All posts by Lauren McCrimmon, Correspondent

Slider, Sports

Becoming consistent

 

The Northern Essex Community College men’s basketball team has won again. On Feb 9th the team played against bunker hill dominating them with a score of 99 to 75. The two teams played at Haverhill Northern Essex campus. The win extend The Knights win streak to 21 The knights have lost only one game this season. The Knights were able to calculate what bunker hill’s next play was leading them into another win. 

Players try to get the ball in the basket during a basketball game.
NECC Knights in action against Bunker Hill Community College on Feb. 9. | NECC Observer

In the first five minutes of the game bunker hill’s Angle price Espada stormed the court. After that The Knights double teamed him causing him to be unable to get the shots he normally would be able to get. Freshman guard Ryan pacy of Salem, New Hampshire stated “the biggest challenge we faced playing bunker hill was guarding the point guard” noting that he was “very talented and could score at any time he wanted”. Even with the impressive player like Angle Price Espada The Knights were able to get a 25 point lead going into the second half of the game. Ending the first half to 50 to 25 knights.   

Both Ryan Pacy and Edwin SamMbaka both agreed if it was not for their family’s they would not have the same motivation to play as hard as they did. Freshman guard of Paris, France Edwin SamMbaka player number 33 “it’s the goals I have for my family”. And Pacy “Family is everything I do everything for them”. The knights stands were filled with fans and family cheering on the team. Everyone was hyping up the team whenever they had the ball.   

The knights have consistency down pat. During the game the team was able to create a lead by being consistent with where their players stood and who they passed too. “It was easier after the first half” said SamMbaka. Bunker hill tried to make a comeback in the second half scoring 50 points but it was just too late. The knight had just created a consistency faster than the other team could. Knights were able to score 50 points in the first half and 49 in the second half giving no room for Bunker hill to catch up to them.   

A fan in the stands Erika Ryan a recent Northern Essex graduate “It’s always so interesting to see how far the team has gone”. The fans in the stands were hyping the knight’s up every single shot the team made. Fans are hoping that the knights are able to keep their winning streak. “It would be cool to see them win the whole thing”. Erika Ryan “Only losing one game in the season is unheard of”.  At the end of the game bunker hill fell into the chairs of northern Essex causing a bit of back and forth augment. The head coach Darren Stratton made sure his team did not start anything between them. Making the team get to the locker room as fast as he could.   

The team is about to hit the playoffs and with the winning streak they have going it’s looking like it’s there’s going to be some interesting games coming up. The team only has three more games of the regular season till they hop into finals. With the consistency and the trust they have within the team it is likely the team will go far into the playoffs.   

Opinion

The gym class debate: Optional vs. required 

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Many high schools offer gym class as a graduation requirement. Given that a lot of the students play sports or go to the gym on their own time, some would argue that gym class is not worth the time slot it occupies in a school schedule. On the other hand, America also has a large obesity problem and having mandatory gym classes for public schools could be part of the solution. 

An article in the Daily American newspaper titled, “Question of the week: Should physical education be optional?”, says that if a person doesn’t want to participate, they won’t and that many of the students who don’t participate are the “unhealthy students” who are often left feeling “embarrassed and out of place...”. 

The article also questions why music or art class isn’t required every year. Gym fulfills the needs of athletic kids versus creative kids who would prefer to put their efforts into the arts or any of their own passions. Limiting access to the arts can hinder high school students when deciding what colleges to attend because they have not had the opportunity to explore their interests and therefore are at a disadvantage in comparison to some of their peers.  

Aidan Foley, a freshman majoring in international business also thinks gym class should be mandatory. “It gives kids the chance to take a break from schoolwork and helps them start a healthy lifestyle.” he says.  

With access to physical education, students with ADHD and other kids who need to keep active, are less likely to struggle with their academics and can stay focused during class time.  

Ben Ashworth, a freshman majoring in education believes that gym class should be mandatory in all grades. It keeps kids active, and it helps with their work giving them breaks in-between classes. 

“Kids need to want to want to come to school and [for] some kids, gym is their only class they look forward to coming to. It definitely helps kids with learning about obesity problems and how to avoid becoming obese.” Ashworth says. 

Given the opportunity, many students would benefit from having gym class but there are pros and cons for both sides of the argument.  

Deciding to make physical education mandatory should be made on a case-by-case basis for each school and what is best for their specific student population. 

News

Students look forward to vaccine to help get back to normal

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We are all hoping the vaccine will help students get back to school next year.

NorthernEssex students were given the opportunity to share their ideas on the vaccine.

Last March 2020, students were told on a Friday they wouldn’t be returning to the classroom for at the time was two weeks – a year later what has changed?

Mohamed Ali a Radiology technician major freshman student at Northern Essex gav ehis opinion on if the vaccine will help students get back to school.

During his time at NECC he had told me that 2020 has taught him alot about how he learns and he definitely feels the struggle of day-to-day school on the computer. “It’s been tough for a lot of students to connect with their teachers this year and I have high hopes for the vaccine to come fast so I can regain the connection with students and teachers,” he said.

During our time meeting on zoom he gave many mixed emotion son online school and doesn’t quite know if the vaccine will help him feel safer at school next year.

An article from NBC Boston New Massachusetts vby Mac Fortier shares that were going to have the third phase plan in April through June and that’s where college students meet.

Given this information will colleg estudents all get the vaccine?

It takes two doses to become protected fully against the vaccine so wil leveryone taking both doses?

Will everyone will have time for the vaccine given the off-chance people may only get one which still puts them in a position to get covid?

Leah Dennett a sophomore majoring in medical assistant and nursing, met up with meover zoom to share her options on the vaccine, giving helpful advice to think about.

She states “form a professional background, people like to think it’s going to fix it all. But covid isn’t going away.”

Covid has made her think about taking a gap year but she feels like she will be left behind or want to go back to school later on.

Changing the opinions on students about online school won’t happen anytime soon. Many students feel even more overwhelmed with having to teach themselves.

This year has included many firsts for teachers and students with online school, but she doesn’t think the vaccine will let us go back next year due to the fact some teachers and students won’t get the vaccine.