On June 10th, the PHS Choir performed their last concert of the 2021-2022 school year. The concert is their annual cabaret performance, which is traditionally primarily a singing performance, but in a nightclub/restaurant/club: it demands that the singers dance and act while performing. The PHS Cabaret has been a tradition for around 15 years now and is one of the most unique choir events of the year as it also allows for genres that are less expected in most choir concerts to be brought into the choir atmosphere. 
“The music itself every year is pulled between a pop artist and some kind of like mainstream music artists and then two musicals. This year it's Once and Hadestown [both are musicals], and then OneRepublic and Pink. So, it’s just nice because the whole year we do sort of more opera, classical, kind of French whatever music, so getting to sing with my choir like songs like Taylor Swift or Pink, or getting to clash between musicals and pop, so it’s really fun,” said PHS Choir member Stephanie Moon ’22.
The variety of different genres in cabaret (mostly pop) allow choir members to be more free with their style and voice control. 
“I think cabaret brings a lot more fun in terms of movement and engagement between other singers,” said Rowan Gilmore ‘23, a singer in PHS Choir. 
“My favorite part of cabaret is just getting to hear everyone. Because we get like the whole list of who’s singing what, but then actually getting to hear people sing on that song for the first time is always so exciting,” Moon said.
“I am really looking forward to hearing the Pink set because it’s cool to hear pop songs sung with a band,” Gilmore said. In addition to a band appearance, all the songs all have soloists, duos, or trios, allowing each PHS choir member to stand under the spotlight with their very own applause, as long as they audition. The repertoire is 28 songs long, giving every singer a chance to showcase their own unique voice.
Though it certainly seems like a very fun and rare task for most students in choir, cabaret is very rigid when it comes to multitasking skills, as the choir members (many of which do not dance frequently) have to keep up with the choreography in the midst of singing. Multitasking can be a challenge, but is doable depending on the singer’s attitude.
“A lot of it is the mentality, it’s the type of show where you see a lot of the spotlight so you have to rise to the occasion. But I’m confident and excited,” said PHS Choir Vice President Kyle Keegan ’22.
Cabaret is the last concert before the summer primarily because it is one of the most well-attended events of the year. It is particularly special for seniors as it is their final opportunity to perform before they graduate. 
“At the end of the day, I just really want to have fun at our final concert. PHS Choir has given me my best friends and I’m so grateful for my time here. I’m so proud of everything the seniors have accomplished and can’t wait to hear everyone’s songs. We’re such a supportive community and I’m excited to celebrate the three years we’ve had together,” said PHS Choir President Lucy McCulloch ’22.
The sentiment seems to be shared among all seniors when asked about the excitement they have towards the concert. 
“I think there is (some anticipation), I think it’s not as much as other seniors, because I’m in an a cappella group [called] The Cat’s Meow, so we still have other performances, like The Final Arch. I am still anticipating it because it’s our last time as a choir performing, and I’ve been through the choir program since freshman year, and choir overall has been a big part of my life since like my childhood, so it’s crazy that a chapter of it is coming to an end. I think Cabaret is the most fun and perfect way to have a closure,” Moon said. 
Keegan echoed Moon’s sentiments, reflecting on his time with choir coming to a close.
“I’m very excited for my final concert, it is somewhat emotional but I know I’ll remember it fondly. I just wanna have my best possible show one last time.” Keegan ‘22 said.


PHS Choir prepares for their annual final end of the year cabaret performance

The most wonderful thing about summer for me isn’t going to the beach, or the lack of homework, or even hanging out with friends. For me, the most wonderful thing about summer is the liberating feeling that grows in late June, when there’s not a cloud in the sky and you look forward only to the opportunity to doing absolutely nothing at all. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is that feeling filmed, edited, and released in theaters.
	Written and directed by teen movie legend John Hughes (the man behind “Pretty In Pink,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Sixteen Candles”), “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” follows the namesake character (Matthew Broderick) as he skips high school for a day a month before graduation to sneak off to nearby Chicago with his friend Cameron (Alan Ruck), and girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara). “How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?” Ferris asks us rhetorically as images of sunny skies and scattered clouds flash by, beckoning him away from his responsibilities. The rest of the movie is a dreamy joyride through the city in which Ferris and company, among other things, watch a baseball game, avoid parents, and, in a famous scene, hijack a German-American parade for a performance of “Twist and Shout.”
Ultimately, “Ferris Bueller” is less about its plot and more about a philosophy: a way to live life. Although Ferris may be the film’s protagonist and the one who constantly reaches through the fourth wall to lead us around his absurd world, many viewers of “Ferris Bueller” will feel more drawn to Cameron, whose pervasive caution and reluctance to flee his responsibilities clashes with Ferris’ unrestrained joie de vivre. Cameron is acutely aware that Ferris’ plan for his “day off” consists of absolutely nothing but living in the moment, as seen in long sequences of the trio looking at the city from the Sears Tower, sitting by a pool, or waiting in traffic.
Cameron’s worries are famously symbolized by the iconic Ferrari that Ferris takes from Cameron’s father’s garage. Throughout the film, Cameron is adamant that the car remain safe, lest his father realize the trio had taken it. Ferris, meanwhile, wants to live simply to live. Unlike Cameron, he and Sloane are unconcerned with consequences or duties, whereas Cameron is tied down by them. While watching the movie, we ask ourselves the same questions Cameron does: should he continue to look ahead, towards potential punishments, towards graduation, and towards the impending beginning of college? Or should he, like Ferris, live life for the simple pleasure of living it, enjoying only the present and making the most of every moment?
	Cameron’s internal dilemma may lie at the center of this film, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. John Hughes had a gift for crafting slightly absurd recreations of his childhood in suburban Illinois. That talent is on full display here, as we peripherally follow several ridiculous sub-plots alongside the already hilarious main action. Examples include the farcical attempts by dean of students Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) to catch Ferris (Rooney’s long time white whale) in the act of playing hooky by breaking into his house, as well as the out-of-control fiction of Ferris’ illness that grows into a city-wide fundraising campaign to “Save Ferris.” Hughes’ films always seem as if they’re hovering just above reality, mimicking it while exaggerating and reconstructing it. The entire film shines with the self-aware joy we’ve come to expect from films of the 1980s.
	So what makes “Ferris Bueller” a perfect summer movie, other than the fact that it’s a bucketload of fun? After all, the movie technically doesn’t even take place during the summer. However, it does evoke the feeling of summer, the promise of glorious stretches of empty time that only summer can bring us. In a way, Ferris is living our ideal summer. He does nothing and lives for the sake of living. No deadlines, no duties, just life.
	But as teenagers, our priorities and ideas about summer are shifting. As our school year ends, we begin to look forward not to hours of unproductivity and fun, but to more responsibilities and structure: jobs, camps, and of course, the impending beginning of college. We are always acutely aware that our lives are changing, that a massive shift in how we live is on the horizon, and that we are standing on the cusp of adulthood and all the expectations and responsibilities that come with it. We become focused on what we live to accomplish and not on why we live. “Ferris Bueller” serves as not just a good time, but a timely reminder that life exists to be lived, and that sometimes just enjoying pure existence and the joy that comes with it, as Ferris does on his day off, is more important than deadlines, responsibilities, and obligations, the very things that hold Cameron back from enjoying life the same way Ferris does. Sometimes we need to forget all that and just take it all in. 
It may just be a silly teen movie, but “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”’s central conflict between the Ferrisian and Cameronian (as I have just coined them) approaches to living is one that we will find ourselves thinking about more and more as we grow older. “Life moves pretty fast,” Ferris tells us. “If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you might miss it.” 



School days and hijacked parades: the enduring fun of Ferris Bueller

    The AP tests are over and school is coming to a close, and though  most  of  us  had  our  own  exam  grindset  playlists,  the next big problem we’ll be having is this: What are we going to listen to over the summer? If you’ve been stressed, overworked,  and  tired,  look  no  further  —  we  are  here  to  save the day with some information on new artist releases, offer  an  opinion  about  musical  trends,  and  suggest  some  recommendations to get you in the mood for the coming break!   
 In order to predict and recommend summer hits of our own,  we  must  first  ask  ourselves  two  questions:  What  makes  a  song  a  hit,  and  what  makes  a  song  perfect  for  the summer? We released an online survey for some PHS students to fill out for their feedback. Most songs that have become  popular  have  some  distinct  elements  such  as  a  strong  bass  line,  recognizable  chord  changes,  and  unique  riffs  that  can  stick  in  your  head.  One  student  described  how  those  elements  start  to  be  heard:  “[they  show  up]  all  around  you,  in  gas  stations  and  restaurants  with  neon  lights and your work’s playlist even though your boss has no idea what the song means.” This student also described summer  songs  as  feeling  “dreamy”  and  “laid  back,”  as  summer  is  the  time  for  relaxation  and  time  for  oneself  outside  of  school.  Students  also  said  that  summer  songs  had  to  make  them  feel  happy,  “like  frolicking  in  a  field.”  No matter where you’re listening, on the top of a hill after a  long  hike,  in  a  flowery  park,  or  even  in  a  different  country,  the  tunes  you  play  will  hopefully  be  there  to  remind  you  to  feel  good  and  proud  after  all  of  the  long  and  hard  work  after  seven  long  months of learning. 
    In  our  search  for  the  best  up-and-coming summer songs,   we   asked   PHS   students     to     tell     us     some   of   their   favorite   songs     at     the     moment     and   their   predictions   for   the   song  of  the  summer.  The  most  popular  artists  that  were  mentioned  were  Harry  Styles,  Megan  Thee  Stallion,  and  Dua  Lipa.  Some  other  smaller  artists  we  hope  will  get  more  mainstream  are  Faye  Webster,  Leith  Ross,  and  The  Regrettes  (all  of  whom  have  new  releases  from  the  past  few months). We are additionally looking forward to new releases  from  artists  like  Angel  Olsen  and  Post  Malone.  The  upcoming  Minions  Soundtrack,  produced  by  Jack  Antonoff,  also  looks  promising,  and  is  expected  to  have  a  more  indie  sound  than  past  Illumination  soundtracks.  Another  great  movie  soundtrack  planning  on  making  its  debut on June 24 is for the film “Elvis,” which will feature songs  by  Doja  Cat,  Kacey  Musgraves,  Måneskin,  Tame  Impala, Swae Lee, and Diplo. 
 For me, Jane, I recommend a very Sufjan Stevens summer consisting of long bike rides, paperback books, and over-the-ear headphones — achieved, of course, by listening to Sufjan Stevens. His music can be a little jarring at first, so I would recommend “Mystery of Love” to a newer listener, though  my  personal  favorite  of  his  songs  is  “Murder  and  Crime”  from  his  latest  album  with  Angelo  de  Augustine.  Some  of  the  other  songs  that  I  will  be  incorporating  into  my  summer  playlist  will  be  “Lucky  Star”  by  Madonna,  “The   Blonde”   by   TV   Girl,   “Purple   Rain”   by   Prince,   “Daydreaming”  by  Aretha  Franklin,  and  “Steeeam”  by  Shelly. All of these songs have a very upbeat sound and are very light and groovy to get me in the mood for the sun.
  I,  Sarah,  think  that  summer  is  all  about  living  in  the  moment,  making  great  memories,  and  going  on  new  or  exciting   adventures.   My   summertime   playlists   always   include     some     great     slow-build-to-explosive-chords     songs  such  as  “Ghost”  or  “The  Sun  is  Bad”  by  Indigo  De  Souza (or anything by them really). I also feel I’m heavily influenced by the fun jams my parents used to listen to, so I  always  add  some  tunes  from  the  1980s  and  1990s  such  as  “Wake  Me  Up  Before  You  Go-Go”  by  Wham!  or  “Ode  to  My  Family”  by  The  Cranberries.  Finally,  my  favorite  new   thing   I’ve   been   doing   after   watching   Eurovision   in  2020  is  finding  an  overseas  group  to  become  familiar  with: KraftKlub, Måneskin, and Maná have  been  dominating  my  recently-listened-to  bands  in  the  past  three  years.    Honestly,  finding  a  new  band  or  singer  that  has  a  super  cool  and  unique  sound  always  makes  me  so  happy  and  leaves  me  wanting  to  boogie,   it   creates   the   perfect   summer    atmosphere–full    of    change and fun.
 Within the past few years, more and more music has become trendy through platforms like TikTok,  Instagram,  and  Spotify.  These  platforms  create  great   opportunities   for   smaller,   newer   artists   to   gain   popularity and listeners. Overall, the summer music of this year will hopefully be upbeat, cheerful, and dance-worthy! We’re  looking  forward  to  the  charts  dominated  by  good  and groovy songs to be enjoyed by all.  If you would like to listen to some of our other predictions or would just like a good tune, scan the QR code for a Tower summer playlist!


Summer songs and artists to keep on your radar 

On  May  24,  Princeton  Public  Schools  held  a  board  meeting to discuss plans for the next school year. One topic the board members discussed was a potential reform to the math curriculum, which is reviewed by a presentation delivered  by  Supervisor  of  Business  and  Mathematics  Stephanie  Tidwell  on  March  29.  The  presentation  also  summarized  key  points  from  Rowan  University  Mathematics Professor Dr. Eric Milou’s research.
Since  2019,  the  district  has  provided  Pre-Algebra  Accelerated classes for sixth grade students. Afterwards, students have the option to take Algebra I Part I or Algebra I  Accelerated.  This  allows  eighth  grade  students  to  end  middle  school  at  either  Algebra  I  Part  2  or  Algebra  II  Accelerated. Entering high school, freshmen have multiple math tracks that they can take depending on their academic history and future interests. This can range from revisiting Algebra I to starting with Geometry Accelerated, Algebra II Accelerated, or Pre-Calculus Accelerated. In reviewing the current opportunities, a new math committee discussed the goals of the math program. One of these directions, put forward by Dr. Milou, was to have all high school students begin at the same level — Algebra I. With this track, seniors would end with Pre-Calculus or AP Statistics. This proposal resulted in much confusion surrounding the future of the high school math curriculum. The district then addressed these rumors in a question-and-answer format.
“We maintain the fact that our intentions were never to reduce or eliminate any courses. In fact, we’re looking at how we might be able to add more courses to the sequence,” said Tidwell. “Many of you have already seen the Program of Studies for next year. There were no changes to courses. So this [meeting] was our process of collecting  information; for what we think we can do moving forward.”
In assessing the various options to improve educational equity,  the  district  consulted  Dr.  Milou,  whose  research  supported the idea of detracking the math course, saying that it could to provide all students the same opportunities in school.  He also believes that accelerated math courses in middle school forces students to rush through the material rather than reach a full understanding of the curriculum that serves as an important foundation for advanced math. 
While  there  are  currently  no  plans  from  the  district  to  remove  higher-level  math,  these  rumors  sparked  discussions regarding the importance of accelerated and AP  courses,  and  the  need  to  address  the  achievement  gap.  As  accelerated  courses have always been a part of PHS’s academic  culture,  many  members  of  the  PPS  community  have  voiced  their  disagreements with the district’s presented method.  AP  Calculus  teacher  Valerie  Rodriguez  describes  PHS  as  unique  because students are always striving to be high-achieving  and  challenged  by  their  courses,  thus  making  accelerated  and  AP courses an integral part of a student’s academic journey.
“I  think  that  allowing  the  opportunity  for  a  student  to  maximize  their  growth  in  a  class  is  a  positive,”  said  Rodriguez. “With that being said, I think we are constantly looking  to  branch  out  ...  to  find  other  areas  of  interest  that are related to mathematics that we can build rigorous courses around, so that one does not have to stay kind of stuck to the traditional pathway of math. ... Math has so many different pockets in our lives. And [if ] we can tap into different interests and passions mathematically, but also achieve the academic rigor that we’re always looking for, that would be a win for everybody.”
Aside from teachers, parents also voiced their concerns over the district’s direction with the math curriculum. A parent group formed and wrote an eight-page statement in which they detailed their disagreements with the district’s proposal, provided suggestions for moving forward, and presented overall frustrations with the board. Similar to Rodriguez,  Leonidas  Nguyen  and  Ryan  Bubb,  parents  of  PPS  students  and  writers  of  the  report,  believe  that  removing  higher-level  courses  is  not  synonymous  with  achieving equity. 
“There’s a definition of equity that we quote in our report, and at the heart of it is giving every child the support they need to reach their fullest potential. And what that means for some kids in certain subjects is they will have a knack for that subject, and will learn at a quicker pace,” said Bubb. “Of course, that’s just variation in the human  condition. And when that happens, I think those kids have a right to a form of instruction, where they learn new things in each class every day. And  it’s  inequitable  to  those  students  to  not meet them where they are.”
Furthermore, the parent group believes that  the  removal  of  higher-level  math  could  increase  inequities  even  more,  especially  if  families  will  have  to  resort to advancing studies on their own.“If  my  children  aren’t  able  to  take  math  courses  that  are  appropriate  for  their  current  level  of  mastery  of  math,   we   will   go   get   their   math   education   elsewhere. We are very blessed and will be able to do that. But not everyone  in  this  community  has  the  resources  to  do that.  And  it’s  those  families  that  will  be  most  affected,”  Nguyen said. 

PPS Math curriculum review initiates conversations about equity

The start of the 2021 school year marked the tenth year of  teaching  for  PHS  Science  Teacher  Jacqueline  Katz.  Since  2012,  Katz  has  inspired  numerous  students  at  the  high school with her enthusiasm and appreciation for the sciences.
Katz neither thought she was going to major in science nor  pursue  a  career  in  teaching.  In  fact,  she  originally  applied  to  college  as  an  English  major.  Nevertheless,  as  a  competitive  dancer  in  her  childhood,  Katz  had  been  introduced to anatomy and nutrition at a young age. As a result of this, not long into her freshman year of college, she switched to a biochemistry major and, through tutoring, found an unforeseen passion for teaching.  
“When  I  left  high  school,  I  wanted  to  be  as  far  away  from school as I could be. I was like, I don’t want to deal with people all the time, I want to be in a lab,” said Katz. “Halfway through college, I started tutoring a lot and loved it. So I totally changed majors, and I’m very happy I did.” 
Now  as  a  successful  science  teacher  at  PHS,  Katz  has  taught  primarily  biology,  but  also  a  number  of  other  science courses including Chemistry I, AP Anatomy and Physiology,  and  the  Research  Program.  Shawn  Chuang  ’24, a former student of one of Katz’s Biology Accelerated classes, spoke highly of Katz’s attitude in class.
“She  is  always  really  helpful  and  a  great  person  to  be  around. I’m able to crack jokes with her, which really helps make [the classroom] environment comfortable. She’s [also] very knowledgeable on the subject and always willing to answer any question,” Chuang said. 
One major part of Katz’s time teaching at PHS has been her involvement in the Research Program. Katz was the first teacher to oversee the program, which has since grown from  only  her  and  eight  students  to  three  teachers  and  over 60 students. The three-year Research Program gives students an opportunity to follow their passions outside of  the  conventional  curriculum  and  allows  students  to  develop critical thinking skills along the way. In addition to  the  success  that  many  students  have  achieved  during  this  program,  Katz  has  found  this  program  especially  beneficial for herself. 
“I get to learn so much [through the Research Program]. My  focus  has  always  been  biology  and  mostly  cellular  biology;  we  have  students  researching  lobsters,  crayfish,  and even pigeons. I learn something new with every project [and]  it  always  keeps  me  excited  and  makes  my  job  feel  fresh and different every day,” Katz said.
As a result of Katz’s dedication and passion for education, she  was  recently  awarded  a  prestigious  position  at  the  Library of Congress under the title of the Albert Einstein Distinguished  Educators  Fellowship.  While  this  new  position will mean that Katz will not be at PHS for the next year, she hopes to return in September 2023.
“What the program does is it selects educators and then places  them  in  federal  agencies  in  Washington,  D.C.  So  I’ll  be  placed  in  the  Library  of  Congress  next  year,”  said  Katz. “It’s an 11-month commitment to relocate to D.C., and I will be working in the Library of Congress with their primary source documents. My main goal will be to build out materials for science classes, which is really cool.”
When Katz is not busy teaching science, she also enjoys coaching teams from the PHS Odyssey of the Mind, a club focused on creative problem-solving.
“Odyssey  of  the  Mind  is  definitely  one  of  my  favorite    parts  of  my  job.  It’s  a  crazy  club  and  I  love  it  because  I  always learn something new from my students. They have    always done really well with it and we’ve  been able to travel to the World Finals four or five times,” Katz said.
Outside of school, Katz enjoys running half marathons with fellow teachers Alexis Custer and Jennifer Smolyn, baking,  cooking,  and  reading.  During  the  summertime,  Katz also works at a breakfast restaurant by the beach to take a break from her teaching job.
While  Katz  enjoys  her  current  position  as  a  teacher  at  PHS,  she  is  taking  courses  to  hopefully  obtain  her  administrative certification and one day achieve her career goal  of  becoming  a  supervisor.  On  a  personal  note,  she  also hopes to run a full marathon with Smolyn one day.
Katz appreciates that, despite all the changes that have occurred in the last year, her students have worked hard and stayed flexible.
“My  students  have  really  helped  me  stay  creative  and  stay positive because everyone’s always got a question or something interesting to say. I’ll read [my students’] work and [they]’ll bring up a new perspective. It just makes me realize that we’re still learning, we’re still moving forward. As long as I remind myself of that, I’ll roll with whatever punches they throw at us.”


Jacqueline Katz brings her love for science to the classroom

 In early May of this year, a draft of an opinion overruling Roe v. Wade, written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, was leaked. In light of this new development, heartbreaking stories  like  that  of  an  unwanted  pregnancy  causing  a  teen  to  drop  out  of  school  have  reentered  the  national  spotlight. A wave of justified panic has spread across our entire nation. An overturn of Roe v. Wade would still be detrimental to women everywhere. Abortion rights and access  to  birth  control  are  just  as  important  at  PHS  as  they  are  anywhere  else.  Princeton  residents  must  stand  together in fighting to prevent the overturn of Roe v. Wade. 
Roe  v.  Wade  was  a  1973  Supreme  Court  decision  which  guaranteed  a  woman’s  right  to  abort  in  the  first  and second trimesters of pregnancy, ruling state bans on such  abortions  unconstitutional.  The  court  ruling  has  been a consistent guarantee of women’s bodily autonomy with  regards  to  pregnancy  for  decades.  However,  this  may now all disappear. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, New Jersey, is unlikely to ban abortion. But that is not at all to say that New Jersey and PHS would be unaffected by the decision.  Quite  the  opposite  is  true.  From  2016–2020,  Mercer  County  has  had  the  third-highest  teen  birth  rate  of  all  New  Jersey  counties,  according  to  the  New  Jersey  State  Health  Assessment.  The  vast  majority  of  teen  births  are  unwanted.  This  is  unacceptable;  every  unwanted  pregnancy  is  a  life  turned  upside  down.  
 To reduce the high rates of unwanted teen pregnancies in  Mercer  County,  abortions  must  be  destigmatized  and  made  more  accessible.  Overturning  Roe  v.  Wade  would  do  just  the  opposite.  By  demonizing  abortion,  the  Supreme  Court  would  be  discouraging  teens  with  unwanted  pregnancies  from  seeking  the  help  that  they  require.  Those  who  choose  to  seek  an  abortion  should  not  be  burdened  with  shame,  especially  if  they  haven’t  reached adulthood. A ruling overturn would only increase the  rate  of  unintended  births  in  our  town  and  county.
As  a  community,  PHS  should  advocate  for  abortion  rights  on  a  state,  national,  and  global  level.  There  are  thousands  of  young  people  each  year  who  end  up  carrying a child they aren’t ready to care for. They either raise  it  anyway,  which  often  results  in  large  economic  burdens,  or  put  it  up  for  adoption  or  foster  care,  which  can  be  a  traumatic  experience  for  both  parent  and  child.  These  orphaned  children  often  face  neglect  and  a  reduced  quality  of  life.  Without  the  care  of  a  parent,  they are at higher risk of developing mental health issues. 
In  the  case  that  Roe  v.  Wade  is  overturned,  26  states  are likely to ban abortion, according to a 2021 survey by Guttmacher Institute. This is a human rights crisis. New Jersey, as a state where abortion would still be accessible, has the responsibility of helping women from other states obtain abortions. Demand for abortions within New Jersey will increase as patients cross state lines to attain them. It is necessary that we strengthen our abortion infrastructure to  handle  this  influx  and  maintain  accessibility.
The  Princeton  community  can  hold  a  lot  of  power  in  this  fight.  A  good  way  to  start  might  be  to  spread  awareness  within  our  town.  For  example,  a  petition  to  include an abortion rights article in the Princeton Patch, or  a  petition  to  the  University  to  make  a  statement.  We  can  also  encourage  friends  and  family  to  donate  to  organizations  like  Planned  Parenthood  that  provide  abortions.  If  like-minded  people  of  this  age  can  come  together  and  demand  change,  we  may  be  able  to  mobilize our entire community for pro-choice activism. 
It should go without saying that the doctrine of states’ rights  does  not  justify  the  restriction  of  citizens’  basic  bodily freedoms. It is not a state’s right to decide whether or not a person can seek an abortion. No one, in power or otherwise, should have a say about what other people do with their bodies. However, since it is the politicians who are in power, we need to make it clear to them that access to abortion is a human right. The PHS community must stand up on behalf of those who cannot do so themselves.   

The fight for abortion is ours, too

  The  AP  season  is  over,  and  in  order  to  deal  with  the  ample class time that they now have on their hands, AP teachers often choose to assign end-of-the-year projects, teach further content, or just watch movies to tie all the content of the year together. However, some teachers are having difficulty striking a balance between overworking and underworking their students towards the end of the year.  As  a  result,  some  post-AP  teaching  strategies  are  more detrimental than beneficial to the students.
     Plenty  of  students  believe  that  the  end  of  the  year  should be spent trying to wind down from the stresses of earlier in the year. However, some teachers have chosen to extend past units or teach entirely new ones after APs and  final  tests  have  taken  place.  Despite  the   fact   that   continuing   the   education   of  students  is  beneficial,  the  new  content  is  only  taught  for  a  short  period  of  time  and   often   covers   content   which   does   not   completely   relate   to   the   previous   units.  This  makes  it  difficult  for  students  to  retain  much  of  that  material.  These  units  have  the  potential  to  drop  students’  averages just before the end of the year, leading to even more stress carried with them into the summer break.
ring  the  summer  as  students  see  their  friends  less  frequently  and  have  less  of  a  structure  to  their  days.  Piling  stress  from  the  end  of  the  year  on  top  of  these  resurfacing  feelings  may  be  dangerous.  Also,  because  some  students  have  final  exams,  engaging  in  a  project  which does not require students to do homework would provide  them  with  more  time  to  study  for  their  finals  in  non-AP  classes.  Rather  than  teaching  new  units  on  unrelated  content  to  students,  the  best  option  for  end  of the year teaching could be to assign students in-class final projects so that they can take everything that they have  learned  throughout  the  year  and  compile  it  into  something more creative. This not only engages students, but takes away some of the stress of the end of the year. 
Another issue that students face is being underworked at the end of the year. Although this might not seem like a huge problem, I know that I have personally struggled with  the  wide  discrepancy  between  pre  and  post-AP  workloads.  Teachers  playing  movies  for  students  at  the  end  of  the  year  or  allowing  them  to  have  a  free  period  can be frustrating for students like me, who took an AP class to pursue a passion or interest. Playing movies for students  will  not  engage  them,  and  frankly,  with  how  tired  we  all  are  from  this  strenuous  school  year, these lackluster lesson plans are literally putting us to sleep.
Although students have been working hard all year and may just want to stop, providing the  students  with  an  outlet  to  channel  their  work  from  earlier  in  the  year  would  make  them feel as though all of the hard work that they  have  put  into  their  classes  had  paid  off.  The best thing for the PHS administration to do would be to advise teachers to make sure that they have engaging but  not  stressful  lesson  plans.  If  PHS  encouraged  their  teachers to engage their students creatively by compiling all  that  they  have  learned  into  these  final  projects,  students would learn more and would be more interested in  what  they  have  learned,  and  this  project  would  help  kids to retain their previously learned material for future classes.  For  example,  Dr.  Robert  Corell’s  AP  Chemistry  class has been working to make “flipped videos” for the next year of Accelerated Chemistry students. Essentially, current  students  record  videos  teaching  future  students  the content covered over the course of the year, which Dr. Corell will then actually use in order to help teach. Not only  does  this  engage  current  AP  Chemistry  students,  but  it  also  aids  in  the  learning  of  future  chemistry  students.  Additionally,  AP  Chemistry  and  other  AP  science  classes  have  been  traveling  to  Princeton  Public  elementary and middle schools to engage students with fun science experiments. 
Even though we are all tired and would prefer if school was  over  by  now,  it  is  important  that  teachers  keep  their   students   motivated   by   engaging   them   without   introducing  the  high  stresses  of  new  units.  Although  we   students   cannot   easily   make   executive   decisions   regarding our learning, we must make the administration aware of the shortcomings of the past few weeks of post-AP learning. Better teaching strategies must be used for future generations of PHS students. 

Post-AP classes are being misused

From 2009 to 2018, according to Everytown Research, the  U.S.  led  the  world  by  a  margin  of  277  in  mass  shootings.  In  fact,  we  account  for  over  75  percent  of  these  horrific  incidents.  All  of  this  adds  up  to  say  that,  over  the  last  two  decades,  mass  shootings  are  primarily  an  American  problem.  In  fact,  gun  violence  is  such  an  epidemic  in  this  country  that  firearms  kill  more  people  in  America  a  year  than  car  crashes,  according  to  the  CDC in 2021. 
America, like the majority of other developed nations, guarantees citizens’ right to own a firearm, thanks to the 2nd  Amendment  in  its  Constitution.  Yet,  unlike  other  developed   nations,   it   experiences   an   unfathomable   amount  of  gun  violence.  Amidst  the  recent  shootings  in  Buffalo,  Uvalde,  and  Tulsa,  our  country  has  been  sent  reeling  into  a  nationwide  debate  over  gun  control,  a  debate  that  we  seem  to  have  every  time  one  of  these  disasters takes place. Unfortunately, we have not learned our lesson, as gun violence is still a highly divisive issue between Republicans and Democrats. Rather than being treated  as  a  public  health  issue,  we’re  treating  these  shootings as a partisan issue, as if kids’ lives are objects to  be  traded  for  political  capital.  During  COVID-19,  we  failed  to  take  sufficient  action  as  a  result  of  political  division. Unlike how we reacted to COVID-19, we must trust actual research and take the appropriate measures to stop this firearm epidemic.
     If  gun  violence  goes  unaddressed,  like  COVID-19,  it  will  end  in  disaster.  We  must  implement  common  sense   and   evidence-supported   gun   regulations   like   background checks for private gun sales, red flag laws to stop potentially violent citizens from obtaining firearms, mandatory waiting periods which help people cool down before they actually get their hands on a weapon that they might’ve purchased in a fit of rage, assault weapon bans, and  stricter  age  restrictions  for  obtaining  these  weapons.  We  also  need  to  muster  up  more  support  for  people  struggling  with  mental  health,  especially  if  they  reside  in  areas that lack sufficient gun control.
  Some  prominent  Republicans  claim  to  believe,  in  between  receiving  boatloads  of  money from the National Rifle Association, that if we arm the “good guys,” they will be able to stop armed assailants before they can kill anyone. Past  events  do  not  support  the  “good  guys  with  guns”  argument.  As  was  seen  in  Uvalde,  police  officers  —  believed to be the good guys — delayed their entry into the building in fear of being killed by the assailant, which probably  led  to  more  deaths  inside  of  the  school.  The  idea  that  a  teacher  with  a  gun  could’ve  done  anything  more  is  preposterous.  As  long  as  this  country  allows  potential shooters to get their hands on assault weapons, the  simple  handgun  that  a  teacher  would  carry  would  not be fast enough to prevent the carnage that the Uvalde shooter wrought.
   PHS has tried to show support for gun control through moments   of   silence   in   class,   educational   Instagram   graphics,  and  in-class  discussions.  Unfortunately,  it’s  all  too  easy  to  become  numb  to  the  sheer  number  of  shootings that occur in our country — NPR reports that there have been over 246 mass shootings this year so far. New  Jersey,  due  to  having  one  of  the  lowest  per-capita  rates  of  gun  fatalities  in  the  country,  can  easily  become  a bystander in the gun violence epidemic. According to the New Jersey Monitor in 2022, 83 percent of guns used for  crime  come  from  out  of  state,  generally  with  looser  gun  restrictions.  By  numbing  ourselves  to  the  violence  and  not  advocating  for  gun  restrictions  in  other  areas,  New Jersey is a part of the problem.
 Princeton, seen as a relatively peaceful town, is not free from  violence  either.  Take  the  Panera  incident  several  years  ago,  where  a  man  carried  a  weapon  into  Panera,  and  was  shot  by  our    Princeton  police.  Princeton Public Schools have also received numerous bomb threats throughout the past few  years.  Violence  can  happen  anywhere,  anytime.  The  brutal  truth  is  that  unless  we  take  action  against  gun  violence,  the  next  shooting could occur in Princeton.
 In order to stop the gun violence epidemic, PHS  students  can  join  national  nonprofit  organizations such as Everytown, The Brady Campaign, or  Newtown  Action  Alliance.  PHS  students  could  also  petition   federal   legislators   or   organize   community-wide  protests.  On  June  11,  Princetonians  participated  in  a  nationwide  protest,  holding  a  gun  control  rally  at  Hinds  Plaza.  But  our  community’s  participation  in  this  movement must not end here. Now is the time to use our voices to stop this massacre, by staging school walkouts, attending  protests,  or  writing  our  local  congressperson.  It is not the time for yet another moment of silence. Only by  standing  up  and  demanding  change  can  we  take  the  first steps towards stopping these horrific shootings.

Princeton must take action against gun violence

Throughout history, certain books have emerged as  “classics”  —  literary  works  considered  to  be  so  significant that they remain must reads for centuries after  publication.  The  genre  itself  encompasses  everything  from  the  masterpieces  of  ancient  civilizations  to  more  modern  classics  like  “Moby  Dick” and “Pride and Prejudice”. They often serve as a measure of how educated and scholarly we are as individuals, because although it may sound cliché, we do in fact get smarter as we read more classics. Reading the classics brings attention to prominent social issues that are still left  unresolved today, sharpens critical reading skills, and allows us to think more insightfully. When  many  of  us  think  of  classics,  we  often  don’t  consider the multitude of benefits that we can get by reading them. Overall, this has resulted in students losing sight of the importance of reading the classics
Arguably the greatest misconception that we have towards the classics is that we don’t have enough to gain from them since they are “outdated.” It is obviously true  that  attitudes  towards  prominent  issues  like  race  and  gender  were  different  a  few  centuries  ago  from how they are today, and the classics are often inappropriate  and  distasteful  with  respect  to  these  matters. However, rejecting the classics outright for this  reason  is  doing  us  a  great  disservice.  Reading  about  past  cultures  can  demonstrate  the  societal  progress we have made, while also highlighting the progress that still needs to be made. Although many of the author’s perspectives on social issues are indeed outdated, the issues themselves aren’t. Whether it be mental health in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” race in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” or even social isolation in “The Scarlet Letter,” many of humanity’s past problems still  exist  today.  The  fact  that  these  same  struggles  have  plagued  mankind  for  centuries  is  a  testament  to their gravity and difficulty. When reading a classic, you will be surprised to find that many similarities exist between the racist, bigoted past and our present. These similarities highlight the work that we still have to  do.  Until  the  enduring  problems  found  within  the classics are fully addressed, these books cannot become obsolete. 
Reading the classics can also boost a reader’s critical thinking  skills.  Because  the  classics  are  written  in  more antiquated language than what we use today, the reader needs to think more critically about the message the author is trying to convey while reading their  work.  We  live  in  an  age  when  information  is  rapidly conveyed and consumed, where we have access to  practically  the  whole  world  at  our  fingertips.  A  drawback to this development is that we have become lazy with the media that we consume. We don’t look deep  enough  into  what  we  read  to  understand  the  nuances of the author’s statement. Instead, we take things at face value and become agitated when we don’t immediately understand things. Classics prompt us to be more patient and have a more nuanced perception of the world around us, both of which are crucial to becoming a well-adjusted member of society. 
Aside from just paying attention to classics more in school, it’s more important that we also change our perspective towards them. For those of us who don’t have an innate passion for literature, reading anything can  seem  like  a  chore,  let  alone  reading  dense  and  challenging books written in bygone eras. Needless to say, the primary purpose of reading is for pleasure and enjoyment, and each student is entitled to read whatever absorbs them. However, it’s important that we, as readers, step out of our literary comfort zone. We  must  not  be  discouraged  by  the  complexity  or  unfamiliarity  of  a  new  book.  In  fact,  being  able  to  handle novel or difficult experiences is part of what makes a person more interpretive and intelligent. 
Living in the 21st century comes with its blessings and pitfalls, and it is important that we take advantage of what it has to offer, while also not succumbing to its negative repercussions. Our generation prioritizes convenience: We always want to get straight to the point. We all know the frustration of having to reread a sentence because it didn’t make any sense the first time around. But making progress is never easy — struggling is part of the process. Reading the classics counteracts the urge to speed through what we read, and  forces  us  to  dig  a  little  deeper.  As  a  result,  we  become  more  inquisitive,  open-minded,  culturally  aware, and more of an authority on several subjects. The  depth  and  complexity  that  lies  at  the  heart  of  all  classics  is  what  makes  them  special  —  they’re  representative of human nature itself.

Read the classics!

APs and random cold days are no more — summer is here! When the school year comes to a close on June 20, the next few months should be filled with respite and relaxation. Unfortunately, for many students at PHS, the opposite is true. Even though the school year has ended, their work is just beginning.
   Many students choose to spend their summers taking PHS classes in order to get ahead of the rest of their grade level. By taking classes like Accelerated Chemistry or Accelerated Geometry over the summer, students hope to be able to take more rigorous and advanced courses during the actual school year. Even more alluring is the potential opportunity to take a class at Princeton University in junior or senior year, which is made available if students exhaust the courses at PHS. The opportunity cost of simply relaxing over summer break is often too much for students (and their parents). But choosing to take summer courses comes with a cost of its own: these courses are incredibly intense. They pack nine months’ worth of content into six weeks, and not only do the grades end up on the student’s final transcript, which means that they are just as stress-inducing as normal classes, but the classes are incredibly long. Participants endure six consecutive hours of sitting in a classroom from Monday through Thursday, all the way from June 27 to August 1. That’s two-thirds of the entire summer. 
   Then, after kids have spent weeks and weeks stressing over nine months worth of tests, and paid $1500 for the course in the first place, there’s one last test they must take, which is a final exam that has questions about everything that the summer class has covered. In the case of the summer math program, if a student’s grade in the course up to that point is less than 88 percent, they cannot take the test in the first place, and their summer has been effectively wasted. If they do qualify, the test can only be taken once, and the stakes are incredibly high — if a student scores lower than 90 percent, again, their entire summer has been completely wasted, as they are no longer eligible to advance past that class, and must retake it during the regular school year. 
   It’s not much of a secret that for the most part, students attend these rigorous summer programs — course advancement programs, debate camp, SAT prep camp — to better their academic track record more than to pursue a passion. Many high schoolers, often rising freshmen and sophomores, are dragged into these intense courses before they know whether or not they are passionate about the subject. If anything, the cut and dry nature of these somewhat surface-level summer courses may put students off. Summer is a time for high schoolers to dip their toes into a variety of fields, and to develop genuine interests through their own small projects. Yes, students should pursue their interests to the fullest, but first, they need to know what those interests are. 
   Moreover, PHS students should be using summer as a time to connect with friends and family. During the school year, high schoolers often get home from school or from practice and go straight to their room to finish their homework. Family time is rare, and summer should be used for some much needed catch up. 
   Laying in bed and reading for hours at a time, enjoying ice cream at Community Park Pool, buying popcorn at Communiversity — in elementary school, summer break was heaven. It was a time to take a deep breath, lay back, and enjoy the company of our friends and family to the fullest. In high school, as we’ve seen, it’s a different story. Summer is now just another opportunity to overtax ourselves with work to prove to colleges that we are better than everyone else. 
   Although PHS students should be spending their precious summers pursuing things that interest them, this should come in the form of a low-stress online course, or camps where, over the duration of just one or two weeks, they can meet new people without any of the academic stress that summer courses bring. Every school year at PHS is insanely stressful, and in order to actually do well in the classes students are interested in, they must use their summers effectively — by relaxing and getting away from the strenuous environment of high school. Worrying about grades and colleges all the time is exhausting; summer is a chance to take a step away from all of that worry.


The case for using summer break as a break

 In the last few seconds of overtime, the ball hits the net and the girls varsity lacrosse team beats their rival, Allentown High School, as the clock runs out. This season, the girls lacrosse team had a record of 12-6. In the Colonial Valley Conference, the girls lacrosse team is ranked second overall. The girls fought all season for their wins, especially in a game on senior day with their cross-town rivals, Allentown High School. Despite being down for most of the game, in the last two minutes, the team was able to match Allentown's three-point lead and win the game 10-9 in overtime. 
   “No one gave up even when they thought it was over, we rallied and even if we had lost I would still be proud of the way we performed,” said girls lacrosse Co-Captain Kate Becker.
   Part of the reason the team is so successful is because of the unique team chemistry and culture. The girls lacrosse team consists of several traditions that create a supportive and motivating environment. When the new lacrosse athletes get into the varsity team, the girls already on the team visit the houses of new members to surprise them with welcome gifts. 
   Throughout the season, there are several pasta dinners and sleepovers that the captains host to create stronger bonds between teammates. The team also has pasta dinners the night before big games, and to help increase team spirit, there are often “psyches” before games. Some examples of their psyches might be dressing up with a theme, such as patriotic colors, or creating psyche bags for their teammates, which they use all communicate something they want in their group chat and their teammates surprise them with a gift. In order to create better relationships between all positions and junior varsity and varsity, there are squads. The squads are mixed up between levels and positions and they do several activities, such as scavenger hunts.
   “The squads have helped us become a more cohesive team, it really connects us between all positions and between JV and varsity,”  Becker said.
   Along with having a strong team culture and bond, the players on the team have also committed to top programs. Among them are Division III recruits as well as rising star underclassmen. Co-Captain Grace Rebak ’22 committed to Williams College, Kate Becker ’22  committed to Amherst College,  Sarah Glenn ’22  committed to UChicago,  and goalie Gianna Peloso ’22 committed to Colby College. Notable rising stars include Riley Devlin ’24 and Phoebe Steiger ’24. 
   The team made several improvements this year, but not without setbacks. For example, there were several injuries, but the girls rebounded through hard work and a positive mindset.
   “At one point, I think we had five girls who were sidelined and couldn't play at all.  I would say it made us stronger, we had to work the hardest, because we were at a disadvantage”  said Coach Katie Federico.
   Despite the many injuries this season, the team was still able to be successful.
  “I am really proud of this season, especially how the younger girls on the team rose to the occasion. We had some really close games, and we would have not been able to push through the way we did without them,” Rebak said. 
   The girls lacrosse team shows that dedication, hard work, and a good team culture make a successful team.
   “Working hard is one of the team’s biggest strengths, everyone always puts their best efforts in, and this is something that we developed over the season. I think overall our biggest strength is how much we were able to improve, and how well we work together,” Becker said.


Girls Varsity Lacrosse dominates with a Strong Team Culture


For most high school athletes, their sport is the perfect way to de-stress after a long school day. Athletes look to sports to not only get a good workout in, but also to learn from and cooperate with a like-minded community. Although all high school students should be able to benefit from participating in sports, many states have been making it significantly more challenging for transgender athletes to participate. 
Across the United States, 18 states have enacted laws that limit or ban transgender athletes from participating in sports. According to New York Times sports correspondent David Chen in 2022, those in favor of the law want to “promote fairness,” particularly in women’s sports.
At PHS, rules about transgender athletes at PHS follow the state rules given by the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association. The rules are non-restrictive, meaning that transgender students are allowed to compete in accordance with either their birth sex or gender identity.
“The state [of New Jersey] back in 2009 took a position based upon the law against discrimination, which is titled NJS-18 column 36-41. So all of our board policies are in compliance with that,” said PHS Athletic Director Brian Dzebenski. 
These rules have been applied to an emergence of transgender athletes at PHS. Nonbinary athlete Abby Walden ’22 started swimming when they were five years old. After Walden discovered their gender identity, they still continued swimming for the girls team. For them, the biggest change after coming out has been educating others to be conscious about their language while referring to them.
“It can be a struggle [to correct people on] my pronouns over and over again. But I found that PHS, for the most part, is supportive. [Now], there are a lot of people who will help [correct my pronouns] for me,” Walden said. 
   For trans swimmer Sylven Waldman ’25, the transition from girls to boys swimming was more apparent. Waldman began swimming when he was eight, and this season, he transitioned to swimming for the boys team. Although coaches and many teammates made his experience on the boys team mainly positive, he never truly felt like he fit in with the cisgender boys on the team. 
“I think there’s this feeling of alienation, particularly because your body does not look like what others expect,” said Waldman. “It’s especially made apparent in changing rooms, where everybody is wearing [male]speedos, but I’m wearing more of a ‘female swimsuit’ with shorts.” 
Varying public opinion has made trans athletes, especially trans women, currently a hotly debated topic. When discussing transgender athletes in sports, many reference University of Pennsylvania trans female athlete Lia Thomas. Many believe her Division I National title was an unfair win because of her biological sex, despite following all the National Collegiate Athletic Association rules for testoterone suppression. While her times have slowed significantly since before her transition, she is still almost always far ahead of her competitors.
Some say that since the height and size of the heart and lungs of trans women can not be suppressed by hormone therapy, they should not be able to compete. However, medical physicist Joanna Harper described in a 2022 CBS interview that although trans women will maintain certain advantages, those advantages are not significant enough for them to outdo all the competition. Others have noted that cisgender athletes, such Michael Phelps, also have biological advantages that allow them to have an advantage over the competition. Instead of receiving backlash for these biological advantages like many transgender women, they are praised for their accomplishments.    
For Walden and many young transgender athletes in the U.S., the Lia Thomas controversy and debate about biological advantages has raised many questions regarding the true intentions of the opposing side.   “There’s a slippery slope of people saying if [Thomas] can win, then the regulations aren’t strict enough. But really, the question is: When do you stop? Do you stop when trans athletes can never win anything?” Walden said.    
 In consequence to the heated debates, there has been lots of misinformation around the topic. In order to combat this issue, Walden believes that there needs to be more education about the topic. 
 “There [has been] a lot of fear-mongering done, especially by politicians, to make people afraid of trans people or what they are doing to sports. There’s still a learning curve of the scientific community figuring out what the hormone regulation should be. But since trans people are currently allowed to compete, acceptance is the most important,” said Walden. 
However different the experiences of trans athletes are, the main point the trans athletes we interviewed wanted to drive home was that trans people in athletics just want to compete and enjoy their sport, something cisgender athletes are able to do with far less obstacles.   “Trans people have worked so hard compete in the sector that identifies best with the gender that they are. It is such a complicated process that cis athletes never have to experience,” Waldman said.

Swimming with Pride: Trans athletes in high school sports

 It’s 5:00 a.m. on a Thursday, and the sun has not yet risen in Princeton. While everyone else is still asleep, an alarm wakes Josh Snyder ’22 up. After a quick bite to eat, he’s down by the field practicing soccer. He gets home just as the sun’s glow touches the sky, and he’s ready to start the day. Snyder knows that to have success, he must be committed. 
   At a young age, Snyder began playing soccer due to the sport’s influence in his family. His dad, a former youth national player who almost went professional, nurtured his interest in the sport by creating a healthy environment. 
   “He always told me it didn’t matter what I would do, just as long [as] I was the best at it, and it just so happened that I also loved soccer,” Snyder said. 
   Snyder said that he took a while to take the sport seriously, which caused him to lag behind. However, it spurred him to work harder than he had before. 
   Currently, Snyder is a goalkeeper for the Princeton Development Academy. To get the primary spot, he had to prove himself as their best shot-stopper. Since there is only one primary goalkeeper on every team and they are not substituted like outfield players during a game, it is one of the hardest positions to get regular game-time. Although Snyder is his team’s primary goalkeeper, he also has other goalkeepers teammates. Despite the competition, Snyder tries to maintain a good relationship with them. 
   “We all understand we’re battling for a spot, but at the same time we are a family,” said Snyder. “At the end of the day, we want to be the best that we can.”
   To keep his spot on the team, Snyder trains especially hard on his own time, in order to get an edge over his competition.
   “I still feel like I'm a little bit behind because I [developed] so late,” said Snyder. “But the only way to catch up is to work harder than everyone else.” 
While Josh’s dad, Michael Johnson, is his trainer, he doesn’t go easy on him. In fact, Mr. Johnson says that he goes even tougher than he would on other players.
“Hes trained with other professionals, so he knows what it takes to go pro,” said Mr. Johnson. “I train Josh harder, because he is a reflection of myself.”
   Not only does Snyder play the game well, but he’s also well versed in it. One of his biggest inspirations in the sport right now is goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, who as recently as 2014 was playing non-league soccer. However he persisted and managed to get to the top division in soccer, where he won the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious trophy in Europe. 
   “His story inspires me,” said Snyder. “He never gave up, even at [21] years old, which is old for a non-professional. Now he’s playing for his national team.”
   Snyder’s maturity and fun-loving personality has been missed by his teammates and his teachers. Outside of soccer Snyder sees Chemistry and Racial Literacy Teacher Joy Barnes-Johnson as a mentor that he can go to for help about anything. Over the years, Barnes-Johnson has seen Snyder develop his leadership and communication skills.
  “Snyder shined because he was able to apply his collaboration and leadership skills in my class,” said Barnes-Johnson. “Josh is a leader, but he doesn’t usurp authority. He taught me the power of collaboration.”
 Echoing Barnes-Johnson about Snyder’s leadership skills, long-time teammate Breno Azevedo ’22 feels that Snyder effectively balances his own work ethic with his motivation to lead others.
“Josh is an extraordinarily hard worker whose inclination to elevate every last detail of his game helps him grow as a player. He also holds his teammates to a high standard because he wants his team to succeed. Josh’s work ethic will ultimately help him realize his ambition of continuing to grow in soccer,” Azevedo said.
   For student athletes all over the country, the span of junior and senior year is arguably the most important time in their careers. For athletes wanting to take the next step, the transition to college sports is imperative. For Snyder, he made sure that he put himself out there for colleges to see his capabilities.
   “I’ve probably emailed over one hundred different coaches,” said Snyder. “I was desperate for an opportunity, so all I needed was for someone to give me a chance.”
   Snyder’s hard work eventually paid off, after being accepted into the University of Hartford to play Division I soccer. While Snyder is excited for what lies in his future, he understands that the hard work is not over and won’t get carried away.
  “The same way you treat soccer on the field should be how you treat [other things] off the field,'’ said Snyder. “If you’re a hard worker, you’re going to get results. It’s the same in school, if you do your homework, you’re going to go to the school you want to. On days where you want to quit, don’t, because it builds character.”


Josh Snyder ’22: soccer


Grace Rebak ’22 sprints up the field, her white jersey shining and her lacrosse stick glinting in the sunlight. With astounding athleticism, she catches up to the opposing team's offense and blocks their shot, passing it to the forward on her team. The crowd watches intently as the ball flies straight into the net.
   Rebak started playing lacrosse for the first time in fourth grade for the Princeton Girls Lacrosse Club. Later, with the same girls on the PGLC, she started playing field hockey at Princeton Middle School. In middle school, she also joined the Princeton Field Hockey Club and the Ultimate Lacrosse Club, further enhancing her skills in both sports.  
   “I started playing then with a lot of the girls that I still play with today. So we kind of build that strong chemistry early on,” Rebak said. 
   In high school, Rebak also joined the PHS Girls Ice Hockey team, further shaping her well-rounded athletic abilities. In addition, her technique and commitment to all sports grew as her training schedule became increasingly rigorous. Varsity Girls Lacrosse and Field Hockey Coach Katie Federico has noticed her growth over the years. 
  “She's really grown a lot. She was a little more timid on the field before and as she got older and more experienced, she became much more aggressive. And she just made that presence,” said Federico. “She also grew as a leader. I find that Grace has a very calm demeanor, but has a way of getting her point across to the point where all the girls on the team look up to her, including her fellow seniors.”
  In all three sports, Rebak feels that both the footwork and defense techniques apply similarly. For an easier transition between seasons, Rebak is diligent with practicing her footwork between seasons. To stay fit outside of sports, Rebak has a set cross-training workout. 
   “I usually lift six days [each week] and then have a rest day. We don’t have [designated lifting] for our teams, but I think we definitely should. It definitely builds up strength in different areas where you don’t have the opportunity to playing on the field. And then I’ll do other things like swimming for rest and recovery,” Rebak said.
  Her athletic achievements have not gone unnoticed, as Rebak has earned numerous accolades during her career. She made the 2018 and 2019 All-County First Team for field hockey and earned the Unsung Player award in 2019. Furthermore, her field hockey teammates awarded her the Most Coachable Player Award in her freshman year. 
   “She is always putting 110 percent into everything she does. This year, she even had a severely sprained ankle, and could barely walk coming off the field, but put in that effort [regardless],” Federico said. 
   Varsity Girls Lacrosse and Varsity Field Hockey player Kayla Christopher ’23 has been on both teams with Rebak. She sees her work ethic also manifest in her leadership style. 
   “I would say Grace is a great leader. She pushes everyone to improve through her own skill and her determination. She is also an effective communicator and makes everyone on the field feel welcome,” Christopher said. 
   In addition to being successful in sports, Grace is also involved in numerous extracurricular activities.  She is a Peer Group Leader, the president of the PHS Lunch with Friends Club, and a participant in the 101: Fund, a PHS college scholarship program. In order to balance three sports, schoolwork, and extracurriculars, Rebak has found that her activities create a concrete schedule for herself, 
   “Ice hockey was before school, so it’s pretty hard to get up. But after school, I like that it left me time to do my work,” said Rebak. “And then with lacrosse and field hockey, it gave me more structure because I would go to school, then go to practice, and then do my homework after. So in that way, it actually helped grades and [extracurriculars].”
   All her hard work paid off in high school as Rebak is committed to Division III lacrosse and field hockey at Williams College. Looking forward to her time at Williams, she wants to forge lasting relationships with her new teammates and improve her skills in both sports. . 
  “I actually don't have a preference [between all three], which is part of the reason I actually chose to play both [field hockey and lacrosse] in college. I would obviously play hockey if I could, but I can't play [all] three. So I chose the two and I'm super happy that I chose to do it because I don't think I would be able to play only one,” Rebak said.


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