“In the future, I want to pursue skiing and hopefully go to a good college where I can also pursue my academic career. And I could link those two together, go to a day one ski team and, yeah, just pursue academics, I guess, and after that, live life wherever the wind brings me

“I really, really love, like, folk, like R and B kind of music, like soft bags. And I really, really like the Lumineers, and my favorite song is Stubborn Love by the Lumineers. But on race days, I go with Tupac.

“My favorite part about Northwood is probably the schedule and how teachers are so accommodating to us traveling. So that’s definitely a plus, having them care so much about our academics and when we’re on trips and stuff.

“If people were to describe me in three words, I think they’d go with bubbly, persevering, and a foodie.

“When I was little, pre-COVID, I was 11/12, ish, I used to go to summer camp for a month, and it was in Maine, and that’s where I learned English, mostly, and other things. And I went there for three years and it was really fun. And that’s my favorite memory, just like the whole camp. It was no phones. But that’s like, back when, like, I didn’t have a phone yet, so it didn’t even matter. That’s where I learned to do kind of everything. We would have a bunch of activities. I would rock climb and water ski, so I learned a bunch of cool activities to do. It was nice. I also met a lot of good friends there that I still am connected to.”

As told to Natalie Gaeckle ’25. Photo by Michael Aldridge.

“I came to Northwood because it’s close by, the hockey is great, and one of my cousins came before me. I knew there was a tight-knit community here, and it was a much better option than going to play anywhere where I had to do online school.

“Over the past year and a half, I have enjoyed every second of my time at Northwood. I have made a lot of lifelong friends and had some great memories. The schoolwork has been challenging, but I enjoy it because it gives me a challenge to face every day. The great thing about Northwood is I have enough time to finish my work, so I never have too much trouble.

“My favorite memory at Northwood so far is going in an airplane for my ADK class. We flew over Lake Placid in a tiny airplane and it was breathtaking to see the land that we live on. I also got to go up with two of my buddies, adding to the coolness.

“After Northwood, I want to continue playing hockey, most likely at the junior level, with the goal of playing college hockey.

“If I could change anything about Northwood, it would probably be the study hall hours. Study hall is helpful, but it stinks because I have been in it my whole time at Northwood. I’m excited about senior privileges this year because they will exempt me from study hall.”

As told to Pete Moore ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“Most people don’t know that I have played thirteen sports, two of which were soccer and hockey.

“I ended up at Northwood because, well, my mom went to Northwood and graduated with the class of 1992. And it was always a thought that I should go to Northwood. I almost came to Northwood my freshman year, but then I decided I wanted to try public high school. It didn’t really work out for me, so I ended up here and I liked that I could do robotics all day and that I would have hands-on, smaller classes.

“The most rewarding thing for me about my time at Northwood is going to sound cheesy, but I’ve found that I have grown a lot as a person. That I have become more independent, mature, and confident. That’s really rewarding, especially looking back on where and who I was freshman year.

“I have had a lot of great classes at Northwood, so it’s really hard to pick a favorite. I will say that Reno’s AP Lit class was hilarious, but I absolutely love the freedom that comes with the Advanced STEM research class. I created my own project and built it. That’s pretty awesome!

“If I had to give advice to a new student, I would tell them that the Northwood experience is what you make of it; get out of your comfort zone, be yourself, and pursue every opportunity you get.

“Being at Northwood and living in the Adirondacks has given me some great outdoor opportunities. I have always loved the outdoors, but life just kind of made it hard to be outside. So, I’m glad I’ve been able to get outdoors again and go kayaking, rock climbing, camping, etc. I definitely don’t have access to that anywhere else.

“After I graduate, I’m going to go to college and do research. Super far into the future, I hope to get a PhD. I am hoping at some point, though, to take a year off and live out of a van to travel and explore.”

As told to JT Wint ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“I have been flying for four years and have soloed a couple of times. Currently I am working on trying to get my private pilot’s license for my Peak Pathway. I am thinking about doing aviation as a possible career and maybe joining the AirForce someday.

“I have been lucky to grow up in Lake Placid my whole life. Prior to attending Northwood, I went to North Country School for six years before coming here in tenth grade. I also had several friends who were coming to Northwood that same year, which made it easier to attend a new school. I came to Northwood because it gave me the opportunity to take my skiing to the next level without having to compromise my academics.

“At Northwood I have participated in Nordic Skiing/Biathlon as well as Crew.  I would say that I most enjoy Skiing and Biathlon, as that is the sport I came to Northwood for, but I have really loved learning how to row over the past three years. Crew is a pretty challenging sport, and it was fun for me to learn how to do something new. I also really enjoyed the teamwork it taught me, especially rowing in a quad with three other girls.

“As of right now, I am not exactly sure what my plans are for after high school, but I know that I want to keep skiing at an elite level, whether that is during a gap year or at college.”

As told to Jesse Schoch ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“I attended Saranac Lake High School for my freshman year after attending a similar school to Northwood prior. After my freshman year, I realized I wanted something more like my old school which was more than just a school to me. It was a place that I could feel at home. I found this place at Northwood.

“I came to Northwood mainly for the skiing, and because I wanted a better community like I had before.  I had some friends who went to Northwood who said the community was really good, but I was still surprised at how welcome I felt when I arrived. There are so many activities at the start of the year and throughout the year that made me feel welcome. My favorite activity at Northwood was Spring Pickle Ball. It was really a great experience.

“While at Northwood, we have worked and built a really good Nordic Program that works really well. The program has helped me mature as both a person and an athlete. I am hopeful that we get more Nordic specific skiers now that we have a good program with great coaches.

“Next year I hope to ski Division 1. I applied to Baites College Early Decision, and I should get my decision in about a month. I am going to miss the people here the most. I have developed so many special relationships with my teammates, coaches, friends, and teachers.  I’ll also miss the place that has become much more than a school to me.”

As told to Jack Kroll ’25. Photo by Michael Aldridge

“Pineapple absolutely has a place on Pizza. What’s even better than Pineapple on Pizza is honey on Pizza. The mix of sweet and Savory is a great combo.

“My hidden talent is Embroidery. I started it when I was around 12 or 13. And yeah, I would embroider shirts, hoodies, and all kinds of stuff.”

“If I were to play another sport, it would be the 400-meter dash or Cross-country skiing. I skied varsity, and we won states. I always swear by cross-country skiing being the hardest endurance sport physically.

“Here’s the advice I would give everyone: take risks in the direction of the person you want to be. I took a risk toward the person I wanted to be when I decided to come to Northwood. I wanted to come here because I didn’t want to be an adult and look back and think what I could have become, what I could have done with soccer – so I took that risk. After all, I didn’t want to look back and have regrets. So, my advice is to ‘take risks in the direction of the person you want to be’ because if you take risks that are in the direction you want to be, the ones that pay off will be in your favor.’

“Since my time at Northwood is ending, I want to thank a few people who made a significant impact during my time here. First, Coach Moodey and Profé Coss. I’ve known Moodey since I was 11, and he’s the reason I’m here, he’s my connection to this place. Coss has come to the program recently, and I’ve built an incredible relationship with him, more so than with any other co, a shout out to those two coaches because they’ve significantly impacted my process here.

“I also want to shout out Jordan [Shullenberger]; he’s not only a great friend but also very real. Meaning he doesn’t do stuff to do stuff. He’s very conscious about what he does and is a big thinker – a good thinker. So, those are things I like about him and can relate to.

“Lastly, I would like to thank Northwood for allowing me to grow up here. Northwood has guided me to who I am now. A good quote that sums up Northwood is this: You can’t enjoy something for what it is until it’s over. I feel that that quote has been true for many people who have graduated, and that quote is true for me as well. So yeah, thank you, Northwood, for all you have allowed me to do and helped me become who I am today.”

As told to Gavin Kruger ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“I was born in these halls, my father worked here for my entire life, so it was kind of a given that I would end up here at Northwood as a student. My parents also put me in hockey at a young age, and the competitive hockey program at Northwood has been amazing to be a part of for the 5 years I have been here and has been one of the main reasons I have stayed.

“I think the greatest accomplishment of my life has been the way I have grown as a person since I came to Northwood. I came here as a skittish 14-year-old, not knowing who I was or what I wanted to become. Now, I think I can say I have grown into a sociable, likable, and easily approachable person since I have been here.

“As I mentioned, Northwood has helped me grow significantly as a person, but it has done so much more. I have created friendships that I am confident will last a lifetime. I have made memories that will stick with me forever. Northwood is a place that I could never forget or replace.

“’I want to,’ is the mentality my parents set into me at a young age. They preached that every day is a new day, even if yesterday was great, even if yesterday was bad, every day is a new day, a new opportunity for you to accomplish something, and if you can string together enough good days, you can accomplish great things.

“Something unique about me is that I am a scratch golfer, but most people at school know that. Something people don’t know is that I am a cinephile, someone who loves movies. I spend a lot of time watching movies with Donny and I would say my favorite movie ever is The Gentleman.”

As told to Michael Peluso ’25. Photo provided.

“I found out about Northwood from an alum who had an excellent experience a couple of years ago, and it made me want to check the school out. I toured the school last fall and loved the campus and the area where the school is located. I loved that our home rink would be the Olympic Center, and it seemed nice to get a change of pace from living in Minnesota. The coaches were great to me when I visited, which made it ideal.

“My year has been great so far. It’s a big change after living at home my whole life, and now I am a boarding student. But the school and the hockey have both been going well, and there is no other place I’d rather be.

“My favorite memory at Northwood thus far is our first weekend in Rochester. Going on the first road trip with the team was monumental, and winning Bishop Kearney’s tournament against them in the finals.

“After Northwood, I plan to continue playing hockey, hopefully at the Division III college hockey. I don’t know where, but I want to continue playing at a high level.

“If I could change anything about Northwood, I wish dinner would be a little later. I never usually eat dinner at 5:30, and eating so early was a change of pace. This is a tough question to answer though, because I love everything about Northwood.”

As told to Pete Moore ‘25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

“I came to Northwood to further my ski career and get a good education. Doing both these things was no longer possible at my old school, so I decided to come to Northwood. My favorite part has been the people I’ve met. I’ve also appreciated the hard-working environment at Northwood. Everyone here is chasing a dream, which motivates me in school and skiing. When I leave, I will miss my friends the most.

“After Northwood, I plan to go to college, hopefully at Queens University. I won’t be skiing there; instead, I will cycle. A fun fact about me is that I am very good at cycling and won a provincial championship when I was 15.

“Northwood has been a great experience for me, and I will miss it a lot when I graduate. I am grateful for all the lessons it has taught me and all the memories I have made here.”

As told to Sydney Kuder ’25. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.