After performing at the school musical, the orchestra is looking forward to preparing for the PHS Orchestra California tour. COVID-19 travel restrictions over the last two years made Robert Loughran, director of the orchestral program at Princeton High School, eager to give his students the opportunity to travel across the nation and perform.

“When you’re able to tour and have your colleagues, your peers go with you, there is enthusiasm, a lot of great potential. I’m really excited about that and for us to continue our professionalism, but also for our students to say, ‘Wow, this is the world, this is another aspect of living that has added to the depth of my living experience,” Loughran said.

The PHS Orchestra will depart on May 28 and return on June 4. Unlike previous tours, the orchestra will remain within the U.S. Despite this, Loughran is confident that he has planned a memorable trip for the students.

“[There were] just too many unknowns at the time of planning. So [domestic travel] was our realm, or allowable realm. And I just went with it, to see and experience. Everything that California has... the energy of the West Coast is different from the East Coast. The cultural inspiration is different... But I think the inspiration for our students of this sort will be very valued,” Loughran said.

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The orchestra will perform the day after arrival in San Francisco and will travel to both Los Angeles and Westwood during the week to perform at different venues. The trip will also include many sightseeing opportunities like the Golden Gate Bridge, the redwood trees, and beaches in Malibu.

The trip wouldn’t be complete without a complementary set of pieces that show the diligence and preparation of all involved. The pieces played by the orchestra include a diverse range of genres and cultures, including contemporary dance pieces and film. This incorporates music from Latin America to Italy.

“Personally, I am really looking forward to playing Danzón by Arturo Marquez. I’ve heard it quite a few times, both on the and in live performances at music schools, and I have always loved the fiery energy of the piece. It is a perfect choice for our California tour, and I can’t wait to perform it with the rest of my orchestra peers,” said cellist Theona Hsu ’24.

To many current high school students, the tour will be very different from previous performances, as middle schools within the Princeton Public Schools district don’t offer overnight opportunities. In preparation, students will intensify their rehearsals and focus on the upcoming performances that will take place during the tour.

“I feel like this tour is going to be a different experience in regards to playing from what I’m usually used to. We’re going to be performing a lot during the trip and I think it’s the first time I’ll be playing so many consecutive performances,” said Sung Jun Jo ’24.

While the music is the focus of this trip, students make sure to emphasize the importance of the opportunity to bond with their peers. Non-performance destinations include the Disney Concert Hall and the esteemed Colburn School of Music as well as scenic views of the Bay Area. Emphasized by the difficult circumstances in the past few years due to COVID-19, being able to travel and play different music pieces as a group will bring the orchestra group closer together. The tour is also an occasion to create long-lasting memories.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the orchestra. In the past, everyone has been quite close, but two years of COVID has meant that lots of us don’t know each other that well yet. Tour is always a great way of making friends and bringing people together,” said Roberto Haubold ’22.

Loughran hopes that the personal values learned on the trip can also be applied to everyday activities after their return.

“[I want them to have] a sense of self-confidence, a sense of introspection, a sense of the joy of being inquisitive. All these things come from having the opportunity to experience new things,” Loughran said.

PHS Orchestra prepares for their first tour in two years

Fashion has always played a huge role in Muslim culture and identity. Most Muslims opt for modest fashion, which is designed to keep our bodies concealed and safe from unwanted gaze. Though there may be restrictions to keep clothing aligned with Islamic principles, they put no restriction on creativity. Muslims around the world use their own creativity and individuality to rock an outfit that keeps them covered up and fashionable.

An important topic of conversation when it comes to Islamic fashion is the incorporation of the hijab, a type of veil which covers the head, hair, and neck, but not the face. Much like the Muslim women that wear it, the hijab comes in many varieties that tend to be shaped by place, time, and current trends. Wearing a head covering is one of the most visible symbols of Islam in the West, and it is quite often the most misunderstood. There is huge controversy surrounding the idea of Muslim women wearing the hijab, though there shouldn’t be. The hijab is not a symbol of oppression; it is a symbol of faith and pride for the Islamic community, and no one is forced to wear it under any Islamic principle or text. The hijab means different things to different people. For some, it is a symbol of pride for their cultural, religious, or ethnic identity. For others, it is a demonstration of their modest nature and submission to God. For many women that choose to wear the hijab, it is an empowering choice, which strengthens their connection with God, as well as their own confidence. For these women, choosing to cover their hair has been a way of demonstrating assertiveness and agency, of being in control of their bodies. The same sentiment applies to dressing modestly.

Modest fashion also extends to the world of athletics. In 2017, Nike made big strides in inclusion with their “Pro-Hijab,” which was available for female Muslim athletes to wear when competing or practicing their respective sports or activities. On the cover of this campaign was Ibtihaj Muhammad, an Olympic medalist fencer from our own New Jersey, as well as the very first woman to ever wear a hijab at the Olympics. Nike’s Pro-Hijab was an important step in making the fashion world more inclusive for Muslims around the globe, and it really showed the power behind voices belonging to the Islamic community.

Modest clothing has been in increasingly high demand for years. There are 1.8 billion practitioners of Islam, which makes up 24 percent of the global population, showing that Muslim men and women are definitely not going to be ignored on the fashion front. As the Muslim community tries to modernize typical Islamic fashion, we see a rise in Muslim style bloggers, models, and designers setting trends on the Internet, such as Saufeeya Goodson, Rabia Zargarpur, and Habiba Da Silva.

Because Muslims come from so many different places across the world, Muslim fashion is varied stylistically, so it is interesting to see how different cultures have responded to the call for modest clothing in such drastically different, but equally creative, ways. Muslims in South Asia traditionally wear kurtas, long shirts with long sleeves made out of a light, flowy material to accommodate the hot weather. Both men and women wear kurtas daily, and they come in many different styles and colors. Men usually wear solid colors, the most common being white and blue. On special occasions, they may wear more vibrant kurtas with embroidery along the edges. Women wear more vibrant kurtas, often with a bright pattern or intricate embroidery pattern along the neckline. For more formal events, these kurtas can be made of more special materials such as silks, with more heavy embroidery and beadwork. The incorporation of a dupatta, or scarf, in these outfits is also important, both stylistically and Islamically. The dupatta will usually be made to match with the kurta so that the outfit is cohesive. Hijabi women will wear the scarf around their heads, while others wear it around their neck or on the side of one shoulder. In Arab countries, Muslims wear similarly long tunics, such as the djellaba or kaftan. Much like the kurta, people take creative liberties with their clothing and play with style and color. Women wear hijabs, niqabs (scarves that cover the face as well), burkas (full-body cloaks), or no scarves at all. Traditional clothing varies across Middle Eastern countries, but they are generally full-length robes made of breathable material, like an abaya. Men wear variations of a long white robe, often paired with a head covering like a turban. African Muslims have similar flowy, brightly colored traditional clothing as well.

The biggest buyers of modest fashion are those that come from Muslim majority countries. If you come across Muslim women in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, or Asia, you’ll know exactly what I mean; they’re wearing eccentric dresses and blouses, with colorful, detailed abayas. It’s more decadent than Western modest clothing because they have taken Islamic principles into account while using their own creativity and passion for fashion to assemble their outfits, which scream personality and vibrance. Dressing according to Islamic principles is a symbol of faith and devotion, not a sign of oppression. It shows that Muslim men and women are able to take their circumstances and make the best out of them, while showing the world the power behind fashion and faith’s collision.

The intertwining of faith and fashion

The soft indie rock sounds of local band Darnabee Jones draw crowds of students, parents, and community members with every performance. Always on the lookout for new opportunities to perform, this band has immersed itself in Princeton’s arts community since elementary school, making it the kind of band that quite literally grew up together. With an impressive list of gigs under its belt, this local band can trace its roots back to the town’s Littlebrook and Riverside Elementary Schools, where Sara Carson ’23, Sophia “Snowy” Grossman ’23, and Jane Bennett ’24 first started playing together along with a few others. Now, with weekly rehearsals and occasional performances, this small band has a repertoire of covers wide enough to cover a variety of genres, although they mostly play indie pop and rock.

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With Carson on guitar, Grossman on bass, and Bennett on drums and lead vocals, their small size allows them to create a beautiful blend and balance while letting each member shine individually. But besides their amazing musicianship, the band means much more to its members.

“Playing with these two is relaxing, and so it’s good that it has no pressure. I look forward to relieving stress with them [the other band members],” Carson said.

The band has no definite plans for the future years after high school, as they prefer leaving as many opportunities open as possible.

“I kind of like that there is no direction, it’s kind of just like having fun. In the future, if we’re all in one place at the same time I would love to get together,” Carson said.

What is clear is that they are all willing to put in the effort to keep playing together, even after high school.

“I think it would be fun to play with [Carson and Grossman] in college, if we went around to each other’s colleges,” Bennett said.

“We’re definitely gonna; we have to meet up again,” Grossman added.

Playing together for seven years has helped the band grow as musical individuals.

“We’ve totally advanced, like kind of as a unit, since we’ve spent so much time together.” Grossman said.

“It’s been a really, really good experience to get to know them, and I feel like all of our preferences and some of the stuff we know has merged,” Carson said.

Both Carson and Grossman are currently in the school’s top band, PHS Studio Band, and Bennett is enrolled in a Manhattan School of Music pre-college program, all high-level positions for  young musicians to achieve.

Students, teachers, and parents alike are impressed with the quality of music that such a small group of students is able to achieve, and their local performances at town hubs such as Small World and the Ivy draw many listeners. Though they don’t have any gigs planned out for the next few months, once the last quarter of the school year is over, they plan on having a summer full of concerts. Follow them on Instagram @darnabeejones for updates on their next performances.

Darnabee Jones: growing together as musicians and as friends

The first Oscars took place in Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on May 16, 1929, and it was a minuscule, 250-person event organized by the MGM film studio. This humble, non-profit event was the first Academy Awards ceremony, which was aimed at advancing the influence of the newly established film industry. The event was fairly simple; viewers would tune in using their radios or televisions and watch their favorite actors and actresses receive an Oscar award for their best roles. While the first Academy Awards were a small-scale and private event, the organizers were quick to realize that the show could be a major money maker. With the limited public access to celebrities at the time, the Oscars were basically the only time that common people could see actors out of character. Soon, the ceremony was pulling in millions of viewers (43 million by 1953), and the runtime was extended to a couple of hours, rather than a few minutes. As film technology advanced, and factors such as color and CGI were added to film, other categories were added to recognize people working behind the scenes. All of these factors, as well as an amazing comedic performance by Billy Crystal, led to the peak viewership level that the Oscars ever reached in 1998, with 55.3 million viewers.

Since its peak in 1998, the Oscars have been on a steady decline, dropping 56 percent in their viewership over the course of two years (post-2019 and pre–Will Smith slap). This trend is not only indicative of a boredom with the content of the event but also a disdain for the borderline self-obsessed essence of the ceremony. Even the easy hit live performance of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was spoiled by the Academy’s insistence to make it a Megan Thee Stallion remix, which featured botched lyrics like “We’re here to celebrate Oscars” (in tune to the original song’s chorus). The Oscars’ descent into irrelevance leads us to wonder what happened to the once beloved event? First and foremost, the novelty of seeing celebrities or actors in their natural states has long since vanished, even before 2019. From tabloids to Instagram fan pages, the average person is sick of seeing celebrities. Many actors, such as Armie Hammer, Amber Heard and Alec Baldwin have actually gained notoriety for what they’ve done outside of their performances, due to their problematic personal lives. You no longer need to tune into an awards show in order to see your favorite celebrities out of character. In light of this, the Oscars made little attempt to change up their format until it was too late. In recent years, they have presented without a host, and cut very important categories (such as sound and editing) from live broadcasting in place of categories like “Fan Favorite” in hopes that these were the problems deterring people from watching. Yet they refuse to stream the Oscars live on one of many popular streaming platforms instead of the ABC channel, when most people do not have or watch cable television and are not willing to subscribe to the broadcasting service for one night only. This scramble to stay relevant is so pathetic that it makes the Oscars seem less professional than ever, despite their insistence that they are the most prestigious film event. The award show recieved the most publicity in two years this month because Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock on stage.

A solution in the coming years is unlikely. The Will Smith slap was but a roadblock to the imminent demise of the Oscars. A restructuring of the entire event (including diversifying the Academy and the awards, as well as creating some excitement for the event itself other than just celebrities winning a little statue) is necessary for the award show to stay afloat. Given that the event’s recent attempts to restructure the format have been widely unsuccessful and how specific this change needs to be to work, a resurface of the Oscars’ relevance is highly unlikely.

The rise and fall of the Oscars

Tuning his saxophone, constant flipping of the music sheets, and nerve wracking performances are only a portion of Kieran Mckenzie’s’22, routine as a saxophonist. McKenzie’22 is one of the few saxophonists in Princeton High School’s top band program and has played abroad in several locations, including Italy. Playing the saxophone not only allows McKenzie to express himself, but also provides him with a sense of liberation. If you have attended band concerts in the past, you may recognize his knack for improvisation. From jam sessions to after-school practices, his dedication never fails to shine on stage.


Q: Why did you choose to play the saxophone?

A: I chose to play the saxophone because of how free it is as an instrument. Many musicians say it’s the closest instrument to the human voice, so you’re able to get many different sounds like no other instrument.


Q: How would you describe Princeton High School’s band program?

A: It is extraordinary. I often forget how great the bands are because of the high standards I seem to put on myself, but when I see the band programs at other schools it just really puts it into perspective, and I realize how amazing the band program at our school is.


Q: What is your favorite memory from band?

A: My favorite memory of being in the band program is not actually on stage as one might suspect. My favorite memory has to be one of the first times at a jam session where a bunch of music students came together during a break just to create music for fun. It leads to such natural and emotional music that you can’t often find with any group of musicians.


Q: If you had not learned to play saxophone, how do you think it would have impacted you today?

A: Oh, I would be such a different person. I wouldn’t have been able to travel to the places I’ve traveled, speak the way I speak, or think the way I think. With so many experiences and lessons, music has definitely shaped who I am as a person.


Q: Have you ever wanted to play a different instrument?

A: Oh yeah, all the time. I wish I would’ve started off playing piano and then switched to saxophone because then I would’ve learned about music theory and chords and multiple voices, which helps later playing a one-voice instrument.


Q: There are numerous saxophonists. What is one way you distinguish yourself?

A: A lot of saxophone players are very serious and sometimes strict, so I like to have as much fun as possible. I’m not afraid to let out a little dance, and I’ve noticed that if you’re into the music, the audience will also be into the music, which, in my opinion, is the most important thing.


Q: Who inspired you to play the saxophone?

A: I was actually inspired to start playing when I listened to an album by Joshua Redman when I was in eighth grade. If I never listened to that album, I would’ve never been into music in the first place.


Q: How much dedication does playing the saxophone require?

A: In the end, it’s all about how good you want to be, but saxophone players tend to be very serious, and it will take an incredible amount of dedication to be seen as “good” in the saxophone community.


Q: What do you want to tell people that are hesitant to join the band?

A: Just do it! At our school, you will be open to not just learning music but having real professional experiences that not many high schoolers can get.

Student Artist Of the Month: Kieran McKenzie

Ever since a young age, Dave Pollack knew that he had a passion for music. He started playing the piano when was just five years old, and started learning to play the saxophone soon after that when he was nine. In high school, Pollack frequently participated in musical performances and performed at jazz festivals, winning several awards. Now, as the new band director at PHS, he hopes to spread that love for music to his students.

As the owner of Princeton Home Music Lessons, educating younger students has always been an important part of Pollack’s life. After high school, Pollack enrolled in William Paterson University where he started teaching a few private lessons. His passion for teaching music has grown since then.

“Teaching private lessons helped me know how great [jazz] was for me. I wanted to pass that on to other students, so they can have the same good experience that I did when I was in school.” Pollack said.

Pollack taught at The Lawrenceville School and the Cranbury School before becoming the PHS Instrumental Music Teacher. When he heard about the open teaching spot at PHS, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

“I know the history of the program really well because my students from Cranbury would go to Princeton High. I have known how great the program is for so long. Any director would want this job, not just me. I’m just lucky enough to have it.” Pollack said.

Guiding young students to discover music is something that Pollack finds important, especially because music is involved in many aspects of their daily lives.

“Music is everywhere, [even] when we don’t even realize it. Music [is] in movies. Music sets a mood if you go to a coffee shop,” said Pollack. “You go into an elevator, you go to a concert, music is everywhere, there’s so much of it”

Pollack focuses his teaching to give his students a taste of music from around the world. However, as the band director, jazz is something that Pollack finds the most important to teach among all types of music.

“This program is great because we focus on the jazz side, ‘jazz’ is just an umbrella term for so many different styles. If you only focus on classical music, you’re really focusing on Western European music from the 1600s through the 1800s,” said Pollack. “When you say you're doing ‘jazz’ music, you're really doing world music. We’re not only doing jazz from the early 1900s in the United States, but we’re also doing bossa nova music from South America, funk music, African music, and lots of different styles of music from all over the world from all different time periods under the umbrella of jazz. That’s why I think it’s so important.”

Moving from teaching middle school students to high school has been a welcoming change for Pollack. He finds satisfaction in teaching and discussing music at a higher level.

“The students are older, and just by that nature, more mature. We’re able to do higher-level things musically, but also I’m able to talk to them on a different level,” said Pollack.

After Pollack’s recent arrival, PHS Instrumental Music Teacher Joseph Bongiovi feels there have been many positive impacts with other bands as well

“I enjoy the humor. I think one big change with him is that we have fun in a more productive way, and then, you know, everybody feels like [they’re] part of the fun” said PHS Instrumental Music Teacher Joseph Bongiovi. “I feel like everybody, since he’s been here, has changed the level of enthusiasm. I think overall, having him here has been positive in terms of his energy. He’s brought new energy.”

As spring rolls around, Pollack is excited to begin the performance season. Several bands will be holding spring concerts in April and May.

“I’m looking forward to all the performances and opportunities that the kids have this year. We have you know, we did state prelims. Now we have state finals coming up, we have our own jazz festival featuring Tony Succar. We have a band dance. We have our spring concert. We have another concert and we have our Disney trip. So there’s a lot-jam packed into the spring.” says Pollack.

After two years of pandemic affected performances, both Pollack and his students are excited to return to real in-person performances. Performance opportunities in front of a live audience in a global pandemic have been limited. However, as the world get back to normal, more live performances are available for students.

“I’m always about performance opportunities and being able [to see] the fact that students haven’t had those last two years, that’s why I’m so excited to just see them on stage performing and see [how]  the audience will react to them.” Pollack said.

PHS Profile: Dave Pollack brings his passion for music to the classroom

On April 1, 2022, Mr. PHS was held in-person in the PAC for the first time since 2018. Due to COVID-19, the pageant was held virtually last year over Zoom. Mr. PHS is a long-time tradition where clubs, sport teams, musical groups, and other students nominate seniors to participate in a pageant show. The competition has many parts, including a catwalk where seniors are introduced and showcase their outfits, a talent show in which competitors perform a prepared act, a formal fashion show including the competitors and their escorts, and lastly, a question and answer segment before the winner is declared. Unlike previous years, this year’s show was open to all genders to promote inclusivity.

The event came together with the collaboration of Student Council members, advisors, and faculty members. As the main organizers of Mr. PHS, the Student Council planned the event over the course of one month. Senior class president Angelina Chen ’22 initially proposed to bring the tradition back because she remembered how fun it was to watch her older brother compete.

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“It seemed like a really fun tradition, and every year I’ve been in Student Council, we’ve always talked about bringing it back,” said Chen. “But every year, it just falls apart. And I think at this point no one remembers what it is, so I felt like if I didn’t try to get it done, it wouldn't ever happen.”

Diana Lygas, the Dean of Students at PHS, was also excited to host the competition again and was proud of the dedication and teamwork that led up to the event.

“Different classes took care of different things. For example, one class [was] in charge of the concessions, one class will be in charge of the ticket sales, one class will be in charge of putting up the posters, and one class will be in charge of the behind the scenes this year,” said Lygas. “I would say it was a group effort, really. And the students just participated in every way throughout the event.”

In addition to the Student Council, many assisted with the behind the scenes of the event. PAC Technical Director Jeffrey Van Velsor and the PHS tech crew played a crucial role in controlling lights and music, Student Council advisors Antoinette Tessaro and Samantha Itkoff helped with selling tickets and managing concessions, and Industrial Arts Teacher Joseph Gargione printed the large check for the prize donation.

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As with any event, the team faced no shortage of obstacles along the way. The two main challenges were getting contestants to sign up as well as attracting audience members. Two weeks before the event, there was still little interest and Mr. PHS was almost called off altogether. However, with persistent advertisement over social media, the approval of a $100 grand prize, and decreased ticket prices of $5, a total of ten clubs were represented and over seventy students were in attendance.

The event got off to a good start. Cat’s Meow opened by singing the alma mater and emcees, Ryan Xu ’22 and Emily Choi ’22, guided the rest of the show throughout the night. The PHS a cappella groups helped fill up the time in between each section, with performances from the Cat’s Meow, Cloud 9, and Around 8. Some of the represented school organizations included Asian American Club, football, Peer Group, Tech Crew, and more. The diversity in clubs was also reflected in the performances which included everything from K-pop dance to drawing Principal Frank Chmiel blindfolded in 30 seconds. Lada Labas ’25, an audience member who went to support their friend performing, found the entire show to be very entertaining.

“I really liked the show a lot. It was pretty funny, and I liked the talent portion,” Labas said.

Lygas echoed this sentiment and felt that the event was a perfect combination of all elements.

“I thought it had a really good blend of silly talent and also real talent. So I felt like it was exactly the way the event should have been,” Lygas said.

Ultimately, judges Chmiel, Lygas, and Ms. Jennifer Li crowned Aaron Munford ’22 the winner of the competition. Munford performed a variety of acts: juggling, solving a Rubik's cube while unicycling, dancing, and flipping. Leading up to the night, Munford spent time practicing his tricks in the gym.

“I practiced flipping at the gym … I pulled my quad on the day of the show, and also almost gave myself a concussion trying to do [a] back handspring, but it was still fun and exciting,” Munford said.

Munford represented both PHS Fitness Club and PHS Insect Eating Club, and his prize money will be used to help fund new materials for each organization. He believes that his success stems mainly from his bravery when trying new things.

“Just have a lot of confidence and you can do anything, trust me,” Munford said.

Overall, both advisors and Student Council members believed that Mr. PHS was a big success for its first year back. They hope that even more students will participate in competitions like Mr. PHS so that school events become a regular part of PHS culture.

“I'm super thankful to all the contestants for participating and putting their talents into this endeavor. It really wouldn't have been possible without them and they made it fun, so thank you so much,” Chen said.

Mr. PHS Pageant returns; Aaron Munford crowned winner

Every year, the Princeton Education Foundation advertises that teachers, faculty, staff, and administrators are able to apply for a grant up to $2,000. Bryan Hoffman, an English teacher at PHS, decided to use this opportunity to create an outdoor space for students within the school campus where they can relax, recharge, and enjoy the beautiful art in it.

Hoffman recruited some of his fellow teachers to create a committee for the creation of the envisioned courtyards. The vision was to create three courtyards. Their goal was to finish the first courtyard by the beginning of the 2022–2023 school year, and the second a year after, and a third the year after that.

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Even though the whole process is still in the planning phase, Hoffman never loses sight of the courtyards’ ultimate goal, the students. He wants as many students involved in the creation process as possible, and hopes that these courtyards would help to improve the mental health of the PHS students.

“Students who are in crisis, we know that they can benefit tremendously from having natural spaces.” said Hoffman. “So if you go out and sit next to a tree, you can be out of the stressful situation… in the sunshine, that can have a tremendously positive effect on students.”

Hoffman has enlisted the help of the environmental club at PHS, which helped advocate for the use of sustainable materials during the construction of these courtyards. They are working together to ensure that everything in the courtyards will be eco-friendly.

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Prior to this, Hoffman looked towards the art department for a potential mural to be put out there as well. He hoped that art students could help paint the mural as well as create many of the sculptures and possible bird baths that will be part of the landscaping.

Another idea Hoffman had was to include the word “joy” around the walls of the courtyards in many different languages, beginning with the oldest language known to humans – Sumerian. He believes this will have a significant impact on the students and remind them to include more optimism in their everyday lives.

“You would see the word in multiple languages. The impression you get is that this is a part of the human. It's like a human right, a human experience, to have joy, to have kindness and to feel good. The fact that the word exists in the oldest language known to humans, the oldest written language, I think is inspirational.” Hoffman said.

The three courtyards will be located on the open areas beside the Numina Gallery, next to the nurse’s office, and by room 161.

Hoffman’s vision for the courtyards includes amphitheaters, art, yoga, produce gardens, nature, and most of all, peace and relaxation.

“It should feel like you go out there and you're not in school. You'll see artwork, probably sculptures, spaces to sit and read, maybe under a tree, we're looking at whether or not we can put trees out there, but definitely garden boxes with bushes and native plants.” Hoffman said.

The construction process for the first courtyard beside the Numina Gallery will be completed over summer break, in time for the beginning of the next school year.

Courtyard grants: PHS envisions a new courtyard in hopes of improving students’ wellbeing

On April 25, a group of PHS students presented a research project for the Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” competition in New York City. The competition encourages students from across the country to develop creative solutions to real world problems, and the winner receives a grand prize of a $100,000  grant for their research. Through the development of a creative new way to use black soldier flies to dispose of food waste, the Princeton High School team has taken themselves all the way to the final ten in the competition.

“It’s a technology based competition where you integrate technology into some solution to fix a problem of your choice. And for us, [that problem] was food waste,” said Ngan Le ’23, a member of the team. “A big part of this competition includes sustainability. And for the U.S., food waste is one of those issues that we don’t really talk about. It’s a, you know, out of sight, out of mind kind of thing.”

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Instead of simply throwing out food waste, the “Solve for Tomorrow” team has experimented with the use of black soldier flies as an alternate method of disposal. Black soldier flies are resilient insects which are able to effectively break down a wide array of food waste, regardless of how rotten it is. Because of this, soldier flies have the potential to greatly decrease the release of the potent greenhouse gas emissions which stem from food waste.

“Once food is put into a landfill, it decomposes anaerobically, without the presence of oxygen. Because of that, you have bacteria called antigens that break down the food and produce methane, which [causes] more warming to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide,” said Mark Eastburn, a science teacher at PHS and the advisor for the “Solve for Tomorrow” team. “Black soldier flies can prevent this because they will eat any kind of food waste and turn it into protein and fat which then can make great food for pigs, chicken, and fish.”

On top of being able to effectively dispose of food waste, the flies also have a very high oil content, something which the team has been experimenting with as well.

“We’ve discovered that the oil makes some pretty good soap and can replace palm oil in many cosmetic products,” said Eastburn. “We’ve got several different soap recipes to try and we’re going to try a hand cream as well. [Normally] these products use palm oil, which is terribly destructive to the environment.”

The replacement of palm oil in everyday cosmetic products could potentially have a significant impact on the environment. Unlike the oil produced by the soldier flies, which has a very low carbon footprint, the plantations used to make palm oil are very harmful for the environment and have caused the destruction of vast amounts of rainforest. Because of this, the members of the team hope that the project does not end after the “Solve for Tomorrow” competition draws to a close.

“I hope that we’ll be able to make high quality soap that people will like, and that hopefully we can also actually start offering this as a serious product in the future,” said George Kopf ’23, another member of the team, and one of the presenters who pitched the project to Samsung.

Eastburn also believes that this project has the potential to go further in the future. He believes that making products from bugs can be a solution to many societal challenges which doesn’t bring with it very many environmental consequences.

“I would really like to see the project expand because this is the future,” said Eastburn. “Princeton Township recently got rid of the waste collection program that they were running, [so] we could potentially serve as a community resource [and] as a disposal area for food waste that then we can then repurpose into some very valuable products.”

On top of having the potential to help the community in the future, this project also provided students a chance to utilize concepts learned in an academic setting in a more hands-on way.

“I think what’s really great about this is that it’s one of those projects where I feel like my learning is being put to use. For example, think of all that stuff in chemistry that you learn. How many times you really get to use it and see like, oh, wow, this stuff I learned is useful,” said Le. “Seeing products being made of what you do is also very gratifying for me. As well as just getting the opportunity to try new things.”

On top of the educational aspect of the competition, Le also believes that through the “Solve for Tomorrow” competition, she has been able to meet new people that she wouldn’t have met otherwise.

“One big part of what really drew me to it is the diversity of the group. I didn’t know a good portion of the people here before. And I think it’s very cool to meet new people who I’ve never would have seen otherwise,” Le said.

In the end, the Samsung “Solve for Tomorrow” competition has allowed students to get together, share ideas, and take action against climate change while keeping a competitive and exciting atmosphere. However, Eastburn believes that the team’s work is not yet done.

“Tomorrow's challenge will be to refine our ideas, make them clearer, and utilize that as an opportunity to get our word out there,” Eastburn said.

PHS wins $100,000 grand prize in Samsung “solve for tomorrow" competition 

Princeton High School has a truly astounding assortment of elective classes, to the point where many students have never even heard of some of them. Ask the average PHS student if they’ve considered taking Cisco III, Contemporary Crisis, or even more “popular” electives like Dance, and they’ll probably say no. This is a trend that needs reversing, because PHS’ more unique electives are arguably the best thing about the school. More students need to step outside of their comfort zones and explore these courses.

PHS electives serve as perfect places to discover new passions. Although everyone at our school has to take math, history, science, English, and physical education, our professional careers probably won’t be based solely around what we learned in these classes. Often, students that take more unique electives discover exciting career or extracurricular paths that they wouldn’t have otherwise considered. For example, students that have never coded in their entire life may sign up for courses like Intro to Java or App Development, and realize they enjoy programming.

These opportunities also can help to broaden existing interests. Taking an extracurricular like East Asian Studies or Latin America can help students step outside of the standardized, Eurocentric curriculums that schools across New Jersey have to follow, and discover new ways of representing history. Likewise, a class like Filmmaking or Journalism can help students learn about different ways to represent stories than the books and poems we read in English class.

An extracurricular like East Asian Studies or Latin America can help students step outside of the standardized, eurocentric cirriculums that schools all over New Jersey have to follow, and find parts of history that are more interesing to them. Likewise, a class like Filmmaking or Journalism can help students learn about different ways to represent stories than the books and poems we all read in english class.

Alternatively, many extracurriculars like Forensics or Public Speaking can just serve as a good time. Even though some students will find a new passion for scientifically detecting crime or oratory, everyone who takes one of the many idiosyncratic electives PHS has to offer will have a good time doing so. Interesting electives can serve as a great stress reliever after the long days many PHS students are subjected to.

PHS students are mandated to take two electives per year, but more unique courses are often dodged in favor of classes you could find at almost every high school in the country, for a couple of reasons.

Many misguided PHS students think that they have to take classes at Princeton University in order to get into a “good” college. This leads much of our student body to pour hours and hours into subjects they don’t actually like that much. Some kids AP Stats in junior year simply to exhaust the math curriculum and get into a class at the university, when taking a unique elective in that slot would actually be more beneficial for both their mental health and academic pursuits. Plenty of kids take advanced math classes, but a student who learns everything there is to know about Game Design might be more appealing to an Ivy League.

Plenty of students are scared to try something out of their comfort zone. Unless an elective perfectly lines up with everything a student is passionate about, they refuse to branch out and try new types of classes, instead sticking to what they’re already sucessful at. This leads to self proclaimed “theater kids” just taking Choir and Musical Theater as their electives for all four years, even though they might discover that replacing Musical Theater with Engineering one year would be a more rewarding choice for them in the long run.

The widespread attitude at PHS that students need to take as many AP classes as possible also hurts students’ involvement in these kinds of electives. Classes like AP Macroeconomics, while fun courses, often attract students that don’t end up getting a lot out of them, and who only wanted to put yet another AP on their schedule.

There are tons of schools that only offer Band and Choir extracurriculars. Plenty of students that would absolutely love to take Cisco III, or Contemporary Crisis, or Dance. We’re privileged at PHS to have the number of distinctive extracurriculars that we do, and it’s high time that students started taking full advantage of them.

In defense of our stranger electives

Cheers and Jeers: April

THE SAT:

The SAT has been causing high schoolers stress since it was first administered almost 100 years ago, in 1926. The exam seems fair on paper. Students take the test and the highest scores look better in the eyes of college admissions officers. Currently, the most selective colleges in the U.S., including our local Princeton University, either require or prefer students to have an SAT (or, alternatively, an ACT) score on their applications. However, the SAT is anything but fair: it is a test which systemically promotes classism and elitism.

Over the past few years, especially with the pandemic, many colleges have removed the SAT as a requirement on applications. However, most of these test-optional schools still give a leg up to applicants with high scores, so students still feel the need to take the test and do well. The SAT is not fit as a measure of students’ academic merit. It should become optional on all college applications, and remain that way too.

The SAT is a deeply prejudiced exam. In order to do well on the test, many students start preparing months, or even years, in advance. They attend SAT study groups, pay for private tutors, order thick textbooks, and study whenever possible. This is not the reality for everyone, especially for students from low-income households. For such students, paying for college is difficult as is, so acquiring extra SAT prep is often impossible. Some students also have a part-time job to help support their families, so adding SAT studying to the work they do for existing classes is not feasible. A 2014 article by The Washington Post found that students with household incomes of above $200,000 had an average combined reading, math, and writing score an average of 388 points more than students with household incomes of below $20,000. This very clearly demonstrates the advantage of wealthier families. Moreover, a 2021 University of Pennsylvania analysis found that the correlation between SAT scores and household income is three times as large as that between GPA and income.

The test is exceptional at weeding out those that are economically disadvantaged. While income is a factor, so is race. People of color (especially Black, Latinx, and Native Americans) experience higher rates of poverty than white Americans do. When colleges require or recommend for SAT scores to be present on applications, they are further promoting this classist and racist history of injustice.

Not every person’s brain works the same way. Some people’s brains just aren’t well equipped for these types of tests: people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), autism, dyspraxia, and dyslexia struggle on the SAT more than those without those disorders. The CDC writes ADHD alone affects from 8% to 10% of school age children in the US, which means that country-wide, there are almost five million students that struggle with time management, forgetfulness, and have trouble staying sitting in one place for too long without fidgeting. Requiring these students to sit down for hours completing more than one hundred and fifty multiple choice questions with barely any breaks in between is impractical. In the neurodiverse world that we live in, the SAT, which suits only those that are neurotypical, is out of place. It is unfair for colleges to require students to submit their SAT scores on their applications because people function differently — not everyone happens to fit into that compressed box of high-scoring, “normal” students.

As it turns out, College Board has attempted to address this issue of fairness with its accommodations system, where students with disorders receive the bare minimum of extra time to complete their exams. Yes, this is a step in the right direction, but if the SAT is willing to accommodate (albeit insufficiently) neurological differences among students, why doesn’t it also accommodate socio-economic differences? This is the fundamental flaw with standardized testing: fairness is only achieved when you make the test less standard. It's impossible to make a test that fairly asseses every single high school student, because every high school student is different.

The SAT doesn’t define who we are as people, but all around us, people use it as a bar for comparison and competition. Standardized tests often provide students with unnecessary anxiety, and scores are often dependent on socio-economic status and whether or not one is neurodivergent. These exams are clearly a poor representation of one’s intelligence; yet they are still one of the largest contributing factors in determining students’ future academic success. Your score on an exam that could determine whether or not you get into your best fit college should not depend on how rich your parents are. It is unquestionable that colleges should keep the SAT optional on applications in order for everyone to experience a more fair academic environment.


THE APs:

According to U.S. News, 76 percent of Princeton High School students take at least one AP during their time at PHS. PHS’s broad assortment of AP classes allows students to pursue any subject that they are passionate about at a high level. Unfortunately, the accessibility and diversity of these classes has resulted in a race between students to take as many AP classes as possible. Students who take time-consuming AP courses must balance a college level workload with sleep, extracurricular activities, and a normal teenage life. If PHS limited the number of APs each student can take per year to three, it would help limit stress, support students’ mental health, and increase time for other activities, all of which could go a long way in preparing them for college and continued education.

The University of Wisconsin Press found that students taking AP classes have increased stress levels and lower grades due to pressure and rigor. AP classes require students to make time for at least an hour and a half of homework each night which consists of practice problems, essays, and consistent studying for the AP exam. Being an AP U.S. History student, I know firsthand how rigorous an AP course can be. Whether it be submitting three page-long essays at 11:59 p.m, or reading through entire review books in the weeks before the exam, the AP U.S. History course pushes students to their absolute limit – and that’s just one AP. When students move on to their junior and senior years, they feel pressured by their teachers, guardians, and peers to participate in more advanced, competitive classes and end up balancing sometimes more than four APs at once.

Moreover, colleges aren’t just looking for students with good grades: They also want students who are passionate, outgoing, and able to carve out their own path in life. Extracurriculars, especially ones that demonstrate students’ leadership and dedication, are incredibly attractive to colleges. For example, a student who is the leader of a section in band organizes practice sessions and inspires sectionmates to work harder, and thus can use that on their application as an example of their leadership abilities. However, when students are weighed down by several AP courses, they have less time to focus on their extracurriculars — time which is required for students to obtain leadership positions in the first place. A leadership role in a club or extracurricular can be much more valuable to admissions officers than an AP class. This is a fact that students may have a hard time believing when everyone around them is loading themselves up with APs. There are also students who are aware of the value of leadership positions in extracurriculars, but are intimidated by the responsibility which comes with those positions. Putting a limit on APs may push students to step out of their comfort zone and take on roles of responsibility. Extracurriculars are thus also incredibly valuable in helping students grow as people. Also, AP courses are inequitable: Those with the money and resources to spend on tutoring and review books are at a huge advantage. However, anyone can become a leader in an extracurricular or their own club — as long as they have the work ethic and willpower to do it. If PHS wants to prepare students to get into college, it should limit students to three APs a year.

Of course, AP classes are still an incredible resource that Princeton students are privileged to have at their disposal. Students can pursue their interests at a college level and delve deep into the nuance and quirk of their desired field. When students choose to take time-consuming APs that don’t align at all with their interests, however, such as a STEM-inclined student taking AP French and AP English, that only takes away from students’ ability to fully take advantage of the AP classes that they are truly interested in. Without the burden of five AP classes, students can pursue those interests out of school as well. A club or extracurricular can actually be better at increasing students’ interest in a subject than an AP class. In a club, students are exposed to people who are truly passionate about the subject, not there just because it’s an AP, and plan their own events and activities, contrasting with the rigidity of many AP classes.

AP season is finally here, the culmination of all of PHS students’ hard work and suffering over the past few months, and students all know what that means: one last bout of all-nighters and mental breakdowns. But maybe all of this can change. Though the PHS student body cannot easily make any executive decisions regarding a limit on AP classes, it is important that PHS faculty and administration recognize the predicament which students face. PHS students feel the need to compete with their peers by loading up their schedules with APs, and as long as there is no limit on this behavior, they will continue to be limited in their potential, and utterly stressed.

The benefits of fewer tests

Princeton High School offers a rigorous STEM curriculum to any student who takes advantage of the opportunity, including advanced courses, research opportunities, and various extracurriculars and clubs. The school has made a large effort to help STEM-inclined students excel, but is less attentive to the needs of students interested in subjects like English and History. The result is that PHS students prioritize math and science courses and push their humanities courses to the side. However, both fields are needed and should be treated with the same importance. It’s time that our community recognizes the adverse effects of these STEM-exclusive policies and creates more academic opportunities for the humanities and social sciences.

Students are often concerned about the risks, especially with regard to employment opportunities, of pursuing their interests in the humanities and social sciences in high school, and later, college. But the “soft” skills that the humanities provide are not only beneficial but necessary. STEM majors are required to take English classes for a reason: these skills are essential for communication in the real world. When students focus on the financial opportunities that STEM fields can provide, they lose sight of the academic and social value that the humanities offer.

PHS currently offers several class advancement programs over the summer: Geometry I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Python, and Accelerated Chemistry. These summer programs allow students to skip taking a required class in school by cramming a year’s curriculum into about six weeks. The existence of STEM-exculsive advancement courses encourages students to skip to high-commitment STEM classes that leave little time for the humanities. Students can also submit a portfolio of projects to advance in computer science over the summer, an opportunity which doesn’t exist in any humanities field. Similarly, there are not as many course offerings in the social sciences and humanities as in STEM fields. In terms of accelerated and advanced courses, the humanities are mostly limited to English and history: most humanities courses lack an accelerated or AP counterpart. In contrast, PHS offers Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra, as well as a variety of advanced science classes ranging from AP Physics C to AP Computer Science. By offering a wider range of advanced courses in the humanities, PHS can support the interests of a wider range of students, ensuring that everyone can pursue their passions at a high level.

Another example of the prioritization of STEM classes is the PHS Research Program. This three-year program teaches students about research methods and provides them with the resources to undertake projects of their own. These projects are submitted to different journals, symposiums, and science fairs. Although students can undertake independent study periods in the humanities with the end goal of producing a large project or paper, these are not as well-supported by PHS and lack the prestige of the research program. PHS should provide equivalent opportunities for the humanities. For example, PHS could offer a workshop where students write a small book or novella with the guidance of a faculty member and submit it to a competition at the end of the semester.

If a student has exhausted classes in a certain field, Princeton High School allows them to take classes at Princeton University. Though the institution has made it exceedingly difficult to take these courses in recent years, a few students still earn their position in the prized classes each year. That said, the most popular courses for PHS students to take at the university are almost entirely math and science classes. Although language and music theory classes are available, the majority of students in the university classes are those who have exhausted the science and math curricula. There are no options for exceptional history students or standout writers. This seems strange, considering the extensive math and science options the school already offers – much broader than the humanities courses.

PHS can remedy its STEM-focused curricula by offering more classes in the humanities and further supporting students already interested in topics of the arts. The PHS Debate Team, Ethics Bowl, Prince Yearbook, and band programs excel in their respective areas, demonstrating the potential of PHS students in the humanities. If humanities students received as much support as STEM students do, PHS would be one step closer to becoming an truly equitable school.

Our STEM obsession

On Thursday, April 21, hundreds of New Jersey citizens woke up early, some at three or four a.m., and stood in a line for hours on end, yawning and slowly inching closer and closer towards their destination. What could prompt so many people to wake up at such an early hour? As it turns out, they were waiting for the opening of New Jersey’s first marijuana dispensaries.

Under the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Act, weed can now be sold to anyone over the age of 21 from dozens of authorized dispensaries scattered across the state. Many New Jersey residents are excited about the change, including Governor Phil Murphy, who called the law a “historic step in our work to create a new cannabis industry.” In many towns and precincts though, there has been significant pushback. Princeton is one of those towns.

In November of 2021, an astounding 75 percent of Princeton voters cast their ballots in favor of legalizing marijuana. Statewide, only 67 percent of New Jersey residents voted the same way. Now that marijuana establishments actually seem to be making their way to Princeton, though, a new wave of anti-weed sentiment has spread through the town. In response to a Town Council proposal to open dispensaries in Princeton, an army of residents voiced their disapproval at a council meeting that ran for several hours. However, these opponents are mistaken. We know a lot about what setting up weed dispensaries would do to Princeton, because we’ve seen what setting up weed dispensaries did in other towns, and practically every result was positive.

Let’s talk about the health risks of smoking marijuana. Many people who are against weed dispensaries defend their stance by citing the adverse and understudied effects of recreational marijuana. At first glance, that argument makes sense — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that weed can be addictive, and over time, users start to have problems with memory loss and critical thinking. Many Princetonians have taken this to heart: it’s not uncommon to see bright yellow signs adorning lawns, featuring red blocky letters spelling out the slogan of the campaign: “too many unknowns.”

What this argument fails to take into account, though, is that marijuana that comes from federally approved dispensaries is less harmful than marijuana from the black market. The Trulieve Institute writes in a 2020 article that much of the marijuana bought off the street isn’t pure, and doesn’t follow the regulations and safety checks that dispensaries must. That’s why the National Institute on Drug Abuse writes that street marijuana has volatile, unpredictable effects that can be deadly. Jean-Gabriel Fernandez writes in 2019 that “teenagers and young adults – are disproportionately at risk of being harmed by predatory dealers and low-quality products.” For all Americans, weed coming from a dispensary is safer than the alternative, and leads to less of the harmful side effects of smoking pot that critics are worried about.

Of course, an easy retort to this is that creating dispensaries makes the drug more accessible, which entices more high schoolers to do weed and overshadows the benefits of safer marijuana. However, Amy Morin writes for the mental health organization Verywell Mind in 2022 that practically every single high schooler that wants weed can already get it, which is why a third of high schoolers have tried the drug, and 75 percent of seniors are confident that they could get their hands on it if they wanted to. Establishing dispensaries in Princeton wouldn’t normalize weed – it is already normalized. It would still be illegal for teens to use the drug when dispensaries are established in Princeton, so students would still have to use the black market to make purchases. In fact, a study conducted by the CDC just last year found that among high schoolers, legalizing marijuana actually led to a small decrease in the number of adolescents who smoke weed. That’s because by shrinking the black market, dispensaries decrease teens’ access to the substance.

Moreover, weed dispensaries will help our town achieve social justice. Udi Ofer writes just last month in Planet Princeton that our town suffers from the over-policing of marijuana among adults, which systematically discriminates against Black residents. From 2000-2013, 50 percent of Princeton marijuana arrests locked up or fined Black people, even though Princeton is only six percent Black. Anyone arrested on a cannabis charge can be fired from their job, face up to half a year in jail, and even lose their public housing or immigration status. By putting legal dispensaries in our town, we can reaffirm the statewide decision legalizing marijuana, and make sure nobody in Princeton gets unjustly locked up for purchasing or selling weed illegally.

Considering all of this, the anti-dispensary hysteria in Princeton is unfounded. Dispensaries will ensure safer marijuana for Princeton residents, help to end the racialized policing that’s plagued Princeton for decades, and may even decrease weed usage within our school. Although us students won’t be the ones lining up at three in the morning, waiting for our Princeton weed outlet to open, we’re excited for the day when other residents will have that opportunity.

Princeton’s marijuana scare

  As athletes pack their bags for a big game, they have many indispensable items: a water bottle, a snack, a hoodie, but above all, headphones. A pregame ritual of listening to music is a part of most, if not all, athletes’ routines. Although many athletes listen to music as a habit instead of a crucial part of their routines, there is a strong correlation between music and improved athletic performance.

   According to neuroscientist Kostas Karageorghis in 2016, listening to music activates multiple parts of the brain at once: the parietal, the occipital, temporal, and frontal lobes as well as the cerebellum. These brain areas regulate motor control, coordination, and emotion, which are critical to athletic performance.

   At PHS, many sports teams listen to a team playlist on buses to away games as their pregame ritual. According to hearing specialist Corianne Rogalsky in 2019, having a set pregame playlist that is played before each game can signal the need for routine preparation. 

   “[The girls tennis team] will listen to something energetic. It gets our spirits up and allows us [to have] a more positive mindset. We [usually] have games after school, so listening to music wakes me up and gets my heart pumping. I feel more ready to play,” said varsity tennis player Ashley Chen ’23. 

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 Moreover, studies have shown that listening to music with a positive mindset can trigger the release of dopamine, a naturally occurring chemical that blocks out fatigue and enhances happiness. For varsity track runner Nicholas Niforatos ’24, a recent go-to song for his workouts is “Where Are Ü Now” by Justin Bieber, an EDM song with a strong rhythmic beat. 

   “Music definitely lowers my anxiety. I tend to feel really anxious and stressed out when I don’t have music because I’m so reliant on it to get me through the day. So I tend to lean towards music almost as a therapy of sorts,” Niforatos said.

   However, PHS athletes typically are not allowed to listen to music while at sports practice or while warming up before a match. Although proven to help athletes sharpen their mindset before they walk onto the court, music could be a potential distractor when athletes need to hone in on their internal motivation. 

   “Much of the training we do requires athletes to push their boundaries, which requires significant internal focus and is a skill that has to be built over time. What I have found over 20 years of coaching is that the use of music shifts that internal focus to an external focus,” Head Track and Field Coach James Smirk said. “The end result is initial performance improvement because the music can be motivating, but long term the athlete is left with a significant deficit in the internal motivation required for upper level success. That being said, we do allow for music in certain components of training and during bus rides.”

   For many PHS athletes, music is more than just part of a pregame ritual and is a core aspect of their lives outside of school. As a self-taught music producer, Niforatos spends at least one hour on music each week. But during breaks, that time increases to almost eight hours a week. For Chen, as a Studio band jazz vocalist and a cappella singer, she spends at least six hours every week just on music. 

   “It can be difficult at times to balance everything, especially when my school work load is really heavy. But it’s actually manageable and not too stressful and is definitely worth the time I spend,” Chen said. 

   Though music seems to be concerned with artistry and sports seems to be focused on physicality, sports like figure skating and dancing blurring the line between arts and sports. These activities require a good foundation in both artistic ability and athleticism.

  “Understanding music benefits me as a ballerina because it makes sure all of my movements are on time and precise and also helps me let go while I’m dancing,” said ballerina Avery McDowell ’24. “It’s very easy to get caught up in making sure every step is correct, but music reminds me to use my emotion and artistry when dancing. You need the athleticism to be able to have the stamina and strength to do all the steps, but it’s the artistry that makes it worth watching.”

   Apart from sports that are an art form, there are surprising similarities between all sports and music. For example, the ability to think strategically and being in good shape are crucial to both. Since both also require teamwork and events with large crowds, COVID-19 also affected both in similar ways. Most importantly, the mindset needed to be successful in both are nearly identical.

   “For both [sports and music], you really need to have a passion for and enjoy doing both. But also, you really have to work hard and be persistent because that is the only way you are going to get better,” Chen said.  

    As music and sports have many similar aspects, despite the time-consuming efforts to keep up with both, the benefits to pursuing both the arts and athletics greatly exceed the drawbacks. 

   “Whether it’s to let go of fears or to pump myself up if I’m feeling stressed out, music has given me the ability to be confident. My confidence definitely translates onto the field and has helped me become a much better athlete,” Niforatos said.

How music benefits athletes

As sunlight glimmers upon the smooth surface of the deep, blue water, Eugenia Rodriguez-Vazquez ’22 uses every last bit of her strength to keep rowing, using swing and connection with her teammates to propel the boat towards the finish line.

   Rodriguez-Vazquez first started rowing in freshman year, a couple months after she moved to Princeton from Spain. She always wanted to be an elite athlete, so when her brother began rowing for the Princeton National Rowing Association at Mercer Lake, a perfect opportunity presented itself. 

   Since trying rowing, she’s rowed for the Spanish National Team, competed in the Head of the Charles Regatta, and has been recruited to Brown University.  

   “Eugenia is a great asset to the team; she's one of the strongest women in Mercer County,” said Taylor Jones ’24, a fellow Mercer rower.

   It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, as rowing is one of the most difficult sports. Losing is an integral part of any sport, especially rowing, so continuing to have a healthy mindset after a loss is imperative in being a great athlete. This is something Eugenia has come to learn over the years. An essential part of being a student-athlete is also time management. Rodriguez-Vazquez lives by the belief that one has to have a set routine. 

   “It’s definitely hard and it takes a couple of years to get down to it, but having a set routine is very important. And like there’s obviously small sacrifices, like a lot of free time activities that you just can’t fit in, but yeah, I would say lots of sleep. I’m still figuring it out,” Rodriguez-Vazquez said. 

    A large part is making sure she has the best chance of winning is race preparation, which requires mental readiness. Rodriguez-Vazquez’s routine to ensure she is mentally focused involves eating sushi, meditating with a crystal, and discussing race plans with teammates the night before a race. Most significantly, she gets between eight and a half to nine hours of sleep ahead of a race without fail. Rodriguez-Vazquez is also a clear leader on the Mercer team. 

   In addition to being one of the best rowers in the state, her knowledge and experience gained from both her seniority and work ethic gives her a clear advantage as a leader. Eugenia is a welcoming and motivating teammate.

   “She’s very kind … and is friends with the whole team,” Jones said. 

   Rodriguez-Vazquez feels that the biggest accomplishment, even more than race results, is a team’s culture. She believes that she’s helped foster a winning culture in the Mercer team, which she thinks is a better indicator of success as a club.

   Committed to Brown University for Division I rowing, Rodriguez-Vazquez’s biggest goal is to win a college-level crew race. As a freshman, she hopes to make it into the top two boats. In the far future, she hopes to make the U.S. National team and row as an adult. 

   “If they don’t put me [in the top two boats], that’s how it goes… but the goal is just to get through four years of college,” Rodriguez-Vazquez said.

   Rodriguez-Vazquez emphasizes that rowing is a sport that is both grueling and rewarding. Through hardwork and dedication, she believes anyone can become a top athlete. 

   “No matter how [bad] you are at first, there’s always a way up. There’s always something you can be doing,” Rodriguez-Vazquez said.

Eugenia Rodriguez-Vazquez: rowing

With a bat in his hand, Jensen Bergman ’22 strikes the ball far out into the field. While the opposing team chases after the ball, Bergman quickly runs past several bases. Seconds before the defenders are able to secure the last base, he scores a home run.

    Bergman was introduced to baseball by his family at the age of four. Coming from a family of baseball superfans, he had much exposure to the sport during his childhood. Coached by his  dad when he was younger, they developed a strong relationship through the sport. Along with being his coach, Bergman’s dad is also his role model.

  “My dad always supported me in my practices but he never put too much pressure on me. Every time I wanted to go out to throw, he would throw with me. But when I [decided] I was done, he supported my decision. Like he was always my coach growing up. Yeah. Like, obviously, special players, but my main role models for baseball is my dad,” said Bergman.3

 After experience playing on the local little league and club teams, Bergman joined the PHS team his freshman year. Early on, Head Boys Baseball Coach Dominick Capuano noticed his talent and commitment to the sport. 

   “My first impression was that he was a little guy. But he definitely grew with a lot of work on his body, and he’s now one of the stronger kids on the team. As a freshman, I thought he could make an impact down the road, which he is now,” Capuano said.

   Although he is not team captain, Bergman is a great leader and team player. 

“He controls an important position for us in center field, and he really does a good job of leading, even the little things that improve the team,” Capuano said.

Bergman  has won the favor of many teammates through his hard work ande dedication as well as his,    outstanding plays and his character.

“Jensen is truly amazing. He’ll surprise you in every way imaginable, he has no weakness. You’d think, ‘oh he just has power and will crush the ball 400 feet,’ but then casually steals 15 bases in a season. Then you’d say, ‘okay, so he can hit and run, that’s it though, right?’ No. Defensively, he’s also the best center fielder in the CVC, and has been since last year,” s

Even though he has the stats to prove he’s the best, that’s not the biggest reason why he’s the best. Jensen is a remarkable teammate. He carries an uplifting attitude and a heartwarming spirit that really helps him get along with the team. He is the heart, soul, and muscle, of the team.” said teammate Carl Birge ’22.

Baseball is a very frustrating sport because, most of the time, the duration of the games are long and require physical and mental stamina. However, through his training as a track athlete, Bergman  was able to adapt to this environment and prove to be an asset, as his speed has allowed him to effectively steal bases. Along with being a committed baseball athlete, he also excelled in track, making New Balance Indoor   nationals this past winter track season. 

     “if you had told me as a freshman that I was going to go into nationals, like I wouldn’t believe it. worked really hard this year. And in the last week of the season, we qualified for like the group events early on. And, like, I was, like, really ecstatic. I couldn’t believe it.” said Bergman

Being a multisport athlete made Bergman a greater asset to the team, as track gave him the proper base needed to be a hitter.  He noticed the difference that track made on his fitness over the years during the baseball season.He hopes to still run in college. Besides being a multi-sport athlete, Jensen has also maintained a healthy mindset throughout the years, 

“Baseball is a game of failure. Even the best players will get out seven times out of ten and that’s Hall of Fame numbers for the major leagues. This has helped me learn how to deal with failure better. You can’t be perfect 100 percent of the time so it has helped me accept that failure is a part of life and you just have to keep going,” Jensen said. 

Bergman himself, had times in which he had trouble with staying motivated, especially during his injury. 

“I actually did want to quit. At the end of my junior fall. I completely hurt my arm. I wasn’t really having fun. But I stopped playing for the winter. And then I really missed it. So I came back in the spring and had like one of the most fun seasons of my life. So I knew I wasn’t gonna quit, I couldn’t, I love the sport too much”

Bergman has committed toVassar University, his dream school,  after meeting with the Vassar baseball coach during a summer training-camp. He plans to play Division III baseball  there in the fall. Although baseball is his mainsport, he hopes that in the off season, he can also run track. 

“I met the Vassar coach, and he’s so cool. He is one of the best coaches I’ve ever met. He is super nice, and cares about the team. So when I like, he offered me a spot. I knew I was gonna take it” Bergman said. 

Jensen Bergman: baseball

 On March 31, PHS’s futsal tournament commenced once again after COVID-19 put the tournament on hiatus last year. Run by Nico Carusone ’22, Joe Borovoy ’22, and Breno Azevedo ’22, and supervised by PHS Social Studies Teacher Katie Dineen, 24 squads are tussling for the proclaimed prospect of being the best team this year. 

   Futsal is very similar to soccer, but unlike soccer, which is played outdoors, futsal is played inside. While the basic rules of soccer are maintained, one main difference is that there is a lot less contact. For example, unlike normal soccer, no side-tackling is permitted. The games are also designed to be a lot quicker since the New Gym is much smaller than an outdoor soccer field. To succeed on the small courts and fast-paced games, players need to have good passing and dribbling skills as well as good game strategy. 

   The PHS futsal tournament is split up into two parts. In the first stage, the 24 teams each played one game against each other. At the end of the first stage, they were ranked on a points table, where teams earned three points for a win, zero points for a loss, and one point for a draw. The 16 teams who racked up the most points advanced to the second round. The second stage is a single elimination bracket in which teams get eliminated until there is a winner.

   The club was started 10 years ago by a group of PHS soccer players, and has been passed down to players from each year’s senior class. Now that the club has become a staple of the PHS community, Carusone, Borovoy, and Azevedo want to keep the club’s energy alive. 

   “Futsal is a way to get away from the normal stresses of school,” said Azevedo. “It brings different types of people together. People like to cheer for each other so it builds a closer-knit PHS community.”        

   The leaders believe that the club has brought the athletic community and those who like watching sports much closer together. After remote learning canceled many PHS traditions, the club has been a great way to introduce school spirit to the underclassmen.

   “The [Futsal Club] has always had a rich history of people coming and supporting the club,” said Azevedo. “Obviously we couldn’t [have a tournament] last year because of COVID-19, but every year other than that it’s been going strong.”

   Thomsen Lord ‘25 is a frequent spectator, and loves cheering on teams. His love of soccer comes from his family, who regularly travel to Germany to watch professional games. 

   “Everybody is really invested in it,” Lord said. “It reminds me of a pro sporting event.”

  For players, the large crowd tests their ability to perform at their best. Many futsal participants are experienced soccer players, but for many of them, the crowd of up to 200 spectators test their expertise.

  “The crowd makes you much more excited but also much more nervous,” said Meloni. “The first game I felt out of breath, but it wasn't [from] running; it was more because I was nervous.”

    Despite the massive size of the crowd and the skill of many of the players, the leaders want everyone to feel welcome on the field. Ultimately, they believe the most important aspect of futsal is putting yourself out there.

   “[Futsal] is open to all,” said Borovoy. “It’s fun to have a competition with your friends and everyone’s just looking to have a good time.”

PHS Futsal Club returns with electrifying spirit after a year on hiatus

Any social media user can attest to the myriad of fitness influencers online. With their well-conditioned bodies and seemingly perfect diets, a simple click on their profiles reveals pages full of enticing health tips. One week juice cleanses, protein smoothies, and vegan alternatives, are just a few healthy food trends. Within the last few years, using supplements to build muscle mass has taken over the Internet as one of the top fitness crazes. The popularization of supplements has contributed to the development of many inventive types of powders ranging from cookies-and-cream to cricket protein powder. Unfortunately, processed powders may not benefit athletes as much as the media claims. 

   There are different make-ups to every type of protein powder. As a foundation, protein powder can have different bases: whey protein, casein, milk protein, plant-based protein, or egg protein. Each of these protein powders in turn has a separate use: casein, egg, and milk are for longer absorption, whereas plant based and whey are for faster digestion. Allowing for versatility in one’s diet based on fitness goals, protein powders can be a convenient way to pack nutrients into a busy athlete’s diet. 

   “While protein powder is not a necessity to achieve your athletic and fitness goals, it can be a cost effective and tasty way to get in all of your daily protein. Whey protein, which is what most protein powders are, has the highest concentration of leucine, an essential amino acid that is critical to protein muscle synthesis,” said Matthew Ellsworth ’22, co-leader of the PHS Fitness Club.

   While protein powder does provide additional sources of protein in a cheap and useful way, it can harbor several health risks. According to Harvard Health in 2020, protein powders may include ingredients such as added sugars, artificial flavoring, thickeners, vitamins, and minerals. Since protein powder is a dietary supplement, the Food and Drug Administration leaves it up to the manufacturers to correctly label and evaluate the safety of the product. With few studies conducted on the effects of high protein intake through these supplements, the content and long-term effects of protein powder aren’t fully understood. Earlier this year, a nonprofit group called the Clean Label Project released a report about toxins in protein powders. Researchers screened 134 supplement products for 130 types of toxins and found that many protein powders contain poisonous metals like lead and arsenic, as well as contaminants with links to cancer such as BPA (used to make plastic) and pesticides. 

   Maximizing protein intake can be accomplished through a rich and balanced diet that many athletes are able to achieve. And despite common belief, to maximize results, protein should not be the only food group that is consumed in abundance. Although varsity lacrosse player Theona Hsu ’24 likes an occasional protein shake, she does not like to use protein powder on a regular basis to achieve her athletic goals. 

  “The most important thing for me is hydration. On a regular basis, I usually drink at least half a gallon of water. Staying hydrated is really important in preventing injuries and staying healthy. In terms of food intake, I eat however much and whatever I want,” said Hsu. 

   Protein powders should be used in moderation for convenience and an addition to your already protein-rich diet, not as a substitution. A healthy diet should consist of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of their body weight, but that amount should increase for high performing athletes. According to Penn Medicine in 2020, vegetables and fruits should take up 50 percent of every meal. Fruits and vegetables provide carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber, water, and antioxidants, which work together to serve as energy, hydration, digestion, recovery, and injury prevention. Protein powder should be used as an additional form of protein while also maintaining the balanced diet above. 

   Though the media might hype the benefits of protein powder, there are many hidden harms. Though fitness stars with perfect bodies may claim to achieve maximum results from various powders, it is important to keep in mind that they may have monetary gains from promoting certain products. Ultimately, although an occasional protein shake may be a tasty addition to a nutritious, relying on it for health benefits could prove harmful in the long run. 

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