Northwood Life – The Mirror

Northwood Care: Thanksgiving Fundraiser

November 20, 2025 by Justin MacLeod

Mrs. Lisa Wint (left) and Florence Rochard ’26 staffing the Thanksgiving fundraiser table. Photo by Justin MacLeod ’26.

Northwood CARE’s Thanksgiving fundraiser aims to raise funds for the Food Pantry this November.

The sale consists of $1 cans of Vegetables and Fruit; $2 each of Cranberry sauce, Gravy mix, and Rice pilaf; $3 each of Apple Sauce, sweet potatoes, and Stuffing mix; $5 each of a bag of potatoes and a dessert Pie; lastly, $15 for a Turkey.

Will Wong ’27 said, “The way we collect money is by Vemo and cash, but if a student does not have any Vemo or cash, then we can charge the student’s account.” Will added, “The reason why we are doing this is that it’s going to a good cause for people and families in need.” Will said, “My goal for this fundraiser is to beat last year’s money raised.”

“This is my first year of care, and everything I have done with them has been a blast. Donating to people or families in need has been amazing, which always brings a smile to my face,” Will said.

This Thanksgiving fundraiser is raising money for people and families in need, with Care and the Food pantry working together to ensure they have the best Thanksgiving possible.

Florence Richard ’26 said, “Mrs. Wint has been doing this fundraiser for many years now, and each year it’s been increasing. As the Food Pantry relies on us, we are happy to help.” Flo added, “The goal is to raise as much money for a good cause, but a big goal is seeing people involved in this fundraiser as much as possible, and it makes it more meaningful.”

Flo said, “The money raised, we go grocery shopping, and we buy what the articles have been asked for, or the Food pantry requests, then we bring the groceries back to the Food pantry.

“The Thanksgiving fundraiser is one of the many fundraisers we will have this year,” Mrs. Wint added.

For a Thanksgiving tradition, Flo added, “I am thankful for the opportunities given to me and the sacrifices my family made for me.” Will said, “I am thankful for my family supporting my studies at Northwood and the friends I made along my way.”

This fundraiser is still underway, with many days left. Right now, they have reached halfway to last year’s money raised, and they will continue to go up for the people and families in need.

This is an excellent event for the Northwood community, and there will be many more to come.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Thanksgiving Traditions

November 17, 2025 by Kevin Betsch

As Thanksgiving Break approaches, the excitement of going home is evident in many students around campus. Many students have unique family traditions and ways of celebrating the holiday.

“I am going home for Thanksgiving Break!” said senior Mark Tverskoy. Tverskoy is from Ivanovo, Russia, and will be taking a long trip home for the holiday. He is flying out of Boston, connecting in Turkey, and then making a final stop in Moscow. Although he is traveling home, Tverskoy noted that Thanksgiving is not traditionally celebrated in Russia. “In Russia, Thanksgiving is not celebrated by many people, but I do think that the idea of Thanksgiving is growing. Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday because I just love the idea of people celebrating how thankful they are for everything they have!”

Senior Hunter Bridges is heading home to Saratoga, New York, for the break. When asked about his Thanksgiving traditions, he said, “My entire family from my dad’s side goes to my grandparents’ house each year. I just really love spending time with my family members, and after being away from home for a while, it’s nice to catch up.” Bridges also shared his favorite Thanksgiving foods: “My aunt makes this really good sugar cookie cake every year, but my favorite food is the stuffing for sure.”

“I usually go over to my best friend’s house with my family,” said senior Henry Kress when asked about his plans for Thanksgiving. Kress is traveling home to California for the break and is excited for the warmer weather and the California sun. “My mom’s pumpkin pie is my favorite thing for sure—make sure to add the extra whipped cream. I also love the mac and cheese my friend’s mom makes.” He added, “It will just be so nice to go home and spend time with my friends and family, whom I haven’t seen in a while. I’m also excited to see my dog, Po.”

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Exploring Meaning in Photography

November 14, 2025 by Jacob Slagel

Photos do more than show a scene. They ask us to feel something and to decide what matters. As students and faculty discussed the meaning of a photo, their answers converged on the same idea. Images hold emotion, and that emotion helps us remember, connect, and sometimes change.

Dr. Scott Campbell, a faculty member, highlighted how the mind processes pictures over time. He noted that younger people tend to hold onto negative images longer than older people. “There is a difference in how we remember images,” he said, adding that some researchers think it is adaptive. Young people may be more alert to risk, while older people may not process the same images in the same way. His point set a tone for the rest of the conversation. A photo is more than pixels. It lands in a person with a history, a mood, and a body.

Campbell also brought up accuracy. “Memory is not ever an accurate recall,” he said. We rebuild moments with bias and feeling. A picture can act like evidence because it freezes details that our minds might change. At the same time, a photo is not neutral. Choices about light, timing, and framing shape what we see. That tension makes images powerful. They can preserve what happened, and they can guide how we feel about it.

Students kept coming back to emotion. For Aidan De Hartog ’27, the strongest meaning is the chance to relive a moment that would otherwise pass. “Sometimes in the moment of certain situations, a photo is a way to relive that moment,” he said. He talked about sports and the way a single frame allows an athlete to return to an action that is gone the moment it ends. Aidan also thinks photos surprise us. You expect to feel one thing, but when you see the image, a different feeling arrives. “Photos can bring different emotions to people,” he said. That surprise is part of the meaning.

Max Mortimer ’29 focused on perspective. He sees meaning working on two levels. There is a personal meaning that ties to your own life, and there can be a broader meaning that sits above any one person. Max thinks our beliefs and experiences shape what we notice. “Everyone has a different perspective,” he said. One person might read a photo as happy, another might read it as sad. He also believes that some images can still convey emotion even without a backstory. You can look, guess what the photo is trying to show, and feel something honest.

Will Wong ’27 connected photos to memory in a simple way. He takes pictures to remember what is beautiful and what matters to him. Family gatherings and travel opportunities arose immediately. He described seeing a view that exists only in one place and wanting to record it so he can carry it with him. That idea is not complicated, but it is the root of why many people point a camera at anything they see. A photo keeps a moment close.

Across all the interviews, a pattern emerged. People respond to photos that resemble them, and they also react to photos that do not. Campbell put it this way. We gravitate towards what we recognize, and we are also drawn to what is new. That mix gives a photo room to teach. Images can confirm what we believe, and they can shift our worldview when they show us something we have not encountered before.

There was also an honest question about presence: Does taking a photo pull you out of the moment? Dr. Campbell said it can be hard to be present from behind the camera. At the same time, paying close attention can almost feel like a form of meditation. Many student photographers know that balance. Sometimes, the act of making the image is how you notice more. Other times, you need to put the camera down.

If there is a single lesson to be learned from these conversations, it is that meaning lives on both sides of the lens. The photographer chooses what to honor with attention. The viewer brings a self to the picture. The meeting point is where the action is. That is why the same image can comfort one person and unsettle another. It is also why some photos last. They carry enough open space for different viewers to find a way in.

What, then, makes a photo important? The answers here suggest a few tests. It holds a feeling that stays. It helps you relive a moment you care about. It preserves details your memory might blur. It allows you to see a person or a place more clearly, or to see yourself more clearly. None of that requires a famous subject or a perfect composition. It does require attention, though, from both the photographer and the viewer.

A photo cannot reveal the complete truth, and memory cannot either. Together, they get us closer to it. That might be the work of photography in our lives. We carry images so we can carry meaning, and we return to them when we need to remember who we are, what we value, and where we hope to go next.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Opinion, Top Story

New Feminist Awareness Club

November 14, 2025 by Colten Murphy

AFFA is Northwood’s newest club. AFFA stands for Association for Feminist Action. They represent women and help bring greater awareness to feminism. They donate their earnings to a charity that supports women in underprivileged countries who lack access to education. Eddie Salisbury ‘28 is the founder and president of the club.

When asked what AFFA is, Salisbury said, “AFFA is the Association for Feminist Action, and we’re working to represent women more effectively in our Northwood community.”

The club donated proceeds to Fos Feminista, an organization that protects the health and rights of women and girls worldwide.

When asked why Salisbury started AFFA, he replied with, “At my old school, Riverdale Country School, we had AFFA and some of my friends were in the club, and I decided to join it and I had an enjoyable year and I became really passionate about feminism, so coming to Northwood, I knew that I had to start up a club of my own.”

Finally, when asked about what charity AFFA donates its earnings to, Salisbury said, “At our most recent fundraiser, we ran a bake sale where we raised $120.00 for FOS Feminista, which is a charity supporting women’s reproductive health in underprivileged countries.”

Overall, AFFA proves itself to be a great addition to the Northwood clubs and an excellent help for Feminist support and action. AFFA is available for all Northwood students to join.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Burger Review: Lake Placid Pub and Brewery

November 13, 2025 by Cody Betsch

Hello, and welcome back to another Lake Placid Burger Review. For those new here, this article features two Northwood students, Parker Thompson ‘26 and Cody Betsch ‘26, who provide candid reviews of the burger spots in town. Today, Thompson and I visited a Lake Placid staple, The Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. Recently, we reviewed a new establishment that is a sister restaurant to the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery, and the burger was great. Thompson and I had high expectations going into this review.

The Lake Placid Pub and Brewery. Photo: TripAdvisor.

The burger being reviewed today is called The Schulzy Burger, which Mr. Weaver highly praised. The burger costs $20, which is the standard price in Lake Placid. The burger comes with two different types of cheese, American and Cheddar, as well as Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce, Ketchup, and Mayo. The service was super quick; the whole review took under 30 minutes. Right from the start, the burger is incredibly juicy. The burger was overall great, super flavorful, and cooked perfectly; the bun was also excellent. Honestly, neither of us has any complaints. “The burger was delicious, definitely up there for the best in town. The overall juiciness of the burger was unreal, and the fries were great to cap it off,” Thompson ‘26 said.

The Schultzy Burger. Photo provided.

My score- 8.2

Parker’s score- 8.4

These are two of the highest scores yet in this series. If you’re in town, this place is a must-try.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Opinion

Berg Ping Pong Table Short-Lived

November 12, 2025 by Andrew Sherland

Eddie Salisbury ’28 stands over the broken table. Photo by Riley Doyle ’27.

Well, folks, the ping pong table lasted exactly one week. However, this did not come as a surprise to many of the Berg residents. Most people expected this to happen sooner rather than later, as the ping pong table given to the Berg residents was extremely subpar, to put it nicely.

“I just leaned on the middle of it, and it collapsed underneath me. I think that my weight and the faultiness of the ping pong table contributed to its destruction, but mainly because it was not very sturdy to begin with,” said Eddie Salisbury ‘28, the student who broke the table. When asked about the rumors circulating that he would be purchasing a brand new and legitimate ping pong table, Salisbury said, “I am not going to confirm or deny these rumors, but there is something in the works.”

“I was more upset that we were given such a terrible table to begin with. When you give something so fragile to a bunch of teenage boys, something like that is bound to happen. I do not think that most people are mad at Eddie because they blame the table. Hopefully, we can get a real table soon because it was fun,” said Riley Doyle ‘27, who witnessed the table crumble under Salisbury on Halloween.

The reconstructed table on two desks. Photo provided.

In a fortunate turn of events, the great minds of Berg reconstructed the table by combining the two broken halves, placing them on desks, and producing a functional ping pong table. Some residents even prefer this version, as it is less likely to be blown over by a gust of wind.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Dorm Tour: Tziyon Morris ‘26

November 12, 2025 by Noah Moodey

Removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday Northwood life, there lies a sanctuary of sorts upon the Second East boy’s dormitory hall. Walking into the room of Tziyon Morris ‘26 is like walking into the comfort of your bedroom back home. Wherever you call home, a bedroom has that same feeling: it’s comfortable, welcoming, and most of all, it’s your space.

Morris’s room does not disappoint in any of those regards. When he first moved in, Tziyon lined the walls of his room with two different variants of LED lights. This phenomenon creates a striking contrast between the brighter, more stationary lights positioned at the corners of the wall and the dimmer, more organic lights that hang like vines in the back of the room. This light system allows Morris to keep the room reflective of the mood he is in or the situation he needs. During the day, or maybe during study hall when focus is more necessary, you will often find Tziyon with his lights set on White light for that daytime feel, but after study hall when it is finally time to relax you will often find the lights on a deep A A A shade of red reflective of the calm and laid back mood at the end of the day. Photo: Noah Moodey ’26.

On the wall opposite his bed, we find three jerseys from various sports and teams. The list includes a Boston Red Sox #11 Rafael Devers jersey from the MLB, a Boston Bruins #37 Patrice Bergeron jersey from the NHL, and lastly a Minnesota United Jersey from the MLS. Each jersey means something to Morris, and although he is from and grew up in Rochester, Minnesota, his family has deep ties in Boston, so from the moment he was born, Morris has been a Red Sox and Bruins diehard. The other Jersey is the Minnesota United Jersey. Being a kid obsessed with soccer, Minnesota United was a huge deal for Morris growing up. He went to countless games and watched stars, who he considered role models, play the game he loves, and this jersey serves as a reminder of those role models and of those memories.

Next to his desk, Morris keeps his shoe rack, where the order he keeps is a depiction of his lifestyle. He likes to have everything planned out and in order. He always knows where everything is and when he will need it, and the room is a depiction of that.

Overall, Tziyon has created an escape from Northwood life. Northwood is known to be chaotic, especially for athletes, with practices, classes, and trips often overlapping. There is barely any time to catch your breath, and that’s why it’s so important to have a place of your own. His room is a serene and relaxing environment that can, if needed, transform into a studious and work-friendly space, offering the perfect blend of home and away, of work and relaxation. In other words, it’s the perfect room for Northwood School.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

When Does the Christmas Season Begin?

November 12, 2025 by Anna Monette

It’s only November 1st; Northwood School is already in the Christmas spirit. On November 1^st, my hockey team and I started listening to Christmas music on the bus, when a debate arose. Some teammates argued that the Christmas season starts on November 1st, while others argued that it starts on December 1st. This was a long argument that none of us could come to an agreement on. Fifteen of my teammates said that Christmas started on November 1^st, while four disagreed very strongly. “No Christmas starts on December 1^st; it is way too early to start celebrating now,” Oceanne Thiffault ’26 said.

After this discussion, I decided to start asking around the school to see what other people thought was the “first” day of the Christmas season. The theme was clear: many felt that Christmas started on November 1st, while others, who believed it began on December 1st, felt strongly about not starting the Christmas season too early.

“The Christmas season is not the Christmas season without snow, and I am not talking about the little bit of snow we got the other day, I mean like ground covered. I just cannot get into the Christmas spirit until the trees are covered in snow, and it’s all-white outside,” Ashton Khory ’26 said.

“Personally, I believe Christmas starts as soon as Halloween is over, because Christmas is such a special holiday, it blows right over Thanksgiving. I wish Christmas were celebrated year-round. The Christmas spirit always brings the feeling of joy and makes everyone so happy,” said Parker Thompson ’26.

Many agree with Thompson, and if all of Northwood isn’t in the Christmas spirit now, it’s almost promised that everyone will be when we return from Thanksgiving break.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Real World

New Ping Pong Table in Bergamini Dorm

November 12, 2025 by Andrew Sherland

Students Mark Tverskoy ‘26 and Jackson Marchione ‘27 playing ping-pong. Photo provided.

Students at Northwood love to compete. During the 2024-25 school year, ping pong was a massive hit in the Bergamini dorm. It was a way for students to relax with one another while, of course, competing. Unfortunately, the ping pong table was removed midway through the year due to damage caused by angry ping pong players and sore losers. This year, Berg has earned a second chance with the ping pong table.

Before the table was set up, all students in Berg and dorm parents, Mr. John Spear and Ms. Noel Carmichael, had to sign and approve the rules contract for the table. Once the sheet was signed, the table was moved down to the Berg basement lounge, and the residents have been enjoying it since.

Every Berg student signs the ping pong rules contract. Photo provided.

First-year student and 16U hockey goalie Everett Marin ‘28 said, “I think it is great. It gives us another thing to bond over, and it is nice seeing more people come to the lounge to hang out and have fun. For me, as a first-year, something like this really helps me make new friends and meet kids on different teams that I would not usually talk to.”

“I think that the ping pong table is an awesome addition to Berg. I wish it were a full-size table, but beggars cannot be choosers. I would love to see a tournament or two organized in the future, as we all enjoy competing and striving to be the best. Overall, it is great and would love to see other fun games like pool added,” said Peter Amigh ‘27.

The ping pong table is already a hit in the Berg; the only question that remains is whether the boys will be able to handle it; time will tell.

Filed Under: Northwood Life

Canadian vs American Thanksgiving: A Comparison

November 11, 2025 by Owen MacLean

Illustration: southlakeessential.com

Many students come from Canada to the United States to attend Northwood. Most of the holidays between the two countries are the same, except Thanksgiving. It truly is a cultural difference you wouldn’t expect to see coming from Canada, given how important Thanksgiving is here. “This is my second year in the U.S now, and seeing Thanksgiving here definitely was different from back home, with some things being the same,” said Quebec resident Henrik Hinse ’26.

Here is a comparison of Thanksgiving between the two countries. You can see they are both quite unique in how they celebrate.

Date. In Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October. This typically marks the end of the harvest season before the weather changes. Canadians have a shorter agricultural season due to being farther north. In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This lines up with the end of the fall harvest and the start of the holiday season.

History. The first celebration of Thanksgiving in Canada dates to 1578, when explorer Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for his safe voyage from England. Thanksgiving was later influenced by European harvest festivals. In 1957, the Canadian government officially set the date in October to celebrate Thanksgiving. On the American side, the historical origins of Thanksgiving trace back to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims and the native Wampanoag people held a three-day feast to symbolize cooperation and gratitude. Congress passed a law in 1941 to officially set the date of Thanksgiving in November.

Food. Here we are the same. The holiday meal typically features turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

Traditions. Thanksgiving in Canada is very low-key. We do get Monday off from school or work. Most people have their big Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and use Monday to rest. It is common to go for a walk in the forest to look at the fall colors. There are a couple of CFL football games on, and many people use the holiday Monday to prepare their flower beds for winter. There are no big shopping or sales.

On the other hand, Thanksgiving in the United States is a major national holiday. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is on TV. There are lots of NFL and college football games on. It is also one of the busiest travel days of the year. Thanksgiving rolls into Black Friday, and many people take this day off to start their Christmas shopping. It is a much more festive experience.

With the extra festivities in the United States, many Canadians have adopted some new traditions to bring back home and perhaps celebrate Thanksgiving twice a year. “In my family back home, we never really do Thanksgiving, so I for sure might bring it back,” said Quebec resident Theodore Ghanime ’26.