. “I always want to be a part of any school district that values student voice.”
Photo by: Rohan Iyer
Standing in a circle, Independence senior Anthony Paganin, juniors Maggie Miller and Eunice Makassi, and Loudoun Valley junior Logan Buckley share their ideas with the group about different topics and interests as student leaders. This idea sharing section of the WILD conference happened directly after the breakout sessions and gave students a chance to connect with other student leaders and learn how they’re tackling important interests to them at their school. “Students have stepped up to be presenters in all the breakout sessions, so they’re showing their leadership by teaching others about something they’re passionate about or that they’re knowledgeable about,” extracurricular specialist Lin Fiscus said.
Photo by: Rohan Iyer
Students from another school in Loudoun County present project ideas and guidelines for aspiring leaders in LCPS. After the “Amazing” Tei Street opened up the WILD conference, students broke off into multiple breakout sessions that were separated into two parts to account for the amount of presentations. Students were either able to watch a presentation or present a topic themselves for other student leaders to attend.
Photo by: Rohan Iyer
Students from Loudoun Valley present leadership activities to a group of watchers. The WILD conference wanted student leaders to have the freedom to share topics and issues important to them with both students from their school, and students from other corners of the county. “[Another] way [for student leaders to grow] is for students to attend [and] to hear the speakers and go to the presentations and learn stuff that they can apply at their schools,” extracurricular specialist Lin Fiscus said.
Photo by: Rohan Iyer
![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)
