Spokesman Vol. 59 Issue 1

FEATURES
Tips for the
Semester Two
Page 4
OPINIONS
Junbi vs.
Kung Fu Tea
Page 10
SPOKESFUN
PDS Faculty
Crossword Puzzle
Page 12
The Spokesman
JANUARY 2023
PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL
JAN. 2023 VOL. 59, ISSUE 1
Goodbye, White Christmas
PDS considers the impact of climate change on our
environment
GLORIA WANG, XI
PRINT FEATURES EDITOR
“An Explorer, A Tracer of Lost Tribes, A
Seeker of Clues to Feelings”
The Anne Reid ’72 Gallery
at Princeton Day School is
displaying a new exhibit
featuring the stop-motion
animation artworks of Carrie
Hawks, Gabrielle Tesfaye,
and Jordan Wong until March
24. Upper School art teacher
and Gallery Club advisor,
Gwen Shockey explained that
she decided upon this unique
form of art because “lots of the
students from the art classes
are interested in stop-motion
animation.” These animations
incorporate a wide range of
materials, such as fabric, hair,
drawn and painted puppets,
and natural materials. The title
of the exhibit, “An Explorer,
A Tracer of Lost Tribes, A
Seeker of Clues to Feelings,”
was adapted from Betye Saar’s
poem, “A Remembrance of
Ritual in Serious Moonlight,”
where she explores the ritual,
spirituality, and cosmologies
of Africa. Each piece of the
featured artwork explores
identity, ancestry, mythology,
and the body.
continued on page 2
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
Hawks tells the story of
the queer BIPOC experience,
grappling with self-harm and
the healing journey. These
stories are often overlooked
and ignored in mainstream
conversations about the
LGBTQ+ community.
speak honestly about their
experiences through three
different styles of stop-motion
animation.
Hand-painted puppets play a
very important role in Tesfaye’s
artworks. She explores
historical, personal, spiritual,
SOPHIA SIMMS, X
PRINT STAFF WRITER
Over the past few
weeks, extreme storms have
swept through the country,
leaving destruction in their
wake. These major storms
occur more frequently
than ever, from significant
flooding in California to
blizzards in New York.
Director of Sustainability and
Environmental Education
Jessica Clingman observes,
“What we are seeing now is
storms and events that used
to happen only once every
100 years happening multiple
times in ten years.” Even
the weather in Princeton has
changed: usually, Princeton
sees an average of 31.5 inches
of snowfall—this year, we’ve
seen none. Additionally,
freezing rains are common,
with the temperature cold
but lacking the moisture
necessary to generate
snowfall. Though the events
in Buffalo and California
may seem unrelated at first
glance, scientists agree they
are all due to climate change.
A seemingly endless
chain of storms in California
has ravaged homes and
infrastructure, causing
catastrophic flooding and
damage. Senior and co-head
of the Environmental Action
Club (EnAct) Maddie
Weinstein comments, “many
people have had to evacuate
the state, and lives have been
lost.” At least 19 people have
died in California due to
mudslides, flash floods, and
debris damage. Across the
country in Buffalo, New York,
residents spent Christmas
preparing for a brutal
incoming storm. Buffalo’s
storms began at the end of
December and continued
for four days. These storms
brought snow squalls and
white-outs that kept first
responders from reaching
people in need, leaving more
than 30,000 people without
power. Forty people lost
their lives in Buffalo due to
the weather event. Scientists
are constantly trying to find
how and whether the the
rapid increase in storms
relates to climate change.
Mrs. Clingman remarks,
continued on page 2
TikTok: Finally Banned?
CLARA SHIN, X
PRINT ARTS EDITOR
TikTok, the global
platform for creating short
videos, has about 1 billion
monthly active users and
around 90 million in the United
States alone. This videosharing
app supports content
creators and small businesses;
the TikTok Creator Fund pays
creators depending on the rate
at which users interact with a
creator’s account and offers
customers. People also use
TikTok as an outlet to express
themselves. Since December
2022, there has been discourse
among U.S. lawmakers on
whether TikTok will be banned
in the United States, the main
continued on page 2
reason being concerns over its
China-based parent company,
ByteDance. The U.S.
government worries that China
is using TikTok to hack into
people’s devices and steal their
information. Banning TikTok,
however, might do more
harm than good, considering
the number of users and the
amount of income it brings in
(Artwork/Madeline Cook ‘25)

2
Goodbye White Christmas (cont.)
From page 1
“As the air gets warmer, it can hold
more water, so rain and snow events
can be even bigger than they were
before.” This explains the abnormally
high frequency of storms across the
country but not the lack of snow.
All over the world, the weather is
changing, and our erratic weather is
TikTok: Finally Banned? (cont.)
From page 1
for creators.
When rumors spread that
this app was being banned last year,
content creators and normal users
alike expressed confusion and distress.
Sophomore Sophia Zhou states, “the
current generation in the U.S. runs off
of TikTok so there’s no way it is being
banned.” With 60% of users being
GenZ, this app is such an integral part of
young people’s lives. If the government
were to ban it, they would have to deal
with backlash from the public.
“I don’t think TikTok will be
banned because many people have
started using the platform as their main
source of income,” junior Elena Sichel
creators, and content creators make
money solely through TikTok. Content
creators who have about a hundred
thousand followers can earn from $200
to $1000 a month.
Deliberations in the U.S. government
have been in process regarding TikTok
Gallery Draws Crowds
From page 1
and mythological realms of human
knowledge, beauty, and pain. Her
puppets connect to her characters’
bodies, visions, and souls in her
animation. Wong’s artworks pulsate
with color, texture, and sound. The
material in each frame is restless
and dynamically switches between
microscopic views of thread and yarn
and a variety of zoomed-out designs,
many of which are hand-dyed.
Ms. Shockey states that, “one aspect
that makes our exhibition so unique
is that each of our artists come from a
linked to climate change. So, what
can everyone in the PDS community
do? Mrs. Clingman says, “I urge
PDS community members to make
their voices heard and demand
our community be ready for more
intense weather events.” Students are
preparing for the onslaught of new
for years now, but the current uptick in
worries about this app being banned
stems from Congress’s decision in
December of 2022 to ban the use of
TikTok on federal government devices.
Although many people are worried
about what this might mean for the
general public in the future, sophomore
Clara Grissom says, “Every year people
say it will get banned for one reason
or another and it never does. The fact
that it got banned from all government
devices is different from the app being
banned in the whole country.” Many
people echo this sentiment and think
that the government’s restrictions are
wholly separate from those of the entire
United States.
Concerns over TikTok being banned
are legitimate, but with unsuccessful
attempts at banning the app during the
presidency of Donald Trump, the PDS
community agrees that we do not have
much to worry about.
diverse background.” Hawks, Tesfaye,
and Wong are all people of color of
different ethnicities and tell inspiring
stories about identity, family, and
ancestry. Junior Ashlyn Du commented:
“It is really cool for our gallery to be
featuring artists from outside of our
[in-school] artists. It allows us to gain
experiences and exposure to the outside
world of art.” Many students within
the PDS community believe that these
exhibitions are a crucial part of our
diverse culture.
NEWS
weather events as well: sophomore
Maddy Cook says, “These events
relate to all of us because even if
those specific storms aren’t affecting
us now, we will be affected soon.” In
terms of helping the community and
the planet, Cook says, “I plan to help
change this by doing small things
every day, such as recycling.” One
thing is for sure: these recent weather
events have been intense and are not
going away. As scientists attempt to
discern global warming’s causes and
the consequences on the world, our
Christmases may start looking more
green than white.
(Photography/ Krish Saxena ‘25)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)

FEATURES
The Brain Exercise Initiative’s First High School Chapter Begins
ADDISON FIGEL, X
STAFF WRITER
3
T he Brain Exercise Initiative
(BEI) is a registered 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization that uses
simple math, writing and reading
aloud exercises as a way to improve
cognitive function for those who
suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.
BEI’s goal “is to help more seniors
remember and thrive.” There are
several studies that you can find on
the BEI website of clinical trials
supporting that the exercises help
with dementia.
The BEI was started by an
undergraduate at UCLA, who is now
a medical student. Her grandfather
had Alzheimer’s disease, and she
stumbled across this research,
which prompted her to take action
on the issue. After discovering that
something similar was being done in
Japan, she thought of implementing
it herself in the United States.
Consequently, she started this
organization, and it has grown to
include over fifty chapters around the
world, many of them concentrated in
universities in the U.S.
One of the co-heads of the new
BEI group at PDS, junior Aadi
Shankar, heard about BEI at a
Model UN conference, where he
met a woman who was a member of
the NYU chapter of the BEI. After
this experience, Shankar did some
research on the organization and
was intrigued. Shankar wanted to
involve himself further in the issue
and began the newest chapter of
BEI at PDS. Shankar shared, “One
of my grandmothers suffered from
Alzheimer’s before she passed away.
That was my main motivation for
starting BEI at PDS.”
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Thursdays during C&C, PDS students
join a Zoom call with a group of
senior citizens from an assisted
living home. Another co-head of
the club and also an EIC of the
Spokesman, junior Sam Elkin shared,
“We work with Maplewood Living
Center in Plainsboro, New Jersey.”
With about 30 active members, the
group is truly making a difference,
while also enjoying their work. BEI
volunteer and sophomore Bodhi
Ghoge discussed his experience with
BEI: “I had a great experience at BEI.
It was challenging and yet fun. I had a
great time speaking with the seniors,
and it really opened my eyes to a
whole other world.” Similarly, BEI
volunteer sophomore Parth Khera
shares, “I had a good experience
because it taught me the difference of
thinking in different generations, and
it gave me a new perspective on [a
disease that is] usually overlooked.”
(Artwork/Kayla Zhang ‘24)
(Artwork/Kayla Zhang ‘24)
(Image/Brain Exercise Initiative)
What Makes a Good Team?
JAHNAVI BHALLA, X
STAFF WRITER
C ollaboration is a crucial part of
the PDS experience. Whether it is
playing in a sports team, performing
a skit for Spanish, or planning a
grade-wide bake sale, students often
find themselves working in teams.
Sometimes, however, working as a
team can be challenging. No group
chats are made and everyone is
disagreeing with the slide designs on
SlidesCarnival. Once the enthusiasm
has dissipated, the main goal becomes
handing in the assignment on time.
After the work is done, the most
important question comes up: whose
name comes first on the title slide?
However, the question we don’t ask
enough is: what makes a good team?
In classes, some students are able
to work in a group that collaborates
well and completes their work in a
timely fashion. Success from such
assignments depend on many factors,
whether it is effective leadership or
straightforward communication.
Sophomore Casey Kuma, who is
active in the PDS theater and choir
program, said, “I think that a sense
of respect within a group of people,
knowing your place and position
within the team but also not being
afraid to step out of it when possible
makes a great team.” Because of
the teamwork effort fostered by our
theater program, along with hard
work and long hours of rehearsal,
our plays have a reputation for being
entertaining and engaging.
Furthermore, effective teamwork is
necessary outside of the classroom
as well. Student Council President
and senior Ziya Brittingham shared,
“I think qualities of a good team are
definitely being open-minded and
receptive to others’ ideas as well as
being eager to help others. Also, being
open to constructive criticism and
accepting the fact that sometimes your
first draft of ideas isn’t going to be the
best way to make your idea a reality.”
Due to Brittingham’s ability to lead
a team, many resolutions have been
passed by Student Council concerning
PDS students. Other students echo
Brittingham’s sentiments on the
importance of healthy collaboration.
Varsity squash player sophomore
Parth Khera states, “Teamwork is
defined as a group effort . Only when
the team has good communication is
when the group effort will succeed.”
Even in individual sports like squash,
support from other teammates leads
to a player’s success in the game.
So, when being assigned a team,
don’t forget to communicate, display
respect, and most importantly, share
the workload so that it would not
matter whose name is first on that
slide.
PDS male acapella Y-Chromotomes exhibiting excellent teamwork during
performance(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Artwork/Kayla Zhang ‘24)

4
Tips for Semester Two
NANDINI KOLLI, X
PRINT STAFF WRITER AND SOCIAL
MEDIA MANAGER
O n January 20, the first
semester of the 2022-2023 school
year ended. Students have varying
thoughts on the first semester.
Sophomore Grace Ulrich expressed
how the semester had highs and lows
and much of that was, “consisting of
grades that varied.” A common theme
of having a “good” semester is whether
one was happy with their grades.
However, Ulrich also noted the shift
from ninth to tenth grade, stating that
she has accumulated numerous skills
that have helped her tremendously.
For example, dedicating extra time to
studying has become more important.
Time management becomes more
difficult when some classes require
extra effort, along with the pressures
of parents and balancing a club sport.
Ulrich balances her extracurriculars
by making a schedule and putting
reminders on her phone.
Many students within the Upper
School shared the lessons and ideas
that Ulrich expressed. Sophomore
Addison Figel stated, “Sophomore
year is a lot more work than
freshman year, but I think that the
first semester was pretty successful.”
Figel’s semester went well because
of the skills she had in place.
She consistently wrote all of her
assignments down and made sure
not to procrastinate because she, as
well, has a very busy schedule. One
experience shared by many students
is the initial belief that all the
assignments and tests are extremely
challenging. When one eventually
steps back and takes a breath, this
stress and anxiety can be undertaken
once hard work, effort, and timemanagement
skills are applied.
When asked “which semester do
you think you will like better?” Figel
shared, “I really don’t think I like
one semester more than the other. I
appreciate them both.”
It is important to take the lessons
that you have learned from the
previous semester, and apply that to
your learning agenda. Take your time
and have fun in school.
FEATURES
Insights into Chef Brian’s Culinary Mastermind
ANDREW THALLEMER, IX
PRINT STAFF WRITER
M any of us look forward to
lunchtime and much of Princeton
Day’s student body purchase their
lunch through the Flik dining plan.
Director of Flik Food Services
Brian Mochnal is responsible for
determining many of the lunch
menus.
Mochnal began his career with
Flik in 1995. He started working at
Princeton Day School when Flik
took over the contract to serve lunch
in June 2005. Mochnal grew up with
parents who both enjoyed cooking and
making food from scratch. He literally
“cooked” his way through college
and went into the food industry after
graduating from Rutgers. He and his
wife do a food tour in any city to
which they travel. This provides him
with inspiration about regional foods
and different local cuisines.
Mochnal, who began working at
Princeton Day School through Flik
in 2005, explained what the factors
he considers when planning a lunch
menu:
1. Will people enjoy it?
2. Is it cost-effective?
3. Can it be served to the community
in the limited time that PDS has for
lunch?
Mochnal serves lunch to hundreds
members of the PDS community every
day, with the goal to have something
available for everyone, regardless of
their dietary restrictions. Nutritional
value factors into every meal he
plans, and, to keep things healthy, he
does not use fryers. Almost all of the
dishes available in the PDS cafeteria
are made from scratch. Mochnal
approaches running a cafeteria like
running a business; he takes into
account costs and budget, especially
recently, with inflation on the rise
and food shortages resulting in more
expensive produce.
Mochnal explained that the
cafeteria’s most popular lunch item
is his special meatloaf. This may
be surprising for some, especially
considering the fact that many people
in the PDS community are vegetarians
or limit their consumption of beef.
But, according to Mochnal,
meatloaf has been the most popular
lunch item for years. He has even had
parents ask for the recipe after their
students graduate. So, in many ways,
the recipe is not quite so secret after
all.
Freshman Andrew Dai, who has
been on the meal plan since sixth
grade, noted that his favorite lunch
is not the meatloaf, but instead curry
chicken with rice. Dai remarks that
he is not extremely conscious about
nutritional value when selecting his
lunch, but does try to add fruit and
vegetables to his plate at every meal.
He also tries to eat something from
all five food groups, with his favorite
being fruits. Like many students at
Senior Kyler Zhou ‘23 with his peer group (Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
PDS, he is well aware that meatloaf
is the most popular food item on the
lunch menu.
Regardless of your favorite dish
on the PDS lunch menu, we all
appreciate the filling and nutritious
lunches that Mochnal and his
hard-working staff prepare for us
daily. Mochnal and his staff feed
a thousand people a day, Monday
through Friday. We want to recognize
all the hard work that goes into this
endeavor every week.
Campus Center during lunch (Photo/Alexander Chia ’26)

Tuning Into PDS’s Jacobson Music Scholars
AMY LIN, IX
PRINT OPINIONS ASSOCIATE
This school year, Princeton Day
School is overflowing with musical
talent. From instrumental concerts to
open-mics, students are able to share
their artistry with the community in
a variety of settings. For especially
talented students, PDS offers a unique
opportunity to assist their pursuit
of music beyond their high school
careers: the Jacobson Music Scholar
Program. The current Jacobson Music
Scholars consist of juniors Thomas
Poljevka and Nathan Campbell, as
well as seniors Ben Maschler, Zoë
Latanision, Kyler Zhou, and Albert
Zhou.
Named in honor of Frank Jacobson,
a former PDS Music Department
Head who died last year, the Jacobson
Music Scholar Program provides
juniors and seniors with time during
the school day to hone their music
skills and perform before a faculty
panel.
“The Jacobson Music Scholar
Program really excited me because
not a lot of [high] schools have
something like that, so I was really
drawn to the idea of just getting time
to work on music,” said Latanision,
who cited the program as one of the
main reasons why she chose to attend
PDS.
Due to the selective nature of
the program, those who are able to
participate usually have extensive
backgrounds in music. Poljevka began
Spring Gallery Exhibition
his musical journey in first grade
with the violin, and he continued to
pick up other instruments along the
way before discovering the art of
composing. “I really like the story
that goes with music,” remarked
Poljevka. “I feel like almost every
song is a story.” Now, he writes
arrangements for the Upper School
Orchestra and composes pieces for
short films with the time and support
he receives from the Jacobson Music
Scholar Program.
At the end of the school year,
Jacobson Music Scholars will perform
a solo recital—and everyone in the
PDS community is invited to attend.
“It is really a highly participated-in
event and will be a milestone in my
musical career,” expressed Kyler
Zhou, a pianist for the Upper School
Band. “I’ve been looking forward to
[the solo recital] since day one.” As a
senior, Zhou will perform for half an
hour, and the juniors will perform for
fifteen minutes.
It will be up to the underclassmen
to fill in the seniors’ shoes after
graduation. As the sole female and
vocalist in the program, Latanision
urges younger musicians to hold onto
their aspirations. “Don’t let anyone
discourage you from pursuing
music,” stated Latanision, “Music is
a real job. There are a lot of different
career paths that can go with music,
and I don’t think a lot of people know
that.” Kyler Zhou shared similar
sentiments: “Just keep going. If it’s
ARTS 5
your passion, don’t let anything
affect you from pursuing it.”
Most Jacobson Music Scholars end
up continuing their involvement in
music throughout their adult lives.
Kyler Zhou plans on joining musical
ensembles in college, Latanision
aspires to release her own album in
the future, and Poljevka hopes to
eventually write music for movies.
Even to those who do not participate
(Artwork/Ashlyn Du ‘24)
in musical activities, music is an
integral part of everyday life, serving
as a universal language capable
of stimulating the imagination
and expressing emotion. Whether
it is through singing, composing,
or playing an instrument, PDS’s
music students always bring joy to
the campus. Music knits the PDS
community together in a way that
nothing else can.
(Photo/Dylan Powers ‘25)

6
W hen the movie “Everything
Everywhere All At Once” was
released in theaters in March 2022,
it had a massive global impact.
Directed by Daniel Kwan and
Daniel Scheinert, it featured Asian
actors and actresses Michelle Yeoh,
Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, and
James Hong. In contrast to other
Hollywood films, the cast featured
mostly Asian American actors.
The Golden Globes have a history
of discriminating against certain
groups, and it was not until this year
that they finally had a Black host.
The host, Jerrod Carmichael, opened
his speech with the phrase, “I’m here
because I’m Black.” He goes on to say
that the Golden Globes had not had a
single black host until after George
Floyd’s death. The Golden Globes are
also notorious for their controversy,
including one of their board members
writing a racist email that later got
him fired. The 2023 Golden Globes
had lots of memorable moments, and
one of the highlights was Michelle
Yeoh’s win and her following speech.
Yeoh won the award for Best
Actress in a Musical or Comedy,
a very prestigious award. English
teacher Dr. Karen Latham noted,
“Michelle is amazing. She’s able
to be both funny, serious and
tragic. Showing skills as a dramatic
actress, comedian and superhero is
absolutely incredible.” Yeoh’s skill
set contains all sorts of strengths
and emotional intelligence, and she
perfectly captures all of that when
in character. Dr. Latham continued,
“What’s significant is that the main
theme of the movie is about [the]
ridiculousness of life. Everything is
hard to figure out and the challenges
we face make [life] feel meaningless.”
The theme of facing challenges was
not only prevalent in the breathtaking
film but also at the awards ceremony
of the 2023 Golden Globes. During
Yeoh’s speech, she was almost cut off
as the pianist began playing the outro
music, but Yeoh refused to have her
moment silenced. She proudly stated,
“Shut up, I can beat you up!” Yeoh
was clearly joking, but the action
of silencing the musician in order
to finish her acceptance speech was
remarkable. Her speech didn’t just
cover her trials and tribulations in
Hollywood, but also in life. Senior
Kyler Zhou states, “It’s amazing—I
feel that this is really trailblazing
for Asian Americans especially as
one … it really brings me hope for
[Asian American] youth.” Michelle’s
win did not just touch the souls of the
audience, but also members in our PDS
community. Zhou also went on to say,
“Growing up, films were dominated
by white leads and Asian characters
were secondary.” His story about
growing up in America and watching
these types of films are experiences
all people of color can relate to.
Michelle Yeoh’s performance
was not just captivating because
she was playing different versions
of her character, but also because
she was playing a mother. Freshman
Armaan Singhal expressed,
“Sometimes my mother and I will
have disagreements—and [the
movie] puts me in the perspective of
the other person. Her performance
was memorable because I felt as if I
saw my mother in Evelyn.” Singhal
also said, “The movie made me feel
sad at times because some of the
ARTS
ADEOLA EGBELEYE, IX
PRINT STAFF WRITER
situations were somewhat relatable,
even though it takes place in the
multiverse.” It’s truly amazing to
see the extent of acting and how
far some actors or actresses can go.
As the Golden Globes came to an
end, articles created about Michelle
Yeoh’s victory rapidly surfaced. It is
a sight for sore eyes to see a minority
being put on a country wide stage
and being nominated and awarded
for something so prestigious as the
Golden Globes. As time goes on,
many hope to see more occasions
like this and see different faces
win such honorable awards.
Pieces of fan art dedicated to Dune (Artwork/Amy Lin ‘26)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)
(Photo/PDSFlickr)

The Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team’s Comeback
ARMAAN SINGHAL, IX
STAFF WRITER
T he Boys’ Varsity Basketball
team has shown much improvement
from last year, having already
tied last year’s number of wins
halfway into the season. Many of
the players attribute this success
to their work ethic and effective
collaboration. On the court,
players pass to each other often,
with few teammates excluded
from the flow of the game. Varsity
basketball player and senior Jaden
Hall said, “our team chemistry on
and off the court is great, we all
talk to each other like brothers and
it translates well into the game.”
Off the court the team exhibits
great chemistry as well. During
the girls’ varsity basketball game
against Somerville High School,
the boys’ varsity team could be
seen supporting the girls team and
inspiring others to do the same.
They started chants, celebrated
when the girls scored, were
always laughing and smiling,
raising the positive energy of
those surrounding them. Their
excitement got to the point where
they were told to quiet down.
This year’s team extends their
positive energy to the three
freshmen on the team: Danny
Rozenblat, Jordan Owens, and
Collin Myat. According to
Rozenblat, “All the upperclassmen
have been helping out. They’re
all understanding if you make a
mistake, they’re always willing to
help you out.” All players expressed
their belief that their teammates
are incredibly understanding and
try to motivate each other in any
way possible; this is also reflected
on the court, where you can often
see teammates high-fiving each
other and celebrating together.
Players on the bench will cheer
for their teammates on the court,
creating an atmosphere which
helps them to be more confident
on the court and play better.
Looking ahead to the rest of the
season, players seem optimistic for
their success. Regardless of their
record, Boys’ Varsity Basketball
Head Coach Eugene Burroughs,
commented, “This team has really
progressed, and has gotten better.
The great thing is that we have a
bunch of games to go, so I hope
we win more games, but I think
SPORTS 7
we’re on track to. Our guys are
playing well enough to win.” The
close bonds and chemistry this
team shares helps them play the
game in an effective manner, and
they are able to trust each other
and themselves because of this.
The chemistry of the team built a
bond among these players, but with
seven seniors, the majority of their
team, leaving next year. It leaves
the question, how will the rising
seniors and the rest of the team fill
their shoes in creating a welcoming
environment to the new members,
and keeping up the chemistry
built with this team? The current
seniors have set a great example
for the rest of the team to follow.
Boys’ Varsity Basketball vs. CAPS Central (Photos/Rhea Ajmera ‘26)
NFL Fan Predicts 2023 NBA All Stars
HUTCH HENDERSON, XI
STAFF WRITER
Note: This article was written before the
All-Stars were announced and is for satirical
purposes
T he NBA, the peak of the male
sports industry, has entertained
viewers since long before my time,
and it will continue until long after
I’m dead. The ratings are sky high,
and it attracts more fans than ever,
foreshadowing the massive wave of
basketball that is soon to be raging
across the world. In this article,
I will be predicting the rosters of
the NBA All Star game, or as I
like to call it: the NBA Pro Bowl.
Then, I’ll match up my predictions
to the actual results to see how
well they bode against reality.
The NBA Pro Bowl selects 24 of
the league’s best players (12 from
each conference), and they play
against each other during the midseason
break. The NBA is broken
up into two conferences, Eastern
and Western, and even though 24
players are selected to the All Star
Game, I will just be predicting the
starters. Starting with the Western
Conference, my first pick is the
best 3-point shooter on both sides
of the Mississippi: Wardell Curry
II. My next pick for the Western
Conference is the notorious PDS
alum, Ja Morant. For my third
pick, I predict Zion Willliamson
to make the Pro Bowl. Zion played
college basketball for the same
school as one of the NFL’s top 10
quarterbacks, the New York Giants’
Daniel Slimes.
When asked about Zion’s future
in the league, LeMickey James
said, “yabadabadoooldnavy.” When
asked about how he reacted to this
quote after hearing it, senior Nick
Somogyi said, “it inspired me
deeply to become a better person.”
Speaking of LeFlop, he is my fourth
pick to start in the NBA Pro Bowl.
Finally, to round out the squad, I
have the fifth man as another PDS
Alum: Davon Reed.
Now for the East; I predict the
Macedonian Menace, Giannis
Akumpo to be selected first. Second,
I have Donovan Mitchell, the pride
of Cleveland. Mitchell recently
put up a 71 point game which is
quite an impressive feat. When
asked for his reaction, once again,
LeBron said, “I was just sitting
at home with Bronny and I saw
Donny make a couple 3s, and I said
to myself, man Mitchell is gonna
score 71 points.” A truly incredible
prediction by LeKidfromAkron, the
likes of which I can only dream of.
With the third pick for the East,
I’m predicting the second best
3-point shooter B.S.O.T.M. (Both
sides of the Mississippi): Benjamin
Simmons, a truly incredible talent.
Now, you could not pay me to make
an NBA Pro Bowl prediction article
and not take the savior of Houston,
the current leader of the prestigious
Houston Rockets, the man who
shaved his head and glued the hair
to his face, James Harden. To round
out both the Eastern squad, and this
article as a whole, my final NBA Pro
Bowl prediction is the man who does
not run his Instagram and son of the
prestigious Lamelo Ball, Lavar.
NBA All Star Giannis Antetokounmpo at the
2022 NBA All Star Game (Photo/Erik Drost)
NBA All Star LeBron James (Photo/Wikimedia)

8
SPORTS
CYRIL PANDYA, XI
PRINT SPORTS EDITOR
T he College Football Playoff
format has been a topic of heated
discussion lately, with many
analysts and fans calling for the
number of teams to be expanded
from four to twelve to increase
competition. Last month, to the
delight of many, the Playoff
Committee members agreed to
implement a twelve team playoff
with hopes of including it for
the 2024 season. The goal of
expansion is to avoid lopsided
championship games such as this
seasons’ 65-7 blowout win for
the Georgia Bulldogs over Texas
Christian University (TCU).
However, there are still many
people out there with doubts on
if an expanded playoff is the right
move for College Football. Junior
Sam Salguero believes that even
with an expanded playoff, “The
same four teams will make it to
the semifinals every year by pure
dominance. Georgia, Alabama,
Ohio State, and maybe a few others
are just so much better than every
The Rise of International Players in the NBA
LAASYA KANUMURI, XI
PRINT SPORTS ASSOCIATE
G iannis Antetokounmpo,
Joel Embiid are undeniably among
the most-respected names in the
National Basketball Association
(NBA), and all four of them are
international players. According
to a study from the NBA Social
Media Department, “Across NBA
Europe’s social media channels,
content featuring Antetokounmpo
performs 100% better than the
other team.” Dominance from top
tier programs is, and always will
be, a big part of college football,
but the influence of “name, image,
and license” (NIL) deals has taken
football supremacy to another
level. NIL deals are a way for
college athletes to earn money,
which was previously prohibited.
In many ways, this benefits college
football programs; but the value of
average post, while Jokic content
does 10% better,” suggesting that
international players are taking the
league by storm.
Last season, following yet
another remarkable year, Denver
Nuggets’ Jokic was awarded his
second straight MVP title, and in
the process, he became the second
international player in a row to
receive the award in successive
seasons. In fact, an NBA player
born in America has not won
the KIA Most Valuable Player
Award since the 2017–18 season.
NIL has spread to recruiting, with
some highly scouted high school
recruits getting paid by colleges
to attend their schools. In this new
age of college football, money
certainly talks, and the schools with
the most resources are often the
schools getting top ten votes in the
AP Poll. Essentially, in the realm of
college football, the rich get richer.
With this in mind, a twelve team
Michigan University’s football stadium, the largest in college football (Photo/Unsplash)
Preceding Jokic, Antetokounpo
from the Milwaukee Bucks won
the award in the 2018–19 and
2019–20 seasons. Furthermore,
every Defensive Player of the Year
Award from 2017 to 2021 has been
given to an international player.
The NBA is a professional sports
league that is predominantly made
up of American stars. Therefore,
having a Greek, Serbian, Slovenian,
and a Cameroonian as the league’s
best players is a complete
breakthrough for the NBA. When
asked if international players were
(Artwork/Hannah Park ‘24)
playoff could produce similarly
lopsided results when a potentially
twelve-seeded Tulane with zero
five-star recruits play the mighty
Alabama Crimson Tide, whose
whole starting lineup is composed
of some of the best former high
school players in the country. As
discouraging as this may sound,
there are always two sides to one
coin. Junior Tom Poljevka believes
that “a twelve team playoff truly
establishes who the best teams are.”
Certainly, the road to be a champion
in a twelve team playoff is not easy,
and even if Alabama or Georgia are
crowned as Champs once again, at
least we know that they were, in
fact, the best team. . Junior Max
Glasgold is also on board with
expanded playoffs, “It makes the
playoffs diverse and fun. TCU was
America’s team because of how
unlikely their championship run
was; a twelve team playoff gives us
more Cinderella-story type teams.”
Whether you want, or don’t want,
a twelve team playoff, one thing
is for certain: College Football is
changing, for better or for worse.
taking over the NBA, junior Sara
Appleby noted, “There’s a lot more
international players especially in
recent years, but they’re not taking it
over in a bad way;Antetokounmpo,
top players this season.” Junior Mia
Hartman shared similar sentiments
about the success of international
players: “I definitely do believe that
international players are taking over
the NBA. But, for the good. I love
the diverse playing style and the
way the game has evolved with the
presence of these players.”
The number of international
players in the NBA currently is
unprecedented. There are eight
international players featured in the
upcoming 2023 All-Star Game, with
one international player as a captain:
Giannis Antetokounmpo. During the
NBA’s first-ever season, in 1946–
47, only five international players
were a part of the league. In 2023,
however, that number has risen
to 109 players from almost forty
different nations. With the famous
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and
Stephen Curry nearing the end of
their careers, there will be room for
an influx of international players,
especially after the NBA continues
to broaden its global prestige. The
future of the NBA is truly exciting ,
with international talent competing
against young superstars from the
States, such as Jayson Tatum, Ja
Morant, and Zion Williamson. This
new wave of competition adds onto
the framework of an entirely new
generation of the NBA.

In early January of 2023,
co-creator of the childhood classic
“Phineas and Ferb” Dan Povenmire
announced the return of the hit TV
show for two more seasons. While
I, and many others, rejoiced at
this announcement, the return of
the show also means the return of
Baljeet, taking myself and other
South Asian Americans back to
our childhood and reminding us of
the pain inflicted by this supposed
joke of a character.
Growing up as a South Asian
American, I spent my days
watching TV like any normal kid
would do. I would scroll between
the Disney Channel and Disney
XD for hours, watching mindless
television. However, I never saw
characters that looked like me.
This was until I found “Phineas and
Ferb.” I remember the first episode
I watched when the short character
with a high-pitched voice made an
entrance. I was immediately taken
aback. Why did he have an accent?
Why was he getting bullied? Why
was he always studying math?
“That is nothing like me,” I
thought. I continued watching the
show and witnessed Baljeet get
harassed, bullied, and made fun of
by Buford, the strong, white bully
in the show. Why was no other
character getting bullied?
When I started going to school
and talking to my friends, they
would always call me Baljeet. But
who could blame them? Baljeet
was the only Indian character they
had seen in the media, and I was
their only Indian friend. I usually
laughed it off, but deep down it
wasn’t funny. They were calling
OPINIONS 9
The Problem With Baljeet: South Asian Representation in Children’s TV
ARUN PATEL, XI
PRINT COPY EDITOR
me Baljeet because that was the
only Indian character they saw.
Meaning, in their eyes, I was a
short, skinny, Indian kid with
an accent who loved math. But I
wasn’t.
As I got older, I grew more
frustrated. I tried everything to
not be like Baljeet. I purposely got
math problems wrong, I tried to not
be the butt of every joke, I tried to
act more “American,” and I would
tell everyone that I never went to
the temple and that I was “barely”
even Indian. It really affected the
way I saw myself as a young South
Asian American boy, and it made
me hate my culture. By constantly
being equated to Baljeet, it took
everything I was, my entire being,
and equated it to, according to the
“Phineas and Ferb” Fandom, “an
Indian boy who always gets good
grades and is constantly bullied
by Buford. He’s considered a nerd
and, for him, to get an F on a math
test is the scariest thing known to
man. Baljeet is also the leader of
a group of science fiction fans,
and is the only sixteenth level
Space Adventure Trivia Master
in the world. He speaks without
contractions, perhaps due to his
studious background or because
English is his second language…”
Many argue that Baljeet’s
character is just a funny joke and
that there is no malicious intent.
While this might be be true, the
fact that Baljeet was the only
representation of South Asians in
children’s TV shows is wrong — it’s
the fact that he, an amalgamation
of every stereotype about Indian
people, was one of the only forms
of representation we had. There
were no heroic Indian characters in
children’s TV shows. Forget saving
the day; they couldn’t even save
themselves — they were all weird,
nerdy, and got bullied. Take Ravi
from Disney Channel’s Jessie, for
example. He was this “exotic,”
nerdy Indian boy whose character
was written to be constantly made
fun of and outcast by his peers.
Or take Chirag Gupta, the (only)
Indian character in Diary of a
Wimpy Kid. He was the unathletic,
overly studious reject who took
the brunt of every joke. Notice the
pattern? The only representation of
South Asians were all just versions
of the same character. This is
the problem. The producers and
writers of all these shows didn’t
change the character up at all.
Hollywood continued to feed into
this “Baljeet” character for laughs,
which negatively affected young
South Asians.
This poor representation feeds
into the marginalization of the
South Asian community. Baljeet,
and other similar characters,
perpetuate the stereotypes towards
South Asians and keep the
community invisible. They equate
all South Asians into one character,
which is immensely damaging to
the incredibly diverse community,
as it makes us all blend into one
character, when in fact, all South
Asians have their own unique
identities and interests.
Overall, characters like Baljeet
are extremely problematic and
negatively impact the entire South
Asian community, but especially the
youth. So as you all turn your TVs
back on to watch the new seasons
of Phineas and Ferb, I urge you to
think about the impact Baljeet has
had and will continue to have on
the South Asian community.
To learn more about South Asian
representation in the media, I urge
you to watch “The Problem with
Apu” by Hari Kondabolu or feel
free to reach out to me at
arupat24@pds.org.
(Artwork/Ishnoor Kaur ‘26)

10
Should Balenciaga be Canceled?
OPINIONS
CYNTHIA SHEN, X
PRINT NEWS EDITOR
AMBER PANCHOLI, IX
PRINT STAFF WRITER
Balenciaga has been one
of the world’s top fashion brands
for decades and served as a model
for many in the fashion industry.
On November 16, 2022, however,
Balenciaga received backlash to an
ad campaign for their 2023 spring
collection. Many viewers accused
the brand of sexualizing children who
were surrounded by graphic content
in these posts, which have since
been removed. Another campaign,
featuring the collaboration between
Balenciaga and Adidas, included
what appeared to be official
looking court documents regarding
child pornography laws from the
Supreme Court case United States
vs. Williams. This has left some
consumers pondering whether these
posts were coincidental.
Many fashion designers and labels
are known for their risky and edgy
looks, which is why brands such as
Gucci, Prada, and even Marc Jacobs
are so popular and well known.
Many say that the fashion industry
is all about those bold designs and
campaigns; however, there is always
a limit to a designer’s daringness.
Upper School English Teacher Dr.
Leila Estes states, “To say that I was
appalled by the Balenciaga scandal
would be an understatement. I would
go as far as to say that the company
is morally reprehensible.” She goes
on to explain how the brand should
be permanently canceled since there
is no excuse for what they did. Many
can understand if a brand wants to
try something new and different, but
if that includes doing something like
putting children’s safety and wellbeing
in danger, that crosses a line.
Sophomore Sohah Kulkarni notes,
“I feel disturbed and confused as to
why these campaigns were passed
through Balenciaga.” As a large
brand, Balenciaga requires a series
of teams, including the creative
team, the advertising team, and
the legal team. With that said, the
whole company must have approved
its collection campaign prior to its
passing. From the past, we have seen
other cases that portray inappropriate
usage of children in advertisements
or campaigns. For example, Brooke
Shields led a Calvin Klein campaign
in 1980, dressing in a half-worn shirt
and jeans. It also resulted in negative
public reaction around the portrayal
Junbi vs. Kung Fu Tea: Who Makes the Better Boba in Princeton?
SIMRAN MALIK, IX
PRINT STAFF WRITER
of a young girl; Shields was only 15
years old. “When seeing Balenciaga,
history is repeating itself, and
crossing the line,” Upper School
English teacher Dr. Karen Latham
commented.
The luxury world is small; brands
like Alexander McQueen, Bottega
Venta, Gucci, and Balenciaga are all
under the same corporation. Thus,
it is never possible to predict which
brand will break out with disturbing
content. The inappropriateness
and immorality of Balenciaga’s
campaigns have made its audience
reconsider purchasing from the
brand. Look in your closet: you
might even own brands that have
been “canceled” recently. Who
are the brains behind what you’re
wearing?
Do you wonder whether you
should go to Junbi or Kung Fu
Tea for boba in Princeton? This
burning question will now finally be
answered.
“Kung Fu Tea has more flavors,”
says freshman Max Levy, who is
an experienced boba connoisseur.
Levy doesn’t require much beyond
the flavor of the drink to indicate
a winner. However, the price is
also a consideration for some when
choosing where to get their boba.
“Junbi is more expensive than Kung
Fu Tea,” says freshman Ishaani
Singh, “but I like Junbi better
in taste.” Though Junbi is more
expensive, price is secondary for
most when it comes to boba. Taste
is crucial.
Though the arguments made for
Junbi are reasonably strong, Kung
Fu Tea is a clear winner. The taste
at Junbi is quite nice, but I find their
options to be limited. Junbi is also
very matcha forward and definitely
lacking variety in other drink
options. I am not a big fan of matcha,
and as a result, I find the choices at
Junbi restricting. They also have
limited options when it comes to the
composition of your drink. Kung Fu
Tea, on the other hand, has slush,
classic, punch, and milk tea, among
other options . Kung Fu Tea also has
popping boba as a choice in your
drink, which makes the drinks more
interesting.
Many people come to Princeton
to shop, and Kung Fu Tea’s prime
location on the same street as many
popular stores, such as Urban
Outfitters and Lululemon, makes
it much easier for people to grab a
quick refreshing drink on their way
down Nassau Street. There are many
choices on Witherspoon Street,
making it harder to choose between
just a drink at Junbi, or a nice meal
at one of the nearby restaurants.
The answer has now been found.
After careful analysis, we can now
safely conclude that Kung Fu tea is
the better boba joint in Princeton. (Artwork/Elena Sichel ‘24)
(Bubble Tea Survey Results from US Announcements on Schoology as of Feburary 1, 2021)

OPINIONS 11
BENJAMIN MASIA, XI
PRINT COPY EDITOR
Check out our website
thespokesman.net
F ast Fashion is the mass
production of clothing, shoes,
and other accessories at the least
possible expense, which often
leads to human rights violations
and poor conditions for workers
in the garment industry, including
the rape or harrassment of
thousands of female laborers.
I completely understand that
clothes are extremely expensive —
extraordinarily so right now with
our current inflation. However,
there are better alternatives to
exorbitant spending on poor
quality clothing that allows for
the exploitation of workers in
developing nations.
One such option is shopping at
thrift stores, which is essentially
where used clothes are purchased.
Thrifting is not only more
sustainable compared to following
fashion trends by buying fast
fashion products but is also helping
to attain safe conditions for
laborers by divesting money that
would be going to the producers
of fast fashion garments and
accessories. Additionally, prices at
thrifting stores are more focused
on providing affordable clothing
options for people that would
otherwise have to rely on the fast
fashion industry and their cheaply
made garments.
Another alternative to supporting
the fast fashion industry is handme-downs
from family members
and friends. While they are often
seen as embarrassing, hand-medowns
are actually a great way
to recycle clothing at little cost
(especially because current trends
are quickly coming and going)!
Many Princeton Day School
students agree with the importance
of sustainable fashion as opposed
to the dangers that supporting the
fast fashion industry pose to the
fabric of our society. One such
student is junior Jen Lightman,
who argues that “Following quick
trends and saving a few dollars on
clothes is simply not as important
as preventing child and worker
abuse. I don’t think they are even
comparable ideas.” I completely
agree with what Jen is saying
here. If we don’t value people
over clothing, what does that say
about our priorities? Junior Ana
Konakanchi agrees, stating that
“We must refocus and remember
that the sanctity of human life
should not and can not be disrupted
by our desires to over-consume an
unreasonable amount of clothing.”
I agree, and think that this also
applies to making an economical
choice at the cost of lives.
The fast fashion industry poses
many dangers to the fabric of our
society. I urge you to consider your
choices in terms of buying clothing
and decide whether you care more
about children being abused or
being fashionable for a day. I think
you know my answer!
Scan here to read an online article about the best pizza in Princeton!
the Spokesman
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
PRINT COPY EDITORS
PRINT NEWS EDITOR
ONLINE NEWS EDITOR
NEWS ASSOCIATE
(Artwork/Lucinda Peng ‘25)
Jamie Creasi, XI
Adya Jha, XI
Sam Elkin, XI
Arun Patel, XI
Benjamin Masia, XI
Cynthia Shen, X
Michael Arnwine, XI
Ruth Mehreteab, X
PRINT FEATURES EDITOR
ONLINE FEATURES EDITOR
FEATURES ASSOCIATE
PRINT SPORTS EDITOR
ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS ASSOCIATE
PRINT ARTS EDITOR
ONLINE ARTS EDITOR
ARTS ASSOCIATE
PRINT OPINIONS EDITOR
ONLINE OPINIONS EDITOR
OPINIONS ASSOCIATE
MANAGING ARTISTS
Gloria Wang, XI
Michelle Xu, X
Parth Khera, X
Cyril Pandya, XI
Hart Nowakoski, X
Laasya Kanumuri, XI
Clara Shin, X
Ethan Wang, X
Ronin Bae, XI
Anagha Konakanchi, XI
Justin Elkin, XI
Amy Lin, IX
Hannah Park, XI
Ashlyn Du, XI
FACULTY ADVISORS
Amy Matlack
Michael Kideckel

12
ANAGHA KONAKANCHI, XI
HUMOR COLUMNIST AND PRINT OPINIONS EDITOR
JAMESON REILLY, XI
ADVICE COLUMNIST
SPOKESFUN
F requenters of grocery stores have a new gripe (don’t
they always?), and among these shopping warriors is
my dear mother. A few days ago, she told me about
of 2020, while we were in the middle of dealing with
since the general public is only now hearing about this
with the pandemonium a lot better than we did.
However, due to immense loss of life, an astonishing
52.7 million casualties, egg production has hit a
up prices—some areas are experiencing an increase of
200%. People are forced to turn away from their favorite,
here. After all of this death, one can imagine that these
to regain some semblance of normalcy amid the still
H
you approach, do it in a calm and collective manner.
H ow does one possess more charisma?
interesting, my friend. Charisma is something that cannot
H
Good question, friend. Firstly, you need to
H
W hat does the fox say?
that? Reach deep into your brain and pull the answer