Ananya Karthik, Staff Writer
Ananya Karthik is a sophomore who is taking her first year of Newspaper. She joined the newspaper because she loves to write and wants to pursue journalism in the future. Ananya spends most of her time singing and playing the guitar. Singing and songwriting encourages her to express herself in a different way; it helps her “escape.” She loves singing anything by singer- songwriter Taylor Swift. Ananya brings her voice to Rock Ridge’s very own “Rockapella” club where she loves to have fun with her singing community.
![Surrounded by her fellow HBCU alumni, Director of Equity and Virginia State University graduate Lottie Spurlock talks to the audience about why attending an HBCU was right for her. “I don’t know if I appreciated it then like I do know, but going through attending [an HBCU], I felt like I was not robbed of any college experience,” Spurlock said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/DSC_4866-2-900x605.jpg)
![Freshman Brian Ayewouadan keeps the ball in his possession as he tries to move it away from the Pioneer defender. “We could have definitely had more goals, and our strikers were a little bit off. This was my first varsity [game] as a freshman, and I was kind of nervous, but I actually did pretty good,” Ayewouadan said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DSC_0452-e1678394890698-900x879.jpg)
![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)
![The student team huddles after the first set to determine positions. “There [are] a lot of people on the team, so we [used] that to our advantage,” senior Brandon Kilfeather said. “I thought it would be fun since [this is] my last year in high school, so it can’t hurt [to play].”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/student-huddle-809x900.jpg)
