Art teacher Rachel Santolini brings a personal connection to her role and to Princeton. The Studio Art I and II 2D teacher grew up in Hillsborough, and her experience growing up nearby has increased her familiarity with Princeton and transition to becoming a teacher here.

“I love Nassau Street. I’ve always spent a lot of time in Princeton. So when I saw that there was an opening to work here, I was really excited about it,” said Santolini.

As a recent graduate from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, her previous experience had primarily come from teaching at the Pratt Saturday Art School, which primarily caters toward children between first grade and 12th year of high school. This is her first year teaching only high schoolers, an experience that can be very hard to get used to.

“I was really scared of [teaching] high school. But Princeton High schoolers … are all so nice, and [they] are also personable. And so, it’s made it really like a nice transition to doing it here,” said Santolini.

Her teaching style has also been influenced by her experience as a recent graduate. From this experience, she brings a different perspective on teaching, acknowledging that it is difficult to be a student, but that being a teacher shares similar uncertainty on some level. Both as a teacher and as a student, you never know what can happen.

“I think that both are really challenging in different ways. I think it’s really hard to be a student and to be actively learning as you go, … but I think that being a teacher is also hard because in a different way, you don’t know what the next thing is, and you have all these students in front of you, that could just say anything at any time,” said Santolini. “As a teacher, not knowing is being unaware of what needs your kids have, or what they need to learn. Or maybe you try to teach something and they didn’t quite get it. I think teaching is a practice and, [like any subject], is thinking on your feet and changing things to the needs of your students.”

She discovered her passion in middle school after having a particularly good art teacher. Her main focus within art is drawing, particularly portrait work of family for practice. Santolini explains that she couldn’t see herself pursuing anything else in life.

“I don’t know. I loved art. I didn’t want to do anything else,” said Santolini.

New Teacher Profile: Rachel Santolini

Michael Meyer, a new social studies teacher at PHS, was once a PHS student himself — class of ’18. Since he graduated, he’s taught at various different schools, including West Windsor. This year, in his third year teaching social studies, he has returned to Princeton. Meyer is teaching both the United States History I and Racial Literacy courses at PHS.

“It’s like you’re sleepwalking and you know all these things. It’s been nice to [get] reacquaint[ed] with a bunch of my teachers … When I was here, we brought [Mrs. Birge] on board and she was amazing. … And Rick Miller, who is a supervisor, … was my APUSH history teacher. It’s just an amazing thing to work with local, homegrown [teachers],” he said of coming back to PHS.

Many of the teachers who taught him social studies now work alongside him in the history department. In addition to Miller, Meyer also had David Roberts in junior year for AP World History. However, many of the other teachers who he once had have already left.

“[There has been] a lot of retirement,” he said. “My freshman year, I had John Baxter. … He retired in 2017. I’ve only [met with] him a couple times since graduation.”

According to him, what hasn’t changed is PHS’s environment. He takes advantage of his unique vantage point as a past student to try and cater to PHS’s students’ needs.

“I always kind of think about … the conditions of the school … of this particular culture which I know well … and how I can channel that toward an interesting and fruitful classroom [experience],” Meyer said. “My experience as a student is central to how I approach teaching. … I definitely try to get in the head … of a student. [I look for] what’s interesting for them [and] what’s challenging for them.”

His interest in social studies stems not just from an interest in the past, but also relates to the present and our future. His point of view is that the past acts as a guide for what’s to come. It generates context for each succeeding generation.

“We have a tendency, and every generation has this tendency, to think that everything happening right now is so unbelievably unprecedented and untethered to anything that’s happened before … We can learn a lot about ourselves in the present and … where we should move in the future from the events [and] decisions of the past,” he said.

When he isn’t teaching, he likes to play board games, take walks, and sing. As a Princeton native, he also enjoys taking late night walks; one of his favorite places to walk being on Princeton University campus.

“I find that at night, a lot of campus is quite beautiful and quite dramatic — especially if it’s raining,” he said. “Specifically, I like the fountain at night … there’s something very beautiful about the evening, the emptiness, and [the sound of] the running water.”

New Teacher Profile: Michael Meyer

Environmental science and biology teacher Alexa Epstein brings a lifelong interest in marine biology to the PHS classroom, drawing from her own experiences in studying coral reefs. Her hope is to help students develop the same enthusiasm for science that her own high school teachers once inspired in her.

“When I was little, I grew up going to the beach in North Carolina, and there were always sea turtle nests on the beach. And when I was little, I saw them hatching one year, and I was … so obsessed with sea turtles,” said Epstein. “[In college], I actually got to live in Bermuda and study coral reefs for three months. … Getting to scuba dive four times a week was … the best experience ever.”

Growing up in Hunterdon County, NJ, but then leaving the state to attend college in Rhode Island and getting her teaching degree in North Carolina, Epstein was eager to return home. Coming back to New Jersey, she was drawn to Princeton by the community and school’s reputation.

“I saw that the job opened up for Princeton, and I was super excited. I love this town … and all the students are super excited to learn and excited to be here,” said Epstein. “I got excited about science from my high school science teachers, and I want to do the same thing for my students.

In the classroom, Epstein estimates that students can expect about a 50/50 split between lab work and outside work around the school property. While that has led to what she believes as a common misconception that environmental science involves less math than other sciences, she emphasizes that the course still challenges students. Instead of relying on heavy math, the course requires a different kind of rigor involving scientific concepts while learning through hands-on experiences.

“I love having students get into the dirt. …We’re doing a lot of stuff in the garden this year. We’re gonna do some walking field trips, do some water testing … where we will be outside and actually being environmental scientists,” said Epstein. “There’s also a possibility …we’re gonna try to do a field trip to the beach and do a beach cleanup and help out the beach community in that sense.”

Beyond teaching students about ecosystems and the environment, Epstein also sees environmental science as a chance to develop skills students can use outside school hours.

“We do tons of work with organization, tons of group work, tons of using your critical thinking skills,” said Epstein. “Basically, even if environmental science isn’t necessarily a topic that you’re super interested in, you will learn a ton outside of environmental science in the class.”

Outside of the classroom, Epstein enjoys cooking, scuba diving, spending time outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.

New Teacher Profile: Alexa Epstein

At 12:48 p.m. on Saturday, August 29, a gathering consisting of roughly a dozen white supremacist protestors formed in downtown Princeton. The individuals were wearing clothing that concealed their faces while carrying flags associated with either their own organizations or American history. The group was photographed with a large banner that read “Keep New Jersey White.” According to Princeton Police Captain Thomas Lagomarsino, the protest disbanded by about 1:30 p.m., and police confirmed that the protestors did not possess the necessary permits to hold such a gathering.

The Princeton Police Department has classified the event as a bias incident and is currently investigating the presence of criminal activity that could upgrade this incident to a bias crime. No timetable has been provided as to when this investigation could reach its conclusion. There were no reported confrontations concerning these protestors, and they disbanded naturally shortly after entering Princeton University property.

“A bias incident is any suspected or confirmed offense or unlawful act that occurs to an individual, group of individuals, private property, or public property on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression, or ethnicity,” said Patrolman Luis Martinez-Balbuena of the Princeton Police Department Communications Bureau. “We have to do our job to determine whether or not there was a crime committed in the actual incident.”

The Garden State Active Club, a youth-centered white supremacist organization that was founded earlier this year out of South Jersey, announced its participation in the protest on X (formerly Twitter). The organization has posted numerous videos from their participation in similar incidents, while also openly conveying their support for white nationalists and Nazi beliefs. In a social media post, they provided a video from the event complete with a manifesto-style monologue, and credited Atlantic Youth as the organizers. Northeast Action as well as Pennsylvania Action Club were credited as co-participants; however, these two organizations share a near-identical social media footprint and origins as the Garden State Active Club, meaning these organizations are either closely related or the same. An X post also described what the club claims occurred:

“Members marched to the Revolutionary War Princeton Battle Monument where a speech was given. Afterward, the column marched through downtown Princeton before all participants departed the area safely and without incident. … Never before has a nationalist demonstration with such regimentation and numbers been led by teenagers in American history. This was a youth-led effort.”

Princeton Mayor Mark Freda asserted that Princeton does not seek to deny anyone their First Amendment rights and that, had the demonstrators applied through the proper channels for a permit, the Princeton government would be unable to deny their right to assemble solely based on the content of their message. However, Freda explains that the message of the protestors stands against Princeton’s core values and is contradictory to its diverse community.

“I think the Princeton community, for a very long time, has shown itself to be very open-minded, very respectful of people’s rights, very respectful of people’s different views and backgrounds,” said Freda. “There’s people from all over the world with all kinds of backgrounds at all kinds of levels, educationally, socially, economically, whatever, it’s quite a mix. … Their message about keeping New Jersey all white just doesn’t fly in Princeton.”

As the protestors had entered Princeton University’s campus, the Tower attempted to reach out to University staff for comment. While the school declined requests for interviews at this time, Princeton University Media Relations Specialist Ahamad Rizvi shared a similar sentiment to that of the mayor in a statement released to the Tower.

“The University is aware of this incident and deplores expressions of hate directed against any person or group. Such expressions are contrary to our community’s values,” wrote Rizvi.

Princeton has not seen a white supremacy-related protest in recent years, leading to surprised reactions from some PHS students. Sebastian Helbig ’27 said that while everyone is entitled to their First Amendment rights, some messages toe the line between personal belief and outright discrimination towards others.

“There’s been so much progress toward peace and no[n]-aggression toward anyone of other races. … Naturally, it’s gonna happen, but I don’t think you should ever voice those [discriminatory opinions] out in public because [you should] keep it to yourself,” said Helbig. “This specific message doesn’t belong in any environment, let alone Princeton.”

The mayor encouraged both students and members of the Princeton community to reach out to local government representatives while reminding people that the town strives to be a welcoming place for all members.

“We spend a lot of time trying to tell people you can trust us, and whether it’s dealing with the police, human services, or health department, or recreation department, … we’re not so much worried at all [about] what somebody’s status is in this country; if somebody needs help, they can come to us, and if there’s a way we can help, we’re going to help,” Freda said.

If a similar situation were to occur in the future, the Princeton Police Department advises treating the situation cautiously and calling 9-1-1 if there is a perceived immediate danger or suspected unlawful activity. An incident or complaint can also be reported through the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights Portal online.

“If [you] feel that there is something suspicious, alarming, threatening in any capacity, report it. … I would not confront individuals, especially not if you’re alone,” said Martinez-Balbuena. “There’s a telephone number and there’s a portal that individuals out in the public could report it [to].”

The mayor encouraged high school students in the Princeton community to take action if they feel passionate about a particular social topic or issue by volunteering with local organizations that he feels teaches valuable real-world information or skills in the process.

“I think the biggest thing for the Princeton high school student community [is to] figure out ways to get involved [and] pay attention to what’s going on in town,” Freda said. “I think the message is: go work for some nonprofit in town, just go volunteer. … It’s just amazing when it opens up to you, and the stuff you’re going to learn, real knowledge that you’re going to need in life, as opposed to just stuff out of a book.”

Photo: Rohan Srivastava

Sebastian Helbig ’27 and Kai Martin ’28 discuss the implications of the ideas of white supremacy entering New Jersey.

Youth group leads white supremacy protest in Princeton

In the 99-year-old PHS school building, construction and maintenance work is constantly needed and ongoing. At the PAC, materials and a temporary floor protector mark the location of projects that began shortly after graduation, which involves converting the old technology office and the Numina Gallery into new learning spaces. While the construction is visible in parts of the building, students note that it has not affected their school experience.

“I haven’t found the construction a distraction at all,” said Curtis Tam ’28. “I didn’t even realize all of this construction was going on.”

In addition to the ongoing reconstruction, the other main construction project at PHS this summer was preparatory work for the replacement of the building’s boiler and HVAC systems. The district’s construction plans are connected to the funding provided by an $89.1 million referendum approved by voters in January 2025.

The boiler and HVAC project is expected to take several years. The work completed at PHS over the summer was mainly preparation and smaller related jobs, as the district’s largest construction focus has been at Princeton Middle School. The project was paused during the school year and is expected to resume during the summer of 2027.

“The whole thing is planned,” said PHS Principal Cecilia Birge. “We don’t want to have construction going on during instructional hours.”

As of now, it is too soon to give a finalization date for the completion of the HVAC. On the other hand, the boiler work is expected to continue through the end of 2027.

“At this point, it’s too early to tell when the expected completion date will be. It certainly will be in 2027,” said Birge.

The former technology office is being reconstructed into three classrooms, but the school has not yet determined which subjects the rooms will be used for. The conversion is connected to the school’s need for classrooms, especially in a building where many rooms were built nearly a century ago and for a student population much smaller than the one that PHS hosts today.

“By reconstructing that tech space, that will give us that additional relief that we truly need,” said Birge.

Similarly, although the Numina Gallery is also being remodeled, the school still aims retain its original purpose for students.

“It’s being converted into two flexible learning classrooms, and we’re hoping that it’s flexible enough that it will also continue to function as a gallery,” said Birge.

The technology office and gallery projects began in late June 2026. The expected completion date is the end of December 2026, although approval processes, including certificates of occupancy, could affect when the spaces can be used. Since classrooms have already been assigned for the new school year, the spaces may first be used for standardized testing, spring musical activities, or other events.

“Different approval [processes] may delay it. … We will not be able to put a classroom because each classroom has been assigned a space already,” said Birge.

The construction projects are funded through the 2025 district referendum. The referendum was divided into three separate ballot questions. Voters decided whether to approve each question, and the questions were tiered, meaning projects included in later questions could move forward only if earlier questions were also approved. Funding approved through the referendum must be used for the projects voters approved.

“Once the bond referendum [gets approved], because the voters specifically vote for the stated use, that money cannot be used for other things,” said Birge.

The age of the building and previous growth in enrollment have contributed to facility needs at PHS. In 2020, enrollment was close to 1620 students and the building’s room utilization rate was in the 90 percent range. Enrollment is now about 1530 students, and changes to the bell schedule have helped with space use. However, the creation of extra classrooms is still both necessary and important.

Now that funding has come through from the 2025 referendum, the school has been able to start construction based on its own needs. Whereas a previous issue surrounding the ability to initiate construction had been a lack of financial support, PHS now has the funds to remodel the building.

“Before 2018, for a couple of decades, the district did not pay a lot of attention to our facility needs … [also as] the student population exploded. … [There was] heavy usage put on the building and the lack of oversight of facilities created this urgent need, this bottleneck of facility needs, and that’s why [the] bond referendum process took so long,” said Birge.

Other future projects at the PHS include reorganizing the math office, replacing furniture in the Learning Commons, and giving the courtyard more attention, among other plans.

For students, construction has remained in the background during their school day. The technology office and gallery renovations will continue through December and HVAC work is scheduled to return next summer.

“It’s nice that the school is renovating all these different parts,” said Tam. “It’s great that it has not really affected my schoolwork.”

Graphic: Emily Kim

The school’s construction has taken place across the property, with much of it still in progress.

PHS unveils new summer construction

As students return for the 2026–2027 school year, students may have noticed the effects of PHS’s implementation of new technology rules and changes, including a transition to Gmail, new site blockages, and the return of Visigo Agent and GoGuardian.

Earlier this year, former NJ Governor Phil Murphy signed into law S3695, which called for the creation of a bell-to-bell phone ban in New Jersey public schools, leaving it up to each district on how exactly they would enforce it.

In addition to banning phones from 8:20 a.m. to 3:21 p.m., one of the options that PHS has chosen is Doorman, an app that restricts device usage by placing a lockdown on apps, such as social media or text messaging, during school hours.

“It was the high school making the decision to use Doorman. From a tech perspective, we thought it was a promising solution. [However, we] had to restrict the network from student personal devices in general,” said PPS Chief Technology Officer Todd MacDonald.

Doorman has encountered some pushback from students, however. Many students have not downloaded the app, stemming from a myriad of reasons.

“I don’t feel like I need to use my phone during a school day. But I also have some privacy concerns. I don’t like the idea of an app having full control over my phone,” said John Patrick-Aguilar ’29.

The transition toward these new applications is also an attempt to streamline management of data in the school and will save money for the school in the long-term.

“We’re trying to unify the system around a single platform. And Google is a much more modern platform,” said MacDonald. “The management tools are a lot simpler.”

Due to the state cell phone ban, sites which are considered social media, such as Twitter, Reddit, or Pinterest, have been blocked in order to accommodate the law. In addition, to follow district protocol that AI may not be used on an assignment unless teacher-directed, AI platforms which were previously available have now also been blocked for students.

To facilitate this change, GoGuardian is replacing Mosyle Manager. GoGuardian works by blocking site categories and offering teachers the ability to monitor student screens live. Parents are also able to access student browsing activity. Some students report more websites being blocked in comparison to last year.

“The only real effect of GoGuardian was not being able to find a PDF of a book I wanted to read, or a SparkNotes of it, but that’s it. [There isn’t really a] difference between Mosyle Manager and GoGuardian in my opinion,” said Joshua Dong ’29.

Additionally, the school district has applied changes focused on the shift away from technology. As outlined in a letter from PPS Superintendent Michael LaSusa, policies such as a quarterly “unplugged” day and a “lids closed” laptop policy in school have also been implemented this year.

At this time, it is unknown whether or not GoGuardian and Doorman will continue in their current form, but these changes will likely remain a part of PHS life.

Photo: Katherine Chen

John Bathke reprimands Marina Zappa do Valle Tuler ’27 for phone usage.

Technology Office institutes changes to comply with state law

Shock. Confusion. An overwhelming feeling of not knowing what came next. These were the emotions that came up again and again in our conversations regarding the moments after hearing about the attacks of September 11, 2001. On the 25th anniversary of the events of that day, PHS educators — some which were students at PHS on that day — reflected on a day that forever lives in their memory.

…

For many, that Tuesday morning began as a crisp fall day. In room 173, English teacher Susan Murphy began her second day teaching journalism with a lesson on hard news. She had asked her students to log onto CNN to analyze the days’ headlines. Suddenly, the news site crashed, with her students’ screens freezing on a picture of a plane hitting the North Tower.

“They thought it was like part of teaching about hard news [and] that I have done this simulation,” said Murphy. “And I’m like, this isn’t a simulation.”

Down the hall in Room 152, the former Orchestra room, Latin teacher Dr. Lynda Danvers ’03, still remembers the moment she first heard the news.

“Someone popped their head in, pulled Mr. Loughran out of the room, and then he had to come back in and tell us individually,” said Danvers. “It wasn’t like an announcement over the loudspeaker.”

Like many throughout the school, Orchestra teacher Robert Loughran initially assumed the attack was the accident.

“I’m thinking of this small single prop plane. [An] amateur pilot didn’t know what was going on [and] got the World Trade Center incorrectly in their flight path,” said Loughran. The attack on the second Tower eventually confirmed many’s worst fears.

With cellular networks overloaded, getting in touch with family members and loved ones proved nearly impossible. Danvers remembered running throughout the school with her best friend in search of a working phone so her friend could reach her father, who worked in Lower Manhattan.

Given Princeton’s proximity to New York City, countless students had family members who worked in the city, meaning the attacks struck painfully close to home. Lauren Freedman ’04, PHS Assistant Principal, remembers sitting in her Spanish class when a student couldn’t reach her father, who worked in one of the Towers.

“She was sprinting through the hallways, freaking out, obviously very emotional,” recalled Freedman through tears. “And unfortunately later, we found out that her father had passed away…A lot of people in this community have family members who work in the city and who they lost during 9/11.”

Following confirmation of the attacks, counselors were tasked with compiling lists of students with family members in the city and supporting panicked students. Dr. Andrea Dinan, a counselor and field hockey coach at the time, spent the day in her office with one of her players, attempting to call her father while the line stayed busy all day.

“Finding out at night that he had gone downstairs to the ATM machine to get money, so he got out very safely … it was really a happy ending,” said Dinan. “But it really weighed on us.”

With the scope of the tragedy becoming increasingly clear through the morning, the school was placed in a lockdown – a safety protocol that was largely unheard of at the time. Silence fell over many parts of the building, a single TV in the cafeteria became a focal point for many students.

“There were probably 300 students, everyone just looking up, and it was dead silence. You could hear a pin drop. … It was this perfect crispy day and then the juxtaposition of that out of nowhere … It defied the imagination,” said Murphy. “It felt so quiet without any planes going over, which feels like a small detail, but it was something that was also really kind of uncanny.”

In the days that followed, the Princeton community came together in support of each other and the recovery effort. Dr. Rick Miller, Social Studies supervisor and volunteer firefighter, drove an ambulance with his crew up to a staging area in Jersey City three days after the attacks.

“I still remember as we drove up, you could see the smoke still billowing from ground zero … seeing the Statue of Liberty and then behind it, the smoke rising up,” said Miller. “We ended up staging there for 12 hours … I was there the day that President Bush’s helicopter came in, and it was a very eerie sight because there was not a plane in the sky the entire day, obviously, except for two fighter jets.”

The aftermath of the attacks left a permanent impact on both Princeton and the country, with the school finding ways to honor the many that were lost in the local community. The Social Studies Department established the Reissman Award, a scholarship named in honor of a PHS parent who loved history and lost his life on 9/11. The community was also forever tied to the memory of Todd Beamer, the Cranbury father who led passengers on Flight 93 with his rallying cry, “Let’s roll”. His three children later attended PHS.

“I had them, all three, in Homeroom, too. That was another connection, another family. And there were so many family connections that came out in the days afterwards. There were many students who lost parents, it was unthinkable,” said Murphy.

Yet teachers also recounted darker societal shifts: a surge of fear, the passage of the Patriot Act, and targeted rhetoric in the days that followed. But the feeling of a country and community united is one they carry forward strongest in their collective memory.

“The climate changed. We were all taking care of one another. It was a beautiful thing. People stepped up in the community because it was a hard time here,” said Freedman.

For the staff who witnessed the day first hand, the 25th anniversary is a reminder of the necessity of keeping this history alive. Danvers compared the effort to record 9/11 memories to the Shoah Foundation’s work preserving testimonies from Holocaust survivors before they are permanently lost to time.

“As we move further and further away from it, there’s now all of these people, a quarter of a century worth of people behind me that never got to experience this,” said Danvers. “The collective memory sort of goes away.”

Miller echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the broader importance of reflecting on a time of national reckoning as time moves forward.

“I’m glad you’re doing this, because I think events like this and, 25 years later, it’s important that we keep the memory of what happened alive. We learn the lessons of 9/11. We understand better about events such as this to honor those who have suffered from it, and also as a nation … [to] move forward after a tragedy such as this,” said Miller.

PHS REMEMBERS: September 11, 2001

Theodor Brasoveanu, PHS’s new computer science (CS) and Python teacher, has been teaching CS for 10 years and has a love for coding and problem solving. He hopes to share his passion and expand on the same principles he learned about CS to his students.

“Some of my goals are to get everybody to see the applications of computer science. … It doesn’t mean you’re going to become a professional coder, but it helps you create connections between different fields, and helps you solve problems,” said Brasoveanu.

Growing up in Romania, Brasoveanu believes that his high school teachers had a large impact on him and in fostering his career in computer science. Their influence was felt in actions as simple as being patient in his ability to learn from lessons, to encouraging him to join competitions and meetings outside of school. Brasoveanu moved to the United States for college, deciding to pursue computer science professionally in graduate school. He later became a Princeton resident and taught CS at Princeton Day School.

In his first few weeks at PHS, he has taken note of several details in the school, emphasizing the willingness of students to help one another as a highlight of these observed behaviors.

“So far, it seems like a great community. … Students seem to be willing to help each other,” said Brasoveanu.

Brasoveanu also mentions that the background that an individual has in other subjects may affect their accomplishment in computer science class.

“In computer science, it helps to have a quantitative background, so maybe some students who don’t have a really strong math background might find it a little bit harder,” said Brasoveanu. “On the other hand, other skills help too, so if you’re more creatively inclined, [or] if you like to tinker with things and try different solutions, you can succeed.”

Additionally, Brasoveanu emphasizes the value of computer science in today’s world and how everyone should make an effort to attain a baseline knowledge of the technology we use daily.

“CS is important because it teaches us how to be technologically literate and how to engage with technology,” said Brasoveanu.

Approaching a problem in multiple ways is a key idea in Brasoveanu’s teaching philosophy. All attempts, regardless of the level of success, should not be disregarded or forgotten, but rather noted and used in future reference so they can be learned from, according to said philosophy.

“One way would be to keep a journal of all of our problem-solving attempts. … Get into [the] habit of taking good notes so you build your own resource library or just materials,” said Brasoveanu.

As for individual interest, animations are among Brasoveanu’s favorite creations to make in Python, though this is not the only application of the software.

“We use Python for graphics, for music making, for game design,” said Brasoveanu.

Photo: Katherine Chen

Theodor Brasoveanu

New Teacher Profile: Theodor Brasoveanu

Over the summer, Princeton High School’s Social Studies Department introduced changes to its curriculum and program of studies. These changes were spearheaded by the district’s new social studies advisor, Dr. Rick Miller, a long-time AP US History teacher. These new changes introduced AP African American Studies and lifted restrictions on juniors taking more than one AP social studies course.

APUSH and AP Government and Politics teacher Timothy Campbell believes the previous course restrictions on juniors were implemented to reduce students’ school workload.

“They were trying to cut down the stress juniors were under, especially considering those who were taking AP World History at the same time,” said Campbell.

Campbell and other members of the history department had been advocating for this change for several years, noting that other departments allowed students to double up on courses. Following the expansion of AP Government and Politics to juniors, the number of class sections rose from three to five.

Campbell also spoke about the importance of making AP Government and Politics a more accessible class for students, given the country’s political state.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a more important time in our nation to take a course like Gov Pol. When I was in high school, for example, we had to take it to graduate. It was a graduation requirement at the state level,” said Campbell.

While the humanities program at PHS remains more sequential, the science program allows for more course choice. Jacqueline Katz, head of the Science Department at PHS, attributes this to the different departmental structures.

“I see a lot of synergy there in how departments think about learning progression and how best to move students through the various levels. [But] that looks a little different depending on the content we’re dealing with. A transition between US I and US II is going to be different than a transition from Bio to Chem where you’re traversing disciplines rather than extending timelines,” said Katz.

PHS Principal Cecilia Birge believes that, when restructuring the curriculum, it’s crucial to keep changes that don’t involve AP course offerings or restrictions in mind.

“It’s really important that we’re not singling out AP courses, because we offer plenty of accelerated courses. And when we talk about program designs, we’re a public school, we’re here to serve all students,” said Birge. “If we’re only talking about AP courses, not only are we marginalizing everybody else, [but] we’re only focused on accel students. We end up marketing APs for the label of it.”

These departmental differences extend to summer pathways at PHS. PHS offers summer courses for both math and science, but not for English or social studies. According to Birge, these summer programs initially developed during Covid-19 when school shifted online, and a reliable replacement for previously private summer programs was necessary. Today, the income generated from the summer program funds bridge programs for low performing students that aim to close the achievement gap.

Birge emphasized the importance of updating the school’s social studies curriculum, as the liberal arts remain extremely important to PHS. She pointed out the tendency students have to overlook opportunities in the humanities, and why it’s important for the school to take action to prevent this.

“We are very much for whole child development, [and for] the liberal arts kind of education,” said Birge. “It’s great that we have opportunities in math and science or languages and arts, but we want to make sure that’s extended to all kinds of talents that we have in the building.”

Photo: Emily Kim

Morgan Pease ’29 and Anya Kshirsagar ’29 engage in discussion about current events in Campbell’s AP US History class, taking advantage of PHS’ humanities catalog.

PHS expands social studies curriculum

As of the 2026–2027 school year, PPS has implemented an extracurricular activity fee for students at PMS and PHS. The fee will require high school students to pay $150 if they participate in any clubs or sports, while middle school students will pay $100.

High school fees for clubs will be collected starting in November and extend to all activities that are funded by the school, including band, athletic teams, and teacher-supervised clubs such as Model UN, the Tower, and Yearbook, among various others. The fee has been implemented to tackle budget constraints such as transportation, healthcare, and more — with all proceeds going directly to the district general fund where money can be allocated accordingly.

Each year, the school district faces various financial challenges, to which an activity fee was the solution brought up in a budget proposal from last year.

“[The] school budget is often driven by various market factors such as healthcare, transportation cost, and … other contract-based factors such as salary. So a piece of paper may be more expensive this year. The eggs in the cafeteria [are] … a lot more expensive compared to two years ago,” said PHS Principal Birge. “Bottom line is that if we don’t have more revenue, we cannot keep the school running at the current level. Then we’re talking about reduction of hopefully not staff members as well as cancelation of programs. So at the same time, activity fee is widely used as an approach that helps with this budget crunch.”

Birge also confirms that the fee will likely continue in following years, even increasing to keep up with rising expenses. However, financial aid options are available, and the fee will be covered for students on free and reduced lunch programs.

Furthermore, although students involved in any activity that puts a cost on the school will be expected to pay the cost, they only have to pay the fee once at the beginning of the fall semester to cover their involvement for the rest of the year.

“A lot of athletes do play multiple sports. So once you’ve paid for one in the fall, then you don’t have to think about it again,” said PHS Counselor Diana Lygas.

For students who have not yet participated in any of the included activities but want to join a club, they are given a period where they can try out a club before committing to it and paying. In November, clubs will start to finalize their members, sending a list to administration — all confirmed members will then receive an invoice in MySchoolBucks for the activity fee.

“Probably the most important thing is that students should not [think] ‘I am not going to try this club out if there is a fee.’ That fee shouldn’t … be a deterrent for students not to try something. Trying is okay, but if you’re participating consistently, that’s when there’s a cost, and we want everybody to chip in to help shoulder that cost,” said Birge.

Nevertheless, skepticism has arisen amongst students, parents, and the community about the validity of the required fee. Claire McLeod ’29, both a field hockey and basketball player for the school team, voiced her concerns.

“I think [the fee] can be important for sports because you have to pay for the equipment, but specifically for clubs, I feel like it’s a bit irrelevant because a lot of them are student-run and I have a feeling the money will not be going back to the students to help them with the clubs,” said McLeod.

Furthermore, many sports teams have their own booster clubs that require a payment, so some athletes may end up paying more than $150.

“My mom got a little annoyed because she had to pay … a booster club thing ... for field hockey,” said McLeod.

The leadership team at PHS remains committed to preserving the school’s quality this year while still working on balancing budget concerns.

“I think anything that we can do to support the level of services provided for all of our students, we all consider that important,” said Birge. “Our job at the building level … is to make sure that we come up with an approach that makes sense for our students and families, so that we are not in jail with a big bill unexpectedly.”

Photo: Katherine Chen

Left to Right: Emma Dweck ’27 and Rachel Kim ’29 run the Model UN stand, one of many clubs that will now require a fee to join.

Extracurricular activity fee of $150 passed to address financial concerns

Silence takes over the PHS crowd as an opposing team is making a strong attack,
in search of a goal. They swarm the box, hoping to set up a shot, but Helena Murray
’27 is there to make a play. She sprints over to the ball and slides to make a tackle,
stopping the momentum
of the opposition and
giving her team a needed
reset.

Murray was introduced
to soccer at seven years old,
beginning a connection
with the sport that would
continue throughout her
childhood. Growing up,
soccer was a big part of
her family, which helped
spark her own interest in
the sport.

“I only started playing
[soccer] because both of
my older brothers played
throughout high school
and college,” Murray said.
“Definitely my brothers
and my older sister playing
it got me really into it.”

After moving to
Princeton in 2019, soccer
became one of the first
ways she made new
friends. Through her local
club team, she quickly
built connections with her teammates that lasted beyond the field.

“It was honestly mostly about the team environment and the friends I made,” Murray
said. “I’m still really good friends with some of the girls that I made on that team.”

Murray played on the PHS JV girls soccer team during her freshman year before
earning a spot on varsity as a sophomore. Playing as a center back, she gradually
became a steady presence on the Tigers’ defense. Since then, Head Coach Christine
Giacino has watched her develop both as a player and teammate.

“My first impression [of Murray] was [that she was] a quieter sophomore, but now
she’s really changed and grown into this amazing captain,” said Giacino.

As a senior captain, Murray takes an active role in communicating with her
teammates on and off the field.

“Her confidence and her composure and calmness has really spread [to her
teammates] through her kind personality,” said Giacino. “She’s very friendly to
everyone she meets not only on the field. She welcomes the underclassmen [and] I
think that just creates some better culture within our program.”

Leah O’Neill ’27 has played with Murray since freshman year. At first, a shy but
friendly teammate, O’Neill has seen her grow to be more confident, vocal, and
dependable on the field.

“She’s always super positive, and she’s always working her very hardest until the
end of the game [and] the end of the practice,” said O’Neill.

That growth and consistency has made Murray someone O’Neill looks up to, despite
the two being in the same grade.

“We’re the same age, but she’s a role model to me,” O’Neill said. “ I think she can
also be a role model to the younger
girls too.”

Murray has become more
confident both on and off the field,
and it taught her skills extending
beyond the field.

“Through soccer, I’ve been able
to find a space where I am able to
talk to people [that] I wouldn’t
usually [talk to],” Murray said. “It’s
helped me be more outgoing and
helped me with making friends
and making connections.”

Her teammates have also seen
that growth reflected in the way
Murray supports the group during
games and how she interacts with
new players.

“At halftime, she always
encourages us and motivates us
for the second half,” said O’Neill. “And I think she really found her voice and grew
more confident on the field and off the field. I remember her being a little bit more
shy our freshman year, but she really came out of her shell.”

The sport has left a lasting impact on Murray’s life. From helping her build friendships
after moving to Princeton to becoming a captain and leader on the field, soccer has
played an important role in shaping who she is today.

Photo: Winston Jung

Throughout her time at PHS, Murray has established herself as both a reliable member of the team and a leader and role model for younger players.

Helena Murray ’27: soccer

Hearing Travis Petrone ’25 snap the football, tight end Zachary Nelson ’27 explodes
down the field, bulldozing his way to the endzone. As the ball spirals toward him, he
watches its path before snatching it out of the air as it dips in front of him.

“Smiles, smiles everywhere. Everybody was happy,” said Nelson.

In a 41-6 victory against Robbinsville in his sophomore year, Nelson’s first-quarter
touchdown helped extend the team’s lead to 19-0, but that’s not why it’s Nelson’s favorite
memory on the team.

“My body’s really fragile, and I get
injured a lot,” said Nelson. “Sophomore
year, I got a concussion—I was out for
three weeks. Last year, I broke a part of
my hand—I was out for last year.”

Indeed, Nelson’s touchdown came
during his first game back after the
aforementioned concussion. Similarly,
despite being unable to play, Nelson was
still able to impress Head Coach Charles
Gallagher with another aspect of his
game: his dedication and commitment
to the team.

“[After] he broke his hand last year, he
came to every single one of our practices,”
said Gallagher. “He ended up taping [his
hand] up, getting a cast, [and] saying,
‘Coach, I can still play.’ You get banged
up pretty seriously [in football]—your
football season could be over—[yet], he
made it back in the last couple weeks to
play and was great.”

Although Nelson isn’t one of the senior captains on the team, it hasn’t prevented him
from setting a strong example with younger players. For instance, Sam Carter ’29, the
tight end behind Nelson on the depth chart, regards Nelson highly.

“[Nelson] is a real leader,” said Carter. “He gives good advice; he’s very willing to
interact with players and doesn’t act
like he’s better than the freshman
and sophomores. He is grounded
on a real level with everyone else.”

However, Nelson doesn’t just lead
with his words, he also is willing to
put in the work needed to earn his
place on the team.

“I was supposed to be a receiver,
but freshman year I wasn’t that
athletic,” said Nelson. “I took that
personally, and in the off-season
after freshman year, I did what
I could. I got my speed up, I got
stronger, and [the coaches] saw it.”

On the contrary, Gallagher
remembers Nelson standing out
from the rest of the freshman in
his year.

“He had played the game, he knew
how to tackle and how to hit guys,” said Gallagher. “Sometimes that takes a little bit of
getting used to...but he came in much more acclimated than other freshmen.”

In any case, this only highlights Nelson’s strong mentality and work ethic. Specifically,
this mentality has earned the respect of not just his peers but his coaches as well.

“Zach is just a good, humble young man that has been brought up the right
way,” said Gallagher. “He does the little things... when no one’s watching. It just shows
great character.”

Earlier this month, Nelson
finished with 3 total tackles
and 2 receptions for 24 yards,
demonstrating his versatility on
the pitch.

“On the football field, we really
depend on him,” said Gallagher,
“He’s one of our premier players.
He can catch, he can throw the
football, even though we’ve never
asked him to throw the football.
He’s great at tackling. He’s kind of
a utility knife.”

Although Nelson doesn’t intend
on pursuing football in college,
his example has made a lasting
impact on the teammates he has
played with, who will remember
his dedication and leadership.

Photo: Chase Williams

Despite sustaining various injuries throughout his career at PHS, Nelson has always made the most of each opportunity he’s been given, establishing himself as a key player.

Zachary Nelson ’27: football

Entering the 2026 season as the NJSIAA Group 3
State Champions for the third consecutive year, the PHS
volleyball team is looking to continue their streak by adding
a fourth title to the mix.

Although a fourth title would make them one of the
most successful programs in the area in recent years, the
district has overlooked the program since its inception,
when players had to pay for equipment out of pocket.

They must quickly rebuild after they lost key players
Naomi Lygas ’26, Kaelin Bobetich ’26, and Charlotte Woods
’26. Despite their importance, the team possessed sufficient
depth across the two teams, allowing other players to
step up. For instance, senior Captain Sedona Arminio ’27
highlights Lily Cao ’28, who has seen her responsibilities
on the court shift this season.

“I’m really excited to see Lily play all-around outside,”
said Arminio. “Last year, she only played [in the] back row
and it’s very interesting to see her completely take on this
big role of being an all-around outside, which is a huge
responsibility.”

Beyond individual changes, the team is adopting a
change in their rotation system, a crucial component in
balancing offense and defense. Specifically, the rotation
system now plays to the strengths of setters Ruhi Zhou ’30
and Leah Wang ’28.

“Compared to last year, we only had one setter on the
court, which is called a 5–1 rotation where we have one
setter who would play all six rotations on the court,” said
Cao. “This year, however, we’re running a 6–2 rotation where
we have two setters and both our setters will always stay in
the back row. This is mainly because our setters this year
are on the shorter side and they have really strong defense,
which is why we keep them in the back row.”

While losing their stars from last year has been
acknowledged as a loss for the team, their absence has
opened up new opportunities for variety.

“Especially this year, a lot of the upperclassmen and
everyone on the team in general has stepped up to take
on these positions, and everyone on the team has playing
time this year,” said Cao. “I think having everyone be able
to step up and be able to play on the team with everyone
has allowed us to diversify our offense so that we don’t just
have to rely on one or two people on the team and we can
all really connect with each other.”

To help facilitate these position changes, the team is
emphasizing team chemistry to help acclimate both new
team members and returning upperclassmen to their new
responsibilities.

“Everyone is trying out different positions and different
spots and learning to work with a whole new team,”
said Arminio. “Right now we’re really working on
communication and team bonding. We’re doing a lot
of dinners and after-game lunches to really form those
connections.”

Beyond changes within the team, their schedule reflects
the team’s desire for a fourth title with the inclusion of
more games against opponents outside of the Burlington
County Scholastic League (BCSL), the conference that
the Princeton volleyball team plays in.

“We’ve got big out-of-conference games [against teams
like] Westfield, Williamstown, [and] Morristown, all those
games go beyond the BCSL,” said Head Coach Patricia
Manhart. “I’d love to do well during [those games] because
that kind of shows how we compare to people from other
parts of the state.”

On the other hand, the team is also looking ahead
toward next season. Currently, six of the 11 members on
the varsity team are seniors, meaning that the program
will graduate more than half of its lineup. Although juniors
like Cao have shown their ability to step up, there are no
sophomores on the varsity roster.

“I think that [the lack of sophomores will] impact the
team’s connection, especially on varsity, since there is a gap
between JV and varsity and how it works,” said Cao. “I think
it’s really important that there are enough upperclassmen,
especially next year, that are able to help the upcoming
sophomores come into program as well and and be able
to adjust to high school and the team overall, and I think
that having that gap of a year hurts the team a little bit.”

Even though there may be concerns about upperclassmen
helping underclassmen adjust, overall playing experience
is not the greatest concern for a team like Princeton, which
has benefitted from being more affluent.

“The fact that there are so many people in this town
or area that are able to pay for playing experiences and
opportunities outside of the regular season makes a huge
difference,” said Manhart. “It’s hard to have the time and
the resources and the ability to play outside of your high
school team.”

Regardless of concerns for next season or ambitions for
a “four-peat,” the team is also aiming to maintain a good
record in their section. So far, they have accumulated six
straight wins and no losses in the BCSL. Overall, the team
is looking forward to having a very successful season, to
build up a team with many new players, and above all, a
potential fourth consecutive state title.

photo: Noah Lebowitz

(L-R) Cao, Camila Barbosa ’27, Claire Hua ’27, Wang, Arminio, and Zoe Ghaim ’28 in a huddle during a match at home versus Lawrenceville.

Searching for the four-peat: PHS volleyball returns for more

# Cross Country
“I think our goal is to provide an
environment where each of our
athletes has the ability to grow into
the athlete they hope they want
to be. The other goal is for them
to try to realize that they’re more
capable than maybe they thought
when they came in.”

### -James Smirk


# Girls Soccer
“I just think they should be
enjoying soccer. That’s my biggest
takeaway. Just, like, it shouldn’t be
stressful. It’s always just a game, no
matter how the competition is.”
### -Derek Connors


# Volleyball
“I think everyone on varsity,
their goal is a fourth state
championship. That is always the
bar. It’s what we’ve done over the
past three.”
### -Patricia Manhart


# Girls Tennis
“Don’t take losses to heart and try
to learn from them and get better,
but that they shouldn’t ruin your
day, your life. You have other
pieces of who you are and it should
help make you stronger and better,
and you should learn from it.”
### -Sarah Hibbert


# Football
“What’s really nice about football
is that we can really focus, get
better during the week, offensively,
defensively, and special teams, and
then try to put it all together on a
Friday or a Saturday.”
### -Charles Gallagher


# Cheerleading
“One of the biggest changes that
occurs each year is the coming
in of new freshmen who usually
don’t have much experience in
cheerleading...which means we
have to prepare them.”
### -Veronica Foreman


# Field Hockey
“My primary goal is for everyone
to get along and have a good time.
That’s number one, and I think
that, in my experience ... that
tends to result in success on a
scoreboard.”
### -Heather Serverson

Coach's Corner

Upcoming games

For many athletes, the match does not start when the
whistle blows — instead, they start mentally and physically
preparing for a game hours or even days beforehand.
Habits such as eating nutritious foods and doing recovery
exercises mostly constitute this preparation. However,
many athletes have also developed rituals or routines that
seem to have no apparent benefit to their matches. For
example, Lebron James routinely tossed a handful of chalk
into the air at the scorer’s table before games started.
Other athletes, such as former MLB relief pitcher Turk
Wendell, had quirkier routines: Wendell would brush
his teeth in the dugout between innings.

These rituals may appear strange to others, but they
can serve an important role in a player’s mental state
during a game. Through a psychological system known
as priming, rituals create a sense of focus and control
while also stimulating muscle memory in athletes. They
also assist in managing an athlete’s nerves when going
into a game. For Chloe Rice ’29, drinking a cup of water
before a match helps calm her.

“It helps the outcome of the match, because if I’m more
nervous during the match, I’m more likely to mess up. But
if I’m more calm then I’ll feel and play better,” said Rice.

In order to be effective, participants must perform
rituals consistently. According to a 2019 Colombia study
by Alana Mendelsohn, the consistency builds neural
pathways in an athlete’s brain and allows them to enter
“flow state” quickly. It also makes athletes more productive
during their training by reducing the friction it takes
to start a task

“I think people like habits. I think habits can form
really good structures for athletes,” said Girls Basketball
and Lacrosse Coach Steffanie Shoop. “For example, when
they eat, when they work out, when they sleep, when they
drink, things like that, I think that’s just an extension of it.”

Rituals and routines are not always performed
individually however. The New Zealand national rugby
team performs a traditional ceremonial performance
called the Haka that comes from the indigenous people
of Mãori before every international game. The purpose
of team rituals differs from the purpose of individual
ones because team rituals also boost overall morale and
increase chemistry between players. They could also work
to intimidate the other teams.

“We have a couple pre-match rituals, but probably my
favorite one is when we all get on one knee we pray, and
then Coach Gallagher says ‘Here we go, Tigers’ as we all
get up, that’s pretty hype in the locker room,” said Simon
Hancock ’29.

Although these routines might not directly improve
an athlete’s physical ability, many players feel that they
indirectly lead to a better performance. The predictability
of a routine usually gives players a sense of control, and
because the outcome of a game is usually anything but
predictable, it can help build up their confidence as well.
Repeating the same actions before a competition can also
help athletes transition from their everyday life to a more
competitive mindset.

Some athletes also have superstitions that they carry
with them to game day. These superstitions could include
only wearing certain colored socks for matches or having
a lucky charm or lucky water bottle. Superstitions serve
the same purpose as rituals in that they provide a sense of
control for athletes. However, superstitions usually are not
actions and can sometimes be more eccentric than rituals.

“I have two things. I got a lucky pair of goggles that I
wear, and they’re my first mirrored goggles that I wore when
I got second in states,” said Michael Chorba ’27. “And a
charm that I have is a bracelet that my grandma gave me
before I got third in states.”

While these rituals and superstitions may appear
superfluous, they are a powerful tool for athletes looking
to build focus and consistency. They also bring teams closer
together both on and off the field, proving their versatility
and effectiveness.

The role of superstition in athletes' lives

For high school athletes, playing a sport in college can
seem like a simple goal: work hard, get better, reach out
to coaches, get recruited. In reality, the college recruiting
process can start years before an athlete ever steps onto a
college field or court. Between tournaments, emails, visits,
academics and contacting coaches, athletes have to figure
out how to stand out in their sport while also balancing their
demanding high school schedules.

For squash player Eric Zhang ’27, ranked third in the
state, the idea of playing in college started early. His parents
originally put him into squash partly because they thought
it could help with college admissions, but Zhang said he did
not seriously consider being recruited until his freshman year.

“I love competing,” said Zhang. “I love practicing. I love
playing, and I guess I was just good enough to play at the
college level, so why not.”

Zhang’s recruiting process officially finished around
October of his junior year. Looking back, he said much of
the process involved communicating with coaches. He was in
contact with six or seven coaches at the time, usually having a
call with each coach about once every two weeks. Eventually,
he went on several college visits that lasted one or two days.

For Zhang, getting noticed by coaches came down to
three main things: competing at high level tournaments,
attending college showcase camps, and reaching out to
schools himself.

“I went to two summer camps [to] meet the coaches and
see the campus, and then lastly, once recruiting started,
I emailed all of the prospective schools that I wanted to
attend,” said Zhang.

Tournaments, rankings, and statistics were especially
important for Zhang because coaches often attend
competitions looking for potential recruits. He said that
having strong results can help athletes stand out when
coaches are deciding who they want to recruit.
Academics are another major part of the process. Zhang
mainly spoke with Ivy League schools, where grades and
test scores can play an especially important role.

“For most schools, your academics are more of a threshold
that you have to meet rather than a differentiating factor,”
said Zhang.

While Zhang has already completed the recruiting
process, now commited to Yale University, Greta Knierim
’27 is still working through it. Although Knierim also
plays basketball and volleyball, she plans on committing
to play softball.

After suffering a major knee injury as a freshman, she
began thinking more seriously about playing softball in
college, but she did not really start focusing on recruiting
until the summer before her junior year, a choice that she
regrets in hindsight.

“Start now. If you’re a freshman, [or] if you’re a sophomore,
start now,” said Knierim.

One of the biggest lessons Knierim has learned is the
importance of exposure. She said playing in large showcases
and attending prospect camps can make a difference
because college coaches and recruiters are more likely to
be at those events.

She also emphasized the importance of consistently
communicating with coaches. Knierim uses recruiting
platforms such as Sports Recruits and Field Level, along
with email and social media, to contact and stay connected
with coaches.

“Consistency is definitely key,” said Knierim. “People
aren’t going to notice you, or colleges aren’t going to reach
out to you, if you email them once a month. I’m talking
twice a week, once a week, for four weeks consistently.”

The process can also be difficult mentally, forcing
athletes to be pragmatic about which schools are actually
possibilities. She originally hoped to play at the University
of Florida, but being a New Jersey athlete made regularly
attending showcases and camps in Florida difficult.

“Being realistic, I want[ed] to go to the University of
Florida for softball,” said Knierim. “That’s an SEC school
in Florida, it’s D1 ... [but] the more I [went through]
my recruitment process, I
was like ‘yeah, this is not
gonna work.’”

Both athletes agreed
that academics should
not be forgotten while
pursuing athletics.
Knierem said that
athletes need to be strong
both academically and
athletically, while Zhang
found that academics
were one of the biggest
factors in his eventual
college decision.

Although recruiting
can feel overwhelming,
Zhang said there is little
reason for athletes who have the ability to play in college
not to try.

“I [would] say [just] go for it. There’s nothing to lose,
there’s really no risk at all, so why not just try? Even if
you change your mind, no one’s forcing you to play,”
said Zhang.

For younger athletes, the recruiting process is not
something that has to be figured out all at once. It can
begin with simply researching schools, improving their
sport, keeping their grades up and learning how to
communicate with coaches. As athletes get older, their
list of potential schools can become smaller and more
realistic.

College recruiting may look different for every athlete,
but the same basic idea remains: preparation matters.
Starting early, staying consistent, and finding the right
balance between academics and athletics can make the
process much more manageable.

The college sports recruiting process

At PHS, student-athletes must be able to transition from
the classroom to practice within minutes, balance academics
and their sport, and be responsible for maintaining their
health. Consequently, strong communication is essential,
whether that be in the form of notifying
teachers about games or meets beforehand,
scheduling their day, or adapting to
last minute changes. Unfortunately, the
new statewide phone ban has forced
student-athletes to change the way they
communicate.

Before the ban, team communication
was simple. If practice details were
changed, a captain or coach could send a
message out. If athletes needed to know
what to wear, someone could text the
team. If there was a team bonding activity, everyone
could be notified almost immediately. Now, much of that
communication is done through email or has to wait until
the end of the school day. That might not sound like a
huge problem, but when it comes to organizing an entire
team, it can become one.

“We email now, which just sucks because no one ever
sees it, and we always have to remind people in person,
which is just so stunting in all our plans, [for example]
team bonding,” said Camila Barbosa ’27.

Moreover, Director of Athletics Brian Dzbenski explains
that technology issues hinder communication for sports
that have more participants.

“We’re working right now, with tech support, on enabling
our coaches to do mass emails,” said
Dzbenski. “Because of phishing, we are
limited to 50 [recipients], so coaches
can’t actually email the whole team
and parents.”

Indeed, Rio Giamerese ’27 explains
that the football team was impacted
by these technical difficulties during
the first week of school.

“Our coach had difficulty with his
emails,” said Giamerese. “He could not
send emails out, so everyone really
didn’t know what was happening.”

The phone ban has also affected aspects of sports that
make practices and games special for players. Barbosa
explained that her team uses psyches, or team activities
meant to build excitement and team spirit.

“It’s been a very important part of our team culture,”
said Barbosa. “The fact that we’re not able to take pictures
and post ... makes the team environment [less] together.”

Christine Giacino, the PHS girls soccer coach, has a
different perspective. She has found the ban to be mostly
positive because of the negative effects phones have on
student-athletes.

“I think it’s a big distraction for kids, so I think that not
having their phones is just kind of taking that temptation
away and making it a lot easier to focus on school and
what they actually should be doing throughout the day,”
said Giacino.

Furthermore, Dzbenski adds to this perspective,
arguing that the phone ban wasn’t implemented solely for
educational reasons.

“Students believe that the phone ban occurred because
in education it was just seen as a distraction to learning,”
said Dzbenski. “But that’s not really encompassing the full
reason why the phone ban occurred. I think that it comes
down to excessive screen time and your mental health
and [..] how that affects you over the course of your life.”

Essentially, the absence of phones can strengthen focus
by removing a primary distraction as well as improving
mental health broadly.

However, there are still downsides to the ban. As
aforementioned, communication has been heavily
compromised, at least for the near future, affecting
camaraderie, efficiency, and clarity. Unfortunately, the
phone ban is here to stay and athletes must learn to adapt
to a policy regardless of how they feel about it.

How the new phone ban has affected student-athletes

The Homecoming football game is often
seen as a Friday night tradition, played
under stadium lights after the sun has set.
However, PHS’s rendition of homecoming
this year will look markedly different.
Originally scheduled to be played last
weekend on September 26, the game was
delayed until October 17 due to heavy rain.
Both game dates scheduled Homecoming
for a Saturday afternoon, deviating from
the Friday night tradition.

According to Principal Cecilia Birge, the
decision was a result of scheduling conflicts,
who attributed the change to a combination
of factors beyond the unforseen weather.

“There was a significant referee shortage
in the state,” said Birge. “So that’s what drove
the decision to make it into Saturday.”

The decision to move kickoff to the
daytime was largely the product of budget
constraints. Coordinating the necessary
support from volunteers, teachers, and
custodial staff, paired with the event’s steep
financial price tag, made the logistics of a
Friday night game unsustainable, according
to both PHS Director of Athletics Brian
Dzbenski and Birge. Dzbenski estimated
the price tag of the single night game to be
approximately $26,000.

“There are lots of moving parts when
you organize a community-wide event,
and we simply just couldn’t pull it off from
a logistic perspective,” said Birge. “Lights
[have become] a lot more expensive...and
we always rent lights.”

Although the daytime setting might
alleviate financial pressures, the change in
atmosphere has become a concern for the
team. According to quarterback Quinton
deFaria ’28, the hype around Homecoming
is a big moment for the team, especially the
seniors.

“I bet the [seniors are] way more frustrated
than I am.” said deFaria. “It’s their last
chance to really have a Friday night [game]
at home, and I bet it’s frustrating for them
because they’ve had some good seasons
coming into it.”

Indeed, the climate of the game won’t just
be noticeable to the players; rather, it will
force supporters to adapt.
“It’s one of the bigger games of the year
for us,” said deFaria. “It’s [this] kind of the
atmosphere that [players and fans] feel.
Because, you know, under the lights at a home
game when you have the whole school in the
stands, it’s one of the most surreal feelings,
to be honest.”

In the future, there is still a possibility that
Homecoming will return to the traditional
nighttime kickoff.

“Next year, we’ll have a better chance to
get a night event,” said Birge. “But, beyond
that, I don’t know because each year the
schedule changes...we [also] continue
to struggle with budget constraints and
transportation costs.”


Similar to the changes surrounding the
game, the events proceeding the game have
also been significantly modified. In the
past, PHS hosted a dance for students to
attend after the game, a nearly universal
tradition across high schools in the
country. However, this year will feature
events such as a Spikeball tournament and
a movie, both of which will be organized
by our Student Council. Shaan Patel ’29,
the sophomore class president, explains
that the decision, however, isn’t related
to costs.

“In recent years, we struggled heavily
with getting students from all four grades to
come,” said Patel. “It is very heavily freshman
populated, and some sophomores will come.
But besides that, juniors and seniors don’t
really find it compelling.”

Therefore, they decided to redirect their
efforts into new events. Specifically, they
believe that the movie will be a success
amongst the student body.

“We’re putting flyers around that
promote both the homecoming football
game and the movie itself,” said Patel “I
don’t think there’s a solid replacement to
the Friday night football game...but I think
this is very close second. If we can find a
way to get a lot of people there, then it can
be just as good for our school spirit and
our collaboration across all four grades.”

Ultimately, the long standing
Homecoming tradition still attempts to live
on at PHS—albeit in a new form. The new
date, October 17, will coincide also with
the previously planned Senior Day, meaning
that seniors will experience a unique
combination of events for Homecoming
game.While the football team hopes that
the game returns under the lights, they will
still be depending on the community to turn
out and show their support.

“When you see the true school spirit that
comes out of it ... it’s a chance for the whole
school to come together as one and just
support a team that’s been working really
hard,” said deFaria.

Photo: Winston Jung

After being disqualified from last year’s playoffs, the PHS football team is trying to make the playoffs once more. The rescheduled homecoming game against Trenton on October 17 will be crucial in determining guaranteeing a spot and determining their seeding once the playoffs start.

Homecoming: No longer 'under the lights'

Student Takes: What is your preferred way to read?

Back-to-school mini crosswords

As the sound of tickets being scanned echoes throughout the halls of Madison Square Garden, eager fans file through merch lines and concession stands to find their seat.
Beyond the balcony, past the floor seats, the empty stage waits for action. Summertime is
peak concert season, with seemingly everyone posting on their social media a different
concert each week. Throughout my summer, I attended four concerts, each varying in
location, size, and my knowledge of the artist. Despite this, all were equally enjoyable,
proving to me that no matter the what the concert is and where it is, the experience of
listening to music with others can be gratifying and entertaining.

June began with two performances that were a part of the Princeton Festival by the
Princeton Symphony Orchestra at Morven. The first featured Queen Nation, one of
the leading Queen cover bands in the country. Since I have been listening to Queen
on vinyl since I was young, I was curious to see how the band would compare to the
original Queen. While some cover bands put their own spin on songs, this band is
determined to replicate each note and voice inflection of Queen. For this performance,
I had front row seats and was constantly being given necklaces, boas, guitar picks, and
other memorabilia the band members had with them on stage. The interactiveness of
the concert only added to the personality the members developed on stage. The four
bandmates had wigs, costumes, and accessories that demonstrated their understanding
of Queen’s 70s and 80s era. Most memorably, the lead singer Greg Finsley wore tank
tops, shorts, and hats that looked like they came straight from Freddie Mercury’s closet.
Songs like “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Bicycle Race,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” had the
crowd out of their seats dancing, spilling into any free space available. At the end of
the concert I was covered in pearl and gemstone necklaces from the bass player and
lead singer, I had two guitar picks from the lead guitarist, and sore legs from jumping
around with everyone to classic rock songs from my childhood.

The second performance at Morven featured the Bacon Brothers, a folk rock band
with Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon and his Emmy-award-winning brother Michael
Bacon. Arriving at the performance pavilion with my family friends, I had no clue what
type of music I would be listening to for the next two to three hours. As a fan of Kevin
Bacon, I was excited to see him perform in a completely different light, and only a few
feet in front of me rather than on my television. Most songs were originals and were a
fusion of folk, rock, country, and soul. My favorite songs were “Dark Chocolate Eyes”
and “Old Bronco.” In between songs, the brothers would explain their song writing
and producing process, with both of them bouncing off each other. While leaving the
concert venue, I reflected on the fact that even though I didn’t recognize a single song,
I enjoyed being exposed to a new band with music I don’t generally listen to with the
people that I care about.

In contrast to the Bacon Brothers concert, the following concert was of Madison Beer,
an artist I listen to religiously, and it was at Madison Square Garden, my seats being
somewhat in the nosebleeds. On the train ride to Penn Station I was blasting her album
Locket through my headphones, mouthing every lyric like it was the Pledge of Allegiance.
This was my second time seeing Beer live, the first time at Radio City Music Hall in
2024. Throughout the concert, I was constantly dancing around, watching everyone
around me do the same. Emotional ballads like “Reckless” and house-inspired “Make
You Mine” had the crowd belting one minute and then jumping up and down in unison
the next minute. Beer’s outfits, set pieces, and ad-libs only added to the experience. As
the confetti cannons erupted with white confetti over the pit, one of my favorite artists
had just performed all the songs I listened to on repeat for the past year, my voice was
gone, my legs were sore from jumping, and my camera roll was full.

To finish off the summer, I got to see Bruno Mars at MetLife Stadium along with Raye,
his opening act. Similarly to Madison Beer, I had listened to Mars throughout the summer
and was prepared to sing my heart out. Despite the constant battle to get concert tickets,
I scored floor seats 20 rows away from the stage. I had seen clips of his performances
online and was excited to see his on-stage personality and his dance ability in real life.
As expected, Mars and his band kept the audience engaged and on their feet for three
hours plus an extensive encore. One of my favorite set pieces included a red Cadillac
Allanté that Mars stood on to sing “That’s What I Like.” From up-beat romance songs
to emotional breakup tracks, confetti canons, and flame jets, I was constantly surprised
by the level at which Mars was performing. However, the most enjoyable aspect was
experiencing this performance alongside my family. For some, it was their first concert,
and I could see the amazement in their eyes. We sang and swayed together, we sang to
each other, and we took photos that now are hung up in my room.

Throughout the summer, live music created lasting memories for my friends and family,
exposed me to new styles, left me with new songs to add to my playlists and photos to
hang up on my walls.

Summer concert memories

Growing up in an artistic family, Eve Kavookjian ’27 has
always been surrounded by art since a young age. From
Pottery Club to Tech Crew, Kavookjian constantly immerses
herself in art, making it into an essential part of her life.
As a leader of Pottery Club and a member of stage crew
since eighth grade, Kavookijan hopes to continue finding
community in these activities in college.

#### What attracted you to pottery? What about Tech Crew? #

I first started doing pottery in fifth grade, [when] I did
a summer camp at a local place where I used to live, and
[it] kind of just really spiraled from there. I got to do more
classes locally and work on it in school and take three
art classes. [As for tech crew], when I first moved here
in eighth grade, my friend joined it, and I had interest,
and I was like, “all right, why not?” So I [joined] it then,
and I was like, “Wow.” I’ve always loved painting and I
really enjoyed the painting part of it. And I just got very
immersed in that world. It was nice to be in such an artsy
environment, and so many people working on this one
big project.

#### Does this unique blend of Pottery Club and Tech Crew affect one club or the other?

Tech Crew definitely has more influence on the function
of Pottery Club, because Tech Crew was a system I
already walked into. Pottery Club is something that I got
to build up and have more influence over, like when we
meet and what we do and how that’s handled. So I think
my experience with group dynamics in Tech Crew have
had an influence on how I run Pottery Club. Just seeing
what works and what doesn’t and observing those group
dynamics there.

#### Who do you look up to for inspiration? ####
A lot of my family is very artistic, and I think that it’s
just intrinsic, but also fostered by being surrounded by
[art] so much when we were little. Especially getting
social media, being able to see all these artists posting
in real time and not just seeing works from hundreds of
years ago, is really, really cool. I just always had an interest
and always loved making things and sort of expressing
[myself] with that.[In Tech Crew], there’s two people I very much looked up to, who were the two head painters before me. Pearl
and Isabella, they were a senior and a junior when I joined
in freshman year, and they were also the old presidents of
Pottery Club. ... They were very big idols and still some
of my closest friends, which I think is great. They taught
me all the things that I now teach all the little freshmen
how to do, and they were great guiding figures within Tech
Crew and Pottery Club and just high school artsy life.

#### How would you say Tech Crew and Pottery Club affected your high school experience?
You’re really just who you surround yourself with and
the community you curate. And I think I’ve surrounded
myself in the Tech Crew community and started to
curate this Pottery Club community and just being
around so many artsy high schoolers and exploring that
with everyone. I think it’s really great and has been a
huge part of my life the past few years and I hope it will
stay a big part of my life.

#### What’s a favorite memory from these clubs?
Probably when we unload the kiln and everything’s
all finished being fired and people get to see their final
products from all the projects they’ve been working on
the past couple weeks; getting to hand it to people and
watching them be like “Oh my gosh, no way I made this.”
Their faces light up. They’re so happy, and so excited.
I just think that’s awesome to see people so proud of
themselves and realizing what they can do. And similarly,
with Tech Crew, just getting to watch after everything
has been loaded onto the stage and putting the finishing
touches on everything and just looking at this massive
product that you’ve spent months working on. ... Just
seeing it all together is awesome.

#### Do you see yourself joining Pottery Club or Tech Crew in college?
Definitely. I think Tech Crew in college might be a
whole other level of commitment. But I do want to go to
art school and then I do really, really want to continue
doing some sort of ceramic stuff in a pottery club ... and
definitely still do stage crew or engage with shows. Because
it’s been such a big part of my life for so long and it’s hard
to lose it after all this time.

Student artist of the month: Eve Kavookjian ’27

##
### Mural Club ###
The walls of Princeton High School
weren’t always as colorful as they are
today. Thanks to countless students
across different generations, the white and
gray color scheme of the inside of PHS
has slowly been filling up with creative
art projects that represent the school
community and showcase the talents of
our students. Recently, Mural Club has
been bringing life to the hallways all across
the school.

The Mural Club follows a system of
planning and execution that allows them
to finish a full mural within a single school
year. With multiple artists focusing on each
part of the process, the group can piece
together different ideas until a completed
design is agreed upon and put onto the
walls of PHS.

“The club leaders usually have an initial
idea as to where they could have a mural,
... and then from there, we just kind of
brainstorm ideas together,” said Milla
Petrecca ’28, a member of Mural Club.
“Once we have a design, we meet up, and
then we project it onto the wall, and we
do tracings first, and then we just kind of
go back and forth, referencing our photo,
and the traces that we have when we fill it
in [with paint].”

Mural Club members meet often during
each stage, collaborating to create a design,
and then working together to paint it
in sections as the year comes to an end.
The club serves as a welcoming space for
students to express their artistic talents
and relax at the end of long school days.

“Everybody was so helpful and nice.
There wasn’t any conflict, everybody kind
of went with the flow, but they still offered
their ideas.” said Petrecca. “I think it was
just a good space to get your artistic kind
of side out. ... We just kind of talked it
through, and it just flowed really well.”

A lot of time is put into creating a
mural, but in the end the members and
the students of PHS alike get to enjoy the
finished product created by the club.

“My favorite part [is] meeting up every
paint session and just seeing it slowly come
to life from the rough sketch to the final
full thing. It was pretty great to see what we
had [drawn] on this iPad be projected onto
an actual wall in the school,” said Petrecca.

During the 2025—2026 school year, the
Mural Club painted a language-themed
design above the lockers in the 260s
hallway. As spring rolled around, members
of the club could be seen painting during
Flex Time and after school every few days,
slowly filling in the artwork until it was
completed. When the piece was finished,
those who worked on it got to sign their
names on the wall next to the final mural.

“It felt great. I mean, I felt so part of the
community. ... I felt so involved and happy
to see our masterpiece and to get to sign
my name and be part of it,” said member
Elliana Levitskiy ’29.

As the club leaders begin to prepare and
brainstorm for this upcoming year, they
have a few hallways in mind. One hallway
that the club members mentioned was the
Twilight Zone, or the 200s hallway.

“I just have some ideas and I’m really
excited to ... plan those and actually get
them onto the school [walls] and leave my
mark in a cool way,” said Petrecca.

### The Bibimbops ###
Established in 2018, the Bibimbops are
a K-pop cover dance group. This club is a
sub-group of PHS’s Korean Club, a club
that is known to co-host the PHS Asian
Fest. Once named the Korean Cover
Group, the Bibimbops recently rebranded
their name, choosing to be called the
Bibimbops instead.

Meetings for the Bibimbops are a mix
of practicing skills and group bonding.
The members often meet in the dance
studio during break or Flex Time, and
spend time talking while eating their
lunches. After that, they dive into the
specifics of the dance they are focusing
on that day. Sometimes the group will
isolate specific sections that they find
troubling, and other days they will do
complete run-throughs of everything
they have worked on.

“I think my favorite part [of the club] is
dancing, and also just getting to know a
lot of people that have the same interests
as me, and just forming a tight-knit group
of friends. ... This club is really nice,” said
leader Jeemin Kim ’29.

The group performs at a few different
venues, such as PHS’s Asian Fest, Princeton
Public Library, Day of Dialogue, and PHS
Got Talent. Last year, at the school-wide
talent show, the Bibimbops received the
“Student’s Choice” award.

“Asian Fest is near March, and we
start late September to October. It takes
us maybe about a month or two to ...
know the basics of the dance, ... and
then we spend those other months really
articulating how to solidify our dances
and focus on certain details,” said Kim.

Learning every dance is different,
but the Bibimbops have a few strategies
they’ve found to help learn and practice
a dance. The members make use of
online recordings of the original groups
practicing or performing to help figure
out the correct moves and steps. They
also focus on breaking the dance down
based on body parts, focusing solely on
the arm movements or leg movements,
and then combining them to ensure a
clean and synchronized dance.

“Sometimes we follow a tutorial, but
other times, we just look at the group’s
dance practice, but we use a mirror
version, and then we just slow it down
and then learn it step by step, and then we
practice it and get it faster,” said member
Hanlin Ren ’29.

In many dances, specific moves are
delegated to specific people within
the original group that is performing.
Because of this, the Bibimbops have to
assign specific “roles” to their members
for certain dances so that the parts can
work smoothly together.

“We usually go by who wants to be
who. ... If you have a bias, a person that
you really like in the group, then you
can probably do that,” said Ren, “And
usually the people who are older get to
pick who they want, but it’s usually just
pretty random.”

The group is excited to meet all of their
new members and start their pieces for
this year. With the club leaders already
picked out, the Bibimbops are prepared
for the 2026—2027 school year’s dance
covers and events to come.

photo:Emily Kim

The Mural Club’s most recent project in the language hall of PHS.

Two clubs using art to serve their community

The sounds of classical, pop, rock, alternative, and
folk music resonated across the inside of businesses
around Princeton as musicians performed their sets in
venues very different from what they expected: instead
of neighbor’s porches, 9 indoor venues served as the
new stage. Crowds were ferried from venue to venue
with a provided free shuttle to stay out of the rain, all
while listening to all different genres of music while also
enjoying lunch and snacks from the sponsors of Porchfest.
While the venues were an unexpected change, the goal
remained the same: to build community connection.

On Saturday, September 26, from 12:00 p.m. to
6:00 p.m., people from all over New Jersey gathered at
indoor venues around downtown Princeton to celebrate
the town’s fifth annual Porchfest. Organized by the Arts
Council of Princeton and sponsored by various local
businesses, Porchfest is a departure from the traditional
concert hall venue of performances and instead offers a
community-centered approach to hosting music.

“Our mission at the Arts Council is to build
community through the arts, and [Porchfest] exemplifies
our mission,” said Porchfest organizer Melissa Kuscin.
“[These venues] are totally putting their trust in us and
in the musicians that are signing up in equal goodwill
to bring people happiness.”

After the need to shift indoors, several local
businesses and organizations offered up space for
performances under their roofs. The Princeton Public
Library, the Princeton University Art Museum and
Kristine’s were among the venues that hosted indoor
performances.

“It can be hard to find an open mic space or a place
to perform music if you don’t have an established place
[where] you’re learning,” said Eve Kavookjian ’27, a
volunteer at the 2025 Porchfest. “So I think [Porchfest]
is really great for people who just want to ... have a time
to perform. ... It’s really good to help younger artists
get themselves out.”

Princeton’s Porchfest is part of a much larger, national
stage. Although the event is now held all over America,
the first Porchfest was held in Ithaca, New York, in 2007.
Beginning as a small gathering of just 500 people in 2022,
Princeton’s Porchfest has grown into a staple event.

The event has also evolved beyond just featuring
music. The Arts Council promoted local businesses
in return for their sponsoring and funding Porchfest,
allowing attendees to grab snacks and meals as part of
the experience. Additionally, poets and storytellers now
also get a stage.

“It’s a super intimate, welcoming group of poets and
storytellers. ... Porchfest is a way for us ... to feature
these storytellers and poets outside, [and introduce]
them to a whole new group of listeners,” said Kucsin.

Originally scheduled for April 25, this year’s Porchfest
was initially cancelled for the first time in the event’s
history after the day brought intense storms, despite
the event being typically rain-or-shine. The indoors
rendition of Porchfest was also caused by last weekend’s
nor’easter.

“We can put up with a little rain, we can put up with
a little wind, but it was going to be just a very powerful
combination of all the things, and when you’re working
with musicians that have electronic instruments and
equipment, it was determined to be the best course of
action,” Kucsin said of the April postponement.

The itinerary of the event was affected by both the
weather and the date change from the spring. When
performers lined up in April were unavailable to perform
on the new date, the organizers pulled from the waitlist
of performances to fill in the gaps.

Though the event will in the future likely retain its
annual April date, the organizers are interested in how
the audience reacted to the new setting.

“September is feeling really good. There’s always a
lot of events going on this time of year, though, so I’d
like to just to do a little bit of analysis ... say, ‘did we
notice any decline in attendance?’ ... It’s always nice
to make sure that it worked just like we wanted to,”
Kucsin said.

This year, Porchfest ended with a final performance
at Graduate by Hilton Princeton. Beginning with a
performance by the band Tony & The Trees at 5:15
p.m., the final event also offered a beer afterparty at
6:30p.m.

“[My favorite moment at Porchfest is] to hear all the
people recuperating with their friends or family [after]
they met up and they had gone in different directions,”
said Kavookjian. “They [said], ‘Oh, I heard this great
thing, and I heard this great thing,’ and they’re able to
share that with each other, and then connect over that.”

Porchfest was an opportunity for performers and
attendees alike to connect with one another and share
a day filled with music, food, and poetry.

“You could wander around and do no planning
at all, and you’re going to have a good time, so come
with an open mind and stop for snacks along the way,”
said Kuscin.


photo: Emily Kim

The Princeton Tigerlillies A Capella group performed at the Princeton University Art Museum during Porchfest last weekend.

Princeton's 5th annual Porchfest features indoor performances due to inclement weather

What is Terror? I know him when I take a test worth half my quarter grade, when I step too close to the edge of the path on a mountain hike, when a car gets a little too close for comfort while I cross the road. Maybe I also know Terror when a lockdown is called, unsure if it’s real or not; when a shelter-in-place is called and I hear something rolling outside while I hope that everyone is okay. I know Terror as a friend who shakes my shoulders when I cannot see him, then, most times, winks and leaves. 

Unlike me, my father knows Terror from his days in India, a man who he thought he left behind when he moved to America. Terror was in every Indian railway station that was mobbed as part of a riot, was sat in every train that departed with a bomb disguised as a radio left in it. My father knew Terror as a man carrying a gun, a bomb, an allegiance, and sometimes none of the three.

My father arrived in America in 2000 for a job opportunity here that he could not achieve in India. But more than that, America was a better land for life. Supposedly, here, kidnapping and stabbing didn’t lurk behind every dark corner, whereas in his motherland they were comfortable showing their faces even in the light. 

Terror was never meant to cross the Atlantic. Terror was never meant to board American Airlines Flight 11.

So we tried our best to make sure this would never, ever happen again. We installed metal detectors, increased surveillance, went to war to kill the man who brought Terror to our doorstep. All of these things helped. We have not since seen Terror like we did on September 11. 

But listening to my father’s stories has taught me more about who Terror truly is. We have made it harder for Terror to act, but if someone is willing to lay down their life for him, they will do it by any means necessary. 

The hands of Terror are present in the idea that politics is “us versus them” just as they are present in bombings and plane crashes and riots and shootings. Terror whispers that some people are our enemies, that they are destroying our country, and that something must be done about them. Terror wins when we believe that violence to innocents is justified. 

My father thought Terror did not dwell in the U.S. because he misunderstood Terror’s range. Terror is not Indian, he is not American, he is not Eastern, he is not Western, he is not old, he is not young, he is not Christian, he is not Muslim, he is not Hindu, he is not left-wing, he is not right-wing. He feeds on division.

I want Terror to remain my friend. I hope that I can live a life where he is only my shaky hands before a test, only the pit in my stomach when I look a long way down, only the feeling I get when I have to speak in front of a crowd. But if we do not seek to understand one another, I fear I will come to know him as the killer my father knew. On this 25th anniversary of 9/11, remember that Terror is not always external. Remember that he can grow within our own community when disagreement usurps humanity. Remember the consequences of allowing division to become hatred and hatred to become violence. 

Never forget.


The meaning of terror

Today, AI and other modern tech innovations have completely changed the modern work standard, bringing great productivity increases — and even greater fears of falling behind into the  eternal cycle of poverty. To attempt to escape these fears, young adults are pursuing what they perceive to be the only path to success in this ever-changing world: grind culture. Grind culture, defined by the belief that the only path to monetary success is constant hard work, long hours, and complete availability, has become a widespread ideology. Although these qualities may seem beneficial to a person’s career, the fearmongering that grind culture encourages, alongside its mental health harms, renders it a detriment to society. 

Recently, young people are facing numerous economic challenges: housing, fuel, groceries, utilities, education, and healthcare costs have all skyrocketed. Grind culture is, in many ways, a response to the increasing unaffordability of life: survival only comes from working hard all the time. However, constant effort most often results in burnout, anxiety, and lowered productivity — making it counterintuitive for young adults aiming for financial stability. 

Though inflation-adjusted salaries have largely remained stagnant since 1960, purchasing power has severely declined amongst younger generations. If one worked hard in previous generations, there was a foreseeable reward, but currently, it has become nearly impossible to buy a home, especially if one is on the federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour). Home prices are just one example of the disparate financial realities between the oldest and youngest generations. 

Grind culture uses fearmongering tactics to convince people that if one does not follow this lifestyle, they will suffer from an unaffordable world for the rest of their years. The idea of the “permanent underclass,” a future where artificial intelligence replaces human labor, while the world is ruled by elites, only exacerbates these fears by promoting a dystopian future. If the stakes are permanently being subjugated, one would be much more willing to follow the lifestyle grind culture emphasizes.

Another motivation to be employed in high-stress, high-paying professions is student debt, composed mostly of federal student loan debt. Federal student loan debt can almost never be discharged through bankruptcy and will dog a person’s footsteps for the rest of their lives. When coupled with interest rates, student loan debt is a major barrier for millions of Americans to financial security.
 
Thus, the increasingly widespread goal of working in professions such as investment banking or consulting is a product of the desire to become financially secure. Both of these careers require incredibly long hours and little work life balance, embodying much of the grind culture. While this may be worth it to those who are simply seeking more wealth, the vast majority of professions do not require the grind culture mentality to be successful. 

Especially with the increases in corporate mass layoffs, trust and loyalty to companies is at a very low point. Working hard for a company no longer produces the same results, with millions of people being laid-off annually. 

Instead of glorifying grind culture as a mindset encouraging young people to work hard, we should regard it as the manifestation of all our unfounded fears — the idea that success is fleeting and that permanent failure is always just one step away.

It’s not wrong to want to work hard and chase an A on a test, or attempt to win a competitive internship, but it can become a vice when it gets excessive. There is more to life than schoolwork or any job. Unlike what grind culture assumes, one bad grade, a slightly lower paycheck, or even being laid off long-term can be recovered from, but trading away your health, time, and satisfaction, is something you can never regain. No one aspect of life should dominate all others: balance is necessary for proper happiness and joy.


Chasing the money

The “looksmaxxing” community is the newest, most controversial trend to hit our TikTok algorithm. The community, composed of predominantly teenage boys, tries to improve their physical appearance through methods that are impractical at best and nonsensical at worst. Influencers target a demographic insecure with their changing bodies — promising a “glow up” that dismisses the natural aging process. The objective is to “ascend” to a higher tier of looks, guided by the hope that improving one’s face could enhance a future “predetermined by genetics.” 

But why did this trend become so popular? Originating in online forums, looksmaxxing became popular on mainstream social media apps like Tiktok and Reddit. These platforms guaranteed fame to attractive individuals, leading to popular videos of beauty influencers showcasing an ideal life and pushing their routines onto a young audience. Simultaneously, viral “glow up” videos and “mogging” clips led people to equate attractiveness to superiority.  Universal standards of beauty spread online via videos of beauty charts and ideal proportions, and the closer one got to this convention, the quicker they became successful.

Participants’ looksmaxxing routines frequently initiate with “softmaxxing,” which include healthy habits such as daily exercise and skincare. However, the trend infamously encourages a relentless pursuit toward an ideal face, leading individuals into “hardmaxxing” — a set of practices to address genetic constraints by surgery or dangerous activities. Popular practices in this extreme include “bonesmashing,” performed by the streamer Clavicular, where he  hits his jawbone with a hammer to achieve hollow cheekbones. Though discouraged from a medical standpoint, idolization for hardmaxxing persists among a wide audience. 
 
A large portion of the looksmaxxing community follows the guidance of popular internet figures, like Kareem Shami and Clavicular, who have posted several viral videos of their transformations. Monetizing their enhanced appearance, such influencers sell supplements and personal consultation sessions to their followers. Their videos encourage one to comply by, or better yet purchase, guides with straightforward exercises and quick-fix vitamins. In addition, these figures adopt a misogynistic online personality. For example, Clavicular’s live streams on Kick are frequently set in a club, where women act as props to add to his “alpha” persona. In an interview with Adam Friedland, he stated women are “outrageously hypergamous” and have an “exponentially easier time living life.” His widespread fame, evident by the million followers on TikTok, suggests the impact of these ideas.

Another major problem arises with the principles of looksmaxxing, which propagate toxic masculinity. General advice often dismisses feminine men, associating “female features” with inferiority. Instead, a man is encouraged to chase “dominance,” reflective of traditional male roles that reject self-expression. This performative masculinity distances men in relationships and prioritizes a hierarchy instead of genuine connection with their partners. 

Although looksmaxxing follows the existent lookism in society, recent pushback rejuvenates rejection against this bias. Modern movements toward acceptance and diversity minimize the effects of beauty influencers, while medical organizations such as Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institutes of Health warn about the negative side effects of the trend and persistent surgeries. Really, if one wants to look better, there’s no beating eating healthy, adopting hygienic habits, and exercising regularly.


The pinnacle of male beauty

In the past few years, PHS has designated new religious holidays as days off (like Eid-al Fitr in 2024) and the US government has introduced new federal holidays in an effort towards inclusion (like Juneteenth). This shift raises a broader question: how can PHS fairly recognize a diverse student body when it’s impossible to grant every single religious holiday a day off?


Historically, American school calendars have been based around a Christian-dominated community. Breaks around Christmas and Easter have been standard for generations, which makes sense because the US is a predominantly Christian country. However, with the US becoming home to an increasing number of religions, the question of when to give students a day off becomes increasingly difficult.
As Princeton has become more and more diverse, PHS has addressed this dilemma by adding new holidays to the calendar, like Eid al-Fitr and Lunar New Year.  PHS’s core values include student diversity and community advocacy, so it seems only fair that these groups vocalize their desire for the same representation as other groups.


However, simply adding more religious holidays to the list may not be the perfect solution. New Jersey is estimated to be home to dozens of religions, and there are too many important observances across different religions for PHS to close for all of them.  
PHS currently closes for the following holidays: Yom Kippur, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year, and typically closes for Rosh Hashanah and Diwali when these don’t fall on a weekend. Though on the Princeton Public Schools Website our  break in December is called “Winter Break,” it always falls during Christmas, and our Spring Break typically falls around Easter, emphasizing Christian holidays’ continued importance in our school system and nation as a whole. If we choose some but not others we are faced with the question of who gets represented and who gets left out. 


The important thing to recognize is that religious inclusion does not always have to mean a day off. PHS should continue to ensure that students who observe religious holidays while school is in session are still accommodated. PHS should also make sure that students observing a major holiday aren’t expected to take tests, give presentations, or meet major deadlines on the days they return to school. This allows more religions to be respected without having to close school every time. 


Though PHS’s approach solves the issue of major calendar holidays, true religious inclusion means recognizing less visible, daily practices. Commitments such as in Ramadan and Lent go beyond just a single day off, interfering with homework and class hours. If academics and faith clash, students and staff may still have to choose. The real solution lies in deepening cultural awareness so students and teachers understand these varied traditions. Though administrative policies may protect grades on well-known holidays, everyday cultural literacy ensures these ongoing practices are met with basic understanding. 


PHS’s current model works well, but its impact depends on how well the school community understands these traditions, including the quieter ones. Ultimate equity is realized not just through calendar policies, but through an academic environment that recognizes the backgrounds of its students every day. 

On PHS’s religion policy

Despite how much educators enjoy scapegoating AI for impairing modern learning, the role that AI plays is overstated. 

Specifically, the deeper issue is psychological, lying within the worldview of adolescents, which translates directly to their interpretation of the value of education. As reports demonstrate that youth cynicism is trending upward, the rise in adolescent indifference can be attributed to factors such as a constant overexposure to media, possibly leading to compassion fatigue. 
In education, student engagement has begun to decline, with the term “student apathy” being coined to describe the lack of interest shown in classrooms. Worse yet, this disinterest is only being compounded by a feedback loop where students see peers becoming disillusioned with learning and view it as the new norm. 

Devastatingly, it can lead to choices such as actively lying about how much effort students put into learning. However, this could be only a symptom of a deeper problem: fear. Simply put, the idea that effort is bad can be tied to various fears, such as fear of vulnerability, fear of judgment, fear of incompetence, among others. Lies such as claiming to have not studied before a test serve as a way to cope with poor results before they even see the exam. By doing so, students avoid the negative feelings associated with said poor results, shielding themselves from disappointment. Alternatively, students could also use these lies as a way of trying to seem more intelligent — by putting in less effort to achieve strong results, they seem to learn things faster than others, thus seeming more intelligent. Even though these reasons seem childish, students are often blinded by the pressure to succeed from peers, parents, and themselves. Consequently, they will do their best to appear as successful despite how extra it is.


Unfortunately, this mentality poses serious threats to students and their peers. By downplaying their own effort, students aren’t just denying themselves recognition of their work, but they are also actively harming others. More specifically, this attitude leads to a  belief that other people are able to do the same level of work whereas they have to put in hours of effort, causing students to feel like frauds despite their achievements. This phenomenon is termed imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome exacerbates the stresses related to school, leading to anxiety, burnout, and low self-esteem. On the other hand, the impacts extend beyond school; in fact, it is a universal fear of being exposed as a fraud wherever they are. Thankfully, imposter syndrome, albeit deeply ingrained, can be overcome by tracking small wins, the opposite of how students are treating learning right now.


Shifting students’ mindset around learning is extremely difficult, but it’s a necessary step to foster a more inclusive environment where students are able to take pride in their work. Every person learns and does things at their own pace, and that’s perfectly fine. You are your own greatest competition, so work hard to beat every old version of yourself. Be chalant.

Less work, more results?

Cheers & Jeers: September 2026

On August 31, we each lost our personal devices to a long battle: the New Jersey phone ban. 


This bill is not a ban on phones in schools itself, but rather an agreement that boards set guidelines for phone use in their schools, and a list of requirements that these guidelines must meet. These requirements include prohibiting the use of an “internet-abled device” — smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc. that can access the internet — for “non-academic” purposes during the school day. For the students caught up in this bill, especially older kids who have gotten used to navigating the day with the help of a smartphone, it’s disruptive and frustrating. As one of those students myself, I get it. I get it every time I want to use my AirPods in class, and every time I have a silly question I want to Google. But I also know that a lot of the problems — even the fears sometimes — that come with this phone ban can be resolved with just a little bit of perspective. 


I’ve gathered numerous complaints from students around the school: What if I get sick and need to go home? What if I forget my schedule? What if I forget my computer, or my lunch? How am I supposed to find my friends during break? What if something terrible happens and I need to call 911? We use our phones during the school day for a whole myriad of reasons totally unrelated to accessing the internet or social media. We use our phones to set reminders for ourselves, to check the time, and keep us tethered to a world outside of school.


All of these worries are valid, and of course it’s okay to feel off-kilter. Phones are such a big part of our society nowadays. It’s natural that a lot of young people have trouble imagining how their days might go in the absence of the instant connection and information that technology allows. But it’s important to remember that issues involving human relations and privacy cannot be black and white. And sometimes, when we are faced with wide-reaching, unprecedented problems, the only thing to do until effective solutions can be found is eliminate the problem at its source. I don’t think this bill is going to be a permanent solution to the problem, but while it is in place, there are tons of common sense solutions to the daily annoyances that come along with it.


For instance, you can establish a singular spot to meet up with your friends for lunch every day. Communication problem solved.
Learning to navigate school life without the help of our phones is not going to be seamless. But for ages, people found ways to live and thrive in schools without the use of technology at all. It may seem a little silly or demeaning, but there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to do the same today. 

Photo: Katherine Chen

Each classroom now features a card for students to scan their phone into the optional Doorman app.

The phone ban isn’t bad, actually

PHS Speaks Out: How has the phone ban affected you?

Economics is the science of figuring out how to satisfy unlimited wants with limited resources. For any government, the question is, “How do we decide who to give more to, and who to give less to?” When the government has to manage almost 1.5 billion people, like the Indian government does, making a fair system becomes increasingly difficult. The answer they came up with was simple: make a test, and the people who score the best get into the best colleges and get the best jobs. 


Unfortunately, this meritocracy often ends up being dehumanizing.
In America, it is almost unthinkable to riot over a leaked test paper, but in India, that test paper defines your future. The sports you play mean nothing, the charity efforts you run are worthless, and your musical talent is ignored. The ticket out of poverty and into a better life is solely that number that the examiner gives you. Spots are intensely limited; for the NEET college entrance exam (the exam that had its questions leaked), 2.4 million people apply for 100,000 total spots. If anyone gets an unfair advantage, the whole system collapses. The very idea of social mobility disappears. 


Many students in India do nothing but study 10 hours a day for the last two years of their high school experience. There are schools that feign attendance numbers solely to allow for students to prepare for these exams individually rather than needing to leave the house at all. It is a grueling process that strips students of their humanity, all for the promise of potentially being more than what their parents were able to be.


It isn’t very surprising, then, that the government’s ignorance to the disintegrity of the NEET paper upset many students. The government then calling the students cockroaches likely didn’t help much either. Surprisingly, the students rallied behind the name, creating the Cockroach Janta Party, which is a play on the name of the current leadership in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party. Despite not being an official political party, the CJP has advocated for numerous things, with the primary goal being institutional reform for the schooling system. 


The Indian education system is broken, but we can learn from it. Our education system has nowhere near the level of dehumanization that exists in India, but we aren’t immune to pressures that created it; everyone has obsessed over a grade or an SAT score and devoted to those factors far more emotional stress than they’re worth. We all know what it’s like to wonder if we’re “enough” for the strangers in the admissions teams of the colleges we care about. 

A class of cockroaches

Look at any little kid: they fingerpaint, color with crayons, even scribble on the walls. They are not looking over their shoulder to see if someone thinks what they’re doing is pretty. But as we grow up, this creativity gets squeezed out of us. We learn to sort ourselves into categories: the “talented” few and the rest of us.  Somewhere along the way, the child who colored outside the lines was not asked if they enjoyed coloring; they were simply reprimanded for not being neat.  


There is developmental data to back this up. While IQs and SAT scores are rising, creative fluency — the ability to produce ideas — is tanking. A landmark William and Mary study found that from kindergarten up until third grade, fluency increases, but around fourth and fifth grade, it plateaus. Researchers Elizabeth Rosenblatt and Ellen Winner attribute this to children “self-filtering,” or kids checking ideas in their heads for how they will be received before sharing them. When the test was administered 18 years later in 2008, average scores significantly decreased, particularly for the youngest demographic. 


The answer to this drop lies in a culture that constantly pressures us to seek external definitions of success, trapping us in an endless cycle of chasing likes, grades, money, status, and compliments. This harmful mindset gets carried over into our creative lives, when work is altered to give others what they like to see, not what we like to make. This is deeply embedded into society. According to a study by psychologist Jennifer Crocker at the University of Michigan, over 80 percent of college students base their self-worth on their grades and other external markers. When we create solely for an audience, the rawness of our inner selves is watered down.


This pressure is only ramped up by artificial intelligence. Right now, in just seconds, an AI can replicate a famous art style or write a complex poem. Artists find themselves trapped in an uphill battle, fighting to prove that their work is better than a machine. But trying to beat AI at its own game — speed and volume — is a losing fight.


Instead, we need to lean into what the AI can never replicate: intuition, vulnerability, and soul. Art is not another optimization problem we need to solve. It’s an expression of who you are. Ironically, the more vulnerable and true to yourself you are, the more you connect with others through your work. That’s exactly what allows us to form deep connections with paintings and music — we recognize something real, something relatable, something jarring in them that draws us in. Ultimately, it is only when we stop creating for an audience that we can truly connect with one, as we will have finally uncovered ourselves. 

Photo: Katherine Chen

Elsie Davis ’27 unleashes her creativity through painting in Studio Art IV.

Vanguard