Activity Day Showcases Leadership in Action

The morning began with introductions and expectation sharing as the freshmen were broken up in groups with two senior Peer Leaders at the helm of each. The Peer Leaders facilitated conversations about various personal topics meant to break down barriers and create dialogue. The groups engaged in a few different games including group juggling and Circle the Circle/Interlock where the students stood in a circle holding hands with two hula hoops resting on their hands with the goal of passing the hoops quickly around the circle in opposite directions. 

Other get-to-know-one-another activities included What’s In a Name, which encouraged students to share and discuss the history and significance of their moniker as a way to connect with each other on a deeper level and item sharing where each student brought in an item meaningful to them. The day ended with a pizza lunch, group dance routines inspired by Class of 2025 alumnus Asher Wasserman, and reflections of the day before everyone headed back to campus.

The 2025-2026 Peer Leaders are Ilke Altindas, Andrei Balas, Caden Christopher, Loic Eklund, Raquel Figueroa-Crespo, Alma Goren-Eisenberg, Kiana Jin, Ravindu Karunaratne, Evelyn Liu, Bruno Massaro, Mae McDonnell, Bryann O'Tinger, Matthew Porter, Julia Scalmani, Charlie Sudmyer, and Robin Weiss. The group is advised by faculty members Tricia Dowcett and Jennifer Manley.

"I applied to become a Peer Leader because I remembered being intimidated by upperclassmen when I was a freshman, and I wanted to alleviate some of that stress for them through the Peer Leadership program,” said Evelyn. “For me, being a Peer Leader means doing my best to make a meaningful impact on other students' lives and helping as much as I can to help the ninth graders transition from middle school to high school."

Throughout the school year, each pair of Peer Leaders will meet with their assigned freshman group to carry out community-building activities, advisory sessions, mentoring workshops, and hands-on projects. The year-long program fosters leadership development and streamlines student success for endeavors beyond the halls. Prior to the Activity Day, the Peer Leaders participated in a three-day retreat over the summer and facilitated an outreach day to meet their groups during the first month of school.

Established in 1989, the Princeton Peer Leadership Program serves as a valuable student network and mentoring opportunity for Upper School students to connect with and guide the incoming freshman class.