This past year, Tommy Birge ’24 discovered his passion for rock climbing. Determined to share his 
enthusiasm with others, he decided to begin a rock climbing club where both beginners and experienced climbers could come together and challenge themselves at greater heights. Although the club is a space for students to push their limits, the main focus of it is to not only encourage people to try something new, but also to have fun along the climb. 

What is the Rock Climbing club about?
“The main goal is just to get some climbing in, both outdoors and indoors. We’re hoping to start off indoors and just to get people introduced... but hopefully [and] eventually, we might transition to outdoor climbing just because [there are] nice places nearby... But we also still have in school meetings like many other clubs.”

What events and activities do you have planned? 
Where does the club meet?
“[We are] planning to do Fridays during break either in the lecture hall room or...even the advisors [in room] 66 I think. And we’re gonna start off just by telling what the club’s gonna do... maybe starting off watching some climbing, other YouTube videos or documentaries.”

What inspired you to start this club?
“I think it’s just a fun sport [...] I don’t think there was much... representation or just people working in [the] community of [rock climbing] at PHS like other sports, so I thought it would be fun to get started.” 

What’s the best part about rock climbing?
“I think it’s the puzzle solving aspect of each individual climb, but also it’s just fun doing it live [on] the climb. There’s a normal sport aspect [where] we just get stronger, and it’s nice to feel that 
progression. But also when you eventually go outdoors and get to that level, it’s just pretty as well. Rock climbing [is] just a cool sport... You don’t even have to be good at running, [it’s] just beginner friendly. It’s [open] to anybody. And also [we have a] 
welcoming community. It’s actually really chill and nice.”


Where does the club go to climb?
“There [are] indoor places that [are about] 20, 30
 minutes away. There’s Rockville Climbing Center [that is] between 20 and 30 minutes. [That is] for indoor gyms. And for actual outdoor climbing, there’s 
bouldering which is like kind of local area. Then there’s the Ross Stover State Park which is an hour away which [has] actual rock climbing, which will be more long term, probably weekend trips.”

Where can we find more information?
“There’s the Instagram [@rockclimbingclubphs] and also the email [phsclimbing@gmail.com], which I think is also on Instagram.” 

New Rock Climbing Club Brings Students to New Heights

Sustainability is a pressing issue that needs involvement in order to reach progress. As COVID-19 begins to fade, many past issues like sustainability return to focus. In response, the World Cafe Event, which will be hosted by PHS on March 16, is one of many solutions to bring further awareness to students and the overall community.        

 Unlike February, where there was only an online presentation, the event will be an in-person discussion where participants will be able to share their ideas and find common themes behind everyone’s ideas. 

   “The format of the program is such that we will split into small groups, and have each group have a discussion … By the end, we can find common themes behind all the different pieces, all the different pieces of input,” said Jenny Ludmer, the Program Manager for Sustainable Princeton.

   Following up on the event, Ludmer hopes that the series of activities can bring many great ideas together. After all, the decisions and actions taken now are for the future of many students. 

   “If we could provide a forum where all of these ideas can come together, that could help the district prioritize moving forward plans to address some of these concerns that are out there,” Ludmer said.

   Ludmer believes that it is important to allow students to contribute to this act. By exposing many students to make an effort to change how energy can be sustained at an early age, they are more likely to continue this effort later on in their lives.

   “I think it's vital to educate students. You're inheriting the world as it is now. And you, many of you will hopefully contribute to the solutions to climate change. If I wanted to sum it up, you're the future. And unfortunately, the future is going to include climate change, so we're going to need as many hands on deck as possible to help us with this issue.” Ludmer said.

   There are also many students in PHS who feel the same way. As their futures are determined by the actions that are taken today, many want to step up to make a difference.

   “It is important because it is good to have awareness on what you do. It is still good to have general knowledge and information on issues that may surround us,” said Thomas Birge ‘24, a student in PHS. 

   Regardless of the current situation. Ludmer is very optimistic about this new opportunity to make a difference at PHS and in Princeton as a whole. Although the assembly being held this month may not be as significant, Ludmer believes that this is the right direction for PHS to change old habits into feasible and viable methods, explaining several advancements that Princeton is working on in order to reach a green future. 

   “I’m helping them with energy initiatives, transportation initiatives, natural resources management, and then resiliency, [which] is thinking about green infrastructure,” Ludmer said. 

   With so many broad topics, Ludmer has specific goals in mind, devising multiple methods and strategies to improve our environment ranging from clean, reusable energy, to transportation. 

   “We're looking at 2024 for solar to happen for all the schools … Those projects will likely start within the next six to nine months. It's a long process, it'll be a multi-year process. But it will, in the long run, be a very good thing for the high school,” Ludmer said.

   Despite difficulties lying ahead, change is in progress and students appreciate the effort from administrators and volunteers. 

   “I'm excited that the district has initiative now and wants to see it happen at the schools. In general, this is an important topic to address and inaction cannot be prolonged,” said Zach Guan 24’.



“World Cafe” event promotes discussion about sustainability at PHS:

On January 31, the PHS boys and girls swim teams found success by taking the top spots at the Mercer County Finals, their first side-by-side win in eight years. The boys team won for the first time since 2014, scoring 265–225 in a tight race against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North. The girls team swept the competition in a 336–54 victory against The Pennington School, winning for the first time since 2016.

Heading into their county race, the team had already been having a triumphant season: The girls had a 10–0 record and the boys had a 11–0 record. Despite the tough competition, Head Coach Carly Misiewicz believed the team could continue their win streak at this year’s County Finals. “I would say that we were pretty confident, but we knew that [winning Mercer County Finals] wasn’t going to be easy. We knew that the boys and girls were going to have tough competition with strong teams,” said Misiewicz. “So my message [to the team] was to race your own race and do the best that you can do at that moment.” The team’s undeniable chemistry and support for one another was fueled through their passion for swimming.

The team was led by Captain Tracey Liu ’22, who, alongside many highly experienced seniors, brought out the unique strengths in this year’s members. “This year’s team had so much depth and diversity because there were so many different swimmers that had different special strokes and events that we could swim,” said Liu. “In addition, a lot of us are seniors, and we already had a year off because of COVID, so we really wanted our last year to be meaningful for us.” The competition between the schools was intense, but the Tigers’ perseverance and teamwork paid off. After most of the team made it back after the preliminary round, excitement was running high as they knew they had a chance at winning. In the final round, many swimmers placed in top spots, propelling the team to a win.

@img=https://yusjougmsdnhcsksadaw.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/THIS WAS USED FOR SWIM TOO.jpg

On the boys team, Daniel Baytin ’23 took home first place in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, and David Xu ’25 placed first in the 200-meter individual medley, second in the 100-meter butterfly, and medaled in two relays. “I was confident that I would swim well and was proud of what I achieved as a freshman,” Xu said. On the girls team, Kyleigh Tangen ’24 placed first in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle. Courtney Weber ’24 won first place in both the 200-meter freestyle relay and the 100-meter breaststroke, breaking the PHS girls record in the two events. “I was really happy not just that I broke the record, but because I knew I was improving a lot and I was [benefitting] the team as one of the fastest PHS swimmers that’s ever swam,” Weber said. On February 10, the girls team advanced to sectional semifinals, where they lost in a close race of 92-78 against Summit High School. Nevertheless, their season ended with an impressive 13-1 record.

On February 18, the boys team continued their win streak by winning a 105-65 meet against West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in the Central Group Sectional Championship; their first time taking the title in eight years. On February 22, the boys team advanced to New Jersey State Semifinals where they won in a tight meet with a final score of 87-84 against Tenafly High School. Their next big stop is the New Jersey State Finals, where their goal is to swim as many rounds as possible. “We’re ranked against some of the hardest, most competitive public schools in New Jersey. We’re a little nervous, but I know that with all of our hard work and dedication, we will swim [more] good competitions,” Liu said.

Raymond Chang's Work