Avery Novia

Humans of Northwood: Jersey Graham ‘24

December 14, 2023 by Avery Novia

I’m a senior at Northwood, and I play on the girl’s hockey team. This is my first year here as a student. I heard about Northwood through a friend back home who was looking into the school a couple of years ago. When I was searching for a school this year, my family and I remembered hearing about Northwood, and we decided to reach out to [Girl’s Head Hockey Coach] Coach Gilligan and just take it from there.

For my first three years of high school, I was enrolled in online classes, which were super all over the place. Last season, I played on a club team in Chicago, but before that, I was playing back home in Alaska. I came to Northwood because I liked the campus and Coach Gilligan. I had also heard many positive things about it, which made this school feel like the right fit for me.

Switching from online school to in-person has been very weird. The classes are a lot harder, and there is way more homework. Being here has taught me NOT to put off my AP Lit assignments, but besides that, it’s a lot easier to learn, and it’s nice not to just be looking at a computer screen all day; I would say I like it a lot better.

My greatest experience has been bonding with my team. Everybody gets along and likes one another. It’s nice to not have a lot of drama. I love how easygoing everyone on my team is and how I can just walk into anybody’s room and talk with them without being weird or awkward.

For the rest of this year, I’m excited to get closer to new people, get through my classes, and go through the rest of the hockey season. I don’t have much sorted out for college yet because I’m still waiting to see what happens with hockey and hearing back from schools, but after graduation, I plan to go back home for the summer and hang out with my friends and family.

As told to Avery Novia ’24. Photo provided.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Students Test Limits on Red Rocks Trip

December 8, 2023 by Avery Novia

Ashley Guevara ’24, Uma Laguna-Curtis ’26, and Avery Novia ’24. Photo: Mr. Eric Adsit.

This Thanksgiving break, a group of eight Northwood students traveled to Red Rocks Nevada, to embark on an eight-day rock climbing adventure with Outing Club (NOC) Director Mr. Bobby O’Connor, Prof. Casey Henley (Assistant Professor, Head of Climbing and Skiing at SUNY Plattsburgh), Eric Adsit (Adventure Filmmaker for Adsit Media Works), along with the help of Carter Day ’23, a NOC and Red Rocks veteran.

While experiencing the beauty of the canyon, these students also learned skills such as anchor building, sport leading, belaying lead and top rope climbers, and developing their climbing abilities. Red Rocks is a great place for all levels of climbers to strengthen their skills because of the diversity in the grading of the routes and its “gym-compatible” style.

Red Rocks Canyon is a special place for the students of the Northwood Outing Club. This is the third year in a row that Mr. O’Connor has planned this trip. Any student can sign up. For a few, this was their first time, others had come back for the second year in a row, and some for the third. Each year is a unique experience.

Here is an inside look at Red Rocks 2023.

Day 1 at Red Rocks. Photo: Avery Novia’24.

Day 1: After spending Thursday night camping out in the desert, the group woke up around 6 am and headed over to the Hamlet Wall where we climbed routes from 5.4 to 5.10. We left around 3:30 pm after a full day of activity. This first day was mostly used as a day to get back into the swing of climbing after not having been able to for about a month. Some of the most popular routes for the group were “Frailty, Thy Name is Sandstone” (5.7), “Perchance to Dream” (5.8-), and “Sweets to Sweet” (5.7). When we returned to camp, the group gathered around the stove and made dinner. After eating they all came together to do happy and crappy (a NOC trip tradition).

Day 2 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 2: Unfortunately, overnight it began to pour rain, leaving the sandstone unsafe to climb on for a day. The group took advantage of the unfortunate weather and got to experience climbing on limestone at Urban Crag on Lone Mountain. This location was interesting because it overlooked a suburban area with houses built on identical lots and had a track surrounding it. While there, around 8 routes got put up. This was by far the sunniest and warmest day of the trip and a nice change of pace from the chilly Adirondacks. Alex Randall ’25 and Colton Cushman ’25 led 5.8s and 5.9s, while others got to top rope routes from 5.5 to 5.11.

Day 3 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 3: Giving the sandstone a day to dry off allowed the group to head back into the canyon. Sunday morning, they packed up at the campsite before heading to the first pullout to climb Civilization Crag. There was a total of 9 routes put up, the hardest being a 5.10a, “Umayyad Caliphate,” which was led by 3 students, Alex, Avery Novia ’24, and Colton. The approach to the crag was technical and the longest one the group had made during the trip. While other students were climbing, Nate Benjamin ’26 mock led a 5.7 with the help of Casey Henley, and Alex completed his goal of climbing 20 pitches in one day. After a long day of hard climbing, they had to move into an Airbnb for the night due to being unable to secure a campsite. That night the group decided to watch movies, play pool, and make over 10 packs of ramen for dinner and enjoy the warmth of the house and a bed.

Day 4 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 4: Group rest day!! Everyone spent the morning sleeping in and packing their bags again and then started on a thirty-minute drive to spend the day at The Pad, a climbing gym in Henderson, NV. While there, students and even the adults played on the slack line, tried out all the bouldering, and hung out while eating some snacks. Around 4 pm they went to the Yard House in Las Vegas for the obligatory group dinner. The group stayed for around two or three hours, messing around and eating good food. When dinner was over, it was time to return to the campground again. After setting up camp, they had a fire pit, played card games, and made hot chocolate.

Day 5 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 5: The crew split up into two groups this day, four students went with Casey to climb “Man’s Best Friend”, a 5.7 multi-pitch with two pitches of sport climbing. After finishing up they headed over to Coco Crag in Calico Basin where there were two routes put up, “Cocopuss” a 5.10- (lead by Alex) and “Moon When the Wind Blows” a 5.9 (lead by both Colton and Alex). The other group of 4 headed to the Meetup Wall with Bobby, Eric, and Carter. The approach to the Meetup Wall was incredibly tricky with a lot of steep and technical hiking. After making it there, the group collectively put up 5 routes from 5.6 to 5.10b. While there, Avery put up a 5.10a called “Upcoming Meetups’ and Carter put up “The Pumpkin King” a 5.10b. While climbing, Eric flew his drone and let the group watch as he got footage of the people climbing. Both groups spent full days at their climbing spots and met back up around 4 pm. They headed back to the campground where they had to move camp again because their current site was taken over by a Boy Scout troop. Everyone gathered up their tents and bags and walked them over to the next-door campsite. After getting all set up, a group of two others showed up but luckily, they allowed everyone to stay on the site for the night.

Day 6 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 6: For the last day of climbing, the group headed to the Panty Wall for a quick half-day. Since the group got a late start, they were rushing to beat the crowds. There were around 8 routes put up, one of them being a very fun 5.10. Most of the day was spent taking in the beautiful canyon views before getting on the plane the next morning. Colton, Alex, and Avery all put up routes ranging from 5.4 – 5.8, ending the week off strong.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Ashley Guevara ‘24

November 16, 2023 by Avery Novia

I’m a senior at Northwood, and I’m on my way to being a four-year survivor! I live in New Jersey, and I am currently in the Northwood Outing Club and the Ski and Snowboard Club. I used to row for the crew team up until my junior year.

When I’m not at school, I like to go out with my friends to New York City and look for new places to eat and food to try. I love to read, watch movies, and crochet; I am also a big runner. Since it gets so cold in the Adirondacks, I don’t get to run as much as when I am home when it is warmer.

I found Northwood through a school search website in middle school. My family wanted me to be at boarding school, and since I grew up in the city, they wanted me to go somewhere I could be around nature and experience the outdoors, so Northwood was perfect.

Throughout my four years, my most memorable experience has been learning how to ski. In my sophomore year, my friends and I decided to join the Northwood Ski and Snowboard Club. We had no expectations going into it, but I found out that I really enjoyed skiing.

Northwood has taught me a lot, but the most important thing I have learned is how to appreciate nature and the outdoors. It has taught me that there are bigger things in life than just the trivial things that don’t matter in the end because the world is so big, and we are so tiny.

I am most looking forward to cherishing the time I have left before graduation. I can’t wait to have more experiences with my friends and be done with the college process. As much as I am excited to graduate, I am going to miss the memories I have made during my time here. After graduation, I plan to work at a summer camp with my friend, Jazlyn Lluberes ’23, and travel to different countries. On top of that, I will prepare for college and see where the next four years of my life take me!

As told to Avery Novia ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Sophia Miller ‘24

November 16, 2023 by Avery Novia

My name is Sophia Miller, I was born and raised in Sun Valley, Idaho. For 7 years of my life, I was a ski racer. I practiced 6 days a week for 3 hours a day. I enjoyed the sport, but it eventually got to a point of such high competitiveness that I didn’t have fun with it anymore. After I stopped racing, I decided that I was just going to focus on playing soccer, which I played for 3 years.

After only attending schools in Idaho, I came to Northwood so that I could better my academics and experience a different kind of learning than what I was used to. Although they are such different places, I enjoy the similarities that Idaho and Lake Placid share. I enjoy the accessibility to the mountains, and how close they are. Growing up, the mountain I skied at was only 5 minutes away. I also enjoy the aspect of teams and team bonding. Everybody at Northwood is very close with their teams, and at my school in Idaho, it was the same way.

I am most looking forward to hearing back from the schools I have applied to, and figuring out what my plan is going to be for the next four years. I’m excited to start skiing on Whiteface this winter with the Northwood Ski and Snowboard Club, and I am looking forward to getting back outside again.

As told to Avery Novia ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Mixed opinions About Winter Schedule

November 16, 2023 by Avery Novia

It’s the time of the year when the days are shorter, and the weather gets colder. At Northwood, this means that it is time to switch over to our winter schedule. Instead of having co-curricular activities in the afternoon after classes, we switch it up and have co-curricular before our academic day begins.

The winter schedule features co-curricular activities in the morning most days with classes beginning after lunch.

If you ask around the community, you will get mixed opinions about the winter schedule, some good, others bad. To get some further insight into how our school is feeling about starting the new schedule next week, I asked three students for their opinions.

Junior Sophia Sherma says that she doesn’t “despise winter schedule, but it isn’t as good as the fall schedule.” Sophia is a NOC athlete and is also a part of the NSSC (Northwood Ski and Snowboard Club). She is “stoked” to start getting out on the mountain again. Snowboarding in the morning helps her mood throughout the day and her social life thrives, but her academic motivation is lowered throughout the season.

Emma Hathaway, a senior independent and day student, says that her schedule isn’t affected much by the switch, but it is harder for her to get to and from school since she lives far away. Since Emma commutes each day, she does “not have the same luxury of sleeping in like the boarding students.”

The last student I interviewed was Maya Wissler. Maya is a dancer, a day student, and a junior. Maya doesn’t like winter schedule for the same reasons as Emma. She lives in Saranac Lake and since her parents are busy, she has a tough time finding all the rides she needs between school and dance. Maya says, “I have no time to get much done, it can be very tiring to go from the end of school straight to practice.” Although some days she is able to sleep in, she doesn’t enjoy the winter schedule.

By talking amongst my peers, I have come to the conclusion that the independent students at our school have a harder time adjusting to the new schedule. I have heard more positive feelings from a lot of the hockey players who feel like they have more time to get stuff done.

Besides the time changes, a big part of the changing schedule is time management. For a lot of students, it takes around a month or so to get back into the groove of school after the schedule change. Getting organized while trying to balance sports and schoolwork can be very tough. The change in schedule makes staying on track a bit more difficult since it flips our whole day around.

To shed some well-deserved light on the winter schedule, I have found that it has a lot of positive effects. Starting the day with exercise can benefit the quality of the day. It keeps you energized and can get you in a good mood. If students are stressed, it gives them some time to blow off steam before they have to worry about a quiz, test, or other school-related stressors. In conclusion, changing to Northwood’s winter schedule is a challenge to overcome, but it will end with a positive result.