Welcome to Northwood, future Timberwolves!

In a few short months, you will walk onto our campus as members of the Class of 2024. While you may feel all sorts of ways about this, we want you to know just how excited we are to have you here. Northwood is a special place and we hope that as a member of the pack, you’ll see why. You are joining a community that tries hard to live out our core values of compassion, mutual respect, and integrity. They are important to us, and we hope they are important to you. On that note, here are just a few things to keep in mind on this subject of hope.

Let’s call it, “We hope…”

1. You will find a place to belong.

No matter where you find it, in or out of the classroom, in the Arts, Athletics, clubs, student government or even at the Oak Tree, we hope you feel like you belong. Because you do.

2. You will discover your passions.

Going to high school is an opportunity to realize what truly drives and motivates you. We are proud to say that NHS has a lot to offer, and we promise we’ll keep looking for ways to build on what we have in place, but it’s up to you to take us up on it. Don’t be afraid to take the risk.

3. You will not be afraid to fail.

If we can guarantee one thing, it’s this: there will be struggles along the way. There will be moments you’ll forget your homework, perform poorly on an exam, lose a game you thought you’d win, forget a line in the play or play the wrong note in the musical, et cetera, et ce

tera. But don’t let these seeming failures keep you from trying. We become better as a result of going through tough times. Besides, mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn. So don’t be afraid to try new things or to get involved. Your school needs you!

4. You will communicate when you need help.

The truth is we could all use a little help from our family members, our friends, our teachers, our counselors, and yes, even other students. The upperclassmen aren’t as scary as you think! So don’t be afraid to reach out for help and support when you need it. You never know: you may be helping someone else in the process.

5. You will be kind to your parents and your family.

They, like you, are going through a lot of changes. And some of these changes are scary. This being-in-high-school thing will sometimes be difficult for you, but keep in mind: it’s probably not easy for your parents or your family to see you grow so quickly so fast.

No matter how much you may want to argue or prove you’re right (or to beg to stay out with friends for just a little longer), try to understand where they’re coming from and choose kindness.

6. You will become good and responsible citizens.

Erika Christakis, a person who writes for a living, believes that the goal of the public-education system “is about preparing people to work together to advance not just themselves but society.” We tend to agree with her. We hope that one day, the learning experiences we provide you not just in our classrooms but also in our school community will somehow translate to and prepare you for learning experiences in the real world. Making a positive difference in our shared world would be nice, too.

7. You will be healthy. Practice healthy habits.

Start by getting enough sleep. You’re better off waking up earlier than staying up later (and really, there’s no point in staying up late to finish an assignment only to fall asleep in class the next day in front of your teacher). Also, find (more) productive uses for social media. Don’t get too caught up in the number of “likes” you get or who is Snapping or DMing whom. Be yourself—it will always be the best version of you.

8. You will be happy here.

This one is sort of obvious, but it’s important to mention nonetheless. And don’t forget: Have fun!

We look forward to meeting you. We can’t wait for you to be here.