Maegan Byrne

Dorm Room Tour: Sophia Sherman ’25

March 14, 2023 by Maegan Byrne

Welcome to Sophia Sherman’s dorm room. Sophia Sherman is a sophomore at Northwood from Virginia. She is an independent student who does NOC and ski club. Sophia lives in a single on 2nd west.

Sophia has used a variety of colors and fun lights to make her room bright and fun. She acquired most of her decor at home from a surf shop on the beach, while other things are more personal decor items.

On the wall above her bed, she displays her prayer flags from Nepal created by monks who live near Everest and other big expedition locations. She also has the certificate she received for hiking Mt Kilimanjaro and some stickers from things she has collected.

Sophia has a record wall at the end of her bed with all her favorite albums or artists. She has a larger collection of records by her bed and a record player on the shelf by the window.

On the bulletin board at the back of Sophia’s desk, she has a variety of plane tickets from all the trips she’s done this year and polaroid photos of her friends taken from her trip to Red Rocks.

Sophia also has a trunk from her stepdad when he was in the Marine Corps. They were all issued trunks, and this trunk was given to Sophia’s mom when she was on deployment and later given to Sophia. She brings the trunk to summer camp and now to Northwood, where it serves as a storage space and a seating area.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People Tagged With: DormRoomTour

Kroll Gains International Experience at FISU Games and World Cup

March 13, 2023 by Maegan Byrne

A ski jumper on the 90-meter hill at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. (Photo: Lake Placid News /Lou Reuter)

Sophomore Ski Jumper and Nordic Combined Athlete Jack Kroll had the opportunity to forerun for both the FISU World University Games and the Lake Placid Ski Jumping World Cup. Jack’s forerunner job was jumping before all the competitors to help officials decide where to put the start gate. He helped determine how much speed was needed to jump specific distances, and how much was too much speed to prevent athletes from overjumping and getting injured.

Jack foreran all 10 days of the FISU games, a total of 14 jumps. He foreran a mixture of official training and competitions. “I had fun, and being around many international athletes was cool,” Kroll said.

Jack also jumped at the World Cup. He foreran for four different competitions from February 10^th to the 12^th. Because of the level of the athletes, they were started at a lower start bar, which means they have less speed, making it harder to jump as far as possible. “It was a good experience to be around a higher level of competition and to see what the future holds,” Kroll said. Jack also got to meet and get his bib signed by athletes he had been watching and looked up to for years.

Filed Under: People, Sports

My Favorite Place in Lake Placid: Morgan Smith ‘24

February 27, 2023 by Maegan Byrne

Oakley at the dam off the Jackrabbit Trail in Lake Placid. Photo provided.

“I’m a day student at Northwood, and my favorite place to be in Lake Placid is in the water at the dam off the Jackrabbit Trail. I like to get sandwiches at Simply Gourmet, then hike up the trail and sit at the top of the waterfall at the dam. I like swimming there, playing fetch with my dog, Oakley, and hanging out with friends or family. It’s my favorite place because I get to spend time with my favorite people, and it reminds me of the summer.”

As told to Maegan Byrne ’24

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Students, Staff Volunteered at World University Games

February 27, 2023 by Maegan Byrne

Maegan Byrne ’24 and Nori Fitzsimmons ’24 present the medals at a medal ceremony at a FISU World University Games Nordic event at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.

During the extended Christmas break, Northwood offered a LEAP course to volunteer in the FISU games. Five students volunteered: Nora Fitzsimmons ’24, Maegan Byrne ’24, Morgan Smith ’24, Griffin Beam ’25, and JT Wint ’25. Three staff, Mrs. Wright, Mr. Shergold, and Mrs. Wint, helped volunteer during the games and coordinated for students.

Northwood was given the opportunity to be a host for the ceremonies. Some of the group carried the trays with medals and mascots, while others were athletes’ hosts or flag raisers. “It was a great experience to put yourself out there in front of all the cameras. It was interesting because a lot of volunteers were less visible, and the students got to go out there and represent the community and FISU,” Mrs. Tara Wright said.

The students were allowed to choose which days they wanted to volunteer and where they wanted to volunteer. Maegan, Nori, JT, and Mrs. Wint volunteered at Mt. Van Ho.

Nori and Maegan were mainly in charge of carrying the trays that had mascots and medals. They were able to meet athletes from all over the world and get out of their comfort zone by being recorded for television.

JT helped as an athlete or presenter host. He would give guidance to the athletes or guest presenters and direct them through the ceremony.

Griffin Beam ’25 presents medals at the ski jumps during the FISU World University Games.

Mrs. Wint raised the flags for multiple Nordic events. “I wanted to support the community and athletes. I never got to go to the 80’s Olympics, so it was cool to experience something similar,” Mrs. Wint remarked. She was also very proud that out of the three gold medals won by the U.S. in Nordic, she was the one to raise all three flags for the ceremonies.

Morgan volunteered for FISU as one of the mascots for the games. Morgan wore a Mac the Moose costume to all the venues to take pictures with athletes and spectators and promote the games. Morgan worked the whole two weeks of the games but also helped do work before and after. Before the games, Morgan went to Rockefeller to skate as Mac the Moose and help promote the games. She also met the governor as well as Miss America. Morgan describes her experience: “It was a lot of fun, stressful at times, but in the end, it was enjoyable.”

Northwood was given a lot of responsibility during the games; everyone acted maturely and did a great job. It was a great experience for the people involved and helped FISU and the community.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

New Security Cameras Installed

December 31, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

Nori Fitzsimmons ’24 points to a new security camera recently installed on the Second West dorm landing (Photo: Maegan Byrne ’24).

Northwood School has significantly increased its campus security with the installation of additional cameras in several indoor and outdoor locations. The cameras, which are only triggered by motion and do not record audio, will be used to investigate past damage, vandalism, and rule-breaking incidents and serve as a deterrent against future incidents. The cameras, which are placed in public areas where students and staff do not have an expectation of privacy, are part of a pilot project, and the school will determine in the future if additional cameras are necessary.

Security cameras are currently located in the Bergamini lounge, student center, main entrance, Second West dorm landing, fitness center entrance, and the indoor turf field.

Northwood installed the cameras for multiple reasons. At most educational institutions, it is standard to have security cameras on campus. Due to past damage, vandalism, and broken school rules, a group of faculty decided cameras may be an excellent option to investigate such situations. School leaders also hope the presence of cameras serves as a deterrent against poor behavior.

Before approving and installing these cameras, the school had to ensure they obeyed legal guidance for student safety. The cameras do not have audio due to laws that prohibit recording audio. Furthermore, the cameras are placed in public areas where students and staff generally don’t have an expectation of privacy.

School employees do not monitor cameras 24/7, but they are always on and record when they are triggered by motion. School staff will use the cameras primarily to determine what has happened rather than monitor what is happening.

In the future, Northwood expects to install more cameras in various outdoor locations, such as on the walkway between classroom buildings. Assistant Head of School Mr. John Spear described the new cameras as a “pilot project, and based on how these cameras work out, we will determine if installing more cameras would be helpful in upcoming years.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Devin Bard ’23

December 20, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

I am a first-year senior from North Falmouth, MA. I found out about Northwood through my hockey advisor, who recommended it. I decided to come to Northwood to pursue hockey and be the best player I can be. Next year, I plan to PG at Northwood and hopefully, after that I will find a junior team to play for.

I aim to play hockey as long as I can and use it to help me get into a good school. In college, I would like to do something in history or English. History is my favorite class; I think it’s the most interesting. I like watching Family Guy or playing Xbox with my friends in my free time.

So far, I think Northwood is a lot of fun. I’m surrounded by a lot of like-minded people who drive me to push further and drive myself to work harder, and see how far I can take hockey. I like the people at Northwood, and it is starting to feel like my home away from home.

As told to Maegan Byrne ’24. Photo by Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Jack Kent ’23

December 19, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

I am a second-year senior from Manlius, NY, near Syracuse. I came to Northwood in my junior year to play hockey. Coach Cassidy reached out to me about coming to Northwood. I had already heard about Northwoods’ program through a teammate Connor Santay ’22 who went here. I wanted to go to Northwood because I liked the location and had heard good things about the hockey program.

In the future, I hope to keep playing hockey at a high level. After I graduate, I plan on playing juniors and hopefully playing D1 hockey for college. I haven’t fully figured out what I want to do down the road. If I could go professional, I would love that, but I’m not sure if that will happen.

Most of my time is occupied by hockey, whether that means playing, watching, or training for hockey. When I’m home, I like to hang out with my friends or go fishing. I fish a lot during my free time in the summer. Another thing I do while home is train or play hockey.

I think Northwood is a really awesome place. Both my years here have been really great groups of people and a great program.

As told to Maegan Byrne ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

New Ski/Maintenance Building on Campus

November 19, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

Recently Northwood has begun some construction between the Hanke Ski Building and the bus garages. During the first week of October, a construction crew began clearing the land to make room for a new building that will house the alpine ski teams’ Wintersteiger ski tuning machine and the Facilities Team’s maintenance shop.

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Last year, Northwood received donations to purchase the Wintersteiger Jupiter machine. This machine efficiently preps skis while saving money and trips to have them done at tuning shops. The machine was originally installed and still sits in the old bus and girls’ hockey storage shed.

The new building is right next door to the Hanke Ski Building, making tuning equipment more convenient and efficient for the athletes.

The skier side of the building will be separated into three rooms; there will be a secure chamber where athletes can store skis safely when dropping them off or picking them up. There will be a waxing room where ski tech Brantly Beach will be able to wax and brush skis. And finally, there will be a room that houses the Wintersteiger Jupiter machine.

The rest of the 1500-square-foot building will be used to house some maintenance tools and supplies. Originally, the building was estimated to finish around April, but school administrators now expect it to be done well before that. “We are hoping it will be ready for use after the FISU games,” Mr. Thomas Broderick said.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

Student-Athletes Make College Commitments

November 12, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

Many of Northwood’s seniors are in the process of submitting college applications or waiting for responses. However, some of Northwood’s student-athletes have already decided where they will go and have committed to colleges to continue their athletic and academic careers.

Daniel Bucci ’23

Daniel Bucci, a postgraduate on the Northwood soccer team, recently committed to Merrimack College. Bucci chose this school for its division 1 soccer and location near the ocean and Boston. “I am most excited to play soccer and live at college,” Bucci said.

Natalie Zarcone ’23

Natalie Zarcone, a 2022 Northwood graduate and current postgraduate, has committed to the University of Vermont to play division 1 hockey. Natalie chose UVM because Burlington is a beautiful college town and the school’s culture feels similar to Northwood and her home. “I am most excited to meet new people, focus on my academics, and play hockey in the east,” Zarcone said.

Ean Malay ’23

Ean Malay ’23 committed to play soccer for division 3 Gettysburg College in Pennslyvania. He chose Gettysburg for its academics as well as being able to be a starter right away. “I am most excited to progress in life and meet new people in a completely different setting,” Malay said.

Kaitlyn Cielo ’23

Kaitlyn Cielo ’23 committed to play hockey at division 1 Assumption University in Massachusetts. She chose Assumption because the campus is smaller and made her feel more at home, similar to Northwood. “I am most excited to meet new people and to play hockey there,” Cielo said.

Georgia Bailey ’23

Georgia Bailey ’23 committed to play division 1 hockey for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Georgia chose RPI because of its location, coaching staff, and the academic program she has chosen. “I am most excited to play D1 hockey and experience the incredible opportunity RPI has to offer,” Bailey said.

Chloe Lewis ’23

Chloe Lewis ’23 committed to division 3 hockey powerhouse SUNY Plattsburgh. She chose Plattsburgh because of the culture of the hockey team. “I’m most excited to be able to play college hockey and be a part of the team,” said Lewis.

Filed Under: People, Sports

FIS and U16 Ski Teams Prepare for Race Season

November 10, 2022 by Maegan Byrne

FIS racers are training at Copper Mountain (photo: NorthwoodNYSEF Instagram).

Northwood’s Alpine ski team has been very busy this fall. Because the ski team does not have year-round access to snow, a lot of their time is spent in the gym. Northwood skiers meet every morning before class for some sort of dryland activity. They follow a fairly strict schedule and don’t usually stray.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, athletes will use their mornings for a group lift. Before every lift, Thomas Biesemeyer leads an active warm-up that takes around 15 minutes. Following the warmup, lifts usually consist of building leg muscles and some upper body or arm muscles. The lift usually takes a little over an hour.

On Tuesday and Thursday, the skiers participate in an agility and core workout. These workouts are usually more cardio-based and help the athletes build stamina. Coaches Jeremy, Kyle, and Maris help lead these workouts. These workouts consist of running stairs at the Olympic Center, sprinting, or doing a coach favorite titled “Worm’s Picnic,” which consists of a loop that is run as many times as told. It starts with a 10-minute run followed by 3 minutes of lunges, a 1-minute jog, 3 minutes of giardellis, a 1-minute jog, 4 minutes of air squats, and finishes off with a 5-minute jog. This loop will go on 3 times unless a coach directs otherwise.

On Fridays, the skiers break out of their comfort zone and try new things. So far, they have taken a dance class, gone rock climbing, hiked, and swam.

As fall comes to an end, so does dryland. The FIS athletes are currently training at Copper Mountain in Colorado and return on November 21, getting a total of 14 on-snow training days.

The FIS athletes are not the only athletes preparing for travel. The U16s depart for Austria on November 12 for 23 days of training on the Hintertux glacier.

Once the athletes return from these trips their racing season will begin to start.