Monthly Archives: May 2021

Features, Home Page News Bytes

Greatnes begins at home: A conversation with Noelia Figueroa

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It was to my honor and surprise when interviewing Noelia Figueroa did, I out find what great talent we had here on the NECC campus. Our initial contact was due to some issues I was experiencing when trying to register for my summer classes. It was very frustrating for me because I was contacting all the wrong people. 

When I spoke with Noelia via telephone after texting back and forth, she was not only professional, but she was empathetic towards my situation as well. As we discussed my concerns, she kept a peaceful and mild tone throughout the conversation, Noelia never allowed her voice to change or become elevated. Noelia then set me up with the right contact person for enrollment and she followed up with a text message and email to make sure that I had all the information that I needed for my Zoom call with my academic adviser.

Nevertheless, everything went off without a hitch and I killed two birds with one stone. Not only did I register for my summer classes but at that time I was able to register for my fall classes as well. 

But the Story does not end there. A few weeks later I decided to contact Noelia again and asked if I could do a story on her for my Journalism class, and she cordially agreed.

In the beginning of the interview, I asked Noelia what her position was here at NECC and she said, a College Navigator. Noelia then went on to explain what her position entailed and that she worked under the student support services which included working with the students one on one.

She said she loved working with the students one on one and helping the students with challenges. “I know what it is like to be a student and I know what I went through as a student, and I do not want anyone to have to go through what I went through. I want students to be successful,” said Noelia, “and this is the part of my job that I do not see as a job.” 

“When COVID-19 hit it was difficult transitioning because we had to figure out how to communicate with students without meeting with them face to face,” she said. “However, in the process of this I had a great support team, with great coworkers and supervisor and we worked together to come up with creative ways to accommodate the students. “The transition to online was difficult for students, it was about 50/50 especially the new students.”

Apart from the fact that not everyone can do online learning. Noelia went on to say that with the online classes she encourages her students with scheduling and managing their time that way they do not get behind in their work.  

I went on to ask Noelia in my interview with her if she thought that it was important to keep a positive attitude.

Noelia said, she was big on positivity and that positivity translates for her into the practice of never giving up.

eing positive is a coping mechanism Noelia went on to say, and that it is important to practice being positive. “I look for the positives every day despite the challenges with the COVID-19, I found something positive to hold onto every day,” she said. 

Tell me about yourself I said to Noelia, and that is when she let me know that she was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2019, here at NECC. 

“I was a two-time National Champion,” she said. “I was inducted along with the men. The school had never done anything like this before as far as a community college, this was the first ceremony. “

Noelia was excited about being awarded here at the school she felt that she was able to represent women at a high capacity.  

Not only is she a talent in track and field but her skills with how she communicates and interacts with people will take her a long way. It’s also nice to know that as a student here at NECC we have faculty and staff that really care about the students. 

 

 

 

Campus Life, Home Page News Bytes

Success stories behind the pandemic: NECC’s financial aid department

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Success Stories Behind the Pandemic    There have been so many adjustments taking place here at the school due to the pandemic. In every area and in different departments that I decided to check in on the Financial Aid department to find out how things were going with them amidst the transition.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Orquidea Taveras Sr. Financial Aid Counselor.

Orquidea said the transition was challenging at first working from home. It was even more difficult for the students because the students were used to walking into the office and they could speak with a financial aid counselor one on one. Prior to COVID-19, there was a lot of traffic in the office, Orquidea says.

With the office transitions and the financial aid department having to work online it helped the students to become more independent instead of walking into the office, she said.

I asked Orquidea if student enrollment was down because of the pandemic, and she said that enrollment did suffer some but that we are one of the schools that transitioned very well in the pandemic.

The numbers were not as good as they were before the pandemic, but they were not that bad either. A lot of people did not go to school in the fall because of the constraints however, she says the future looks very good.

The positives that Orquidea saw in all the changes is that the school was able to help students who did not have or were not able to afford a laptop, get one.

Orquidea sees the laptop program as one of the success stories of the school despite the pandemic.

The laptop program was a program that the school initially had in place to help students who did not have a computer.

The program would lend the laptops out to the students however they would run into trouble when they ran out of computers to give out.

They would also run into problems when the students did not meet the requirements under the lending program.

She said, the monies that came from the Cares Act helped students. Students that came out of high school did not have a computer and “we as college wanted to do something about it,” she said.

Orquidea credited the laptop program as an enormous success, and she said that it was very much needed.

Home Page Featured News, News

Students share diverse opinions on college’s vaccine policy

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Editor’s Note: The 15 community colleges in Massachusetts announced Sept. 20 that there will be a vaccine requirement for students, faculty and staff starting in January 2022. Students who are not vaccinated will be able to take online courses. Read the full announcement here: https://www.necc.mass.edu/current-students/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/home/COVID_Statement_from_Presidents-092021.pdf.

The Observer is interested in hearing your thoughts about this requirement. Get in touch with us at observer@necc.mass.edu.

NECC will hold a free vaccine clinic on the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses on Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to noon.  For more information, visit https://www.necc.mass.edu/newsroom/2021/09/23/necc-announces-pop-up-vaccination-clinics/.

The following is a story about students’ opinions on the college’s vaccine policies from the spring. The Observer plans to follow up soon with another article about the new requirement. 

Just as the population of NECC’s students are diverse, so are their opinions about NECC’s  decision not to require the COVID-19 vaccine to take in-person classes next semester. Some say they support the idea, while others say they would feel better knowing the people around them are vaccinated.

On April 29, NECC president Lane Glenn sent an email to inform students of the school’s decision. In the email, Glenn talked about how the college came to their decision.

He said, “[the students] who already face the greatest barriers to their education and to getting vaccinated, and who need us the most, were once again beginning to hear a message from expensive, selective, residential universities that did not apply to them, and we wanted them to know they would be welcome on our campuses.”

He also said that at the time of the email, all of the schools requiring vaccination have dormitories. NECC does not have students living on campus.

The college already requires that full time students be vaccinated for meningitis, the seasonal flu, measles, mumps, and rubella; and tetanus.

However, NECC is strongly encouraging students and employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Zoey Lauria, a 20-year-old Science Biology alumni and STEM employee at NECC, said that while she assumes most people will be vaccinated by Fall, “I do wish it was a mandate like it is at other colleges.”

She said that while she acknowledges that vaccine access is disproportionately affecting impoverished and minority communities as Glenn stated, the fact that NECC has a vaccine clinic on campus means that “[mandating the vaccine] shouldn’t be leaving anyone out.” Lauria is fully vaccinated herself.

NECC worked with the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center to open a vaccine clinic on NECC’s Lawrence campus. It is located at the Dimitry building, 45 Franklin St. in Lawrence, and is open to the public.

Students can sign up for appointments by calling 978-686-6029.

Zachary Cutter, a 22-year-old Journalism major, said he thinks going to campus “will be safe to an extent if some of the precautions [are] followed.”

Cutter said he doesn’t think the vaccine should be required because so many people are voluntarily choosing to get vaccinated. Cutter himself is fully vaccinated.

Matheus Batista, a 19-year-old Exploratory Student at NECC, said he thinks allowing more people on campus without requiring vaccination is a bad idea until “we know most of the population is vaccinated.”

However, he said that if the ones at most risk are fully vaccinated, he “does not see the problem.”

Batista, who has already gotten his first dose, said he wouldn’t be going back to campus until he feels more certain that the vaccine is effective.

Features, Home Page News Bytes

Who comes to the rescue when charities need help?

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A feature on the Andrew Curry Green Lake Swim

2020 was a rollercoaster of emotions and struggles for everybody. It was difficult for people to continue to do the things they love, while staying inside in attempts to protect themselves and the people around them. There are many organizations that are still trying to recover from the damage that COVID-19 did, one of those organizations being nonprofit charities.

Since the outbreak in March of 2020, nonprofit charities have experienced extreme declines in contributions, in person events, ability to serve in person, and more. Many events to help clientele one on one, were cancelled. Directors of these organizations were set back months, and left helpless because of this devastating situation that was out of their hands. The demand for help got higher, while the available volunteers and resources were dwindling. Charity organizations did the best they could throughout the past year to stay afloat and provide help to those in need.

Michelle Merrit is one of the directors of the Andrew Curry Green Lake Swim, offering help to locals who experienced the impact of the 9/11 attack. She is 22 years old and started working as a volunteer for charities when she was only 14. Similar to other people her age who volunteer, she never expected helping others to be as rewarding as it is. She volunteered at many charities like The George McGee Foundation and the Key Foundation throughout her high school career. She was introduced to ACG Lake Swim in 2015 and has been helping out there ever since, until she was promoted to a director position in 2020. Merritt says, ‘I have always loved working for charities and giving back to the community. The Andrew Curry Green Lake swim is a charity that helps the families of 9/11 victims in the local area. Andrew Curry Green was a friend and a brother to many and sadly passed away on 9/11. We run this charity to remember him and give back in his name’. After being a loyal member of the Lake Swim community for many years, it was difficult for her to watch it endure the struggles of 2020.

This local charity, Andrew Curry Green Lake Swim, is known for hosting events with many opportunities to help people across M.A. and N.H.. Merritt says ‘The financial aid that we give to help these families is always heartwarming. But the best part is seeing how tight knit and close the local communities are with each other. It really has become a staple and a highlight of the community’. The mission for this charity came about in 2004 when the directors wanted to remember Green’s legacy in a perfect way. The mission statement is, “To create a place to remember how Andrew lived.” Lake Swim has been extremely successful since it has been open, so when the COVID-19 outbreak happened, it was a bummer for everyone involved.

Similarly to everyone else, Lake Swim has dealt with a lot of stress this past year due to COVID-19. Many events that were planned throughout the duration of 2020 were cancelled and it became very hard for team members of Lake Swim to find willing volunteers. Merritt says, ‘It has been extremely hard this past year for the charity. Our 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The event was the lake swim, canoe race, and cookout on Northwood Lake, N.H.. Each participant has to raise money or be sponsored to swim the three miles across the lake. With new restrictions it limited the size of gatherings. So we felt that the best decision was to cancel the event’. The lack of preparation that many institutions, including charities like Lake Swim, had before chaos struck in the beginning of 2020 made it that much more difficult to pick up the pace when things started to become normal again.

As time passes, more restrictions are being lifted and more vaccinations are being distributed, which allows charities just like Lake Swim to see a brighter future for themselves. People began volunteering again around August 2020 which allowed Lake Swim to plan some events to help the families of 9/11 victims. Though things are not completely back to normal there is hope for all of the charities who struggled the past year. Merrit says, ‘The struggles we faced and extra hard work we had to put in made the aftermath that much more beneficial. It gave us a drive to make the next events more engaging and personal for everyone. In 2020 everyone struggled, and with Lake Swim we were able to create virtual community events that provided some normalcy. It was a difficult process but in the end became very beneficial for us’. The experience of the past year made volunteers like Merritt remember why they donate their time to work for this charity, it gave them more drive and passion to create new innovative events.

Merritt and all the other members of Lake Swim are happy to see the progress pick up again after the unwarranted chaos of the past year. The future for Lake Swim is bright and it is still open to new volunteers or donations to whomever is interested. There are plenty of ways for a person to help this charity, like donating your money, your time, or the direct link to their informational website to learn more. Merritt and all other members of the team at Lake Swim says help of any kind is welcome, especially after the hard year everyone collectively experienced. To receive any further information about Lake Swim, anyone can send inquiries to Merritt directly at mmerritt@gmail.com or visit the Andrew Curry Green Lake Swim website here.

 

 

Features, Home Page Featured News

Public speaking in a pandemic

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We are taught from a young age that public speaking would be an important aspect of not only our educational lives, but future careers.

It is daunting for several people, and the idea of talking in front of more than five individuals can cause physical pain.

At Northern EssexCommunity College, there are a lot of opportunities to present in front of crowds.

The Covid-19 pandemic had changed how students learn in more ways than one.

There are a lot of things that could go wrong in the process of public speaking.

Clara Petry, second year student is not unfamiliar about going over those things in her head.

“My worst fear would probably be messing up in front of everyone, or maybe being judged. One thing that I strongly dislike about making presentations is when I can see the audience and they may appear uninterested.”

It is easy to get lost in the anxieties about performing rather than learning what the teacher prepared.

“I honestly believe that there is no need for public speaking .Sure, it is a great opportunity but from my experiences, I get more anxious about making apresentation and perfecting it rather than the actual topic of the presentation itself,” said Petry.

A full year o  fonline school has given an entirely new perspective on how things were done in the past.

“One good thing about online school is what for some classes, I have had to record a presentation.What I like about that is that I don’t have to view my audience,” she said. “On the other hand, one thing that I don’t like about online classes is the whole zoom thing. It makes me nervous to speak out and show my face, which many students can probably relate to.”

Although there is not much in this moment that professors can fix about how presentations work, there are things that could be done to take the pressure off of the individuals.

“It would help if the audience was more engaged, which would be nearly impossible because no one really cares about presentations to  begin with (which makes things worse),” said Petry. “There is so much pressure on the person who is presenting, either the speech being worth half your grade or even just making sure it’s perfect. Taking the pressure off would help ease the nerves.”

Another student has a similar take on the idea. Jordan McGovern is a third year student at Northern Essex Community college, and her major is in early childhood education.

“My worst fear for public speaking is that all of the attention is placed onto me. If I slip up even a little bit,  everyone will notice right away,” she said.

There are things that she does to calm her nerves before  making a presentation.

“A tip that has helped me would be to take deep breaths and to take your time speaking in front of people,” she said. “What also helps me is trying to picture I’m somewhere else while presenting, and before the presentation it helps to take my mind off of things by listening to music, coloring or some type of exercise.”

Besides her own personal tips, there are things that professors could do to make the situation less tense.

“Professors can talk their students through the whole process with public speaking,” McGovern said.

Unlike the previous student, McGovern thinks that public speaking is a necessary evil.

“Yes there is a need because in the future, you have no idea what your job could be like and public speaking could possibly be a very important skill that can make or break your career.”

Even though everyone’s future is uncertain with online school, the transition made things a lot easier.

“The transition to online school does help those who suffer with social anxiety because they can do the school work in the comfort of their own house with no judgment,” she said.

Another factor that could lessen the nerves is from the audience’sperspective.

“The audience can help the speaker feel less anxious if they are patient with the person speaking and let them get through the speech in their own way,” she said.

The switch to online school is not a total negative thing. For example, those who have tod eal with social anxiety and fears of public speaking are able to do it from the safety of their own home.

No longer do we have to obsess over the reactions of our peers, or stay up days before the presentation takes place. There are several students just like these two who either benefit from the transition to online school, or could use the guidance of the audience and professors around them.

Opinion

The Isolation impact: Quarantine’s effects on mental health

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The monotonous infinity of days passing, a lack of social and physical contact, all while having remote access to any substance you could possibly want to purchase. During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma, with many reporting specific negative impacts on their mental and physical health, such as difficulty sleeping and eating, increases in alcohol consumption and substance use, and worsening chronic conditions.

During the current global situation, both children and adults are experiencing a mix of emotions. They have been placed in situations and/or environments that are new and scary, which can be potentially damaging to their health. Many blame job insecurity and removal from social settings for the increase in depression and anxiety, while others say that fear of catching COVID-19, and being cooped up in the house with your family without taking any time for yourself is to blame.

One group that is struggling with mental health issues but is constantly overlooked are first responders and health-care workers.

With the rate of physician suicide being nearly double that of the general population, doctors and nurses have to deal with all of the same burdens that everyone is, all while taking care of those sick and dying.

They are dealing with high amounts of stress at due to a surplus of patients, understaffing, and high patient mortality, as well as everyday stressors such as the fear of contracting and spreading COVID, inability to see family members and friends, lack of sleep, and malnutrition. While many have sought out treatment, there are still a large number who refuse to due to fear that the stigma around mental health issues will ruin their careers.

Some ways to deal with the stress of the pandemic are taking breaks to unwind, practicing a hobby, listening to music, working out at home or outdoors, connecting with family and friends over Zoom/Skype, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

If you are experiencing symptoms of stress, depression, and/or PTSD, there are many resources at your disposal such as, www.samhsa.gov, www.mentalhealth.gov, www.nimh.nih.gov, and many others. If you are contemplating suicide, please visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org and use the webchat feature, call 800-273-8255, or visit afsp.org to find a local support group and/or therapist.

Features, Home Page News Bytes

From graduate to essential worker: Respiratory therapist profile 

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Northern Essex Community College alumna Meghan Finn, 32, is now a respiratory therapist at Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital in Salem, N.H.

Finn graduated from Timberlane High School in 2006 and set her sights on becoming a cosmetologist.

“I graduated from Timberlane High School, class of 2006, and moved on to a cosmetology school,” she said.

She attended Continental Academie of Hair Design in Hudson, N.H. in the fall of 2007 through the spring of 2008. Finn learned how to cut and style hair. However, after a year, she did not like the profession, and changed jobs.

Finn first found her way to NRH in Salem, when her friend talked about a job opening as a secretary.

“I heard about a secretary job from a friend at Northeast Rehab in Salem in 2009 and they were close to where I lived,” she said.

Finn spent the next few years as a secretary at NRH before deciding to become a respiratory therapist in 2013.

“I saw for myself what people endured from various illness and realized I wanted to help them treat them and to recover,” she said. “I wanted to become a respiratory therapist to help people who are feeling sick and have breathing problems.”

Studying and training in the field was not easy.

“I needed to take a year of prerequisites, which is an introduction to this career. Classes were hard and intense. There was a lot of biology, science and chemistry involved,” she continued, “I spent much of my time in the science lab and the writing center. There was so much writing involved I visited the writing center very often.”

Respiratory therapy can be a stressful career but can also be very fulfilling to a person that enjoys and takes pride in helping others.

“Being a respiratory therapist is bittersweet for me because on one hand there will always be people with breathing problems like asthma, but I will be able to help those people,” Finn said.

There are many options for a respiratory therapist.

“The career path to this job requires an associate degree in respiratory therapy or you could also move on to a bachelor’s degree. A respiratory therapist could choose to specialize in clinical care, pulmonary function testing or an asthma educator.” she said.

A global pandemic is something Finn never imagined would happen, nevertheless she learned how to adapt to it in March 2020.

“It was stressful and scary. At that time, we knew very little about the virus. As time went on, we needed to adapt to new rules, new protective equipment and protocols, so it really kept us on our toes.” she explained.

Finn gave advice for current and future students, “Take advantage of all available resources like the math and writing center. The writing center was very helpful for me, by proofreading my papers and the people there are very nice.”

 

Opinion

Small daily tasks that aim to help our planet

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With Earth Day recently being celebrated, we are reminded of the planet’s struggle to survive.

Informative posts, fundraisers, and clean up events have been circulating on social media in attempts to make some sort of impact on issues like climate change, pollution, and other environmental issues that we face today. With so much information constantly circulating, many feel overwhelmed or disheartened about the situation.

Taking action on these issues can be difficult with the feeling of hopelessness looming over our heads. In leu of this common emotion, below is a brief list of seemingly small, mundane tasks that you can do at any time (not just on Earth Day) that will make a difference in your community’s overall environmental wellbeing.

 

  1. Beach Clean-Up: with the weather getting warmer, beach trips are becoming more of an everyday occurrence. On your next visit to the beach, bring an extra trash bag! Not only can you use this for your own waste, but for any litter you might see on your stroll down the coast. This simple task can make the world of a difference. This way you can enjoy your time outside while also helping keep the oceans clean.
  2. Re-use Emptied Food Containers: When an old butter container or ketchup bottle is emptied, these can be reused! Using more durable plastics as Tupperware for left over foods is a great way to recycle things that might’ve otherwise ended up in the garbage. Glass jars can be refurbished into food containers or even drinking glasses. the possibilities are endless
  3. Switch to Reusable Products: Going along the same lines as reusing old food containers, making the switch to reusable grocery bags or coffee filters will save you money while making a difference! Single-use plastic or paper bags and filters are wasteful; reusable products are typically made with recycled materials.
  4. Make small changes to Your Diet: Participate in meatless Mondays! Within recent years, research has shown that the meat/livestock industry is one of the biggest contributors of harmful carbon emissions Experimenting with fun, vegetarian recipes is a great way to be a part of the change—who knows, maybe you’ll come to appreciate a meatless diet more after!
  5. Stay Informed: Read up on your communities’ environmental efforts and assist in any way that you can. Advocate for your community in local government issues discussing environmental issues. Your voice matters in this fight for change!

 

Home Page News Bytes, Sports, Uncategorized

Knights baseball team prepares for Regionals

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After a 29 game regular season, the Northern Essex baseball team finished with a final record of 19-10, winning their last 16 of 21 contests.

The Knights opened up their season inMarch, going down to New Jersey and Pennsylvania to play two top 10 nationally rankedopponents: Northampton Community College and Rowan-Gloucester.

After losing all four games to Rowan-Gloucester, NECC came back with a commanding 3-1 series win the followin  gweekend at Northampton.

After a few rough patches early in the season, the Knights started to put the pieces together when April came around.

The weekend of May 22nd is when the Northern Essex baseball team plans to head back down to Rowan for the NJCAA Regionals with a chance to go to the World Series in Tennessee.

With about two weeks before their next scheduled game, they are going to intersquad weekly to keep the competitive edge in the team.

Coach Mejia is looking forward to getting the chance toplay Rowan again.

He is confident in his team’s ability, and the level of baseball that they wereplaying in March is incomparable to how they have played in recent games.

This past baseball season was unlike any other due to covid restrictions and different state’s laws regarding social distancing.

Northern Essex usually kicks off the season with 10-12 games in Florida during spring vacation, and then returns to conference play against othe rcommunity colleges for the remainder of the season.

For the 2021 season, Northern Essex was one of the only community colleges to pursue having a season.

Every team in the conference that Northern Essex competes in cancelled their season, including rival Community College of Rhode Island. This caused the Knights to play NCAA sanctioned schools when they were available, making it tougher opponents and less games.

Even though there have been many ups and downs to the season, the Knights have continued to persevere and stay focused on their goals.

Editor’s Note: Thomas Cattaneo is a member of the NECC Knights baseball team.
Sports

The Knights are hot come playoff time

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The Northern Essex baseball team has picked up their level of play in recent games,winning 11 out of their last 13 games.

After losing on a walk off walk to Eastern CT, the Knights went on a 5 game win streak before dropping two games in a double header to UCONN AveryPoint.

Dylan Duval, a returner and team captain, has done a phenomenal job being a leader on and off the field.

Whether he is catching all 14 innings in a double header, or making sure that al lof the team equipment is taken care of, he is one of the most focused guys on the field.

Duval is a huge factor in the Knight’s success.

“The older guys on the team that have been around for a few years are so important to theprogram. They set the tone for the younger guys and show them how high expectations arearound here.” said Captain Hunter Wilichoski. “We have a bunch of kids that have been here for a few years because of either injuries or Covid, they know how things work around here.”

CoachMejia has very high expectations of his players, and rightfully so. Considering that he has made it to more NJCAA World Series’ than he hasn’t, losing is not taken lightly by anyone.

The Knights ended the regular season by winning 2 games of a doubleheader against Eastern CT,ending the season with a final record of 19-10.

With about three weeks before playoffs, NECC looks to tighten a few things up beforeheading down to New Jersey for regionals. They are looking forward to their rematch with national powerhouse Rowan-Gloucester on the weekend of May 22nd.

Editor’s Note: Thomas Cattaneo is a member of the NECC Knights baseball team.