The Tower asked Princeton High School students for their opinions on about what America and the American Dream means to them, how America has treated them, and if they feel America lives up to its standards on its 250th anniversary.

Each paragraph is a different response. Here's what they had to say:

My great-grandfather immigrated to the U.S. with no money, leaving his family behind. To my family, the American Dream means doing better than the previous generation, something that wouldn’t have been possible for my family had they not come to the U.S.


To me, the American Dream is a sacrifice. Not just in terms of “working hard” but culturally and emotionally too. When I think of my parents, and how they had to be away from their families, had to have lived in a country with different values, raised a child who has values that are different too … all for a country that still doesn’t exactly treat them fairly?

Being surrounded by people of diverse cultural backgrounds, racial makeups, sexual orientations, socioeconomic situations, immigration statuses, career goals, etc., and living in harmony. A place where diversity is supported by both the population and the government and uniqueness is nurtured.

To me, it means the opportunity to live a successful life without the constant pressure of being the best at something. 


To me, the American Dream means reaching a point in your life of stability, job security, personal happiness, and a guarantee that your children will have a good life — if not better than yours. 




Having the opportunity to seek what makes you fulfilled or satisfied. A place where everyone can find success.
I don’t think the American Dream means any one thing, because all Americans experience and live in this country differently. How can there only be one?


To me, “the American Dream” means the ability to pursue a career that I am passionate about and build a family without feeling limited by economic, social, or ethnic hardship. 


I guess by definition the American Dream is the ideal of equal opportunity for upward mobility, conditioned on hard work and rule following. But now it feels like the American Dream is to be as rich as possible while putting in the minimum amount of work, and that feels pretty unattainable for a lot of people.

It is something that is no longer possible for most; traditionally, it has meant financial stability and social mobility, regardless of one’s origin if they want to work hard enough.


As an immigrant being in a different environment, I am just going to say that I am grateful to be in this country. After all, I am receiving support and many educational opportunities. This country is making me a strong person. 




The first thing that comes to my mind about America is that it is not only the United States. There are three parts of America in total, which are South America, Central America and North America. With that being said, I like this country because it has given me a better education. The United States is known for people who have dreams and want to achieve their goals. I am very grateful for the seasons of the year, the education, and how clean some places are here. l love living in Princeton, New Jersey and all of the opportunities that it has.

For me, the United States means freedom. After all, it has given me a lot of opportunities. But I have also experienced new emotions during my time here. Many “Americans,” as you call them,  have very special personalities and may need therapy.

The American Dream means achieving material and spiritual success by whatever your terms are.
The American Dream means being able to climb the corporate ladder or pursue any future career regardless of identity such that you work hard. No political, economic, or racial barriers impede this potential. 

America means freedom, opportunity, and the chance to build a better future. I think America has treated many people well, but not everyone has had the same experience. There are still problems like inequality and discrimination. On its 250th anniversary, I think America is still working toward fully living up to its standards.




It means how everybody has a fair shot at life and are judged based on their character and not their race.

I am disappointed in America. It has treated immigrants cruelly, taken people away, discriminated far too much, and judged people without knowing their history and their values.  A piece of paper should not determine a person’s worth. America does not meet the standard of its 250 years, because it is detaining immigrants who are simply seeking a better life. So, what is the freedom that America promises and claims to possess?

Sometimes the United States can be cruel, because of the current president and his administration. To me, the United States represents an unfulfilled promise of freedom and opportunity. Although it has provided me with education and security, I see that racism and economic inequality prevent many people from enjoying the same rights as others.

To me, America means opportunity and a better future. It has given me the chance to learn, work, and improve my English. Overall, my experience in America has been positive.

The American Dream. The American Dream is a lie for me. It was created to give false hope to immigrants and refugees. It’s unattainable and doesn’t guarantee happiness. 

 



Letters to the Editor: America 250

PHS Speaks Out: What's your favorite senior memory?

On July 4, the United States of America will turn 250 years old. For two and a half centuries, America has defined itself not by religion or ethnicity, but through its ideals. 

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, That among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These ideals were put forth in the Declaration of Independence, later becoming the foundation of the American Dream: the belief that anyone, regardless of their origin, can have an equal and fair opportunity to achieve success in America. But ideals are not hard and fast rules — they evolve with time, culture, and personal interpretation. As America approaches this milestone birthday, the American Dream appears less like a broken promise and more like an imperfect vision that generations have continued to cling to. 

From the moment the Declaration of Independence was signed, it had already begun to contradict itself. A nation that claimed to offer equality to all allowed slavery to continue for over a century. A government built on the principle of popular sovereignty denied people of color and women the right to vote. A country that celebrated opportunity repeatedly excluded immigrants and minorities from sharing in it, and continues to do so in many cases. 

Yet despite these contradictions, the American Dream continues to be rooted in possibility. Millions of immigrants have built businesses, accumulated wealth, and improved the quality of life across generations, shaping America’s identity.

What that possibility looked like, though, has developed over time. Although the term “American Dream” was coined by James Truslow Adams in the 1930s, the idea of it can be traced back to before the Revolutionary War. Early Americans often associated the dream with political liberty, and self-government. By the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries many immigrants viewed it as the pathway to riches. Following World War II, the dream became increasingly tied to the “white picket fence” metaphor — homeownership, stable employment, and suburban life. While meanings changed across the generations, the notion of individual initiative — the belief that destiny is in your own hands — remained constant. 

However, trust in that dream has rightfully wavered over time. Discriminatory policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, racial segregation, racist housing policies, and unequal education have all opposed the core idea of social and economic mobility for all that is the American Dream. Even today, the legacy of these policies and the systemic flaws in many of our institutions continue to act as a barrier to the promised equality of opportunity. 

The truth is that the concept of the American Dream and being able to achieve a better life isn’t completely applicable to everyone, and it won’t be for the foreseeable future. Our hypocritical history makes that so. The trust in it reveals the strength in struggle — despite the inherently flawed and delusional nature of a dream where any ambition is possible, individuals have clung to this fantasy in hopes of actually achieving it. 

Looking back across two and a half centuries of history, these tensions are impossible to ignore. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, these contradictions remain a key part of its legacy. The history of the nation is not a story of success or failure. It is a story of ideals that have been continually challenged, reinterpreted, manipulated, and expanded. The American Dream has endured because Americans persisted despite the flaws in our vision. This optimism is what this anniversary represents. That’s what it means to be an American. 


Two-fifty and counting: the legacy of the American Dream

PHS Speaks Out: What’s your favorite relaxation technique?

Over the past few months, the student body has been subjected to many policy changes: websites have been blocked and certain applications no longer open. In response, there has been considerable outrage, demonstrated by means ranging from word of mouth to contact with the tech office. However, these policies do not warrant such a reaction.


Most obviously, each student and their family signed a contract upon receiving a school device, stating that they would follow the acceptable-use guidelines. The vast majority of blocked websites only ensure that students have no mechanism of violating these guidelines. There is no reason to complain about Minecraft being blocked; these devices do not belong to students.


As always, however, the devil lies in the details. There are a number of websites that have been caught in the crossfire, being blocked despite serving a solely beneficial purpose, including Github and certain news sites. This may seem like a negative, but in reality it serves as a lesser of two evils. It is clear that bad websites must be blocked, or else students will continue misusing school devices, and there are two methods of achieving this goal: a whitelist, where a certain list of websites are the only sites allowed to be visited, or a blacklist, where a certain list of websites are blocked. Broadly, the system that PHS is currently using functions more similarly to a whitelist, where only certain categories of websites are allowed to be visited. Websites get blocked when they are mischaracterized.


The alternative to this would be a blacklist, where the school would need to explicitly   list every website that ought to be blocked. This        approach obviously would not work as students would create new websites to evade these bans, or they would find new websites that the administrators were unable to find to block. Essentially, a blacklist creates a game of cat-and-mouse, where the tech office is overwhelmed and occupied by constantly looking at student usage to find new websites to block while students keep finding new sites; in fewer words, a waste of time for students and administration alike.


What’s the drawback with the whitelist? Certain websites get blocked. Fortunately, there is a very simple solution: any incorrectly blocked website can be unblocked with a simple-to-submit tech ticket.  Yes, this responsibility falls on the teachers, but it’s preferable to having students distracted during lessons. As you may have noticed, Github is unblocked as of writing this article, because resolving conflicts doesn’t have to be difficult.


Fine, maybe blocking the websites isn’t the problem. It’s the way that it’s done. Students cite a lack of communication as the issue, but the current system is the best one. Is the school expected to reveal their plans to the student body, explain their desire to prevent them from misbehaving, and then accept their input? There is nothing useful that students could provide before the implementation.


Maybe it’s the inconsistency? What problems does the inconsistency realistically present? Anyone using their computers correctly is largely unaffected by new policies, and if anything arises, it’s resolved by just one tech ticket.


It’s okay to make a ruckus when the school does something wrong; there’s no need to create a stir about them doing something right.

PHS’s new policies aren’t that big of a deal, actually

Cheers & Jeers: June 2026

“2023: Corona ended. 2026: Hantavirus,” X user @iamasoothsayer posted in 2022. Since the reports of a recent hantavirus outbreak surfaced, the post has reappeared, garnering hundreds of thousands of likes and responses as users cite it as proof that the outbreak was planned in advance.  Alongside these speculations, exaggerated claims comparing hantavirus to COVID-19 are also spreading online, warning about a possible major pandemic despite health officials stating that the virus poses far less of a threat.


Despite the lack of proof for hantavirus epidemic theories, their popularity is evidence of a major problem. Growing at a rate seemingly faster than the actual virus, the rise of misinformation is alarming. Unlike other false claims, medical misinformation has a more direct impact on immediate decisions about treatment and prevention, as well as on trust in medicine as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how quickly false claims can spread online. This proves dangerous, as many students, including in Princeton, are exposed to most of their health information digitally.


Medical misinformation shoulders a unique risk because it can shape how people approach taking care of their own health. It may lead to false interpretations of the available evidence, misallocation of health resources and an increase in vaccination hesitancy. Currently, social media acts as the primary catalyst, with platforms boosting content regardless of accuracy for an audience that focuses on sensationalist headlines. 


COVID-era misinformation was characterized by claims that vaccines caused cancer and that hydroxychloroquine was a viable treatment. Similarly for hantavirus, Dr. Mary Talley Bowden falsely advertised on X that ivermectin was a cure for the disease — an idea that was perpetuated by government officials including Marjorie Taylor Greene.


Widespread misleading information has proved damaging to broader public health. Many individuals no longer view routine immunizations as necessary due to skepticism that took off during the pandemic. According to CDC data, vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) have dropped to 92.5 percent, falling below the 95 percent herd immunity threshold needed to prevent measles transmission. At the same time, Johns Hopkins research has also found that nearly 80 percent of countries have reported drops in childhood vaccination rates following the pandemic. Due to the increasing number of false claims about vaccine safety and effectiveness, trust in public health has weakened. As vaccines are only effective when used in combination with widespread participation, communities have become vulnerable. If misinformation continues to push people to opt out of vaccination, the consequences of ignorance toward credible medical information could extend beyond one’s personal beliefs and become a health concern for everyone.


The resurgence of false information about hantavirus is proof that our habits of believing anything we see on social media have not disappeared since the COVID pandemic. Algorithms tend to present perspectives based on how much attention it may garner, whether they are accurate or fabricated. Medical misinformation deals directly with our personal wellbeing as well as broader health, which makes this issue particularly pernicious. Digital literacy remains a must in this day and age, including skills like identifying clickbait headlines and verifying sources. Ignoring our responsibility to question and confirm online medical claims before accepting or sharing them will inevitably lead to detrimental consequences for all. 

The resurgence of medical misinformation

In a democracy, voters are supposed to choose their leaders. But in American politics this fundamental truth is being challenged; politicians are using algorithms to hand-pick their voters. The practice, called gerrymandering, is where an electoral constituency’s boundaries are rearranged to favor one group, generally either by party or race. As gerrymandering continues to evolve, the question remains: do opposing parties fight fire with fire?


The idea of gerrymandering began in 1812 when Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry approved a salamander-shaped district designed to favor his party. However, at the time, gerrymandering was a rudimentary political tactic, and the execution of it was not nearly as systematic as it is today. As technology continues to develop, gerrymandering poses a more serious threat, as it is no longer a sporadic tactic vulnerable to human error, but instead, driven by data science and high-tech precision. Partisan gerrymandering continues to legally be used by political leaders to rig elections, especially after Rucho v. Common Cause (2019), which eliminated the federal judiciary’s jurisdiction to rule on partisan gerrymandering cases — essentially legalizing it unless states took action. 


Countless cases have revealed that when political parties choose to retaliate with more gerrymandering, they are not defending democracy, but actively participating in its decline. Sam Wang, leader of the Princeton Gerrymandering Project and former candidate in the 12th District Democratic primary, argues that counter-redistricting to combat gerrymandering is not a sustainable solution.


“[Redistricting] is a thing that. . .Democrats could do in response to Republican gerrymandering, but I would hesitate to call that fighting gerrymandering,” said Wang. “What that does is doubling gerrymandering.” 


While counter-gerrymandering often masquerades as a solution, it forces both parties to give up their values and pursuit for the public’s trust by validating gerrymandering. Gerrymandering isn’t a necessary evil to survive politically, and by fighting fire with fire, parties only affirm that assumption. It’s also worth noting that gerrymandering disproportionately disenfranchises marginalized groups. 


The best way to end this anti-competitive practice is to take redistricting out of the hands of partisan lawmakers (which very few other democracies allow) and instead put it in the hands of an independent commission. Wang believes that the solution lies in independent citizen commissions rather than New Jersey’s current system utilizing a group of political appointees.


“Independent citizen commissions act like a jury, and they take the task of redistricting away from elected politicians and put it into the hands of citizens who then have much less self-interest,” Wang explained. “The single most predictive factor of a partisan gerrymandering is a process that’s controlled by one party.”
With the current Supreme Court hostile to voting rights, the two major options for remedying this situation are either citizen ballot initiative or national legislation, both of which would remove the partisan obligation out of politics. 


Instead of continuing with gerrymandering, Americans can campaign to end this undemocratic practice. There is a pending Congressional bill — the Freedom to Vote Act — that would not only ban all partisan gerrymandering (the only legal type currently per loophole), but would also implement much fairer voting practices. Congress has the federal power to reclaim control over elections, but whether it passes this bill or a similar one will be dependent on public pressure. As Congressman John Lewis once wrote, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part.” Now is the time for our generation to participate and better ensure that each vote does matter. We have popular sovereignty, we are the ones that give these systems power, and when our voices are suppressed, democracy itself is in question. 

How to rig elections: a user’s guide to gerrymandering

High school students are often reduced to their victories. An environment that centers around achievements is an environment that discourages failure, imposing social expectations that pressure individuals to constantly improve. Failure thus warps from a possibility to a looming threat.  


The cultivation of a failure-fearing mindset creates false perceptions of what “failure” really means, contributing toward eventual self-sabotage. Outwardly displaying successes while diminishing defeats can often cause students to make unfair mental comparisons with their classmates. Simultaneously, negative personal understandings of failure, frequently influenced by childhood experiences, exaggerate poor performance. One’s distorted judgment towards a “B,” a singular argument, or a competition loss not only undermines individual progress but sets unrealistic future expectations.


Over the course of my life, similar to many students, I too have suffered through a number of failures. While playing badminton in middle school, I victoriously advanced through matches before halting at a fourth place finish in the final tournament. The idea of perfection that once defined my ability shattered upon the notion of not being “good enough.” During the same years I shifted my attention toward an active social life, interacting with a variety of people until having to move countries. These friendships crumbled with time, leaving nothing but a deep sense of guilt for having failed to maintain connections. Academically, an easy freshman year allowed me to interact with clubs and classmates without ever requiring external help. However, this ease faltered once I advanced to AP classes, ranging from persistent bad grades in the initial quarters of AP Chemistry to a defeatist demeanor upon observing other successful students. A stark contrast emerged between a freshman year 4.0 GPA and the red ink that covered my first test. 


These failures were not met with immediate motivation, and instead took precedence in my future endeavors. Failure is only harmful when people allow it to define themselves. Lost tournaments did not signify continued defeats, but rather allowed me to identify specific weaknesses. My past friendships never led to complete seclusion; instead, they created a more attentive nature with future relationships. My failed tests were never the “end,” but rather allowed me to improve my learning strategies. My failures, like everyone’s, break false expectations and represent genuine progress outside of a comfort zone. Harnessing the value of this natural part of life marks the beginning of a stronger self and a more resilient, authenitic, and peaceful existence.

The power of failure

Cheers & Jeers: April 2026

The audience fell quiet as two figures
walked out into the center of the stage.
Holding the microphone, Andrew Kim ’26
and Onyx Roden ’27 began to sing “I Guess
Why That’s Why They Call It the Blues” by
Elton John.

On Thursday, June 11, PHS Choir
hosted their annual Cabaret Night, a lively
performance to end the year. The concert
was a collaborative effort, uniting PHS Choir
and musicians from PHS Orchestra and
Studio Band for a diverse program of pop,
rock, and musical theater songs.

Beginning in 2009, PHS Choir’s Cabaret
Night performance was intended to be a
departure from the program’s traditional
concerts. While the usual concerts
throughout the year focused on classical
choral music, Cabaret Night moved away
from that genre and instead incorporated
a different type of singing.

“We were thinking it’d be great to do one
more concert, something a little bit more
lighthearted ... and really focusing on
jazz music, pop music, R&B, and musical
theater,” said choir director Vincent Metallo.
“So every year we put together a program,
[with] completely different repertoire, [with]
songs that feature the full choir, and then
songs that feature soloists, duos, and trios.”

Although traditional PHS Choir concerts
also occasionally feature solos, duos, or
trios, Cabaret Night exclusively focused
on them, performing songs by artists like
Beyoncé, Elton John, and Maroon 5. With
the number of small vocal ensembles, the
event is a unique opportunity for choir
students to sing in front of a large audience.

“Cabaret Night is a really unique
experience because a large majority of people
who do choir don’t really have the chance to
solo ... [so] it’s the only opportunity where
you get to show off your range and maybe
a style that you’re not familiar with,” said
Kim. “It’s kind of that learning experience
that helps a lot of people grow. For me, I
had to sing a really high tenor song, [and]
I was able to learn a new style of music and
apply [it] to my vocal range.”

Along with the new styles of music and
genres that Cabaret Night brings, singers
must also learn new techniques for their
songs.

“There’s definitely different ways that you
have to sing. There’s some songs that you may
need to be more careful about [and enunciate
your] words,” said Anna Gniewosz ’27.
“And obviously pop songs sound different
from [choral music], so there are different
techniques you have to use.”

While the choir stands still during
traditional concerts, Cabaret Night expanded
beyond just singing, incorporating some
elements of musical theater as well.

“[Cabaret Night] is a lot different from
traditional choir concerts, because for [those
performances] you’re usually just standing
still, really serious ... [while] during Cabaret
Night, the energy is really different,” said
Kim. “For the musical set, we’re moving
around, we’re dancing, ... we’re allowed to
express ourselves more.”

Through incorporating new genres and
introducing theatrical elements, Metallo
hopes that Cabaret Night can demonstrate
that PHS Choir is more than a classical choir,
but one that also features diverse genres of
music. By doing so, he aims to bring together
the wider high school community and
explore a different facet of the choir program.

“I think a challenge at any school is that
there’s all these sort of separate organizations,
whether it’s the football team, the lacrosse
team, the chess club. ... Sometimes it’s
challenging to bring audiences [together],”
said Metallo. “And so we hope that in doing
a more versatile program like this, we can
[interest] other students who wouldn’t
normally come to a choir concert.”

Although the main purpose of Cabaret
Night is to fundraise for the following year’s
PHS Choir trip, choir members also see it
as a fun way to end off the year with an
informal and energetic concert.

“I think [Cabaret Night is] just to have fun
and have a nice last concert for the PHS choir,
and to say bye to the seniors. [The spring
concert] was more formal, [but] ... you get
to see more personality [in this concert],”
said Josiah Hall ’28. “I hope the audience
has a good time. ... I think the audience,
especially parents, just get to appreciate
some more modern music, along with the
old 1700s [music] ... we usually sing.”

photo: Katherine Chen

PHS Choir members Elena Barreto ’27, Abhimanyu Tripathi ’26, Lily Berkery ’26, Ezra Lerman ’26, Penelope Cardona-Fox ’26, Milo Molina ’26, Julia Scibienski ’27, and Simryn Patel ’26 (left to right) rehearse for the performance.

Cabaret Night unites the PHS community with diverse performances

No one enjoys losing. After all, everyone wants to succeed,
win, and enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, the fear of
losing often accompanies the drive to accomplish, especially
for athletes that are expected to perform well regardless of
external or internal conditions that may impact gameplay.
As a result, athletes must adopt a tenacity which allows
them to handle loss, and to learn and grow from their past
mistakes or setbacks.

Often, a loss can expose what a win often hides: weak
communication, lazy habits, or poor decisions. When a team
wins, faults in individual decision-making or teamplay may
be ignored, as the guise of success and victory routinely
cover up areas of potential improvement. It stands to
reason that the losses hardest to accept are often the most
necessary. They ask you only one thing: do you have the
courage to keep going? Even at the highest level, the mind
is tested, demanded, and challenged — both on the court
and long after the game ends.

“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins
of victory” said legendary 11-time NBA Champion Bill
Russell.

Such mentality not only separates great athletes from
good ones, but also exposes the depth of an athlete’s
commitment. It’s easy to remain invested when success is
almost habitual, when confidence is high and victory comes
with ease. On the other hand, a loss commands effort and
progress that is no longer glamorous. Ultimately, a loss
forces an athlete to decide whether the result will carry
on as frustration or instill a newfound drive to be better.

The point of losing is not to just give up what you have
worked so hard for all because of a bad moment. Where
there are ups, there are downs; what matters most is what
you decide to do with your losses. For instance, in track,
immediate reflection can look like adjusting
your pace after going too fast, taking a leap of
faith in yourself to go climb up a few spots,
or choosing when to conserve energy and
when to push following a bad start.

“There’s always something you
could have done better. [I always have
to think about] what [I could have]
done better, what was out of my control,
what I [can] control, [and] what [I
can] do to come back stronger,” said
Felix Yu ’27.

However, improvement
is not only limited to
physical training. It
could also be about how
an athlete approaches an
event itself — how they handle pressure, make decisions,
and adjust in the moment. At times, what once looked
like a lack of fitness can actually turn out to be a matter
of judgement. A loss can reveal problems that came from
stressed nerves, a lack of proper preparation, or from the
way a plan was executed differently than from practice.

“A lot of times when I lose I just think to myself it’s just a
fitness issue. Now, improvement doesn’t come from better
training ... [it] comes [from] just learning how to [properly]
approach races,” said Yu.

A race is never decided by one moment alone.
Ayrton Senna, for example, did not win his first
Formula One race until his 16th start, however;
that first breakthrough became the beginning of
everything that followed. A race, in the same
way, is rarely a reflection
or summation of one’s
continued work. More
often, it is part of what
eventually makes success
possible. It can sharpen judgment,
expose weaknesses, and leave behind a clearer
sense of what must change before the next competition
arrives.

So, the next time you end a competition on the wrong
side of the scoreboard, don’t sulk over the immediate
defeat. Think about what you can learn from your
loss, and use that understanding in order to prepare
for how you might win your next game. Success isn’t the
absence of failure; it is the result of it, and the perpetual
reflection of oneself on their previous losses.

What we gain from losing

   The Tiger Cafe has been a staple at PHS ever since it first opened in 2022. Popular with students looking for snacks, drinks, the Cafe is a highly visited marketplace for various food options. Still, students have expressed a growing number of concerns regarding drawbacks in prices and quality.

   The popularity of the Cafe is explained by the quantity of different snacks and meals, provided by Pomptonian Food Services. Ranging from classic school lunches, such as burgers and wings, to more unique options like artisan sandwiches, the Cafe appeals to those looking for a quick meal during any time of the day.
 
   When creating new items for the menu, the staff at the Cafe look to expand upon popular categories and see what works. This is in large part due to the work of Rosemarie Maldonado, a cook designated to create food for the Cafe, who works with students and sometimes recipes from social media to prepare foods that everyone will enjoy. 

   “We go off of the parameters that we have and see if anyone would want to try something else that's in the same category as the wings or the burger. [For example,] a chicken parm [on a] brioche bun [is] almost like a burger with chicken, and it's made like a pizza,” explained Micheal DeToro, a worker at the Tiger cafe. “We just choose random stuff.”

   However, the large variety of options also leads to the sale of generally considered unhealthy food and drink options, such as energy drinks and other junk foods. This has resulted in numerous concerns over whether or not the Cafe is fulfilling its role as a school provider of food, especially since the switch to Pomptonian last year.

   “I feel like the Tiger Cafe isn’t really healthy, even the salad,” said Ksenia Petukh ‘27. “Sometimes the food doesn’t feel ready or cooked … and you just want to eat normal healthy food.”

   However, even though the Cafe contains various choices, including unhealthier options, cafeteria staff believe that it is up to students themselves whether or not to choose the healthy option.

   “It's certainly not the fact that all the food is not healthy, we do have healthy options over there and unhealthy options. It all depends on who gets the food and what they want,” said DeToro.

   Still, some students feel that the options at the Cafe aren’t as expansive and student oriented as they should be, and that the students should have more say into what the available options are.
 
   “I think the cafe exists for the students because we’re the people who buy most of this stuff,” said Juha Lee ’27. “I think it’s important that we should have a voice in choosing what is available since we’re the ones who are going to buy it.”

   In addition to choice, students are also worried about unexpected price changes within the Tiger Cafe, since they aren’t formally notified about any price changes. This has led to questions regarding the affordability of items in the Cafe.

   “The prices have risen by only a few cents, not a dollar, not anything else,” said DeToro. “[The bagels] were originally $2.50 but they went up to $2.75 because of the high end prices from Bagel Nook.”

   However, many price changes can be attributed to external factors out of the school’s control. Supply chain issues have led to increased costs of food from all suppliers, including produce, poultry, and even french fries. These issues have led to increased costs throughout the industry and make business difficult for all entities involved.

   "It's not like we're trying to stuff it in our pockets or anything. It's just, unfortunately, the cost for us to get everything has gone up,” explained Kevin Lucci, the food service director at PHS.

  Still, there are options for those who are unable to afford the a la carte options from the Tiger Cafe. Because the Tiger Cafe doesn’t operate under the National School Lunch Program, they aren’t obligated to provide low-cost meals. Therefore, students who can’t afford Tiger Cafe items can still receive meals through the school's regular lunch program in the cafeteria, including free or reduced-price lunches if eligible.


Tower Investigates: Tiger Cafe

Starting this year, a resurgence of classic backyard games has swept the nation, with teenagers across the United States reviving recreational pastimes such as frisbee, wiffle
ball, cornhole, spikeball, and especially hacky sack. The recent comeback of these sports has reached student life at Princeton High School as well, with students all across
campus participating. With little equipment necessary and a spontaneous nature, these backyard games are bringing students together, encouraging them to unplug and stay
active throughout the day.

### Hacky Sack

The origins of hacky sack can typically be traced back to
1972 at a local festival in Oregon, where co-inventors Mike
Marshall and John Stalberger met. Marshall introduced
his friend to a hobby learned from his time with Native
Americans, kicking a bean bag back and forth for hours on
end. Entranced by this rudimentary but engaging hobby,
they birthed their company Hacky Sack.

Starting in the Northeast just after spring break, many
high schoolers were introduced to the new sport. Spreading
like a wildfire through social media, schools have even
started forming hacky-sack teams that range from the
varsity level to exclusively freshman. PHS has decided to
join in on the fun too.

Most recently, PHS varsity sacks has been participating
in a state wide hacky sack tournament featuring a $4,000
prize for first place. Each submission consists of a video,
showcasing one round of hacky sack, with the public
voting for the winner. Members of PHS’s own varsity sack
team have been putting up flyers to promote participation
in voting. Winning both the rounds of 64 and 32, this
strategy seems to be working. The future success of our
varsity sack team rides on both the skills they can bring to
the table and the school spirit we can back them up with.

These sacks are technically called foot bags, with Hacky
Sack being just a brand name. But nevertheless, retailers
of all kinds are scrambling to keep up with the demand.
Co-owner Joanne Farrugia at Princeton’s local toy shop
Jazams emphasizes this point.

“We brought in several hundred and then sold out pretty
quickly, and then brought in more, sold out pretty quickly”
said Farrugia. “Now we have another huge order coming
in. So, hopefully that will last a little while.”

With this craze infecting the hallways of PHS, students
have been finding every chance to play. Many see this
revival being a good thing for the students, with one being
Marion Walsh ’29.

“I think it benefits society because people are together,
having fun, [getting] physical exercise, [and] forming
friendships and bonds over such a beautiful game,” said
Walsh. “It’s just a part of my life now, and I wouldn’t have
it any other way.”

The hold that hacky sack has on this generation can
be attributed to its sociable and simple nature. Constant
overlap in action forces communication, making hacky
sack a great way to build connections. Along with this,
all that is needed is a sack smaller than the size of your
palm, allowing games to take place anywhere, anytime.

### Frisbee

Another backyard game that is popular in the
United States today is frisbee. Although activities
similar to frisbee can be dated back to the 8th century
B.C., the sport was mainstreamed in the United
States after the inventor Fred Morrison created a
plastic disc inspired by flying saucers. Since then,
frisbee has grown into a sport played in at least 70
countries around the world.

Frisbee encompasses many different playstyles,
ranging from ultimate frisbee to disc golf. Ultimate
Frisbee is played in a similar way to American football,
except that instead of a football, players throw a disc
around. In recent years, many competitive Ultimate
leagues have been established across the United
States for all ages. Disc Golf is usually perceived as
a more casual way to play frisbee, usually found in
parks or on beaches.

Since many frisbee games can be played either
competitively or casually, the sport impacts all kinds
of PHS students, one of them being PHS Frisbee
Club Captain Julian Grossman ’28.

“[If you’re] on the same team, it’s a very good
bonding experience,” said Grossman. “[You] get
[to] exercise and be with friends.”

Grossman has been the captain of the club since
the start of the 2025 school year and his love for
frisbee stems from its uniqueness. Many students
specifically choose frisbee over other sports because
they value the sport for the people that they can
bond with and get to know while playing.

### Spikeball

Ever since its appearance on Shark Tank in 2015, Spikeball
has taken the world by storm. The company has managed
to sell over five million nets since then and the sport has
become a staple part of recreational backyard or beach
hangouts.

Similar to how wiffle ball is modeled off of baseball,
Spikeball is a hybrid of volleyball and four square. Two
teams of two players take turns bouncing a ball back and
forth off of an ankle high circular net. Each team gets up
to three touches — similar to volleyball — to pass the ball
and spike it back onto the net. If a team misses the net, hits
the rim, or uses too many touches, a point is awarded to
the opposing team.

This backyard game has intrigued PHS students so much
that they have decided to form a club. Run by Romy Johnson
’26 along with other PHS students, the club provides an
environment for students to enjoy Spikeball while meeting
new people in the process.

“I think it’s just a fun activity for me to do with my
friends. It doesn’t require you to be super athletic, and it’s
not like you’re getting tired because you’re just standing
there, but it’s still fun and engaging,” said Johnson.

There are other factors that also may influence the
appeal to Spikeball. Many people enjoy the connections
that they are able to make with friends while playing while
others view the game as a break from studying or work.

Spikeball’s appeal may also come from its convenience.
The entire setup fits inside a drawstring bag, which allows
people to play it in various environments. But what
makes Spikeball stand out from other backyard games?

“Spikeball is a bit more interactive, it’s a bit more
intense, getting the ball onto the net, running for it
sometimes, there’s [these] fun moments that come out
of it,” said Ethan Tang ’29. “Something like catch [is] just
boring. There’s not a lot of stuff that happens.”

photo: Katherine Chen

Left to right: Moksh Rajpal ’28, Nikola Tholens ’28, Bruno Giacoppo ’28, and Lucius Rufo ’28 play hacky sack by the flagpole.

Backyard games make a comeback

Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, a New Jersey State bill passed by Governor Phil Murphy will mandate a “bell to bell” ban on all personal internet-connected digital devices in public schools, which includes iPads, smart watches, and personal computers, in addition to phones. While the PPS administration has started to formalize the PHS phone policy, details are still undergoing development.

“One [way] would be to have a policy at the high school that’s just like at the middle school, which is that you can’t have your cell phones out … and if we see your cell phone out, we’re going to discipline you,” said PPS Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa. “The second option would be some type of app, [and] the one that we’ve been … in discussions with is called Doorman.”

The Doorman application is still in development, meaning that PHS currently plans for the first few months of next year to serve as a trial of the software. Doorman enables administrators to have limited customization as to what is accessible on students’ cell phones during school hours.

“The way that [the] app works is students download the app [and] when they come in in the morning, they just scan their phone at a reader of some kind. … Then the app essentially locks all of the other apps on the phone,” LaSusa said. 

Administrators can customize Doorman by approving certain apps that may have educational value or emergency use cases. Unapproved apps, such as iMessages, will be locked, unless overridden by an emergency function that notifies teachers or supervisors upon each violation.

“[Students will] still [be] able to make phone calls from their phone, so if there were an emergency, a student could call home or could call the police,” said LaSusa. “If we approve certain apps, like for instance … Canvas … or Power School, then they could use those apps during the day.”

Administrators are waiting to receive various clarifications from the state of New Jersey. Currently, the law implies that a “bell to bell ban” means the start of the school day until the end of the school day, and does not permit access to phones during non-instructional time periods such as break, or passing times. If this is upheld, then some of the customization of Doorman will not be used, as the ban currently implies that students should not access their phones at all, unless in the event of an emergency.

“With this application, we can actually set it so it can match up with your bell schedule,” said PPS Chief Technology Officer Todd MacDonald. “As soon as that period[‘s] bell rings,  we unlock your phone, so it’s open through passing time [and] through lunch, so that’s where we have flexibility, but we also are still waiting for the state to give a little bit more guidelines for us to make sure we’re in compliance.”

If a student or their parent refuses to download Doorman onto their phone, then they will not be permitted to have a cellphone during the school day. Teachers can also use Doorman to ensure all students in the classroom are in the proper locked mode. The repercussions for violators of next year’s policy have not yet been determined.

During the student forum on May 27, PHS Principal Cecilia Birge wanted to assure students that Doorman is still under legal review, but is expected to uphold state  and district privacy regulations.
 
   “[MacDonald] and I met with a principal in Massachusetts who implemented Doorman [in his school] … he said that [they] chose this company because of the fact that [it] meet[s] the Massachusetts student privacy law, and apparently Massachusetts has one of the most strict privacy law[s],” said Birge.

   The school has hosted a series of forums between May 27 and June 1 to answer questions and concerns from students, parents, and teachers. Some teachers expressed their optimism and support for the ban next year. Currently, teachers are required to independently enforce their own classroom cell phone rules due to a lack of a formal universal policy. 

   “I tend to be most concerned about cell phones [on] things like assessments where it could provide an unfair advantage. … One of my least favorite parts of my teaching job is playing phone police,”  said PHS math teacher Jackson Neuhaus. “Next year [with] the phone policy ban, I’ll probably have something more official in place that’ll be stricter and have consequences.”

   Some students have expressed concerns about restricting access to their cell phones. Upon learning of the current plan to disable the text messages app, Joshua Dong ’29 cited concerns related to accessibility in communication.

   “A lot of time people won’t pick up your calls because maybe their busy or their phone’s on silent … text messages are just an easier way to contact people,” Dong said.

   Woodbury Junior Senior-High School, one of the schools Governor Murphy credited as having implemented a successful phone ban, began using a magnetic pouch system known as Yondr two years ago, resulting in numerous positive effects. The pouch-bound phones are in possession of the students throughout the day, but they cannot physically open the pouch until the end of the day. Portable unlock devices are carried by various staff members and are reserved for emergency or approved situations during the school day. 

   “We [have] had a lot of kids during our lunch … they’re in the gym playing basketball, they’re in the library ... they’re playing board games, and it’s been a better school environment overall,” said WHS Principal Dwayne Dobbins. “I can go into a classroom where there’s not a phone distracting a student.”

   Although the state legislature ultimately forced the district to mobilize for a phone ban, Dr. Michael LaSusa, expressed his support for the ban, citing his belief that phones are an inhibitor of focus in the classroom, and thus education.

   “The time we have in school ... is special, and we should treat it as precious, and recognize that it’s important to listen, to pay attention, to respect the other human beings that are in a classroom with us, without look[ing] at a device,” said LaSusa.


Rated 1.3 stars on the app store, the Doorman app can be customized to lock phones during instructional periods, and be unlocked during breaks. 

PHS surveys options in preparation for next year’s statewide phone ban

#
# The Naturals
Cassie Hobbes is gifted at reading people, taking one look at them and piecing together information about their lives. But she doesn’t think much about this gift, simply using it to get tips from customers at the diner where she works. That is, until a strange boy shows up one day and leaves her a business card to the FBI.

Cassie is sent to Washington D.C., where she meets Dean, Lia, Sloane, and Michael, the boy who she first met at the diner. These five teenagers make up the Naturals: a classified FBI program for exceptional teenagers like Cassie, and a program where the five members are trained to catch serial killers. 

But this story isn’t just about Cassie. There’s someone else telling it: “you,” an anonymous serial killer slowly closing in on the Naturals themselves. “She doesn’t know who you are, but you know her. You’ve chosen her. She won’t understand until it’s too late.”

An emotion-reader, a lie detector, a human computer, and two profilers: the Naturals. And when a new killer strikes nearby, the five are going to have to use their gifts just to survive.

“The Naturals” is a perfect book for murder mystery lovers, and anyone who’s interested in psychology. Mainly focusing on Cassie’s story, with short “you” chapters in between, Barnes keeps the readers always guessing. This novel is an amazing summer binge-read, with three subsequent books continuing the story, making it a great starting point for fast-paced readers.

With complex character relationships and teenage romance thrown into the mix, this murder mystery is one you won’t be able to put down. The characters of “The Naturals” each have precisely developed profiles and characteristics that make the story incredibly emotionally striking. As the suspense of the story builds, so does the pressure on the Naturals, leading to tense confrontations and stressful situations that leave the readers frantic to find out what comes of the bonds between characters.

This suspense-packed story is addicting, and the plot twists are completely unpredictable. 
So whether it’s a late night or a long car ride, “The Naturals” is a captivating story that will keep you engaged and entertained during even the most boring of summer days.
Last summer, I spent hours laying on my back porch with my head buried in “The Naturals.” As someone interested in psychology, I was left speechless at the amount of effort that went into this novel. And as I continued reading the rest of the series, I realized that everything was important. Every character, every minor detail, and every word was carefully thought out. That’s what made me really love this series: the way everything connected.

“The Naturals” is the first building block for an astonishing puzzle of a series, and it kept me constantly wondering what the Naturals team would do when new challenges arose. This story taught me to expect the most unexpected of turns, and to always trust in the abilities of a group of five teenagers with some help from the FBI. 

# Better Than the Movies
It’s her senior year of high school, and Liz Buxbaum’s dream rom-com situation is about to come true. Her childhood crush Michael just moved back to town, and he’s just in time to ask Liz to prom. But there’s only one problem: Wes.
Wes Bennet, Liz’s next door neighbor, is insufferable. He’s infamous for cruel pranks and making fun of Liz throughout their childhoods, making Wes the absolute last person Liz wants to work with. But Wes is  close with Michael, and Liz knows that if she wants Michael to notice her again, she’s going to need his help.

So Wes and Liz form a team, and as they work together to secure an invitation from Michael to prom, Liz finds that Wes might not be as much of a jerk as she thought. As Liz questions everything she knows about her dream-come-true rom-com story, she has to balance the ever-building tension over prom with her fears about college and the big changes ahead of her.

“Better Than the Movies” by Lynn Painter is the perfect teen romance story for any and all rom-com lovers. With relationships you could get lost in and bittersweet love stories, this book is perfect for a warm summer day. “Better Than the Movies” is packed with emotions, confessions, and relatable high school experiences.

Similar to the movie “10 Things I Hate About You,” with its strong, likable characters and swoon-worthy romance, this novel is just unpredictable enough to keep you hooked while still bringing a heartwarming sentiment into your reading. Reading this book, you’ll catch yourself rooting for the main couples and catching second-hand embarrassment from some of Liz’s less-than-ideal decisions.

Personally, I loved this novel so much because of how it made me really feel the emotions of the story. Even though Liz was a fictional character, I felt like I knew her and truly understood her. Her worries about the future resonated with my own, her nervous habits reminded me of my own, and her obsessions felt all-too-farmiliar to me. In “Better Than the Movies,” Liz felt like a friend, or even a version of myself, come to life on paper.

Another reason I felt so connected to Liz’s story was because I never got bored. Every time the romance storyline slowed down, I was introduced to new characters, new conflicts, and new ideas to focus on. As someone who struggles to get through slow starts in books, “Better Than the Movies” kept me constantly invested, and had more than enough action to keep the story interesting for days on end.

This light-hearted romance is practically designed for a warm day by the pool or laying on a towel in the sand. An entertaining and wholesome novel, “Better Than the Movies” is a great addition to your summer to-be-read.  

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