Ria Athreya, Staff Writer
Ria Athreya is a junior and a first-year staff writer for The Blaze. She hopes to gain more confidence in interviewing and improve her speaking skills throughout her experience with the newspaper. She is also excited to write articles for the newspaper, especially about art and soccer. She looks forward to her new classes this year, like AP Biology, and her research project at the Academies of Loudoun. In her free time, she enjoys going on walks with her dog and driving. She also loves art, especially oil painting.
![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)
![As the referee throws the ball up for the tip-off, freshman Simone Diby leaps towards the ball to get it in Phoenix possession. Diby is a new member of the Phoenix girls basketball team, and despite it being a change, she finds it enjoyable. “It’s definitely a different experience if you’ve never played on a team, [but] I think it’s still fun.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/DSC_0057-1200x662.jpg)
![Senior Nihaal Grandhi helps customers find Rock Ridge merchandise they want to purchase. “I want to go into business in the future, and I want [to] experience [the]retail side of the business,” Grandhi said. “I feel it's a good starting experience [because] we get to know the basics of how to do everything, and we learn how to sell the products.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/DSC_0015-1200x800.jpg)
