For decades, Winter Carnival has been a staple favorite in the lives of Northwood students, and it is still as this year. March arrived, and with it came the festivities. With the draft completed and the events chosen, the various peaks were geared up for a day of action-packed excitement. Competitions included challenges of the arts, sports, and the mind. The balanced format allows all students to have a successful time in events suited to them, which sums up the culture of Northwood pretty well, making it a place for everyone to succeed.
Students pull a student in a plastic sled in the annual sled race. Photo provided.
The morning started off with the Dodgeball and Tug of War competitions, which were a huge success. The whole school population gathered in the indoor turf and gym to both compete and cheer. A gallon of face paint and a few sore shoulders later, the matches concluded, and each team captured a victory or two. The next events were those of Broomball and Curling, taking place in the USA and 1980 rinks. The teams were bussed to the arena and the clashes began. Although some teams certainly did better than others, everybody had a great time. The event was a community favorite as it gave students from other programs a view into the hockey program; the soccer players especially enjoyed it despite their abysmal performance. “It was a big switch up from the soccer pitch, but it was still a total blast. Sure, we may not have scored a goal, and we may have kicked the ball more than hit it, but it was great and I’m glad I got to try it out before I graduated,” said Nate Wright ‘25. The day’s events continued with dramatic performances in the talent show, art contests, and even a dog sled race until ending with the fan favorite obstacle course.
Although the games are fun, the meaning behind Winter Carnival is deeper than just fun and games. “The best part of winter carnival is that it really brings the community together, it allows people from different programs to see aspects of us normally only shown to our teammates,” said Trey Frantz ’25. Winter Carnival brings together students from different programs, forging unexpected friendships that might not have formed otherwise. The tradition is still sacred in Northwood culture because it ties the final knots in the bonds of the school before the end of the year.
Although the results have not yet been released, the final standings of winter carnival are sure to be divided by only a hair’s breadth and everyone will be on the edge of their seats for Monday’s school meeting.
At Monday’s school meeting, Ms. Riffle announced the winners of the 2025 Winter Carnival. Congratulations to this year’s champion, Gothics! Big Slide came in second and Wolfjaw followed in third. Skylight rounded out the field in fourth place.
Winter Carnival is and will remain to be the glue that holds Northwood together through the winters, and the events of this year only further reinforced that. The seniors will look back fondly upon their memories and the underclass students can only wait excitedly for next year’s carnival.
