Growing up, I had to move a lot for my dad’s work. I lived in Germany, Canada, and around the United States. Raleigh, North Carolina, is my place to be, but I have enjoyed the experiences of living around the country and the world. I chose Northwood for a couple of reasons. My dad had great recommendations for the school, some of my family lives close by in northern New York, and I have also had family members attend the school in the past. I found a deep sense of home within the Northwood community, especially with my teammates. I have made lifelong friendships with most of the guys on my hockey team and throughout the school.

Looking up to my dad, I have found a love for hockey growing up so close to the sport. I appreciate all the relationships I have built from hockey; it is something I will always cherish. It is my number one focus from fall to spring, and I can’t get enough of it. In the spring, however, I love playing golf, especially finding serenity on the course. I enjoy spending time with the people close to me, like my friends and family.

I always look forward to sunny days on Lake Gaston during the summer. Near my home in Raleigh, we have a lake house where I spend most of my summer days on the water jet skiing, boating, and tubing. It is a place I hold close to my heart.

I’m looking forward to a great senior year ahead of me. I hope to continue my hockey career in juniors next year.

As told to Jackson Smith ’23. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“I am from Saranac Lake, New York. I chose to transfer to Northwood because I wanted to find greater Nordic Skiing opportunities and increase the volume of my training. I found Northwood to suit me very well because of the people around me with different backgrounds and with extensive diversity.  

“Growing up in the Adirondacks has made me who I am today. I love the outdoors. As a kid, my parents had me in the Dewey Mountain ski program. I was deeply involved in my community. I was hiking mountains and spending all my time outdoors.  

“I am very excited to further my academic and athletic career in college. I am currently looking to ski Division 1. I took part in the US Junior Nationals last year in Minnesota, and I continue to train daily.  

“I am also looking forward to studying environmental engineering. I love studying math and science and hope to translate that into a college major.” 

As told to Jackson Smith ‘23. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Northwood’s five core values are Compassion, Courage, Responsibility, Integrity, and Respect. Throughout my four years at Northwood, I have seen vivid examples of these values displayed in my hockey teammates. I feel that, thanks to these values, they have brought all of us much closer and created a family.  

Mark Monaco ’20

In my second year at Northwood, I had a memorable example of Compassion. Early in the season, at an evening practice, our team was outside waiting to go back to school on the bus when we all heard Eli behind us. Eli was very young at the time, and it was his first time away from home. He was on a phone call, in a very emotional state, feeling very homesick, trying to find a way back home for the weekend. As the time continued, no one knew how to help or comfort him in this moment. We were all frozen. When a senior on the top team saw what was happening, he jumped right into action to help Eli. He dropped his bag and engulfed Eli in a comforting hug and helped him get through these feelings. He did not care what anyone else was thinking; he just wanted to comfort Eli. Eli remembered that moment. “I was very upset, and Mark Monaco ’20 came up to me without hesitation to help me out,” he said. “He knew exactly what I was going through, and he had been there, telling me everything was going to be okay in time, and my teammates are all there if I need to talk. Later that night almost everyone on the team came and tried to cheer me up.” How my team treated Eli is a great example of compassion and a gesture that left an impact on all of us. 

Giordan Gulati ’23

At the beginning of this year, I witnessed one of the most courageous moments in my time at Northwood. In our first team hockey meeting, we were all sitting in the auditorium to discuss meaning and purpose. Towards the end, the coaches asked if anyone had anything to add and a new player stood up from the back and got up in front of 50 of his peers to speak about purpose. He spoke about why he was at Northwood and his recent experience. He told me about that moment. “I stepped up to the stage that day because we were talking about purpose. This past New Year’s, my best friend was killed by a drunk driver, and she was the most outgoing and interpersonal person that I have ever known. When she passed, I made a promise to her and to myself that I would try to be more like her every day. I made another promise to myself that I would put myself out there early when I got here, so I would not make the same mistake I did at my last school, because that did not go well. I know that if she was there with me in the room she would tell me to go up there and introduce myself to everyone, so I did it because I know that’s the kind of confidence she would want me to have. After her death, I have become very active in the fight against drunk driving, and I plan to continue these efforts.” That speech struck a chord in all of us in the room. Giordan Gulati showed us all what courage is.  

Sam Lyne ’24

To be a good teammate on and off the ice, a person must be responsible all the time and hold himself to a high standard. In my nearly four years at Northwood, I have not met a person who holds themselves to a higher standard than Sam Lyne ‘24. On the ice and in the gym, he continues to push himself every day to become better. He feels a true responsibility to push himself and others around him, ultimately making him a great teammate and a great role model. When describing responsibility, Sam said, “Being responsible is one the most important qualities one can show. It means to set a bar higher than the current standard in order to lift your teammates and classmates, and also yourself, above and beyond.” I see Sam in the gym, keeping promises he made to himself, working his hardest almost every day of the week. I asked him why he was so responsible in the gym, and he told me, “The reason I’m responsible in the gym is because it is a place where you need to push yourself and your teammates. When I started working out and I was skinny and scared, there were older stronger teammates that set the example so high that I had to work harder than anyone else. So, my goal is to be what those older teammates were to me, an inspiration,” said Sam. 

Peppi DelliQuadri ’22

Last season, Peppi DelliQuadri ‘22 achieved one of his biggest goals by stepping on the ice for the Prep team in the Northwood Invitational Tournament. He worked every day for 3 ½ years to make it to that spot. He had many setbacks and tough moments along the way. Integrity is “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles,” and Peppi demonstrated integrity throughout his entire process of making it to that stage. When I asked him what he had to say about his experience he said, “Being at Northwood for four years and starting at the bottom of the program, I had to put in the work every shift and every chance I got…Being at the bottom, I had to improve myself in every way on the ice and off the ice.” Peppi is a great example and someone I look up to when working towards my goals.  

Rintaro Akasaka ’20

Carson Hall ’22

Respect cannot be defined by just one situation. Our hockey team, like a family, thrives on respect. Whether the respect is towards each other, the coaches, the staff, or the opposing team, we need it to be a successful group of guys. My first year at Northwood, no one showed as much respect on the ice as Rintaro Akasaka ‘20. He lifted his teammates up all the time and treated us as equals. Playing against other teams he would always show them great respect in every game. In the dining hall for four years, Carson Hall ‘22 is another example of respect Carson showed respect to the staff by cleaning up messes left by others. Every single one of my teammates holds this value very close to them. I feel that demonstrating respect is the most important part of being a close-knit team.  

These are my examples of Northwood students living the school’s core values. Which students would you choose?