Yosef Spear

Humans of Northwood: James Martin ‘26

December 5, 2025 by Yosef Spear

“My favorite thing to do in Lake Placid on weekends is walk into town and eat at Players with my friends. The food is always good, and it’s always a good time. I also like to go to the movies, take a walk around the lake, and go to the arcade. During my free time on a school day, I usually study, rest, stretch, or train.

“I am a four-year senior on the soccer team. I live in Hong Kong, so the travel day to Northwood is always long. I’ve had so many great times with my friends here, from going into town on soccer trips.

“During breaks, I either go home to Hong Kong or go with my family to Vancouver. My family has had a house in Vancouver for a while, so we go there and meet up with family friends. After that, we usually drive up to Whistler and ski. My favorite part of Whistler is the extremely high gondola and trails. When I’m home in Hong Kong, I like to go out with my friends and train. Sometimes we go to the beach for a night swim, which is fun.

“Something a lot of people wouldn’t know about me is that I used to play rugby and was on a swimming team. I think both helped me develop good morals as I played them when I was younger.

“I hope to leave behind a good image at Northwood and to set an example to the underclassmen. Northwood has taught me that it takes hard work and dedication to succeed at whatever you’re doing, but it’s also important to keep a good balance between schoolwork, soccer, and social life.”

As told to Yosef Spear ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Cookie-Baking Contest a Success

December 5, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Ben White ’27 and his group had a chance to win – until they used baking powder instead of baking soda – in their recipe. Photo provided.

Northwood held a weekend cookie-baking contest before Thanksgiving break. It was a quiet weekend on campus, with only the girls’ hockey team, a few skiers, injured soccer players, and independents at school. There were many creative cookie designs.

The contest winners have not been announced yet, but it is expected that one of the girls’ hockey teams will take the top spot. Benjamin White ’26, who won the last competition, did not perform as well this time.

White’s team attempted to bake sugar cookies with Hershey Kisses in the middle. The team had hoped to defend Ben’s title as champion, but they unfortunately used baking powder instead of baking soda. Reflecting on the mistake, team member Tziyon Morris ’26 said, “I think we would have won if we had used baking soda. No one really stood a chance, but it was just a little laziness that got to us that night.”

Student bakers took over the kitchen for the event. Photo provided.

“Yeah, I had a long day and forgot to use baking soda, but I honestly think the cookies were good either way,” White added.

The girls’ hockey team entered several baking groups with different cookie designs, and one of their teams ended up creating the best cookies. Cora Major ’27 said, “It was very fun but stressful making the dough. We could never tell whether we had the right amount of something, but the cookies still came out well. It was a nice activity for a boring weekend.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Halloweekend at Northwood!

November 6, 2025 by Yosef Spear

The haunted house (classroom building). Photo provided.

Halloween was last Friday, and Northwood had its haunted house and dance. Many students enjoyed the weekend differently: some went home, while others stayed on campus. Edy Laberge ’26, Marie-Jeanne Cazes ’26, and others helped set up a haunted house on campus. Students had a great time and were very spooked. There was great feedback, such as this year being the best Halloween at Northwood that students have ever experienced.

Edy had many positive things to say about the haunted house and its setup. “We met the night before and set everything up that was big. After that, we had to go get more of the necessary supplies. From there, we just met before the haunted house started and made sure everyone knew their role. This took about 4-5 hours of hard work,” Laberge said.

Carter Jackson ‘26 stayed on campus for his first Halloween at Northwood. He said he enjoyed it but could use less scary, “I think the haunted house was so cool, but so scary. There were a few times when I screamed, but it was all in good fun. The dance was also fun. It was super cool to see everyone together and having fun after a hard quarter. It felt like everyone needed these fun times to enjoy themselves after working so hard in the first quarter,” Jackson said.

Some people who didn’t set up also played a role, such as Andrew Sherland ’26, Aston Ferrillo ’26, and Florence Richard ‘26.

Others used the weekend to go home, relax, and see hometown friends and family. Ethan Nau ‘26 went home to New Jersey with several of his friends on the hockey team. He said, “Going home was definitely the best option because we have a Friday night football at my old school and lots of fun Halloween parties. Also, being able to show my new friends a piece of my life was cool, and I got to introduce them to my old hometown friends.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life

First Snowfall Gives Taste of Winter

November 4, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Whiteface Mountain, just a few miles away from Northwood, received its’ first significant snowfall of the 2025 season on October 23^rd. This gives us the first taste of winter.

Photo: Whiteface ASRC/Facebook

Northwood is very festive during the winter season. Often, on weekends, you’ll see the fireplace up and running, Christmas décor, and more around the school. If kids are on campus during the Super Bowl, there will be a big audience in the living room to watch.

For many of the students here, this is a very exciting time of year. Skiers are getting ready for the season, hockey players are deep into the season by the time the snow falls, and soccer players are getting out their warmest coats. Many independent students ski or snowboard at Whiteface during the winter season; they are excited as well.

Hudson Marshall ‘27 is a ski racer, and this is what he has to say about the fresh blanket and first taste of the season: “I think it’s super exciting, and something to look forward to, especially for all the skiers, as we are heading into our season. Hopefully, when we get back from our Colorado trip in November, there will be a few more blankets!”

“I’m looking forward to the winter season. I hope to push myself and grow as a skier,” said Uma Naima Laguna-Curtis ‘26, a rock climber, dancer, and freeride skier. “I am looking forward to spending more time with my team and maybe competing for the first time. I hope there are more blankets.”

“I’m very excited, I need to pow to huck doubles,” freestyle skier Ben White ‘26 said. “I just want ski season to start because life sucks without skiing. I like snow,” he added.

Rylie Griffiths ‘26 is in her post-grad year and on the girls’ hockey team. She associates the first snow with some of Northwood’s traditions. “I’m excited for the fireplace to be on and to play hockey on the pond. I am also excited for the Christmas lights in town and the spirit at Northwood. I am looking forward to my last Winter Carnival at Northwood.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

MSC Attends Elementary School Geography Night

October 28, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Northwood’s Multicultural Student Club visited Saint Agnes Elementary School, which serves grades pre-K through 3^rd, for their annual Geography Night, where students learn about a diverse mix of countries and cultures. Dominica Sarandeva ‘26, one of the club’s leaders and also a St. Agnes School graduate, arranged the visit with Profe. Coss to have a better understanding of the cultures within Lake Placid and introduce us to the Lake Placid community.

Lucas Smith said, “The event turned out well. I think their annual Geography Night was a good learning experience, and I learned a lot about other cultures’ foods. We also got to eat many different foods, and they all tasted amazing. It was nice to see people like Yosef and Tziyon being like older brothers to the younger kids, and everyone was just having a good time helping the kids with anything.”

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“It was nice to experience the unique cultures that are in the Lake Placid community, and I enjoyed learning about all the different cultures that are represented in the elementary school,” Mohammad Ahmed ‘26, the MSC’s social media manager, said.

Alex Darby ‘26, another MSC social media manager, was impressed. “The event turned out well; it was inspiring to see kids wanting to learn so much about different cultures.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

Nordic Athletes Compete in Flaming Leaves Festival

October 25, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Illustration by Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).

Recently, the best ski jumpers in the country gathered in Lake Placid for the Flaming Leaves Festival. The festival serves as the U.S. Senior National Championships for ski jumping and Nordic combined. All six Husky ski jumpers and nordic combiners competed, including Max Fey ‘28, Islay Sheil ‘28, Duncan Van Dorn ‘28, Eli Larkin ‘27, Henry Loher ‘26, and Jack Kroll ‘26.

The weekend would be a challenge for all as the inconsistent wind conditions led to long delays, making for long days at the hill. “My results weren’t quite what I was hoping for. Throughout the weekend, I had a tough draw with my starting position. I was the first boy to jump each day. Every time there was a delay in the girls’ comp in front of us, I would already be getting ready and had to stop and reset. I also had pretty unlucky wind conditions as it got better later in the round. Considering that, I had alright jumps. Definitely a lot to take away from this one,” Jack Kroll ‘26 said.

“I was happy with the results over the weekend,” Eli Larkin ‘27 said. “I worked hard this weekend. Also, this event prepared me well for our next competition in Colorado that is coming up soon. I can only hope to get better results for the year. Overall, the event was fun, and everyone was having a great time,” Larkin added.

Not only was the Festival a chance to compete, but also a chance to catch up with other ski jumpers from around the country. “My favorite part was being able to see my friends from around the country because I don’t get to see them much,” Islay Sheil ‘28 said. “The event was fun because there were a lot of people and a lot of food trucks and other things happening,” she added.

“It’s rare that all of these athletes are in one place,” Kroll said. ”Many train in Europe, and we only see each other once a year. Also, getting to work with the National Team coaches is always a highlight,” Kroll added.

Nordic Combined USA athletes’ photo. Photo by Seth Rothchild Photography.

Overall, Northwood athletes did pretty well at U.S. Nationals. On Saturday, the highlights were Larkin finishing 10^th and Fey 15^th. For Nordic combined on Saturday, Fey finished 7^th and Van Dorn 10^th. On Sunday, all athletes finished in the top 30, with Loher in 8^th, and Larkin in 12^th. Additionally, Sheil got 16^th. For Sunday’s 10k in Nordic combined Fey finished 7^th.

Filed Under: Sports

Humans of Northwood: Lucas Smith ‘26

October 19, 2025 by Yosef Spear

“I spent my first year of high school at GMVS, which is a ski academy in Vermont. The school wasn’t the right fit for me. Switching to Northwood was the best decision I made.

“I am from Saratoga Springs, New York. I love skiing and golf. I am on the Northwood NYSEF Ski Team, and this is my third year at Northwood. I first heard of Northwood through NYSEF winter term in 8^th grade.

“I enjoy going into town or golfing with my friends on the weekends. I played varsity golf and baseball in 8^th grade. My whole life has been sports-oriented, but I hope to be a successful businessman when I’m older. I plan to take ski racing into college. When I was younger, baseball was my calling, but as I got older, skiing took over my life.

“Something people don’t know about me is that I love cars. My favorite car is a Porsche GT3RS fully spec’d out. I also spend a lot of time traveling for skiing and on family trips, so time at home is cherished, as I am usually at Northwood if not traveling. During my time at home, I enjoy training in the gym, hanging out with friends, being on the lake, and golfing.

“I hope to leave a good impression on everyone. Starting out at Northwood as a 15-year-old little kid, I look back at my time and can reflect on the growth I have had as a student and person. Instead of running around the Berg halls too late at night, I now set the best example I can of an overall well-rounded person for the younger kids here.

“I am looking forward to being able to ring the bell 3 hard times at graduation.”

As told to Yosef Spear ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Multicultural Student Club (MSC) Event a Success

October 18, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Northwood’s Multicultural Student Club (MSC) kicked off the year greatly by organizing a chalk-out event. Members of the club worked hard to create meaningful designs on the back sidewalk adjacent to the school’s rear driveway. The students drew a big box and contributed their drawings. Once the MSC students finished, the club invited passersby off the street to add something from their culture or anything they wanted to draw in the box. Students who weren’t in MSC came down to add their own drawings and spend time with their friends. The event turned out well, and everyone had a good time.

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Mohamad Ahmed ‘26, from Nairobi, Kenya, and Alex Darby ‘26, from Dubai, are the MSC’s social media managers. “It’s very fun to get together with students of different cultures and get to know everyone’s background, plus share our own. We are honored to manage the social media,” they said.

Tziyon Morris ‘26 is one of the directors of MSC. He is from Rochester, Minnesota, and of Nigerian descent as well as being an Ashkenazi Jew. He said, “I feel like this club is going to help everyone open up about themselves and their culture to eventually bring the community closer together.”

“I’m excited for the year and the things we are planning to do. I think that the club will truly make a big impact this year if we keep working and striving to reach out to the rest of the student body and the rest of Lake Placid as a whole,” said Director Dominica Sarandeva ’26, who grew up in Lake Placid, NY, but her family is originally from Bulgaria. “I hope that we can successfully spread our cultures and celebrate our traditions this year, and I hope that the change we bring this year carries on into future years to come. The event I’m most looking forward to has got to be this upcoming Saint Agnes event that we are currently planning, where we will go and spread our cultures and talk about our countries to the kids in the school,” Sarandeva added. “I’m also looking forward to future activities that will connect with the people within Lake Placid. Overall, I think the things we are doing are going to make a positive impact, and all I can hope for is that we continue to uphold and spread our core value, which is respect,” she said.

To get involved, reach out to faculty advisor Mr. Jose Coss or any of the MSC members. Follow the MSC on Instagram.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Chores at Northwood? It’s Stewardship

October 9, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Northwood School has started a new tradition called “Stewardship” where every week, students from three advisory groups do chores around the school. This takes place after dinner for around 30 minutes. The goal is to teach students to develop the habit of helping around school and keeping our community clean. This emphasizes integrity, which is not only one of the school’s five core values but also this year’s school theme.

Last school year, during school meetings, frequent announcements were made stating that students needed “to clean up after themselves,” so it was becoming clear that we could not take care of our own spaces if nothing changed. “At Northwood, we believe that belonging to a community means taking responsibility for it,” said Mr. John Spear, Assistant Head for School Life. “I think if we have kids formally cleaning spaces, they will become a little more conscientious about those spaces, so when they graduate, they have the habit of always cleaning up after themselves and have integrity,” Spear added.

Spear researched similar chore programs at many other boarding schools. Northwood has been looking into this for years. “Once Mr. Riffle became head, he said, ‘Make it happen,” Spear said.

“I think it’s a great idea and it will engrave kids with integrity, teaching them to clean up after themselves,” Yosef Spear ’26, who was part of the first advisory group to participate in Northwood Stewardship, said.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Students React to Renewed Dress Code Enforcement

September 24, 2025 by Yosef Spear

Northwood students between classes. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Northwood has set a high standard for the dress code. For the 2025-26 school year, faculty have started to heavily enforce the dress code on the students. While the dress code hasn’t changed since last year, most students are hearing rules that were seldom enforced before, such as no facial hair, no jeans of any color, longer skirts, no crewnecks with graphics, and adhering to the dress code at all times, including breakfast, lunch, and school meetings.

This has been a good adjustment for the school to really showcase the “Prep” in prep school. Some students are enjoying it because it’s now the “norm” to wear the same 3 outfits each week, making mornings easier. Other students feel it suppresses their personality and is uncomfortable. This dress code dates back to when Northwood first started as a preparatory school, and every student was required to wear a uniform to school. The dress code has lightened up significantly since then.

“I think [the dress code] is an oppression of personality,” Jackson Magnus ’27 said. “I think the dress code is in a better place than it was last year, but some things should change. I feel like you should be able to wear jeans, but keep the tops nice. It sucks because I don’t have a lot of bottoms that fit the dress code,” Magnus added.

“I’m chill with the dress code,” Hudson Marshall ’27 said. “Lowkey wear the same stuff.”

“It was annoying to have to buy new clothes,” Asa Schwartzberg ’27 said, “but I figured out a way to do it. I bought clothes from former Northwood students or other secondhand clothes from places.”

“I think it’s a bit too strict, and we should be able to wear jeans as long as they aren’t blue,” Maika Beaudoin ’27 said, “because it keeps a classy look still. I also feel like girls can’t show much skin, and they have been super strict about that.”

The dress code, outlined in the Student Handbook, reads:

Dress Code and Appearance

Northwood School’s class dress code is based on a simple philosophy: school is your job, and your attire should reflect that. Class dress is required during classes (even if you have a ‘free’ period), including during lunch, school meeting, seminar, and in the living room.

Clothing:

Dress pants, corduroy pants, twill or chino joggers, khakis, leggings, or capris.

Dresses, skirts (at least fingertip length when standing in a relaxed position with arms at sides).

Shorts (at least a 3-inch seam) are permitted in the fall and spring.

Button-down shirts that are buttoned, polos, quarter-zip pull-overs, or other collared shirts may be worn. A student may wear a t-shirt underneath.

Blouses, dress shirts, and turtlenecks.

Sweaters, cardigans, official Northwood sweatshirts, and quarter-zips are permitted with a collared shirt or t-shirt underneath.

Footwear:

Dress shoes, boat shoes, sneakers, sandals, or boots may be worn, as long as they are in good condition. No slippers.

Points of Clarification:

No athletic wear, such as yoga pants, spandex, or sweatpants.

No denim of any kind, color, or resemblance.

No article of clothing may be frayed, cut-off or patched.

No t-shirts unless worn under dress code attire.

No sweatshirts except the official Northwood sweatshirts.

Sweatpants, including Northwood-branded sweatpants, are not permitted as class dress.

No hats or hoods.

Hair must be neat and clean, and students are to be clean-shaven at all times.

No revealing necklines. Exposed backs, shoulders, bottoms, midriffs, or undergarments are also not permitted.

Formal Dress. On more formal occasions, the dress of the community should reflect the added level of formality of the event. At these times, the Northwood community will be in formal dress.

Option One: suit coat or blazer, with dress pants and a belt, a full button-down collared shirt with tie, socks, and dress shoes.

Option Two: dress or skirt of appropriate length, shawl or cardigan is permitted, and dress shoes.

Option Three: dress slacks with a dress blouse, and dress shoes.

Option Four: formal attire and shoes representing a student’s international and/or cultural identity.

Casual Dress. Before or after the class day or formal school events, students are allowed to dress casually while maintaining a level of respect for community standards. Students should be fully clothed in all public or common areas of campus. Footwear is required in all campus buildings except dormitories.

At all times, not just during the academic class day, clothing should be respectful and should not promote concepts or substances that undermine the mission and core values of Northwood School. Hats and headwear, except those prescribed by religious custom, must be removed when entering buildings and remain off in public areas. Hats may only be worn indoors in the Student Center and dormitories.