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

This year, the three mental health 
counselors at PHS — Bethzayda Matos, 
Michelle Simborski, and Ryan Stingel — 
have rebranded the Student Assistance 
Program from last year to Resilience, 
Intervention, Support, and Empowerment 
(RISE), which will consist of confidential 
counseling services, classroom visits, and 
evening events centered on topics such as 
depression or substance abuse.


“There’s a lot of pressure here at PHS, and 
the school district saw a rise in numbers 
of students coming to see counselors for 
anxiety, depression, stress related concerns. 
And so the district, being very proactive, 
wanted to build a comprehensive mental 
health program for students and families,” 
said Simborski.


In 2022, the district conducted a survey 
that revealed stark disparities about how 
different racial demographic groups felt 
about belonging, safety, and support in 
PHS. Though 56 percent of PHS students 
overall said they felt like the school was a 
welcoming and safe space to be, only 28 
percent of Hispanic students felt that way. 
Further, only 44.2 percent of PHS students 
overall agreed with the statement “when 
something is really bothering me, there is 
at least one adult that I can go to and talk 
about the problem.”


“I think that the difference in the 
percentages ... and feelings come from a 
space of maybe not understanding the 
support that is available,” said Matos. “If 
you don’t know what’s available, then you’re 
not going to seek it.”


Through introducing herself in 
classrooms, interacting in the hallways, 
and having consultation meetings with 
students, Matos hopes to make them aware 
of the available support and close that gap. 
Given that she is the only Spanish-speaking 
counselor in PHS, Matos regularly visits 
English Language Learning classrooms to 
educate students about mental health and 
the numerous resources that the school 
provides.


Matos says that last year, she and 
Simborski saw an average of 90 students 
a week. However, she also noted that the 
amount of risk assessments decreased from 
the year prior.


“There’s no shame in seeking support. It’s 
not a sign of weakness. It’s actually a sign 
of resilience,” said Matos. “We are here to 
support each and every student however 
we can, but we don’t know what you do or 
what you need, unless you come to us for 
assistance.”


Ryan Stingel, who joined PHS as a mental 
health counselor earlier this year, is also 
the advisor of the Lock In Club, which is 
dedicated to helping students learn mental 
techniques to perform better under pressure 
and regulate emotions.


“I think for a lot of high schoolers who 
are motivated, hard working and want to 
do their best, it can be frustrating if you’re 
able to do something in practice, but you’re 
not able to replicate it or do it as well in in 
the test room or on stage or whenever it 
matters,” said Daniel Haiduc ’26, leader of 
Lock In Club.


Throughout his meetings with students, 
whether as their club advisor, during oneon-one meetings, or through the classroom, 
Stingel strives to relay one core message to 
all students.


“I hope that every person that reads this 
takes away the message ... that no matter 
who you are, you deserve to feel comfortable 
being you,” said Stingel. “You deserve to 
feel comfortable living in your own skin

Photo: Charley Hu


PHS mental health counselors plan RISE initiative


PHS mental health counselors plan RISE initiative

These days, it seems that beauty industry consumers prioritize convenience over all else. They look for the product that creates the best results while having to put in the least effort, trading sustainability for ease of use. This mindset favors products with disposable, often unrecyclable packaging. In 2024, Business Waste found that 120 billion units of plastic packaging are thrown away each year. This includes packaging for shampoo and lotion, products that carry an additional environmental impact — water waste. The International Natural and Organic Cosmetics Association finds that such products can contain up to 95 percent water. 


With climate change and pollution threatening fresh water supplies, it is important to conserve this precious resource. A 2019 study from the Research Institute for Medicine corroborates that beauty products in the form of bars or sticks minimize water use in the consumption phase and thus benefit conservation. The idea of waterless beauty may sound strange at first, but their accessibility and sustainability make it a worthwhile swap for students’ daily routines. 


One of the most common waterless beauty products is shampoo bars, which are solid surfactant-based products that resemble bars of soap. The price point of one shampoo bar — often $15 — is a bit higher than that of bottled shampoo, but its formula is designed to be ultra-concentrated and last more washes. For example, Ethique Beauty advertises their shampoo bars as equal in use to three 350 mL plastic shampoo bottles, while their conditioner bars are equal to five 350 mL bottles of conditioner. Additionally, most shampoo bars are packaged in recyclable or compostable paper packaging, which saves water from manufacturing and reduces its end-of-life impacts on local ecosystems.


Ditching familiar liquid products can be daunting, but many mainstream stores make waterless beauty swaps easily accessible. Lush, the original inventor of the shampoo bar in 1987, sells a plethora of water-free products at most malls. Sephora now carries shampoo bars from Viori and superzero, while Amazon offers items from Ethique Beauty as well as a variety of other eco-friendly brands. Instructions for use are simple, and often involves rubbing the bar directly onto wet hair and then massaging to lather. 


Although it can be hard to make changes to our usual personal care products, every little bit counts to conserve water and reduce packaging waste. By incorporating a small aspect of sustainability into daily routine from a young age, individuals can save thousands of bottles of product over a lifetime. 

Ditch the water in your shampoo

Head Coach James Smirk

“The real secret [to] being great at cross country is understanding that it never really gets easier. You just get better at dealing with it, and then, as such, you’re willing to run faster ... I think that’s something pretty unique in our sport. So our athletes 
have gotten better and have found themselves in a championship position because they have leaned into that idea that they can continue to find greater depths of ability if they’re willing to commit to those ideas.

Assistant Coach Jennifer Smolyn

“For the girls, the goal is going to be to win the section, because they are talented and ready to go. But for the boys, they’re a little bit more of a wild card. We weren’t expecting them to win the county. They put a really, really great race together. So we’re not totally sure how they’re gonna pan out in the section, but we’re excited.”

Aleric Deess ’28

“I’d say that it’s pretty exhilarating, honestly, especially depending on where you’re 
passing them. Towards the end of the race, you can see them in front of you [and] you can see that they’re breathing heavy [or] they’re looking down [and] not feeling great. [At that point], you really [start to] feel like you can really win and pass them in this spot.”

Steven Cenci ’26

“We’ve really bonded as a team and done a bunch of workouts together that have strengthened our connections with each other. So when we [got] out there on the 
course, we [were able to] trust each other and were willing to put it all out there as a team ... I think all four of our coaches ... have been super supportive [and helped] us with our workouts and [gave us] training plans.”

photo courtesy:Lily Ludewig


The cross country teams celebrate their clean sweep victory at the CVC tournament

Cross country teams sweep CVC championships 

This fall, the PHS administration has 
increased the number of detention slips 
given to students with unverified absences. 
This practice, once widespread at PHS, was 
carried out at a much smaller scale for the 
past few years due to significant leadership 
changes and a lack of personnel. PHS 
Principal Cecilia Birge describes this change 
as a step to combat the school’s chronic 
absenteeism, defined as students missing 
10 percent or more of the school year.


If a student continues to accumulate 
absences despite repeated detentions and 
emails home, the counselors and assistant 
principals get involved to coordinate 
meetings with both students and parents. 
If all else fails, the school can disenroll or 
expel the student, or their parents can be 
taken to court by the Princeton Public 
Schools District.


“Chronic absenteeism in PHS ... has been 
highlighted at the state level, and that’s 
not a data point I want PHS’s name to be 
associated with,” said Birge.


The most common reason for the 
accumulation of unverified absences is 
cutting class. 


“They just skip. I don’t understand why 
kids skip when they’re in school. You woke 
up, got ready for school, you got on the bus 
[or] you walked here ... and then you just 
skip. You’ve already done so much. Just 
go to class,” said Torie Esposito, a special 
education teacher at PHS, who is in charge 
of running detention.


Though the administration is taking 
attendance seriously, they are also trying 
to destigmatize the concept of these 
administrative actions, like detention.


“We actually do not call [detention] 
detention. We call it progress hour ... 
because like I said, [it] is a space for all of 
us to re-engage with students, for students 
to reflect upon the impact of cutting and 
do homework to make progress. They’re 
not [at school] to party, right? And on 
the other hand, [progress hour] is a good 
negative in the sense that if you know it’s 
bad, don’t get on to the bad. Get on to the 
good,” said Birge.


The detention slips are automatically 
generated if a student is marked present 
in some classes but absent in others. Then, 
that student is required to attend detention, 
which is held on Monday, Tuesday, and 
Thursday after school from 3:30 p.m. to 
4:30 p.m. Although the use of detention 
slips has decreased student absences by 18 
percent compared to last year, some students 
nonetheless see the practice as imperfect in 
its current form.


“I think it’s a little bit too harsh because 
it takes on the assumption [that students 
deliberately missed class], and I’ve heard 
from other students as well [that] they 
weren’t missing class. They just got marked 
absent by accident,” said Olivia Chen ’27, a 
student who accidentally got marked absent 
in gym class and had to attend detention. 


Instead of going through the appeals 
process — contacting her assistant principal 
and providing evidence that she was in class 
— Chen just decided to attend detention 
for an hour. 


“I think detention is fine. It sounds serious 
and all, but all it is is just you stay an hour 
after school in the room. I think it’s fine as 
it is, it’s just you need to be a little bit more 
lenient with how [it’s] implemented because 
you should implement it [for] people that 
have patterns and not just people that 
coincidentally just missed a class and got 
marked absent,” said Chen.


Assistant Principal Lauren Freedman 
encourages students to advocate for 
themselves when they think there’s a 
mistake.


“We always tell the students to go to their 
assigned assistant principal. We think it’s 
best for the student to self-advocate and 
reach out to their teachers if [there’s a 
mistake] and have the teacher email [us], 
‘Oh, yes, they did come to class late, and then 
I changed attendance.’ And it’s an easy fix."

Photo: Julia Li


A student holds a detention slip they received for skipping class. 


PHS Investigates: the increase in detention slips

Before digging into a long-awaited meal, you may wonder about the true nutritional value of your food. Now, by simply snapping a picture of the burrito bowl sitting in front of you, detailed statistics about the nutritional contents of your meal are generated within seconds. As the modern world of sports becomes increasingly attentive to the impact of diet and macronutrient intake on fitness and athletic performance, new innovations are accommodating to this focus. This is mainly made possible by one thing: artificial intelligence. 

Like many other facets of our day-to-day life, AI has become one of the most convenient and accessible tools in the fitness industry. Beyond ChatGPT and other large language models, AI has been integrated into programs such as Whoop, Peloton, and other fitness-related tools and appliances. The rise of machine learning in the fitness industry mirrors its success in other fields; its efficiency and personalized nature cut the time it takes to manually research fitness goals to just a few seconds. 

Some AI fitness scanners, like Fitbod, are able to assess the client’s physical state (age, weight, medical condition, BMI) in more detail than a personal trainer would be able to achieve. Apps then take that information to tailor a specific workout regimen — all in a matter of minutes. Rather than investing hundreds of dollars into a trainer, AI offers a cheap, innovative alternative. 

“When I didn't know how to work out and it was difficult for me to find resources which were beginner friendly, AI was the way to go,” said Aarav Upadhyay ’27. 

Not only can AI be used to gather data on the athlete’s physical metrics, it’s used as a tool to predict injuries and outcomes. Wearable bracelets are able to sense muscle imbalances and stress patterns before it’s too late. The Dallas Cowboys implemented this wearable tech system for performance analysis and injury prevention, an issue that has long plagued the sport. Additionally, Paralympic cyclist Skylar Espinoza praised AI fitness program Parity in helping her track her biometrics ahead of the Olympic Games. 

Despite the benefits and streamlined efficiency, there are concerns over AI’s privacy and reliability. These fitness trackers collect massive amounts of data on a person with little to no guarantee of misuse or breach. Systems with a poorly trained algorithm are capable of recommending risky or even dangerous workouts, increasing the risk of injury. In sports, AI implementation has caused arguments on who has the final say in injury situations: the coach, athlete, or AI. 

“I don’t use AI trackers for my sport because the US figure skating [team] has their own app,” said Audrey Chiu ’26. “I don’t actually trust it because it can’t really know what’s going on in human bodies.”

While it is tempting to immediately turn to AI for advice, PHS students have many resources at their disposal, ranging from health classes and gym teachers to professional guest speakers who teach us about fitness and nutrition. An overreliance on technology is dangerous, especially if we entrust our physical health with it: AI indiscriminately sources from the internet, and it is our job to be proactive by verifying generated answers. 


How AI is transforming the fitness industry

### 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

This article was not written by ChatGPT, but it very well could have been. As the artificial intelligence world learns to adapt and seep through the gaps of our detection system, it evolves at a deplorable rate with humanizers, paraphrasers, and other ingenious developments to mask its footprints. If masking technology continues to progress at the rate it is, it seems inevitable that an AI-generated essay will be indistinguishable from a human-written one. 


PHS administration attempted to solve this problem of totalistic AI usage through the banning of the ringleader, ChatGPT. However, shunning the idea of AI usage makes it a “forbidden fruit” all the more appealing to students, and encourages methods like AI humanizers to create less detectable ways of cheating. History proves this fact; look towards large-scale events such as Prohibition or crackdowns on the drug trade in recent years. Instead of curbing the usage of said substances, it only encouraged perpetrators to create more discrete and undetectable methods. However, Principal Cecilia Birge acknowledges this issue, clarifying that the arrangement of banning ChatGPT is not here to stay.


“I have no doubt it is temporary,” said Birge. “I just don’t know how temporary it is. I also think this tug-of-war between innovation and regulation will continue and become even more intense.” 


Although temporary, this solution poses a serious threat to the overarching effort against AI usage. Despite the intention to limit unsolicited usage, students can simply rely on other tools that complete the same purpose. It only serves to expedite the tug-of-war that Birge alluded to as regulation takes longer than innovation. Hence, regulatory focus should be pivoted towards accepting AI’s place amongst the giants, educating ourselves about it and using it as a tool. Our school should consider educating teachers on how to incorporate AI into their classes or possibly even having a required elective about responsible and effective AI usage, similar to how PIRL and Personal Finance are required.


 “[AI] replaces everyone that is less competent than it,” said computer science teacher Edward Yin. 


There are certainly reasons to fear the rise of AI. It consumes mountains of energy and moves thousands of gallons of water, but unfortunately, top companies do not care about negative impacts. Morality has never stopped innovation and it certainly will not this time, as we already see billions of dollars being invested in the field. There is no reason to believe that the well-meaning will be able to change the minds of the greedy.
It is imperative that our district accept that AI is here, and regardless of whether it will stay, students should adapt to new technology for the sake of their future; someone who cannot use AI to improve their productivity will always be outcompeted by someone who can. Yin’s approach is to maintain a traditional approach to his class and integrate AI later. Although PHS is trying to devise a more holistic approach to AI, an all-out ban is not as beneficial as it may first seem. AI is not an enemy, but it’s possible to make it one. 

Pros of AI in School

PHS chemistry teacher Matthew Krip joined PHS in 2024 after 13 years of teaching 
chemistry and biology around New Jersey. He began his educational career at two 
alternative schools: Newark Innovation Academy and later Newark Leadership Academy. 
He then transitioned to teaching at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, a suburban 
public school. 


“In Newark I had the privilege of teaching the marginalized in our society through 
alternative programs ... Scotch Plains, however, was a distinctly middle-class experience,” 
said Krip.


 Though he valued that experience, Krip says he feels more at home at Princeton High 
School because of the way PHS’s rigorous curriculum supports its students’ intellectual 
growth. 


Krip himself had a unique educational background: he did not have a traditional high 
school experience and also only developed an interest in chemistry during college, after 
hating the subject in high school. 


“I got kicked out of my grammar school [before] high school because … it was a 
religious school, and I asked too many questions. My parents didn’t want me to be in 
the public high school in Jersey City, so they signed me up for homeschooling through 
VHS tapes [of] teachers from Florida ... I basically homeschooled myself with VHS 
tapes,” said Krip.


Krip holds two masters degrees in philosophy and chemistry, along with his bachelor’s 
degree in biology. He is currently taking classes on biophysics, an interdisciplinary science 
which uses physics to explain biological phenomena, through Princeton University’s 
Continuing Education Program. He brings his passions for philosophy and chemistry 
into the classroom too.


“[There are] students ... [who] have a prejudice that anything that comes in front of 
them was made by someone or someone put it together. And so we’re getting right at 
the core of some really good, intense philosophy. That prejudice, it’s filled with hubris, 
because every single object in reality is held together by these attractions that we 
investigate in chemistry,” said Krip.


He tries to show this connection by creating new lessons that combine real-world 
applications and the more conceptual aspects of chemistry, such as a project on the 
Flint Water Crisis.


“I use a lot of online tools to convey feedback, small groups and discussions, and I like 
making puzzles out of things and using lots of media,” said Krip. “There is this alternating 
rhythm of introducing a theme, making sense of it, working through different problems, 
applying the concepts and then bringing in the math.”


In the remainder of his career, Krip hopes to bridge the large gap he believes exists 
between the sciences and humanities, by continuing to showcase the overlaps between 
philosophy and chemistry, and by possibly introducing a new biophysics courses at 
PHS too. 


“I am free to be myself and teach ... which is an incredible privilege for me. Hence, 
why I am absolutely driven to use every opportunity I have to honor this in reference 
to my calling and this community,” said Krip.

Photo: Viola Que


Krip explains molecular structures to John Woodfield ’27 in Chemistry I Accelerated.

PHS Profile: Matthew Krip

This weekend, PHS Competitive Programming Team 
will hold the first hackPHS hackathon since 2022. This 
event invites students from all over New Jersey to PHS 
to collaborate on computer science projects for 24 hours 
straight.


The hackathon will host mentors and workshops for 
computer science, with topics ranging from Intro to 
Python to Finance in Computer Science. The event also 
contains recreational activities like midnight karaoke and 
spikeball tournaments. But the main goal of the hackathon 
is for students to form teams and create one big project, 
often a software or web application, and compete to be 
the best project. 


“You can come make something cool, learn about 
programming or just, like, solve any type of problem ... 
Our themes this year are like nature and communication 
... we prefer that you’re solving some problem in those 
areas. But honestly, it can be in any area,” said Om Mehta 
’26, one of the organizers of hackPHS.


The top three winners of the hackathon will receive cash 
prize, as well as gaming equipment, a cactus plushie, or a 
Raspberry Pi mini-computer. The Wolfram Award gifts a 
year’s subscription to WolframOne (valued at $1660) and 
eligibility for a $500 scholarship to a Wolfram summer 
program. 


However, organizers say that the purpose of hackPHS 
isn’t to find a winner, but instead to promote computer 
science in an engaging way. 


“It’s really to get people to enjoy [computer science] more. 
The STEM culture of the school is definitely good, but I feel 
like we don’t come to enough events [and] we don’t have 
enough fun things to do. There are hard competitions —we 
have all these Olympiads. We don’t just have fun [events] to 
chill with your friends [and]... make a project,” said Mehta. 
“But also, I think the biggest prize at the end of the day is 
what you learn from the hackathon.”


However, hosting an event at the scale of hackPHS comes 
with many logistical challenges. The competition had been 
on a hiatus since 2022, when the previous computer science 
teacher, Grace Elia, retired from teaching. The club also 
struggled with finding sponsors, and plans to work with 
other schools to host the hackathon had fallen through.


“Having a team from a different school be on task was 
an even more difficult job, and that is one of the reasons 
that we could not effectively execute [hackPHS] ... We were 
relying on students that we did not see as often, or we were 
only corresponding to them over text messages or Discord,” 
said club advisor and computer science teacher Rida Kas.


The organizers of hackPHS hope that the hackathon 
can be continued in future years. However, as many of 
the organizers this year are seniors and will be leaving 
for college next year, organizers hope this year’s hackPHS 
helped revive and spark interest in hackathons and in 
computer science. 


“We’re trying to ... reignite it [this year]. And next year, 
we’re planning on starting the planning early. So it’s going 
to be even bigger, even better than this year,” said Mehta.

Photo: Julia Li

Jonathan Ji ’26, Oscar Huang ’27, and Om Mehta ’26 
advertise hackPHS at club fair.

HackPHS returns after three year hiatus

The starter shoots the pistol, and Kajol Karra ’26 is off. Less than 20 minutes later, she approaches the finish line of the 5k race. Legs aching and arms pumping, Karra sprints under and passes the arch, giving it everything she has left. 

Growing up, Karra tried many different sports before joining the cross country team at PHS in her sophomore year, after moving from West Windsor. Role models like Olympian Parker Valby and her own teammates inspired Karra to stick with the sport. Inspired by her teammates' dedication, strong work ethic, and running abilities, she implements their strategies into her own training and races.  

“I just liked the community that I was able to build with my teammates, and I thought it was pretty fun,” said Karra. “One of my teammates ... I race with a lot, so I feel like I'm able to learn from her and how she races as well.”

However, as a student athlete, balancing school work and after-school practices can be difficult. For Karra, a major skill she had to develop was time management, in addition to growing her athletic skills.	

“I feel like that was a big thing because cross country is more time-consuming than track,” said Karra. “I get home later ... So being able to manage my schoolwork and tests with the time commitment of meets, where you're gone all day, [can be hard]”

In addition to time management, Kajol was able to learn how to find connections within the running community through what can be at times, an isolating sport.

“Running is pretty individual, but there's also team aspects, so how to contribute to that aspect,” Kajol said. “When you race, it's technically by yourself [but] knowing that you're not alone.”

Ever since she started on the team, cross country coach Jennifer Smolyn knew Karra had the potential to become one of the best runners on the team. Smolyn and the other cross country coaches worked with her to expose her to high level competition, to boost her skill and confidence.

“We knew when she got here that she was very, very talented,” said Smolyn. “Getting her to see just how talented she was, getting her to realize that, ‘oh, I should have some confidence in this,’ [or] ‘I'm a great runner.’” 

Selected as one of the cross country captains this year, Karra has more responsibilities compared to before . In addition to becoming a bridge between her teammates and the coaches, she’s attentive to her teammates’ performance and the effort they put in through training.

“[It’s more] caring more about other people, having more responsibility for the other teammates, and what they do on the team and how they perform on a daily basis, not speed-wise, but how much they put into it,” said Karra. 

Throughout the season and in past years, Karra has always been a supporting teammate, providing advice for the underclassmen and making sure no one is left behind. Last year, she led the team in winning their first ever state title, after clocking a time of 19:26 at the 5,000-meter course.

“She's very positive, and works really well to connect our teammates together and in races.” said teammate Grace Hegedus ’27. “She inspires me by just staying committed. I love how she was very new to the team when she started and new to the sport. ... And she grew so much, she stayed consistent [and] really worked very hard to get where she is right now.”

Leading into the season, Karra was the top Princeton girl at the Manhattan Invitation with a 2.5-mile time of 15:17.8 that she ran on October 11.  

“She is just fearless. From the time the gun goes off, is somebody who is willing to just get out hot, like be fast from the gun, make passes when she needs to,” said Smolyn. “She is unafraid of competition and unafraid of challenge.”

Now as Karra finishes her last season at PHS, her skills, leadership, and personality will be greatly missed among her teammates and coaches.

“She's just a great training partner and during practice, at meets and even outside of practice, and it's just really fun to see,” said Hegedus. “She is my racing buddy [and] I don't think anyone will replace her in that way.” 

While still going through the recruitment process, Karra looks forward to finishing up the season and making memories with her teammates and friends. 

“The sport is pretty hard, and, a lot of times it's not as fun, but the people make it fun,” said Karra. “ I feel the relationships I've been able to build through the sport is what makes it [what it is] and I know they're gonna last forever.”


photo: Charley Hu


In her third and final year running at PHS, Karra looks forward to finishing up the season while still going through the recruitment process. 

Kajol Karra '26: cross country

Seeing the ball fly through the air, Naomi Lygas ’26 runs up to the ball set to her, plants her feet, and jumps up to spike it. Whipping her arm forward, she hits the ball between the opposing player’s arms, watching as it flies through the air and bounces off the ground with a loud thump.

In fifth grade, Lygas was given the opportunity to play either field hockey, softball, or volleyball. She tried volleyball out first and fell in love with it. Role models like American beach volleyball player Taylor Crabb and her mom encouraged her to keep developing her skillset in the sport. 

“My mom is one of my biggest role models. Whether it's in sports or not, I feel like her work ethic translates really well over to sports. So I like to try to replicate that,” said Lygas.

For Lygas, volleyball is a year-round commitment. Not only is she a member of the PHS girls volleyball team, but she also plays for the beach volleyball club Stars and Stripes. 

Lygas’ dedication to the sport has earned her and her team numerous awards: last year, Lygas played a crucial role in the PHS team’s run to win the NJSIAA Group 3 Championship, recording 60 kills in the tournament alone from her position as outside hitter. Additionally, Lygas also won the 2024–25 Gatorade New Jersey Volleyball Player of the Year title. 

“Gatorade Player of the Year was something I had been working towards for a while, and to actually see the results of my hard work was super amazing,” said Lygas.

Despite spending much of her time on volleyball, Lygas is still able to find a balance between her academics and athletics.

“[It’s] hard, especially when traveling for tournaments, but I always try to get my work done,” said Lygas. 
“It comes down to having some late nights doing work, or early mornings waking up to do it, but I get it done as much as possible, because I value school as much as sports.”

The constant pressure to become a better player takes its toll even on the best of players, something that Lygas also struggled with at one point in her volleyball journey.

“I was at this level where I didn't feel like I was getting better. And one of my biggest things is that I want to get better, and always see myself having that constant improvement,” said Lygas. “So it was kind of hard to just tell myself that even one percent every day is still an improvement, [but] once I put that mindset in my head, I haven't felt that way since.”

Lygas’ passion for the sport and her hard work have made her a leader on the team, immediately catching the attention of PHS girls volleyball Head Coach Patricia Manhart.

“She is such a hard-working, driven athlete. You don't get as good as Naomi is without putting the work in. So knowing how dedicated she is, those are all things that make her the outstanding athlete that she is, that she's just always training, always pushing herself to get better,” said Manhart. “And I think that really also then motivates her teammates too, to make sure that we are strong all around because it is a team sport.”

Lygas’ well-rounded skillset and abilities have also stood out to her teammates, making her a respected and well-valued member of the team.  

“Passing is one of the largest skills in volleyball,” said Kaelin Bobetich ’26. “She's probably our strongest passer at the moment ... and that's just one of the most important parts about a game, because if you're an outside hitter, you have to be able to pass really well and hit really well, and she's put in that position because she can do those things really well.”

This year will be Lygas’ seventh year playing volleyball and fifth playing beach volleyball. Through her many years on the team, she has grown both mentally and in her game to be more versatile and adaptable. After being recruited at the end of her sophomore year, she plans to continue playing beach volleyball at Tulane University.

“Adaptability is huge, especially in beach volleyball, which is what I am going to play in college. Whether it's the wind, the sun, or if the other team is serving to you every single time, you have to learn to adapt,” said Lygas. 

After becoming the captain of the team this year, Lygas hopes to continue acting as the role model for her teammates that she had when she was a freshman.

“Coming in as a freshman, I was a little scared,” said Lygas. “Some of the senior captains that year were some of my biggest role models in high school. And now the leadership role is definitely more prevalent as that's what I'm labeled as, but I always try to be a good leader by leading by example.”


Naomi Lygas '26: volleyball

*The PHS Learning Commons stores 
archives of The Tower dating back 
to the first issue in 1929. We decided 
to take a look and show some of the 
most interesting pieces of PHS history 
throughout the years.*


### The Tower conducts a survey of redheads


In 1947, the Tower conducted a survey 
on the personal likes and dislikes of 
PHS redheads. The only definitive 
result from the survey, according to 
the article, was that the majority of 
redheads disliked the nickname “red."


### PHS students purchase a plane


During World War II, the student 
council led a buy-a-plane campaign, 
which aimed to raise $15,000 to buy 
an army trainer ship. The student 
body ended up raising almost $20,000 
through bonds and stamps, equivalent 
to $3.6 million today. As such, a 
sponsorship panel with PHS’s name 
was placed on the plane. 

### Frank Sinatra visits PHS

On March 29, 1945, the Tower 
reported on an event where multiple 
Hollywood stars, including Frank 
Sinatra, hosted an event at PHS to 
encourage students to purchase war 
bonds. The cheapest tickets for the 
event started at $100 of war bonds 
(worth $1,800 today), and the most 
expensive reached $5000 in bonds 
($90,000 today)!

### PHS students watch Sputnik


In 1957, the Tower covered a group 
of PHS “moonwatchers” who woke 
up early to watch the Soviet’s Sputnik 
Satellite, the first satellite to reach 
space. The students described it as 
“quite a sight.” However, the head 
of the PHS science department 
downplayed the event, saying that “if 
there had been a race to be first, we 
could’ve been there two years ago.”
PHS students purchase a plane
The Tower conducts a survey 

Graphic: Emily Kim


Sputnik satellite

The Tower peeks into PHS history

The crowd roars as he laces up his cleats and takes to the field. Aaron Thyrum ’26 jogs out on the pitch in one of the biggest games of the season, a home playoff game against Monroe. Thyrum flies around the field, ready to make the most of every offensive opportunity that comes his way, while also playing crucial defense against quick attackers. Through Thyrum's efforts, the Tigers secure the win and advance onward to the next round of the CVC tournament.

Starting at the age of four, Thyrum’s soccer journey started by following in the footsteps of his father. He first started playing soccer at the age of three, along with other sports such as baseball and football. However, eventually he chose to pursue just soccer when he was in middle school.  

“My dad is really the one that got me into soccer. I mean, he's a soccer fan as well, so it's just a matter of how any other kid gets into sports,” said Thyrum. “As middle school came along .. I really wanted to ... get better at one specific thing, that's when soccer ... pulled ahead of everything else.”

However, once he reached high school and began his freshman season, Thyrum experienced a significant setback when he injured his back. 

“I had a back injury where I was out for nine months ... you can say that was like the lowest point in my soccer career, because I had to go a full nine months without even touching the ball,” said Thyrum.

Head Coach Ryan Walsh first started coaching soccer at PHS 11 years ago. Along with introducing him to a physical trainer, Walsh helped Thyrum stay connected mentally to the game and to the team throughout his rehabilitation. 

“I remember how upset he was, and he was not able to play. I could just tell that he loved the game and wanted to play so bad,” said Walsh.

Despite the setback, quitting was never an option for Thyrum, who maintained a positive attitude.

“I don't think it was necessarily something where I wanted to quit. I think it's just you have your highs and lows, but at the end of the day, you have to understand it's a fun game that you get to play with your friends,” said Thyrum. 

However, the next season would prove to be different as Thyrum was able to get on the field as a member of the varsity team. Ultimately, the squad won the State Championship, an especially proud moment for the team.

“Going from a sophomore not playing at all to a junior last year for him, it's a really big gap, and he had to immediately become one of the most important players,” said teammate Kian Asiaie ’27. “I mean, that's always hard mid season, just kind of missing out a little bit, but he always bounced back really good.”

In 2024, Thyrum recorded three goals and seven assists as the team went on to win 18 games and a sectional victory against Monroe. 

This season, Thyrum is one of three captains on the varsity team. As a captain, Thryum takes inspiration from the leaders that came before him, such as Archie Smith ’25 and Azariah Breitman ’25, in his approach to leading the team.

“Obviously, last year, you look at the captains and the year before that, and I really considered those guys as people I look up to, and those [who] set the example,” said Thyrum. “But now, as a captain, and as a senior on the team, you really have to embrace the role model role.” 

Thyrum stands out as a vocal figure through the team's high-intensity training sessions, an essential part of their game preparations. Working with his co-captains, he pushes the team to be the best they can be through workouts and drills, to ensure a winning season. 

“The guys really are attracted to him ... they gravitate towards him because of his ability to connect with [them],” said Walsh. “He himself is training really hard ... it's very rare to have a guy who both leads by example and leads their voice. And he does both.”

His leadership style has received high praise from multiple teammates in addition to his skill in games throughout the season. 

“Soccer wise, he's an amazing player [and] technically, he's really good. His shooting technique is insane,” said Asiaie. “This year, against Hightstown, he dropped an incredible performance. And, I mean, that's just like the Aaron Thyrum we know.”	

So far this season, the Tigers are 13-2-1, including being 6-0-1 in CVC conference play and Colonial Division champs. Thyrum has recorded two goals and seven assists as the team has rallied around him in crucial moments this season.  

Although unsure about his career as a soccer player in college, Thyrum looks forward to another season as the Tigers look to finish strong before ultimately hoping to win the state championship title. 

“We feel as though we're family. I feel like everybody, no matter what position or role that you're in, everyone has a role, and you're connected to one another,” said Thyrum.


photo:Jasur Agzamov


Thyrum plays as one of the senior midfielders and helped the team win the CVC tournament and state final last year.


Aaron Thyrum '26: soccer

Ready, set, hike! The ball is immediately snapped and handed off to Carmine Carusone ’26. He sprints past defenders and breaks tackles on his way to scoring a pivotal touchdown for the Tigers. A couple seconds later, he jogs back out to kick the extra point, which he drills right between the two uprights. 

Carusone grew up playing football with his brothers and friends - instilling an early connection to the sport. However, he initially played both soccer and lacrosse in his freshman year before making the switch to join the high school football team. 

“Once I started the workouts in the summer and I got to see the kind of bonds that you create, and what it's like to actually put the pads on, [it was] something that I knew I couldn't get away from,” said Carusone.

When he first started on the team, Carusone played as a cornerback and kicker. This didn’t stop him from achieving division honors in just his sophomore year, being named First Team Defense for his position as cornerback by the West Jersey Football League. The organization chooses division all-stars each year, the best in their respective positions, in collaboration with league coaches in all 17 divisions. 

Head Coach Charles Gallagher has been leading the PHS boys football team for over 10 years. When he first met Carusone, Gallagher knew he would be a great asset to the team. 

“We saw he was an athlete. He was tough, he was fast, and he was smart,” said Gallagher. “He was a great kid, and we'd like to think that we built our program around good kids.”

In a recent game against Lawrence, Carusone played a pivotal role defending his position as running back against the opponents.

“I remember he had like a 60 yard run against Lawrence where he ran through like, two, three guys,” said teammate Julian Frevert ’27. “And then, [it] took like five guys to bring him down.”

The following season, Carusone got his first snaps at the running back position, recording 651 yards on 130 attempts and five touchdowns. That season, the Tigers would go 5–5, winning the Valley Division title, and competing in the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Additionally, Carusone was named First Team All Offense, this time for his position at running back in the Valley Division, for his contributions. 

Now, as a senior, Carusone is co-captain of the team. However, Gallagher says leadership is something that comes to him naturally and has been present in him for years, along with the characteristics that make up an excellent football player.

“He's become a great leader for our program,” said Gallagher. “He plays three different positions, some of the hardest positions. Being running back, corner back, and also being our full-time kicker, as punter, [means] he doesn't come off the field.”

In addition to playing such a pivotal role in the team, Carusone shoulders heavy responsibilities like school and academics. During the summer, the team completes workouts in preparation for the season. It doesn’t stop there though; the team has practice six days a week throughout the school year. 

“When school starts, I try to keep my mind on my scores as much as I can throughout the school day,” said Carusone. “Then as soon as football comes, my mind just completely shifts. I'm focused, ready to learn about the team that we're playing against or new plays that we're putting in."

Stepping into his leadership role, Carusone assists teammates in the weight room, a pivotal part of offseason training for every member on the team. In the weight room, he can be found leading teammates in exercises and providing support for everyone to get the most out of their workout.

“He's [the] kind of guy you want to get behind and follow,” said teammate Julian Frevert ’27. “He's one of our strongest guys and a really good example to have for younger guys on the team and people my age.” 

Even through tough moments such as losing the homecoming game in Carusone’s sophomore year, he took it as a chance to redirect his energy towards improvement.

“So when big losses like that happen, we try to just keep the team together and uplift everybody so that when the next big game comes, we're ready to go,” said Carusone.

For his final season, Carusone hopes to lead the team to another great season and victory at the homecoming game. While still going through the recruitment process, he has stacked an impressive resume from his time on the team and left a legacy that won’t be forgotten.

“The best part about football is, for me, is ... what it's like to be a part of a team. When you're part of a team, you're like a family, and [it’s] like a culture that no one else has, except for your team,” said Carusone. “When I step on that field, I know that I have my teammates’ [backs] and I know that they have my back.”


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