ED–venture

Catching up with Annie Edwards

In 1983, a young Annie Connellan, fresh out of St. Lawrence University, arrived at Northwood to become Chair of the Language Department. For the more than three decades that followed, Annie wholeheartedly immersed herself in the whirlwind of boarding school life.

In her varied roles of teacher, mentor, coach, dorm parent and administrator, she fostered community at every turn. As her family with former long-time faculty member Jeff “Eddie” Edwards grew to add Lizzie ’08, Nick ’11, and Matt ’14, the Edwards were tightly woven into the fabric of the School.

So, it was a surprise to many in 2017 when she and Jeff uprooted and moved halfway across the globe to Beijing, China. Jeff had been offered an exciting opportunity to work in Asia to promote endurance sports and produce athletic events. At first it seemed inconceivable to move so far from family, friends and their beloved Adirondacks, but the Edwards were adventurous and embraced the challenge. Annie retired from Northwood and accepted a position as the Director of University Guidance at an International Baccalaureate World School called Beijing City International School (BCIS). Some thought it was a wild leap at that point in their careers. Annie and Jeff think it was the wisest decision they’ve made!

Northwood caught up with Annie to hear her reflections on this adventure and to discover the new direction her educational career has taken in the years since departing for China. On how she adapted to her post in Beijing, Annie shares, “My transition to working and living internationally was made easier in large part due to the sense of community I felt from my first interview.” She adds, “I’ve also found that adapting to situations as they arise while trying to see everything from an optimistic perspective is critical when working with diverse student needs, and these are also skills that helped me acclimate to living overseas and in a big, vibrant city.” Located in the central business district, the school is an international day school comprised of students from over fifty countries. “I felt at peace being part of a community there. I made many dear friends from all around the world and once a former Northwood student of mine even visited me at school!”

During her time at BCIS, Annie was asked to take over half of the high school student body — not only as a college counselor but as the social-emotional counselor as well, despite explaining she had no formal training. “I enjoyed it but yearned to learn more. There was a second counselor, and I mentored her in college counseling, and she mentored me in socialemotional topics. I learned while doing — talk about experiential learning in action!”

In early 2020, the Edwards spent their vacation during Chinese New Year skiing in Japan. COVID was beginning to make global headlines, so they returned to their Lake Placid home to wait out the pandemic. Working remotely from their base in the ADKs, Jeff continued to work with his team in Asia, and Annie completed her BCIS post by working virtually with her international students. Many of her students were quarantined in city apartments all around the world and had seen no one besides their parents for over a month. “As I met with them virtually, we discussed course selection for the upcoming year, career pathways, the college search and application topics. Student after student would then ask me if I had a few more minutes to talk,” Annie says, “When I happily agreed and gently asked what they wished to talk about, I found that each student simply needed a listener. They felt isolated, scared, nervous, and anxious; all of them needed to process their feelings and talk to someone. They knew me and trusted me, and so I listened.”

At the time, Annie was hanging out her shingle as an independent college counseling consultant, but it was becoming clear to her that she was being pulled in an additional direction as well. Sensing a tremendous need for more trained school counselors globally, Annie plotted her next course. The following summer she enrolled in The College of New Jersey’s International School Counseling program in pursuit of a second Master’s degree.

When asked about embarking on this new career path as a school counselor, Annie shares, “I feel that all my passions for academics, athletics, mindfulness, and wellness funnel into this field of study.” A school counselor serves students in four domains: academic, college and career, social-emotional development, and advocacy. Annie says, “The goal is to guide every student to learn mindsets and behaviors to be successful and prepared for college, career, and post-secondary school life.”

One requirement for completing her degree is a two-semester internship so she reached out to Northwood and, in the fall of 2022, Annie became our school counseling intern. Even though she is back on home turf at Northwood, Annie confesses that she sometimes feels like Robert De Niro in the movie, The Intern “While I am certainly older than most faculty members, I still have lots of energy and really enjoy my time with students. This is an opportunity to give back to the community I love.”

Annie works closely with Tara Wright, Northwood’s School Psychologist and Director of the Learning Center. “I could not ask for a better mentor,” says Annie. “I share what I’m learning in my courses

“There’s an essence to Northwood School that cannot be put into words. Instead, it shows itself in the actions and character of its community. For thirty-four years, no one displayed this essence better than Anne Edwards. Inspiring community service, offering a maternal shoulder to students in need, even teaching hockey players to knit, Annie wasn’t just an instructor. She is a living personification of the School itself.” with Tara, and she guides and supports me as I put my learning into action.”

Annie is spending long days at Northwood meeting with students one-on-one or in small groups. “My interests in stress management, mindfulness, and worklife balance are some of the topics I am currently offering to my students. I offer a weekly “Knitting and Stress Management Group” and a “Mindfulness Coloring Group” this semester. Many students are also coming to my office to color or knit a few rows and chat between classes or when they have a free period. My plan is to extend offerings in mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques.”

Now in her final semester pursuing this degree, Annie has gained the methods and techniques needed to become a culturally competent counselor and plans to combine this degree with her certificate in college counseling to “better support students as they navigate their high school years.”

As for Jeff, he’s still involved with the production of endurance sports events throughout Asia. He says (and you might

See the World...

chuckle), “Believe it or not, the many years I spent organizing the Northwood School Winter Carnival prepared me well for organizing international mass participation sporting events.” This past year he worked in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, and Indonesia based from his office in Singapore.

Jeff now travels back and forth to Asia with large portions of the year spent in Lake Placid. Annie and Jeff can be found on the trails hiking, running, or mountain biking. During the winter season, they ski every day — choosing Nordic or Alpine depending on the snowfall. “Today we had a beautiful snow-filled day with fresh powder at the ski hill. It seems that it might be a two-sport day, and we will also head into the woods toward Echo Pond for a XC ski on the Purple Trail at the base of Cobble.” Yes, Team Edwards has carved out a nice international niche for themselves, right here in our own backyard. Onwards, Edwards!

ANNIE’S KNITTING WAS FEATURED in our electronic newsletter, Northwood News. To subscribe, please make sure we have your current email address by writing to: alumni@northwoodschool.org.

“We had an amazing experience living in Beijing and as a bonus we got to travel all over Asia. I fell in love with Bali and Langkawi — the oceans, forests, and mountains restore me. Jeff notes of their travel itinerary: “Together, Annie and I hiked on remote sections of the Great Wall of China multiple times. We visited The Palace Museum and The Forbidden City. We visited Tiananmen Square and strolled through Beihai Park. We saw The Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace. We toured Beijing National Stadium, the site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. We were awed by the history and traditions at Lama Temple and the Beijing Temple of Confucius, and the talent exhibited in the 798 Art Zone. We rode camels in Dunhuang in the Gobi Desert and walked along the Silk Road. We visited Xi’An, Shaanxi, China and saw the Terracotta Warriors. We skied in Japan, and we went to see the pandas at the Dujiangyan Panda Base, outside Sichuan’s capital of Chengdu, China.”

Additionally, there was a summer component to Annie’s graduate program where all courses were in-person in Carcavelos, Portugal. So, Jeff and Annie headed to Portugal in the summer of 2022. Jeff continued to work remotely in a beautiful seaside setting before heading back to Asia to put on more events. Annie studied side-by-side with classmates she had only met virtually.

Many an alum will recall Jeff’s sage college guidance advice: “You can’t get in if you don’t apply!” He’d like to add this advice to alums: “Take risks and live a life full of adventure. Try something new and travel to distant lands. See the world, meet people, and embrace the cultures you encounter.”