ACROSS

1 It’s delicate, but its economy is robust.

6 Past tense of 6-down

10 It’s spread.

11 Frankenstein assistant

12 Pessimistic half, maybe?

13 Presidential power

14 Dessert eaten during

17- & 6-down

15 Doesn’t seek

16 Issue of the Tower

19 Morbid word game

23 Flawless

26 “Kick it _ _ notch”

27 Vegetable eaten during

17- & 6-down 28 Evening news hr.

30 Viking name

31 Dad’s brother

32 They hide gray hairs.

33 Cheered at a game

DOWN

1 Jammin’ restau- rant buy

2 Opposite of dry

3 Louvre Pyramid architect

4 “_ so fast!”

5 Second- or secret- ending?

6 See 17-down

7 Matured

8 Cast a ballot

9 Greek Cupid

15 Sweetie

17 With 6-down, day of gratitude

18 President- or different- ending?

20 Nom-nom verb

21 Type of 14-across

22 Titled

23 How many like their coffee

24 Fish who said, “Just keep swimming.”

25 The “E” of HOMES

28 Country associated with 17- & 6-down, briefly?

29 Suffix with phenom

November Crossword Answer

November Crossword!

What did you think of ABBA and their new album?


Founded in 1972, Swedish supergroup ABBA has established themselves in the music industry, boasting 20 chart-toppers and an induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. However, their “prime” was between 1974 and 1982, when they were consistently releasing new music. Since then, the band has gone quiet, until the release of their new album “Voyage” on November 5, 2021.

ABBA’s last public performance was in 1982, and until last week, their most recent release was “ABBA Gold” in 1992. For the first time in decades, ABBA released an almost entirely new set of tracks titled “Voyage.” To me, this album brings forth nostalgia while also extending their present-day relevance, leaving fans of every generation anticipating this release. ABBA’s “prime” is said to have been before our time. We experience them through their musical “Mamma Mia!” and some lucky PHS students’ vacations to their museum in Sweden, but our ABBA exposure has been fairly limited. Since most of the tracks were constructed by established songwriters Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, fans can expect an album reminiscent of the past — with an addition. Many of the tracks have callbacks to previous hits, whether it be in the opening chords or in a comparable melody. Look at “Keep an Eye on Dan” — find the closing melody, and how it matches the opening of the chart-topping “S.O.S.,” which is also featured in the film. Similarly, the flutes in the opening of the new “Bumble Bee” pay homage to those in “Fernando,” from the 1976 album “Arrival.”

I think the band does a great job of sharing their sunny, light emotion in a wistful and romantic tone. I can’t think of a single ABBA song that makes me sad. Even when the lyrics are melancholic, like those in fan favorite “Chiquitita,” something about their delivery makes the music feel hopeful. Despite the band’s own internal conflicts, such as relationship drama a ABBA continues to produce uplifting music that listeners turn to for comfort.

I first saw “Mamma Mia” when I was ten, and in turn my adoration for ABBA’s sentimental sound began. The movie does an excellent job of taking ABBA’s lovable discography and reimagining it for a new generation. Our generation grew up on the songs of Sophie and Donna Sheridan, and in our hopes to run off to a Greek island, we embraced ABBA’s sound as our own. Though their music may seem outdated, their style is timeless and is enjoyed by people of all ages.

The re-emergance of ABBA


Lydia Garcia ’22 discovered the highlights of performing arts at PHS after participating in numerous plays throughout elementary and middle school. She is now the co-president of the Spectacle Theatre. Through this club, she cultivates an open community for PHS students interested in theater and guides them through their acting journeys. Her dedication to theater paid off, as she was recently awarded Governor’s Best Actress by The Speech and Theatre Association of New Jersey. Acting not only allows Garcia to express her individuality but also contributes to her confidence in life beyond the stage. Always willing to explore new opportunities, Garcia plans on continuing theater in college and is excited to see where this journey takes her.

What encouraged you to start pursuing theater and music?

My preschool had these little shows that they would put on, and I always loved entertaining and being on stage since I was a kid. Then McCarter Theater came to my fifth grade class. They were doing Macbeth, and I got the role of Lady Macbeth. It was just a really fun time to be with people that were in the industry already, and I thought that it was just a really cool job to have.

How does your Latina identity translate into your work?

Since I grew up in Princeton, I could only ever connect to my Latin roots through my family. It took a lot of time to understand how my ethnicity shaped me and what that meant being in a place with minimal representation. My Latina identity shapes my acting by showing me that there is a lot that goes into a character: who they appear to be on the outside and what parts of themselves they identify with. From my experience, Latina women can be known for being shameless and passionate, and I think these traits have definitely translated into my acting and my love for acting. My mentality is doing things just because I can, whether that’s a character choice on stage or simply stepping into an audition room. And feeling all the emotions that come with your actions, it builds cha- racter and empathy, which are two things that I can directly thank my Puerto Rican and Dominican roots for.

What productions have you been in?

What has been your most memorable role? Sophomore year was my first year that I got into theater at PHS. It was the play “Clue.” I got the role as a cop, which was okay, because it was a good entry-level role to get to know how things worked at PHS. That role showed me the ins and outs, and I got to know everything that goes on here pre-COVID-19. Then I auditioned for “Freaky Friday.” I got the role of Hannah, and that musical in itself was just really complicated in terms of choreography and late rehearsals so that was really cool to experience as well. However, when that show was about to come out, we stopped because of COVID-19. At least I was able to get a clear view of what theater looked like before COVID-19. In junior year, I auditioned for “12 Incompetent Jurors,” and I got the role as Juror 10. That is probably my most memorable role here because of how intense I had to be every single time, and I guess that pushed my love for acting and showed me what it’s really about.

Is there a community within PHS that students can seek out if they are interested in acting?

Spectacle Theatre is really the epicenter for everything acting, everything theater. I’m actually the co-president of the club. It’s a great place where people can come together, experienced or inexperienced, and talk about theater opportunities within PHS. We have a lot of plays, so that’s definitely a place where any interested PHS students can come and automatically be accepted into the space and feel comfortable to pursue acting or know more about it.

Do you plan on pursuing theater in the future?

Yeah, absolutely. It’s something that I’ve always loved, and I don’t want to give it up early. So if I can do it in college and make a career out of it, I definitely want to do that.

Student Artist of the Month: Lydia Garcia ’22 discovers self-expression through acting


I have been dancing for as long as I can remember. Whether it was escaping restless nap times in preschool by going to ballet classes or spending time performing for the public at Communiversity, dance has always had a place in my life — I spent 12 years wholeheartedly committed to ballet. Although I quit last May due to the heavy commitment, I still carry the musicality and skill by dancing flamenco.

Seven years ago, my mother, who danced flamenco 30 years ago, encouraged me to start taking flamenco lessons every Saturday at the Arts Council of Princeton. I remember being nervous and unenthusiastic when I went in for my first class. But as soon as I stepped into the studio, my idea of dance completely changed. I learned that dance is a lot more than just a sequence of steps — it is an emotional response to the music. Flamenco itself is an entire musical genre, so everything I do in a performance has to connect to the music. I could be dancing to a slower guitar solo where I have to convey sadness or introspection or to a faster, more rhythmic beat where I focus on complex footwork to express liveliness and excitement. But what remains true in all choreography is that flamenco serves as a physical embodiment of music.

Throughout my years dancing, flamenco has helped me grow into a confident performer. When I step onto the stage, it’s as if nothing matters except moving to the music. At the beginning of a show, I am always a bit nervous that something will go horribly wrong, and sometimes it does. The speakers may not work, the stage might be too small or, even worse, we might have to dance on carpeted or tile flooring (which is dreadful, considering flamenco shoes are heels with miniscule nails stuck into the bottom of them). But the show must go on, and if the crowd is pleased by the end, I am exhilarated. Performing in front of a live audience is a rewarding experience, especially the applause after hitting my final pose. Flamenco means a lot to me because it is not something that I’m being pressured into; it isn’t for a grade, and I’m not forcing myself to dance. I simply want to perform.

Although I dance alone on stage, I spend more time with my mom thanks to flamenco. Together, we’ve gone to flamenco shows and concerts, shopped for new frilly polka-dotted skirts and fiery red shoes, and listened to flamenco music. Because of this connection with my mom, we constantly try to help each other when we are having trouble with choreography. By giving me feedback, she has made me a better dancer, and I’m incredibly thankful for her. Flamenco has made my love for dance greater than it originally was and, for that, I am eternally grateful that my mom made me go to that one dreaded lesson seven years ago.

Flamenco dancing: thrills and fril

From mid-September to mid-November, PHS celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month through various displays created by PHS students, teachers, and professional artists. These ranged from decorated homeroom doors to a vast array of artwork displayed in the Numina Gallery. This gallery has been previously used to present other culture-oriented exhibits, but this month’s purpose was to recognize the impact that Hispanic Americans have made in American history.

Established in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of those originating from Hispanic countries while also allowing members of the community to reconnect with their roots.

“[The purpose of] Hispanic Heritage Month is to talk about their experience. What is it like to be an immigrant here in the U.S? What are the dreams … What are the hopes they strive to have? What are their works, what are their contributions?” said PHS Spanish teacher Idania Rodriguez.

While other PHS celebrations, like the assemblies, spotlighted performing arts, students were able to enjoy visual arts at the exhibition in the Numina Gallery. Here, students could view an ofrenda, a traditional altar used on the Day of the Dead, as well as framed artwork, sculptures, and pottery by Hispanic artists.

“As for the Numina Gallery, you can observe so much from art and learn so much from it, no matter where it’s from. I think that art is such an important part in letting people express their feelings,” said Spanish teacher Martha Hayden. Seeing the product of an artist’s imagination creates a very deep emotional connection.

As the largest exhibit in the room, the ofrenda displayed candles, cempasuchil (Mexican marigold), decorative skulls, and photographs of family members, pets, and favorite objects of those who passed. Hayden explained that the three tiers comprising the altar symbolized the underworld, the earth, and the upper heavens, respectively. Contrary to popular belief, the Day of the Dead is actually a happy celebration for remembrance and reverence, not a time for mourning.

The Numina Gallery also embraced the wardrobes of Hispanic people. The mannequins, each wearing different textiles, were representative of unique, traditional Hispanic customs practiced in everyday life. Each textile was put together by the students of PHS art teacher Matthew Pembleton’s gallery club in order to present the different clothings of various Spanish-speaking countries, such as Guatemala, Peru, and El Salvador. The main point of this artwork was to give students a rare opportunity to learn about the history behind cultural traditions, like the standards and values that went in when creating the clothing and the geographical conditions that influenced each textile.

“Where do we come from? Who were our ancestors, and what did they wear?” Rodriguez said.

The beauty of the textiles lies in the process of their production. Instead of belonging to individuals, they were collaboratively stitched together, and everyone offered their personal contributions.

Further contributing to the diversity of the artwork, the walls of the Numina gallery displayed videos of students interviewing immigrants about their stories. The interviewees were asked about their backgrounds, specifically where they moved from, and why they moved to the United States.

“Each group interviewed at least one Spanish-speaking immigrant, and we asked about their cultural backgrounds and history. I think it’s cool that all of them had a different story and were willing to share their stories with us,” said Arunima Suri ’23. “It’s a nice addition to the Numina gallery, and I’m glad other students get to learn about this.”

The diversity of the forms of art in the Numina Gallery allowed PHS students to experience the beauty of Hispanic culture and understand its significance. Sasha Caracalos ’24 believes that an event like this is important not just to honor Hispanic culture but also to remember its history.

“It is critical that Hispanic artists be displayed, as they are primary sources of events not mentioned in most textbooks in the US. Many devastating events that have happened in countries are not displayed on the news and most individuals do not know about the state of these countries,” said Caracalos. “I believe that artists allow othe

PHS’s Numina Gallery showcases the diversity of Hispanic arts


Beginning Monday, November 8, Princeton Public Schools implemented a new COVID-19-testing program in order to sample a student population that may be harboring asymptomatic cases. Mirimus Inc., a private company is in charge of administering tests for PPS and multiple other school districts in New Jersey. This program aims to help the district identify COVID-19 cases sooner and to ensure a safer learning environment for the younger, unvaccinated students at PPS.

Students with parental consent to get tested went to a school site and gave spit tests to administrators, who then collected the samples for analysis. If COVID-19 is detected, polymerase chain reaction tests would be conducted on smaller sample groups to isolate which individual had the virus.

With this new testing opportunity, PPS hopes to catch COVID-19 cases before they can spread, minimizing the chances of an outbreak at school.

“The main purpose is to keep schools open. You know, we’re trying to prevent in-school spread of COVID-19,” said PPS Director of Special Services Micki Crisafulli. “You might have heard of other districts, even last year, where they had to shut down the whole school ... So we’re trying to avoid that this year by doing this testing.”

This program lessens uncertainty about COVID-19 for the students signed up within the six schools. Because of that, Crisafulli thinks that the district created this program at the right moment.

“The Department of Education highly recommends that school districts run this type of testing when their COVID-19 cases in the area are in the moderate to high range,” said Crisafulli. “We’ve been in the moderate range for quite a while.”

While it’s catered towards the younger, unvaccinated students at PPS, the program is open to everyone. Students can sign up through a link on the PPS website and with the permission of their parents, are able to participate in the program free of charge.

“We currently have 518 students who have been signed up for it by their parents. And that could change weekly,” Crisafulli said.

While participating in this program has many benefits, some parents still had their reservations about signing their children up.

“Parents were initially concerned that all students in a positive ‘pool’ would have to quarantine if one student is positive, but that is not the case,” said Public Information Officer for PPS Elizabeth Collier. “[That is because] Mirimus hopes to identify the positive person within a few hours of the pool testing positive.”

Students have welcomed this addition to COVID-19 safety procedures.

“It will be an easy and accessible way to test students and keep our school safe from the spread of COVID,” said Adam Stein ’24, a student who signed up for the program.

This new program also makes Jaiden Xu ’25 feel better about the COVID-19 situation at PHS.“

It keeps us alert of COVID-19 cases. I think that with all the district alerts and human interaction, it will help tremendously,” Xu said.

Collier believes that the testing itself has very few, if any, disadvantages.

“It’s non-invasive. I can’t see any drawbacks. And I think that it will help to keep our entire district school population healthier,” Collier said.

Looking into the future, the district does not yet have a set timeframe for the program due to the unpredictability of the pandemic.

“It’s really up in the air at this point,” said Crisafulli. “We see it continuing, but you know, nobody knows what’s going to happen with this pandemic. We’re just always monitoring and then making decisions from there based on what the numbers are telling us.”

While the program may be adjusted as the pandemic changes, Crisafulli believes that it will have an immediate impact on PPS in the months to come.

“This plan is really beneficial because ... we can catch those cases where people don’t even realize that they’re infected early, we can prevent them from spreading into friends and minimize the disruption to school ... That’s really the goal,” Crisafulli said.

Princeton Public Schools introduces new COVID-19 testing plan


Known by her students as “Ms. Swagner,” Katelyn Wagner has been teaching economics at PHS for three years. Before becoming a teacher, Wagner worked in marketing for a year before realizing she wanted to pursue an alternative route in the business field. Since she enjoyed marketing’s interactive and communicative aspects, she was drawn to teaching. Wagner’s own experience in education also inspired her to become a teacher. As she reflected on her past teachers, she realized she never had an educator who had deeply impacted her. This empowered Wagner’s aspiration to not only give students a memorable learning experience but also to be a supportive figure throughout high school.

“Maybe I can be a teacher that ... students remember and help them figure out what they want to do,” said Wagner. “I love teaching, [it’s] something new every day, and I get to talk to everybody. [It’s] a lot better than sitting in a cubicle.”

Wagner’s first teaching job was in the two courses Law and Honors Personal Finance at South Brunswick High School and later on, at both South and North Middletown High School. With backgrounds in finance, economics, and law, Wagner enjoys exploring the intersections of these three topics with her students.

“I like economics, because it is so closely related [to] law,” said Wagner. “If you understand economics, how the economy works, and making policies, [you can] use those policies to make things more fair [and] more equitable.”

Bringing her experiences to PHS, Wagner currently teaches AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, and the Advanced Contemporary Economics Issues elective. She assumed the role of economics teacher in the middle of the year after the departure of Lisa Bergman. With a short period of adjustment, Wagner described taking over Bergman’s position as one which came with challenges.

“It was hard. I mean, she was such a great teacher. To ... take over for somebody like that was intimidating,” said Wagner. “Also, never having taught economics, at least at the AP level before, was also difficult. But I mean, you kind of buckle down and you do the best you possibly can.”

After Wagner finally found a routine for class, the pandemic moved students to remote learning, and she had to adapt her lesson plans again. Many of the skills necessary in AP economics including graphing and creating data tables were a main concern with virtual learning. However, through platforms such as Kahoot, online whiteboards, and breakout rooms, Wagner gave her students the chance to collaboratively practice these skills in class.

“It’s definitely a lot of tweaking and adjusting and like, ‘How do I do this online?’ and ‘How do I make this something interesting online?’” said Wagner. “But we really made it work.”

When PHS returned to in-person learning again, Wagner was excited to incorporate engaging and interactive activities into her lessons again. She hopes that past students look back on her course fondly and that current students look forward to class.

“I try to make [class] challenging, but I don’t want it to be a subject or a course that students are afraid [of ] or intimidated by. I love economics, and I want students to love economics,” said Wagner. “I want to be more approachable and have a more hands-on [learning experience] and less intimidating environment.”

Some examples of these activities include scenario cards for classifying different types of unemployment in AP Macroeconomics, the paper chain demonstration to show the law of diminishing marginal returns in AP Microeconomics, and the egg drop project to simulate inequality and contemporary issues for Advanced Contemporary Economics Issues.

Zeynep Uzun ’22, a student in Advanced Contemporary Economics Issues, chose to continue studying economics as a result of her newfound interests after taking AP Macroeconomics and AP Microeconomics. She attributes part of her interest to Wagner’s teaching style and encouraging learning environment. “

She’s very friendly and approachable. She’ll pop in debates or conversations on an article and give us a pointer, like a new definition or something. And I think that’s really helpful,” Uzun said.

Towards the end of the year, Wagner also teaches topics such as filling out tax forms and student loans. She hopes that her students will take away skills beyond the curriculum.

“Obviously, I’m thrilled when students are interested in economics, but even if they’re not, if they could use [these skills] in their everyday life, I’m happy,” Wagner said.

In addition to being a teacher, Wagner is also the advisor for the National Economics Challenge club. During the pandemic, Wagner and the club held virtual mock competitions to prepare. Despite 2020 being their first year competing, the members of the club’s top team placed 12th in the state. It was a memorable and interesting experience for the students.

“Having students that are interested in economics and want to practice economics is awesome. [NEC] is a lot more fun and laid back approach to economics, versus in class, when we’re on a deadline,” Wagner said.

Outside of the classroom, Wagner loves spending time with her friends and family at the beach in Spring Lake, baking on weekends, and doing yoga. She also enjoys listening to live music and sharing her music with her classes through Pandora playlists.

At the end of the day, Wagner hopes that she can help students in some way, whether it’s related to economics or their personal lives.

“If I can help somebody out and make their [lives] a little bit better, or have something that they remember and will help them either in college or elsewhere, that’s my hope,” said Wagner. “It’s the smaller things that really matter.”

PHS Profile: Katelyn Wagner shares her love for economics


According to the 2021 district academic testing report presented at the October 26 Board of Education meeting, nearly half of the PHS student population is taking at least one Advanced Placement course. District testing reports, released at the beginning of every year, assess the previous year’s academic achievements at PHS. The results of the report summarized last year’s standardized test scores and compared the statistics of PHS against surrounding schools and on a national scale

PHS offers 32 out of the 38 available AP exams, which include subjects in English, Math and Computer Science, World Languages and Cultures, and Arts. Even in courses that are not officially offered as a class, such as AP 2-D Art and Design and AP Psychology, students are encouraged to take advantage of guided resources and explore the curriculum by themselves. By taking an AP exam, PHS students are able to experience college-level courses and obtain college credits if they pass.

The summary of last year’s AP scores indicates that the 1452 administered exams, 85 percent of the tests received a passing score of three or higher. Among those, 80 students who took the exam received the AP Scholar award, 61 received the AP Scholar with Honor award, and 175 students received the AP Scholar with Distinction award. To qualify for the AP Scholar with Distinction award, students must score an average of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and have scores of three or higher on five or more of these exams. In comparison to the state, students scoring a three or above was 50 percent higher than the state average. These high numbers of achievements have been a constant trend over the past few years, demonstrating the demanding academic culture at PHS.



The success that comes with high scores comes with harder workloads and college-level expectations. AP Chemistry teacher Dr. Robert Corell believes that the rigorous AP courses require students to not only develop self-discipline but to also learn how to ask for guidance.

“I teach my students not to be lone wolves,” said Corell. “Most of them have been so smart all throughout their careers, so they have not needed to ask anybody else for help. [But] when you get to the AP level, that difficulty level may be too much for them to do on their own.”

As beneficial as AP classes are  to prepare students for their futures, Principal Frank Chmiel believes that the “AP culture” at PHS sets unrealistic expectations that are more résumé-driven than passion-oriented. Chmiel notes that this culture leads students to take AP classes they aren’t interested in but feel forced to take in order to appeal to the college-admission process.

“The problem is when students aren’t passionate about the subject matter in an AP class ... It makes sense to me when the APs you take dovetail together nicely, almost like a major in college,” said Chmiel. “There’s an argument for being well-rounded, but it doesn’t mean you have to take every type of AP to be successful. When you have these disparate APs ... it gets everyone stressed out.”

In accordance, Corell said that the academic culture at PHS is a combination of peer and parental pressure to get into top universities. Corell notes that the college-focused nature of PHS is apparent when early college admission decisions are released.

“When the early decisions start coming out, [seniors] start talking about what schools they got into and what schools they didn’t get into ... it’s all about who’s doing ‘better,’ but that’s the big mistake in my mind. People are too focused on getting into the ‘right school’, not the right school for them,” Corell said.



Nick Hagedorn ’24 believes that in order to adhere to the pressure of being admitted to a top-tier college, many students feel peer pressured to fit more advanced and accelerated courses into their schedules. Hagedorn mentions that feeling as if others are doing “better” in preparation for applying to college can negatively affect students’ self-confidence.

“If your friends are taking APs, and you’re not taking APs, it [might] make you [believe]: Oh wow, I’m not smart — I’m taking zero APs, but everyone else I know is in [for example], AP United States History,” Hagedorn said.

Theona Hsu ’24 agrees that the PHS’s academic standards can be overbearing, however, she believes the collective pressure can also be motivating. Hsu explains that when she sees the achievements of her peers, she feels inclined to set larger academic goals for herself.

“Personally, [when] I see my friends and everyone at school working, I tell myself that I have to work [just as] hard and it helps me set [higher] standards for myself. But I still think there is definitely a line between healthy motivation and [harmful] pressure,” Hsu said.

Nevertheless, there are many reasons for students to decide against taking AP courses. Hsu, who currently is not taking an AP course, made the decision simply because she did not see herself enjoying any of the AP courses currently available to sophomores.

Corell has seen similar student mindsets during his time at PHS. He mentions that there are many reasons for students to drop or not take an AP including not being academically or emotionally prepared for the course, or out of feeling as if they are not going to achieve an A. He notes how the transition from pandemic learning has affected this year’s student enrollment rate in his AP Chemistry classes.“

I’ve had more kids drop from AP [Chemistry] this year than ever before. And it’s all because of — in my opinion — COVID,” said Corell. “The transition from virtual learning to [in-person learning]... is not like the normal transition from Chemistry I or Chemistry I Accelerated to AP. It’s much harder [now].”

In addition to AP scores, the statistics for SAT and ACT testing were also included in the report. On average, in 2021, PHS students scored 1334 on the SAT, which was 253 points above the state average and 283 points above the national average. For the ACT, PHS students scored a composite of 30.2, which was 5.8 points higher than the state average and 9.6 points higher than the national average. Echoing Corell and Chmiel, Molly Sikma ’22 believes that the pattern of high scores is the result of the overall Princeton community, not just PHS.

“I think especially being in Princeton, in this Ivy League town, all of the students have an innate desire to succeed,” said Sikma. “[Often], it’s the students themselves driving what they get out of a course, which is a big contributor, in my opinion, to our success on the state and national level.”

In addition to the culture at PHS, Sikma also believes the teachers, peers, and resources here bolster student achievement.

“We are a very privileged school district in the sense that most students I know were able to find some form of tutoring for standardized testing ... whether it’s through the Ideas Centers or through Princeton University,” said Sikma. “I think it’s also that older students are really big on helping younger students. My friends and I have given old test books to younger students or we’ve helped them study for an exam in a class we already took.”

However, the district testing report shows significant disparities in test participation and test scores between different ethnicities. Overall, Asian students had the highest percentage of students taking AP exams (53 percent), followed by mixed-race (43 percent), whites (35 percent), Hispanics (27 percent), and African Americans (15 percent). In terms of scores, Asians had the highest average AP score (3.98), followed by whites (3.69), mixed-race (3.58), Hispanics (3.37), and African Americans (3.15). The summer courses at PHS, which currently include Chemistry I Accelerated and various math courses, were created partly to assist traditionally underrepresented students in the AP curriculum.

“We thought we could use the tuition from the courses to recruit students who are underrepresented in the AP curriculum and get them into the summer course to prepare them to take AP [courses] in the fall. Over the five years, we’ve probably had six or seven [underrepresented] students total, but we’ve not achieved our goal of bringing them into the AP curriculum,” Corell said.

Although the PHS community seems to demand academic perfection, Chmiel believes that PHS students should be easier on themselves.

“It’s okay for students to not take themselves so seriously. Students should know that school is a place to have fun,” said Chmiel. “I hope [students] will be able to change [their mindset] to be: ‘I’ll challenge myself in my academics, not to the point where I [don’t like] school, but only as much as I can handle.’



2021 district testing report showcases PHS’s academic culture


PHS’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month culminated in a student-run assembly on November 3 which students of all grades attended.

The assembly took place in the Performing Arts Center in four identical sessions, one for each grade level, on a modified homeroom day. Four class periods were extended so that the assemblies could take their place, while the other periods were shortened.

Benjamin Nuland ’23 opened the event as student performers walked from the PAC doors towards the stage with Hispanic country flags draped over their shoulders according to their ethnicities.

“I’m really happy I could represent my culture and have an opportunity to show people who we really are,” said Julian Velazquez ’23, who wore the Paraguay flag.

The Pledge of Allegiance was then recited in Spanish, followed by its English translation. In the month prior to the assembly, student organizers delivered the pledge in both Spanish and English during daily morning announcements. PHS Principal Frank Chmiel credited the repetition of the pledge with greater student awareness of the celebration.

“In the past, celebrating [Hispanic Heritage Month] might have been a couple of announcements. I liked the way we did it this month because it was very well-rounded, especially from the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish,” said Chmiel. “It was always on people’s minds, what we were doing.”

Student involvement in the assembly ranged from the organizer team to the performers onstage, including PHS Studio Band. The organizing team included members from the PHS Latinos Unidos Club as well as teacher facilitators, though it was open to anyone who wanted to contribute. Many organizers also showcased their talents at the assembly, including Nuland and Sarah Villamil ’23.



As speakers, Nuland and Villamil were able to maintain their energy throughout the day by focusing on the audience.

“You’re excited to perform in front of your class ... It’s the nerves and excitement of doing it each time that [was what] kept you on your toes,” Villamil said.

Nuland had initially been surprised at the audience’s level of engagement, though appreciated the response.

We didn’t expect the audience to be so supportive. We’d like to thank the audience for the amazing experience that we got as well,” Nuland said.

In addition to the assembly, the organizers also created smaller competitions and demonstrations for students to participate in throughout the month. Most notably, these activities included a schoolwide door-decorating contest and an art exhibit at the Numina Gallery.

The door-decorating contest pitted homerooms against each other with the first-place promise of catered lunch from Tortuga’s Mexican Village and a second-place prize of candy-filled piñatas.

First place went to room 145, which included a mannequin wearing a Mexican dress positioned outside the room and decorative art on the door and nearby walls. Second place went to room 242, which incorporated strings of lights into their decor and had pictures of flags that flipped upward to reveal a fun fact about the country. Two runners-up were selected: room 163, which also displayed flags prominently, and room 191 (the Black Box Theater), which displayed red stage curtains around a life-sized cutout of Hispanic singer Lin Manuel Miranda.

“The reason why [room 145] was the overall winner is they really went beyond the door,” said Chmiel. “And that was one of the criteria, [if they would] just stay with the door and barely cover it or [go beyond] and give it ... three-dimensionality.”

Amanda Sun ’24 enjoyed the assembly and events and felt they added to her understanding of PHS’s cultural diversity.

“I thought the whole month was a really cool showcase of Hispanic culture at [PHS] and there was a lot of stuff to take in during the assembly specifically, like the flags and dancing,” said Sun. “Everyone was really talented and you could tell the organizers worked hard on putting it all together.”

The assembly had hundreds of students in attendance at each of its four showings. Chmiel believes events like this will promote greater cultural awareness in the PHS community, especially when they involve so many students.

“We want to send our PHS Tigers into the world as global citizens who’ll be understanding of other cultures,” said Chmiel. “Showing commitment as a school is memorable since we only have a few assemblies a year ... After special events it’s like, ‘Oh, right, this is very important.’”

Chmiel looks to follow a similar formula to organize future culture-themed month celebrations, including Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Pride Month.

“I don’t know if we’ll have assemblies for all of them. A lot gets determined by the team of people we put together. So what’s important to me is that we find as many people who are a part of that culture and involve them,” Chmiel said.

The organizers seek to continue the celebration in the following years.

“We’ll one hundred percent have it next year. But of course, [we’ll] work hard to make it better than the last,” said Nuland. “We have new members in the group, so we’ll have better ideas. We’ll work towards a better product.”

SCHOOLWIDE ASSEMBLY CAPS OFF PHS’S CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH


 Dr. Robert Corell knew that he was drawn to the sciences after conducting independent research on white and red-eyed fruit flies when he was a junior in high school, later choosing to pursue a PhD in chemistry. Now, Corell begins his 25th year at PHS, teaching AP Chemistry and Chemistry I Accelerated. Although for many students chemistry isn’t the easiest subject to learn and understand, Dr. Corell makes sure his students are on the path to achieving their goals and fulfilling the potential that he sees in them.

   Corell began his teaching career right out of college. While studying for his master’s and PhD, he worked as a teaching assistant. After earning his graduate degrees, he taught at Spotswood High School for a year before transitioning to his position at PHS.

   While in his class, Corell wants students to feel engaged but challenged by the content. He believes that students in accelerated tracks need a different style of teaching in order to truly succeed.

   “I try to run a well organized class to try and help the students become organized,” said Corell. “That’s one of the things that I think … the top students need the most help with. They’re all smart, but most of them have spent their K–8 years being the smartest kid in class, and not having to do a lot of work to be successful.”

   Corell tries to provide a structure for his students in which they ask questions and are able to come up with their own answers. He mentions that the kids who self-motivate and stay organized are the ones who are able to succeed in his classes. For many of his students, Corell’s way of setting expectations further helps them improve and challenge them academically.

   “He’s definitely intense and his teaching style is quick, but most things are pretty straightforward. I'd say he’s good at making sure that all of his students are doing well,” said Accelerated Chemistry I student Jane Bennett ’24.

   On top of the high expectations and extra attention from Corell, his students mention his positive attitude towards learning makes it all more fun to communicate with him.

   “He’s a lot of fun to have as a teacher … He’s great at explaining everything and when you go to him for help, he explains things in a way that makes sense. He’s [also] a sarcastic person … so it’s more fun to have conversations with him.” said AP Chemistry student Audrey Kang ’24. 

   Alongside teaching his classes, Corell is also involved in running multiple activities outside of school, including Chemistry Club and PHS’s summer Chemistry I Accelerated course. He believes that the summer program has been a positive addition to PHS.

   “We felt that we could do a better job than the other institutions that were providing the summer program. And we thought we could use the money that we were making with the summer program to provide scholarships for those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, who don't generally appear in the AP program,” said Corell. “We’ve been successful beyond our wildest dreams in the first part of the program.”

   On his career journey, Corell faced no shortage of challenges. Due to his nontraditional education, when he first started teaching, he felt unprepared for his students. 

   “My entry into teaching at the high school level was definitely very rough. Having never gone to a teaching college, I went what’s called an alternative route. so I actually did not get my first course in how to teach until I actually had been teaching for several days,” said Corell. “Both my first year at Spotswood and my first year here were definitely very rough. And if it wasn’t for the support I received from certain people at the time, I wouldn’t be here.”

   Corell notes that COVID-19 was also a challenge in his teaching career, though one that created an opportunity for growth. He mentions that before the pandemic he had a very “lecture-and-slideshow-dependent” teaching style but needed to condense his lessons in order to fit the time crunch. 

   “COVID-19 forced us to really think about how we used our time when we were remote last year. We literally had 50 percent of the instructional time that we had in a normal year. So we had to think about, especially for a course like an accelerated course, how [to] deliver the content,” Corell said.

   Nevertheless, the pandemic did not stop him from helping his students achieve their goals in class. One thing that Corell did to adapt to COVID-19 was to implement something called flipped learning. 

   “The idea of the flipped learning style in its purest form, is to take what would normally happen in the classroom, and make that homework,” said Corell. “The idea is [that] you do [the practice] in front of the teacher. So the teacher can walk around and give one-on-one or small group help.”

   Outside of PHS, Corell enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife.
  “Before COVID-19, my wife and I were definitely enjoying our empty nest. We liked to go see the 4 [p.m.] movie almost every week, and then go out to dinner afterwards,” said Corell. “And I love to travel, I love to go to places I haven’t been before. New Orleans is a great city to go visit. I enjoyed my trip there just a couple of weeks ago.”

   During his 24 years of teaching at PHS, Corell believes that he has learned many lessons and encountered many obstacles, but sees these as just another aspect that makes his job interesting.

   “If you don’t improve in the beginning, you’re certainly not going to last. And there are still challenges. COVID threw a curveball at us. New administrators throw a curveball at us. There’s always challenges to overcome,” said Corell. “But it’s one of the things that makes the job fun. It’s not the same year after year, it doesn’t get boring.”



PHS Profile: Dr. Robert Corell challenges students to succeed


It’s impossible to say that we don’t care about college. While that has been the aspirational message of PHS administration in an attempt to diverge from the cutthroat academic culture fostered at the school, students still overwhelmingly focus on their next four years. By taking an overwhelming course load, taking on extracurriculars, and losing sleep (and then complaining about the stress), PHS students shape their lives in pursuit of that coveted acceptance letter. But hard work doesn’t always equal success. The metaphorical scale that is meritocracy is unfairly tipped in favor of the privileged by the systems that benefit them. In the context of college acceptances, this system is legacy and faculty admissions, which makes it easier for students to be admitted to universities that their parents attended or work for.

The blame, however, can never be placed on the individual. No one expects legacy and faculty students to not want to pursue a quality education. But the system that benefits them is the one to blame. Rich kids get into top schools to get a good degree, making them even richer. Their kids will continue the same pattern, creating a cycle that leaves wealth consolidated at the top, while lower socioeconomic Americans are trapped on the outside looking in.

Education is, without a doubt, the key to success; virtually all high paying jobs require a higher education. A college degree from a prestigious institution opens doors that would have otherwise been closed. But the people who need these opportunities the most are those who find them the most difficult to attain. While the college admissions process is comprehensive, oftentimes the different components of an admissions profile are still impacted by the financial status of the applicant. Wealthier kids can afford private tutors, standardized test preparation, essay readers, and extracurricular opportunities that poorer students can’t even fathom. While systems like affirmative action and need-based financial aid benefit lower socioeconomic applicants, they still don’t make the admissions process equitable in the slightest. A 2017 New York Times study found that 72 percent of Princeton admits come from the top 20 percent of American earners and only 1.3 percent of admits come from self-described poor families.

Wealth inequality is as American as apple pie, and as time goes on, this inequality gets worse. The thriving middle class is no more, access to opportunity is becoming slim, and government support for social progress is deemed too radical. Working two minimum wage jobs just to provide food for your family isn’t even enough to stay above the poverty line anymore. Despite their hard work, these citizens still fail to attain financial stability. Every day, many Americans face the fear of simply dying because of their societal status. For a nation that attributes success to hard work, denying opportunity from those same hard workers seems contradictory. It seems anti-American. Immigrants move to this country under the impression that their family will attain their own version of the American Dream, only to see that it was just all a lie. The sad reality is that working-class Americans are incessantly deluded into believing this farce. Opportunities that are meant for underrepresented individuals are redirected to serve the wealthy and powerful. Working Americans aren’t stupid. They understand that they are being robbed of their American Dream.

The college admissions process is hard. Writing supplemental essays, conducting research, and doing interviews can be overwhelming. But hearing of yet another student who has connections to your dream school can be a frustrating obstacle in your path. For students with these affiliations, acknowledging your privilege is the first step. Yet on a larger scale, dismantling these systems is what will make education more accessible and equitable

The unseen college edge

If PHS wants to pride itself on being an advocate for all students of diverse identities, it should reflect on its efforts when it comes to representation of the Native American student body. While Princeton High School has events throughout the year for various identities, from a Hispanic Heritage assembly to Asian Fest, the school lacks in promoting important events for Native cultures. As Native American Heritage Month comes to an end, the inadequacy of dedication towards this group of students is even clearer.

This oversight of an entire culture has extensions into the PHS education system. With notice drawn to the administration’s dedication to educating students about racial issues, programs like Princeton Introduction to Racial Literacy and the Racial Literacy & Justice class have blossomed; these classes, however, largely trend towards educating only about Black history. The goal of our education should be for all students to understand the diversity of people of different ethnic backgrounds. There isn’t anything more important than learning about a non-Eurocentric history teaching of all races — simply, what students currently learn in the classroom does not provide enough focus on different perspectives, leading to a homogenized, and often inaccurate, view of humankind.

In the past, Native Americans have been depicted as uncivilized savages who had to be “rescued” by Europeans. Fortunately, we’ve generally come to realize that conception is inaccurate, but there are still gaps in the education system. For instance, in our history books, Natives have been described almost solely in terms of their importance to European settlers. Their social, political, and economic structures prior to settlement are rarely ever explored; instead of also focusing on their rich history, our curriculum primarily chooses to emphasize the effects of settlement, only to completely forget about them as soon as a more consequential event happens for “real Americans.” When was the last time we learned about traditional Navajo sandpainting or the Red Power movement of the 1960s?

Yet, it would be incorrect to overlook the contributions of people at PHS who take the effort to educate others about Indigenous peoples. Several teachers already take time out of the beginning of class to recognize the Native land that was settled, respecting and regarding the history of the land that PHS now occupies. For instance, humanities teachers also frequently integrate Native history into their curriculum by going above their assigned curriculum to teach about the importance of this culture. Many APUSH teachers also supplement the current curriculum with lessons on the Dawes Act, legislation that allowed the government to seize Native land and unfairly reallocate it to heads of Native families. English teachers also provide texts by Native authors, which provides unheard and underrepresented Native perspectives, rather than solely sticking to the hegemony that is the white narrative. However, these examples only highlight the lack in our curriculum. The material should be implemented into our classwork rather than only appear as supplemental materials.

At PHS, it is important that we dedicate time to celebrate Native heritage. Many Native Americans do not have equal representation in events and are often an afterthought when it comes to celebrating a race, simply because they do not have as large of numbers as other races. Rather than perpetuate this, PHS needs to flip these narratives so that we can truly appreciate Native Americans and the culture and point of view that they bring to the Princeton community

It’s settled: we must address Native American inequitie

PHS Hot Seat



Taking advantage of looser COVID-19 regulations, thousands have attended music festivals nationwide, finally re-entering the world of live entertainment. However, this shift back to normalcy gives no excuse to concert attendees to behave maniacally and threaten the lives of others; this behavior was exactly what was displayed during Travis Scott’s performance at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas on November 5. Many of us have likely heard about this tragedy, which ended nine innocent lives and injured hundreds more. Social media tributes and news features have flooded our phones and captured our attention. But merely scrolling through Instagram and feeling angry is not enough. In order to cultivate a healthier fan culture, we should hold celebrities accountable and learn from this incident, making active efforts to ensure that this tragedy won’t happen again. To a generation that tends to idolize celebrities, the thought of seeing a favorite musician perform is exhilarating. This fanaticism prompts some young people to pay hundreds of dollars to see artists play packed stadiums filled with intense lights, loud music, and dizzying conditions.

But when fans rush to the stage and trample those in front of them to death, blinded by this obsessive fanaticism, we can clearly see that this unhealthy admiration for celebrities has gone too far. The desperate desire to get close to Travis Scott, to see him up close in-person and breathe the same air as him, cost the lives of nine people. The same booming music that was a source of joy for fans at the festival soon turned into a deafening source of fear for those being suffocated in the crowd. 50,000 people attended Astroworld, despite the pandemic and public health officials still advising against large gatherings. Many of these attendees weren’t supposed to be there in the first place; they didn’t purchase tickets and snuck in illegally. And Travis Scott himself didn’t have an issue with this. Prior to the concert, he posted a tweet that encouraged fans to sneak in, and thousands of young people flooded the venue as a result. The problem was exacerbated when the ticketing company sold more spots than the venue could take.

The situation worsened when Scott yelled at security to “get the f*** back,” starting a chant of “We want rage!” to incite the concert-goers. The people at the front of the crowd, being closest to the stage, feared for their lives with nowhere to escape. Organizers who had authority did nothing to control the havoc. People were literally stepping on each other, injuring hundreds as they danced to the music.

Travis Scott’s response was to continue performing, only briefly pausing for a moment to look into the crowd for a fan who had fainted, even as people were being carried out of the pit on stretchers. After footage of the calamity blew up on social media, Scott issued a hasty apology that seemed insincere, not addressing his role in encouraging fans. As a result, just as they rushed to the stage, avid fans surged to defend him under fire. Many made excuses such as claiming Scott couldn’t see those who were injured or saying that fans could have just left, ignoring or downplaying the fact that lives were unnecessarily lost.

Toxic fan culture prevents celebrities from being held accountable for their shortcomings, however severe. Protecting a public figure at any cost, even elevating them to a god-like status, is the equally toxic polar opposite of “canceling” individuals. Especially since they have impressionable minds receptive to all kinds of information, American youth often fall victim to this type of celebrity fandom. T

ravis Scott’s concert is just one example of the harm celebrity idolization can cause to our age group. When “stanning” celebrities evolves from a hobby into an obsession, it can hinder one’s ability to behave rationally. Think of PHS students who admire someone so much they aim to emulate their idol in almost every way, from the way they dress to the way they speak.

Maybe this doesn’t affect other people, but the behavior becomes significantly more concerning when that student is spending hours learning about the celebrity or thinking of them. This kind of high schooler is the exact type of person that would jump to the first line of defense when their role model is criticized. It’s not our job to tell anyone whom to follow online or whether or not they should attend a concert, but PHS students should be much more aware of the dangers that come with fawning over celebrities.

Happiness is an undeniably important part of people’s lives, and many may find it in the works of celebrities. As more and more people start going to in-person forms of entertainment like concerts, they’ve slowly begun to feel a sense of normalcy at last: Made In America, Governors Ball, Harry Styles’ Love on Tour, and more have been huge, exciting events attended recently. But, we need to consider our morals, values, and responsibilities as human beings when thinking about these events, not only about the content but about the idols who we admire. When showing your appreciation for some

The Astroworld fallout


What’s more important, the ends or the means? Philosophers have grappled with this problem for centuries but, perhaps, nobody experiences this issue in daily life more than the average high schooler.

Seemingly unreasonable deadlines are all too common at PHS and students, overwhelmed by the combination of academic commitments, extracurricular activities, and family obligations, turn to shortcuts to complete their work. While working on homework with friends or using John Green videos can help with difficult assignments, this is still too much to do for some students. As a result, people turn to cheating—copying down math answers from online, asking previous classes for test questions, and more. Yet what unifies all of these actions is the motivation behind them: an effort to get the end result instead of focusing on the means of arriving there.

Before jumping into solutions, let’s first diagnose the problem. To be clear, students aren’t trying to take shortcuts because they’re unethical and emotionless creatures who will do anything to get ahead in life (at least, most aren’t). Rather, their time is being allocated elsewhere. Spending their effort on extracurriculars and after-school jobs, students often lose sleep trying to cram for a test the next day. Students are largely focusing on results because of an incentive to do so; exams and projects make up a large portion of nearly every class’ grades, so failing those leads to an unimpressive transcript, which can harm someone’s chances of achieving their future aspirations. Cheating seems like an easy way out with minimal work and effort. For students who have less time to spend on academics, after-school obligations can cost them important grades on longterm assignments. When a student has to work hours a day to help supplement their family’s income, copying that biology lab from a friend doesn’t seem like such a big deal any more. Instead of emphasizing the process, many classes are designed with a score in mind (AP classes, anyone?). In chasing good grades, high schoolers often sacrifice the lessons learned through the process.

Addressing this pervasive issue isn’t easy, but it’s certainly achievable. In addition to de-emphasizing tests and major projects, teachers can instead focus on participation or effort, which can be equally, if not more, representative of a student’s ability. A letter or number can identify who needs help with taking tests or writing essays, but a more wellrounded evaluation, especially one focused on a student’s thought and work processes, can better help students and teachers identify specific areas of help. Many classes are already moving toward this model, and entire districts are beginning to adopt a holistic mindset. College and university admissions offices, in turn, can decrease emphasis on grades and achievements. While they emphasize extracurricular involvement and personal statements, some prestigious institutions still fixate on yearly grades. Both high schools and colleges nationwide are slowly but surely adopting a more comprehensive understanding of education and student life. Finally, students are not without blame either. For one, we all need to recognize that university is not the end-all be-all of life. Many find successful careers in fields that don’t require an undergraduate degree. Yet even more importantly, results don’t define us as people. A trophy or a 95 isn’t representative of the work we do in a club or in a class, and it doesn’t define our self-worth. The process and the struggle toward these goals, however, is a testament to our resilience and strength. Then, when we’ve finally ended the year with a better grade or well-received essays, we’ll know that we’ve earned it.

Not taking shortcuts sounds easier said than done, and for now, the culture of cheating in the name of “efficiency” will remain at PHS. Through little steps, and compromises from teachers, administration, colleges, students, and others, we’ll slowly reach the end of prioritizing means. One day, we’ll better realize, as the Odyssey taught to those of us who read it (instead of Sparknoting it), that

Cheating in school is cheating ourselves


Phil Murphy managed to hold his spot in office for another term on November 3, defeating his Republican opponent, Jack Ciattarelli and becoming the first Democratic governor of New Jersey in 44 years to win a second term. Although a sweeping victory was definitely unexpected, few people thought that the race would be the nail-biter it turned out to be. In fact, the results were too close to call on election night itself, and ballots were still being counted in the early hours of the following morning. Whether or not PHS students agree with Murphy on topics like drug legalization or gun control, they should recognize that his education policies continue to improve conditions for all in New Jersey.

Looking back on his first term, Murphy had already achieved significant victories for students and educators. For instance, he made New Jersey the first state in the country to mandate that public schools provide access to education in the arts, allowing students to pursue their passions in subjects like theater and art. On a different note, he’s also launched a “Computer Science for All” initiative that has provided grants to universities and K–12 schools to foster talent and interest in areas such as programming and engineering. Murphy’s administration also created a comprehensive climate change curriculum, as well as a racially literate history curricula to be taught in K–12 schools.

Unlike Murphy, who prioritizes improving opportunities for students, Ciattarelli’s campaign focused more heavily on rolling back curriculum that educates students about LGBTQ+ issues. At a campaign stop at a gun range in June, Ciattarelli emphasized this focus by controversially stating “We’re not teaching sodomy in sixth grade.” Using a term that has historically ostracized the gay community, Ciattarelli inaccurately implied that any discussions focused on LGBTQ+ issues would solely be about sex when, in reality, they are far more complex. It’s safe to say that Ciattarelli would have worsened LGBTQ+ discrimiation through perpetuating misconceptions.

Ciattarelli’s policies also promote unsafe COVID-19 policies; on his website, he claims that he would “eliminate mask mandates in K–12 schools,” despite the plethora of evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of masks in reducing transmission of COVID-19. Someone who cannot educate himself or bother to do research about topics like gender identity or the pandemic is certainly not someone we can trust to govern New Jersey.

But, while it’s easy to portray Ciattarelli as a onedimensional demagogue reminiscent of a certain populist former president, some of his ideas are worth considering. On the topic of school funding, he’s made it clear that New Jersey needs a new method for assigning money to schools. Unsurprisingly, according to Carly Sitrin for Politico in 2021, New Jersey has one of the most complex funding formulas in the nation. In most instances, the less bureaucracy the better, but Ciattarelli seems to have little backing for the claim he makes. At a campaigning event in August, he said that his ideal school spending would be roughly $15,000 to $20,000 per student. According to Sitrin, the state average in 2019–2020 was just over $17,000. Another goal he has is to recalculate the education budget to take into account the English Language Learners program, which was a policy already implemented under the Murphy administration. So while his proposition may have seemed new, the end result wasn’t different from New Jersey’s current education policy.

For those that would still endorse candidates similar to Ciattarelli for future elections because of their stances on non-educational policies, think about what environment would be created for our LGBTQ+ peers if education about their identity was viewed as inappropriate. Think about your friends who would be putting their immunocompromised family members in danger by going to school every day maskless or unvaccinated. Think about PHS being adequately funded by property taxes while other high schoolers just like us struggle because they’ve been born in the “wrong” place.

Go do your own research; political apathy is part of the reason why we’re uneducated about issues, and why people are just voting for the most persuasive candidate. Learn more about different candidates, and try to throw away your preconceptions about them. In the end, you’ll hopefully realize that victories for candidates like Murphy are victories for New Jersey students as well.

The four years we avoided




As the siren buzzes, Joshua Kim ’22 springs off the board, propelling himself into the water. He swiftly glides underwater and rises to the surface to begin his breaststroke. “Go, go, go, Josh!” The PHS swim team watches and cheers as Kim moves his legs and arms in sync, racing towards the end of the lane.

Kim began swimming when he was in seventh grade. His mother originally pushed him to try the sport to stay active, but he gradually found his passion for swimming and decided to join the team in high school for opportunities to go to competitions.

Swimming competitively while being a busy high school student has trained Kim to be efficient with his time management skills. The process of developing a productive schedule has become especially difficult during seasons that require intense and long practices, but throughout his four years, Kim has learned to do this.

“I swim in the morning before school, so I do all my homework as fast as I can [the night before], so I can sleep early,” Kim said.

When racing competitively, it is normal to feel pressured, which can affect an athlete’s performance. Since swimmers race next to competitors in adjacent lanes, the proximity and constant comparison to those next to you can cause anxiety. Kim mentioned that his movements used to be stiff because of his nervousness, but throughout his years on the team, he has learned to overcome those emotions and swim freely. Part of this was from the help of his father, who has supported him throughout his swimming career.

“He helps me with my mindset and my workouts,” said Kim. “He likes to remind me to just focus on myself and really try my best. It’s made me understand that it is okay if I lose, as long as I am able to bounce back strong and reflect on what went wrong. I really appreciate him.”

In swimming, having a calm and confident mindset is especially important for success because of its extremely competitive nature, and it can be easy to get sidetracked. With his outgoing characteristics, Kim has been able to bond closely with other athletes on the team. Head Swim Coach Carly Misiewicz believes these characteristics contribute to Kim’s leadership abilities.

“People look up to him. He is definitely a big leader for us,” said Misiewicz. “He came in a little quieter as a freshman, but now that he’s a senior, [and he is] growing and getting to know everybody.”

Like Misiewicz, Daniel Baytin ’23, a member of the swim team, is also impressed by Kim’s leadership skills.

“He always leads the lane, [and] every day, he makes sure that everyone’s in the water on time and tries their hardest. If there was a ... team captain, it would be Josh Kim,” Baytin said.

Taking inspiration from his father and encouragement from his teammates, Kim plans on furthering his skills. He looks forward to potentially swimming for a college or club team, but whatever happens, he is certain swimming will be a part of his life for a long time.

Athletes of the Month: Joshua Kim ’22: swimming



“En garde … ready … fence!” Lunge forward, step back, spring forward again. Eleni Staikos ’22 performs a complicated footwork sequence as she sizes up her opponent. She takes a deep breath, steadying her hand and her nerves. Using a combination of dynamic technique and quick thinking, Staikos conducts an extremely methodicical attack. Her strategy is to always strike first, forcing her opponent to defend. While watching her, it is easy to see her love and dedication to the sport.

Staikos began fencing when she was 12 after watching her cousins compete in matches. Her initial interest in fencing was also sparked by her imagination as a young child of what fencers were like. Books and movies depicted fencers as strong and powerful people. As a self-described introvert, that is exactly who she wanted to be.

“I read a lot. Every time I think of fencing, I just have this image of a warrior princess in my head,” Staikos said. Although she competes and is successful in several other sports, she admits fencing was her first love.

“I horseback ride and do [modern] pentathlons, which include fencing, swimming, running, and other events. I also ran cross country. But fencing was the first sport I tried,” Staikos said.

This multi-sport background has definitely helped with her fencing. From riding, Staikos gained a better center of gravity and awareness. Through running, she attained the cardiovascular strength needed for long fencing bouts. Staikos is very accomplished in the sport. She has competed at regional meets with the PHS Fencing Team and placed first in individual foil events at high school district meets.

“She’s had great successes and huge goals, like placing at the elite Cetrulo-Santelli event … one of New Jersey’s biggest fencing events. She’s been a leader since she came on the team and her ability to win for the team really supports that,” said PHS Head Fencing Coach Sam Blanchard. In the future, Staikos plans on accomplishing more with the fencing team.

“We have our eyes on at least taking regionals as a team. Placing as an individual in my event would also be nice, but I’d really like to make it out as a team this year. We have the capacity to improve because now the foil girls team is mostly upperclassmen,” Staikos said.

Now, she looks forward to leading the fencing team as girls foil captain this year and making connections with underclassmen. Although official practice has not started, the team has already begun to form friendships through bonding events.

“Eleni is positive and always communicates with everyone on the team. She’s made me very excited about the upcoming season,” said teammate Wendy Jin ’25.

Looking forward to fencing for a college team or club, Eleni knows she wants to continue competing at the next level.

Athletes of the Month: Eleni Staikos ’22: fencing


For the first time in recent history, the PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has made it to the State Championships. After an undefeated season, they played the state finals November 21 at Kean University.

In the final moments of the game, Sophia Lis ’22 striked the soccer ball into the lower right corner of the net, winning four minutes into overtime. The PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team (21–2) had just won against Lacey High School in the Group 3 State Semi Final 1–0.

The game against Wayne Valley High School was electric. The PHS Tiger Cage showed up in full force and cheered for every play. Tigers in the audience watched closely as the direction of the ball changed countless times. Throughout the match, they jumped and shouted, drowning out the opposing teams’ remarks of dissent every time a player shot at the goal. At the end of the second half, the score was tied 1–1, with Lis’s goal. However in overtime, with just 2:38 remaining, Wayne Valley High School scored. Although the Tigers did not win, having such a close game and even qualifying for the states was a huge success.

“Our game against Wayne Valley was tough, and of course we would have loved to win our last game, but at the end of the day, we’ve had a great season and still gave it our all,” Lis said.

Although not winning the state tournament, the girl’s soccer team won the division and sectional titles in the Colonial Valley Conference for the first time since 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Part of their success this season is thanks to the “Packed Cage” that supported them with enthusiasm throughout the season, but especially during their last game. On the morning of the state final game, students and Principal Chmiel boarded a bus from PHS to Kean University in their “Blue Out” attire. The long drive made the Tigers even more excited for the upcoming final game.

Further contributing to their successes was team chemistry. The team spent a lot of time together not only in practices but also in team bondings, such as dinner parties.

“It was all done through creating a sisterhood with every player on the team no matter what year they are in,” said Mojisola Ayodele ’22.

But, it was their hard work, camaraderie, and dedication in every practice that allowed the team to push themselves to the highest levels.

“Every game, we have played our hearts out and stood by one another by supporting each other,” said Annie Kosa ’22. The PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has come so far since they met during preseason in August.

“This year has been so unexpected. In the beginning of the year we had no idea how it would go, and we ended up playing in the state final,” Kosa said.

Younger teammates agree; inspired by the leadership of older players and excited by the prospect of playing in big matches, they rose to the occasion.

“This season was such a nice introduction to soccer at PHS. I honestly surprised myself with how hard I was able to play each match and how we were able to advance past so many rounds,” said Ava Tabeart ’25.

PHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team has unprecedented season, making it to NJ state finals


You may have heard Jack Godfrey ’22 singing in the hallways of PHS, observed flyers in the hallway promoting a “Get Yolked” mindset, and seen many athletes lifting weights in the gym or doing lunges outside on the grass. All of these recent developments can be attributed to the work of the PHS Fitness Club. Due to recent construction, the weight room at PHS is currently closed. While the closure was frustrating for many, it resulted in a group of seniors forming a fitness club while waiting for the weight room to reopen. Under the management of Godfrey and fellow fitness enthusiasts Aaron Munford ’22, Oliver Cai ’22, and Matthew Ellsworth ’22, the PHS Fitness Club is quickly gaining popularity. These leaders are athletes hoping to guide their classmates through instructional lifts on Tuesdays during break.

Although they are limited in terms of equipment, leaders and members bring their own weights. Workouts usually consist of weight circuits and, occasionally, cross training, which includes cardiovascular work and stretching. PHS Fitness Club helps not only experienced weightlifters but also those just starting their fitness journey. Regardless of a person’s current athletic ability, the club’s main purpose is to help members improve their overall health.

“The club is a great way of teaching and helping people achieve their fitness goals, whatever [they] may be. We don’t discriminate based on where you’re starting out or where you want to go,” Ellsworth said.

Although the fitness club helps members begin their fitness journeys, they must put in work outside of the club in order to see results.

“The main point of the club isn’t necessarily working out once a week. You have to do it on your own,” Munford said.

By understanding and acknowledging the correlation between restrictive diets and body dysmorphia in teenagers, club leaders ensure that their members receive proper nutritional advice. Recognizing every person has different dietary needs, they use their own experiences to provide examples of healthy diets. Overall, they recommend the use of protein powders and supplements to help their members improve fitness and gain muscle.

“We give recommendations on healthy sources of carbs, fats, and proteins as well as how to have a balance between them. We are big advocates of protein,” Munford said.

On their Instagram, the PHS Fitness Club posts motivational singing videos every day to countdown the time until the weight room reopens. Godfrey is often featured in these videos, where he sings a song picked by the club’s Instagram followers the day before. Music choices range from pop ballads like “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen to rap like “Hotline Bling” by Drake.

“[The] club is definitely a positive force within the school. It helps bring people together and motivates them to be their best that they can be,” Godfrey said.

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