![Junior Diya Arun stares out a window. For Arun, the winter season brings out the holiday blues. “ I think [the winter] has a negative effect on my mental health because I feel like the cold weather and people around me are also sadder [and] that affects me,” Arun said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_8047-1200x800.jpg)
![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)
Spirit Week
The week began with “Game Day,” also known as Jersey Day, on Tuesday. Phoenix repped teams from around the world with jerseys from hockey to basketball. On Wednesday, humor and creativity came together as many out-of-the-box carriers roamed the halls for “All Fun and Games,” or Anything-but-a-Backpack Day. After a day filled with microwaves and shopping carts, students were able to be more laid back in their “Game Night” pajamas on Thursday.
Attempting to switch things up, the SCA introduced various lunch game challenges throughout the week. From guessing the number of candies in a jar to volunteering for a game of “Twister,” students were given the opportunity to see a different side of spirit week festivities.
The week concluded with the annual all-black attire for the football game and a new lunch game involving partners, a fishing line, and a glazed donut. “Having to sit still so I could eat the donut was definitely the biggest [challenge] of the lunch game because [senior] Raushan [Goureddy] kept on hitting me with it on my head,” senior Hari Kommu said.
Pep Rally
As the black monochromatic outfits filled the bleachers, the marching band welcomed the students by playing “War,” the Phoenix fight song. Once all classes were settled, senior Ananya Akula sang the National Anthem to kick off the pep rally festivities.
Following the introduction of the homecoming court with various partner run-out and handshake combinations, a few of the nominees competed in a dress-up competition involving a tiara, a tutu, and a creative proposal sign. The juniors were the first team to beat the clock and triumphantly get down on one knee.
Following the quick change challenge, humanities teachers went head-to-head against STEM teachers in a staff dodgeball game. With intense staredowns from both sides, the cutthroat action of the game left the entire gym cheering for their favorites to win. “I did dodgeball last year; I always have a lot of fun with it,” science teacher Stephen Spruell said. “You kind of get caught up in the moment and it goes by like a blur, so there is really no [clear] strategy other than ‘grip and rip it” — throw it as hard as you can and [hope] you hit somebody.” Spruell’s team ultimately took the win after a combined effort to topple the “last man standing,” chorus teacher Jordan Markwood.
SCA class representatives from each grade level then came out from behind the scenes to compete against one another in a game race, including themes such as “Subway Surfers.” Each of the four members needed to recreate the chain reaction path the person in front of them took, as fast as they could, to win the event.
After the senior class got to the finish line first in the relay race, the classes competed in the annual spirit stick competition, with the sophomores ultimately being awarded the honor by Spruell for chanting their cheer the loudest.
