For Jennifer Bigioni, being a librarian was always in the books. 

“I was a huge reader as a kid, and I was also a very good researcher. I remember being in elementary school and helping all the kids use the card catalog and showing them how to use the periodic guide,” said Bigioni. 

However, in college, Bigioni wanted to work in the State Department at the Soviet Union embassy. That is, until the Soviet Union collapsed. Bigioni’s professor encouraged her to pursue a career in education instead, and her teaching career began. Bigioni started as a substitute teacher at West Windsor Plainsboro Regional High School and later became a social studies teacher there. Then, while working one summer on her social studies curriculum, she realized the school needed a librarian to facilitate good learning, and returned to her childhood passion. 

“I was working one summer and I’m like, ‘They’re going to need a really good librarian to help them with all of this — maybe I should be a librarian.’ So I got myself into grad school and ... I was like, this totally feels right,” said Bigioni. 

Bigioni later began working at PHS in 1994 as a social studies teacher and later as the Learning Commons Media Specialist in 2013. She remembers falling in love with the beautiful building, welcoming people, and the close relationship between faculty and students. She has now been a part of the PHS community for 31 years and plans to retire this March.  

“There was something calling to me about Princeton, and once I started working here, I knew I would have a hard time working anywhere else because there’s a lot of academic freedom here, which is wonderful,” said Bigioni.

In her time here at PHS, Bigioni has strived to make the Learning Commons a space that every student feels comfortable using. Bigioni also worked to make sure that students went to the Learning Commons at least once over their four years at PHS. 

 Bigioni has also diversified the reading selection by adding manga, graphic novels, fantasy series, and fiction on top of the academic books already carried by the Learning Commons, drawing on student book recommendations and professional journals to stay updated on reading trends.

“When [I] first started here, students didn’t take out any books. They didn’t even know they were allowed to borrow the books, so our circulation was almost at zero,” Bigioni said. “I really worked with students to find out what they wanted to read. [They] wanted to read manga. They wanted to read graphic novels, ... different fantasy series, so I bought them. [And] nothing makes me happier than seeing students who are really happy about being able to read and having the books here for them.”

In addition, Bigioni stresses the importance of academic integrity in a time when students are increasingly relying on technology to think for them. Through the Learning Commons, Bigioni has held professional development sessions for teachers regarding the use of AI in learning spaces, as well as training people in AI detection. 

“It does bother me when I see there are various structures in place that make it difficult for students to do everything that they need to do — over scheduling is causing these issues, and [AI] is the shortcut to getting a grade without doing the learning. [It’s hard] for me to witness, and to not be able to solve,” Bigioni said. 

In her retirement this spring, Bigioni and her husband plan to move to Ireland to be closer to their daughters, travel the world, and volunteer. However, Bigioni hopes that PHS students continue to read and learn.

“If you don’t know how to ... do your own research, you will forever be fooled by whoever controls that information. That’s something really critical for every individual, but it’s [also] really critical for our world,” said Bigioni. “It’s hard to convince a 15 year-old or a 16 year-old of how important the learning that they’re doing now is going to have for not only their future, but the future of other people too. But it’s true. It really is true.”

photo: Charley Hu
 
When Bigioni first joined PHS, book circulation was close to zero.

Learning Commons librarian Jennifer Bigioni to retire after 31 years at PHS

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

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

One thousand people — including several Princeton High School students — gathered in Princeton’s Hinds Plaza on April 5th to protest the Trump administration as part of a nationwide “Hands Off” movement. PHS students cited a number of reasons for attending, ranging from concerns for LGBTQ rights, threats to the Department of Education, and the Trump administration’s disregard for humanity.

“It's selfish men and women, men especially, doing what serves their ego best — and what serves their pockets best. It's so infuriating that we've given them enough power to actually be able to hurt people on a mass scale,” said Rica Eleches-Lipsitz ’25, who attended the protest.
Indivisible Princeton, one of the main organizers of the event, noted on their website that one of the core principle of the protest was nonviolence, and encouraged all participants to de-escalate potential confrontations. However, attendees described a strong sense of collective energy and enthusiasm at the protest, which was part of the largest national movement so far against Trump’s second administration.

Lia Eleches-Lipsitz ’27 attended the protest with her family and a sign that read, “The only minority that's destroying this country are the billionaires.’ A different protester held up a sign that read, “We the people have power over the people in power.” 

“It was empowering to see all these other people. It's really easy to read news articles and feel like you're by yourself with your rage, but it's nice to see [that] together, we actually might be able to make some sort of difference,” said Lia Eleches-Lipsitz.

Maya Halcomb ’25 echoed this desire for change.

“In Princeton specifically, it's important that we are all coming out and leveraging our privilege. Even though we're [in] a progressive town, I feel like there’s not a lot of movement that happens, so it's important that we're super active in the change — and I think our privilege can do a lot to change things,” said Halcomb.

Princeton University students organized a smaller rally that began at Firestone Library, before joining the main event. The university, along with several other Ivy League institutions, recently saw federal funding cuts, but Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber has continued to speak out against Trump.

“[Trump] kept $210,000,000 of Princeton’s grant funding last week, and we believe that research is valuable and that America can only be strong if its universities are strong,” said Isaac Barsoum, a freshman at Princeton University.

The event lasted around two hours, and featured several speakers, including U.S Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, whose congressional district includes Princeton.

“This is the most corrupt and incompetent — which might you know be helpful — administration in my lifetime,” said Watson Coleman. “This administration chooses to take very important resources from those who really need them so that they can make their greedy folks richer. These people have so much money that if they even just shared a little bit of it — tithe to the poor — we wouldn't have poverty.”

Though most PHS students can’t vote, Rica Eleches-Lipsitz urged students to engage themselves in politics, whether through protest or education.

“[We] should stay involved in politics, even if it's not a ton. Just enough to know who to vote for, enough to stay engaged,” said Rica Eleches-Lipsitz. “You don't have to make it  your life — and you shouldn't, because we need to breathe — but at the same time, we have to keep being there for each other.”


Photo: Charley Hu


Indivisible Princeton organizers led chants of “Hands-Off!” and “The People, United!”

1,000 attend “Hands-Off” event in Princeton as part of national anti-Trump protest

PHS French teacher Sova Fisher’s journey
to PHS spans multiple continents, cultures,
and careers. Fisher spent her childhood
in England, France, Taiwan, along with
several short periods in Cambodia. After
Cambodia’s collapse to the
Khmer Rouge, Fisher’s family,
who were stranded in Taiwan,
decided to move to the United
States.


Fisher’s relationship with
language and culture has been
important throughout her
journey. She spent much of her
education in French international schools,
though she also spoke English and a bit of
Mandarin.


“I went to French schools until 8th grade,
then to an American high school, and then
to [Dartmouth]. [Though] my parents …
wanted to keep the [Cambodian] culture
and the tradition alive in the house, we
weren’t living in Cambodia most of the
time, so it was very difficult,” said Fisher.


At Dartmouth, Fisher enrolled as a premed student but later switched to a double
major in biology and French. After a brief
stint in sports publishing, she decided to
pursue a PhD in French at her husband’s
recommendation. Fisher was accepted into
a PhD program at Princeton University,
where she worked as a precept for
undergraduate French classes in addition
to her research.


“I was a little intellectually demanding,
[which] was sort of a challenge, and I
learned [after] one of the comments from
an undergrad to try [and] sort ease into the
discussion, rather than [start] with a big
question,” said Fisher.


However, after a while,
Fisher realized that she wasn’t
very excited about the job
prospects in academia if she
were to complete her PhD.


“I wrote one chapter of my
dissertation, and I thought,
‘you know what, I want to
stay here. I don’t really want to, you know,
go teach in Arkansas or Alabama.’ At a
university level, you have to go where the
job is, because there are not that many
posts,” said Fisher.


Fisher decided to apply as a French teacher
to the local Princeton Charter School, where
one of her daughters attended.
“I got hired at the Charter School …
and from the Charter School, I came to
[PHS],” said Fisher. “This is what I think is
my calling: with all this other stuff that I’ve
done in my life, it just never really sort of felt
like I made a difference or that I have the
passion for it, whereas with teaching French
… I love it. I love the culture, the language.
I love teaching it, and I love the students.”


In the classroom, Fisher strives to create
an environment where students feel engaged
with each other and with the language.


“Whenever we do presentations, she
gives us different partners and switches it
up every time, so I know everyone in that
class, and I have a really close bond with
them all,” said Penelope Cardona-Fox ’26,
a student in Fisher’s AP French class.


Fisher’s passion for language and teaching
has been noticed by students and colleagues
alike.


“In her classroom, students are expected
to participate actively. There is a lot of group
work, and the expectation is that everyone
stays in the language throughout the class,”
said Priscilla Russel, PHS’s world language
supervisor. “[Fisher] is a very passionate
teacher, and her enthusiasm is contagious.
She loves teaching French, and this comes
through in her classes.”

Photo: Charley Hu

Sova Fischer analyzes the text of “Le Géant de Zéralda,” a French children’s story,
with her 8th period French IV A class.

PHS Profile: Sova Fisher

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

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

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