I’m from Spain, where I lived for 12 years. Then we moved to Chile, because of my dad’s work. In Chile, I played soccer for a club called One Sports, which is a program that connects Chilean players with American prep-schools and universities. I met Jon Moodey, head coach of the Northwood soccer team, and he offered me an opportunity to go and play for Northwood School. I chose Northwood because Northwood is a very good school to have good academics and also good sports. My first impression was that Northwood was a small community with a lot of people around the world. At first it was tough. New country, new friends — it was difficult. But I think that all the teachers and students receive people very well, which made me feel part of the community. Also, having many people who speak Spanish helped a lot.

My favorite memory is my first goal for Northwood. We were on a road trip to Philadelphia, and we were playing against a very good team, and won 6-1. The thing I dislike about Northwood is the food without a doubt.

I miss all the people, from my close friends, classmates, and some teachers. Although I just stayed for 7 months at Northwood, I made some good connections with a lot of people.

I’m exploring my options to study back in the States, but I’m not sure if that is going to be possible because of the coronavirus. I’m admitted to a university here in Spain, so if my other plans don’t work, I’ll study in Spain.

There are seven siblings in my family. Some people can’t believe that. Having so many brothers has it’s good and bad things. I’m the oldest, so I have an extra responsibility to guide them.

– As told to Hadley Swedlund ‘20

I want to go to business or law school after college. I decided to go to Northwood because of the hockey program. I am going to miss being around my teammates all the time, living in the dorms, and the community as a whole. Going in, I wasn’t sure how I was going to like Northwood because it’s such a small school and I’m a big city kid. At this point, I miss Northwood a ton and wish I could go back. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to attend and hope my younger brother gets the chance to go as well.

– As told to Olivia Paul ’21

I am from Tokyo, Japan, and my last name is a palindrome. I am a “four-year survivor.” I have been playing hockey and robotics for four years. In the springtime, I have been doing whitewater kayaking for three years and, if not for COVID-19, I would have done it for the fourth time.

I was considering two schools to attend. Compared to the other school, Northwood was focused both on academics and athletics, so I chose to go to Northwood.  The tight connection between students and that of teachers was something I have never seen before in any of my previous schools. Northwood’s unique aspect of community is still preserved to this day and it should be something that should remain.

I had a great time at Northwood. Every day was busy. It gave me a chance to change the way I approach matters. The fact that Northwood is situated in the middle of the Adirondacks is the best part in my opinion. The nature surrounding Lake Placid is something I can never see in Tokyo.

It is a shame that the completion of the Innovation Hub was delayed. The Hub is something I came to appreciate after spending a lot of time there in the winter and early spring.

– As told to Hadley Swedlund ‘20

During my junior year, about a week into the school year, I had a freshman come up to me and say, “I just want to thank you, Marty. You’ve made this place feel like my home and we’ve only been here for a week. I love it here”

I’m from Lake George, New York,  but I also live in New York City for some parts of the year. I’ve been at Northwood for four years. I was a member of the Ski Team at Northwood doing Alpine Ski Racing. I also played lacrosse. I was a member of the legendary cheese club for a couple of years.  I chose Northwood because all three of my siblings went to Northwood before me and it was just natural for me to follow their paths.  I was unsure about Northwood going into freshman year. Leaving my old school and friends behind was a big step for me. I now think of Northwood as my home. After just a couple weeks of being there during freshman year, I loved the place and the people.  I have never been more glad than how glad I am that I decided to go to Northwood School. It is and always will be my home.

– As told to Hadley Swedlund ‘20

My plans after Northwood are big. I want to go to a top school and play soccer at the highest level. I want to continue growing as a soccer player and a student. After college, my dream is to become a professional player in the sport I love the most.

But for now, I’m thinking about returning to Northwood for a PG year. I was planning on going to college because I had a couple of good offers. But after discussing with my coach, I’ve decided that it would be nice to do a PG. I think I’m still young for college. So after another year at Northwood, I hope I’ll be more mature and have more college choices.

I come from Medellín, Colombia. Back in my country, I reached a point where I had to choose between soccer and academics. But Northwood helped me do both of them at a high level. When I leave Northwood, I’ll miss the people and my teammates the most. I will see a lot of people after I graduating from Northwood, but I don’t think I’ll be able to meet people as amazing as them ever again. At Northwood, I was able to meet people from all over the world and learn about their cultures and languages. Another thing I like about Northwood is that it allows me to fully focus on my dream without any distractions. The growth that I’ve felt within myself has been incredible, and I value it very much.

The Northwood experience is always going to be in my heart. I’ll always remember it with a lot of joy.

– As told to Olivia Paul ’21

I am from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I am 18 years old and I play soccer. After Northwood, I plan to attend North Carolina State and major in Business with a concentration in Finance. I decided to attend Northwood in order to pursue collegiate soccer. What I will miss about Northwood will be the friendships that I made and the people that I have met. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Northwood.

– As told to Olivia Paul ’21

My full name is Marcelo Antonio Suarez Rojas, and I am from Chile. I play soccer, and next year I will attend the University of California San Diego as an undecided major. My Northwood experience was a nice way to grow and challenge myself as I aimed for a college scholarship. I liked Northwood a lot. I think Lake Placid will always be an important part of my history. The soccer was really good and I made a lot of connections with people from around the world.

– As told to Olivia Paul ’21