Hazel O. (Class of '30) is currently in 8th grade at the Northwest School, and they are exploring and building community on campus through music and band. Not only does Hazel currently play in the Middle School Band and Pep Band - they also play in Intro to Band and have created a music-centered Interest Group that makes musical experiences and appreciation accessible to other middle schoolers like them.
"I was young when I first got into music," explains Hazel. "My dad plays the piano and alto sax, and my grandma sings in a choir and plays violin - we're a very musical family. My dad gave me a recorder when I was eight years old." When Hazel was in 4th grade, their school offered a music program and they thought it would be fun to join and explore. "I chose the trumpet," they share, adding that "I still play it today. This year, I also started learning tenor sax."
Northwest has opened up a world of musical possibilities to Hazel, including opportunities to play in the Pep Band and even writing their own music. "My teachers got me into MuseScore, a free music composition and notation software," they say. "So lately, I've been experimenting and making my own electronic music."
The Northwest School is a great community! It really encourages my love to get out and do things. It's much more than just teaching - you can spend time going outdoors, learning about the community, doing art and science and math, and so much more.
Hazel has been at Northwest since 6th grade and enjoys being in band. Her instructor, Madison Keezer-Birmingham, appreciates several traits that speak to Hazel's drive to help others. "Hazel is fantastic," she notes. "They frequently get to class early to play music and practice, they help me set up the room, and have even helped tutor other band students on occasion."
Their passion for sharing and building a musical community even prompted Hazel to start and run Musical Dreams, a student interest group for other Middle Schoolers. "I started Musical Dreams in 6th grade," they share, "and mostly because I wanted another opportunity to play band - Pep Band and a secondary instrument were not available options for me at that time. So I decided to start this group." And under Hazel's leadership, the group has grown over the years from just two other students to eight students today. "We meet once a week on Mondays," says Hazel, "and we practice jazz and blues, with a focus on learning how to solo an instrument."
Hazel has also discovered other passions at Northwest, and is finding ways to explore science, technology, math, and the outdoors through our interdisciplinary curriculum. "I enjoy going to the MakerSpace every week," they say. "It's a lot of fun. I have attempted to build a robot, I 3D printed a plane, created some miniatures, and also learned how to felt, laser cut, and so many other things." Currently, they are working on a board game that focuses on teamwork and cooperation. "It's in the very early stages," they add with a shy smile.
They also have a fondness for math. "All the Math classes are really well taught at this school," they note. "Right now, I am taking an advanced Geometry class for 9th graders." The historic school building, old wooden doors, and student art projects from across the decades displayed across campus are also uniquely Northwest features that Hazel appreciates.
Northwest also allows Hazel to indulge another key passion: the outdoors. "My mom's side of the family is very into outdoor activities, and Mom got me into skiing," they say. "I even volunteered at a ski and snow sports museum last summer." Northwest's Outdoor Program has given Hazel several opportunities to get out and explore the beautiful Pacific Northwest. "I went on the cross-country ski trip last year," they say, " as well as a snow shoeing trip, a biking trip, and a couple of hiking trips." They pause before adding, "I love that so many of the teachers are engaged in the Outdoor Program and interest groups," they note. "It really helps you feel more connected to them as people – you seem them more often, they are more engaged and a real part of the community."
Hazel's other interests intertwine creativity, technology, the outdoors, and music. "I’m big into video games," they say, "and especially the ones in which you can build stuff, like Minecraft, Cities: Skylines, and Satisfactory."
Asked about their future goals, Hazel is open to letting these emerge over time. "I don't know yet. I am interested in becoming a pilot. Or an architect," they disclose. "But I'm still figuring it out."
One thing is clear - with their passion for music, technology, science, and math, the possibilities are endless.
