Northwood Life – The Mirror

The Dining Hall: A Center of School Life

November 6, 2025 by Casey Morrissey

Students in line for lunch in the dining hall. Photo: Casey Morrisey ’27.

The dining hall is the epicenter of the Northwood community. Each member of the community has their own opinions on it. For students, the dining hall is more than just a place to eat. It’s where everyone starts and ends their day, whether it’s grabbing breakfast before practice, half-awake, or talking about last night’s game over dinner.

There’s a lot to appreciate about dining hall life. Having three meals a day prepared for you is a significant time-saver, especially for students who juggle sports, homework, and dorm life. “It’s nice not having to cook or worry about food,” says Andrew Sherland ‘26.

The dining hall also serves as a gathering place for people. “It’s one of the few times during the day when everyone’s in the same place,” adds Mikey Mezzetti ‘26.

Of course, it’s not just students who have strong opinions about the food. Our teachers have their own favorites, too. “Shepherd’s Pie is my favorite, but I also enjoy cheeseburgers,” Mr. Shergold said.

“Even though it is not a meal, cookie Friday is my favorite,” said Ms. Riffle. “And my favorite formal dinner is Thanksgiving, for sure,” she added.

Still, not everything gets five stars. Many students say the menu can get repetitive, with the same meals cycling through every week. “If I see chicken again, I’m going to crash out,” is a common joke heard in the dining hall. Others miss the home-cooked meals they had before they moved away from their families.

Even with those downsides, most students agree that the dining hall is the heart of boarding school life. It’s where stories are shared, friendships form, and no one eats alone. Our kitchen staff are amazing, and they are always chatting with the students as they serve the food. After our great meals, it is common to have one of Jason’s delicious desserts for the perfect end to a school day.

Sure, it’s not perfect — but when you think about it, it is very difficult to feed so many people at once while keeping it healthy and protein-packed for our athletes. Our kitchen staff does a great job. In the end, food at boarding school is about more than what’s on the plate. It’s about community, connection, and the little bit of comfort it provides through a busy day.

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

Dorm Room Tour: Parker Thompson ‘26

November 6, 2025 by Cody Betsch

Welcome to Parker Thompson’s room. This is his third year of boarding at Northwood. Parker lives in a brand-new single room on Second East. His room was the former laundry room, so everything in his room is new, from the flooring to the walls. He has a nice setup and has added decoration and furniture to make it seem homier.

When it comes to rooms, Parker has been through it all. His first year, he was in Bergamini in a double room. In his second year, he was on 2nd East in a double room again. At the start of the year, his room was still under construction, so he was living in the smallest room on campus on Third East. He just recently made the move to his new permanent room on the second floor of East dorm.

This is Parker’s new room; he tries to keep his room as clean as possible because he likes the room to feel spacious. The color scheme is quite simple, but it all works well together. He keeps extra chairs in his room so that friends can come in and hang out for a while.

This is the flag that represents his hometown, Akwesasne. Being native to the Akwesasne reservation, this flag serves as a constant reminder of his home and his family. The flag keeps him connected to his hometown.

Outside of formal dinners, you almost never see Parker without a hat on. All of those hats he actually made himself, and over the summer, he makes hats for work. He is also working on a hat company for PEAK Pathways, so stay tuned for more on that.

Lastly and maybe most importantly, we have his bed. The spot where he begins and ends every day. As with the rest of the room, Parker tries to keep his bed neat. He likes relaxing here after long days of school and practice.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Catching up with Lohkoah Paye ‘25

November 6, 2025 by Noah Moodey

Paye in his final year at Northwood. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

At the end of the 24-25 school year, everyone was sad to see Lohkoah Paye ‘25 depart from Northwood. In his four years at school, he had become a role model both on and off the field, earning honors such as team captain for soccer, Head’s Council, and President of the Multicultural Club, among other recognitions. This weekend, I had the privilege of catching up with him and speaking about everything from Soccer to social life to everyday life in the Big Apple.

After Northwood, Koah had already decided to take his talents downstate to St. John’s University, a Division I soccer program in New York City with one of the richest histories in U.S. college Soccer. “These first 3 months at St. John’s have been great,” Paye said. “I’ve just been adjusting to collegiate life and everything that comes with it. Obviously, due to my ACL injury from my time at Northwood, I’m not yet fully back to playing, but the staff here has been amazing with the rehab and training, helping me get back up to speed on my own,” he added.

Paye at St. John’s University. Photo: St. John’s University Athletics.

Paye also enjoys his teammates. “The team has been great as well, you know, despite my injury and not being able to train with them, they have still really welcomed me into the family, and we are always together doing something,” Paye said. “So yeah, my St. John’s experience has been everything I expected, but definitely way different from Northwood.”

Transitioning from Northwood, a rural school with around 190 students, to St. John’s, in the heart of New York City, with a student population of 22,000, is always going to be difficult. Still, Paye has made the transition seamlessly, unlike many who would struggle with it. “I think the difference between college and Northwood is the community that it fosters,” Paye said. “You know, at Northwood, you know everyone by name, and you’re always with the same people. Here, aside from my teammates, I’d be surprised if I recognized anyone or knew them by name. It’s definitely been an adjustment, and to be honest, I don’t mind the population, but I definitely miss that community aspect of Northwood,” he added.

In the classroom, Paye has been doing well, especially in the statistics course he is taking, for which he thanks Mr. Emery for preparing him. When asked about the change in course load from high school, he didn’t have much to say; in fact, he said Northwood had prepared him well for college. “The work [in college] definitely isn’t harder, it just sometimes these teachers assign way more homework, but as long as you manage your time well and study hard, you will be fine, just like at Northwood,” Paye said. This was reassuring to hear, as I’ve heard many horror stories from different alumni about the college workload. However, it sounds like Northwood sets you up well for the experience.

On the field, Paye will aim to make his return to the team in the spring season, around April. While it will have been a long and arduous journey back from injury, all those who know Koah know that he will return better than ever and put the whole U.S on notice for what is to come next fall. After being such an impactful member of the community on campus, it is safe to say everyone from Northwood will be watching Koah and cheering him on upon his return, eager to see what he does next in his career.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Sports

Brian Riley Speaks on Values and Leadership

November 5, 2025 by Anna Monette

Typically, on Wednesdays at 8:55, Northwood has seminars where each grade gathers to learn about health, study habits, and other important topics. Wednesday, October 22, was different. We had a guest speaker, Brian Riley, a hockey legend and the head coach at the US Military Academy at West Point for 21 years before retiring last year.

Brian Riley speaks to students and faculty in the auditorium on October 22, 2025. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

At the beginning of his talk, he looked out at all the Northwood students and staff and asked for just 45 minutes of our time. He promised that this talk would change our lives and our mindsets — and for me, and many others, it truly did.

Throughout his talk, he spoke about Northwood’s values and what it truly means to be a leader. He shared stories about two of the greatest leaders he had ever known, Thomas Kennedy and Derek Hines, both of whom played for Brian at West Point and later gave their lives serving our country in the military. He explained what made them such strong leaders — how they always put others before themselves, and how even on their toughest days, they were still people you could rely on. He did not describe them as the most talented hockey players, but rather as those who consistently showed up, worked hard, and led by example. Their legacies will be remembered forever.

That day at practice, my team couldn’t stop talking about Brian Riley’s message and how it had inspired us. Our coach asked us to spend ten minutes that night writing about what we learned from his talk. My key takeaways were to embrace the hard — everyone has bad days, but how you handle them matters; be a leader in every situation; first impressions matter — always give a firm handshake and make eye contact.

Brian Riley’s words made a lasting impact on me and many other Northwood students. His lessons reminded us that being a great leader is not about talent or success — it is about character, effort, and how you treat others. I will carry those lessons with me both on and off the ice.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World, Top Story

First Quarter Report Cards Released

November 4, 2025 by Owen MacLean

Illustration: clipground

On October 24^th, the first quarter of the school year officially concluded at Northwood. First-quarter report cards are now available for download on both the student and parent portals. This report card includes both academic grades and effort marks for each class, which influence study hall privilege changes for some dorm students in the second quarter.

Northwood’s honor roll system marks academic achievement across the school as follows:

Dean’s List
- Grades 11 & 12: Minimum weighted GPA of 4.00 with no grades below B+
- Grades 9 & 10: Minimum weighted GPA of 3.70 with no grades below B+
High Honor Roll
- Grades 11 & 12: Minimum weighted GPA of 3.70 with no grades below B
- Grades 9 & 10: Minimum weighted GPA of 3.30 with no grades below B
Honor Roll
- Grades 11 & 12: Minimum weighted GPA of 3.30 with no grades below B−
- Grades 9 & 10: Minimum weighted GPA of 3.00 with no grades below B−

To calculate your GPA click here to read our GPA Calculator Article.

Students’ effort marks in each class can range from excellent, good, fair, or poor. To get a rating of excellent, teachers are looking for students who complete all their assignments, engage in class, try to master material, show respect, and come to class prepared and on time. Students who earn three or more excellent effort marks in their courses in the first quarter, with no effort mark below good, are placed on the Effort Honor Roll.

As the second quarter begins, students on the Effort Honor Roll gain additional study hall privileges, allowing them to also study in the library or living room in addition to their dorm rooms. All other students will continue with in-room study hall from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The final change for the second quarter at Northwood is the start of the winter schedule on November 3. All co-curricular activities will happen from Tuesday to Friday mornings, with classes starting after lunch. On Mondays, classes start at 9 a.m., and there is a school meeting and a Northwood Seminar in the middle of the day. This winter schedule is particularly beneficial for the ski teams, allowing them to train in daylight at Whiteface, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, and the Olympic Jumping Complex. This winter schedule will remain in place until March 27, when students depart for spring break.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Burger Review: The Northwood Dining Room

November 4, 2025 by Parker Thompson

Hey Northwood community! This is Parker Thompson ’26, and I’m excited to welcome you to episode two of a new series where my good friend, classmate, and teammate, Cody Betsch ‘26, and I review all of the burgers in the town of Lake Placid. We’re here to give you all completely honest reviews of Lake Placid’s burgers on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the best thing we have ever tasted and 1 being absolute garbage.

For this week’s review, we are staying right on campus, and we are trying the one and only Northwood School’s dining hall burger, a place where you can enjoy a nice, filling meal between classes or when you are winding down on your busy day at school. Thankfully, this burger comes at no cost (other than the tuition our parents pay), and before everyone flames me: yes, I do like my burgers plain without cheese.

The burger in Northwood’s dining room. Photo provided.

The burger itself was pretty good. It was cooked well and had some juice to it. The fries were also very good and were crunchy, which is something I always like about my burger. I would say that, for me, the only downside was the bun. I know the kitchen staff are busy with getting everyone their food quickly and may not have time to toast every single bun, but I feel this is what detracts from the burger. However, I will give this rating a 7.2 out of 10, which is a reasonably good rating for Northwood. Cody gave it a 7.5 out of 10 and said, “I think the burgers here at Northwood are very tasty, and I feel they are not far off from a burger you would get at a restaurant in town. I really like the taste, and it is always very filling.”

Thank you once again for checking in on our burger review series. We look forward to our next one. Thank you for reading. See you next time.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Opinion

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

Get to Know New Student Cadel Cox ‘27

November 4, 2025 by Jack Kroll

Cadel Cox ’27. Photo by Mr. John Spear.

Last week, Cadel Cox ’27 recently joined the Northwood community. Cadel is from Peterborough, New Hampshire and is a Nordic Combined skier. He came to Northwood to “get better and more consistent training with the ski jumping and Nordic Combined teams.” Also, Northwood gave him “a change in academics” that he was looking for.

“Northwood has some amazing access to the Olympic venues here in Lake Placid, including the Olympic Jumping Complex and Mount Van Hoevenberg. It gives me the opportunity to ski more consistently,” Cadel said.

His favorite thing so far has been training. “At home, I train alone a lot, and it’s nice to have a full team working towards the same goals.” Cadel is excited to get to watch the World Cup Finals for Nordic skiing here in March.

Outside of skiing, Cadel enjoys mountain biking and golfing, which he says, “Lake Placid is perfect for.” He is a day student living in an apartment behind High Peaks Cyclery in town, but you can often find him working on campus or socializing with friends. “I have found the Northwood community very welcoming, and it has made it a very easy transition. It’s full of really solid, well-rounded people,” Cox said.

One thing Cadel was surprised by was “how much they serve chicken in the cafeteria. Luckily, I like chicken. My favorite meal so far has been the tacos,” Cox said.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Robotics Team Makes Season Debut in Robot Rumble

November 4, 2025 by Jacob Slagel

Northwood’s Team 6300 made its 2025-26 season debut at Robot Rumble, at Ballston Spa High School, an off-season meet organized by Tech Valley FIRST. Matches ran all day, with plenty of teams and supporters in the stands.

“It went really well,” said Orrin Tracy-Deuss ’27. “I wasn’t expecting how competitive it would be when we got there. I’ve never really been in a setting like that, and it used a lot of new muscles for me.”

The Northwoodians, Team 6300, at the NY Tech Valley Robot Rumble in Ballston Spa, NY. Photo by Jacob Slagel ’26.

The pace stood out. “The moment we would get done with a match, we were turning around and getting right back into one,” Tracy-Deuss said. “Stuff was breaking, and we were running back and forth between the pit and the arena, fixing things. There was just so much going on that I wasn’t expecting.”

Team 6300 finished fourth overall in a field of 16 teams, a strong result for a first outing. “All the other teams were really nice to play with. It was competitive and fun,” Tracy-Deuss said.

The trip also helped the group dynamic. “Yeah, I had a great time,” he said. “The car rides were really fun. We went out for dinner, and the hotel was nice. The competition was a blast.”

When asked if he would recommend robotics to other students, Tracy-Deuss did not hesitate. “If you are interested in high-energy competitive activities, and if you are into tech, engineering, and robotics, then that is the place for you. You learn skills and have experiences you do not get in other areas or in other sports.”