Cedric Lemaire

Six Huskies on JWHL All-Star Team

March 14, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

Six girls’ hockey players participated in the JWHL All-Star Game in February 2023. Photo provided.

Six Huskies were selected for the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) All-Star team: Georgia Bailey ’23, Natalie Zarcone ’23, Brooke Kelley ’24, Anna Pavlasova ’23, Chloe Lewis ’23, and Halle Mules ’24.

Mules and her teammates are grateful for this experience. “This League has opened up so many opportunities for everyone on our team,” Mules said. It has given the team more exposure to college coaches and “boosted our team’s confidence going into the season,” she added.

Mules appreciates the travel and opportunities the league provided Northwood’s student-athletes. “We played at the University of Minnesota, we played in their women’s rink, and their facilities were just amazing… and then we also played a couple of games at Boston College, and we played at Brown,” Mules added.

The Northwood Girls’ Hockey team played in the Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL) for the first time this year. This entails playing in a selective tournament consisting of some of the best U19 teams in North America. The team are from Boston Massachusetts, Chicago Illinois, Detroit Michigan, Marlborough Massachusetts, Stowe Vermont, Ottawa, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Many of these players dream of earning college scholarships and playing for their country internationally. The JWHL provides a platform for them to hone their skills and display their talent. Founded in 2007, the league’s mission is to provide a high-level of competition for young female players and to help develop and promote women’s hockey.

In addition to providing a competitive environment, the JWHL emphasizes education and personal development. Players are encouraged to prioritize their academic studies and are provided with resources to help them balance school and hockey.

The league also offers programs to help players develop on and off the ice. For example, the JWHL’s “Empowerment Series” provides players with tools and resources to help them become leaders and role models in their sport and communities.

Though the team did not get the results they wanted in their first season of league play, the Northwood players fought hard, highlighting their talent.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Humans of Northwood: Aly El Mofty ’23

February 27, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

“I was born in Boston, Massachusetts. My parents are Egyptian and were working there. My parents came to the U.S. a few months before I was born and spent a bit of time here. I went back to Egypt, and the last 16 or 17 years of my life have been spent there.

“I DJ a lot. I started getting better in the last four or five months. A couple of my friends started like a year ago, and I really liked it. And going to different events of different DJs that come to Egypt really pushed me to start taking it as a serious hobby. And I love it. When I DJ, time just flies by. I can sit for hours, and I won’t notice. And so that’s something that I really, really, really enjoy doing. Obviously, playing games, you know, video games like every guy, and surfing.

“What else do I do? I ride motorcycles and eat dinner.

“Cairo is the capital of Egypt. It’s a pretty dense and crowded place. There’s a lot going on. A lot of skyscrapers and tall buildings. The pyramids are like 40 minutes from the inner city. Beyond that, there are two different coasts of Egypt. In the spring and winter, people normally go to the coast where the Red Sea is, places like Sharm and Hurghada.

“I started my hunt for schools in America, for Prep schools. I applied to a couple of schools like IMG, Northwood, and a school called Northfield Mount Herman. I got accepted to both Northfield and Northwood. But the main reason why I chose to come here is that it’s football all year round. That was a big factor and Coach Moodey has many qualifications. You know, he’s had a lot of success over the years.

“So obviously, we’re all here for a purpose and our goals. For the soccer team, most of us want to go pro. And I have been playing since I was like three years old. So, I’ve always wanted to do this, and being from Egypt, there is not much opportunity outside to get noticed. In terms of college, or academies in Europe or things of that sort.”

As told to Cedric Leamaire ’24. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Dorm Tour: Junior Happi ‘23

February 27, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

Welcome to Junior Happi’s dorm room. Junior Happi ‘23 is a senior at Northwood from Zimbabwe. He is fluent in French and English and is the striker for the Boys U20 Soccer team. Junior Happi boasts a single room on the first floor of Bergamini and is one of its Residential Assistants.

This spacious single [technically, it’s double, but he has it to himself – a perk of being an R.A.] is enough room for Junior to make himself at home and incorporate his creative touch on things. “I have made this into a second home,” remarks Junior.

This is a central piece of Junior’s room; each item is a piece from home. He has a Zimbabwe flag and a Cameroon flag because those are his two nationalities. “This hat [in the center] was given to me by my grandfather.” The two scarves are of Manchester United and Barcelona, his two favorite childhood soccer clubs. “I have this work ID because I worked at the FISU World Games.” Finally, “This key was given to me by my father.”

“Religion is a big part of my life.” Junior saves room for his religious items: “I have rosary beads, my prayer book, and the Bible.”

“Each item represents a part of my life in America; the boxing gloves are what I’ve used ever since I was a kid, and I love boxing. The groundhog was a gift because I found out my birthday is on Groundhog Day. The pumpkin was a gift from Henry’s aunt, who I often stay with during the breaks. The protein powder is obvious, and the plant and banner represent home. This is one of the most important parts of the room,” Junior expresses.

Music is a big part of Junior’s lifestyle—he is always on AUX. Whether in the gym, on the field, or just chilling in the room, he is constantly listening to something.

Junior has an extensive shoe collection consisting of mainly soccer cleats, but he is covered for any occasion. “I do not know how it got this big, but here we are.”

Junior uses these bistro lights to create a homey vibe in his room, and I can attest firsthand—it is nice. Junior agrees, saying “It’s everything I need.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People Tagged With: DormRoomTour

Humans of Northwood: Jordan Shullenberger ’23

February 20, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

“I started playing soccer when my parents signed up for the rec league when I was five. I wasn’t very good. I was kind of small and skinny. I kept playing rec through the years. I started to really like it, so my parents signed up for a club when I was maybe eight or nine. It was called Capital Soccer, and then I played Capital until freshman year when I switched to Far Post Soccer Club and my high school team. This year, the fall season ended, and at the end of the semester, I decided to transfer. Soccer at Northwood is better, and the exposure is better, and it’s just a better environment.

“Northwood feels like more of a community in that I’m seeing the same people every day, spending a lot of time with the same people, and getting closer to people around me. At my old school, it felt like I didn’t know anyone besides my friends and the people in my grade and the grade below me.

“I want to play college soccer, and I also want to improve my grades and get better socially, come out of my shell a little because I’m not the most talkative person, just developing socially, physically, academically, and mentally.

“I’m very close with my family, and only seeing them every other week is tough. I am just developing self-reliance. Not depending on my parents so much to do things for me…it’s kind of like the push into the real world.”

As told to Cedric Lemaire ’24. Photo provided.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

“Return to Auschwitz” Filmmaker Speaks to Students

February 19, 2023 by Cedric Lemaire

Vladimir Munk with filmmaker Julie Canepa. (Photo from “Return to Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk”)

At a recent Monday Seminar, Northwood School experienced an enlightening talk by Julie Canepa on Vladimir Munk and his incredible story. The intention of this seminar was to inform and answer any questions that Northwood students and faculty had on Munk’s life story. To provide context for the seminar, students previously spent class time watching Return to Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk in their respective history classes. This documentary is about Holocaust survivor Vladimir Munk, who returns to the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp 75 years later.

The film follows Munk as he shares his story and experiences in the Holocaust. Throughout the documentary, Munk reflects on the horrors he witnessed and how they have impacted his life since. He also speaks about the luck involved in his road to freedom and how he found love amidst the turmoil. Most importantly, he talks about the life he lived beyond his time spent in the concentration camps. It gives a refreshing look into the adaptation of the human spirit. The documentary is a powerful reminder of the human casualty of the Holocaust and the importance of preserving its memory.

Julie Canepa lives and works in Plattsburgh, about an hour north of Northwood School. Humanities department chair Ms. Heather Odell noted that Canepa’s proximity made it possible for the filmmaker to visit Northwood and “provide us with a first-hand look at what surviving the Holocaust really meant,” Odell said.

“Return to Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk” was shown on PBS and is available for rent on Amazon Prime.

Julie Canepa met Vladimir Munk at Meadowbrook Healthcare, a skilled nursing care facility in Plattsburgh where Mr. Munk lives. Ms. Canepa performed a mini concert there, and afterward, she learned that Mr. Munk was a survivor of the Holocaust. Ms. Canepa then revisited Mr. Munk to talk about his story, which soon became a regular occurrence. She began to learn more about Mr. Munk and formed a powerful bond with him. Fast forward, Mr. Munk received an invitation to Auschwitz for the 75^th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, along with a guest of choice. Mr. Munk was hesitant to make the long journey but agreed and invited Ms. Canepa to accompany him. She shared this emotional trip with Mr. Munk. She filmed it along the way, incorporating multiple informational points of view through the concentration camps with knowledge known to only Mr. Munk.

Ms. Odell and Academic Dean Ms. Noel Carmichael were the leading force behind making this possible. They believed in the necessity to bring light to this survivor’s story and continue the memory of those who survived the Holocaust and those who fought trying. Ms. Odell said the goal for bringing in Julie Canepa to speak about the documentary “was for students to be able to form a personal connection to the memory of the Holocaust. When historical events occur before students are old enough to derive meaning from their significance, these connections are paramount in keeping history alive.” Mrs. Odell talked about how her classes were affected by this experience and said, “Students have written Mr. Munk letters, inquiring about his favorite football club to what it was like to relive Auschwitz. The Northwood community has kept our conversation alive by engaging in conversations about what life was like during WWII and the Holocaust. Students have also commented on Mr. Munk’s energetic nature and what it takes to turn 98, which he will do at the end of the month.” Not only did Munk’s story alter some of the students’ previous perspectives, but it also affected Ms. Odell herself. “Mr. Munk’s story gave me an opportunity to revisit this impactful time in history. His life journey is astounding, and we have so much to learn from his courage. I’m in awe of his resilience, bravery, and intellect. There are no words to capture what Mr. Munk has endured. Listening to his narrative is a privilege.”

The events and specifics of Munk’s story were striking to many students. “It affected me quite a lot. I saw what he had to go through, and I empathized for him,” Mitchell Baker ’25 said. Baker also thought that Canepa coming to speak added value to the learning experience. “It made it more personal…her actually being there and telling the story made it feel like it was real, rather than watching it on just a TV or reading out of a textbook. It helped me engage more.”

Multiple other students also agreed that the inclusion of Ms. Canepa in the seminar added a realness to them. “It was a very eye-opening experience,” A.J. Etumnu, Jr. ’25 said.