![Senior Akanksha Potluri and her little sister paint her designated parking spot, inspired by her graduating year. Potluri enjoyed painting her spot. “I am doing the route 24 sign and then putting ‘the end of the road’ at the bottom,” Potluri said. “I just thought it would be cool because [it is] a little fun and creative.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DSC_0059-1200x800.jpg)
![After fighting hard, the Phoenix and Bobcats congratulate each other on a game well played. While the game went on for four sets, ending with a victory for the Bobcats, the Phoenix kept their energy and enthusiasm at a max until the match point was won. “When [the team loses] a point or they start getting down, theyre good at not letting themselves fall into a hole,” assistant coach Whitney Leach said. “They’re really good at staying positive, pulling themselves up, and keeping that energy going during games.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DSC_0745-1200x800.jpeg)
![During halftime of the homecoming football game, senior Jack Capobianco wins homecoming royalty and is officially crowned by junior Maggie Miller. “I wasn’t expecting [winning homecoming royalty] at all,” Capobianco said. “I was very surprised but very excited.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/DSC_0911-900x600.jpg)
![Leaving the season behind, sophomore Aiden Patel walks along a golf course holding all his golf equipment. Patel, although not yet a senior, is already thinking about his future in golf. “Hopefully, [I’ll continue golf] in college, and if I can go pro, a 100%,” Patel said, “But if I cant, Ill probably just find a job.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Aiden-Patel-900x600.jpg)
![The Phoenix prepare to face the Huskies in a new play. “[We could improve by] focusing on trying to get people healthy, running the ball, and getting people work at different positions just in case [of] injuries,” Qadri said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DSC_0070-900x630.jpg)
![At Rock Ridge’s home meet on Jan. 4, sophomore Micah Younger, junior Alyssa Tucker, and sophomore Lilia Jones line up at the start line for the Girls 55m Dash. “[The most difficult thing about this season] is that I’m not at my best right now, but I’m going to get there in [outdoor track],” Younger said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_0524-900x600.jpg)
![Senior Mehma Kathuria keeps the ball away from the Bolt defender. “Our game was together, we were playing with a new play,” Kathuria said. “[The Team’s] chemistry builds and gets better every game.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/use-this-e1676057711919-900x883.jpg)
![Freshman Parth Jaiswal strums his guitar. Because the performance was the last concert of the year, guitar teacher Teresa L. Gordon wanted her students to both enjoy and challenge themselves this time. “That was more of a challenge for the intermediate advanced artists just because there are four different parts in the music,” Gordon said. “But then the bass part, the fourth part, has more octaves and [moves] around like that, and chords in the third time. I think they enjoyed it for the most part.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Copy-of-DSC_0051-e1686414550130-600x900.jpg)
![After fighting hard, the Phoenix and Bobcats congratulate each other on a game well played. While the game went on for four sets, ending with a victory for the Bobcats, the Phoenix kept their energy and enthusiasm at a max until the match point was won. “When [the team loses] a point or they start getting down, theyre good at not letting themselves fall into a hole,” assistant coach Whitney Leach said. “They’re really good at staying positive, pulling themselves up, and keeping that energy going during games.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DSC_0745-300x200.jpeg)
![On Friday, Sept. 8, the Phoenix community gathered in the gym and got hyped for the first pep rally of the 2023-2024 school year. The sophomores took the lead in hungry hungry hippos, winning the game with 33 points. Then, teachers took to the floor in a heated game of musical chairs, where chemistry teacher Kyle Hayne came out on top. After class cheers, the class of 2024 took home the first spirit stick of the school year.
The pep rally came at the conclusion of the first spirit week of the year, where all grades participated in dressing up in outfits inspired by themes from Adam Sandler to Barbie. SCA hosted lunch games throughout the week and students from each grade level competed to win spirit points for their class during lunch.
“[Spirit week] is fun; it’s probably going to be my last chance to [participate] before college applications,” senior Manasvi Sharma said. “This year is going to be a lot of work — especially the first semester — so it’s something fun [to do].”
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In August of every year, fresh cans of paint, colorful designs, and excited seniors show up in the sun to pick a parking spot to make their own. The class of 2024 arrived on Monday, Aug. 14 to start the first of many traditions that will fill their senior year.
After getting their design approved and choosing a spot to reserve for the year, the seniors, along with friends and family, got to work making their spot look amazing before school started. After three long years of hard work, these seniors finally have the opportunity to participate in long-standing traditions. “I think [painting your parking spot] does have sentimental value, because it’s kind of your last mark on the school,” senior Eunice Makassi said. Some seniors opted for simple sentiment with their graduating year and a sweet saying, some paid homage to their favorite artists, sports teams, and movies.
Designs featured elements from childhood days, like paintings of ‘The Emperor’s New Groove,’ ‘Tangled,’ Snoopy, and Disney. “It was just something fun [to do] and [shows] how time flew by so fast,” senior Umaima Azam said.
Students and families had four days to come out and paint their spots. After the Thursday, Aug. 17 time slot got canceled, as a result of a county-wide development day held at Rock Ridge that day, additional time was added for Wednesday, Aug. 23 for remaining seniors to finish and perfect their designs before school starts.
“I feel like [this is] a way to represent that you are a senior — it’s a fun tradition,” Potluri said.
