2024 October – The Mirror

Humans of Northwood: Eliza Quackenbush ‘25

October 15, 2024 by Sophia DeAnzeris

“It’s kind of a funny story, but even before Noah Kahn released the song ‘You’re Gonna Go Far’ it has always been something that my mom has said to me my whole life. When she was proud of me, when she was happy for me, when I was sad, and when I left home. ‘You’re Gonna Go Far.’ Taking that and living by it every single day and consistently remembering that I have so much around me. From my family, my community, and knowing that I have pushed myself to this point. I have made so many friends and so many lifelong relationships that I hope to keep in every step I take. Even if it is uncomfortable, it is something that is going to make me a stronger person every single day.

“I love the mountains, I always have. Being from Missoula, Montana it was easy to come here because it felt so much like home. I did not really want to live anywhere near a city so choosing Northwood because of its location was an easy decision. I joined Northwood two years ago, and I can honestly say it’s been one of my best decisions. I came here to pursue a higher level of hockey out of state, but I fell in love with everything about the school. Especially how everyone knows everyone, you have so much support in all aspects. Even with new kids every year, the community of this school is something no one takes for granted.

“After Northwood, I will continue my hockey career at the Division 1 level at Long Island University and major in Biology or become a veterinarian. Everything I have gone through to get to this point has allowed me to continue to work for my dreams.”

As told to Sophia DeAnzeris ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Florence Richard ‘25

October 15, 2024 by Griffin Beam

“One of my favorite activities at Northwood is hiking Cobble Hill. I try to make time for it during both sunrise and sunset, which gives me a chance to see and appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds the campus. The morning air and the quiet moments as the sun rises give a nice start to the day, and the sunsets bring a sense of calm and closure to the day. Doing these hikes has become very important in my experience here.

“I first discovered Northwood School through a family friend who knew Mr. McCauley, and that connection led me to want to see what the school had to offer. As I learned more about the school, I realized it could be a good fit for me, and so far, it has been. My time here has been great in so many ways, from academics to outdoor adventures, and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.

“Something most people don’t know about me is that I spent a month and a half volunteering at a boys’ orphanage in Peru. I’m originally from Quebec, and even though I think I’ve adapted well to life at Northwood, there have been a few things I’ve had to adjust to. Back home, I had more flexibility in managing my time, but here, the structure is a bit different. Study hall, co-curriculars, and set gym times are all built into the schedule, which doesn’t leave as much room for free time or creating my own routine. While it was a bit challenging at first, I’ve started to appreciate the structure and consistency it brings.”

As told to Griffin Beam ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Mohamed Ahmed ‘25

October 15, 2024 by Gavin Kruger

“I’m pretty good at making beats. That’s something that I love doing in my spare time. I would call myself a producer. I’m pretty creative. My beats are mostly in line with rnb and plugg. I would say my beats mirror the likes of carti and 1onearm. But to be honest, I’m pretty versatile.

“If I had to play another sport than soccer it would be basketball or track. I’m fast at track and I was a pretty good long-distance runner back in school before Northwood. I also love basketball, and I’m pretty good at it. I’m a point guard, mostly because I’m not that tall. If I had to compare my game to a NBA player I’d say Kyrie Irving. Back home they called me Big Juicy because my handles are juicy.

“I lived in an apartment in Nairobi, Kenya, for the first 3 years of my life. Then I moved out of Kenya for 8 years, again, living in an apartment. And then I moved back to Kenya. I spent most of my childhood outside, swimming, playing baseball, basketball, and stuff like that.

“Advice I’d give is all that time you spend worrying, then you look back and realize you shouldn’t have worried so much because everything turned out ok. Also, be present in the moment and keep grinding for your goals.”

As told to Gavin Kruger ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Humans of Northwood: Alex Randall ‘25

October 15, 2024 by Jack Kroll

“My favorite holiday is May 4^th because I love Star Wars. My favorite movie is, of course, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. My favorite book is probably Slaughterhouse 5. If I could not take a class again, it would be Physics because it is really hard. My favorite faculty dog is Ziggy [Director of Ski Operations Raychel West’s dog].

“Coming to Northwood was the first time I was ever away from home. I was a little scared, but I was excited. I am from Ellenburg Center, which is about an hour north of Lake Placid, and I had never really been away from home. One day, my parents asked me if I wanted to try boarding school. I didn’t know that the school would be a sports school, and when I got here, I was like, I’m not a part of the ski team, the soccer team, or the hockey team. But then I found NOC (Northwood Outing Club) [now called Northwood Adventure Sports Program]. My first year was the first formal year of NOC, and I’ve been here since the beginning. I had camped and skied before but wasn’t into any of the more extreme outing sports.

“I am part of the Robotics Team and the Leadership Team. I do a lot of biking, skiing, camping, rock climbing, and kayaking during my free time. This year I am getting my EMT certification as a part of Peak Pathways. There is a lot more independent stuff than there was when I first got here. I have really enjoyed the Peak Pathways program. This year I am doing woodworking and building a canoe at the Hub.

“I am content with the four years I’ve spent at Northwood, and I think that it has put me in a better position to go throughout the world. Also, it helped me find my love for the outdoors. I encourage people to try NOC and get in the outdoors.”

As told to Jack Kroll ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Students Pursue Their Passions Through Peak Pathways

October 12, 2024 by JT Wint

One of Northwood’s most unique and creative academic offerings, which began in the 2023-2024 school year, is the Peak Pathways Program. It requires students to design an entire course and create their own curriculum/learning space based on something they are passionate about. Ms. Stacy Prime, director of the Peak Pathways program, is excited about the many interesting projects in the works. For example, Jacob Brunton ‘24 is learning Croatian so that he can have a conversation with his grandmother in Croatia, and he is creating an itinerary for his family to revisit her homeland. Two other students in the program were happy to share the progress and direction of their projects.

Michael Peluso ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Michael Peluso ‘25 said that he is working on a Pathway in the sports recruiting industry to start his own agency someday. “I want to better understand the relationship between hockey players’ advancement and the need for an agent or advisor as players grow up,” Peluso said. “I want to be an agent or an advisor, and this work will help me understand the process better, like what agents must do and how they build connections. Then I want to start to network myself to make these connections and build a network I can keep for the future. Pathways stresses making real-,world connections so I’m going to try to focus on that this year and just getting my knowledge from those who have done this for years in the industry,” Peluso added.

Loélie Lachapelle ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Loélie Lachapelle ’26 is diving into the creative area of interior design by making mood boards and developing a portfolio for her future. She shared her vision for her Pathway, which sounds very ambitious. “For my project, I was looking at my 25 ideas and I realized that I could do every one of them into one single project,” Lachapelle said. “I will be working on creating my own interior design portfolio, which I’m very passionate about. Interior design has always been a huge interest of mine, and this project is the perfect chance for me to explore that interest while learning new things about the field. Throughout this process, I’ll be working on different design projects where I’ll dive into things like color theory, furniture placement, and lighting. I want to understand not only how to make a space look good but also how to make it functional and comfortable for the people who use it. I plan on coming with a new design every week or so,” she added.

Lachapelle’s Peak Pathway will allow her to explore her interest in interior design. “I’ll experiment with different design styles, from minimalistic to more creative and bold approaches, which will help me figure out my own style as a designer,” Lachapelle said. “I’ll also be working on practical skills like creating mood boards, drafting floor plans, and learning how to communicate design ideas clearly. As I move through each project, I’ll reflect on what I’ve learned and improve my designs based on new concepts and techniques. I realize that to improve, I need to look beyond just my own ideas, so I’ll be reaching out to industry resources and learning from professionals. I’ll be consulting with a real-world expert from my hometown, who will provide valuable guidance and help me refine my designs. With her input, I plan to elevate my portfolio to a professional level, ensuring it is as polished and complete as I can make it. This project is important to me because it combines my passion for interior design with the opportunity to learn and grow in a field I am excited to pursue in the future,” she said.

As the 68 students enrolled in Pathways classes wrap up the term, we look forward to seeing the evidence of their hard work through a final product and/or performance.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Real World

Mountain Day Tradition Continues [Slide Show]

October 12, 2024 by Michael Peluso

Photo provided.

Mountain Day has been a tradition at Northwood School for many years. It is a day once a year when every student is assigned to hike one of the 46 high peaks from around the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park. Students have no classes, practices, or workouts, just a day of hiking. For many students, it is their first time hiking a peak, and it will be an experience they remember for the rest of their lives.

Nurse Margaret Maher and Bobby O’Connor, the head of the Northwood Adventure Sports Program organized this day. These two have worked for weeks to make sure this day went smoothly. Ms. Maher said, “Bobby and I met every day of the last week trying to plan,” she added that he was in her office for 3 hours at one point as they worked to put groups together.

Students are put into groups with around 10 total students and 2 faculty as their guides. Some of the peaks that were summited this year include Whiteface Mountain, Mount Marcy, Mount Colden, Algonquin Peak, and many more. These hikes take about 6-8 hours on average and usually require at least 10 miles of hiking and reaching an elevation of at least 4,000 feet.

Ms. Maher also said that one of the goals of Mountain Day is to continue the tradition, but she also said there are bigger reasons behind why Northwood continues to do this. “We want to expose kids to the outdoors who don’t normally get the chance to do that activity because of their sport or maybe where they are from,” Nurse Marge said. The biggest goal of this day, though, is to build and strengthen the community at Northwood. When making the groups, Mr. O’Connor and Ms. Maher made sure to put lots of thought into it. Every group was unique, with kids from all different sports, different areas of the world, and different backgrounds. Climbing up 4,000 feet of elevation is a good time to bond with the kids you may not talk to every day at school.

For many kids, it was their first time completing a hike and observing the nature of the Adirondack Park. Anton Stackow mentioned that it was a great experience for him and something he thinks everyone needs to try at some point in their life. He also said he built relationships with new people and feels much closer to the community at Northwood because of Mountain Day.

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All photos provided by group leaders or members.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Catching up with Halle Mules ‘24

October 11, 2024 by Eliza Quackenbush

Halle Mules ’24 in her first year at St. Lawrence University. Photo: SLU.

Halle Mules ’24 as a Northwood senior. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Halle Mules is a 2024 Northwood graduate continuing her academic and hockey career at Saint Lawrence University. As many remember, Halle’s energy was contagious; she was a joy to be around outside of the classroom and an excellent student within it. When talking with Halle, she reflected on her time at Northwood and what was different about going to college, including what has been the hardest.

“The hardest thing is time management; there is so much going on all day between school and hockey that there is little time to plan out what needs to get done,” Mules said. “In college, you are not reminded of upcoming exams or assignments, you are not coddled whatsoever,” she added.

Mules said the hockey team provided her with a friend group right away. “Knowing right when I got here, I had friends within the team was comforting; however, having the independence to do whatever you want, whenever you want, means you have to cycle that into your time management,” Mules said.

Halle also talked about how Northwood prepared her, and what advice she would give to Northwood students. “Northwood prepares you for living away from home and making friendships with people. Being a part of the whole hockey program at Northwood was something that prepared me well for college hockey, the long season, and being on the road making you practice time management and a rigorous schedule,” reflected Mules.

Her advice is to master time management. “If you can get on top of trying to manage time, start now by finding what works for you. Working on time management and avoiding procrastination because you cannot do that in college. You need to take classes where you need to get your independent work done,” Mules advised.

Mules also has advice about the social side of college. “In hockey, you are with your teammates so much that it is good to try and get out of that conformity, but being able to bond with other people. Whether that is in classes and bonding with those who do not play sports or are a part of something else, it helps you expand groups and make stronger connections,” Mules said.

Halle is someone to look up to, and seeing how she is thriving in college, these words of wisdom should not be taken lightly. As she progresses in her first year, outside and inside of school and hockey, we wish her the best of luck.

Stay in touch, Halle, you are missed!

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Sports

School Turns Pink for the Day

October 11, 2024 by Sasha Luhur

Dress-down day: great on its own, but even better when combined with a positive cause. Northwood has been selling pink T-shirts to fundraise for our Pink the Rink/Pink the Pitch weekend, and on Wednesday, Oct 4. Students who bought a t-shirt were allowed to dress-down if they wore their pink shirts. The result? Groups of bright pink milling about campus in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Photo by Sasha Luhur ’27.

The shirts have been sold in the dining hall for about a week at $15 each to raise funds for the Fitzpatrick Cancer Center in Plattsburgh, and anyone who purchased a shirt could wear it not just for the weekend games, but to class in what is usually considered out-of-dress-code. Most students bought a shirt and enjoyed dress-down privileges on Wednesday in support of a good cause.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

The History of Mountain Day

October 11, 2024 by Gavin Kruger

Don Mellor ’71 rock climbing in the Adirondacks (Photo: Carl Heilman II)

Northwood has many traditions, like monthly formal dinners, Winter Carnival, and Family Weekend. Those are all awesome events, but one dates back many generations: Mountain Day.

Mountain Day is often the source of excitement or misery amongst students each year. Everyone knows it’s a tradition, but few know when and who it began with. I am pleased to introduce you to the man who birthed the idea: former student and teacher and renowned rock climber Mr. Don Mellor ‘71.

I asked him about the origins of Mountain Day. “I started it,” he said, “I think it was fall of 1978. A fellow teacher named Jeff Byrne and I organized it. He suggested the idea, and we set it up.”

I was not surprised to learn that Mountain Day looked slightly different than it does today. “In the early years of Mountain Day, we wouldn’t tell the kids when it was. They would get up in the morning, and Mountain Day would be announced. That was something we used to do,” said Mellor.

“I think another big difference was that we were a bit more careless. Careless about going out in bad weather and other contingencies. Since Bobby (O’Connor) has arrived, we’ve become a lot more mature about our safety outdoors,” Mellor added.

Mr. Mellor shared a very interesting story about the importance of safety. “A tough one was when we lost two kids overnight. They split off from the rest of the group and got lost in the woods. They ended up staying a night in the woods before we found them the next day. This is kind of the way I live my life: When you run into adversity, you learn a lot. That time, we learned a lot about the importance of cooperating with Adirondack park rangers and the importance of having kids listen to the instructions,” Mellor said.

Scene from Mountain Day 2023. Photo: Northwood School (Instagram).

From the summit of Hurricane Mountain on Mountain Day, September 21, 2021 (Photo: Ms. Vanessa Pillen).

Scene from Mountain Day 2023. Photo: Northwood School (Instagram).

Mellor understands that some students aren’t enthusiastic about Mountain Day, and he has some advice for those students. “If you go through life and you don’t try stuff, your life will be flatter,” he said. “Last year, I joined a choir, having no singing background. A big choir, 78 people. And I said, I want to try it. For me, to stand in front of people in a big choir was uncomfortable, and a bit scary,” Mellor said. “But that’s what I encourage people to do. You will not remember sitting on a couch all day, but a day where you step out of your comfort zone and test yourself, you will remember the days you did that,” Mellor encouraged.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Top Story

With Japan Course, Garvey First Student to Create a LEAP

October 11, 2024 by Jesse Schoch

Gus Garvey ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“When I started at Northwood, I had only been to Japan three times, but those were all during the summer and were mostly for visiting my cousins,” Gus Garvey explained as he spoke about organizing a LEAP course to Japan, the first LEAP organized entirely by a student. Garvey, a four-year senior at Northwood, along with a group of students, will be traveling to Japan to ski and experience Japanese culture as a part of the school’s LEAP program. The program is typically a week-long session in length and is designed to give students opportunities to gain experience from something new.

“When I first came up with the idea, I wanted to incorporate Bobby into it.” Mr. Bobby O’Conner is the school’s Northwood Adventure Sports (or NAS, formerly known as the Northwood Outing Club, or NOC) director. “I thought I would cater more to what his role is at school, so make it more skiing more outdoorsy.” However, Garvey tells me that this trip will not just be focused on skiing. “This isn’t just an après-ski vacation; you’ve got to make it educational. I split it in half with skiing and education.”

Nagano, Japan is called a “powder paradise.” Photo: http://www.go-nagano.net.

As Garvey tells me about how he intended to incorporate skiing as one of the main activities for the trip, he mentions a crucial factor, which was choosing what time of year to take the trip. He explains his two previous options for the time of departure, April and at the end of May. “April is when all the cherry blossoms are out, and all the schools are out too. It’s crowded and expensive. When you have a large group of students who don’t speak that language, there is a bigger chance of losing somebody in a very crowded city. The thing about May is that in Japan, there’s a rainy season from mid-May to mid-June. In Japan, all of the cultural stuff is generally outdoors. If it were constantly raining that would be miserable.”

Garvey has overcome barriers and continues his way on creating this trip. “Challenge number one was finding people to chaperone the trip. Challenge two was making the itinerary work. I anticipated seven people; instead, we had sixteen express interest.” This created a benefit financially. “That’s more of a cushion in case something goes wrong,” Garvey explained.

Garvey is currently working on raising money for students who need financial aid and overcoming language barriers. “Coordinating for a group of twenty as the only person that can speak the native language is going to be a challenge, but I think it’s doable,” he said.

Garvey continues to put forth a tremendous amount of time and effort into planning his trip. Not only has he worked to create a trip meaningful to his culture, but more importantly, he strives to create an incredible opportunity for his peers.