This list of alumni of Princeton High School in New Jersey includes graduates and non-graduate former students.
George Barna (born 1955), authorStaff. "Barna-Nelson", Town Topics, November 22, 1978. Accessed August 5, 2014. "The couple are both graduates of Princeton High School and Boston College." Chris Barron (born Christopher Barron Gross), lead singer of the Spin DoctorsStaff. "Chris Barron: Spin Doctor helps old high school", Wilmington Morning Star, March 14, 1995. Accessed December 10, 2018. "Chris Barron, lead singer of the Spin Doctors, gave a pocketful of cash to his old high school. Mr. Barron returned to Princeton High School on Sunday for a benefit concert to help the New Jersey school choir raise money for its trip to England and France next month." Stefi Baum (born 1958), astrophysicist"66 in area National Merit Scholarship finalists", The Times, March 21, 2026, via Newspapers.com. "The semifinalists are: Princeton High School - Stefi A. Baum..." Laurie Berkner (born 1969), children's musical artistStaff. "N.J. natives John Lithgow, Laurie Berkner to play McCarter Theatre", NewJerseyNewsRoom.com, March 26, 2010, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 10, 2014. Accessed December 10, 2018. "Making her first McCarter appearance on Saturday, April 17 for two performances at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. will be Princeton native (and Princeton High School alum) Laurie Berkner, the 'Pied Piper of Pre-Schoolers.'" Richard E. Besser (born 1959, class of 1977), ABC News medical editorGilbert, Ellen. "Gold Key Recipients Hear Richard Besser Talk About Meeting Life's Challenges", Town Topics, June 8, 2011. Accessed December 10, 2018. "ABC News Chief Health and Medical Director Richard Besser, who graduated from Princeton High School (PHS) in 1977, returned last week to deliver the keynote address at the Gold Key Award Ceremony." Todd Blackledge (born 1961), quarterback who played in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh SteelersWilheim, John. "Penn State title stirs memories of prep quarterback", Battle Creek EnquirerJanuary 4, 1983. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Princeton also is in Mercer County, and that fall Princeton had a new offensive coordinator for its football team by the name of Ron Blackledge. Blackledge's family moved to Princeton with him, including his son, Todd, who enrolled as a sophomore at Princeton High School and tried out for the football team as a quarterback." Blues Traveler, members of bandTakiff, Jonathan. "Big Fat Close-up", Philadelphia Daily News, September 17, 1999. Accessed July 24, 2011. "Is there something in the water in Princeton, N.J., that makes you strive to become a jam band rock musician? Blues Traveler came out of Princeton High School (class of '86), along with the lead singer of Spin Doctors." Lesley Bush (born 1947), two-time U.S. Olympic diver who won a gold medal in platform diving at the 1964 Summer OlympicsStaff. "Olympian Lesley Bush shares gold at library" , Princeton Public Library, August 2, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "A Princeton High School student in 1964, Bush was honored with a town parade upon her return from the Olympics." Sim Cain (born 1963), drummer for the Rollins Band Michelle Charlesworth (born 1970), news anchor, WABC New YorkChang, Kathy. "Students learn the ABCs of how to be a journalist" , Edison / Metuchen Sentinel, March 28, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2014. "During her high school days, Charlesworth said her family moved to New Jersey and she attended Princeton High School." Damien Chazelle (born 1985), Academy Award-winning screenwriter and film directorHeyman, Marshall. "N.Y. Film Fest 'the Holy Grail' for Whiplash Director", The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 2014. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Whiplash ... is based on Mr. Chazelle's experiences at Princeton High School, which had a particularly competitive and nationally renowned jazz band." Richard J. Coffee (1925–2017), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate and as chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee"Mercer's Coffee Eyes State House", Asbury Park Press, January 26, 1973. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Coffee, a graduate of Princeton High School who did not attend college, is the owner of Town Finance Co., a small-loan firm. He lives in Lawrence Township and has been chairman of the party in Mercer, a Democratic stronghold, since 1969." Rhys Coiro (born 1979), actorFowler, Linda. "A conversation with Rhys Coiro", NJ.com, October 16, 2008. Accessed August 5, 2014. "In a recent interview, Coiro talked about his family, career, and his childhood on the move: He lived in Washington, D.C., Brooklyn and upstate New York before settling in Princeton at the age of 9.... Acting in high school was just something I seemed to be good at." Kelly Curtis (born 1989, class of 2007), skeleton racer who competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics"N.J. mom braves dangerous 80 mph plunge back into Olympic spotlight", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 12, 2026. Accessed February 12, 2026. "But Curtis, a Princeton native and one of the world’s best skeleton racers, wasn’t worried about any of that in early 2024....Like McLaughlin-Levrone, Curtis' athletic career started on the tracks of Central Jersey, reaching the Meet of Champions as a long jumper at Princeton High in 2007." Mervin Field (1921–2015), public opinion pollster whose career in polling began with a poll of PHS students in a class electionRogers, Paul. "Field Poll shutting down at end of year", Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 9, 2016. Accessed October 2, 2017. "His first encounter with polling was a chance meeting with George Gallup, founder of the Gallup Poll. Intrigued, Field took a survey of fellow students at his school, Princeton High School, in the late 1930s about their preference for class president. Field eventually worked for the Gallup Poll in Princeton, New Jersey." Evan Gershkovich (born 1991, class of 2010), journalist for The Wall Street Journal who was detained by Russia as a spyGilpin, Donald. "Wall Street Journal Reporter, a 2010 PHS Grad, is Arrested in Russia, Accused of Espionage", Town Topics, March 31, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2023. "Evan Gershkovich, a 31-year-old reporter for the Wall Street Journal and a 2010 graduate of Princeton High School (PHS), was arrested in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Wednesday and was accused, without evidence, by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) of spying for the U.S. government." Ariela Gross (born 1965, class of 1983), historian; John B. and Alice R. Sharp Professor of Law and History at the University of Southern California Gould School of LawBen-Itzak, Paul. "'Freeze Girl' Backed On Views", The New York Times, July 17, 1983. Accessed June 10, 2020. "The impression was confirmed on June 16, when Miss Gross, at a ceremony for Presidential Scholars on the White House lawn, presented President Reagan with a petition calling for a nuclear freeze by the United States and the Soviet Union. Miss Gross, who is now 17, began circulating the petition to her 140 fellow Presidential Scholars in May.... (Miss Gross, who graduated from Princeton High School last month, will enter Harvard in the fall.)" Chris Harford, self-taught singer, songwriter, guitarist and painter"Delicate Steve, Band of Changes, Chris Harford, Scott Metzger, Jon Shaw and Joe Russo, Breanna Barbara", Do NYC, July 6, 2017. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Harford grew up in New Jersey and attended Princeton High School. He then attended Connecticut College before transferring to Massachusetts College of Art and Design." Brendan Hill (born 1970), drummerOksenhorn, Stewart. "Traveler's new groove", Aspen Times, July 1, 2005. Accessed August 24, 2012. "Blues Traveler was formed in 1983 by four friends from Princeton High School: drummer Brendan Hill, guitarist Chandler 'Chan' Kinchla, bassist Bobby Sheehan and a character of a young man, John Popper, whose eccentricities ran from his bomber hat to his choice of instrument, the undersung harmonica." Brett Hoebel (born , class of 1999), personal trainer best known for appearing as a trainer on the U.S. reality television show The Biggest Loser: Couples 4 in 2011Angermiller, Michelle. "Biggest Loser adds professional trainer from Princeton", The Times, January 28, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2017. "His mother gave him all kinds of great advice, and by his sophomore year at Princeton High School, Hoebel dropped 50 pounds and excelled in three varsity sports: football, wrestling and lacrosse.... Hoebel, the son of retiring Princeton University psychology professor Bart Hoebel, graduated Princeton High School in 1989, with a goal of following in his father's footsteps." Christine Moore Howell (1899–1972), hair care product businesswoman; first African-American to graduate from Princeton High SchoolSmith, Jessie Carney. Encyclopedia of African American Business, Volume 1, p. 388. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. . Accessed October 2, 2017. "Howell was the first African American to graduate from Princeton High School." Emily Hunt (class of 1997), author, campaigner and former government adviser. Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2023. Arielle Jacobs (born 1983), Broadway actorHunt, Mary Ellen. "Arielle Jacobs stars in 'High School Musical'", San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 2008. Accessed August 5, 2014. "A native of Half Moon Bay, Jacobs was 14 when she moved with her family from California to Princeton, N.J., just as she was to start high school, so she knows what it's like to be the new girl in town." Ben Jelen (born 1979), singer-songwriterMoser, John J. "A wake-up call to green action form Ben Jelen ** With a new CD and foundation, rocker brings eco-friendly message to Allentown", The Morning Call, April 19, 2008. Accessed August 24, 2012. "Born in Scotland of Czech descent, Jelen was raised in London and Texas before settling in New Jersey at 15, where he graduated from Princeton High School (starting ground for Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors)." Nick Kovalakides (born 1939/1940, class of 1957), javelin throwerMotsinger, Caleb. "Your Neighbor: Nick Kovalakides", Observer, October 22, 2014. Accessed October 13, 2024. "He grew up in Princeton, N.J., were he graduated from Princeton High School in 1957 after winning the state championship in the javelin three years in a row, as well as becoming state discus champion his senior year." Michael Lemonick, former senior science writer at Time magazineLemonick, Michael D. The Perpetual Now: A Story of Amnesia, Memory, and Love, p. 8. Knopf Doubleday. . Accessed October 7, 2018.Strauss, Elaine. "Michael Lemonick’s Search for Other Worlds", U.S. 1 newspaper, May 6, 1998. Accessed December 10, 2018. "Lemonick’s strong second interest has been music. He played trumpet while he was at Princeton High School." John Lithgow (born 1945), actorLaGorce, Tammy. "John Lithgow Sings of the Sewer, and Other Funny Stuff", The New York Times, November 11, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2018. "The visit will allow Mr. Lithgow, a Princeton High School graduate, to catch up with a few school friends still in the area, he said, and to relive 'loads of fond memories' of the 1960s, when his father, Arthur Lithgow, ran the McCarter Theater downtown."