On April 17, Rock Ridge held its annual Future Phoenix event, where rising ninth graders from Stone Hill Middle School got a sneak peek into activities, academic opportunities, and extracurriculars in high school. A cheering crowd of performers from the theater department welcomed eighth graders as they entered the front doors and were led down a red carpet into the auditorium, where a performance of the song “Fixer Upper” from Rock Ridge Performing Arts’ (RRPA) upcoming musical “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” was waiting for them. 

Gallery • 3 Photos

Melissa Waas

(From left to right) Junior Kaylie Rivers, senior Hayley Sutton, junior Hannah Tyson, and senior Anna Dillah, along with the cast of Rock Ridge Performing Arts’ spring musical, “Frozen,” cheer on the rising freshmen as they walk down the red carpet into the auditorium. For many, this was their first time stepping into Rock Ridge, and the theater department was ready to make their first impression a lasting one with their enthusiasm.

After the performance, the eighth graders dispersed into groups to visit different rotations, at which they learned about school values, explored clubs and sports offered at Rock Ridge, and had the opportunity to ask current high schoolers questions about academics and finding balance in their schedules.

While the event was exciting for eighth graders, it also served as a great opportunity for sports teams and clubs to awaken interest in rising ninth graders, spread information, and extend the reach of their teams. Senior Nashmia Patel, the Sergeant At Arms of the Technology Student Association Executive Council, tried to approach eighth graders to awaken their interest in TSA. “[The eighth graders] look at our posters and then their eyes are scanning, so I try to talk to them straight up,” Patel said. “[In TSA,] there is technology but there is so much on top of that, and I think they’d rather hear it from someone speaking to them, than peeking around [and being afraid to ask].”

Throughout the event, Rock Ridge students were committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive community — they eagerly volunteered as leaders for the Q&A student panel and led stands at the club expo, ensuring that the transition to high school felt seamless and exciting to the incoming freshmen. At the end of the event, the students left with a bit more confidence about their first day of high school this August.

Gallery • 2 Photos

Ananya Karthik

(From left to right) Junior Jude Ramahi, junior Aditi Bommineni, senior Kim Trieu, and sophomore Savanna Bettilyon engage in conversation with the eighth graders regarding the Phoenix girls soccer team. At the athletics expo, all sports teams had representative stands displaying trophies and equipment, with eager athletes trying to get eighth graders to sign up for their sport. Sports teams tried to get the eighth graders' attention by coming dressed up in their gear and letting them try out some of their sports equipment. The crew team even got out rowing machines that the rising ninth graders were encouraged to try out.