Nate Benjamin

Humans of Northwood: Ben White ’26

January 23, 2026 by Nate Benjamin

“I came from Chatham, New Jersey, hearing about this school last year. I learned there was a freestyle ski team at Northwood, and I was very excited to join and attend this private school.

“When I came to this school at the beginning of this year, everyone was very welcoming. I was able to meet a lot of new friends and people. I saw the great amount of school spirit everyone showed, and the transition from Fusion Academy wasn’t too bad, either, thanks to everyone here.

“Something I have to say is to keep taking small steps, and you’ll end up in a place you’re happy in. Just keep on moving, meeting new people, and work to keep your goals in sight, and get good grades. If you keep these objectives in mind, everything will work out.

“When I leave Northwood, my goal is to get into electrical engineering. Then, after getting my degree, my goal is to become a quantitative analyst at a good firm and get pretty good money. But right now, I am going to become a postgraduate and ski for an extra year before leaving for university.”

As told to Nathaniel Benjamin ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Northwood Students Share What’s on their Christmas Lists

December 15, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

JT Wint ’25 in front of a Christmas tree. Photo provided.

Christmas is coming up, and everyone is getting excited about what presents they are getting this holiday season. Though Christmas isn’t always about just getting presents, it’s a great way to celebrate the holiday. This year, many students are getting presents, varying from sports gear to tech.

The presents on the list are from many different students across Northwood. Ben White ’26 said, “I am ready to get Zip fits this Christmas.” Zip Fits are boot liners for ski boots. Another student, Theodore Ghanime ’26, said, “I am getting a scarf for Christmas.” Many hockey players say they are getting new hockey sticks for Christmas, as well as golf clubs.

With all these new Christmas presents, people might want some ideas to come to mind. A few good presents that everyone will wish to have can be a mug with a message on it, music posters with playlists of certain artists, and lastly, necessities are: socks, gloves, a new shirt, or a blank sweater. These are all good ideas for that Christmas list that still needs to be built.

These are what students at Northwood want for Christmas, along with some extra ideas for anyone looking to create a larger Christmas shopping list for family or friends.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Humans of Northwood: Aston Ferillo ‘26

December 5, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

“Coming into Freshmen year, I had a lot of hope for these next 4 years at Northwood. Now that I am a senior at Northwood, I feel I did pretty well, getting good grades, my pilot’s license, and having a good time skiing, as well as making many friends along the way.

“I am from Saratoga Springs, NY, and living off campus in Lake Placid. The switch from boarding student to day student went well, and my favorite part about it is that I can drive anywhere. It’s cool to be anywhere and have more freedom than a boarding student does.

“I was able to experience a lot of cool trips around the world, including Japan, and others. I learned about many new cultures and became friends with people all over the world. As well, I feel I use all of Northwood School’s core values.

“Now being a senior, I am starting to apply to many colleges, including the Air Force Academy, Montana State University, and Utah State University.

“Leaving high school this year, I will be a little nervous but also excited to see what comes next.”

As told to Nate Benjamin ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Seniors Reflect on Their Four Years at Northwood

December 5, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

We’re approaching the halfway point of the school year, and seniors are preparing to apply to colleges and universities—or are already finished applying. Everyone is excited to be in “the best grade.” Students are working hard and having fun during their last year at Northwood. Some four-year seniors shared their thoughts on their final months at school.

Slagel this year. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Slagel in 9th grade. Photo by Mr. Michael Adridge.

“I’ve spent these four years of my life in this place making friends, colleagues, and living in the Adirondacks as well,” said Jacob Slagel ’26. “Now, with college coming soon, everything is going to change as I move on to the next steps. But all I can do is make the most of the time I still have at Northwood,” Slagel added.

Spear this year. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Spear in 9th grade. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Yosef Spear also reflected on his time here. “Yeah, this year is bittersweet—with huge leaps forward, but also having to leave all the great moments and memories from these past four years.”

As they reminisce about their time at Northwood, seniors are still focused on their academics. Slagel added, “I still do all my work and haven’t missed any classes yet. But I mean sometimes, like, let’s say we’re on the bus, I do like claiming that single seat.” This shows that senior year is both academically focused and a time to enjoy small traditions before graduation.

Another question seniors felt strongly about was their favorite teachers. While some said they liked all their teachers, the majority agreed that Mr. LeBlanc is their favorite. He is known as an excellent teacher, and I agree with that sentiment as a four-year senior myself.

The senior class has already been through more than three months of the school year, which feels surreal. Soon, we will be ringing the bell and saying our farewells to Northwood for the last time.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Whiteface Started Snowmaking, and Everyone is Ready to Ski

November 11, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

Whiteface began snowmaking last week, and the mountain is starting to look its best since the end of last season. Snowmaking started on November 1^st, and most of the trails already have a coat of snow on them. Now the whole of Lake Placid is starting to look forward to the opening day of Whiteface. The mountain workers are working very hard to get the season started as fast as possible. The mountain is projected to open later this week, around November 14^th.

Photo provided.

Everyone is really excited about the upcoming ski season and getting ready for the mountain to open this upcoming weekend. “I am really excited to see the mountain opening up early this year,” said Northwood Adventure Sports director Mr. Bobby O’Connor. “It’s great that the mountain is already snowmaking this early in the season,” Chef Adam Fisher added.

What’s crazy about this season for Whiteface is that it’s the earliest the mountain has ever started snowmaking, building off the snow that came on the day before on Halloween. Climbing up the toll road on November 7^th, I personally saw how much snow had already been made, and it looks like an early-season start date.

Photo provided.

I have also seen the stoke in many Lake Placid residents saying, “This season looks like a great one”, and “time to get the first runs in.” It’s great to hear that the local community is ready for this season to start, as the mountain is beginning to regain its shine.

With Whiteface looking great as ever, it appears that we will be having an early start this season, which has everybody in the Lake Placid community excited for what’s to come next.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

An Inside Look at Freestyle Pre-Season Training

November 6, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

The Northwood freestyle program has been in existence for several years, and coaches have been creating and refining the ideal workout schedule for pre-season training. Freestyle athletes typically work out four days a week before Whiteface Mountain opens.

Balance work on the slackline helps build core strength. Photo provided.

There are numerous exercises that freestyle skiers must do to prevent injuries while skiing. These exercises include box jumps, calf raises, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, and more. There are over 20 exercises that the Northwood freestyle skiers perform.

The first day of the week is typically designated as a leg day and cardio day. The team starts playing a soccer game. This will get everyone’s heart rate pumping for the following exercises and help maintain a steady cardio pace throughout the workout. After the game, the team will head to the school’s weight room and start with a quick stretch, followed by 15 calf raises for 3 sets. Next, the team goes to jump squats, doing 5 reps for two sets, with the second set being heavier than the first. Then the team will do 8-12 reps of squats for 3 sets. Lastly, finish with 4 core exercises of the team’s choice, and this concludes day one.

The second day of the week is a full core day. The team starts by playing a game of knockout. After everyone is ready for the workout, the team will move to the weight room. Here, the team will start by doing sit-ups for a minute, followed by V-ups for a minute. These exercises will lead to a stronger core. Then, a four-minute plank, followed by some balance work, so the team will not get injured as often. This concludes the day’s work, with the core becoming significantly stronger to withstand larger hits and making everyone more balanced during workouts.

The third day is back day, consisting of a warm-up for soccer and heading into the weight room to train further. For back day, the team will start with pull-ups for 3 sets to failure, then work with weights to target the triceps, biceps, and back, aiming to build muscle and increase strength for the upcoming season. This day is very important, as it helps everyone on the team develop the upper body strength needed to withstand falls and maintain balance in the air.

“These workouts were made to help the team be more prepared for the upcoming ski season, to make everyone stronger and in more control,” NYSEF Freestyle Coach Jackson Deeney said. The workouts are helping the team prepare for the upcoming ski season, ensuring everyone stays strong and injury-free.

Day four consists of another leg day, following the same routine as day one, to strengthen our legs and help them endure the jumps throughout a long day on the mountain. All these workouts come together to make every team member stronger for the ski season. Without preseason training, the team will likely be more susceptible to injury while performing their impressive tricks.

Filed Under: Sports

NAS Installs New Cobble Trail Signs

November 4, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

The Cobble Hill trail just got an upgrade with two new signs. The Northwood Adventure Sports Program set off on a trek on a recent Monday to install two new informational signs on the Cobble Hill trail. These trail signs are very informative, with a bunch of information about the trail and the ecology that exists on Cobble Hill. These trail signs will be seen by many people each year, with Cobble Hill having an annual visitor rate of 20,000, making it one of the most popular trails in the Adirondacks.

These trail signs are located at the trailhead and also along the trail, near the middle. “These signs will let people know what is coming up and how many more steps till they reach the summit of Cobble Hill,” Bobby O’Connor, the Director of Northwood Adventure Sports Program, said. The sign lets people understand what they will be getting themselves into, even before the actual challenge occurs.

Each sign placed on Cobble features excellent weather resistance, which can last for over ten years without maintenance, making the signs very durable during harsh winter conditions in Lake Placid. “These signs located on Cobble Hill are also theft-proof,” Mr. O’Connor said. This makes the trail even safer this way.

The trail signage project on Cobble Hill fully complies with Adirondack Park regulations. Because the signs were installed on school property, the process required coordination with park officials to ensure all necessary permissions and environmental standards were met. As Mr. O’Connor explained, “We’ve gone through all the appropriate steps to make sure that we’re doing this correctly.” His statement confirms that Northwood has followed every regulation and that the project is in excellent standing with the park’s requirements.

Through the dedicated efforts of the Northwood Adventure Sports Program, significant improvements have been made to the Cobble Hill trail, making it both safer and more informative for visitors.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

Winter Clothing Drive Is in Session

October 28, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

The Winter Clothing drive at Northwood is a great opportunity for the school to give back to the Lake Placid community. Under all of the touristy, rich, and scenic landscapes, there is, of course, some poverty in the Lake Placid community.

“The winter clothing drive at Northwood is trying to help reduce many of these concerns for Lake Placid residents by giving away coats and cold-weather clothing,” said Florence Richard ’26, one of the leaders of CARE, Northwood’s Community Service club. This makes Northwood’s clothing drive very beneficial to the surrounding community.

The winter clothing drive is a part of a greater effort in Lake Placid. There are many places where you can drop off your old winter clothing, such as St. Agnes Church, St. Agnes School, the medical center, and the high school. It is a vast community-wide effort.

At Northwood, the donations are handled through Ms. Wint and CARE. They take the donation bin from the faculty office and then deliver it to Thrive and Thrift in Lake Placid, NY. With the donations Northwood brings in, 50-200 people stay warm in the cold weather of Lake Placid.

There are many more great ideas we, as a school, can offer to help the community. Flo has a suggestion for students. “So, you know that some people have more wealth and can help the cause. In the fall, many people like to clean out their closets to fill them with the new trendy clothes for the upcoming winter season. Instead of throwing these clothes out, they can put them in the bins and help the community that way.”

I think this is a great idea to give back to the community and help many people in need during the winter season.

CARE has some great plans for this year, with the Northwood clothing drive, and we are excited to see what comes out of this later this year. Hopefully, this community can help a large number of people with the clothing drive, and Northwood can be a main contributor to Lake Placid Thrive and Thrift.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

Humans Of Northwood: Theodore Ghanimé ‘26

October 19, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

“This is my 2^nd year at Northwood. I was born in Montreal, and now I live in Saint-Anicet, Canada. I like living there, and it’s a very fun place to live. I have a lot of friends who live in my hometown. I neither like nor dislike Northwood, though I found public school more appealing, but Northwood does the job; it gets the job done. I made a lot of new friends during my time at Northwood as well.

“Northwood has taught me a bunch about living in a new environment, meeting people around the world, and how to live within a community, as well as doing freestyle skiing, training 5-7 days a week, and having a great coach.

“I am hoping after high school to head to University in Canada and figure out what I am passionate about. At the end of the school year, I will be happy to graduate and head off to university.

“Right now, I like to ski, hang out with friends, work out, and work during the summers. The school feels free compared to Canada as well, in terms of assignments and the nature and scenery within the Adirondacks.

“As time goes on, I will be applying to universities and getting accepted. Then I will say goodbye to everyone I met at Northwood after graduating. That sums up my time at Northwood.”

As told to Nate Benjamin ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

CARE Bake Sale a Success

October 12, 2025 by Nate Benjamin

Northwood’s first CARE sale of the year was a great success. Everyone was there to support CARE in its mission to raise money for good causes this school year.

The sale consisted of treats such as cookies; homemade dog treats made by Will Wong ’27 and Mrs. Wint; bottled beverages such as Gatorade, Propel, water, Arnold Palmers; and Northwood-branded cowbells as noisemakers to cheer on the Northwood Soccer team.

From left to right: Jacob Slagel ’26, Colten Murphy ’26, and Will Wong ’27 at the recent CARE bake sale. Photo by Ms. Lisa Wint.

During this event, CARE raised nearly $100, which will be used later this year to help fund future initiatives. It will be used to help support funding for the Holidays, as well as purchase Valentine’s Day cards and treats for the residents of the local nursing home. This event will greatly expand and help publicize Northwood’s traditions.

“We felt the sale was a great success because it provided the soccer spectators with some low-cost drinks and treats while also helping CARE rebuild its funds,” Mrs. Wint, CARE’s faculty advisor, said. Since this was a great success for CARE, the club will continue to create events like this one throughout the year.

“Bake sales are just one of many fundraisers we will have this year,” Ms. Wint said. “We like to do fundraisers where the giver gets something in return besides just donating to a good cause.” She said there will be many more fundraisers to happen, and this one was just the start. For example, later this month, CARE will be selling candygrams for Halloween. Students and Faculty can purchase bags of candy with a little card, and CARE will deliver them to its recipients.

This has been a great event for the Northwood Community, and there will be many more of these events in the future.