Anayo Etumnu Jnr

Human of Northwood: Mathis Nolet-Gagne ‘23

May 18, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

Mathis Nolet-Gagne (Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge).

I am from Quebec City, Canada, and I am a senior. In my family, I have two older brothers and my dad and my mum. I joined Northwood two years ago, and I used to go to a French school in Canada. I started looking for a school where I could play a high level of soccer and get an education. My hobbies include hiking, reading books, and listening to music. I don’t have a favorite artist because I am a person who listens to all types of music. So far, I’ve loved Northwood every year I have been here. I have been able to meet new and unique individuals. My favorite class at Northwood has been AP Bio. I find it very interesting.

As told to AJ Etumnu ‘25

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

STEM Research at Northwood

May 16, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) research is a program Northwood offers to engage in independent research. Northwood is proud to be able to provide such a program to facilitate students’ deep interest in the field of science. Students must research, hypothesize and experiment to come up with results that can be presented to the public.

Female zebrafish in the holding tank. Photo: AJ Etumnu ’25.

Christie Nelson’s ’23 project is to “analyze the effects of toxins on the development of zebrafish embryos,” she said. “I thought it would be cool because zebrafish and humans share 70% of the same DNA and 84% of the DNA associated with diseases and toxins, so I thought it would be cool to replicate the effect of toxins on the zebrafish embryos,” Nelson said. Her toxins of choice so far are Tylenol ( Acetaminophen) and caffeine, and early results have shown that 25 milligrams per milliliter of Tylenol in a solution kill zebrafish embryos.

Jazlyn Lluberes’s ’23 project is finding new antibiotics in soil bacteria. Her research pays homage to the first antibiotics produced. “I am following a project called the tiny earth project and Dr. Sarah Shoemaker from North Country Community College is helping me. She isn’t my mentor, but I didn’t know anything about it, so Ms. Walker reached out for help.” Early samples have found three different antibiotics fighting off Bacillus.

Amanda with her prosthetic arm. Photo: AJ Etumnu ’25.

Amanda Nelson ’23 is making a 3D-printed prosthetic forearm that makes gestures when spoken to. Her ultimate goal is to get it to do a handshake or peace sign without external help. She is using an open-source project with the help of Mr. Leblanc and Mr. Martin. “The structure of the arm is built, but when I tried applying the code it blew up, so it’s not quite a success yet,” Amanda said.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Lucca Campagnani ‘23

May 14, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

“I am from Panama City, Panama, and I am a PG at Northwood. I am 19 years old. For my whole life, I have lived in Panama. I am also a high-level athlete; my main sport is soccer. I come from a family of three: my mother; father; and I, which makes me an only child. My mother is from Columbia, and she has been living in Panama for 25 years. My father is Panamanian and it’s just us three at home.

“During my time in Panama, I played some American football for fun, and I did it for 3 years. I played as a running back and my memories of playing American football are filled with joy since all my friends played with me. Another fact about me is that I represented Panama at the youth level of U16 and U17 for soccer and represented them in a Concacaf tournament in Florida.”

As told to AJ Etunmu ‘25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Humans of Northwood: Junyeop Lee ‘23

May 10, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

“Hello, I am Junyeop Lee from South Korea, and I am in 12th grade. Before Northwood, I used to play soccer in Korea competitively. Then, I quit soccer two years before I joined Northwood. I then joined Northwood, where I originally was an independent but then I found the Black Rock Football Club and joined the soccer team, where I started playing again.

I have my mom, dad, older sister, and brother in my family. My dad is now retired while my mom owns a restaurant. Other than soccer, my hobbies include working out and reading literature. I’m reading a book about finance related to my Independent Study, which is about investment and money; this is also an alley I want to pursue in the future. So far, my favorite course at Northwood is the Independent Study, where I can study what I want to learn.”

As told to AJ Etunmu ‘25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May 5, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

It is now May at Northwood, meaning we finish the school year this month. It is also Mental health awareness month, established in 1949 to increase awareness and emphasize the importance of mental health in American’s lives. Mental health in society has always had a stigma, but we hope to break down that barrier here at Northwood.

The Mirror spoke to Nurse Judy, who shared five tips for students to protect their mental health this month as Aps and finals approach.

Sleep is essential. A good night’s rest is critical. Rather than cram all night, set a schedule for studying and then get a good night’s sleep.
Get some exercise, take a break, go outside, and enjoy the weather. That will do wonders for your mental health. If you can or have time, take a walk around Mirror Lake.
Confide in someone. Tell your feelings and thoughts to a close friend or trusted adult. Talk to your teachers or upper-classmen.
Don’t overthink the tests. They are not the end of the world. You’ll be fine.
Finally, eat well. Your brain needs food to function; like any other part of your health, diet is linked to your mental health.

School Psychologist Ms. Tara Wright specializes in mental health. “Mental health is equally important to physical health,” Wright told the Mirror. “Being aware of your own feelings and focusing on well-being will positively affect all areas of your life,” she added.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Spring Season Brings New Co-Curriculars

April 30, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

Cole Van Etten ’25 with the fly-fishing co-co. Photo: Northwood/Instagram.

As we welcome back Northwood for the final quarter of the spring semester, we also welcome the spring co-curricular activities (co-cos). As the weather changes and many students are out of their main season, spring co-cos replace the sports and give the students a new experience.

The Mirror spoke to Mr. Gilligan, athletic director and head of co-curriculars. “Spring Co Cos allow students to participate outside of their major sport or activity. Spring offerings are Golf, Crew, Volleyball, Intramurals, Mountain Biking, Music, Northwood Outing Club (including Whitewater Kayaking, Rock Climbing and Fly Fishing), and Yoga. My goal for these programs is to provide students the opportunity to enjoy the crisp spring air in Lake Placid and have a chance to decompress after a long, competitive winter.”

“I do Golf as my spring co-co, and I love it,” said Ritter Coombs ’25. “I’m surrounded by my buddies playing something I enjoy.” Coombs plays golf with friends who also play hockey. “We all enjoy golf. I played them today, and it was fun. I believe golf helps us as a team when it comes to bonding.”

A co-curricular that continues all school year is the Soccer program. Soccer players don’t seem to mind missing out on spring co-curricular activities. “Honestly, I am really enjoying Soccer right now,” Ean Malay ’23 said. “We get to be outside again, playing in front of home fans. It’s good to be home.” Malay feels that he’s improved his game this spring. “I have learned to get my confidence on and off the field, which is huge for me, as I struggled with it all my life, and the more I play, the more confident I think I become.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

New Vietnam LEAP Offers Travel, Cultural Experience

April 25, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

The many foods of Vietnam will be a feature of this LEAP (photo from “Vietnamese Street Food,” by Tracy Lister and Andreas Pohl.

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, we look forward to the second rounds of LEAP activities. An interesting and new LEAP course that Northwood is offering is a trip to Vietnam for 2 weeks.

The trip is led by Ms. Marcy Fagan, who told The Mirror, “The goal is to immerse ourselves in the culture, history, geology, and cuisine of Vietnam. We will travel from Hanoi down the coast to Ho Chi Minh City. The trip is two weeks, and I am excited to experience Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, where we will hike, kayak, and swim in caves. I’m also very excited to learn about the history and explore the tunnel system in Ho Chi Minh City. And I love pho, so I can’t wait to eat authentic pho!”

Sophia Sherman ‘25 will also go to Vietnam. Sherman recently completed the highly successful Kilimanjaro LEAP and will take her second LEAP course of the year. She is looking forward to this LEAP because she sees it as more of a vacation compared to Kilimanjaro. Sherman is also looking forward to being on the beach and being with all her friends.

Chrissie Nelson ‘23 will head to Vietnam shortly after she graduates on May 20. “I am excited to go on the cruise ship and see the water puppet show and hike and see the many different geographical features of the country,” she said.

Abby Sinclair ‘23 is excited about the group that’s going to Vietnam. “I am very happy with it; it is a very diverse group of people which I hope to get to know better.” Sinclair added that she is looking forward to being in a foreign country and the water activities.

Northwood is very excited and proud to be able to put on these international LEAP courses and hopes more students will be able to participate in these international travel opportunities in the future.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Jazlyn Lluberes ‘23

April 24, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

“I’m from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and I come from a family of six. I have two brothers, Ethan (10) and Aaron (4), as well as a sister, Alessia (5). An interesting thing about me is that I am of mixed heritage, Polish and Dominican; my dad is Dominican, and my mom is Polish. Before Northwood, I attended a public school where I danced and played softball. I joined Northwood through a New Jersey SEEDS program that helps low-income students apply to independent schools. When I applied and toured Northwood, I felt welcomed by the Northwood community. My hobbies include dancing, reading, going out with friends, and working in town. At Northwood, my favorite STEM research class is because of the independence and self-direction it teaches you to have.”

As told to AJ Etumnu ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Dorm Room Tour: Ceddy ’24 and Mitch ’25

March 20, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

Welcome to the room of Mitchell Baker ‘25, of Australia, and Cedric Lemaire ‘24, of Massachusetts. These students are part of the Soccer team, with Cedric, who goes by the name of Ceddy, being on the U19 team and Mitchell, who goes by Mitch, being on the U17 team. Their dorm is located on the second floor of Bergamini dormitory.

Cedric Lemaire ’25 enjoys some tea in his dorm room during a recent study hall (Photo: Mr. John Spear).

Their room has an interesting mix of personalities, with Mitch having a more simplistic design and Ceddy having a more creative style. Ceddy’s side consists of records on the wall with posters and fairy lights that he thrifted. Ceddy’s desk consists of a rock lamp, an hourglass, and a monitor with his Xbox connected, which he uses to wind down in his free time. On the desk, you can see that Ceddy likes to enjoy Yerba Mate, something that he says has now become a hobby for him.

Ceddy’s desk (Photo: AJ Etumnu ’25)

On Mitch’s side is a giant Australian flag. “The flag means a lot to me because it was a big move for me to move from Australia to here, and every day waking up and looking at the flag is like free motivation and reminds me of where I come from and why I am here at Northwood. It also gives me that home feeling whenever I feel a little homesick.

An Australian flag hangs above Mitch’s bed (Photo: AJ Etumnu ’25).

Ceddy also has a special something on the wall, a handmade bag from his brother, who is a designer in New York. He says the bag holds a lot of sentimental value.

Ceddy’s brother made this bag (Photo: AJ Etumnu ’25).

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Humans at Northwood: Mariema Thioubou ‘23

March 6, 2023 by Anayo Etumnu Jnr

“I come from a multicultural background as my parents are from Dakar, Senegal and speak Wolof and French. Growing up, I was fortunate to learn Wolof from my parents, and it has become one of my favorite languages. I’m 17 and live and live in New York City with my older sister, mom, and dad.

“I went to Mott Hall 3, a middle school just a few blocks away from where I live. During that time, I played tennis and fell in love with the sport. One of my fondest memories was going to Central Park with my mom and sister for picnics. My favorite class in school is art because it allows me to express myself creatively and explore my artistic abilities. In addition, I have a passion for skiing, especially at Whiteface, even though I’m not the biggest fan of negative temperatures. ”

As told to AJ Etumnu, Jr. ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.