2023 November – The Mirror

New Spikeball League Combines Uses Competition to Build Unity

November 16, 2023 by Halle Mules

Spikeball has seemingly always played a significant role in the Northwood Community. Whether it’s at the beginning or end of the school year, the game provides an opportunity for everyone to meet new people and get to know one another.

A new Northwood Spikeball League has been making a name for itself on campus in recent weeks. The “NSL” is a Spikeball league that was founded by three Northwood students: Sophia Deanzeris ‘25, Shayna Deutsch ‘24, and Brooke Kelley ‘24. Their Peak Pathway class, which focuses on sports management, is where the idea for a Spikeball league originated. All three have different interests in the sports management industry, and those interests contributed to the formation of the Northwood Spikeball League.

Deanzeris has always had an interest in becoming a sports broadcaster and she has incorporated this into the Northwood Spikeball league. Sophia’s role in the league is to handle all the social media and interviews with players competing.

Deutsch and Kelley wanted to focus their Peak Pathway on tournaments, specifically how they are run and what goes into tournament management. They both make the schedules and officiate the games.

The reason for creating the Spikeball league is to incorporate the school’s theme of Unity. “We know Spikeball is a popular event at Northwood, and I think making a competitive environment where everyone can get to know one another throughout the whole year embodies what we want our school culture to feel and look like,” Deutsch said.

There are currently 24 teams competing in the tournament, but more teams are welcome to join at any time during the year. Every Tuesday and Wednesday after dinner, the games take place to accommodate everyone’s travel and sporting schedules. Currently, in round-robin play, all teams will play each other at least once before the playoffs begin in the spring. “The first game I refed, they got really into it, and it was entertaining to watch,” Deutsch described.

Each game is played to 21 and won by 2 if it is a close game. Another important rule in the tournament is that anyone who does not show up is automatically forfeited. If a team is late to the game, the opposing team will start with a one-point advantage for every minute their opponent is late.

Recent Results:

5-Hole 14 vs Twins 21

Slayers 7 vs Ice Spikes 21

The Marlboros 15 vs Da Real Leprechaun_Goblins 21 (Sophia’s Top Game)

IsraelEngland 21 vs Deception 19

Frog 16 vs Belie 21 (Brooke’s Top Game)

Sqwacks 21 vs LM 8 (Shayna’s Top Game)

Bull Buster 21 vs Monette Special 7

Tupper Boyz 12 vs Your Worst Nightmare 21

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Commentary: A Call For a Ceasefire!

November 15, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

Israeli protesters demonstrate outside the Israeli army’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a ceasefire in the war on Gaza, October 28, 2023. (Oren Ziv)

I’m sure everyone is following what’s happening in the Middle East right now, especially what’s happening between Palestine and Israel.

So, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to share with you my perspective as an Egyptian who was born and raised in that region.

First, some historical context: Egypt was attacked by Israel in 1967 and lost some territory in what’s known as “The 6-day War.” Later, in 1973, Egypt retaliated and won its land back.

Then, both countries decided that there had to be everlasting peace between Israel and Egypt, and they signed a peace treaty in 1979 brokered by the United States.

This is important for reasons I will explain later.

Now, back to the present day. On October 7^th, a Palestinian militant group called Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages.

There is no doubt that any sane person would condemn the killing and kidnapping of civilians. For me especially, as an Egyptian, we understand the evil that Hamas brings, as they crossed the borders during the Egyptian revolution in 2011 and attacked prisons in Egypt, releasing most of the terrorists that were being held there, who later became responsible for a lot of terrorism that took place in Sinai between 2011 till 2016.

So why do I condemn and actually hate Hamas, yet my commentary is titled, “A call for a ceasefire”?

Ever since what happened on October 7^th, Israel has been retaliating on the city of Gaza, where the Israeli government says that most Hamas militants are. However, the following points are missed by the Israelis:

Most Hamas leaders are not in Gaza or on Palestinian land but rather living very comfortably in Qatar, Turkey, and Iran.
So far, Israel has killed more than 8,000 Palestinians in the bombing campaign; more than half of this number are children, but do you know how many Hamas members have been killed? Six. Yes, only six, because Hamas militants hide inside the Gaza tunnels during the bombings, leaving the innocent Palestinians to be killed.
Moreover, Israel has cut electricity, water, and fuel from Gaza and has been allowing only small amounts of aid from neighboring countries like Egypt and Jordan to hospitals and from the Red Crescent to reach Gaza, thus creating an impossible situation for more than 2 million in the sad city of Gaza.

So where will this leave the 250 hostages? Hamas has already claimed that 50 of them have been killed from the Israeli air strikes while the prime minister of Israel is now preparing for a land invasion of Gaza.

In conclusion, what Israel is doing now is inhumane for innocent Gaza civilians and is risking the lives of its own people who are held hostages.

Therefore, an immediate ceasefire is a must, something that almost all the countries in the United Nations have called for and was only opposed by the U.S. and a few other countries.

A cease-fire would put a hold on all the killing of innocent lives and would give Israel the chance to negotiate the release of the hostages that Hamas is holding.

What will happen next, only God knows, but I know that just like Egypt and Israel managed to sustain their peace now for over 40 years, a fair and just peace must be reached between the Palestinians and the Israelis for the sake of all of us.

That’s why I call for a ceasefire!

Filed Under: Opinion

Spirit Week a Fun Way to Build Unity

November 15, 2023 by Ivan Favreau

Spirit week is a week for the Northwood community to come together and be creative with their outfits every day. Spirit Week is an opportunity for students to bond, connect, and have fun. This year, Spirit Week was October 30 – November 3. Kristen Kiggen ’25 was the lead organizer for this year’s Spirit Week.

Monday: Twin Day

Twin Day is a day during Northwood Spirit Week where you meet with a friend and decide what you want to wear, and you will both wear the same exact outfit as each other, just like twins.

Jacob Slagel ’26 said his favorite day during Spirit Week is “Twin Day.”

Tuesday: Halloween

On Halloween, students wear their Halloween costumes to school. Costumes can be creative, although no weapons are allowed, whether they’re fake or not. No blood that could cause a mess in the halls. Costumes need to be school-appropriate, so nothing too violent.

Wednesday: Country or Country Club

On this day, you can either dress up like you’re going to a Country Club or you can dress up like a country folk. So for Country Club Day, it would probably just be a collared shirt and maybe some golfing pants, and for people that are going to wear country clothes, just some jeans, boots, and a nice work shirt.

Thursday: Pajama Day

PJ Day is a favorite for students because we usually have to wear khakis. But on PJ Day, they can wear anything that they would wear to bed. Sophomore Jackson Magnus says his favorite day is Pajama Day because it is “more comfortable.” Daven Linck ‘25 said that pajama day is also his favorite.

Friday: Class Color Day

Each class was assigned a color, and students were asked to wear that color to represent their grade. There were also competitions for class color day.

Throughout Spirit Week, we had competitions to see which Spirit Day was the best, and there were prizes handed out at the end of the week.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Chess Club Brings School Together

November 15, 2023 by Hamish Riddell

Chess Club founders Nathaniel Wright ’25 (left) and Trey Frantz ’25. Photo provided.

Chess Club is the newest addition to the Northwood extra-curricular catalog. The Chess Club was founded by Nathaniel Wright ‘25 and Trey Frantz ‘25, who said, “We wanted to start this club because chess has become a new passion for us both. We thought it would be a great way to be more inclusive in school and get some new bonds going.”

Chess is a game of strategy and patience; Nate and Trey have clearly mastered that as their 2-week-old club has over 50 members. Northwood School strives for unity and interdependence. Creating a new club shows the true spirit of Northwood. Nate and Trey spoke about starting a club for the educational purposes of the students at Northwood. They strive for excellence and thought that an addition of an extra-curricular that focuses on everybody talking and bonding is just what the school needs.

Members of the Chess Club play in the library. Photo provided.

“The Chess Club has gotten to an almighty start. We are holding a tournament, and I cannot be more excited. I honestly cannot believe how successful this club is, it is one of the greatest decisions I made.”

Chess Club participants are driven to get a higher rating so they can receive more prestige and a “Chess Club Instagram edit.” Some of the Instagram edit stars include Noah Moodey ‘25 and Jacob Brunton ‘25. The balance between socializing and getting better at a world-renowned game keeps bringing people to the chess board. Founders Trey and Nate are overjoyed with what has happened with the club so far and are excited for the future.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Sachiel Ming’s Pre-Game Routine

November 15, 2023 by Gavin Kruger

Sachiel Ming ’24 celebrates after a goal. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Northwood School is home to some of the nation’s top athletes. With Harvard, Georgetown, Syracuse, and Stanford commits, Northwood produces elite athletes. In this week’s edition of Athlete’s Pre-game rituals, I interview Sachiel Ming, arguably Northwood’s top athletic prospect.

The Syracuse commit is known for his abundance of talent, but even more so for his extreme dedication and hard work. I had a chance to sit down with him and ask some questions about his journey and gameday preparation and rituals.

This is what gameday looks like for Northwood’s All-American:

“To be honest, I don’t really do too much. If we play in the afternoon or at night, I’ll wake up in the morning and play my favorite artists, Rod Wave being one of them. If I can, I try to get a good bacon, egg, and cheese, and get some protein. Right before the game, I don’t listen to music to hype me up or none of that. I just chill and vibe. So that’s what I do before every game; just chill and vibe.”

The Bermudian Winger continued, “Firstly, got my short socks, always short socks. Then, on my pads (shinpads), there is writing, personal writing, for my family. I hold my family really close to me, so those pads really help me strive. I never wear my socks to the game; I always put ‘em on at the game. Right before the game, I just vibe, like I said. I’ll be looking at the team, assessing the team. I’ll think about my father and mother. Other than that, I don’t do much.”

He then advised, “Ignore outside voices. A lot of hate and doubt will come in your direction. If you just do you, you’ll always strive and pursue the things you wanna achieve, That’s what I did. Hunger to get better. Whether that be the classroom or athletics. D1 is different than pro; you need to be stronger and more locked in. So, the biggest trait a student-athlete can have is hunger to get better.”

Ming finally added, “Every day, I try to do one extra thing. I’m either in the gym, or on days off I’m training on the pitch. I get in something extra every day. Biggest thing I’ll leave you with: believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in you, no one else will. If you’re the one that’s spearheading and chasing your dreams, you will achieve them. Even if you don’t reach your big goal, make sure you have little goals along the way so you can achieve little things. You’re not gonna get the big one in one go. If you realize maybe you wanna shift your dream that’s ok; go and do whatever makes you happy.”

This is part of a series of articles about student-athletes’ pre-game rituals. Read them all here.

Filed Under: People, Sports Tagged With: PreGameRituals

Humans of Northwood: Arthur Kaufmann ‘24

November 15, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

I am a first-year postgraduate student at Northwood. I was born and raised in the Philippines, where I also spent the majority of my childhood. Prior to moving to Northwood, I studied in Florida for two years.

I want to study kinesiology in college and deepen my awareness of the human body. I chose Northwood in an effort to improve my athletic performance while maintaining a solid academic standing. The people here have been so hospitable and supportive and have made me feel at home during my time here.

In addition to soccer, when I have free time, I particularly enjoy playing the piano and hanging out with friends. Something interesting about me is I am the youngest of three brothers and have three nationalities Filipino, Swiss, and Japanese.

As told to Ahmed El Ganainy ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Anderson Smyth-Trider ‘24

November 15, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

I am a first-year senior from Riverview, New Brunswick, Canada. I came to Northwood for its unique academic approach and great hockey team. My favorite part of Northwood has been road trips with the hockey team and my STEM research projects.

Other than hockey, I enjoy hanging out with friends and working out. Something interesting about me is that I speak French, as I am from the only bilingual province in Canada!

As told to Ahmed El Ganainy ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Samuel Rudy ‘24

November 15, 2023 by Hamish Riddell

I am from Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and I am a ski racer. I grew up in a small town of about 3,000 people, which is like Lake Placid. Throughout my childhood, I loved playing sports and being outside. I played soccer, football, baseball, and basketball and am currently ski racing. A huge hobby of mine is fishing. I love to fish.

Before I came here, I attended a public school which was much different than Northwood. I found out about Northwood through friends who also came here to ski. This is my second year at Northwood, and I could not have asked for anything more. I’ve enjoyed every aspect of living here in Lake Placid and being part of this community.

Spending time with the ski team is something I enjoy more every day. After Northwood, my main goal is to ski in college at the highest level I can and major in aerospace engineering. Aerospace engineering is something I have been interested in for quite some time. I have grown fond of it and find it intriguing. I hope to pursue this passion in college and see where the dual passions of skiing and aerospace engineering can take me.

As told to Hamish Riddell ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Girls’ Hockey Goes 3-1 in Home JWHL Weekend

November 15, 2023 by Gus Garvey

The Huskies at home in October 2023. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Northwood and Lake Placid had the privilege of hosting the JWHL’s first major event of the year and the Huskies went 3-1 against some of the nest opposition in North America. They lost the opening game, 5-4, to Balmoral Hall, before rattling off 3 straight wins to finish the event, including a 5-1 win against Stanstead College, a 4-3 win against the Washington Pride, and an impressive statement win, 5-1 over the North American Hockey Academy, or NAHA, who had over 10 Division 1 commitments on their active roster.

Their first game of the weekend was against Balmoral Hall on October 13. Despite the loss, the offense showed up. Oswego commit Katie Demers ‘24 had two goals playing on the top line, and Loelie Lachapelle ’26 had 3 points including the opening goal of the weekend.

Later that day, they played Stanstead College, and won 5-1. Lachapelle scored again, but it was the veterans who showed up for the Huskies in this game. SLU commit Halle Mules ’24 scored twice, UVM commit Hilary Wilkin ’25 had two assists, Brac Kelley ’24 had a goal and two assists, and LIU commit Kristen Kiggen ’24 blocked what seemed like 70 shots. Three of Northwood’s five goals came in the final 5 minutes of regulation, and goaltender Oceanne Thiffault ’26 stopped 31 of 32 shots.

The next morning, they played Washington Pride, and won 4-3 in a nail-biter. Mules had another two goals, and Harvard commit Scout Oudemool ’24 had three points, including a goal.

The following morning, they played possibly their best game of the weekend, against NAHA. Lachapelle showed up yet again, scoring a hat-trick, with additional goals from Eliza Quackenbush ‘25 and Kiggen. Thiffault had yet another great game, stopping 22 of 23 shots.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Peak Pathways Project Aims to Build Underwater Robot

November 15, 2023 by Ivan Favreau

This article is the first in a series in which staff writer Ivan Favreau looks into students’ Peak Pathways projects.

Add Truscott ’25. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Addison Truscott ‘25 is building a robot that can go to the bottom of lakes to collect DNA and other samples from aquatic wildlife so she can study them. This work is part of Truscott’s Peak Pathway in STEM research. In Peak Pathways, students complete a two-semester, self-designed, and self-directed, in-depth learning exploration of a topic or field of interest that aligns with their future aspirations.

Truscott, who goes by “Add,” believes “where we can’t see is where we need to see the most.”

Truscott chose a STEM project because she wants to make a difference in marine biology in lakes and rivers by making underwater marine life more accessible to scientists. The samples she collects will allow scientists to catalog fish and other wildlife in Adirondack ponds and lakes.