Henry Dworkin ’20
Jesse Woody is an underappreciated member of the Woodberry community. Everyday Mr. Woody comes to Woodberry with an excitement and passion about his work that inspires those around him.
Mr. Woody loves getting outside as much as possible, particularly when he can work with students on a grounds project. One of the reasons he came to Woodberry was the opportunity to work with students and give them a greater appreciation for the outdoors.
Last year, two seniors had senior distinction projects working on the grounds with Mr. Woody. The majority of their work was predominate with the gardner, however, they also got the chance to work some of the equipment like a tractors and Kubota carts. He believes Woodberry should be able to reach a point that it requires minimal maintenance and still look beautiful without the use of as many chemicals.
Mr. Woody’s very passionate about a future space completely dedicated to outdoor education. He is very excited about the growing outdoor program because there are more students and more students getting involved in the program each year.
Before working with Mr. Lavoie, Mr. Woody worked with Coach Alexander in the strength and conditioning program at the school. Sharing an interest in the outdoors with Mr. Lavoie is what lead Mr. Woody to becoming a mountain biking and climbing coach. Along with coaching he is an assistant director of outdoor education and a part-time grounds employee.
Mr. Woody is particularly excited about creating Woodberry Outdoors as a fall sport. In that, Mr. Woody says they do everything you can do outside, including skeet, whitewater kayaking and rafting, fishing, climbing, hiking, wild foods, and outdoor stewardship. He hopes to next year be to get into tracking, making shelters, and wild camouflage as well.
Through working with students, Jesse Woody has learned to understand new values and to question his assumptions and preconceptions about people. Mr. Woody believes there’s a lot to be gained from affecting people who are going to make a big difference in the world. In the future, Mr. Woody hopes to continue his education and is particularly interested in literature and poetry. Mr. Woody has played a great, significant role in expanding the outdoor program at Woodberry, empowering outdoor education, and keeping our campus beautiful.
Categories: Spotlight
The Woodberry Oracle 