Spotlight
The reintroduction of Spanish courses at Northern Essex Community College is sparking a discussion. These courses, taught by Arnaldo Robles-Reyes, will hopefully provide a positive linguistic learning opportunity. Students, however, have expressed a desire to add more language courses over the coming years. At one point, the college also offered courses teaching French, German, and Italian, but those have not been offered in some time. Now, some students believe it’s the right time to reintroduce those courses to the schedule and add more. Talan Stratton, a student at NECC, stated “if there’s higher enrollment, the college could offer more language courses.” Stratton’s comments have been echoed by many other students. Another student, Elli Vasilenko, believes offering more courses would be beneficial, stating that “learning another language can lead to the acceptance of diversity and expansion of the mind.” Vasilenko’s beliefs have been proven by researchers at Northwestern University, who conducted a study and found that individuals who speak more than one language are usually better at multitasking. Furthermore, researchers at the University of Arizona found that multilingual individuals tend to feel a stronger sense of empathy. Both traits are highly beneficial in the modern world.…
NECC staff, students and other participants as a group at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Northern Essex Community visits the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA. On Feburary 20, students, staff , and extra participants joined together for an exciting and educational visit to one of the most famous muesum’s. Coordinated by the Associate Director of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations, Giselle Peguero Grullon and funded by the White Fund, the trip…
Northern Essex Community College has started moving some courses from Blackboard to Brightspace, and many students are already noticing the change. While most classes still use Blackboard, a growing number are testing Brightspace this semester, which has left some students working with both systems at the same time. Freshman business student Andrew Baker said the switch has been confusing in a few ways. “I have one class on Brightspace and the rest on Blackboard,” Baker said. “It gets a little hard to keep track of everything when I have to go back and forth.” Even with the challenges, he said he prefers the look of the new platform. “I like the layout on Brightspace more. It feels cleaner and easier to read,” he said. Another student, Brendan Ballon, said he has used both systems before and has a clear favorite. “Brightspace is more user friendly,” Ballon said. “It does not take as long to find what you need.” The college plans to move all classes to Brightspace in the future — by summer 2026. Many students are still adjusting. Some prefer to stay with what they already know, while others say they are ready for the change. As more classes…
Featured Articles
By Lidia Ramirez, Editor-in-chief
Winnie smiling during her birthday party. It’s a WinWin party at Northern Essex Community College! Winnie the school’s best friend had turned two on Feburary 13th, the same day her party was hosted in Lawrence Campus’ El Helfni building by Student Life. Excited and thrilled with the same emotions when she walks through the halls and sometime visits classrooms at both campuses, Northern Essex students, staff, and other friends gather to celebrate the school’s committed emotional support dog. Being the school’s real mascot, Winnie receives a well-deserved pampering, pets, and treats from her party guests. Upon asking guest Arianna, “Do…
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Sports
By By John Mulcahy, Sports Editor
Teriq Goodman goes for a basket during a game against Mass Bay Community College on Feb. 26. The team is on their way to the national championships. The NECC Knights men’s basketball team are region 21 east district champions for the forth year in a row. Information from a press release by Athletic Director Dan Blair details the Knights game on Sunday Mar. first as they defeated Quincy college at the Sport and Fitness Center in a thrilling 68-66 victory. Capped off with a last-minute layup from Alex Johnson to clinch the victory. The team’s strong brotherhood along with their…
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Arts & Entertainment
By Melissa Bouse, NECC News
Cast, crew and supporters of “The Vagina Monologues.” In January, as much of the region was digging out from the biggest snowstorm in years, a group of Northern Essex Community College’s finest thespians and stage crew was loading up their recent production of “The Vagina Monologues.” On Jan. 27, they traveled to Albany, New York, for the Region 1 American College Theater Festival (ACTF), an annual program that brings together hundreds of college theater students, professors, and professionals from New England and New York to showcase their work and share their expertise. The show was just one of five selected…
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Opinion
By Bailey Orio, Opinion Editor
Innocent American citizens are being taken away detained, and in some cases killed during ICE operations. These incidences have shaken communities and raised questions about accountability, use of force and civil rights in the United States. One of the most disturbing stories was the detainment of Liam Ramos who was used as bait or leverage to kidnap his father, a legal asylum seeker Adrian Conejo Arias. The image of the child’s arrest sparked outrage and fear within immigrant communities, where families already live with uncertainty. Then there is Alex Pretti a veteran’s affairs ICU nurse who was brutally shot by…
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