**NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR (1922) directed by F.W. Murnau**

Blood, coffins, and bats: nothing says Halloween quite
like vampires, and no film has portrayed the vampire quite
like F.W. Murnau’s “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.”
In this illicit adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic novel
“Dracula,” Max Schreck stars as the nightmarish Count
Orlok, a performance so believable that it spawned legions
of conspiracy theories about Schreck’s own possible
vampiric origins.

Filmed in stark black-and-white, “Nosferatu” follows
a young real estate agent named Thomas Hutter, played
by Gustav von Wangenheim, who travels to Transylvania
in order to sell a house to a mysterious count. The film
is truly a product of its time: an indescribable terror of
"The Other" pervades every frame, the disease-bearing
rats ubiquitous in the film reminiscent of those once
infesting the battlefield trenches.

Despite clearly being from a different era, the
nightmarish atmosphere, excellent lead performances,
and easily transmutable story lend it a timeless quality—
it’s no wonder that it has yielded a myriad of remakes
over time. The latest of these, Robert Egger’s 2024 film
of the same name starring Bill Skarsgård as the titular
vampire and Lily-Rose Depp as Hutter’s wife Ellen, is
proof of the enduring legacy of Nosferatu as one of the
most influential achievements in the history of cinema
and the horror genre.

Seeing this movie performed with a live score to a soldout audience at the Princeton Garden Theatre last October
was one of my best moviegoing experiences. I love this
movie not only for the scares and storyline but also its
occasional silliness and, ultimately, the influence that it
continues to have on film over a century after its release.

**AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) directed by John Landis**

Foggy English moors. Local superstitions. Practical
effects good enough to award it the first ever Academy
Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. “An American
Werewolf in London” may have been poorly received
upon initial release, but in the years following its release, it
has grown into a cult classic of the horror-comedy genre.
In it, college students David Kessler, played by David
Naughton, and Jack Goodman, played by Griffin Dunne,
are backpacking across the north of England when they
stop for the night at a pub, where they are cautioned of a
mysterious creature who lurks the local moors.

Neither heeds these warnings, however, and what
follows is a surreal, grisly comedy of errors. Naughton
gives a great performance, transforming from an average
good-humored New Yorker into a snarling man-beast.
Though Rick Baker’s practical effects are deservedly the
most famous aspect of the film, the rest of the movie is
up to par. The omnipresent humor balances out the often
startling violence that the third act dives into head-first,
and the friendship between Naughton and Dunne’s
characters, along with a relationship that Naughton forms
later on, provides a strange emotional core to the movie.

I love this movie not only for being Griffin Dunne’s
breakout role but also for the bizarre, gruesome, giddy
amusement-park ride it is. “An American Werewolf in
London” is a highly entertaining film that successfully
satirizes some elements of the horror genre while dutifully
paying homage to others.

**THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) directed by Jonathan Demme**

There are few cinematic characters who haunt the public
consciousness quite like Anthony Hopkins’ Dr. Hannibal
Lecter. Eerie and restrained in his famously Academy
Award-winning 16 minutes of screentime, Hopkins is a
force of nature, staring down the camera with a chilling
intensity. Despite his undeniable excellence, however,
the film is Jodie Foster’s; playing the hard-working FBI
trainee Clarice Starling, Foster adopts her secondhand
briefcase and West Virginian accent with ease.

Throughout the film, Starling struggles with the sexism
imbued in the culture of her chosen profession and her
past as a poor orphan growing up on her cousin’s farm
following the death of her parents.Strangely enough,
Lecter seems to be the only person in her life to respect
(or, at least, understand) her unfortunate circumstances.
The strange chemistry between the two is a kind of
sinister symbiosis that pushes the tightly-paced plot along:
Starling is assigned to interview the incarcerated Lecter
under the guise of a psychological survey. The assignment
quickly reveals itself to be a ploy by her supervisor, Jack
Crawford, to get Lecter’s professional opinion on serial
killer Buffalo Bill. Intense close-ups on the lead actors’
faces famously characterize the interview scenes, but the
camerawork is deft and stylish throughout, drawing the
tension out to highwire suspense in the gripping third act.

Though I do harbor a particular fondness for all
Hannibal Lecter adaptations, I think that “The Silence of
the Lambs” is the best among them. Though the film is
now famous to the point of innumerable parodies, to me
Hopkins’ Lecter has never lost his ability to frighten. The
first (and only) horror movie to ever receive the Academy
Award for Best Picture, “The Silence of the Lambs”
remains a classic of the genre that will be celebrated for
decades to come.

Classic horror movies to add to your Halloween watchlist

The Princeton University Art Museum opened its doors
to the public at 5 p.m. on October 31 for the first time since
2021. The new 146,000-square-foot building has been five
years in the making and reopened on Halloween with a
completely new facility, built on the site of the old museum
that was demolished in 2021.

“I’m incredibly excited,” said Juliana Ochs Dweck,
Chief Curator for the museum. “We’ve been working on
this building for years, and I’ve been working on it in my
capacity as the chief curator for over six years now.”

The new building, completed in the fall of 2025, features
Princeton University’s art collection in a completely new
light. Largely designed by the principal architect David
Adjaye, the new museum is almost double the size of the old
museum. Beyond space, however, Dweck shared a vision of
creating a space of belonging for all the museum’s visitors.

“I hope that when the public comes, the building as
a whole meets people where they are,” said Dweck. “I
really hope that people find themselves and find works
that speak to them.”

Given that the collection has an impressive 117,000 pieces
of art, one of the goals for the new museum was more
space to feature the art. According to Stephen Kim, Senior
Associate Director for Communication & Information,
only 2 percent of the entire collection was previously able
to be featured in the old museum’s 2,500-square-foot space.

The new building also provides more than 12,000 square
feet for educational spaces, such as creativity labs, six object
study classrooms, two seminar rooms, and an auditorium.

The old museum’s structure had an upstairs featuring
Western art and a downstairs presenting ancient and nonWestern art. While the galleries upstairs were open and
received an abundance of natural light, the downstairs
galleries lacked these qualities.

“Unconsciously, there was an implied hierarchy as if we
were elevating the art of the West and somehow denigrating
the arts of ancient and non-Western art. [The new building]
radically moves away [from] any presumption of hierarchy,
[putting] every collection… on one floor,” said Dweck.

The new museum launched with a 24-hour open house
from October 31 to November 1. The open house included
events such as a Halloween fair, a costume contest, dance
party, movie screenings, trivia, and more. Additionally, the
new museum features two new inaugural exhibits.

The first, “Princeton Collects,” highlights works from the
over 2,000 artworks donated by alumni for the museum’s
new building. Most notable among them are works from the
artists Gerhard Richter, Mark Rothko, and Hans Hofmann.

“One of the qualities that the exhibition models is the
ways that art from across times and place can be presented
in dialogue with each other,” said Dweck. “We’re… modeling
the ways that we teach and learn with collections, which is
often by comparison and juxtaposition and conversation
across time.”

“Toshiko Takaezu: Dialogues in Clay”, the other opening
exhibit, featured the ceramic pieces of the artist Toshiko
Takaezu. A professor at Princeton University for almost 30
years, Takaezu pioneered the form of closed ceramic pieces,
positioning her as one of the eminent ceramic artists of the
20th century.

“[Takaezu] was able to get away from the sort of divide
that the art world has created between … craft and art,” said
Dweck. “Whereas the ‘Princeton Collects’ is taking this vast
encyclopedic look at collections and the pedagogic work
that they can do, this is a more intimate focus on a single
artist and a celebration of one particular form of materiality”.

The museum will continue to feature new special
exhibitions and galleries, hoping to feature betweensix and
ten special exhibitions each year.

“The installation for day one is set, but it will continue to
evolve and to sort of react like an organism to the people
who use the space,” said Dweck. “The real conversation
with our publics, which includes you and your peers and
students on campus, only begins when we actually open.” 

photo: Katherine Chen

Nine interlocking pavilions make up the structure of the Princeton University Art Museum building.

Princeton University Art Museum reopens after five years

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most vibrant
and meaningful holidays for many Indian people. At
this time of the year, my house is always filled with loud
chatter, and sweet smells throughout the air. The origin
story of Diwali itself varies regionally and the beliefs
that one follows. The first version, typically believed by
people in the northern part of India, describes the return
of Prince Rama, the righteous prince who returns back to
his kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and defeats
the demon king Ravana. After his
arrival, his subjects all light lamps
to celebrate the arrival of their king.
The second story, believed
by many living in Southern
India, tells of the defeat of the
demon king Narakasura by
Lord Krishna and his wife
Satyabhama. The third story
states that by lighting lamps,
you’re inviting the Goddess
Lakshmi, the goddess of
wealth, into your home to
bring prosperity and blessings. No matter the version, the
meaning of Diwali always remains the same: there will
always be light where there is darkness.

Diwali is a time when my home overflows with people,
incense, and delicious smells from the food. My family
celebrates the festival in many ways, ranging from
actions with underlying spiritual meaning, to pure
enjoyment.

The spiritual heart of the evening begins with a
quiet ritual. We gather for a small, personalized
puja (prayer ceremony) right at home. Every
corner of the house is illuminated with dozens of
tiny diyas (or oil lamps). Usually, diyas are made
of clay, either bought, painted, or molded at home.
As we kneel together to offer prayers for prosperity,
health, and well-being, we take advantage of this
ritual as an intimate moment of reflection to start
the holiday off. Following the ceremony at home,
we always make a trip to the temple, dressed in
our newest and most colorful traditional clothes,
wearing fun pieces of jewelry, and sometimes flowers
in our hair. The temple is always bustling with people
during this time of year and decorated with flowers or other
decorations, creating a joyous atmosphere.

After the spiritual observances, the celebration
spills out into the neighborhood. Sharing joy is a core
part of Diwali, which my family commits to by
meticulously preparing and handing out sweets,
trays of kaju katli, ladoos, and barfi to every one
of our neighbors. This tradition of exchanging
food connects everyone within the community.

The day ends with a big celebration. We
gather with an excited group of friends and
family outside for the grand finale of the day:
lighting firecrackers and colorful fireworks. It’s
a spectacular show of collective joy, watching
the night sky ignite in brilliant gold, red, and
green bursts. At the end of the night, everyone,
despite smelling like smoke, is full of laughter
and joy. For us, and many Indian-Americans,
Diwali is one of the most important times
of the year. In places away from India, it’s
one of the few holidays that anchors many
immigrants to their culture back home. 

Inside Diwali: lamps, lights, and longing

Nicole Lee ’26 has been immersed in
music for as long as she can remember.
Her passion for singing, particularly
jazz, began at a very young age. Over
the years, she has dedicated her time to
exploring music and honing her vocal
skills. Currently, she is a dedicated
member of PHS Choir, contributing
to performances that showcase talent
and passion for music. She serves as a
co-leader of the acapella group Cloud
Nine and a member in Studio Vocals.

**What inspired you to be a singer?**

I was part of a [program] called
Princeton Girlchoir outside of school,
so I wanted to try choir class in high
school because I wasn’t part of one in
middle school ... Apparently, I was told
I started singing before I could talk ...
so maybe when I was [around two], I
just always loved to sing.

**Will you continue to sing after you
graduate?**

I would definitely continue to sing
after graduating. I have a lot of interest
in college acapella groups because they’re pretty cool. I might try that out. But other than
that, I’m not sure if I’ll really pursue a career in music, although I really enjoy it. I think
it’s more of a hobby than a career.

**How do you prepare for performances?**

For choir, it’s a little more laid back. [We] just warm up together, and then we start
singing. It’s easier with the choir, but when it’s solo singing with a band, I usually [do it]
with my friend who’s with me. We warm up together in a room, and then we practice a
little. It’s a little more nerve wrecking.

**What singers do you look up to the
most?**

I look up to Ella Fitzgerald. She’s
amazing ... I just love [her] jazzy voice
and style, so I always try to replicate it,
but make it my own, of course.

**What is your experience like in your
a cappella group?**

I love my a cappella group. I’m in Cloud
Nine and I auditioned my freshman year,
and I got in my sophomore year, and now
I’m a co-leader because I’m a senior. It’s
so fun, and I always tell all my friends
to try out and audition.

**Can you describe a challenging piece
you have performed and how you
overcame it?**

There was this one song called, “What
a Difference a Day Makes.” It was my
audition song to get into Studio Vocals
and it has three key changes. It was
rough. It was really hard, but I did get
through it ... I had to sit in a room and
learn it.

**Do you find it difficult to balance choir with the other aspects of your school life?**

It’s not challenging because it’s just a fun class, I get to do it with my schedule, so it’s
like a break from the core classes [that] I take most of the time ... I always just try to get
[my work] done in school and [even] if I can’t ... I always find time to sing or practice
my pieces, because it’s fun for me and I actually want to do it.

**What is your favorite memory as a singer?**

This summer, I went with the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra to Italy. We toured Italy, and
I got to sing with the band, and that was really fun for me. 

photo: Emily Kim

Nicole Lee ’26 sings “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole during Studio Band rehearsal.

Student artist of the month: Nicole Lee ’26

Ever since picking up the tenor
saxophone in elementary school,
Jonathan Ji ’26 has always been
captivated by music. As a member
of PHS Studio Band, he leads
the saxophone section, bringing
energy to every performance. He
plans to continue playing the tenor
saxophone in college, where he will
use music to further connect with
his community.

**How did you start playing the
saxophone? What inspired you to
start?**

I started playing in Cranbury.
We got to choose two instruments
for band, and Mr. Pollack was my
director back then, so I chose the
clarinet and the saxophone. And then
in fifth grade, I joined Cranbury’s Jazz
Band, and then went from there. I
got into Nassau Band II [in freshman
year and] I made Studio Band in
sophomore year.

**What is your favorite part or
memory of being in Studio Band?**

 I think being in the room backstage
at Abbey Road, since we went to Abbey Road for our recording twice during sophomore
year. And just sitting there, being right next to all these incredible technicians [was
amazing].

**Who’s your favorite jazz artist?**

I’m going to be a bit controversial here and say Laufey because I know a lot of people
say, “Oh Laufey isn’t jazz,” or whatever ... But I think that’s kind of missing [the] point
[of jazz] because, for one, jazz has developed so much that we can’t really just put it in a
box, like, “Oh, this is jazz, and this isn’t.” I think the fact that [Laufey is] making minor
two-five-ones cool again to the younger generation is already enough, even if she’s not
strictly jazz in that sense.

**What is the most challenging
part of your instrument or
playing with the band?**

The most challenging part of the
saxophone is that we are infamous
for having bad intonation, which is
everyone playing in tune together.
[It’s because of ] the way the
saxophone is made. Even if you
move your mouthpiece slightly in
and out, [it] will make the entire
section [sound] out of tune. I
would [also] say playing as a band
is just like blending our sounds
together, and sounding like a unit
[is challenging].

**What advice would you give
to someone who wants to start
tenor saxophone or join an
ensemble?**

If you want to join Studio Band,
just get good at sight reading.
Because as a band, the band
director will tell you. It’s very
transparent. It’s just two scales
and two sight reading pieces
to make up your score. If you
want to get into playing [the] tenor
saxophone, I would say listen to Sonny Rollins and [John] Coltrane. You should also
listen to all types of saxophone players, not just tenor players. You can gain ideas from
any saxophone [players].

**What is your experience on the school trips with Studio Band?**

Every other year, we have a trip, so sophomore year was my first trip. We’re also going
to five countries in December before our second tour. Besides that, we also go to different
places for competitions. There’s always a state prelims and state finals. And state finals
are [at PHS], and prelims is at some schools nearby. We also go to the National Jazz
Festival, which is in Philadelphia every year. I’ve been there three times, once in middle
school and twice in high school.

photo: Emily Kim

Jonathan Ji ’26 warms up for the Symphonic Band rehearsal.

Student artist of the month: Jonathan Ji ’26

For the past seven years, PHS’s UNICEF Club has
collaborated with the PHS and PMS orchestral programs
to perform a benefit concert. The goal of the event, which
took place on October 17th, was to help raise funds for
UNICEF and call attention to the organization’s mission.

UNICEF, which stands for United Nation Children’s
Fund, is a global organization that works to protect the
rights of children, as well as to provide underprivileged
children with opportunities and improved quality of life.
Originally founded in 1946 to provide relief to women and
children after World War II, UNICEF has since expanded
to aid children everywhere.

“The UNICEF motto is ‘For every child,” said Kajol Karra
’26, UNICEF Club co-leader. “So a lot of the money that
we raise or the drives that we do go towards women and
children in underserved communities.”

In addition, the UNICEF Club throughout the year,
such as bake sales and clothing drives, the $1,800 from
the concert went towards helping to support this mission.

“They’re able to direct those funds in certain ways for
natural disasters, for education, for certain current crises
that are happening in the world,” said Robert Loughran,
director of the PHS Orchestral Program and UNICEF
Club advisor.

“We [aimed] to artistically present the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals to our audience,” Loughran
added. The UNICEF Club leaders presented the seventeen
goals, which the U.N. website describes as an “urgent call
for action by all countries,” by giving short but informative
descriptions of each. These objectives include no poverty,
high quality education for all, and climate action, to foster
a more sustainable and peaceful world. As each goal was
described, the combined orchestras played music that was in
accordance with the goal’s intentions. The pieces performed
include “The Sheltering Sky” by Ryuichi Sakamoto and
“The Enchanted Garden” by Maurice Ravel, among many
others. These full ensemble songs were interspersed with
piano solos as well.

This concert was a large undertaking, involving
preparation from both organizations since early September.
All of the orchestras, which include 34 PHS Orchestra
members, 48 Sinfonia & Repertoire Orchestra members,
and 68 artists from PMS, had been working on their pieces
for the concert since school started, beginning rehearsals
in the first and second weeks of September. The UNICEF
Club, too, prepared extensively.

“We get the help of everyone in the club with the bake
sale and selling the tickets, giving people their brochures
and everything. And so they’ll help us in that sense while
we prepare and give the speeches onstage,” said UNICEF
co-leader Anais Betancourt ’26.

This isn’t the only collaboration that the UNICEF Club
and the PHS Orchestra have done. In addition to the past
seven years of annual benefit concerts, in 2024 the PHS
Orchestra went on a tour through Europe, in which the
orchestra also worked to highlight UNICEF’s work and
mission.

The UNICEF benefit concert is the largest of the UNICEF
club’s fundraising events every year, and the funds raised
from it make a large difference in the lives of many
underprivileged children who rely on aid from UNICEF.
Betancourt hopes that the message of the concert will stick
out to people and create more involvement in UNICEF in
the Princeton community

Listen to Your Heart: a concert with a purpose

On October 24 and 25, PHS Choir brought the operetta
“Die Fledermaus” to life at the Performing Arts Center.
“Die Fledermaus,” known as “The Revenge of the Bat” in
English, is one of the most popular Viennese operettas
of all time, composed by Johann Strauss II in 1874. The
operetta is broken into three acts and follows the story
of an extravagant New Year’s party in Vienna. Although
this may seem like a glamorous way to start a new year,
this performance quickly turns into humorous chaos, as
one attendee has arranged an elaborate series of tricks
to play on the other partygoers, resulting in relationship
drama and lots of confusion. “Die Fledermaus” had the
audience laughing and dancing along in their heads to
its wide selection of catchy songs, especially its famous
“Champage Chorus.”

“We always start the year for PHS Choir with some sort
of a production, and it has many different guises every
year. But we try to do something fun that will just get the
students singing and have a really fun musical experience,”
said choir teacher Sarah Pelletier.

One challenge while preparing for the operetta was
getting students used to singing in a more operatic manner.
“It’s definitely been a challenge. I’ve never sung opera
before; I’m not primarily trained to sing opera, but it’s
definitely pushed me in the best way possible, and I think
it’s really shown me what my voice is capable of. It’s pushed
me out of my comfort zone, which is always a good thing
to do,” said Anna Kaufman ’26, who played Rosalinda
Eisenstein.

For many members of the cast, this production provides
a gateway to new experiences and an opportunity to show
off their range of abilities to an audience.
“[It was exciting] to sing classical on stage for the first
time. On a PHS stage [I had] never gotten to do that. And
it [was] a great show, there’s a lot of very talented people
in the cast,” said Serafina Joseph ’26, who played Adele,
the Eisensteins’ maid.

Another crucial element of the production is the
costumes. In the second act, the characters attend Russian
Prince Orlofsky’s masked ball and wear gowns and tuxedos.
“Since it’s a masked ball, [I was] in a long tulle-y dress
kind of with an opera vibe. I [had] different accessories,
I [had] neon pink gloves that [were] making me very
flamboyant,” said Simryn Patel ’26, who played Ida, Adele’s
sister and a famous dancer.To add to the intrigue of the
show, Penelope Cardona Fox ’26 was featured as Chappell
Roan, performing “HOT TO GO!” during the party scene.
Cast members worked hard to memorize and run through
lines in class, as well as preparing outside of class to improve
their portrayal of the characters.

“I’ve really studied the script a lot. This is my first opera
I’ve ever done. I have watched videos of other people
performing the role to get inspiration ... and just talking to
my directors and getting their advice on how to perform
the role,” said Kaufman.

Choir members looked forward to showcasing the result
of almost two months of dedicated preparation on stage.
“I [was] excited to perform with all my friends and
they’re all so incredible, so talented, so I [knew] it [was]
gonna be great,” said Patel. 

PHS Choir returns to the stage with a classic operetta

Even with a busy schedule, Andrew
Kim ’26 always finds a way to pursue
his passion: singing. Kim began to
sing at the age of 10, and ever since,
music has shaped who he is. Through
years of choir and singing with his
acapella group, Around 8, as well
as Studio Vocals, he has grown and
discovered a supportive community,
helping him find his voice. He plans
to carry his passion with him to
college, where he hopes to join an
acapella group.

**How did you start singing?**

I started singing in elementary
school. It was a requirement for
Community Park. At first I didn’t
really think much of it. It was more
like my parents told me to do music,
and so I did it. But then going to high
school, this is where Mr. Metallo
opened my eyes to singing. I had so
much fun freshman year. And that’s
when I started doing more singing.

**Do you have any favorite songs? If so, what are they?**

We had a song for Studio Vocals. It was called “I’m Gonna Live Until I Die.” Even
though I just sang the bass part, like the supporting track, it was so much fun, and I
had an amazing time.

**Who is your favorite artist?**

Right now, I’d say Grant Perez. I really enjoy his music when I’m studying. It has a
nice, relaxing vibe.

**What is your favorite genre of music? Why?**

To sing, I’d say jazz. I think it suits my vocal range, so it sounds better. I [also] listen
to jazz, but when I’m doing work or exercising, I like to listen to pop.

**What is your favorite memory of being in the PHS Choir?**

My favorite memory is definitely going on the trip to Italy. We got to perform at many
Gothic buildings. It was so cool to sing with the university students. It was really cool
to embrace the culture.

**What is has your experience in
Around 8 been? When did you
join? What inspired you to join?
What is your role?**

I joined sophomore year. My sister
recommended it to me because she
thought I’d enjoy it, and I really do
enjoy it. This year I’m going to be
the music director, so I’ll be leading
the group. Usually we have two hour
rehearsals twice a week. We will
start off with getting to know each
other and catching up, then we do
vocal warm ups, and then, we get
into practicing our songs. We have
our back to school performance on
September 25, so we’re formulating
the songs we want to choose. We
usually choose by voting, so each
member gets to vote on songs they
like after hearing them.

**How do you balance school and
music?**

It’s important to be punctual
because when you have a lot on your mind, you can’t really focus on one thing since your
mind gets dragged around. Speaking from my sophomore and freshman year experience,
managing school and choir was not that big of a burden, especially because I didn’t take
that many APs. Junior year was when it really started kicking in, so I struggled a little bit.

**Any advice you would give to younger singers?**

I think [you] should just try it out and see how you like it. I think for singing, as long
as you like it, you can be good at it. I remember in freshman year, I really didn’t think I
was adamant auditioning for Around 8 because I knew that there were so many more
talented singers compared to me, but I’m glad I took that risk. And so I think for younger
singers, you should definitely take that risk, and have a little faith in yourself.

**Will you continue to sing after you graduate?**

I would definitely continue to sing after graduating. I have a lot of interest in college
acapella groups because they’re pretty cool. I might try that out. But other than that,
I’m not sure if I’ll really pursue a career in music, although I really enjoy it. I think it’s
more of a hobby than a career.

photo: Katherine Chen

Andrew Kim ’26 sings “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse, one of the songs in Around 8’s repertoire.

Student artist of the month: Andrew Kim ’26 

As a child, Sylvia Schreiber ’26
would sit at the dining room table
for hours, happily doodling with
crayons. Though she’s transitioned
from crayons to watercolor and
gouache, the importance of art in
her life has stayed the same. In her
time at PHS, her illustration work
has included t-shirts, programs, and
this year’s school-issued planner.
She’s currently compiling pieces for
her portfolio as part of applications
to art school, where she hopes to
further expand her artistic abilities,
preparing her to eventually work as
an artist professionally.

**What childhood experiences
shaped you as an artist?**

I remember when I was little my
mom would put me to bed and then
I’d get up and turn my light on and
start drawing — I was trying to
copy the cover of one of my picture
books because I loved it so much.
And then my mom would come and
be like, “Sylvia, go to bed.” Picture
books really inspired me to create
art when I was younger.

**What are you drawn to depicting in your art?**

 Anything in the natural world is my go-to. I like things with patterns, so obviously
nature has a lot of patterns, but also architecture ... I like to push myself to draw new
things a lot of times, but I would say nature is a big one ... I feel like the repetitive motion
of drawing the same thing over and over again is definitely calming.

**What mediums do you work with?**

I work in 2D mostly; that’s what I’m most comfortable in. But within that, I do a lot of
stuff. Drawing, painting, and printmaking are the three that I do the most. I love watercolor.

**Are there any mediums that you’re experimenting with right now?**

I’m trying to do more printmaking. I really like printmaking. I’ve been doing some
classes at the Arts Council on linocut and stuff like that, and I think why I like it kind of
ties back to the patterns — you can
print it over and over again. And I
just like the look of print making,
so I’m trying to do more of that
right now in my portfolio and just
also for fun.

**What are some of your
inspirations and influences?**

My sister, just her being in art
school and all of her friends, I follow
them all on Instagram and I get to
see all of their amazing work and
sometimes I’ll take an idea from
there ... Having my sister in art school
is really cool to see, because it’s, like,
whoa, that could be where I am in
a couple years. Barbara de Lorenzo,
she works at the Arts Council ...
She illustrates children’s books, and
she mostly works in watercolor,
so she’s helped me a lot with my
watercolor abilities. When I paint
with watercolor, I’m channeling
Barbara DiLorenzo. She’s definitely
helped me grow as an artist.

**What’s your artistic process?**

 I have a sketchbook at home that’s really just whatever comes out ... A lot of times,
when I’m feeling like I want to do something art-related, I’ll just sit down with that and
just write or draw, or do whatever is inspiring me at the moment; I’ll try to get it down
on paper ... So then when I know what I’m going to do for my project, it comes with
some trial and error ... So I do a lot of practice sketching. And then I’ll try to see if I
have materials at home or if I need to get some from the Arts Council ... You just have
to start and challenges always arise ... It’s kind of inevitable that at some point, you’re
going to be like, this is terrible. But more times than not, it’s not terrible and you just
need to work through it.

**What goals do you have for yourself in your art in the future?**

I want to get into an art college and I want to just enjoy that to the best of my ability
without having to think too much about what exactly I’m going to do with art after
college. I just want to really explore my own style and develop my own style as an artist
... Even as art becomes my work, I also want to just keep enjoying it.

photo: Charley Hu

Sylvia Schreiber ’26 sketches to plan out a print for her art school portfolio.

Student artist of the month: Sylvia Schreiber ’26

With the start of another school year, yet another group of
sophomores are looking for ways to fulfill their community
service hour requirement. Many community services
programs are offered at Princeton High School, focusing
on topics such as tutoring, health, and the environment.
However, there are also a variety of arts community service
programs at PHS.

The Arts Council club provides an opportunity for
students to work together on projects such as decorations
for the school and cards for senior centers or hospitals. For
example, during the winter, the club puts up snowflakes to
heighten the festivities.

In addition, the club also collaborates with the Arts
Council of Princeton by volunteering at events and camps
that the council hosts.

“During camps ... we assist with cleaning, with [art] skills,
and just talking with the children. Children as young as
kindergarten all the way through middle school [come to the camp], and our goal is just to spread
art [to them]. A lot of the people that are
in the club are interested in art, and we
want to give back to the community,”
said Vanessa He ’27, one of the leaders
of the Arts Council club.

While the Arts Council club focuses
on giving back to the community, it also
brings together community at PHS.

“While we [work together], people
are also talking. And I think that’s also
another way for people to connect with
peers, not just the whole community
itself,” said He.

Another arts community service at
PHS is School Beautification. A newly-
formed club, their goal is to improve
the appearance of
PHS in order to create a more welcoming
environment for both students and teachers.“Art creates a welcoming environment
because ... abstract shapes and colors
usually inspire creativity among people
and individuals. Seeing art every day
makes the space look less monotone
and [industrial-like]. Instead, the more
creative, welcoming environment would
help students be more productive,” said
co-leader Lucy Wang ’27.

The club also hopes to expand the scope
of their projects in the future.

“I also hope that in the spring we are able
to collaborate with some other community
service organizations to hopefully plant
flowers, or [install] plant pots inside the
school,” said Wang.

The service project Make Your Mark
has a different approach to helping the community. Focusing on creating crafts such as jewelry
and clay keychains, the program donates all the handmade
crafts back to the Rise organization.

Rise, a nonprofit social support project based in central
New Jersey, helps the community through food pantries,
thrift stores, and educational programs. In addition to
making crafts, the club also organizes volunteering and
crafts events for the community.

“We plan to bring arts and crafts opportunities to our
community through hosting crafting events at Princeton
Public Library,” said Jessica Zhang ’26, a co-leader of Make
Your Mark. “We [also] organize volunteering opportunities
at [Rise’s thrift store], helping to work and manage the store.”

Overall, while the main purpose of each community
service project is to give back to the community, members
also find themselves connecting and bonding with each
other and the community.

photo: Katherine Chen

Vanessa He ’27 and Kenzie Miller ’27 talk to a student about the Arts Council club.

A guide to arts-related community service programs

Volleyball

Coming into the season as two-time state champions, the PHS volleyball team immediately went on a 16 game win streak within the first month, achieving their 31st consecutive win, continued from the previous season. They ended the season with a 20-5 record by winning the state title for the third consecutive year. Other significant games were the two that 
were played in a tri-match against Williamstown and Old-Bridge, two other top-ranked teams in New Jersey. 

“We really got to meet new people and connect, going through losing together, as well as winning,” said Johanna Kraft ’29.

Girls Soccer

A six-game winning streak to open their season set the PHS girls soccer team up for a varsity record of 13-7, making it their most successful fall season since 2023. During the first 
round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 4 tournament, the varsity team won 2-0 against East Brunswick. The varsity team wrapped up their postseason competitions after reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament. 

“When we have chemistry off the field, it makes it fun,” said Leah O’Neil ’26. “We have all the right inside jokes, and I think that’s what makes the season really special.”

Girls Tennis

Kicking off their 2025 season with a solid five game win streak, the PHS girls tennis team ended with a 12-2 record. Over the course of two months, the team played numerous matches, advancing all the way to state finals where they faced WWPNorth.With the overall match tied 2-2, the outcome hinged on a final singles match, which PHS won after three hours to advance.

“I think that everyone on the team really did enjoy being together, so we had really good team spirit,” said Sophia Bruhn ’27.

Field Hockey

The PHS field hockey team ended their fall season with a varsity record of 10-6. Despite losing their first game, the girls quickly recovered and won 6 straight games. The varsity 
team scored a total of 56 points this season, with their highest-scoring games being against Lawrence (8-1 win), Princeton Day (6-0 win), and Robbinsville (6-0 win). Most notably, as the third-seeded team, they beat second-seed Princeton Day during the CVC semi-final championships. Head Coach Heather Serverson celebrated her 200th win with 
the team after their game against Hopewell. 

“I was just very lucky to be on this team and meet all these girls and learn all the things that I did, whether it was field hockey or not field hockey,” said Maeve Hughes ’29. 

Girls XC

The girls’ cross country team secured a second-place finish at the NJSIAA Group 4 State Championship held at Holmdel Park. This performance earned them a wild card entry into the NJSIAA Meet of Champions, where they placed sixth overall. Their success was built on the lowscore winning format of the sport, 
a principle they demonstrated decisively at the CVC tournament. 
There, the team swept the competition, amassing a winning 
score of just 32 points and finishing well ahead of second-place West Windsor-Plainsboro North, which scored 75. Additionally, PHS placed second at the Varsity B race at the 
Shore Coaches Invitational on October 8th, one of the biggest instate races for the team. 

“All the people worked really hard to achieve their goals, and everyone put their all into it,” said Angelena Gonzalez ’29. “We had a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed just being with 
[the team] in general.

Boys XC

For the first time in program history, the team swept the CVC tournament, winning the varsity title, the JV title, and the first-place overall county title. Additionally, three runners placed in the top ten at the Jerry Hart Invitational at Peddie. The team capped the season with a second-place result at the sectional championship.

“I think definitely the counties win, and the JV counties win, were the most memorable moments, especially like the bus ride home,” said Steven Cenci ’25.

Cheer

The PHS Cheer team earned first place in the Game Day and specialty division at the CVC championship, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since over 15 years ago. Throughout the fall season, the team cheered at numerous football games throughout the year, including the Homecoming Game. They led the student 
section through cheers and chants to help keep the energy up throughout the game as well as performing multiple stunts, 
showcasing the skill and coordination of the team.

“We were excited to make the routine for competition and looking forward to everything,” said Emily Marchione ’28.

Football

The Tigers concluded a strong season with a 7-2 record, their best since 2014. The year was highlighted by two signature wins: a dominant 35-0 shutout of West Windsor and a dramatic 19-14 comeback victory over Holy Cross in the Homecoming Game, where they overcame a halftime deficit to secure the win.

“This was our best record in a while,” said Aryan Kondakindi ’29. “Despite not making the playoffs, not because our record but because of player ejections, everyone played well and had a highlight this season."

Boys Soccer

The team concluded its season with a 14-2-1 record, which included a tie against Notre Dame. Their postseason run extended to the final match of both the CVC tournament and the state championship. During the season, the team recorded shutout victories over Ewing (7-0) and Hightstown (6-0).

“My favorite memory was probably winning the league,” said Riccardo Meloni ’27. “We did pretty well in the CVC [tournament]. The journey to the final was good."

Fall recap

A club leader excitedly posts about an upcoming event. A team captain announces a fundraiser. In both of these cases, the student instantly reaches hundreds of views with a click of a button.

And then suddenly — one day — ”BLOCKED DOMAIN.” An orange globe symbol appears that has come to symbolize the source of every student’s technology frustration. One more site — a site more consequential that it may seem to the naked eye — has been blocked. 

All of this frustration results from the new filter placed on school-issued devices: Mosyle, a program which automatically categorizes websites and allows technology officers to block categories deemed unacademic.

Many students have been left reeling and frustrated after Instagram, among other websites, has been blocked. Some feel silenced and unheard. And the path to appealing these blocks seems intentionally obscured.

“I wouldn’t say [the appeals process is] intentionally not out there, but it certainly isn’t a goal to get students to be putting in tickets,” said PPS Chief Technology Officer Todd MacDonald.

The district’s official procedure for appealing blocks is through staff tickets — and it is a process that relies solely on them. This places an undue burden on teachers, as they now need to advocate for students on top of all their other responsibilities. What’s more is that it robs students of a valuable opportunity to articulate their needs and advocate for themselves.

“The approach technology is taking is that if there is a service, an application, or a website, that’s really essential to instruction, then teachers can email technology, then they review it, [and] they approve it,” said Principal Cecilia Birge.

However, in an increasingly digital world, learning to balance freedom with responsible usage is a critical skill — it is critical thinking applied to a very real part of student’s lives. As a school district that emphasizes “learning to live,” learning to make effective decisions about technology are just as important as traditional classroom skills. 
“There’s a lot of research out there that not even adults are good at always maintaining that balance,” said PPS Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa.

If even adults struggle, however, it only underscores the importance of teaching healthy online managment early. High school provides a controlled environment to learn how to effectively regulate skills in our formative years. 
To be clear, many of the new restrictions are a result of administration prioritizing student online safety — which is a worthy interest to pursue.

“When it comes to safety, [that is] absolutely top down. There’s just no compromise to that ... adults are trained ... to learn how to manage the safety aspect of [technology],” said Birge.

LaSusa also emphasized that his primary concern was the integrity of the school network.
Aside from clearly dangerous sites (that install spyware, for example), however, students should have free access to the internet, just as they would in a real-world setting outside of school. This provides opportunities for them to grow and learn from failure, becoming effective 21st century citizens. 
Thus, we implore the district to meet us halfway. Proactive communication is key — when sudden blocks are put in place at the mercy of an automated device manager, it is only inevitable that the student body begins to breed resentment. Blocking a tool first and waiting for backlash and appeals — which disrupts student activities and learning — is a poor way to manage technology.

Instead, we invite our technology department to actively seek student voice in implementing technology policies—speak with our student representatives, and bring passionate voices to the table to truly understand the needs of the student body. Only then can we move beyond a mindset of restriction and work towards creating an environment of forward-thinking learning that reflects the changing world we live in.

Analog mindset in a modern world

On December 1, research teachers James Smirk, Jennifer Smolyn, and Insu Yi will 
release applications to the two-year research program, which consists of two elective 
classes at PHS that allow students to learn how to research, create and conduct a project, 
and compete and publish in various competitions and journals. 


In order to apply, prospective students must submit a short document summarizing 
their research interests, ask a teacher for a letter of recommendation, and complete a 
problem solving task in groups. First year students enroll in research methods, where 
they learn how to read scientific papers and complete the year with a grant-writing 
project that details the significance of their project and their procedure for carrying it 
out. Second year students enroll in research applications accelerated, where they work 
with a mentor to collect data and write a research paper.


James Smirk, one of the research teachers along with Jennifer Smolyn and Insu Yi, 
believes that the program is valuable because of the problem-solving skills and persistence 
students develop.


“I think one of the unique things about research is [that] you’re going to run into ... 
difficulties, and you really have to think deeply and meaningfully to try to overcome them 
to get to where you want to go. I think that has a lot of value outside of the academic 
sphere,” said Smirk. 


### Eleanor Nayden

On October 16, 2025, Eleanor Nayden ’26 published 
her 19-page research paper “Impact of Political Allegiance 
on H-1B Visa Acceptances to the US: An Analysis of the 
Relationship Between UNGA Voting Alignment and H-1B 
Visa Acceptances to the United States” in the Social Science 
Research Network (SSRN) — a culmination of her three 
years in the PHS Research Program. 


Nayden’s research analyzes the relation between 
countries’ political alignment to the United States and 
the acceptance rates for a country’s H1B visa applicants. 
Nayden was inspired to pursue this topic because while it 
combined her interests in economics and political science, 
it also held personal significance for her. 


“[The] entire intention with [my] research is to combine 
all my passions and all my areas of interest. I am an 
entrepreneur, I founded a nonprofit and a socially-conscious 
business, and my whole idea is to use entrepreneurship for 
social impact,” said Nayden. “[Because] my parents are 
immigrants, I see the influence of immigrants, not only 
when I read research and literature, but also through the 
impact that they amake to the U.S. economy.”


In addition to the mentorship she received from Louis 
Maiden, an empirical researcher at Harvard Business 
School, who guided her on research methodology and 
data organization methods, Nayden also credits the PHS 
research program for making her project possible.


“For my first year, [I] had Ms. Katz before she was the 
science department supervisor. I was one to ask so many 
questions and she answered all of them. Mr. Yi has been 
such a help ... he's very well regarded in the research world, 
so he's helped me through publication and applying to 
different journals and conferences ... I had Smirk junior 
year. He helped me start Stata [and] get funding for [it].”

 
Nayden looks forward to soon publishing her paper in 
the International Journal of Research and Innovation in 
Social Science, and continuing research in college


### Angelica Hu

Inspired by reading about sunscreen created from 
pineapples, Angelica Hu ’27 is researching plant-based 
sunscreen through the PHS Research Program. 


“These two compounds I'm looking at, bromelain and 
quercetin ... one's a protein, the other one is [basically] a 
plant pigment, haven't really been researched together ... I 
want to [do that],” said Hu. “It's going to have applications 
in more natural products, because sunscreens [overall] use 
chemical active ingredients, which can be harmful.”


Hu credits the introductory class of the program, 
Research Methods, in helping her distill her many interests 
into her current research topic. The summer assignment 
for incoming research students is to create an annotated 
bibliography in which they read articles about their topic 
of interest.


“[Ms. Smolyn’s] great at giving you the resources [and] 
the basics ... and then it's for you to kind of decide on 
what you want to do. There aren't many restrictions on the 
assignments. For example, for the [annotated bibliography 
summer assignment], you [can] do research on anything 
that you want,” said Hu. 


Hu is currently taking Research Applications Accelerated 
with Dr. Insu Yi. The class is much more self guided than 
Research Methods, which Hu says is helpful because it 
allows her to focus on her own personal project. 


“I scan [to see] if my orders have come in yet. I'm working 
on my methodology [right now] — I'm doing research on 
the equipment I'm going to use. I also like to chat with my 
classmates: I chat with my partner about progress [and] what 
we're going to do. I also [work on] emailing my mentees 
or emailing my mentors,” said Hu.


In addition to the analytical skills she learned, Hu also 
finds research beneficial for pursuing her passions. 
 “You get to learn how to make graphs from really complex 
data sets. You also get to explore [what] you're interested 
in [for] your career ... It helps you with communication 
[too] by contacting others. It's also ... your project. You do 
what you want to do.”


### Joanna Hou

Joanna Hou ’26 combined her interests in machine 
learning and cell behavior in her research project, which 
predicts whether certain drugs used to target age-related 
diseases can eliminate senescent cells that release harmful 
chemicals. 


“These anti-aging compounds are called senolytics, and 
what they do in the body is that they selectively target 
and then eliminate senescent cells ... [that] spread [bad] 
chemicals ... especially because senescent cells are tied to 
age related diseases such as Alzheimer’s [and] arthritis,” 
said Hou. “I took the data set that the authors of the paper 
compiled ... and I trained a ... machine learning model.”


Hou credits her mentor Lie Xie, a computer science 
professor at Northeastern University, for helping her with 
the modeling aspect of her research.


“The data set that I used from the authors was very 
imbalanced, meaning that it didn’t have a lot of actual drugs 
that were senolytics, because it’s still a pretty new field ... 
machine learning models generally require larger, larger 
amounts of data [and] I didn’t have a lot of senolytic data 
to train my model on. But eventually, I just looked around 
... and I used another training technique,” said Hou. 


Hou also credits the PHS Research Program for 
introducing her to the fundamentals of research. 


“I was introduced to ... how to read a study, how to analyze 
data, and how to write grant proposals. [And] after that we 
figured out what we wanted to do, and we would ... do that 
in [our] junior and senior years,” said Hou. 


Though Hou’s research has taken her deep into the 
intersection of technology and biology, she emphasized 
that innate talent for science is not the key to success.


 “I think what’s most important in research isn’t really ... 
natural talent for science, it’s how well you work with other 
people, how well you communicate with your mentors, 
and also how much you want to do the project, because I 
think it’s about your passion,” said Hou. “[And] with my 
own project ... there were problems where my model just 
wouldn’t work ... but you just keep pushin


Joanna Hou stands in front of her scientific poster for the 
research program’s “three minute thesis” presentation.

Flash Feature: PHS's research program

From November 1 to November 11, around 30 Italianlearning PHS students immersed themselves in Italy’s 
culture through scavenger hunts, pasta-making classes, and 
classes at Liceo Scientifico Statale “Manfredo Fanti,” a high 
school in Carpi, Italy. The students traveled to the regions of 
Tuscany and Marche, visiting culturally significant duomos 
and the Ferrari Museum, before spending the rest of the 
trip with their host families in Carpi. 


For Italian teacher Laura Francolino, one of the highlights 
of the trip was a scavenger hunt in Mantua, a small city 
in Northern Italy, that both PHS and Italian students 
participated in.


“They had to sing a song, so the Italians taught the children 
from PHS how to sing Rigoletto, from [the] famous opera 
La Donna Immobile. Then they had to go into a store, 
[and] come back with a tortellino. They were on their own 
throughout the city of Mantua,” said Francolino. “We met 
back at a certain spot, they had turned in everything, and 
then the kids ate by the lake … their host families had 
packed them lunch.”


PHS students also had the opportunity to attend their host 
student’s school, Liceo Fanti, for several days. Hawthorne 
Warren ’26, an Italian IV student and participant on the 
trip, noted differences in school culture between Liceo 
Fanti and PHS. 


“The entire school, almost, biked … it was like a flock 
of bikes coming in. And their classes, they stayed in the 
same class [for] the whole day. [School] only goes until 
one o’clock, so they would have three classes a day and 
the teacher would come each hour [and] switch out. They 
stayed with [the] same class all five years of high school,” 
said Warren. 


Though Francolino noticed a significant language barrier 
between PHS students and their Italian host family at the 
beginning of the trip, by the end of the trip she observed 
a much closer connection. In the past, Francolino has had 
students who stayed in touch with their Italian host family 
for several years.


“Everybody was crying before we left. I even got tearyeyed, even though we know they’re coming in February. 


The families all came out to say goodbye – they were crying 
as well. Before we left… they went on each other’s social 
media to check out whatever [online] pages your generation 
has,” said Francolino.


PHS students primarily spent the second half of the trip 
with their host families, but the trip also allowed them to 
connect with the entire community of Carpi as well. 


“In Carpi, they have these centers where the senior 
citizens, [who] are very vibrant, make pasta and share their 
skills with the younger generations. We met women who 
showed us how to make tortellini. And actually we made 
tortellini with them, then they cooked it for us, and we had 
this big goodbye dinner,” said Francolino. 


In the months before the trip, Francolino was in constant 
contact with her counterparts in Italy, planning activities 
and pairing students from PHS and Italy together. But 
despite the challenges (including a canceled Uber ride 
at 5am on their last day), Francolino says it was worth it.
“I love to be in Italia,” said Francolino. “One of my students 
came up to me before I left, when we were in the airport, 
and said, ‘I understand why you cry every time you leave,

PHS students tour the factory of Caseificio Oratorio 
San Giorgio, a Parmigiano Reggiano producer in Carpi.

PHS students travel to Italy 

It is well documented that many teenagers experience a myriad of social pressures just from simply going through their day. A report from the National Institute of Mental Health reported that an estimated 31.9% of adolescents have had some anxiety disorder. Unfortunately for them, our world currently prioritizes extroverts. Especially among the social lives of young people, there’s much to gain from being unafraid to wave in the halls, initiate conversations, work through awkwardness, and deal with the complications of social cues. It is easy to assume that being outgoing equates to being happy, or even being successful, but this is not the case. Introverted people are capable of being fulfilled as well, but they simply prefer utilizing quiet reflection and close connections. Introverted students, already hindered in the social scene, find themselves further disadvantaged in their academics.

   Consider a student in their math class, raising their hand to answer a question they think they know well. If they get the question right, there is not much of a reward; the class progresses as usual. If they get it wrong, however, there are many perceivable social risks: their teacher and fellow students now know that they have a gap in their knowledge, which possibly builds a bad impression. Running through these scenarios, many students find that there is little incentive to participate. This is especially true for an introverted student, who may not enjoy participating in class even when they know the answers. Although small group discussions or one-on-one discussions with the teacher may work for them, they often get penalized all the same for not participating during full-class discussions. Currently, class participation is often ultimately a system that doesn’t account for differences in learning styles.

  While research on active learning shows that engaging with the material can help retention, it does not say that students must constantly speak in class discussion to learn. It is reasonable that there is a correlation between participation and understanding, but that is more likely because students who already know the material feel comfortable speaking and therefore get more chances to answer questions. The problem is not participation itself, but the narrow way it is viewed upon. If teachers are going to grade participation, there needs to be a conscious effort between the teacher and the student to communicate. Teachers should strive to learn how each student learns best and acknowledge multiple valid ways to “participate” in class, such as through group projects, written responses, one-on-one check-ins, or short reflections, not just speaking out in front of thirty people. For many students, working in small groups is just as effective, and often less intimidating, than responding to or asking a question in front of the whole class.

  Isaac Son ’27 corroborated this idea. “I think definitely within a small group, I feel like you probably have much less judgment.”

 Teachers who want to better gauge student performances can use written responses or individual forms. To facilitate the sharing of ideas, classes should use small groups in which students can confer with their peers and have more meaningful conversations. There is never a need for teachers to assign grade-point worth to a system that works for very few and accomplishes very little.

Cons of participation: How important is class participation?

On October 24, the PHS varsity boys football team ended their season with a 35–0 shutout against West Windsor-Plainsboro South, marking the finale of a 7–2 season, a team best in 11 years. However, their season was cut short prematurely, as the team was disqualified from the playoffs. The Tigers faced three ejections, and a rule from the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) prevents teams with three or more 
ejections from participating in the state tournament. 

“Our coach [Charles Gallagher] told us,” said co-captain Ellington Hinds ’26. “He sat us down and told [the ruling] to us straight up, but then he left and gave us some time to think about it.”

When asked to provide commentary on the recent suspensions, Head Coach Charles Gallagher and Coach Brandon Williams both declined to be interviewed. Linebacker Julian Frevert ’27 explained how the playoff suspension resulted in a shared negative shift in the team’s attitude towards their season. 

“Leading up to the suspension, we were 6–1 ... so we were 
doing really [well],” said Frevert. “Then, [the suspension] 
happened, [which] kind of ruined the whole vibe of the 
team and made us feel like we messed up in some way.”

Anderson Potter ’26 took a more optimistic approach to 
the suspension, however, observing how the team gained 
experience by learning from past seasons. He explained 
how they leveraged this experience to succeed in the season.

“Everyone had their experience to lead up to these wins 
and built upon them,” said Potter. “I think we had a lot of 
success, and I think it was a really fun season. It was great.”
 
The suspension drew mixed reactions from the team, especially in the light of other issues that complicated this decision. Hinds believes the ejections weren’t entirely fair to the team.

“I think it’s because we are Princeton,” said Hinds. “It’s a [pattern] that the [referees] don’t like us.”

In terms of the ejections, Potter explained the first two ejections were due to unsportsmanlike conduct and an argument with a referee. He remarked that the third ejection, which led to the disqualification, was heavily contested by the team.

“The [third] one — this is the one that a lot of people are trying to argue against — [happened because] someone [said] 
something in a huddle,” said Potter. “The [referee] threw a flag because I think it was a bad word or maybe the [referee] didn’t like what he heard. That was the third one where he also got disqualified.”

While Frevert said that the team is generally displeased and disappointed with the disqualification due to the impressive season they had, he acknowledges that it wasn’t entirely uncalled for.

“In theory, [the decisions] were controversial, but by rule, it deserved to happen, and it should have happened to us,” said Frevert. “So as a team, we feel like it wasn’t deserved because we don’t feel like we’re the type of team to be disqualified. But, we did break the rules, and if you break the rules, you get disqualified.”

Additionally, the team is looking to focus more on sportsmanship and how they present themselves in upcoming seasons. Frevert echoed this sentiment, detailing the plan to work on behavior in the future. 

“The seniors talked about it, and we’re [going to] put a big emphasis on sportsmanship and how we behave in general and be more strict with the enforcement of punishment so [players] abide by the rules,” said Frevert.

Potter corroborated this idea of emphasizing sportsmanship within the team’s culture. He underlined the importance of ensuring this type of behavior doesn’t become a pattern or a reputation.

“The most important thing, especially for the freshmen, is knowing that this [behavior] is not normal, and this is not [what] should be expected from the team,” said Potter.“Everyone should be looking to build each other up and then everyone should also, learning from this event, carry themselves with the most professional attitude ... on and off the field.”

As the team puts this setback behind them, they aim to come back stronger next season, even with the loss of their many graduating seniors. 

“I feel like we have guys who could be better, who 
are [going to] step up, and I think that we’re [going 
to] be just as good, if not better, next year, and we’re 
[going to] work really hard to get there,” said Frevert.

Photo: Jasur Agzamov

Anderson Potter ’26, Dayron Ospina Posada ’26, Kobe Smith ’27, and Vincent Min ’28 celebrate a big play.

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