Nidhi Manchala, Staff Writer
Nidhi Manchala is a sophomore here at Rock Ridge and this is her second year on "The Blaze." Although she isn't very into sports, Nidhi plans on rejoining Educators Rising. She enjoyed working with the kids at Rosa Lee Carter and revisiting her old teachers. One of Nidhi's passions is art. She is proficient in different mediums such as, pencils, pens, and color pencils. Even though the year just got started, Nidhi is already dealing with challenges of school work but is pushing through it to have a good school year. She's decently happy with her schedule and is hoping to make the best of it.
![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)
![After the PTSO meeting concluded on Jan. 12, all the in person attendees were invited and encouraged to stay for a Crumbl cookie provided by principal John Duellman, and talk together for a short time. Duellman was excited that the backpacks that were needed for giving students food were supplied. “All of the requests [for the backpacks] have been fulfilled, so we can send the backpacks home with students,” Duellman said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/DSC_0010-900x600.jpg)
