Northwood Life – The Mirror

Humans of Northwood: Madison Novotny ‘20

May 10, 2020 by Aimee Headland

I’m known as Novo, a senior who misses her bed, her family, and her obese cat the most when she’s away from home.

Insane is the word I’d use to describe my Northwood career. At Northwood, I did things that I could have never done in Wesley Chapel, Florida, such as hiking. This year, I was also part of the winningest girls’ hockey team that set records that went down in Northwood’s history. I’ll never forget about the friends and memories I made at Northwood that will last a lifetime, my teammates that I spent my ups and downs with, and the unbreakable bonds I formed with the community. My Northwood family has given me moments I’ll cherish forever.

There are many differences between the school where I started my high school career and Northwood in Lake Placid. First, in Florida, there wasn’t a high school team I could play on. So I was on a travel girls’ team, and the girls there were nowhere near as skilled or competitive as Northwood’s girls. Second, the teacher to student ratio is better at Northwood. I feel like I was able to receive a better education and truly learn at Northwood, compared to my previous high school where the education was sub-par. (I like to play golf, so I hope you like my little pun;).)

My time at Northwood has made such an impact on my life that I can’t really think of anything I dislike about Northwood. Honestly, this school was like a vacation but with your parents and your weird uncle invited. Sometimes they’re really weird, and all you want to do is get away from them. But other times you enjoy their company because they are your family.

After I graduate, I’m going to attend Utica College where I’ll play on their hockey team and be part of the school’s DPT (Doctorate of Physical Therapy) Program. But even in and after college, I’ll never forget any of the moments throughout my time at Northwood.

– As told to Aimee Headland ’20

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Nate Boak ‘20

May 10, 2020 by Luke French

Wearing underwear is something that I rarely do. I’m from Canton, NY, just a couple of hours away from Northwood. Being at Northwood for four years has changed me from a young boy into a young man, and the transition been great. When I’m away for so long, I miss my friends and family back home the most. Something that I really struggled with at Northwood was the food. I also think the student lounge sucks. If there is a better place where all the students could hang out, it would bring everybody more together. Even though this is my senior year and the school year is almost over, I’m not really sure what I want to do after I’m done with high school. But one thing’s for sure — I’ll never forget the memories and friendships I made at Northwood.

– As told to Luke French ’20

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Will Rosen ‘20

May 10, 2020 by Luke French

For the majority of the school year, I carried a water jug around with me at all times to stay hydrated. I became so enamored with this water jug that I named her Joyce. Joyce the Jug. Joyce and I did everything together, and she became a hot topic around campus. My peers’ curiosity soon turned to some unwanted suspicion about the nature of Joyce and what she represented. To me, Joyce was much more than a friend and just a little bit less than a wife. Through all my highs and lows, she was always there when I needed to quench my thirst. I’m from Washington, D.C. Before Northwood, I went to an all-boys Jesuit school in D.C., so it was very different in a lot of ways. I decided to go to Northwood because I was looking for a place that had a good balance of strong academics and competitive hockey. Throughout my one year at Northwood, I found myself having one of the best experiences at school. Northwood is definitely a close-knit community, and I found that especially true with the hockey team. Being away from home, I missed my two dogs the most. I wish the food at Northwood was better, though. Maybe a little more consistency with the quality of the food. After Northwood, I plan to play college hockey at the best place possible for me. I hope to pursue a career in physical therapy. From my time at Northwood, I’ll never forget the relationships I made with both students and faculty.

– As told to Luke French ’20

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Zachary Ellsworth ‘20

May 10, 2020 by Luke French

I don’t seem redneck, but I work in the woods all summer with steel toe boots and listen to country music 24/7. That’s something that makes me unlike most Northwood students. I’m from Saranac Lake, NY, which is just up the road from Northwood School. I went to Saranac Lake High School my freshman year. But I decided to go to Northwood for the rest of my high school years because of the hockey program. I knew the program would help me further my hockey career. The biggest difference I noticed between the two schools is the overall student population and the class sizes. Another difference is that Northwood is a very tight-knit community, which is something I’m glad to be part of. Even though I’m a day student, the things I still miss the most when I’m at school are my childhood friends and sports. Something I don’t like about Northwood is the way my final year ended abruptly because of the coronavirus. I also dislike some of the rules that treated me and other seniors a bit like children in a way. I’ll never forget my senior year at Northwood because of how crazy it’s been and how good it was up until this point. After graduating from Northwood, I’ll be attending the University of Southern Maine, where I’ll be furthering my golf and hockey careers. I’ll also be studying business and sports management while I’m there.

– As told to Luke French ’20

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Kip Morgan ‘20

May 10, 2020 by Imani Hawman

My full name is Christopher Morgan. I’m from Vermontville NY, not too far from Northwood, and I’m 18 years old. My grandfather played a major role in my coming to Northwood. He graduated in 1952 and served on the board.

I’ve made some outstanding friends at Northwood, all of whom I hope to keep in close contact with as the years go on. The environment makes it easy to establish these kinds of long-lasting relationships. I’m really going to miss the times that all my friends and I would just run around the school being hooligans. It was times like those that made the biggest impression on me. Northwood has given me all of my best memories; not all are “good” but they sure will always be in the back of my mind. While I’m sad that my time at Northwood had to end in the way that it did I’m still incredibly happy with the time that I spent on campus. I never felt at home at school until I went to Northwood and it will always be a special place to me.

– As told to Imani Hawman

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Get to Know Ms. Jill Walker

April 13, 2020 by Hadley Swedlund

According to the blurb on Northwood’s web site, Ms. Jill Walker…

…Northwood’s Dean of Faculty and an instructor in the math and science department, has been at Northwood School since 2004. Prior to arriving at Northwood, she taught at the University of South Carolina and at a private all-girls school in Rochester, N.Y. Mrs. Walker earned her B.A. in Biology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and her M.S. in Biology at the University of South Carolina. Her teaching duties include biology, human biology and AP Biology. She is married to Jim, a managing editor at a small publishing company, and they live with their dog Roscoe in Lake Placid.

Staff writer Hadley Swedlund ‘20 interviewed Ms. Walker to get to know her better. Here is her report.

Hadley Swedlund ‘20: When you first got here, what was your first impression of Northwood?

Ms. Jill Walker: I had been teaching at the public school in town for a year. During that time, I taught three students whose parents worked at Northwood. At the end of the year, a job opened up at Northwood and the parents got in touch with me to see if I wanted to take it. That was 15 years ago. When I first got to school, I thought the campus was beautiful. I loved the old buildings and the open space. I was big into outdoor sports like rock climbing at that time, so I worked with the students doing non-traditional sports like rock climbing, cross country skiing, water sports, recreational sports, etc. There was a pretty big group of day students who took part in these activities, so it was a lot of fun. Having taught Regents Biology for five years, I was also excited about the flexibility of the curriculum.

How has your experience at Northwood been?

It has been great. I love what I teach and I love the people I work with. I have never had a better and more supportive group of colleagues. I look forward to seeing my students every day. It is the interactions with students and colleagues that make the place special.

How has Northwood changed since you got here for the first time?

The make-up of the student body is one of the biggest changes I have seen. I am very excited about the increase in diversity that has happened over the last couple of years. Having students from so many different countries and cultures has made the place so much more interesting and exciting.

The facilities have also improved a good bit – the addition of the academic buildings a few years ago, the opening of the Hub, the [indoor] turf field, etc. have all added to the experience and allowed us more space and equipment to improve our academic and co-curricular offerings. I am such a science geek — I absolutely love what we are doing with courses like robotics and winter Olympic physics. I have attended robotics competitions almost every year – it is one of the highlights of the year for me.

Where did your passion for science come from?

I had fantastic science and math teachers in high school. I actually went to college to be a math teacher, but fell in love with the biology program and switched during my Junior year. Teachers who are excited about what they teach can really make a big impression on their students, so I try to do that in my classes. My philosophy of teaching is to get my students excited about learning biology and math. They might not remember the details of any particular topic, but if they have fun and find the content interesting, they will be more likely to pay attention to what is happening in the world around them as they get older. My goal for them is to hear something or read something outside of class and want to learn more about it on their own. If they do this, I have been successful.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Classes Incorporate Pandemic Into Curriculum

April 13, 2020 by Luke French

The global COVID-19 pandemic will soon appear in history and biology textbooks and will eventually be something future generations of students study, along with the Great Depression and the Spanish Flu of 1918. Several Northwood teachers are using the pandemic as a teaching opportunity today, while students are taking classes online as a result of the outbreak. Students in Statistics, Biology, Macroeconomics, Entrepreneurship, and Journalism classes have studied the pandemic from the point-of-view of their respective disciplines.

In Mr. Jeff Miller’s Statistics class, students have used the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases in the United States as a way to study exponential and logistic growth and linear regression:

Ms. Jill Walker has also been teaching how easily the virus can spread and who will most likely suffer the most from the disease in her Human Biology class. According to Ms. Walker, the virus can change so often that when the doctors and scientists come up with a cure, it may not last very long because the virus can mutate.

Dr. Laura Finnerty Paul teaches Entrepreneurship and Macroeconomics, and both classes have been including the virus in their studies. Zachary Ellsworth ’20, who is in Macroeconomics, said, “We’ve been discussing government’s stimulus package, looking at how the government is using expansionary fiscal and monetary policies in an effort to pump the economy back up. Although what’s happening right now is horrible, it’s nice to be able to apply Macroeconomics to understand what is going on in the world.” Meanwhile, Entrepreneurship has been studying about what the virus has done to education systems around the world and how life will go back to normal after the pandemic. As a student in Entrepreneurship, I’ve been talking to other classmates and reading articles online, which has helped me realize that the virus is promoting online learning and that this change has been hard not only on students but on teachers.

Of course, Northwood’s journalism class and The Mirror has been chronicling Northwood’s response to the pandemic by publishing articles that explore life from a student’s perspective.

Despite the uncertainty, the students and faculty of Northwood have been making the most of their online classes through useful discussions about COVID-19, which has been changing the world day by day.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

Students React to School’s Decision to Stay Online for the Rest of the Year

April 13, 2020 by Miranda Bookman

Northwood Head of School, Mr. Michael Maher, recently announced the extension of online learning through the remainder of the school year. Read Mr. Maher’s statement here.

Students are disappointed with the decision but understand the school is doing what is best.

Robert Renner ‘21 said, “I’m sad to see this school year end like this. I am in my junior year of high school, and I’ve been to three different high schools. I can say my time at Northwood has been by far the best of my high school experience. I can’t do much about this whole situation except look forward to the Northwood experience I’ll have next year.”

Jazlyn Lluberes ‘23 said, “I can’t believe the school year had to end so quickly. I was excited to experience my first spring trimester at Northwood since everyone says it’s the best time of the year.” Haley Donatello ‘21 agreed. She said, “I was sad when Mr. Maher made it official.”

But students acknowledged that the decision was inevitable. Patrik Bruna ‘22 said, “It’s very unfortunate that Northwood closed, but I think it’s right to keep students safe.” Ben Norton ‘22 supported the school’s decision. “The school did the right thing because the virus is getting increasingly worse all around the world. I’m fortunate that I get to go back to school next year.”

Mr. Maher’s video to the Northwood community touched others’ hearts as well. “When I watched the video from Mr. Maher, I got so sad. I just feel like the last time everyone at Northwood was together, all we did was talk about online classes. There should have been one last meeting to address what would happen if we didn’t come back. I can’t imagine how the seniors feel,” Addie Castillo ‘21 said.

Johnny Cielo ‘21 also sympathized with the seniors. “It’s going to be hard for the seniors to not be able to go back next year to see their friends, experience Winter Carnival and spring sports, and just be in Lake Placid as it warms up. I’m going to miss them. I hope they have an awesome future ahead of them,” said Cielo.

Seniors were devastated that the commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 was canceled. Zachary Ellsworth ‘20 said, “It’s extremely overwhelming to see my four years at Northwood end like this. I haven’t really been sure of how to react. I’m just sort of hoping that everything is a joke. I’ve worked so hard for these past four years. To see the best of my four years come to an end like this kills me. It almost feels like everything I’ve done in high school has been wasted. It’s a terrible feeling. I hope everyone can get together this summer at some point for a commencement ceremony because that is something that needs to happen,” Ellsworth added.

Other seniors were equally heartbroken. Emily Cairo ‘20 said, “When Mr. Maher mentioned the seniors in his video, I started crying. I’m not surprised that the year ended like this, but I’m still speechless.”

Nate Boak ‘20 said, “I know that this is for our safety, that it’s the best thing to do in a time like this. But it still sucks to not be able to walk across the stage.” Margot Rouquette ‘20 is not yet ready to bid farewell to her high school experience either. “High-school graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we’re all going to have to miss out on,” said Rouquette. “I’m sad that I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to everyone. We left too fast. I’m gonna miss Northwood more than anything,” she added.

Four-year survivors were most disappointed. Martin McDonough ‘20 said, “I think it’s absolutely heartbreaking that myself and all the seniors won’t be able to finish our senior year at school, the place a lot of us call home. Not being able to walk the stage on graduation day is frustrating, especially for us four-year survivors.”

Julia Geraldi ‘20 had a hard time accepting the truth. “Over the past month, it has taken me time to fully realize that school is over and I won’t be going back. I’m a four-year senior, so I was very disappointed that this is how my Northwood life will end. I hope this is for the greater good. I’m still in touch with friends and keeping up with school and workouts. Hopefully, I’ll get to head up to Lake Placid for one final goodbye.”

Braelyn Tebo ‘20 has also been at Northwood for her entire high school career. “When school went online in March, I was sad,” said Tebo. “But I was still holding onto the hope that we might come back at least for graduation. When we got the official announcement that we won’t be coming back, I felt like that hope for my senior year was lost. It was heartbreaking that I will never really get to say goodbye to the place I’ve called home for the past four years. I’m not ready to say goodbye to Northwood,” said Tebo.

As of now, the 2020 commencement ceremony is canceled. However, the school is planning ways to recognize the senior class and will keep students notified of any changes. The FAQ released with Mr. Maher’s announced said, “We know that the question of commencement is weighing heavily on the hearts and minds of our seniors and their families. Please know that this weighs heavily on our hearts and minds as well. While we will not speculate what such a ceremony will look like, we are committed to finding a way to honor the outstanding Class of 2020 and their achievements in ways that will include an event on campus at some point in the future that will include all members of the class of 2020 ringing the victory bell.”

The Mirror wishes the Northwood community dispersed across the globe the best of luck. For more information and updates, please visit the COVID-19 webpage on Northwood’s website.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Sara Ellsworth ‘21

April 13, 2020 by Bernardo Simões

You know what? I used to go to two schools at the same time. For the first half of the day, I would go to my main high school, and for the second half of the day, I would travel to a school in Saranac Lake. Every day after lunch, a few other Lake Placid kids and I took a bus to a school that offered co-curricular activities like cosmetology, cooking, and automotive. We also took some classes there like English, Health, and Global Studies.

I chose to come to Northwood mainly because my dad works there. But I also wanted to pursue acting and skiing and join the art program. What I love most about Northwood is that no matter who you are, what sport you do, or who your friends are, everyone still treats each other like family.

My favorite hobbies are drawing, painting, writing, acting, skateboarding, playing video games, the piano and bass, and baseball. I also like to study microbiology in my own time. My dream is to become an actor in Hollywood. I wish to lend my voice to cartoons and video games or straight up be in a movie or a show. I plan to be a marshaller or a ticket agent at an airport as a side job in college.

My plan for next year is to work harder on school and try to get accepted into my top colleges. I want to savor every moment I have left at Northwood, because this school saved my life. I plan to make an impact – an impression – for my senior year that will have me remembered.

– As told to Bernardo Simões ‘20

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Emilie Venne ‘20

April 12, 2020 by Bernardo Simões

I come from a big family. On my mom’s side, I’m the youngest of 14 cousins and siblings. I’ve been skating since I’ve been able to walk. I love any kind of sport, especially new ones. I also love baking and reading.

I chose Northwood for its hockey program, but what I have come to love most about this school is its location. Lake Placid is definitely the ideal place to try new things and to step out of your comfort zone. I also love the people here. They are always there for you, and they care about you. My favorite place to be at Northwood is the fireplace in the living room. On a cold winter day, it just warms you right up.

One day, I dream to travel the world while learning new languages and immersing myself in different cultures. My favorite trip would be the one I went on for the LEAP program last year. I had the chance to go to Trinidad and Tobago to SCUBA dive and explore the coral reefs. It was an unforgettable experience. It introduced me to a completely new, colorful world that I had no idea existed before. Next year, I plan on going to university and study science while also playing hockey for my school.

– As told to Bernado Simões ’20