NECC Observer

The student news website of Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill and Lawrence, Mass.


Spotlight

Do female students feel safe on campus?

Women share their perspectives Women’s public safety has been a huge topic of concern around the United States, and college campuses have been a main concern. Safety of students should be the first priority of Northern Essex, second is education, but is that the case? About 50% of public schools in the country have armed officers present, and Northern Essex is not one of them. While stories such as Brock Turner have been so popular in the media, female students safety has been more of a concern. When talking to different female Northern Essex students about how they feel about their own safety here on campus, there were many different opinions. Vanessa Muthee, a 19 year old Northern Essex student seemed to not worry too much about her safety being threatened on campus… “I feel that NECC is comfortable environment for me, I’ve been to colleges where that wasn’t the case but i’ve never felt unsafe here.” Muthee has never felt her safety was threatened on campus and that is what we hope every student feels like. I feel that NECC is comfortable environment for me, I’ve been to colleges where that wasn’t the case but i’ve never felt unsafe…

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Teaching safety

What does active shooter training entail and is it effective? With mass shootings seemingly becoming more and more common, many schools and workplaces have been holding active shooter training in order to better prepare employees and students  in the event that the unthinkable occurs. But do these trainings really work, are they doing more harm than good, and what do these trainings actually look like? The Department of Homeland Security states “In many cases, there is no pattern or method to the selection of victims by an active shooter, and these situations are, by their very nature, unpredictable and evolve quickly.Resources such as posters and pocket guides raise awareness of the indicators of an active shooter incident and how to respond.” Ashley Credit a student here at NECC says she attended part one of a two part active shooter training at the daycare where she is employed.  She stated “It was disturbing and I was terrified.” Credit reported that the instructor showed them two videos of actual mass shootings. These videos included the Columbine shooting in 1999 and the mosque shooting in New Zealand earlier this year. “Watching people’s lives end so brutally was horrific.”, she stated in regards to…

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Picture of John miller

A runner.... and an author?

NECC student a modern-day Renaissance man John Miller from Methuen, Massachusetts, is a member of both the cross country and track program at Northern Essex and has published two children picture books.  The 19-year-old was diagnosed with autism at the age of five but isn’t afraid to speak about it to other people.  Because of his diagnosis, he was behind both academically and physically. But, he and his parents didn’t let that get in the…

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News Bytes

Featured Articles

Innovative hub

New space opens on Haverhill campus The student hub buzzed with excitement as students and faculty made their way into the space. The bright windows overhead cast down light as people found food and activities spread throughout the hub. An open house took place on the second floor of the Student Center on April 24 in Haverhill. The open house showed students and faculty how resourceful the hub is and the services it provides. Light upbeat music played in the background as people explored the space. The feeling in the air was filled with optimism and positivity. Each study cube has its own computer and small door that slides if privacy is desired. These can serve as quiet study areas for students. Each study cube…

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Observer Editor-in-Chief bids adieu

The first article I ever wrote was published in the Observer on October 18, 2017. The shortest of my portfolio, it nonetheless banished any doubt in my mind about my path and what I was setting out to accomplish.  I want to write, and I want to publish my work. Now, as time crunches in the last weeks of spring, and my classes wrap up for finals, my turn at the helm of this tenured and proud publication also draws to a close. Working as a correspondent, editor, and editor-in-chief have been proving grounds of my practice, and the end result is a portfolio that I am proud of and experiences that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have found…

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Do female students feel safe on campus?

Women share their perspectives Women’s public safety has been a huge topic of concern around the United States, and college campuses have been a main concern. Safety of students should be the first priority of Northern Essex, second is education, but is that the case? About 50% of public schools in the country have armed officers present, and Northern Essex is not one of them. While stories such as Brock Turner have been so popular in the media, female students safety has been more of a concern. When talking to different female Northern Essex students about how they feel about their own safety here on campus, there were many different opinions. Vanessa Muthee, a 19 year old Northern Essex student seemed to not worry too…

read more

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