In some sports, the competition starts far before the whistle blows. Training, equipment, and travel costs can create invisible barriers, preventing many from entering or even considering playing, while the more privileged few move forward. In elitist sports such as Formula 1, fencing, and horseback riding, access, resources, and social connections often determine who is even allowed to compete. In these sports, the opportunity to compete often matters more than the willingness to play.

Especially in fencing, which requires up to twenty thousand dollars a year to compete in, creating unequal opportunity for players unable to finance the expenses of the sport.

“Just the money and the gear, it’s a lot more expensive than you would think. All of these clubs also require a lot of money,” said Ethan Hu ’27.

Not everyone who can play these sports will participate, which narrows the pool of athletes for these sports even more. On the other hand, other sports like soccer, cross country or track, and volleyball have low barriers of entry, allowing the amount of people who play the sport to be so much higher. Thus, sports such as running find their way into the lives of many people, including PHS students.

“[Almost] everyone can do running as a sport. All you need is some trainers, some proper running clothes, and then you can run,” said cross country runner Isaac Son ’27. 

While sports like running can open the door to nearly anyone with determination, many other sports remain guarded by price tags that only a few can afford. Access to the proper facilities, private coaching, and travel for competitions often determines who is able to join in and participate and who can only watch from the sidelines. This divide can become the most visible in sports that have traditionally been associated with privilege, such as golf and horseback riding. For example, a standard membership at Bella Vista Country Club in Marlboro, New Jersey is $1,300, with an additional $5,000 annual golf fee and $500 monthly fee. 

“[For golf], you have to pay to get into clubs and you need to pay to get into tournaments. It’s pretty expensive, [and] I don’t know anyone who is not wealthy who plays,” said Ronan Madan ’29. “It’s just the way it is.”

Just like in other sports, when athletes don’t have as much financial support, their choices are limited and they are often not able to make the decision they believe would be best for them. When athletes do not own their equipment, potentially due to not being able to, they are put at a disadvantage. For example, in equestrian riding, riders can either own a horse or lease a horse. Owning a horse is significantly more expensive due to maintenance costs like the vet, food, and board. However, it allows for a deeper connection between the rider and animal, leading to greater effectiveness in training, a privilege not available to those who can’t afford to own.

“If you own a horse, you can make your own decisions about your skill level and performance in competitions,” said Andrea McBride ’29. “But if you lease your horse, you don’t have the privilege to make those serious decisions about your sport.”

While the process of learning and starting to play many sports only involves getting a coach and somewhere to practice, some sports, such as F1, golf, and horseback riding, have a high barrier to entry that only money can overcome. Though elitist sports may dazzle fans with precision and discipline, they also expose how deeply inequality runs through the world of athletics. When participation depends on money more than merit, many athletes are left in the dust before they even get a chance to take a step forward.

The reality of elitist sports

On December 18, PHS choirs and orchestras performed in the 80th annual Winter Concert at the Princeton University Chapel. To honor the Neo-Gothic architecture of the chapel, the choirs sang sacred music, and the orchestras finely tuned their instruments to fit the chapel’s echo. 

At the end of the winter concert, the choir program participated in a tradition where they invited PHS alumni to sing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light” by Johann Sebastian Bach with current students. 
To prepare for the concert, the choir members rehearsed their songs in class every day and rehearsed out of school, making sure that they had their pieces memorized.

“Last year we got a lot of one-on-one time with the teachers, but it’s different this year, because there’s a lot more people, so it [was] harder to make sure we got everything completely right,” said Milania Kapoor ’27. 

However, the members of each choir were able to overcome their struggles by putting in hours of hard work and dedication to perform each piece.

The choirs sang a variety of songs from different periods, with a mix of classical and contemporary pieces. PHS Choir performed pieces that were orchestrated so that they could be performed with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra as well.

“PHS Choir [performed] a piece called ‘The Snow’ by Elgar with orchestra with the Princeton Symphony and they [did] with piano at the winter concert. It’s a beautiful piece,” said Vocal Music Teacher Sarah Pelletier.

The repertoire also consisted of songs from different languages, such as Latin, German and Hebrew. The choirs also sang songs of varying tempos, and styles. 

“I’m most excited for when it all [came] together for the concert and being able to perform it for everybody,” said Kapoor. 

The PHS Orchestra students have been practicing since the start of the school year to delve into the composers’ artistic intentions.

“It’s a very grand structure, and so the sounds have a tendency to bounce around a bit. For an ensemble to perform there, it’s a wonderful challenge,” said Instrumental Music Teacher Robert Loughran.

The orchestra will be performing an array of both classical and more modern pieces, including a new Latin flavor.

“‘Le Grand Tango’ by Astor Piazzolla features a solo cellist as well as really interesting orchestra parts. It also actually takes us to Argentina with the rhythms, with the colors that the composer has imagined,” said Loughran.

With a large orchestra, collaboration was essential to ensure a cohesive sound.

“The hardest part of preparing for the concert is trying to put things together and be able to listen to the other people around you in the orchestra, being able to stay together and rehearse off one another. It’s not your part that matters, but how you work with others in the orchestra,” said pianist Chen Jiang ’27.

Besides the classical orchestral instruments, Nassau 2 bass player Bora Akbay ’27 will also be performing alongside PHSO. 
“I’m really confident for the concert. Being a junior in Nassau 2, I’ve had a lot of time to prepare. I feel the most prepared I have, even before Mr. Bongiovi and Mr. Pollack left for [tour], I think they’ve done a great job in preparing me for being able to play the parts that I need to play,” said Akbay.
 
A key component in achieving a harmony of different sounds for one composition is maintaining both a grace with other instruments and a unique quality to individual roles in order to keep the piece cohesive and interesting.

“We played a double bass part, because a lot of pieces don’t have piano parts and for double bass, we kind of have that lowest voice that adds a presence to the songs,” said Jiang.

Photo: Katherine Chen

PHS Choir rehearses “Os Justi” by Anton Bruckner.

Winter concert brings choir and orchestra together

 On Monday December 1, PHS hosted Maud Dahme, a Holocaust survivor from the Netherlands, who shared her story of being a hidden child during World War II. The PHS and larger Princeton community was invited to hear firsthand accounts of perseverance and hope from a woman who experienced one of history's darkest chapters. 

   Dahme was born in Amersfoort, in the Netherlands in 1936. Her father was a chef, who, along with her grandfather, operated a restaurant in a local train station. In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, beginning World War II. 

   “The Netherlands.. was expected to remain neutral in [World War II]. That's why so many people came to the Netherlands, because everyone felt they would be safe.” said Dahme. “But that didn't happen: we woke up one morning in the middle of the night, [at] two in the morning in May of 1940 people… looked outside and they saw German airplanes coming in and soldiers parachuting out. Hitler [had] invaded.”

Dahme’s local synagogue soon received a letter that all Jews in Amersfoort were to take a train towards Eastern Europe, where unbeknownst to them many would be eventually murdered in concentration camps. Dahme’s parents decided to put their daughters in the care of their Christian friends. Through the resistance, these friends were able to find a farm in the countryside to hide Dahme and her sister. 

   “We get to a house in the neighborhood, we get to the garden gate, and my dad gave me the two little suitcases, and he said, ‘We'll see you in a couple of weeks – go in that house, and take very good care of your little sister,” said Dahme.

   Her childhood was incredibly difficult, but even amidst the evil of World War II Dahme found goodness in people. Dahme recalled one moment when she brought to visit a young Jewish boy who was hiding from the Nazis by living under a trap door.
 
   “I was [instructed to bring] him something to eat once a day, but [to] be very careful that nobody [saw] me. [And] everything was fine until one day I brought him something to eat, and came back up with the pot in my hand and looked, and there were half a dozen German soldiers standing there just looking at me. I put the trap door down. They stood and watched,” said Dahme. 

   Dahme recalls praying every night that her action would not lead to the arrest or murder of the boy, her guardians during the war, or her and her sister, and to her relief, it never never did.

   “[When] I became an adult, I realized what happened there. These were soldiers who had been drafted into the army, or they were not Nazis, and probably had families of their own and children, and just pretended they never saw this. Even amongst all this evil that was going on, there was goodness also, and [that] saved our lives.”

   Dahme’s village was eventually liberated by Allied soldiers, but even after the war was over many who survived the Holocaust, including Dahme, did not want to speak up about their experiences. 

  “[They] didn't want to talk about it, not even my own parents. They said, ‘[it’s] over and done, life has to go on. We're not going to talk about it,” said Dahme.

   When Dahme moved to the United States in 1950, she remained silent for many years, in part because of her poor English. It was not until later in her life that she decided that it was time to tell her story. In March of 1981, she saw a program on 60 Minutes about a man named Raul Wamberg who saved many Hungarian Jews during the war. The next week, the presenters shared viewer reactions to the program, including a harmful conspiracy theory from someone Dahme knew personally.

   “The Jews of Europe were not exterminated in gas chambers. The gas chambers were wartime propaganda fantasies,” the comment read.

   The fact that someone she knew could deny the horrible events of the Holocaust shook Dahme deeply, pushing her to communicate the horrific truths of the Holocaust. 

  “This is when I decided I was going to start to speak up. It was very difficult at first, because these were things that were back in my head. I never talked about them. And when you start to tell a story of some experience, as you're describing it, you're seeing it, you're reliving it. But I decided the time had come that I should speak,” said Dahme. 

   Dahme has since written a book about her experience as a hidden child and talked to countless students and teachers across New Jersey, eventually leading to her induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2014. Superintendent Michael LaSusa first met Dahme in his previous school district, and decided it was important she come to PHS too. 

   “Education is what prevents hatred and intolerance. Understanding other people, understanding oneself, having respect for other people, all of that is what we hope to foster when we educate anybody, children and adults. Hearing [Dahme’s] message … reinforces the importance of education as a means of understanding others and reducing … intolerance,” said LaSusa.

Photo: Katherine Chen

Dahme, one of around 220,000 remaining Jewish Holocaust survivors, speaks in PHS’s Performing Arts Center.

PHS hosts Muad Dahme, a Holocaust survivor and “hidden child” during WWII

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

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

Princeton University Art Museum reopens after five years

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

PHS Choir returns to the stage with a classic operetta

### Lima, Peru

On Friday, October 10, 14 exchange students from a district just outside Lima, Peru 
arrived at PHS, beginning their nearly two-week long visit to Princeton designed to help 
them explore American culture and develop bilingualism. The Peruvians had a packed 
schedule of activities: including trips to destinations within Princeton and to multiple 
attractions within New York City, and the Robbinsville BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham 
Hindu Temple.


“I think our host [did] things to [help us] have the feeling of home ... I went to Philadelphia 
last Sunday…and I had a lot of fun there ... I [also] spent time with the family ... playing 
some basketball... and some Monopoly,” said Nicholas Bautista, one of the exchange students.


The exchange students, all currently freshmen, call the Surco district of Lima home, an 
urban district with a population of nearly 400,000. The students attend San José Monterrico, 
a small private bilingual school with about 900 students across grades K-12. They are the 
first batch of students at their school to be part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) 
program, a two-year educational program analogous to AP curriculums.


“I’m very excited, but a little bit scared because … our teacher said that it’s very hard to 
do,” said Renzo Ghersi, one of the students from Peru. “I think, personally, I will handle 
that, but I’m kind of scared about the exam because although we do it in two years from 
now...it’s really difficult and not all people get their diplomas."


Luciana Bedregal, Mateo Esterripa, along with Ghersi and Bautista, all showed a 
particular leaning towards STEM fields — noting that physics, math, and chemistry were 
their favorite subjects in school. However, they also pointed out their school offers a wide 
variety of required social science classes which differ from offerings at PHS. Most of the 
classes at their school are taught in Spanish, with the exception of world history, which is 
taught in English.
The exchange trips PHS hosts, in the eyes of PHS Spanish teacher Idania Rodriguez-Mejia, 


are critical to advancing cultural knowledge of the language.
“[There’s] nothing better than learning about other people’s beliefs firsthand. They’re 
coming from Peru and they are bringing with them who they are and their own unique 
identity.” said Rodriguez. “When students go to Peru, they do the same…that alone creates 
community, open-mindedness and learning.”


### Colmar, France


Celeste Lengrand was one of 44 students from Colmar, France who visited Princeton 
this October while staying with a family of a French-learning PHS student. 


“It’s like an American series with the yellow buses ... [and] the lockers,” said Lengrand.


Colmar’s relationship with Princeton as a “sister-city” dates far beyond this exchange 
trip. The connection was initiated in 1986 by late Princeton Mayor Barbara B. Sigmund 
during the celebration of the Statue of Liberty’s 100th anniversary. Since then, the trip 
has been a lasting connection between the two cities.


“The fact that they can develop a rapport, a relationship, a friendship is the most 
valuable thing,” said Malachi Wood, the French teacher responsible for coordinating 
the exchange. “At the very end of the exchange when we’re leaving, it’s nice to see all 
the kids crying and sad because they made a solid connection.”


During their 11-day trip to Princeton, students from Lycée Bartholdi had the chance 
to immerse themselves in the history of Princeton, the United States, and France.


“When they come here, we focus on American history. We’re doing a little presentation 
about Lafayette [and] we’re going to see the local, historical sites in town … we always 
try to hit Morven, Drumthwacket, Updike Farmhouse. And when we go to France, we 
focus on the War of 1870, World War I, World War II, and the aftermath,” said Wood.


Though America and France have long been close political and economic allies, 
Lengrand observed the value of direct interaction between French and American students. 


“I think it’s important to see we are not alone in the world and see different points of 
view, for example [with] politics, because in France, we have a view of politics [of] the 
America, and [we can] see the view[s] of people [who] live in America,” said Lengrand.


PHS students take reciprocal trips to Colmar at the end of October, where they can 
immerse themselves in French culture and schooling. Elif Cam ’26, one of the PHS 
host students, explained how having the chance to attend the trip while learning about 
various aspects of French culture creates a lived experience unparalleled in the classroom. 


“I think it’s such a crucial part of the language learning experience that is just so 
different from everything else you do in class,” said Cam. “You study French culture. 
You study [how] [their] way of life is different…but it’s not the same thing as actually 
interacting with people who are from the culture.”

Photo: Katherine Chen


Peruvian exchange students Brianna Quevedo, Antonella Cayo, and Andrea Rucoba Pedreschi perform traditional Peruvian dance.

PHS French and Spanish students welcome exchange students from France and Peru

AI has rapidly seeped through all levels of society, permeating through each layer of academia — and it looks like it’s here to stay. Thus, the district’s ban on ChatGPT is a necessary measure  to protect academic integrity and preserve critical thinking in our education. But this effort isn’t enough to halt the surge in AI usage; instead, it should be extended to other AI tools until there are clearer guidelines and safeguards to combat the innovation of AI humanizers. While the convenience and speed of AI models does offer some benefits, it has increasingly become disruptive in students’ learning. Worse, a solution to this issue is rather difficult to find. 


Although the school restricted ChatGPT this summer, this effort isn’t enough to counteract the harms of AI. ChatGPT is just one of many forms of AI that can be exploited by students with tools such as Copilot and Gemini. Although these tools are admittedly useful, they blur the line between help and dependence. Their  ability to instantly generate responses on seemingly any subject makes them extremely appealing to students and teachers alike. However, this creates an extremely slippery slope. Asking questions to strengthen understanding can turn into generating entire lab reports or papers. More importantly, utilizing AI simply to get the right answer fosters a toxic environment where the end product becomes more important than the learning process to get there. PHS principal Cecilia Birge explains that struggling is part of learning.


“Once you struggle, that learning acquired after the struggle is much deeper,” said Birge.  “I’ve taught long enough to know that’s true, and I witness that every single day, right in our building.”


Forcing students to grapple with a certain topic not only deepens their understanding, but it also distills the topics they don’t know into targeted questions that they can then ask their teachers about the following day. This is especially true given that PHS students now have three days of built-in flexible learning time where they are able to seek out extra help. Hence, building a strong anti-AI narrative that promotes the struggle is imperative to our learning.


On the other hand, effects on education are not the only concern when it comes to generative AI. The usage of AI has been widely debated for its privacy issues, as users often intentionally or unintentionally share private information with it. As a result, ChatGPT requires parental consent for users under 18 to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Unfortunately, most students probably aren’t aware of this policy and use it regardless. This problem extends beyond ChatGPT, which means students are still vulnerable to privacy breaches. Banning AI in school serves as a stand against careless AI usage for youth and also serves as a solution until students are able to be educated on proper usage ethics and regulation can be passed to enforce said proper usage. 


In short, the district’s ban on ChatGPT is far from enough to stop the ever-growing presence of AI. Instead, the district should look to create a directive that creates a more holistic ban on AI to help combat issues such as decreasing academic integrity, privacy concerns, and environmental issues. While discussions such as this article attempt to create awareness, searching up ChatGPT just to see it banned serves as an ever present reminder of AI’s negative impact.

Photo: Katherine Chen

AI humanizers, such as humanizeai.pro, are sometimes used by students to bypass generative text detectors.

Cons of AI in School

On August 21, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Kimberely 
Tew released the results of PHS’s New 
Jersey Graduation Proficiency Assessment 
(NJGPA), which revealed disparities in 
pass rates between Asian, White, Black 
and Hispanic students. The NJGPA is a 
graduation requirement administered 
annually to 11th graders, though alternatives 
exist if a student does not pass the test. 


Though PHS has been known for its 
testing disparities since at least 2005, when it 
was the subject of a New York Times article 
titled “The Achievement Gap in Elite High 
Schools,” district officials, teachers, and 
students say they aren’t giving up.


This summer, the Princeton Board 
of Education approved a five-member 
Affirmative Action team tasked with 
updating the Comprehensive Equity Plan, 
a two-part document mandated by the state 
law that outlines the district’s plan to combat 
inequalities within the education system, 
including achievement gaps. 


“The work never ends; we have to explore 
and dive into data all the time. The data 
should help us make decisions about 
[whether] there are more programming 
or services that we can provide, and ... 
when we provide it. I think one of the 
foundational pieces of all of this work is 
building relationships with our students 
and with our families. [And] the more we 
know about our students, the more we can 
... excite them in their learning,” said Angela 
Siso Stentz, Assistant Superintendent for 
Human Resources and a member of the 
district’s Affirmative Action team.


The 2025 NJGPA data showed that 74 
percent of Black students and 50 percent 
of Hispanic students at PHS met the 
graduation requirements — compared 
to Asian, White, and students of other 
ethnicities having a 92 percent pass rate 
or higher. The report did not detail the 
NJGPA scores by income level. However, 
one of the priorities for Dr. Andrea Dinan, 
the director of the IDEAS center, is for all 
students to be able to access free, highquality tutoring — a service that can be 
unaffordable for many families.


“We’re working with the Pace Center 
[for Civic Engagement] at Princeton 
University, and we’re going to have five to 
seven tutors from Princeton University on 
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,” said 
Dinan. “They’re going to provide SAT [and]
ACT help and AP prep, and we’re going to 
target lower-resourced families, but it will 
be open to everyone. I think that’s one of 
the ways that it really works well — if it’s 
open to everyone, but we make sure that ... 
lower income students ... know about the 
opportunities.”


In solving an issue as complex as the 
achievement gap, teachers are playing a 
role in changing the culture within the 
classroom. PHS Social Studies teacher 
Dr. Katie Dineen is an advocate for an 
educational philosophy known as the 
Universal Design for Learning (UDL). First 
designed in the 1990s based on research 
in neuroscience, UDL advocates for a 
curriculum in which students are provided 
with multiple ways to acquire information 
and multiple ways to demonstrate what they 
know. Dineen is also working to make her 
classroom more culturally inclusive.


“You know, regardless of where [students] 
come from, and especially with AP [World 
History] being such a transitory and 
international community, there’s so many 
opportunities for students to bring their 
own family’s artifacts into the classroom, or 
their family’s perspectives or speakers,” said 
Dineen. “I think I [have] created a place for 
each student to feel as though their story 
and their origin are important enough to 
be centered in that curriculum.”


Furthermore, many clubs at PHS are 
also working on fostering a supportive 
community among underprivileged 
students. This includes Generation 1, a club 
focused on helping students who would be 
the first generation within their family to 
pursue higher education.


“I know from my personal experience, 
my mom didn’t get to pursue a further 
education, [so] I struggled a lot trying to 
figure out resources for SATs or college 
[applications] or just finding things in 
general to help me throughout my school 
journey,” said Aimy Solares-Zacarias 
’26, who serves as the co-president of 
Generation 1. “Our main goal is to just 
help provide those resources for kids who 
are [first-generation students] on their 
pathway to [higher education].”


Solares-Zacarias recalls a period of 
academic isolation within her own journey 
where she was afraid to ask for help. Today, 
she encourages her fellow students to follow 
a path similar to her own by contacting 
Generation 1 to find a community of 
academic support. 
“If anyone is reading [this] and they’re a 
[first-generation] student, I want them to be 
able to reach out to us because I know it’s 
not embarrassing or a weakness to want to 
ask for help,” said Solares-Zacarias.

Graphic: Katherine Chen

NJGPA passing versus not passing rates for different races at PHS.

The achievement gap at PHS

As a new school year begins at PHS, the 
school administration is taking a different 
approach to the education system. Dubbed 
“Deep Learning” by Principal Cecilia Birge, 
the plan aims to bring a different perspective 
of what it means to learn at PHS. 


The backbone of this approach consists 
of the changes to the bell schedule. At the 
end of each typical Tuesday and Wednesday 
(B2 and B3 days, respectively), the 
administration has added a flexible learning 
lab time dedicated to getting school-related 
tasks done. This change also shortens the 
previously 90-minute instructional blocks 
to help take pressure off of students. 


The root of these changes lies in a 
Grawemeyer Award-winning book, “In 
Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to 
Remake the American High School” by Jal 
Mehta and Sarah Fine. Assistant Principal 
Lauren Freedman notes the recurring 
themes of the book and relates it to the 
changes made to the bell schedule. 


“One of the things that kept popping up is 
that a lot of students learn through their own 
self-exploration and doing things that they 
love, and it’s not necessarily sitting in your 
class,” said Freedman. “It’s through going 
and meeting with your clubs and learning 
to work with one another and things like 
that actually help people grow more than 
necessarily just sitting in the classroom.”


Newly elected PPS Superintendent, Dr. 
Michael LaSusa, seconds the need for selfsufficient growth outside the classroom.
LaSusa hopes that PHS will provide and 
encourage an environment where students 
can learn to think critically and contribute 
to a wide variety of environments — 
whether it be in the workplace, civic life, 
or family life.


“I think we’re living in a very polarized 
society right now — not just in the United 
States, but all over the world — and it’s 
incredibly important that students develop 
a capacity to listen to people who might not 
share their exact viewpoint, and engage 
meaningfully in conversation and dialogue 
with diverse people [who have] diverse 
perspectives,” said LaSusa. “We want to 
try to provide everyone with experiences 
that create balance and perspective and 
appreciation for others, and, of course, a 
knowledge base and a skill set that prepares 
them to do whatever it is they want to do 
once they leave.”


The administration hopes that these 
changes will be used responsibly and to 
the fullest extent by the students. However, 
if modifications are needed, surveys and 
opinions from the students will be taken 
into account for the future. Birge expresses 
her satisfaction for the bell schedule change, 
but recognizes that the effectiveness will 
depend on students.


“I genuinely think that we reached a sweet 
spot after so many revisions. But having 
said that ... the Tuesday flexible learning 
time was designed with a lot of intention 
for targeted support. If students abuse it, 
then we’re placing that burden for teachers 
to teach more in the instructional blocks 
[of this] bell schedule,” said Birge. 


The PHS administration credits the 
development of the new schedule that fits 
deeper learning to the feedback provided 
by both students and teachers at the end 
of last year. 


“Trust me, we read every single thing 
that students present to us. We may or may 
not be able to modify the schedule or our 
approach for all kinds of reasons, but we do 
read everything. We really value everything 
you present to us. We think it through and 
we try our best to incorporate it so those 
surveys are important,” said Birge. 

Photo: Katherine Chen


Chemistry teacher Janine Giamanco assists Alex Paul ‘27 in making up classwork 
during newly instituted Flex learning times. 


PHS administration envisions “Deep Learning” for upcoming school year 

The PHS technology department made significant 
changes for the 2025–2026 school year, including issuing 
new MacBooks for all students and with them, a ban on 
several popular sites like ChatGPT.


Towards the end of last school year, students returned 
their old MacBooks and chargers. Then, in August, students 
had to schedule an appointment in the afternoon to pick 
up their new device, the 2022 MacBook Air. PPS Chief 
Technology Officer Todd MacDonald explained that this 
cycle occurs every few years.


“The devices have significant battery deterioration [over 
time which is] the major issue. [And] as you can expect, 
students do beat up the devices over time. These devices 
... require a lot of maintenance as battery life diminishes 
[and] it [eventually] becomes a situation where it’s a lot 
easier for us to replace the whole fleet [of MacBooks] than 
support one type of device over time,” said MacDonald.


The old MacBooks were sold to a third-party vendor, 
and the tech department used money acquired from that 
sale to buy the new devices. However, because the Apple 
brand is costly, the district had little flexibility in which 
model they could buy. In part to account for the cost of 
the MacBooks, the technology department switched device 
managers from a relatively expensive program called Jamf 
to a less costly manager called Mosyle. 


Mosyle gives the technology team a better view of what 
sites are being accessed, and through this, they can decide 
which sites can be whitelisted for students to view. However, 
as MacBook distribution has only recently been finalized, 
the technology team has not had the opportunity to begin 
adjusting the filtering system of the device manager.


“[PHS students] may have experienced that they feel 
like the devices are locked down more. It’s not necessarily 
true. There’s a new filter in place, and some filters have 
different categories ... It hasn’t been tweaked yet based on 
what’s being requested. If students are requesting access 
[to a website] ... they should let us know because we review 
that [request] with the administration, with the curriculum 
office, and we’re in the business of trying to make learning 
accessible,” said MacDonald.


PPS has, however, decided to implement Mosyle’s 
academic dishonesty restrictions, resulting in many AI 
or AI-related sites being banned, including ChatGPT. 
Assistant Principal Rashone Johnson said that the ban is 
a result of complaints and conversations among teachers, 
administrators, and the Board of Education.


“We want you to be able to think critically. We want 
you to know how to do the proper research to be able to 
support whatever it is that you’re writing about or your 
opinion on something. [And] we want those thoughts to 
come from you,” said Johnson.


However, not all students are in complete agreement 
with the decision.


“I think [the new system] is a net positive in the sense 
of security, but it can also ... be used in an oppressive way. 
[Though] banning ChatGPT does stop students from using 
generative AI for school assignments, [it] also ... cuts off 
students’ capabilities for more creative uses of AI, similarly 
to how stopping students from using a calculator [in] math 
class just leaves them not being able to understand the full 
function of a calculator,” said Shriram Joshi ’28.


The PHS administration has installed AI usage posters 
specifying different levels of acceptable AI use, ranging 
from “none” to “AI-generated with editing,” in many 
classrooms, with the vast majority of teachers enforcing the 
“none” category. They administration created the posters 
based on feedback from teachers on AI usage by students.


“It gives us a common language that helps teachers 
discuss what level of AI is acceptable in their class, and 
it allows students to also think about how they’re using 
AI, whether they’re using it as a tool to supplement and 
enhance what they’re doing, or they’re using it as a crutch,” 
said U.S. history teacher Dr. Rick Miller. 


Anna Soriano currently has her English I and English 
III students write essays in class to prevent the usage of 
AI, though she does acknowledge the power of the new 
technology. 


“We use all sorts of assistive technology to help us 
throughout the day. I think that we need to prepare students 
for what’s coming, and they’re going to walk into a world 
where AI is everywhere,” said Soriano.

photo: Katherine Chen

Agatha Patten ‘27 and Benji Caswell Klein ‘27 work 
on their computers during Tiger Time.

PHS tech department distributes new MacBooks, with new restrictions, to students

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

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

Student artist of the month: Andrew Kim ’26 

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

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

A guide to arts-related community service programs

Princeton is no stranger to unopposed elections. On the ballot this coming November, there will be two unopposed positions for the Princeton Council, and three unopposed seats on the PPS Board of Education. During PHS’s own 
election for student body council earlier this month, the 
seats for both student body vice president and secretary were 
unopposed. This is hardly a new phenomenon. 

For the past five years, numerous 
Princeton municipal 
leaders have won primary 
and general elections 
uncontested. The same 
can be said of many PHS 
student council positions 
for upperclassmen: every 
single student council 
candidate for the class 
of 2026 ran unopposed. 
This concerning trend 
of candidates being elected 
through no-contest undermines the 
health of democracy. 

Recent changes in student council policies only 
exacerbate these concerns: starting from the 2026–27 
school year, only students who have previously served on 
student council may run for student body positions and as 
school board liaison. The result? A reduction of an already 
shrinking field of candidates. 

When voters lose the opportunity to choose between 
candidates, they often become apathetic, causing the trend 
to continue into future elections. According to data gathered 
by Survey and Ballot Systems in 2024, there is a 39 percent 
decrease in voter turnout in non-competitive elections. 
This is reflected in PHS Student Council elections, where 
voter turnout averaged 62.4 percent in campaigns where 
all races have more than two candidates but dropped to 
24.6 percent in years with only one candidate. 

In Princeton municipality elections, voter turnout was 
57.66 percent, placing it second to last place among Mercer 
county municipalities — and voter turnout has been on 
the decline since 2016. Officials have placed emphasis on 
measures to increase voter turnout, yet the fundamental 
root cause of voter hesitancy remains the same: a lack of 
choices at the ballot box. 

Indeed, this disillusionment in the electoral process can 
be seen at the school level, too. Freshman year student 
council races often feature a wide range of hopefuls, each 
vying for a position they see as prestigious and meaningful 
in the school community. Yet just one year later, the number 
of candidates running in sophomore year races drops 61 
percent, going from about 4.16 candidates per race freshman 
year to just 1.75. When students realize that these positions 
can’t truly bring change, they may no longer be eager to 
spend time, energy, and effort to run for them. 

Participation in school elections has been found to predict 
civic engagement in adulthood, with students who vote or 
run feeling more prepared to engage 
in the same processes as adults. 
This means that disengagement 
from elections at a student level 
can lead to decreased political 
engagement through both 
running and voting in future 
democratic processes. 

Breaking the cycle of apathy, 
beginning at the local level, is 
critical. The municipality 
makes decisions daily on 
many of the most important 
policies that directly impact 
our lives. As just one instance, approving new highdensity housing projects is not a decision handed down 
from Washington, but rather taken on 400 Witherspoon St.

To address these challenges, it is time we revitalize what 
it means to win one of these positions. Whether it be at the 
school or municipal level, these positions can hold real value 
and change-making power. The real question is, of course, 
why has the ambition to serve in these roles vanished? The 
answer lies in the idea that these roles are perceived as 
lacking any real agency: student council positions simply 
serve to plan prom and town council members just rubber 
stamp predetermined policies.

So to the community, we say this: come together and 
unite behind new ideas: rally for fresh faces that break the 
status quo. Pool your minds — and funds — together, and 
perhaps you will see someone on the town council that truly 
represents you and advances the values that you care about.

To be clear, the current candidates don’t present any 
inherent flaws. But the mere fact that they have run 
unopposed for several election cycles sets the scene for 
deep-seated voter apathy.

When local governing bodies seldom have to step out of 
their comfort zone and truly connect with the community, 
the quality of our candidates falls short of what this town 
deserves. Without facing pressure to compete against 
opponents, winning candidates have the privilege of 
assuming positions with subpar effort, without the need 
to bring concrete policies to the table. 

Democracy works. But it’s not a passive form of 
government — it works only when people are active in it. 
From the forums in Ancient Greece to the record electoral 
participation in India in its recent elections, it is up to 
us — we the people — to fulfill our duty to create a more 
perfect union by demanding a choice worth voting for, 
and ceasing support for a coronation of the unopposed.

The perils of unopposed elections

Sheena Ash ’25 conveys her emotions
through singing and poetry. Being raised
in the rich culture of church, Ash was
surrounded by music and gospel throughout
her childhood. Now as an artist, Ash
channels her emotions into her art, hoping
to inspire others through the power of words
and melodies.

**When did you start singing and writing
poems?**

I guess when I was one [when] my mom
told me [that] I love rhythm, beating, and
patterns. But poetry, specifically, I think
middle school, right before COVID started.
I started exploring a lot with expressions
in general and different ways beside
storytelling.

**When did you realize that you were a
talented poet?**

I [realized] after my mom had read my
poem [which] I had submitted to the Until
Justice Just Is competition at the YWCA.
That specific poem had been written in
around 2024 and I modified it to fit more
of the prompt [for the competition]. I asked
my mom what she thought about this poem.
She read it, broke down in tears, and said,
“This is so raw, I can feel you through this.”
Even after the poetry festival, people [told]
me how much it moved them and how much
it changed their perspective on the world.

**Do you see your poetry and singing as
connected?**

For sure, poetry gives me the language
and the music gives me the feeling. When
I couple those two concepts, it creates this
powerful thing for me because I feel both of
those like they pick back off of one another.

**How do you think your poetry and
music reflect who you are as a person?**

I think it’s real and it’s deep. It really
articulates my heart. With singing and
poetry, I feel like I’m able to truly convey
a deeper version of myself and a more
complex version of myself.

**What specific themes or topics
do you usually perform?**

When I sing, I sing a lot
of contemporary songs.
I like rhythm, blues,
[and] jazz music.
Especially within the
Black community,
jazz, gospel, and
rhythm have been
an integral part
of [our] society.
I appreciate
the way it
allows us to
communicate
w it h e a ch
other. We
feel the
music
rather
than just
hear it.
What is your creative process when
writing poems or rehearsing for a song?
Sometimes I will ground myself, I’ll
step outside barefoot in my front yard
and [make] peace with the world. Other
times I’ll wake up, get home, sit in bed
and really think. [Then] I’ll pick up a pen
or a notebook and start typing out words.
I start with words.

Student artist of the month: Sheena “Angel” Ash ’25

PHS Choir ended the year with a final performance:
Cabaret Night. Both teachers and students dedicated hours
of preparation in and out of school to make it a night to
remember. Cabaret Night is the last performance for all
of the seniors in PHS Choir, many of whom have been in
the program for their entire high school careers. For many
juniors and sophomores, it is an exciting opportunity to
perform, with many people coming for the end of year
music show.

PHS Choir started preparation after the spring concert
in April, with music directors Sarah Pelletier and Vincent
Metallo working with the students in school, as well as
working with featured singers outside of class.

“I’m nervous for my solo ... because I’ve never soloed at
PHS before, but I’m also really excited for that because it
will be a fun opportunity. And I just really like all the music
that they picked out, so that’ll be fun to sing together,” said
Avery Bahr ’26, a member of PHS Choir.

Unlike other concerts, where the music is chosen by
Pelletier and Metallo, choir students were able to shape
the event’s program by giving input on songs they wanted
to perform.

“The students can make suggestions on artists or bands
or musical theater pieces ... we look at their suggestions,
we look at what they auditioned with, and then we put
together a program,” said Pelletier.

The many pieces being performed included selections
from “La La Land,” like “City of Stars,” as well as songs by
Noah Kahan, Fiona Apple, Annie Lennox and more.

Cabaret Night is unique for its emphasis on featuring
as many individual singers as possible, in contrast to most
of PHS Choir’s other concerts. This year, 54 students sang
solos, duets, or in small groups, backed by the choir, with
each chosen for their unique voices. There were five full
choir numbers, including “Walking On Sunshine” by
Katrina And The Waves and “Walking On Broken Glass”
by Annie Lennox.

Choir students were given more freedom and
responsibility in helping to bring the event together
and make their performances something to be proud of
compared to other concerts.

“There’s not a lot of structured preparation; it’s a lot of
you putting in your own time and knowing your schedule.
The students are really given agency within the guidelines,”
said soloist Alexis Colvin ’25.

As the final show of the year, the evening offered a
bittersweet goodbye for students and teachers.

“After the spring concert [the students] are usually sad,
and I tell them we’re not done yet, but at this one we are
done ... but the fun thing is usually a ton of alums come
to Cabaret and it’s really great to see them,” said Pelletier.

For students, the concert also provided an opportunity
reflect on the past year and celebrate talent in the group.

“[Cabaret Night] is a really cool way to end off choir for
the year because there’s a big mix of different music and it’s
really cool to hear all of my choir friends get to sing solos,”
said Sylvia Schreiber ’26, a PHS choir member.

PHS Choir wraps up an eventful year with Cabaret Night

William Ponder ’25 has been involved in theater and the arts throughout
his life. Starting at his church, then taking part in productions in middle
school, Ponder has found community through his fellow cast members
and an emotional outlet through his characters. In the future, Ponder will
focus his studies on psychology at Howard University, but he hopes to
continue performing every chance he can.

**What got you started in acting?**

I always loved acting. I started acting in the church; we used to do these
little musicals and stuff. When I got to middle school, I did every single
play and musical before COVID happened. I got to high school and I
was like “I would love to be in the play,” so I did all four plays and
I really loved it. I got to meet a bunch of really cool people and I
got to really lose myself in the character.

**What was it like to start participating in school
productions?**

It was a really fantastic experience. Ms. Cameron, the
drama teacher [at Princeton Middle School], made sure that
everyone, no matter how big or small your role, was having
a lot of fun. It was such a diverse and fun experience.
Your father is an artist — did he inspire you in any way?
Both my father and my mother are really creative. My mom
creates these really elaborate quilts and my dad is a painter, so
there were these days where my sister and I would sit down and they
both would present their pieces. They were also really encouraging
me and my sister’s creative sides.

**What was your favorite high school production?**

I would say my favorite was definitely “The Play That Goes Wrong.” I did it my
sophomore year and basically the premise of the play was we try to keep having the
show go on when everything’s actually getting messed up. Our setlight collapsed at
the end. It was very fun to be a part of. I was really close to my classmates because we
had to do so many stunts and trust each other.

**How do you handle nerves on stage?**

A lot of the time my classmates and I will do these special exercises where we all
try to get the nerves out of our system. Another thing that really helps is when I
get nervous I talk really fast, so when I’m on stage I try to calm myself down.
I just remember to breathe and just talk slower because slower will not be
as slow as it sounds.

**Are there any clubs at PHS that you joined that appeal to your
creative side?**

I’m in the Multicultural Student Achievement Network and something
we did this year was the Black History Month Assembly. I really think
we were able to show our true creative sides. There was a dancing club
and a fashion show so we really were able to put our own creative sides
into that.

**If you were to give advice to someone who wants to follow in your
footsteps, what would you say?**

I would say just march at the beat of your own drum. If it seems cringe
or embarrassing, it’s totally okay. I’d rather come off as an embarrassing
person but authentic than someone who’s trying to be someone they’re not.
Whatever makes you happy, you have to do that.

Student artist of the month: Will Ponder ’25

On May 30, students, club leaders, a
cappella groups, and local organizations
gathered on the front lawn for the annual
Pride for PHS day to support and celebrate
the LGBTQ+ community. PHS clubs and
outside organizations including Princeton
Public Library (PPL) and HiTOPS led a
variety of activities, including a pride themed piñata and an LGBTQ+ history
stand.


Pride for PHS was first organized in
2023 through the efforts of PHS art
teacher Bridget Schmidt and PHS special
education teacher Torie Esposito. However,
this year, the event had a special significance.


“In 2025, we’re being told to be quiet —
and not be so out, proud, and loud. We as
adults need to encourage our youth that
we’re educating ... to be proud about who
they are and speak about their experiences,
which are very different [from] mine as a
queer adult,” said Schmidt.


Though Pride for PHS involved many
teachers and outside organizations, PHS
students played a significant role in
managing the booths at the event. Sylven
Waldman ’25, ran the makeup station; Pearl
Agel ’25 ran the pottery booth, a perennial
favorite; and Lilly Tuliszewski ’25, a leader
of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance club,
led an trivia stand on LGBTQ+ history.


“GSA provideed a lot of educational
resources for the community, and then
we made trivia questions based on those
resources. I think this event helps solidify
that there is a place for [LGBTQ+ students]
here in in our community, and that GSA
will advocate for them whenever they need,”
said Tuliszewski.


PHS students who simply participated,
like Olivia Chen ’27, also enjoyed the event.
“I think it’s really nice to have events
organized for you to feel accepted in. I
don’t necessarily need it because I don’t
live in a terribly homophobic community
... but I definitely feel a lot more accepted.
[PHS takes] queer people seriously instead
of ignoring the issue or outwardly opposing
it,” said Chen.


Osbaldo Morales ’25, the president of
Latinos Unidos, emphasized the supportive
nature throughout event. Though not a club
focused on pride-related themes, Latinos
Unidos presented a pride themed piñata.


“Pride Fest is an important event for the
whole community because it just shows
that there’s inclusivity. In this climate … I
feel like everyone should know that they’re
supported. There’s worries that they’re
trying to push down sexuality down people’s
throat, [but] we’re just being supportive,”
said Morales.

Pride for PHS unites local organizations and students in support of LGBTQ+ community

While most students are introduced to history through textbooks, few recognize the educational value that historical films can provide. Although these films are not always historically accurate, they offer a captivating way to introduce students to the complexities in the past. By recreating stories, movie directors are able to transform historical events into engaging and entertaining experiences, bringing life to events in ways textbooks cannot. While these films may include slight modifications to the original storyline, they provide a powerful passage for students to learn about history’s most fascinating people and events.

One of the most effective ways films can teach history to students is by humanizing real events by providing personal stories. “Black Hawk Down,” for instance — set during the Somali Civil War — follows the crew of a Black Hawk helicopter which was shot down in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. The movie plunges students into the chaos of warfare, with soldiers fighting for their lives and losing their loved ones, showing the dangers and troubles of a soldier at battle. This helps students understand the fear that the soldiers faced during the conflict.

Furthermore, in “Selena,” a movie directed by Gregory Nava about Selena Quintanilla-Perez, one of the most famous Mexican American singers in the 20th century, students are able to learn beyond her fame and into her personal struggles. While a famous singer like Selena may appear jubilant on stage, singing and laughing with a big smile, the film sheds light on the discrimination and challenges Selena faces growing up. For example, when Selena and her sister are shopping to buy Selena a dress, they encounter an unpleasant interaction with the sales associate who discriminates against the two sisters because of their skin color. While issues with discrimination may be taught in classes, historical films like “Selena” provide firsthand experience for students to understand the troubles to a greater extent.

Similarly, “Hacksaw Ridge,” a film about Desmond Doss — a U.S. soldier who saved tens of lives during WWII without carrying a single weapon — also provides a powerful depiction of the war and prompts students to engage with the past. This movie not only teaches facts about the war, but also proposes themes like the complexity of heroism and moral conviction. By focusing on Doss, the film teaches students about conscience, faith, and perseverance.

Films also provide opportunities for students to discuss the complexities in history. Take “Schindler’s List,” for example — while it highlights the horrors of the Holocaust, it also raises important questions about morals, courage, and how power in the hands of one can influence the lives of others. The movie encourages students to consider the deeper implications behind the Holocaust, rather than observing from the surface. Teachers can use certain scenes, such as the burning of thousands of books, to spark conversations about broader historical themes such as propaganda, resistance, and consequences of discrimination. Additionally, students are also encouraged to identify what historical details are included — and left out — developing a stronger understanding of how the media portrays history. This not only enhances students’ critical thinking skill, but also their ability to analyze media literature.

In the end, historical films — while not always 100 percent historically accurate — offer a meaningful and engaging way to revisit the past. Through powerful stories and deeper discussions, movies like “Black Hawk Down” and “Schindler’s List” make historical events more accessible and emotionally resonant. When used in educational settings, these films can spark curiosity and encourage critical thinking, turning entertainment into a valuable learning experience.

Photo: Katherine Chen


After learning about the Holocaust and WWII, Mr. Campbell’s APUSH Period 2 class watches Schindler’s List.

Learning history through films

While lounging on the sofa and mindlessly scrolling
through social media, a fitness influencer pops up,
advertising an amazing overnight oats recipe in a “What
I Eat in a Day” vlog. It’s easy to prepare and packed with
protein, superfoods, and nutrients. Intrigued, you click
on the link, but the price is $70 for just one week’s of
supply. However, you want to try it out after hearing the
influencer rave, so you buy it. To your dismay, when
it arrives two weeks later, the ingredients are in poor
condition, and they create something that looks more
like a slop compared to the oats that were advertised.

Social media creates an ideal world, but it will always
be behind a screen, just beyond one’s reach. But, over
and over again, people fall for it — they are blinded by
the idea of easy self-improvement and almost expect to
shed a few pounds after eating healthy or exercising for
one day. This can be especially powerful considering
the omniscience of social media, whether it be in the
form of “What I Eat in a Day” vlogs, morning routines,
supplement hauls, or other baits for engagement.

Viewers are often encouraged to try these products for
themselves at the risk of their health for the creator’s
monetary benefit, which is clearly an unfair trade.
Thus, it becomes critical to be able to differentiate
between myths and realities. As a soccer player and
weightlifter, Raphael Borentain ’27 has been exposed to
dozens of these types of advertisements. It is essential
for Borentain to keep his body in good shape, so he has
to be able to see through these types of ads.

“A lot of [fitness influencers] act like they got ripped
in like two weeks or from drinking one shake a day. But
they probably take other stuff or have been working out
for years. It’s all for views, honestly,” said Borentain. “I
think they mess with people’s heads a bit. Some guys will
start eating super clean or doing crazy diets just ‘cause
some fitness dude on TikTok said it worked.”

Instead, Borentain advocates for a more accountable
system where these influencers take responsibility for
the products they choose to endorse. For example,
influencers should carefully review products before they
advertise them, ensuring that they perform as marketed.

“People look up to them and copy everything they
do, so if they’re lying or pushing random products just
for money, that’s messed up, especially when it’s about
health,” said Borentain.

Advertisements are an inevitable part of social media
and can be difficult to resist the attraction of popular
trends. However, the consequences of these often
misinformative ads can be drastic. For instance, Brian
Johnson, known as the Liver King, promoted eating raw
organ meats and consuming expensive supplements by
claiming his physique was entirely done by doing so.
Consequently, teenagers attempted to mimic Johnson’s
success through following the regimens and diet that
he had advertised in his videos, which often included
expensive ingredients. However, Johnson was later
found using anabolic steroids but not before hundreds
of his teenage followers had wasted money on the
supplements, chasing the hope to attain Johnson’s figure.

These occurrences are not uncommon. Though some
influencers may offer scientifically-backed insight that
proves to be helpful, people need to be vigilant about
what they consume and their general well-being. This is
the dilemma that modern teenagers face: who or what
can we turn to for reliable advice?

Thankfully, the internet’s speed is not only one of its
biggest flaws, but it is also arguably its greatest strength.
A quick search can yield professional advice or actual u
reviews about a certain product. Even better, a plethora
of sites offer similar services such as TrustPilot, the
Environmental Working Group’s Food Scores, or even
Amazon’s review sections.

Whatever the case may be, wellness and diet content
on social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but
that doesn’t mean it should be consumed mindlessly.
While some creators are genuine with their goal of
helping people by promoting healthy lifestyles, others
spread unrealistic and even at times harmful messages
for clout. This is especially damaging for teens as they are
still developing their identity, leading to less confidence
in themselves for not being able to live up to the false
narrative that some influencers create.

Before deciding to buy a new product or start a new
routine based on a viral video, take a moment to think
about the promoter’s credibility. Doing research is the
best way for protection from an online world that favors
aesthetics over authenticity and process

Photo: Katherine Chen
From closest to farthest away: Mathilde Pouliot ’27, Kimberly Sarmiento ’27, and Evelyn Salle ’27 watch “What I Eat in a Day” videos to pass time during
Learning Lab

A warning on the social media diet

What was once a level playing field for athletes has
become a marketplace. Modern college athletics has
reached an all-time high in popularity, becoming a
multimillion dollar business built on the backs of athletes
who have received nothing for their performance.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is an NCAA policy
that allows college athletes to earn their own money
through branding. This policy prevents brands from
misrepresenting athletes or using them to promote their
brand without consent. It also allows them to earn cash
for brands they choose to represent, eliminating the issue
of the NCAA’s lack of compensation. Some opportunities
for student athletes to make money through NIL include
autographs, merchandise, blogging, commercials, and
more. As of 2021, college athletes can make money
with the NIL, but some consequences such as wealthier
schools gaining more power and student athletes losing
focus from their monetary trade have been producing a
net negative impact on college sports.
Compared to last year's 200 players, more than
1700 athletes in men's college basketball entered the
transfer portal on its first day of opening because of
their inability to make money and earn recognition
in the current colleges they attend. This eliminates a
feeling of school loyalty and prevents smaller schools
from building better athletic programs, as they are
consistently losing their players to the bigger schools
with deeper pockets. Because of the branding, schools
with publicized athletes will compete more
often and in high-level tournaments, while
schools with less publicized athletes with the
same or better skill may not have the chance
to compete in these tournaments, as selection
depends on what the audience wants to see.
Still, many incoming college athletes look
forward to these opportunities.
“I think it would be great to be paid for
sponsoring someone and use my image to
promote their brand. It would be nice to have
extra cash for college,” said Sean Wilton ’25, a Brown
commit for shot put.
The ability for student athletes to promote their brand
and receive payment in college has been a debated issue
long before the NIL was passed, specifically because
supporters of NIL believe that student athletes should
earn compensation for what they accomplish. However,
opponents of the NIL believe that college freshmen
are simply not responsible or experienced enough to
handle these large sums of money. Still, the NIL was
officially introduced and passed in 2021. In recent
years, well-funded powerhouses have poached recruits
from smaller colleges with a much higher salary. These
temptations are slowly turning the focus of college
sports away from what they were originally, which was
for athletes to improve and be able to perform their best.
At first, the limelight and extra cash earned through
NIL policies may seem to benefit student athletes, but
over time, it has harmed them. These well-funded
schools are also more attractive to recruits looking for
colleges, creating situations where student athletes are
choosing schools for the money, rather than what is the
best fit for them. Not only does this create a negative
culture, but it also often results in going “one and done”
through college, meaning they go to school for only 1
year without graduating to immediately pursue their
sport professionally. This leaves athletes in difficult
situations if they are plagued by injury or other careerending issues and do not have a college degree to choose
a different career.
Schools without branding and NIL money don’t
get the same chance to recruit better players
and be shown more to a national audience.
Therefore, athletes who want to be recognized
for their talents and make a cash surplus must
attend colleges with highly publicized athletes.
These well-funded schools ultimately make
student-athletes into athlete-students. Despite
the benefits of NIL, some athletes are finally
seeing the downsides.
“I think right now [NIL’s] actually impacting
them for the worse,” said Wilton. “It is hurting
more athletes than helping them in some way.”
To prevent conflicts such as unfairness and loss of
focus, players and coaches could push for NCAArecognized restrictions on NIL. One potential solution
could be to implement a NIL budget for every school to
abide by, regardless of size or wealth, similar to a salary
cap in the NFL and NBA. Additionally, policies could
be used to regulate player agreements with NIL deals,
such as a loyalty clause, where students must stay with
a school they commit to for at least 2 years, to ensure
both the school and the athlete have equal benefits. This
proposition would not only create an equality amongst
colleges and universities in terms of NIL usage, but also
give college players a better overall college experience.
The initial intentions of the creation of NIL were
morally correct in the sense of giving college athletes
what they deserve for their hard work, given the
amount of money the industry makes. However, there
have been many hidden flaws that could have serious
negative effects on college athletes' experiences as they
go through their careers. This requires action against the
current forms of NIL, and restrictions need to be made
before college athletics are changed forever. If college
sports continue to uphold this negative culture, school
spirit and built-up talent will be replaced by business
proposals and short-term gains, leaving behind the true
meaning of the game. 

The dark side of NIL

On February 27, the Trump administration launched an “end-DEI” portal that allows anyone to report illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in the classroom. Then, on April 3, the Department of Education sent a letter that threatened to withhold federal funding for districts that do not end “illegal DEI practices.” Finally, on April 22, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether elementary schools can compel students to be present for lessons that discuss LGBTQ characters. 

This rapid sequence of initiatives that aim to eliminate DEI programs in education have left administrators, educators, and students across the country — including at PHS — questioning what exactly qualifies as an illegal DEI practice, whether they can continue discussing DEI-related topics, and what might come next.

“The goal is to chill speech. It’s to chill conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion, and it’s very frustrating,” said Kimberly Tew, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Princeton Public Schools (PPS). “Talking with teachers, they’re like, ‘Can I still do this lesson? Can I talk about — you know — maybe they’re a cisgender woman married to a woman, right — can I talk about my family?’ There’s a lot of concern about these things.”

The federal government does not have the right to determine the curriculum in public schools, a power reserved to the states according to the 10th amendment. However, the federal government does fund around 15 percent of total public school spending — which is its primary leverage in enforcing new DEI policies. 

New Jersey mandates the teaching of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public schools, including a mandate to teach LGBTQ history, African American history, and Asian American & Pacific Islander history. It’s not immediately clear whether these mandates are “illegal DEI practices” according to the federal government, which has left districts unsure whether they are at risk of federal funding cuts. 

“[Though] the U.S. Department of Education’s request references “certain DEI practices” or “illegal DEI,” it does not define those terms, and there are no known federal or New Jersey State laws prohibiting diversity, equity, or inclusion,” wrote Kevin Dehmer, NJ’s education commissioner, in response to a letter from the Trump administration.

PPS receives only 2 percent of its budget from the federal government (most comes from local property taxes), which means that it is much less beholden to federal funding policies compared to most other districts nationally.

“The district embarked upon an equity initiative starting in about 2018, and since then, we have done a lot of work, both in and outside the curriculum arena, to make this building more equitable. That’s something we’re proud of, [and] we will not change that,” said PHS Principal Cecilia Birge. 
PPS administrators are instead concerned with what might happen to NJ education policy. In 2024, NJ experienced the second largest shift to the right nationally.

“You know, my bigger concern is at the state level — who’s coming into the new governor’s office this year, what the State Assembly and Senate look like. Those bodies have much more say about what happens at the school level than the federal government,” said Tew.

However, for now, some PHS teachers are using the crackdown on DEI as a way to educate their students about issues like censorship, historiography, and systemic racism.

“We’re trying to help students understand that it’s part of trying to cut out or cover up different parts of history — we’re noting current events where things like a page about Harriet Tubman on like government websites might be taken down, or [the government websites] on the Stonewall Rebellion are dropping the T of LGBT,” said Patricia Manhart, who teaches PHS racial literacy. 

“We’re trying to get students to understand that the attack is really just an attack on accomplishments by people of color throughout United States history, as well as [a] cover up the legacy of racial inequality that is also very real.”

PHS students have also expressed concerns over the efforts to eliminate DEI, especially concerning the effects it would have on their future educational environments. 

“I’ve personally talked to minorities about the topic, and they definitely hold more pessimistic ideas about their own futures, and that’s something I can relate to,” said Jasmine Taylor ’26, a student in the Racial Literacy class at PHS. “It kind of made me feel a lot more pessimistic about college, because I feel like they’re not taking into account very nuanced topics [anymore].”

Photo: Katherine Chen

Patricia Manhart (left) discusses with her PHS racial literacy students Jennifer Lopez de la Cruz ’26 (center) and Anuar Viruel Lopez ’25 (right).

PHS reacts to federal crackdown on DEI in K-12 education

“Stop GENDER DISCRIMINATION in debate,” reads the cover slide of the hit 2024 Instagram post by the Debate Hotline. This particular post collected (at the time of writing this article) a whopping 2,164 likes and 247 shares, making it probably one of the most notable moments of feminist activism in the high school debate space in recent years. 


Any debater with an Instagram account would likely recall the viral impact of this post. Across my feed, debaters of all genders shared the post, creating a powerful moment of solidarity. This moment mirrored activism in other competitive academic spaces — from the #WomenInSTEM movement addressing gender gaps in mathematics competitions to the Women’s Chess Initiative highlighting similar disparities in chess. Nonprofit organizations have proliferated across these disciplines, each focused on promoting gender equality in their respective activities. In debate specifically, feminism has become perhaps an integral movement. Yet despite this widespread activism, gender disparities persist across all these academic spaces. In mathematics, women still represent less than twenty-five percent of International Mathematical Olympiad participants. In chess, women account for just eleven percent of rated players worldwide. In debate, the disparity remains since the viral post. This raises a critical question that transcends any single discipline: Is our current approach to addressing gender discrimination in academic competitions actually effective?


To approach an answer, we can examine the Debate Hotline post and how the debate space handles inclusive activism. The post features quoted testimonies from female debaters describing misogynistic social encounters they have experienced: “At the Harvard tournament, I advanced in out-rounds. When a male friend of mine found out, he congratulated me by saying ‘have my babies,’” recounted one anonymous submission. Beyond these accounts, the post presents three key statistics: women are 18.8 percent less likely to win Varsity elimination rounds, 30 percent more likely to quit debate altogether, and notably absent from half of all national circuit finals. They end with a call-to-action urging debaters to sign a petition that demands the NSDA to implement mandatory judge bias training. 


The message of the post reflects the message of the overall feminist movement in debate: biased judging leads to female debaters losing rounds, which drives them out of the activity, ultimately hurting their academic and life opportunities. This rhetoric also follows through in Fem-Kritiks, a popular argument (usually made by female debaters) that urges the judge to drop the opposing team (usually male), and for the opposing team to forfeit the round. This is done in order to even out the win-loss disparity by addressing judge bias.


The problem with this widespread rhetoric is that it is only partially true; a closer look at Yi and Nie’s 2020 study “An Empirical Study of Gender Differences in Competitive High School Debate” reveals something crucial. In Varsity rounds, the study found “a large difference in win rates between teams of different gender compositions, with female-female teams 17.1 percent less likely and male-female teams 10.0 percent less likely to win a debate round against male-male teams.” However, they also found “no gender gap in win rates for novice debaters.”


If the thesis of female push-out being due to judge bias is to be believed, why is there no sex disparity in novice round results? The study follows this discovery by suggesting that “the disparity does not occur from innate entry ability differences, but rather appears alongside experience in debate.” In the results section, Yi and Nie continues that “some possible causes of this gap result from a female debater’s environment: potential bias in the amount of resources allocated to competitors by coaches, the gender-hostile environment of a team, or the effect of the perceived stereotype of the activity, to name a few examples.”


This pattern extends beyond debate and into other competitive academic spaces. Chess, for instance, has implemented structural solutions by creating women-only sections and tournaments since 1927. Yet despite these institutional changes, the gender disparity in chess still exists today. The underlying cause mirrors what we see in debate, which is a hostile social climate. Female chess players consistently report implicit exclusion from the broader chess community, which pushes them out from participating. In many academic environments, female participants describe being excluded from study groups, having their contributions minimized, and facing heightened scrutiny of their abilities. These experiences, not competition results alone, ultimately drive many talented women away despite their proven capabilities.


Although misogyny and other forms of inequity is a systemic problem in academic spaces, we need to stop focusing on that — however counterintuitive it sounds. Exclusively deeming the issue to be systemic is how we arrived at our current position. It removes responsibility from the individual. If you are someone who cares about and wishes to solve inequality in the academic space, it is time to address the issue on a personal level: how you deal with and react to hostile situations. Have you stood up for others? Have you excluded team members from resources? Have you actively denounced crude, inappropriate behavior? Have you stopped perpetrators from participating in leadership? 


I’m not demeaning current feminist initiatives. Their focus on institutional change remains important. But perhaps we need to focus elsewhere; perhaps our activism has become too copy-paste, too shallow, too performative; perhaps we need to look elsewhere, deeper, within ourselves. Our efforts must address the social climate that shapes our activity from within, not just the institutional structures above. While continuing to advocate for structural change, let’s recognize that creating truly inclusive spaces begins with us.

Why inclusive initiatives are failing in the academic space

 It is well-accepted that the sense of American security collapsed along with the World Trade Center back in 2001. From a country dazed and confused, the War on Terror began, and, soon enough, our generation was born: a population hyper-aware of and sensitive to instances of terrorism.

The September 11 attacks certainly dwarfed any instance of non-war violence that the United States had seen in the preceding decades — but terrorism did not start in the twenty-first century. Many students may remember learning about John Brown, who killed several pro-slavery expansionists and attempted a raid on Harpers Ferry to further the cause of abolition. Brown became a Union martyr in the years following his execution, and even today, many don’t necessarily deem him a terrorist.

To better understand Brown’s case, consider the definition of terrorism: an act of violence against non-combatants for a political aim. Non-combatants are everyday civilians who are not directly partaking in hostilities, while combatants are the actors in the conflict. Besides a simple semantic separation, this implies a distinction between the right to protection held by each group. Supposedly, the United States conducts war — an action justified in that it kills people who chose to fight — and its enemies conduct terrorism — an action unjustified in that it kills people who chose nothing. Brown never killed a truly “neutral” person, neither from his perspective nor ours today, because for both, to defend slavery constitutes such an abhorrent belief that it becomes violent by nature. But for the wider view of his day, abolition had become so polarized as a political issue that “neutrality” in its matter meant simply not engaging in physical violence for the cause.

Therefore, complications arise when evaluating who truly counts as a combatant. Somewhere between John Brown’s raid and the September 11 attacks may lie someone like Ted Kaczynski, otherwise known as the Unabomber. In Kaczynski’s manifesto, he detailed his fear that modern technological advancements would trigger a world without nature, human freedom and dignity. By mailing bombs to university professors conducting STEM research, airline executives, and advertisers, Kaczynski acted upon his extreme political opinions. With knowledge on the extent of global warming, Kaczynski might have very well argued that the everyday choices of Americans to use ecological resources such as gas and electricity and water, made them combatants against the Earth itself, which he defended.

The question of who is a combatant has come to a larger stage in the trial of Luigi Mangione. Even without any legal determination as to whether or not he murdered United Healthcare CEO Mark Thompson, Mangione has become a folk hero for his alleged action. To his defenders, the insurance CEO is responsible for the violent action of causing people to suffer unmanageable healthcare fees, whereas Luigi, if guilty, is only a victimized soldier in the class warfare that the rich started. The prosecution, meanwhile, sees a man murdered for doing his legal job and a terrorist responsible for that murder.

What made these cases compelling and generally socially accepted? Figures such as John Brown, Ted Kaczynski, and Luigi Mangione based their actions off of well researched, passionately defended ideological positions that tapped into public grievances. Their targets were not random but individuals seen as combatants responsible for systemic issues, whether it be slavery, the degeneration of humanity, or healthcare inequality. Their actions were not intended to instill fear into the general public but rather a distinct resistance towards a combatant.

In a community like Princeton, where student activism is often passionate and socially conscious, it’s important to ask: how do we define resistance, and where do we draw the line between protest and violence? While we don’t condone acts of harm, we can reflect on the motivations behind historical and controversial figures to understand how they were able to make people so deeply moved by injustice. PHS activists can learn that effective change comes not just from emotion, but from informed, strategic action that taps into shared concerns and presents compelling narratives.

What we can learn from controversial figures

Jenna Stucky ’25 grew up in a household full of musicians, so music has always been an important part of her life. She discovered her love for singing and performing at a very young age, and soon began singing in choral groups and even combining her singing skills with acting by performing in musicals. Now a senior at PHS, Stucky has immersed herself in the musical community by singing in PHS Choir and co-leading the a cappella group The Cat’s Meow.

**When did you first start singing and why?**

[I started] when I was pretty young because my family is very musical, so I’d often sing with my siblings and with my parents.

**How do you handle performance jitters?**

I think it’s something that gets easier over time. The more practice you get in front of an audience, the easier that it gets. Sometimes you just have to embrace the nerves and do something even if you’re a little nervous.

**What’s it like being in an acapella group?**

I have a lot of fun. My group, we’re really close with each
other, so oftentimes in our rehearsals we’ll be talking more
than we’re singing. But, it’s a really talented group of people
and I love singing with them and we have a lot of fun together.
I love doing performances, too, sometimes in the winter we’ll
get gigs, so that’s a fun experience, and also performing at the
choir concerts. Also, in Italy we actually got to perform as well.

**How was your tour experience in Italy with PHS Choir?**

It was so much fun and I wish that I could go back. The spaces
that we performed in were gorgeous and stunning, and the food
was amazing, and it was just such a fun experience.

**What kind of music do you listen to? Do you have a favorite
band or an artist?**

I listen to a wide range of music, but recently I’ve been listening
to a lot of SZA and some Role Model.

**What are some of your other hobbies?**

I’m very musical, so I like to learn instruments. Recently I’ve been
practicing a lot of guitar.

**If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take
one thing with you, what would it be?**

I would take my kazoo, because I think that would be really
entertaining for me and would help pass the time.

**What are you going to miss most about PHS?**

I’m going to miss the communities here, especially the singing
communities. We’re really close and I’ve got to do a lot with other
artists and musicians at PHS.

**Are you planning on pursuing music in the future?**

Not as a profession, but it’s definitely something that I want to
keep doing when I’m older.

**What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?**

Don’t be afraid to try new things even if it might be a little
nerve-racking.

**What advice would you give to new singers and musicians?**

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and step out of your
comfort zone every now and then. Do things that push you and
help you grow.

Jenna Stucky ’25 finds community through singing

A day of spreading music and bonding with your band
and vocals members: that’s exactly what the National Jazz
Festival (NJF) is about. Every year, the PHS Studio Band
and PHS Studio Vocals compete with high school musicians
from across the country in the NJF in Philadelphia. This year
on March 22, Studio Band and Studio Vocals musicians took
part in a full day of jazz performance at the Pennsylvania
Convention Center in Philadelphia.

This year, Studio Band played three songs: “It Don’t Mean
a Thing” by Ella Fitzgerald, a fast swing song; “Decoupage”
by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, a slow ballad; and “Heat
of the Day” by Pat Metheny Group, a song with many time
signature changes. By choosing a combination of diverse
genres, Studio Band showed off their range as musicians. The
bands and Studio Vocals began preparations for NJF as far
back as January. After deciding on three songs to play, they
moved on to finalizing and rearranging solos throughout the
song, ensuring that they were able to fit within 20 minutes,
the time alloted to them by the competition.

Joseph Bongiovi, the Studio Band director, led the band
in weekly rehearsals on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:30. In
addition to rehearsals each week, Studio Band practiced
by recording hour-long sectionals, where they practice
together to build for coherence and collaboration as a
group. Though the preparation was demanding, it helped
the students grow as musicians.

“The competition kind of forces you to put your best
self forward [and] shows you what [you’re] capable [of]
and what you can actually do if put under pressure,” said
Naomi Carroll ’26, a singer in Studio Vocals.

Aside from providing a platform for competition and
music, NJF also promoted bonds between musicians from
across different schools and between band members.
Competitions like NJF radiate a sense of camaraderie,
creating an atmosphere where band members can enjoy
playing music and pursuing their passions together,
regardless of their preceding relationships.

“There have been times when I’ve seen people [from
other schools] just get into a group and start jamming out
in the instrument storage room. Even though they are from
completely different places, [and] none of them know each
other, they’re just there to have fun,” said Thomas Basso
’27, a clarinet player in Studio Band.

“To me, band is like a big family. I feel like [it’s] a lot more
like a tight knit community, so you see recurring faces at
festivals, and you know certain judges who you’ve seen
over and over again, and certain teachers in certain high
schools. There is a sense of [family and] a big community.”
said Carroll.

Photo: Katherine Chen

Jazz Ensemble members Emil Kapur ’27, Stella Wolsk ’26, Sean Wilton ’25, Shawn Elwood ’26, Adam Greenberg ’26, Donovan Vaccaro ’25, Isaac Son ’27, Mia Abrams-Sartor ’28, Avyaya Srivastava ’28, Blake Kearney ’28, Lucas Martinetti ’28, Nicholas Kopaliani ’26, Ian Lee ’28, Florencia Curchitser ’25, and Michael Chorba ’27 practice “The Gathering Sky” by Pat Metheny Group


Studio Band and Studio Vocals compete in the National Jazz Festival

PHS’s Spectacle Theatre brought a classic comedy to life this year with “Groundhog Day: The Musical” from March 13–15 in the Performing Arts Center. Based on the 1993 film of the same name, the musical follows Phil Connors, a weatherman who finds himself reliving Groundhog Day over and over again in the small town of Punxsutawney. Directed by drama teacher Julianna Krawiecki, the show highlighted the talents of the students involved through acting, music, dancing, and stage management.

“Last year, after we did “Beauty and the Beast,” I sat down and thought about what is a great contrast to this musical ... how do we make sure we give them a very different experience but do something that’s new and challenging and exciting, and “Groundhog Day” [is] very different from anything we’ve done,” said Krawiecki.

Bringing “Groundhog Day” to the stage required months of dedication from the cast, orchestra, and crew. With its fast-paced musical numbers, and intricate technical elements, the show posed unique challenges for everyone involved. From vocal rehearsals with PHS Choir Director
Vincent Metallo to going through scenes under the direction of Krawiecki, students in the cast and PHS Orchestra gave their all to perfect their performances while the tech crew spent hours building the set.

“Basically, as soon as the fall play was over ... we started
building the [set for the] musical because we knew that
it was going to be a huge undertaking. We’ve never done
a turntable before, so there was a lot that we wanted to
get figured out early. So we’ve been working on this [for]
eight to 10, 12, [or]14 weeks at this point,” said Jeffrey Van
Velsor, Set Designer and Technical Director for the show.

Being a member of the musical required dedication and
time management skills, as students spent a lot of time
after school rehearsing.

“The most challenging part [for me was] the amount of
time it [took]. Rehearsals [started] at 5:30 p.m. but they
often [went] past 8 p.m., and while it [was] a lot of fun, it
[could] be really time-consuming,” said cast member Ivy
Cordle ’27.

Music was a key element of the musical, with the orchestra
playing a central role. The PHS Orchestra rehearsed alongside the cast members, ensuring a seamless integration
of live music and performance that brought energy and
excitement to the show.

“Groundhog Day is a contemporary show. The genre
of the music is very upbeat pop [and] rock pop, so it’s [a]
very unique style, and that contemporary musical, more
modern musical, [brought] new challenges,” said Metallo.

PHS Orchestra, which provided a live soundtrack for the
show, faced the challenge of coordinating with the action
on stage as they were playing.

“There’s a lot of effort required ... to keep track of the
actors’ movements and lines. It’s hard to focus on just the
music when there are so many other things to consider,”
said Emily Leng ’27, a flautist in PHS Orchestra.

With months of hard work behind them, the cast, crew,
and orchestra delivered a performance that captivated
audiences over the three-night run. From the high-energy
musical numbers to the emotional character moments,
Groundhog Day was a testament to the dedication and
talent of PHS’s theater community.

Photo: Katherine Chen

Maxime DeVico ’27, Julia Scibienski ’27, Noa Zacks ’25, Sebastian Bongiovi ’25, Milania Kapoor ’27, Elena Barreto ’27, Judy Pwee ’27, Sanya Bhatt ’28, Sophie Mueller ’28, Daniel Spitkovsky ’27, Tara Venkatesh ’28, Sylven Waldman ’25, Ash Nieman ’26, and Anna Kaufman ’26 perform the number “Day One — Punxsutawney Phil” in “Groundhog Day.”

Cast, crew, and orchestra shine in “Groundhog Day” musical

As the puck drops, Cassie Speir ’25 glides across the rink with unwavering focus, her
eyes sharp and her grip firm. She closes in on the net and shoots, sending the puck into
the back of the posts and marking her 31st goal of the season. 

Speir, a senior and forward, first discovered her love for hockey at the age of nine.
“I started in a rec league ... [because] one of my really good friends from elementary
school was doing it ... ever since I started, I just loved it,” said Speir. 

She soon transitioned into playing travel hockey, which introduced her to competitive
play and extensive travel, allowing her to go to different states such as Illinois, Wisconsin,
and Michigan. Although Speir also dabbled in lacrosse and softball throughout middle
and high school, it was hockey that she was most passionate about. 

“Quitting has never really been an option for me ... hocky is an outlet for me,” said Speir.
Many athletes have role models they admire, and Speir is inspired by two renowned
hockey athletes: Hilary Knight, who has won a gold medal at the IIHF World Women’s
Championship and the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Sarah Fillier, a former Princeton
University standout now playing in the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey
League (PWHL).

“I would go watch [Fillier’s] games when I was
younger ... they did have [the PWHL back then],
but the women didn’t really get paid much, and i t
wasn’t super known. But this one’s being marketed
really well, so they are good role models to girls
who want to play,” said Speir.

Speir’s commitment to hockey is year-round,
as she competes for both the PHS girls ice hockey
team and the Princeton Tiger Lilies, a club team
in the National Girls Hockey League. 

“[I play hockey] basically every day,” said Speir.
“At school, I play defense, but for my club, I’m
usually a forward. Playing both positions has
been great for understanding the game better.”

Last season, Speir played a crucial role, leading her team to a 3–11 record to qualify for
the Annis Cup semifinals. She led not just her team, but also the state, in number of goals
in one season, embodying the team’s spirit throughout the season. 

“She’s definitely more down to earth and she connects personally with the players on
our team, and she’s really great for morale. She’s very inspiring. The energy she brings to
the game inspires other people to be more energetic,” said Co-Captain Maya Hagt ’25. 

Christian Herzog, head coach of the girls ice hockey team, who witnessed Speir’s journey
from an ambitious freshman to a leading scorer, reflects on her success. 

“She’s had a lot of success in this sport because she’s been playing quite a while, and she
works extremely hard,” said Herzog. “I would expect to hear about her accomplishments
playing in college as well. She’s definitely going to be a tough personality to lose next season.”

Hagt expresses Speir’s importance to the team, not just as a hockey player, but as a
person as well. 

“She’s so inspiring to have on the ice. But even off the ice, she works so hard. You can tell
that she puts a lot of effort into everything she does. I think she’s also a very empathetic
person. Having her as a friend and a teammate is really, really special,” said Hagt. 

Looking forward, Speir has set personal goals for this season, aiming to continue her
streak by increasing the number of goals she scores and improving her assist count. 

“I’m always working on improving my game all-around, skating, shooting, and handles.
On my travel team we’ve been working on some new o-zone faceoff plays,” said Speir. 

For the rest of the season, Speir aims to continue her streak by increasing the number
of goals she scores and improve her assist count. As for her future beyond high school,
Speir seeks to keep playing the sport she loves. 

“I just want to continue to play, probably at the club level ... [and also] keep introducing
new players to the game,” said Speir.

As she enters her final season at PHS, Speir is determined to make every game count and
build lasting connections with her team. Preparing to skate off into a new chapter of her
life she remembers and appericates
all of the moments that have led her to
become the player and person that she
is now.

“Ice hockey has taught me that hard
work makes good things (goals and other
life things),” said Speir. “It has taught
me a lot about being a very supportive
teammate and friend and my experiences
have made me a more confident leader.”

To Speir, every game, tournament has
meant more to her than her team. Most
important of all, Speir knows that hockey
has given her more than skills — it’s given her unforgettable friendships and memories
that will last a lifetime.

“In the future I hope that I can continue to play for fun and that I will be able to bring
in new players to the game,” said Speir. “Hockey is where I’ve made my best friends in
the world.”

Photo: Katherine Chen
Spier is looking forward to another successful season, both on and off the rink.

Cassie Speir ’25: ice hockey

For Elliot Block ’25, music has always been an integral part of his life. His passion for classical music began at an early age, sparked by his love for both the viola and the piano.
Now, as the first chair violist of the PHS Orchestra as well as co-president of its cabinet,
Block continues to explore his passion in chamber groups and on stage.

**When did you start playing the viola and why did you choose it?**

I started viola when I was seven years old, [but] I didn’t choose it. My mom chose it
for me and I didn’t like it at first, but when I was 10 or 11 years old, I started playing in
chamber groups at summer camps, and I realized I really liked that.
That got me into it a little more.

**Who would you consider your inspirations?**

I also play piano, [which] is my [preferred] instrument. Some
of my inspirations are the top performers for piano, like Martha
Argerich, Rubinstein, [and] Horowitz. But there are a ton of great
performers and musicians.

**Why are these artists your inspirations?**

I think it’s primarily their playing style. All the musicians that
I find inspiring are able to approach their instrument in different
ways, but always successfully put their feeling into the music, and
also bring feeling out of the music. I really admire that, and I always
try to do that whenever I’m playing in practice and performance.

**What do you like about classical music?**

There are a ton of things I like about classical music. It’s what I
listen to most. The range of emotions that classical music can feature is really vast, and
there’s always a piece that fits the mood I’m in.

**What do you consider the most challenging aspect of classical music?**

I think the most challenging aspect is the combination of technique and sensitivity
to feeling. It’s sometimes easy to focus on one or the other, but both are necessary to be
really great, and that can be tough.

**How do you handle pressure from auditions or
performances?**

I used to be really bad at that, and I kind of still am really
bad at that, but I make sure that there’s no tension in my body,
and I really practice clearing my head before playing, so that
I can replicate it in front of an audience. It never really is easy,
but I think clearing the tension is the most important thing.

**What is your favorite memory from PHS orchestra?**

Going on the European tour last spring was really fun and [I
bonded] with the orchestra. Through that, I made a lot of new
friends ... It’s made this year a lot more fun too.

**Are you planning on pursuing music in higher education
or as a career?**

Definitely. I want to study piano and classical music in college.
Ideally, it would also make a career. But I know that music will
be with me for my entire life, either way.

Photo: Katherine Chen
Elliot Block ’25 plays the viola in a practice room.

Elliot Block ’25 finds his voice with the viola

As a published author and the creator of the Mandarin
curriculum at PHS, Shwu-Fen Lin has taught Mandarin
for over 30 years. Growing up in Taiwan, Lin dreamed
of becoming a Mandarin teacher ever since she was a
young girl.

 “I think [being] a teacher is a powerful job. You can
teach somebody something new,” said Lin. “I think [it
is important that] you teach a student [so that] they can
see, they can read, they can speak, they can talk.”

 Lin’s journey as an educator began in Taiwan, where she
taught high school Mandarin for 3 years before moving
to the United States. She initially taught elementary and
middle schoolers in the Highland Park School District.
She ultimately found herself drawn to PHS because of
the students and the quality of the district.

 “I’m here because Princeton High School [is in] a very
good school district ... they have very nice students ... I
love to teach here,” said Lin.

 Lin employs a number of teaching methods that involve
simulating real-world situations to help students become
more confident with their Mandarin.

 “We can ‘shop’ in the classroom. So some students
become the vendor, some students become the buyer ...
[this is] very practical, how to shop in the real world,”
said Lin. “[I also use the] bicycle-chain [method] every
day. So all the students [stand] ... in the center of the
classroom [and talk about] different topics every day
[with a] friend [until] they rotate like a bicycle chain.”

 Another particularly unique method she uses is called
“ban zhang,” which means class captain. Being ban zhang
allows students to model the lesson for the day, setting
an example for their peers.

 “All the students can become a ban zhang for one
week ... to help ... the student’s self-confidence,” said Lin.
 Outside the classroom, Lin has also co-authored
books on Mandarin, from basic levels all the way to AP.
Her effective teaching style has led her to give talks at
multiple large teacher conferences.

 “The past 19 years ... I [gave] a lot of good [speeches]
in very huge teacher [conferences], like [the] National
Chinese Language Conference, and ACTFL, a very big
World Language teacher conference,” said Lin.
 Thomas Basso ’27, who has been taking Mandarin for
three and a half years, appreciates Lin’s energetic teaching
style and the enthusiasm she brings to class.

“She ... tries her very best to get everyone to participate
and will often cold-call on people who she thinks aren’t
participating enough, which in a way forces everyone
to pay attention and stay engaged ... I’ve been learning
Spanish since kindergarten, and I still feel like I know
more Mandarin than Spanish,” said Basso. “Mrs. Lin
sometimes makes jokes in class to make us laugh and is
happy to answer any questions that we have.”

 Lin believes that the end goal of learning Mandarin
is to connect with Chinese culture. To help spread
and showcase Asian culture throughout the Princeton
community, Lin established the annual Asian Festival
at PHS in 2007, an event featuring performances and
booths from several Asian culture clubs.

“Every year, we have around 500 people that come
together to celebrate [and] learn Asian culture. This is very
important [as] people need to talk to people, [because]
if I understand your culture, I will respect your culture,”
said Lin. “So I say language is communication, the tool,
but most important that you use this tool in real life, and
be able to use language not only as regular conversation,
but also as a skill to develop.

 Lin believes that learning a new language is not
something that can happen in a classroom alone, but
requires skillful practice throughout one’s life.

 “I like to help my [students] become life [learners],
not only in my classroom ... so they can continue to
learn, even in society,” said Lin. “When you graduate,
you will continue to learn your whole life. I think that’s
very important.

Photo: Katherine Chen
Lin shows her Mandarin class traditonal Chinese New Year decorations.

PHS Profile: Shwu-Fen Lin

In the United States, endurance is a virtue valued above
all else. It’s a foundation of the American dream, the belief
that through determination anyone can achieve anything.
And while not a bad ideal by itself, somehow society has
also accepted that the opposite is true — that
quitting guarantees failure.


As high school students, we are often the most
susceptible to this way of thinking. We’ve all stuck
with things we hated for years simply because of
the faults associated with being a quitter.


However, quitting — especially in high
school — is sometimes the best course of action,
contrary to the sign of laziness or emotional weakness that
it’s stereotypically believed to be.


In order to improve in anything, one first has to accept
that the current state of things is not perfect — that it can be
improved upon. This principle seems so obvious in school
or sports. We go to school and learn because we know that
our current understanding of the world isn’t perfect. We
exercise because the current state of our body isn’t perfect.


Somehow, when it comes to deciding what we spend time
on, we don’t acknowledge imperfection or have any desire
to improve. This isn’t about trivial things like watching
movies or scrolling online — this is about the activities we
put effort and focus into, day after day. All too
often, we endure activities that we don’t enjoy or
don’t improve in simply out of habit.


In being more open to quitting things, we are
acknowledging that the way we spend our time
can be improved. In an article for The New York
Times, MIT professor Sendhil Mullainathan
wrote that “experimentation is an act of humility,
an acknowledgment that there is simply no way of knowing
without trying something different.”


Though the act of quitting is a risk, and therefore admittedly
scary, it’s usually the only way to experiment with figuring
out how to spend our time. And as high school students, it’s
ridiculous to think that we have it all figured out.


In addition to this fear comes the psychological
phenomenon known as the sunk-cost fallacy. The fallacy
(so called because it’s completely illogical)
describes an all too common action that
people take: continuing with something
pointless or unpleasant simply because of past
investment in the activity. Although
you shouldn’t give up after every little
hiccup, if something is consistently
unrewarding, perhaps it’s best to move
on and experiment with a different
activity.


Quitting shouldn’t immediately
be thought of negatively, or as a
sign of defeat. It’s not permanent.
Though it is a change, it can also
provide some distance and a
space for reflection. It allows us to
compare how we feel both with and
without a given activity in our life.
It’s never too late to try new things,
but it’s also never too late to quit.

We should embrace quitting

At PHS, there are dozens of student-run nonprofits:
StemRoots, PHS Building Bridges, Music Mentoring,
PHS Novae, the Aligned Minds Foundation, etc. This
list represents just a fraction of the nonprofits I saw from
scanning my Outlook inbox over the past 24 hours.

However, these organizations must unfortunately
contend with endless criticism
from their skeptical peers,
nonprofit professionals, and
dozens of online articles.
One article by The Harvard
Crimson bears a title with
a simple instruction for
students: “Stop Making Your
Own Nonprofit.”

The article, like many
other critiques of studentrun nonprofits, argues that
instead of starting their own
nonprofits, students should
instead join existing charitable
organizations. It’s indeed
feasible that in the short term,
building on existing structures
might produce greater net
benefits — for example, by avoiding the logistical costs
that come with running new charitable organizations.
However, importantly, these critiques ignore the
powerful long term impact that student-run nonprofits
have in shaping a charitable community.

PHS students know from first hand experience that
when students begin to create nonprofit organizations,
one of their primary motivations is undoubtedly college
admissions or other personal benefits — such as earning
business experience or demonstrating leadership.

However, despite sometimes selfish beginnings,
through their journey in founding and running a
nonprofit, students eventually gain immense knowledge
about the issue they seek to
address often far more than
if they were to volunteer for
an existing organization. By
navigating the complexities
of fundraising and rallying,
students also learn about how
a nonprofit is structured, and
(hopefully) how to create
change.

A nonprofit founder is
also more likely to engage
peers in their work than if
they were to simply recount
their experiences working
for an established, more
professional organization.
For example, PHS Novae,
a nonprofit founded by two
PHS students to support cancer patients, is able to engage
around 25 people in their weekly meetings.

It would of course be ridiculous to argue that the
nonprofits run by high school students are what will save
humanity. But in the long term, the charitable culture
that they develop might. That’s why it’s important to
engage young people in philanthropy now, so that a
habit of doing good can be cultivated and extended into
adulthood. In 20 years, a current PHS student may have
left behind their high school nonprofit, but the effort
they made to submerge themselves in philanthropy will
undoubtedly stay with them for a long time.

Moreover, if critics continue to discourage high school
students from starting their own nonprofits, they might
not only reduce, but eradicate this culture of charity
completely. Given students’ self-motivated ambition, it’s
unlikely that in the face of continued opposition students
will simply settle on joining existing organizations.
Instead, they will transition to starting other, much more
self-serving, business oriented organizations to gain the
experience they need. As opposed to organizations that,
say, provide music tutoring to underprivileged youth,
organizations that simply charge for music lessons will
spring up.

Rather than writing off student nonprofits as trivial, we
should help to support them, and the students that run
them, in any way we can. By simply providing positive
encouragement to the founders, or mentoring them, or
even helping them reach their mission, we will create a
positive culture that encourages charity and long term
change.

In defense of student-run nonprofits

Students Who Can’t Read Books,” caused quite a stir
online. The article puts a spotlight on college professors’
surprising realization that many college freshmen struggle
with reading multiple books per semester. Being able to
read so much used to be standard, but because of a lack
of preparation by middle and high schools, many college
freshmen struggle to read whole books, being more used
to excerpts or chapters.

It seems that smartphones are to blame. “Reading books,
even for pleasure, can’t compete with TikTok, Instagram,
and YouTube,” said Rose Horowitch, the article’s author.

She also pointed to test-oriented education steering
instruction away from reading whole books, instead
assigning students to read excerpts and individual chapters.
Indeed, look no further than the format of the new digital
SAT: in the Reading and Writing sections, the “archaic”
poems have completely disappeared, and the infamous
100-line reading passages have shrunk to single paragraphs.

These diagnoses seem reasonable but are incomplete.
Smartphones aren’t the first challenge books have
faced. According to Britannica, the popularity of radio
broadcasting in the 1920s already spelled trouble for
reading. The Atlantic reported that by the 1960s, Americans
were spending on average four to five hours a day watching
TV and reading time had dwindled down to just 15 to 30
minutes a day. In the battle for our leisure time, books
have sadly already lost a long time ago to other easier-toconsume media formats.

Even when students do sit down and read, classical
literature is increasingly crowded out by a sea of choices
in YA fiction. Thanks to the phenomenal commercial
successes of “Harry Potter” that made J.K. Rowling the
highest paid author to date and Suzanne Collins’s “The
Hunger Games” series that garnered $3.3 billion worldwide
through movie adaptations, authors and publishing houses
have flocked to the YA category, hoping to replicate these
earlier triumphs. In the 1990s, only about 400 to 500 YA
book titles were published each year. That number soared to
1,400 to 1,500 only two decades later. Don’t get me wrong
– some YA novels are quite fun to read. It’s definitely better
to read them than to not read at all. The problem is that
the reading levels of many popular YA novels are simply
too elementary to prepare students for post-secondary
education and beyond. The top ten most popular YA books
on Goodreads sport an average Lexile measure, a scientific
indicator of text difficulty, of just 775. That’s the equivalent
of a fourth-grade reading level.

 While the sales of YA books have plateaued in recent
years, graphic novels and comic books saw a 62 percent
jump in sales in 2021. Publishing industry insiders
argue that the manga versions of classics like
“Pride and Prejudice” and “Macbeth” make these
works more accessible. While that may be true,
graphic novels provide immediate representations
of characters, settings, and emotions, removing
the element of imagination and the critical
skill of interpreting the author’s words
that are an integral part of the reading
experience. Even worse, graphic novel
adaptations often end up serving as
substitutes rather than springboards to
the original texts.

This includes our school too —
according to PHS librarian Jen
Bigioni, between the 10,121 titles
borrowed across physical and digital sources, most were
in the fantasy Young Adult (YA) and manga genres.

Just because students are short on time and commercial
interest is reducing reading to the most basic level, it is still
worth it for us to fight this uphill battle for reading whole,
sophisticated books.

I don’t object to reading excerpts and chapters. But
just like how food samples in grocery stores can never
replace regular meals, reading whole books is a completely
different experience to only sampling chapters. Reading
whole books offers the thrill of the twists and turns of
the plots, the satisfaction of the grand finale, and most
importantly, the understanding of the complexity of the
human experience. If you only read the courtroom chapter
of “To Kill A Mockingbird,” you would mistake Atticus
Finch as an anti-racist advocate and miss the nuance that
he, too, possesses the racial biases of his time.
Through reading whole books, we learn to
see the world not just in black and white, but
also the infinite shades of gray in between.
Moreover, reading books cover to cover
will be a great way to acquire new
knowledge after we complete our
formal education. One of our school
district’s goals is to instill passion and
curiosity in students to become lifelong learners. Without the skill and
stamina to complete whole books,
learning comes to an end when there
are no more tests administered to us.

Adding on to all of this, education
was once affordable only to the rich and
powerful; reading books was an upperclass activity for much of human
history. However, in the 1400s, the
invention of the Gutenberg printing
press revolutionized the dissemination of information and
increased access to knowledge. It was the spread of books
like John Locke’s “Two Treatises of Government” and Jean
Jacques Rousseau’s “Social Contract” that ushered in the
Enlightenment Age and built the philosophical foundation
of modern democratic societies. Throughout history, the
widespread access to books has driven human progress,
but if we let reading once again become a luxury of a few,
it will be a major step back in human progress.

You should still read books

Most students at PHS know that New Jersey is not an easy place to buy a home, but what they might not know is that expensive housing doesn’t just make it harder to buy a house: it raises the costs of everything from insurance to ice cream. Affordable housing should be important to all of us, yet New Jersey’s housing prices still continue to rise. To understand why we lack affordable housing, New Jersey has to examine its past.

About 60 years ago, Mount Laurel officials began demolishing the “substandard” homes of lower income residents. In reply, the residents submitted a proposal to build affordable housing to replace the demolished homes. Unfortunately, an official shot the proposal down, responding: “If you people can’t afford to live in our town, then you’ll just have to leave.”

The residents sued the township. Three state Supreme Court cases later, the New Jersey Supreme Court established that all New Jersey municipalities have an obligation under the New Jersey Constitution to provide low-income and moderate-income housing, and the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) was created through the Fair Housing Act. Yet, years later, New Jersey home prices have risen to the point where the state has the ninth highest average home price in the entire country. To address this housing crisis, Governor Phil Murphy passed the bill known as A-40/S-50 this March. But how did we get to the point where a second bill is necessary?

Put simply, the Fair Housing Act became a joke. Every six years, the COAH underwent rounds of rulemaking, intended to update its formula to calculate township affordable housing obligations. However, due to incessant legal challenges, the COAH became unable to pass any reforms at all, which culminated in Governor Chris Christie attempting to abolish COAH. As a result, by 2015, the COAH was “declared moribund” by the New Jersey Supreme Court. Throughout this all, wealthy townships ignored the COAH by engaging in endless legal disputes and utilizing loopholes to shift their responsibilities to other towns.

This matters for everyone who lives in New Jersey. Fewer houses and higher demand lead to higher property values. As housing prices increase, so too do insurance premiums and property taxes. With people priced out of buying houses, landlords raise rents to take advantage of increased demand for shorter-term housing. When a state becomes more expensive to live in, businesses raise prices to pay higher loan fees and rents. Finally, fewer people seek to migrate to expensive states, resulting in reduced commerce and tax revenue. A-40/S-50 aims to address these issues by replacing the COAH with a new framework to calculate township affordable housing requirements, as well as provide support for Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) programs. PILOT programs allow affordable housing to be constructed without putting the cost of construction on taxpayers by reducing taxes on developers and allowing the construction of new marketrate housing. PILOT programs are not perfect, since they don’t provide funding to the school board. Yet not every housing development even utilizes PILOTs, and marketrate housing is still crucial to addressing the issue of housing supply.

Despite this, the primary reason that opponents of COAH cite is cost. According to Senator O’Scanlon, the bill “mandates levels of affordable housing that communities cannot sustain.” Additionally, PILOT projects are profitable for developers. However, part of the reason developers have made so much money is because of lacking auditary standards, which resulted from a COAH paralyzed by constant lawsuits.

Without sufficient audits, developers were able to consistently exploit legal loopholes in their favor. For example, developers could put together the expenses of multiple projects to overstate expenses, thus lowering reported profits to underpaythe city for taxes. This is an issue that A-40/S-50 aims to fix by standardizing the process of constructing affordable housing.

It’s also hypocritical for opponents of A-40/S-50 to cite cost as an issue after spending millions in lawsuits to challenge COAH regulations. Due to these lawsuits, New Jersey is estimated to be 200,000 homes short of meeting basic affordable housing requirements. The actual issue at stake is NIMBYism. The acronym, which stands for “Not In My Backyard,” is a term commonly applied to people who oppose affordable housing out of misconceptions or fear. NIMBYs often oppose change due to perceived risks of crime, strained infrastructure, lowered property values, and changing community character. While many local officials have avoided making statements along these lines, it’s difficult to avoid seeing signs of its influence. The arguments provided against affordable housing are flawed and simply can’t explain the fifty years lawmakers have spent viciously fighting the results of Mount Laurel. However, countless studies have shown that those fears rarely come to pass. For example, a study conducted by Princeton University on Mount Laurel’s affordable housing found that the town’s crime rates, property values, and taxes were similar to the surrounding suburbs, while “the lives of the poor and working-class families who moved there transformed.” Many neighbors were even unaware that affordable housing existed in that area. Despite this, the movement still has strong roots in Princeton itself.

> The arguments provided against affordable housing are flawed.

In 2022, the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development was formed to fight against an affordable housing development on the land of the Princeton Theological Seminary, on the grounds that it would increase traffic. PCRD founder Jo Butler later elaborated with the words, “every day people are at Einstein’s house…then they want to know the way to Oppenheimer’s house. It’s a big draw and we’re going to ruin it. So, does that make me a NIMBY? I guess.”

Ruin it? How? Is Butler still terrified the development might look ugly, despite the project utilizing top of-the-line materials to blend with the surrounding neighborhood? Does Butler believe evil developers seek to bulldoze Einstein’s house? Will increased traffic somehow injure Princeton’s historical value? Or is Butler still afraid of the people who depend on affordable housing? Whatever the case, there’s no adequate way to justify her statement. Though the group has made statements on seeking common ground, its actions directly contradict this. When they were told they couldn’t sue Princeton’s mayor over the housing plan, the group “refused to amend their case” without actually giving a reason why. Additionally, the group has taken issue with nearly every affordable housing development in Princeton and also attempted to halt construction of affordable housing that was agreed upon even before Princeton’s housing plan was created.

The easiest way to take action? Simply learn more about affordable housing. Opponents to affordable housing often rely on vague fear-inducing statements to generate misconceptions. Students should confirm the validity of rumors before spreading them, and research the ways affordable housing has succeeded and failed. Students also have exclusive access to a crucial audience; their parents. Murphy’s bill is New Jersey’s second chance to address the cost of living, and families shouldn’t let local officials use their taxpayer dollars to fight it. By simply engaging in dialogue, students can shine a spotlight on New Jersey’s housing crisis.

Rising housing costs hurt New Jersey

Badminton is often thought of as a game that is played at the family cookout or on a warm day at the park,
not a sport. Few know of its professional side or its 
reputation as one of the most intense and fast-paced
sports in the world. These professional players train for years to hone their speed and accuracy, but are still 
underestimated because of the casual viewer’s lack of knowledge about the sport. 
  Badminton has centuries-old roots, originating from a
game called “battledore and 
shuttlecock,” different variants of which were played in ancient civilizations such as Greece, 
China, and India. The 
modern version of the sport became popular in the 
middle of the 19th century in 
British India and eventually spread worldwide, becoming an Olympic sport in 1992.
  However, the sport has never gotten much 
recognition in the United States. This is due to the fact that there is already an abundance of 
professional sports leagues in the United States. 
However, times are changing: the UBX Pro League, the  first 
professional badminton league in North America, will launch in 2025. The UBX Pro League’s goal is to make badminton more prominent. Here at PHS, the 
Badminton Club has begun implementing this same 
initiative, which has introduced many more students to the sport.   
    Founded by William Yao ’24, the Badminton Club strives to create camaraderie among the student body through badminton. Although badminton is played in most gym classes during the winter, Yao noticed that many students view the sport as simple recreation or even as a chore due to its association with the class.             
 Through his dedicated 
leadership, the club has 
created an inclusive 
environment in which 
students of all backgrounds can come together to enjoy the sport. 
 As an immigrant, Yao realized that 
badminton isn’t as popular in America as it is China, so founding the club was his way to not only expand the variety of options students had for sports, but also to teach others about an important part of his culture by trying new things.
   “We have [this] club to [introduce other] people to our  culture,” said Yao. “It’s brought more of the  people who weren’t involved in sports together … [people can] come in and have fun with their friends.” 
   There are a few basic techniques needed to play a game, such as different serve types, which are easy to learn and put into practice, making accessible badminton accessible. 
  Aside from the sport’s convenience and accessibility, club co-leader Nags Muthiah ’25 also places great value on badminton’s recreational and unifying potential. 
  Although few U.S. schools have an official badminton team, many, including PHS, have clubs that occasionally play friendly matches with each other. This makes the club members hopeful about the creation of an official team. 
   “We’re gathering up to make a team and we play against other schools,” said Yao. “Our first match was against 
Basking Ridge in November last year.” 
 These matches were entirely 
organized by students, from funding to 
transportation and any other resources the players required. 
Badminton is yet to have a large impact,  but Muthiah remains optimistic on its potential influence. 
   “I don’t think it’s changed the culture at PHS ... yet, since the Badminton Club still feels [very] small. I’d say it 
changes more like the break culture,” said Muthiah. “It opens up a new activity to do at lunch time, Tiger Time, or if you have a free and if you want to join someone’s gym class.” 
   Although badminton may not become an official sport at PHS for a long time, as the sport is steadily gaining 
popularity through the Badminton Club, with true 
potential to positively impact the whole PHS community through its emphasis on inclusion, fun, and connection. 
   “We had few people [when I started]... we have way more people now,” Yao said.   


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