Volume LXXVIII, Number 33
Princeton Middle School Graduates Explore Life in Ecuador. . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Send Hunger Packing Princeton Prepares Sensory Garden . . . . . . 8 Next “Sustainable Minds” Session Explores 15-Minute Neighborhoods . . . . . 11 Capping Historic Run for PU Olympians at Paris Games, Rowing Gold Medalist Mead Serves as U.S. Flag Bearer . . . . 20 Combining Depth, Strong Work Ethic, Focus on Fun, CP Bluefish Produce Another Dominant Campaign . . . . . . . . . 21
This Week’s Book/Film Review Features Director Wim Wenders . . . . . . 13 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,17 Better Living. . . . . . . . . 3 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 18 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 26 Luxury Living . . . . . . . . 2 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Obituaries . . . . . . . 24, 25 Performing Arts . . . . . 14 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 26 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6 Young Princetonians . . 15
www.towntopics.com
Area Science Teachers Expand Horizons In PU QUEST Program More than 30 K-12 STEM teachers, representing school districts from across New Jersey, are participating in Princeton University’s QUEST program this summer, immersing themselves a rich variety of learning experiences in the world of science and mathematics.. QUEST is an acronym for “Questioning Underlies Effective Science Teaching,” and Jessica Monaghan, assistant director of STEM in the University’s Program of Teacher Preparation which organizes the QUEST programs, emphasized the power of questioning. In her August 7 concluding remarks to the QUEST educators and scholars at the second of three week-long programs, she praised the level of engagement of the 10 area public school teachers who had completed last week’s program on hydrology. She noted, “What was so exciting to me as a learner is seeing how your questions evolved over the week.” Members of the group submitted feedback each day, and, Monaghan observed, “It was so cool over the span of the week to see how the more you learned, the more refined your questions and the things you were wondering became.” QUEST, a program that has been evolving for more than 30 years, is designed to expand teachers’ knowledge of science and math, according to a University press release, and “provide insight into current teaching and learning best practices, boost educators’ confidence in STEM subjects, and offer a unique opportunity for self-directed learning through experiential and inquiry-based models.” “I love it,” said New Brunswick middle school teacher Yolanda Gonzalez, at the end of her session “Beneath the Surface: Exploring the Hydrologic Cycle, Leveraging Technologies, and Envisioning our Collective Water Future.” “This is my third QUEST, and I love it because I engage in it as an adult learner, and that motivates me to want to engage in the classroom with my students.” She continued, “As teachers we forget to engage in science as scientists. We focus on how to use science and make a lesson for our students. For me it’s fun coming here and learning more about something, and I love telling students
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Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Council Renames Committee, Enacts Sign Ordinance An ordinance officially finalizing the name of an advisory committee and the approval of resolutions related to issues including signage, sewer replacement, engineering services, and health services were among the topics at a brief meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, August 12. The governing body voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance that changes the name of the “Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing, Human Services, and Racial, Social and Economic Equity” to “the Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity and Services,” also known as the CARES Advisory Committee. The name change refers to the consolidation early this year of the former Civil Rights Commission, Human Services Commission, and Affordable Housing Board into one entity. Councilwoman Leticia Fraga credited the committee’s vice chair, Ari Meisel, with coming up with the all-inclusive new name, and praised the group’s work so far. “Several of the members of the committee are very engaged,” she said. “We’re very excited about what they’re
working on, and what I know is going to be providing very positive results for our community.” The consolidation, which was made in an effort to increase efficiency, was controversial. Councilman Leighton Newlin said that the subject was raised at a candidates’ forum last Saturday that was part of the Witherspoon-Jackson Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program. “We had somebody that was actually on the panel that alluded to us — our
body, the mayor and Council, on January 22 — killing or getting rid of the Civil Rights Commission,” he said. “When I had the opportunity, after [Council President] Mia Sacks and [Councilman] David Cohen spoke so eloquently in their panel discussions to address it, I made it clear that this body, these people that sit in front of you, did not dismantle or kill or turn our backs on civil rights, human services, or affordable housing. What we did was identify a problem they were having that Continued on Page 10
Kopp’s Merges with Pedego Princeton, Ready to Begin New Era This Friday
Kopp’s Cycle, known as the oldest continually running bike store in the country, will be opening its doors on Friday, August 16, for the start of a new phase in its history that dates back to 1891. Electric bikes (ebikes) will now make up about 60 percent of the inventory, and a new name, Pedego Princeton at Kopp’s, will reflect the priorities of the new owners and operators of the Spring Street shop, which has been shut down since
December 1, 2023, though bike repairs and a few sales have continued. Princeton Property Partners purchased the business and the property early this year, and has teamed up with Wendy Reilley, who will be running the new store, moving her Pedego Princeton operation from its temporary Wiggins Street location where it has sold electric bikes over the past three years. Continued on Page 7
DRIBBLE DRILL: Kamau Bailey leads youngsters in a dribbling footwork drill on Saturday morning at the joint Effort and Bailey Basketball Academy Youth Basketball Clinic at Princeton Middle School. The free skills clinic was part of this year’s 10-day Witherspoon-Jackson Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program, which concluded on Sunday. Participants share their favorite part of the event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)
Continued on Page 10
Bark! Indigenous Cultural Expressions On view through January 5, 2025.