Northwood Life – The Mirror

A Photo Recap of the Ski Team’s Camp in Chile

October 3, 2024 by Natalie Gaeckle

Plane picture of the Andes on the way into Santiago. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Bags crowding the lobby. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Driving up, the landscape transforms from desert-like to mountainous. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Full ski room! Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

One of the many 7 am sunrises. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Team warming up with drills. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

GS gates on Foxtrot right above the resort. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Sunset! Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

September snowstorm. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Fox on the hill after light snow from the night before. Photo by Natalie Gaeckle ’25.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize Recap

September 30, 2024 by Sasha Luhur

Sasha Luhur ’27. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

I’m at the gate at JFK International Airport, recounting my experience as a shortlisted finalist in the 2024 John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize event in London, UK. It was a truly fun and rewarding week, and I made many new friends!

Friday

This was arguably the most nerve-wracking part of the week—I walked into the lobby with my parents and was surrounded by fellow finalists. No one was talking to each other, and they mostly stayed with their parents, so it was daunting. I remember feeling out of place or that I shouldn’t be there with all these amazing kids. (Later, I found out that literally all of us had felt the exact same way.)

2024 John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize event in London, UK. Photo by Sasha Luhur ’27.

The event on the schedule that day was our mixer and welcome dinner, with the main purpose being to meet our peers and get comfortable with each other for the rest of the weekend. By the time the night was over, everyone on our table had become good friends, and we talked about everything, from our essay topics to our daily lives at our respective schools. We listened to the welcome speeches whose themes were around the goal of the John Locke Institute– “intellectual humility and the courage to think differently”– followed by preparations for our academic conferences, which were scheduled for the day after.

Saturday

2024 John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize event in London, UK. Photo by Sasha Luhur ’27.

The day started at 9:45 a.m., beginning with a welcome address before the speakers took turns onstage. We listened to speeches from different professors on neuroscience, history, economics, and philosophy, as well as from politicians on their experiences in their fields. There were also student speakers selected to present their essays to their peers, and it was really inspiring to listen to these intelligent peers and get a sense of what other people wrote. In between lectures, we attended exhibitions from The Economist and different college-prep organizations. It was a long and packed day, but I learned a lot from the conferences and rushed back to the hotel at about 5 p.m. to prepare for the awards gala later that evening.

The awards dinner was my favorite part of the weekend—not for the food and ambiance, which was amazing, but because at my assigned table I met an entirely new group of eloquent and funny finalists. That group formed some of the best conversations I had at the event, and by the end of the night, we had covered many kinds of academic and school-life topics. I didn’t win a podium award; I earned a Merit award, but I’m glad I was even chosen as a finalist and couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to meet so many brilliant, fun, and humble peers from different parts of the world.

Sunday

On the last day, we had a half-day of college briefings about admissions into Oxford and Cambridge, or as they like to call it there, “Oxbridge.” We heard from alumni and former admissions officers about what they look for in their applicants, how the UK admissions system works, which parts of the application are emphasized, and how it differs from other countries’ expectations. It was very informative, and afterward, I still had the rest of the day to explore more of London with my parents. After dinner, it was time to pack as we were to leave London the next morning.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Real World

Tour Guides Play a Key Role

September 24, 2024 by Cedric Lemaire

An overhead shot of campus. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

The 2024-25 school year is underway with the first two weeks of school done. However, it is already time to focus on the years to come, starting with Monday’s meeting on student-led tour guides.

Northwood’s initiative to have students lead family tours leaves a lasting impression on those who visit. I still remember my own tour five years ago. I entered campus, overwhelmed yet excited for what was to come. After countless meetings with faculty and teachers, the tour around campus with two college-bound soccer players offered a glimpse of the real Northwood experience.

Nerves, excitement, anxiety, or whatever you may feel can be eased when you can explore Northwood’s beautiful campus with someone of your generation.

The admissions office, which includes Mr. Gino Riffle, Ms. Elenor Mandigo, Ms. Carrie Wardlaw, and Mr. Jeff Miller, selects people for student-led tours . They are holding a meeting on Tuesday for those interested in giving their time to help tour applicants. Those called upon for tours are Blue Key Society Members, and their job entails the following:

“Dear Blue Key Society Member:

Congratulations on becoming a Blue Key Society Member (BKS). It is a special honor to be selected as an “ambassador” representing our School. The Admissions Office thanks you for accepting this responsibility and for being generous with your time. As a reminder you may be the first person many of our guests will meet upon arriving on campus, and very often this “first” impression will go a long way in making visitors feel comfortable while here at Northwood.

As you approach your responsibilities as a BKS, you should recognize that the best tours are those that mix sincere knowledge of Northwood with a willingness to let your personality shine. Remember to relax and be yourself. The Admissions Office has great confidence in each of you and thinks this could be the best group of BKS members ever.

In this handbook you will find a tour guide outlining the route your tour should take along with tips and reminders to help your tour go smoothly. New this year is a tour procedure that will give you more notice as to your tour date and time. Remember the Admissions Office is relying on you to place your personal touch on each tour by describing some of your own experiences here. These experiences can include anything from your first visit to campus, your first year at Northwood, your favorite teacher, a special memory with a roommate, an exciting victory in athletics or your first Northwood competition. It is through your ability to make a connection with each visitor that Northwood will continue to attract exceptional students like yourself.

Again, thank you for your time, your enthusiasm and your smiles!

Happy tours!”

Updated Blue Key Society Provided by Ms. Mandigo

Ms. Elenor Mandigo. Photo: Mr. MIchael Aldridge.

I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Mandigo to discuss the purpose and importance of these tours. I expressed to her the impact that my experience with these unique student-led tours had in making my decision and asked what they looked for in a student to entrust them with the responsibility of touring a family.

“Whoever is giving the tour and depending on what they are saying is representing what the school is,” Mandigo said. “And so, you want somebody who is informed and a good representation of the school,” she added.

Mandigo also explained how they assign a tour guide to a family, often putting a hockey girl with another hockey girl, and this is because “The parents and the students that are visiting feel more comfortable asking questions to the student. If it were an adult, maybe the student wouldn’t ask as many important questions.”

Her insight into how tours should be run was vast and I advise any Northwood students interested in leaving a lasting impression to attend Tuesday’s meeting to take the first step to becoming a Northwood tour guide.

Some “Tour Tips” shared by Ms. Mandigo.

How the tour works, shared by Ms. Mandigo.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Northwood’s Outdoor Program Gets a Facelift

September 24, 2024 by JT Wint

Rock climbing, ice climbing, whitewater kayaking, backcountry and alpine skiing, fly fishing, and hiking are some activities that Northwood students enjoy. In previous years, the school program designed to get kids outside to experience the Adirondacks was called the Northwood Outing Club (NOC), but it recently underwent a name change. During the summer of 2024, it was renamed the Northwood Adventure Sports Program (NASP), more commonly called “NAS.” The program director, Bobby O’Connor, is a highly qualified and experienced outdoor/adventure professional and former Paul Smith’s College recreation professor. Bobby earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Expeditionary Studies from SUNY Plattsburgh and holds many licenses and certifications for guiding, instructing, and wilderness and avalanche first response.
O’Connor joined Northwood in the fall of 2021 because he felt that he had hit a plateau in his career, and he saw this as an opportunity to take the reins from the legendary Don Mellor. “I guess the opportunity to have something fresh and new with the potential for growth was really exciting to me,” O’Connor said.

When asked why the program was given a facelift, Bobby said, “The change from Northwood Outing Club to Northwood Adventure Sports Program came for a number of different reasons. One is just the lingo that’s being used in the industry now. The term Outing Club, in my opinion, has been pushed out of the industry. Adventure Sports is viewed as a catchier phrase for marketing purposes. Also, clubs are often perceived as student-run and may not be funded at the level of programs run by faculty with definitive budgets. So, in short, I feel that making this change updates our program to more modern terms and validates the fact that we’re more than a club. We’re an actual staple outdoor program that is training young individuals at a pretty high level and executing some pretty serious expedition style trips, both within North America and internationally.”

Photo courtesy of Eric Adsit.

Bobby’s excitement for the coming school year is obvious when he talks about the success and growth of his program and he said, “I’m excited for the trips we have on the itinerary for the year and we’re pretty busy this fall. I’m excited to take students to Japan to ski. I’ve never been there, and I think that’s going to be a really powerful life changing trip for a lot of these students. But I think what I’m most excited about is just the crew of students we have in the Northwood Adventure Sports Program this year. Among them we have a really strong group of seniors that are going to be graduating in May, and they’re really taking the reins on leading a lot of these different trips, and also just teaching the general hard and soft skills. So, I’m super excited to spend one more year with them, watching them grow and then seeing where they end up a year from now.”
The program currently has 15 students participating full-time or part-time for their co-curricular activities. Keep a look out for pictures and more information about their upcoming adventures.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

New Foodservice Company Gets Mostly Positive Reviews

September 24, 2024 by Michael Peluso

CulinArt Chef-Manager Tim Bellair. Photo: Mr. John Spear.

Northwood has made some significant changes for the 2024-2025 school year. One of the bigger ones for students is the new food service, CulinArt. It has only been a few weeks since students arrived on campus, but many students have already developed a strong appreciation for this new food service.

As a school for top athletes, nutrition plays a massive role in the development and performance of the teams on campus. At the end of the last school year, there were many requests from students to get healthier options for meals. One of CulinArt’s goals is to give healthier options to athletes.

Head chef Tim Bellair says that he understands the demand on athletes and said, “You guys burn 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day. You guys need fuel and power.” He also said that the menu had been created in collaboration with coaches to provide the student-athletes the best mix of protein, carbs, and low-fat foods.

CulinArt has already made lots of changes in the dining hall, which the students have enjoyed. “The protein bowl or power bowl section they added” is Shane Tronoski’s ’25 favorite addition. “Also, the watermelon and cottage cheese at breakfast, I really like that,” Tronoski added.

“The steak in the grain bar,” is Gus Garvey’s ’25 favorite addition. “Also I am a big fan of them leaving the doors open more often. I sit in there and do a lot of schoolwork, and it seems they are more open to letting students go in to grab snacks or drinks at any time during the day,” he added.

Northwood also had a formal dinner on Wednesday, September 11^th. Formal dinners consist of all the students dressing up and being served a higher quality dinner than normal. Reviews for this meal were a little mixed. “I thought it was really good. Everything I ate was excellent,” Tronoski said. On the other side, Gus Garvey thought the formal was okay, and his main takeaway was, “This is the first formal that they have ever run out of red meat. This is my fourth year and it’s the first time that has happened.” Chef Tim has acknowledged this issue and said he “severely underestimated how much the students would eat, but that won’t happen again.”

Although the reviews have been mostly positive, there will always be complaints. The biggest complaints I have heard from walking around the school consist of no pasta bar, quesadilla bar, or rice during lunch. Garvey mentioned, “There’s no hot chocolate machine,” when he was asked about his least favorite part of the new dining hall.

Bellair stressed the importance of feedback from the students. He made it very clear that all feedback is appreciated and he is here to make our meals enjoyable. He also mentioned that an app will be coming soon where students can review meals on their phones. Bellair wants everyone to know that he is still learning and will continue to improve and resolve any issues.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Top Story

Skiers Appreciate the Natural Beauty of Chile

September 24, 2024 by Sydney Kuder

Photo by Sydney Kuder ‘25

The Northwood ski team has been in Valle Nevado, Chile, since September 13^th. Valle Nevado is well known for its stunning sunrises and sunsets, and panoramic views of the Andes mountains. The ski team has been in awe of their surroundings the first few days of the camp, snapping photos of sunrises while loading the poma lift in the morning, and viewing the sunset at night from their hotel.

Many athletes have downloaded an app called Alpenglow, which predicts the beauty of the sunrise and sunset that day. Anja Robertson ‘26 loves viewing the beautiful sky while loading the lift for skiing in the morning. “Having Alpenglow downloaded makes watching the sunrise and sunset very convenient because I know beforehand how great it is going to be,” Robertson said.

Photo by Sydney Kuder ‘25

The ski team is not just in awe of sunsets and sunrises, however; they were blown away on the first day of skiing by the view of the Andes mountains from the top of Valle Nevado. “The view from the summit is mesmerizing,” Lola Ferillo ’27 said. “Skiing at Valle Nevado is more enjoyable because of the sights it offers,” she added.

The ski team is more than halfway through their camp and look forward to many more sunrises and sunsets to come. They just completed their first four-day block of Slalom and have a four-day GS block next. They have been enjoying their camp so far and can’t wait for their next day on snow.

Left to right: Natalie Gaekle ‘25, Sydney Kuder ‘25, Cara Dempsey ‘25, Anja Robertson ‘26, Elleanore Pelletier ‘25, Marie-Jeanne Cazes ‘25, Leanne Aubut-Laurin ‘26, Arielle Haccoun-Chaquete ‘25, Bella Cummings ‘27, Maika Beaudoin ‘27, Riley Ward ‘27. Photo by Raychel West.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Humans of Northwood: Dr. Scott Campbell

September 24, 2024 by Li Feng

“In addition, I completed a one-year business degree in Arts and Creative Leadership, also at Wisconsin. Over the years, I’ve explored my academic pursuits with a career in music and theater, which has given me a deep understanding and empathy for students. I know the challenges they face, having spent considerable time in school myself.

“Throughout my academic journey, I’ve seen many students enter graduate school without clear direction, which often leads to frustration. I believe that education is only as valuable as the effort and curiosity you bring to it. If you are passionate and driven by questions you want to answer, the experience becomes rewarding and even enjoyable.

“In my teaching, I encourage students to explore their interests and guide them in discovering what resonates with them. I design projects that allow for this exploration, encouraging both engagement and personal growth.

“I am deeply grateful for the educational opportunities I’ve had and through it, I recognize the privilege of time, resources, and good fortune that many don’t have. Having completed three advanced degrees, I have no regrets. Time is finite, but I’ve made the most of mine, and I aim to help students do the same.”

As told to Li Feng ’25. Photo provided.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Student Council Elections Slated for September 24

September 24, 2024 by Jesse Schoch

New nominees for the ninth, tenth, and eleventh-grade councils will be chosen as the new year kicks off. Council members must show leadership and collaboration skills to take on various responsibilities including planning school events and advocating for their peers. They will also need to help Northwood live up to its 2024-2025 theme “Balance.”

Returning student, tenth-grade council member Sasha Luhur ‘27 spoke highly about being a part of her grade’s council. “I was elected to 9th-grade student council last year along with two other classmates,” Luhur said. “The process is pretty straightforward–anyone can get up and pitch to the rest of their class about why they would be a good representative for the grade.” She also described major events she helped plan from the annual Valentine’s dance to school orientation activities.

Sasha Luhur ’27. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

As exciting as being a leader may be, it sometimes proves to be a daunting responsibility. Part of planning events may include weekly meetings, creative thinking, and problem-solving. Luhur says, “It’s much easier to brainstorm fun ideas for our peers than to make them a reality and run smoothly.” She told me that despite the current council making increases to the number of community events, she predicts that they may still face issues of “perfecting logistics” and gaining a unanimous vote.

Luhur’s closing remarks underlined her enjoyment of being a part of Northwood’s tenth-grade council. “It’s great being able to make fun things happen instead of just saying to my friends, “It would be so cool if we had this.” She encourages anyone who wants to make Northwood a welcoming academic and social environment to join the student council. “For anyone who has ideas to create change at both the grade and whole-school level, student council is the best way to realize them.”

Council elections will be held on Tuesday, September 24^th.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Clay Fuller ‘25

September 24, 2024 by Yosef Spear

“I came to Northwood halfway through freshman year, originally on the ski racing team. I premediated a plan starting in seventh grade to go to a ski academy that did not have a freestyle team but had racing because I was good at that. I wanted to secure a position at a set place, then branch off into a freestyle skier.

“During my first year here, Raychel West pushed me to create a freestyle team. It was difficult in the beginning trying to make a name for ourselves because of how many other big ski academies there are in the East for freestyle. Nevertheless, I made sure to advocate for Northwood freestyle at all the competitions I went to and always tagged the team in my ski posts on social media. In the end it all worked out as I am now a senior and started the team with just me, but it has grown to 8 Northwood freestyle athletes.

“I love to go home and go cruising in my car, ski with my friends, work out, mountain bike, travel, and hang out with my parents and dogs. When here in Lake Placid, I like to hike Cobble, practice flips out on the field and go to the jumping complex. I have an alter ego named Crash out Clay or “CC” for short. I am interested in psychology and like to express myself through my words. I am interested in sales and hope to work in that profession later in life. A fun fact about me is that I deadlift 500 pounds.

“In my perfect world, I would head over to the University of Madison-Wisconsin and get my bachelor’s in business administration. At that point I would have to make the decision to get my master’s or not. Hopefully, I will end up in Chicago as a broker, and for the first ten or twenty years I would love to climb up the corporate ladder and one day start a business of my own. I hope to live just outside of the suburbs of Chicago around the lakes, which I adore.”

As told to Yosef Spear ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Get to know Samuel Andoh ‘28

September 24, 2024 by Gavin Kruger

Samuel Andoh ’28. Photo provided.

Samuel Andoh ’28 is a ninth grader from Ghana who came to Northwood to pursue his dream of playing professional soccer. His peers and teammates recognize him as a hardworking and humble student-athlete.

So far, he is settling into Northwood well. “I’m getting comfortable, but it is stressful. There is a lot of stuff going on.” Andoh also shared the differences between school here versus school back home. “In Ghana, we write in books, we don’t use any laptops; that is too expensive. So, I’m now getting used to using a laptop for schoolwork. I also find the teaching different. Back home, the teachers are less… patient. I find here, I can ask as many questions as I need; in Ghana, it’s not the same.”

Andoh explained to me that back home, his family doesn’t have much. “My family is passing through a lot of difficult times, and sometimes we don’t have food to eat or the resources we need. I left my family at the age of 12 to find a good education and to continue my career [in soccer].”

Samuel Andoh ’28 in the black kit. Photo provided.

I asked Samuel what soccer is like in Ghana compared to here. “It’s very different. We don’t play on turf back home. The ground is rough. When you fall, you get hurt; it’s not like here, where we get to use nice turf.”

He also shared his future aspirations: “My dream is to work hard so one day I can change my family’s lives and the community I’m from.”

He also took some time to share with me his faith in God. “The journey that I’m on is thanks to God. God held my hand from the beginning to today. I believe that with God all things are possible; he will make a way for me.”