Sruthi Sakala, Business Manager
Sruthi Sakala is a senior and has been a staff member on "The Blaze" staff since her sophomore year, and the Business Manager since her junior year. Sruthi likes to write Arts and Entertainment articles about new album releases and movies. In her free time, you can see her in her bed with a book, listening to music or watching her comfort movies. She also enjoys attending concerts, her most recent one being The Weeknd. She loves volunteering and learning new skills (she’s learning how to code right now!) and in the future, Sruthi hopes to major in marketing and minor in computer science.
![Standing center stage, senior Ananya Akula conducts the Phoenix Chorale. “[Conducting and teaching] is really fun,” Akula said. “Music education is what I want to do.” On the day of the choir assessment, Akula found out that she received the President’s Music Scholarship – a full ride to the University of Miami Frost School of Music.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ananya-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Fatima Qaderi grew into the person she wanted to become when she was younger and continues to work towards growing more confident in using her voice when it matters. “I didnt get treated the way I wanted to be treated, and I realized that it wasnt just them treating me the wrong way, it was me treating me the wrong way,” Qaderi said. “I forced them to like to look at me in a way where Im someone who needs to be respected; they cant just disregard me, they cant just look over me because I have a different opinion, because Im a woman, because Im Afghan, because Im Muslim, or whatever. It just took going through different experiences to figure out how [I wanted to] be heard.” Photo courtesy of Fatima Qaderi.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/IMG_3870.jpeg)
![With the energy and effort the Bolts were bringing to the game, the Phoenix had to step up and match them to make it through their first game of the season. Many of the girls on the team, including freshman Nazly Rostom, have been playing soccer since their childhood and have grown a love for the sport as a result. “It was fun to see how we actually played in a [real] game,” Rostom said. “Even though the outcome was not what we were hoping for, I’m still happy we got to play together.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0154-1200x800.jpg)
![Held up by a group of cheerleaders, flyer sophomore Leyu Yonas poses as part of a stunt, also supported by flyer junior Shayne Mitchell behind her. (Left) Prior to the pink out football game on Oct. 13, the athletes practiced in the aux gym from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Right) On Oct. 19, the cheerleaders competed in their District Championships at Woodgrove High School. “We definitely put all our effort on the mat [at Districts], and it showed,” Mitchell said. Left: Photo by Nadia Shirr. Right: Photo by Steve Prakope via Victor O’Neill Studios.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/feature-image-1200x823.png)
![Sophomore Xavier Smith (6), the Phoenix quarterback, runs the ball as his teammates help hold up the defense. “My [offensive] line collapses, so I just [have to run], and its a good way to get first downs because [Tuscarora’s] defense was really good,” Smith said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/IMG_5383-1200x897.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)
![Principal John Duellman smiles while reflecting on how far the current senior class has come since they were freshmen. During the Principal’s Report, Duellman mentioned some of the major accomplishments made possible by the seniors, and followed that with how the school could celebrate them. “There are a few surprises coming up that I can’t talk about,” Duellman said. “There are some really good [celebrations planned].”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FBAF8E42-6ADA-496B-991F-B7D5FB0B8319_1_201_a-900x600.png)
![Running towards the ball to get it to the other side of the field, sophomore captain Rishit Choudhari makes several advances to try to get the ball to the goal. “We did a great job keeping our head up [during the game],” Choudhari said. “Even though the result wasn’t what we wanted, we all played really well.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DSC_0948-809x900.jpg)
![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)
![After the ceremony, the top students line up on stage with their teacher honorees and look out into an auditorium full of their proud families. “[The students] are confident, passionate, they work hard, but they don’t compete against each other,” Principal John Duellman said. “They’re just genuinely good human beings.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC_0056-900x630.jpg)
![German teacher Charles Riemert discusses information regarding the Austrian Exchange program that he’s organizing. “We’re looking for host families for nine [Austrian] students,” Riemert said. “This is a good opportunity for students in need of service hours, as they receive well over 200 hours [for hosting].”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/edited-picture-900x600.jpg)
![At the meeting, sophomore Jagadeepram Maddipatla, a student equity ambassador, discussed how the school can be more inclusive. Maddipatla commented on the school’s efforts towards diversity and inclusion with a form where students can anonymously talk about their challenges. “I think [the survey is] a pretty important resource,” Maddipatla said. “It provides a lot of feedback to the county and if more people knew about it, then more people would use it.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/RRHS-PTSO-900x900.jpg)
![The PTSO agreed to fund travel fees for a speaker at English teacher Jessica Berg’s women’s summit that will be held on Mar. 26. “It was so amazing to have [the PTSO’s] support,” Berg said. “I was on cloud nine.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/RRHS-PTSO-1-900x900.jpg)
