All posts by Leo Wellock, Correspondent

Arts and Entertainment

Comedian/violinist entertains students

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Comedian/violinist Armando Anto performed for several students and staff members via Zoom.

An event was hosted by Mount Wachusett Community College in collaboration with NECC, with Cami Stephens serving as student/event organizer on Nov. 18. 

Found and contracted by MWCC to perform, Anto is a unique type of artist as he simultaneously incorporates both stand-up comedy and playing the violin into his act.

Stephanie Haskell, Student Life Coordinator for NECC shared in an interview that Mount Wachusett contacted Northern Essex, via the organization Community College Student Leadership Association (CCSLA), about potentially collaborating on an event as the pandemic continued. Regarding the agreement of showcasing Anto to NECC as well, Haskell further stated “He [Anto] has a good stage presence; He knows his audience and if I were looking for somebody and knew we had good attendance and the budget to hire somebody, I would’ve definitely chosen him.”

As stated on his website, Anto was born and raised in France, and he began studying classical violin at the French National Conservatory at the age of 5. After earning his Bacholars of Arts degree in Finance, he turned his talent into a business, embarking on a world tour of violin concerts. After performing and teaching his art for over a decade, Anto began implementing more and more comedy in his performances, before eventually combining the two. He “understood that laughing opens the heart and mind, and that people understand any concept better through humor. Following his twin muses, music and comedy, Anto has established himself as a standup comedian in Los Angeles, performing in such prolific venues like Laugh Factory and “America’s Got Talent.”

Throughout the event, Anto discussed various topics such as race relations, which often correlated with his origins, as well as COVID, audience members for some reason having their microphones muted, his ex-girlfriend “Jessica”, to even performing his famous song “”Would You Shut Your Mouth” with his guitar, complete with violin “stings” for either a comedic sound effect or as a clever way of censoring inappropriate language.

Although everybody who joined laughed hysterically, It should be noted that the number of attendees was lower than the “20 or so” expected. This could be attributed to the time of day when the event was scheduled, being late in the afternoon. No matter what the case may be, having the opportunity to laugh and join in with a group was nonetheless exciting and seeing smiling and hearing laughter warmed the heart.

For anyone interested in participating in future events, students can visit the events page at the NECC website for more information.

 

Arts and Entertainment

O’Neil Cinemas gives back to communities

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Going to the movies is a time-honored tradition during the holiday season and the family-owned O’Neil Cinemas, located at The Point in Littleton, Massachusetts and in Brickyard Square in Epping, New Hampshire, not only provides a state-of-the-art cinema experience it also practices another age old tradition of giving, especially to the communities it serves
The O’Neill family, who hail from North Andover, not only founded and operate two theaters, they also have built an organization called O’Neil Cinemas Cares which gives back to local Southern New Hampshire and Eastern Massachusetts communities through donations, scholarships and local charity events. They have partnered with both local and national organizations including: The United Way of the Greater Seacoast, The Salvation Army, Seacoast United, Cocheco Valley Humane Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire, Operation Blessing, to name a few.
Each year O’Neil Cinemas has partnered with the American Red Cross as part of the O’Neil Cinemas Cares program. In the past, the theater has hosted two blood drives, one during the holiday season on Christmas Eve, and one in March to honor Red Cross month.
O’Neil Cinemas affiliations with local charities has been immeasurable, but due to last year’s Coronavirus pandemic, the theaters were forced to shut their doors and like many other businesses were pushed into uncharted waters. Despite the devastating setback, moviegoers were welcomed back on May 7, 2021, implementing all the safety guidelines needed to keep theater guests free from the virus.
As far as their charity work and dedication to the community, it’s safe to say it will be slowly returning.
Jen Desmarais, Operations Manager of the Littleton branch of O’Neil, stated in an interview that “We are still aligned with the Red Cross and the United Way. In the past we have worked with and have donated to countless schools, organizations, fundraisers, etc. When Covid arrived in March 2020, we closed our doors and did not reopen until May of 2021. During that time donations were discontinued.  We are pleased to announce we will begin donations again starting January 2022.”
Incentives such as discounts for seniors and military members are available as well as Bargain Tuesdays in which matinees are only $6.50.
As an employee, since the inception of the Littleton theater in 2017, it was fantastic just to stand in the large Grand DLX Auditorium again when the theater reopened last spring. Hearing the booming sound effects, and smelling the buttery scent of freshly made popcorn, it was like catching up with an old friend. It has been a slow comeback, but here we are back in a time of giving, and although the charity service’s return has been delayed, patrons can give back to O’Neil by going to the theater to see some of the newest blockbusters this holiday season that have been waiting to find themselves on the big screen.
Arts and Entertainment, Opinion

“The Last Duel” Review

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“The Last Duel” is the latest film directed by Ridley Scott and sees him return to the sword-and-sandals epic with grand spectacle, action, and drama, but the majority of that primarily serves a backdrop for the film’s scathing social commentary on patriarchal rule, religious influence, and most notably, sexism.

Based on a true story, the film takes place in 1386 France and focuses on the last legally authorized duel in the country’s history between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, played by Matt Damon and Adam Driver respectively, after de Carrouges’ wife Marguerite, played by Jodie Comer, accuses Le Gris of raping her.

What’s unique about the film, outside of its timely themes, is the plot’s structure. Taking a page out of films like “Rashomon” or “Pulp Fiction”, The story is told through multiple viewpoints, with each act (or chapter, as the film calls them) differing depending on the perspective. Chapter one depicts Damon’s perspective of events from him being a warrior seeking honor but then becomes waylaid when Comer tells him what happened to her. Chapter two shifts to Driver, a squire and friend of Damon, as now, the events we saw from the latter’s point of view weren’t exactly portrayed how the former remembers. In addition to that, we also see Driver winning the favor of Count Pierre d’Alençon, played by Ben Affleck, to even witnessing his viewpoint on the horrific instigating incident that causes the duel. Finally, we view chapter three in which we see Comer’s side of the story, and in turn the actual truth. The film utilizes this narrative technique brilliantly.

Scott once again directs with striking craftsmanship, not only with the more intimate dramatic scenes, but the action sequences are also nothing short of spectacular, complete with practical swordplay, wonderful setpieces and sound mixing, and intense violence. Another thing to mention is this is the first time both Damon and Affleck have written a screenplay together since their Oscar win for “Good Will Hunting”, and they along with Nicole Holofcener deliver a very well-written, and as previously mentioned layered script. The performances are also incredible, with Comer being a standout, particularly in the third chapter, and will most likely be a strong contender for awards night. Damon and Driver are also great as usual, both shifting from generally likable to malicious both as the film progresses and depending on the point of view. Affleck is surprisingly funny in the film as well, and I liked how his character is cocky, yet never to the point of essentially being a cartacture of a real person.

Unfortunately, there’s one thing I want to point out, but it’s not about the film itself. Instead, I want to point out that sadly not many are seeing this film as it’s still in theaters. For me, it sounds surprising as the film has all the right components. You have an amazing director, a talented cast including a duo who are both respected actors and writers, gritty yet lavish period spectacle, and more-than-timely themes. Some have suggested poor marketing, which can potentially be attributed to the film’s understandably sensitive subject matter, while others suggest its older target demographic are still not fully ready to return to theaters. One thing that was particularly polarizing was that when the film was announced, people were skeptical of what type of film it would be, with some fearing that it would a glorified tale of two men dueling over a woman and the fact that this story which contains sexual assault of that woman was written and directed by men. That couldn’t be further from the truth as One, Scott is no stranger to weaving feminist/anti-toxic masculinity themes into his work. Two, Both Damon and Affleck brought in Holofcener to help give the story a more authentic female perspective, and Three, the titular climax, while exciting, also does not manipulate the viewer as we the audience see that these two men are basically battling for their own pride, something Comer verbally points to Damon as well. Speaking of whom, we see her view this fight appropriately disturbed, as not only is she worried for Damon’s safety, not only is worried for her own, but she is horrified as to how far this went and how everyone else views this event as grand. The film essentially denounces what it’s advertising.

In conclusion, “The Last Duel” is a film that, despite the potentially off-putting subject matter, I encourage everyone to see and support. It’s well-acted, well-directed, superbly written and greatly paced, immersing the viewer, not realizing two and a half hours have passed.

Home Page Featured News, News

The celebration continues… “Tiny Beautiful Things” takes the stage

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Photo by Mike Dean

On Friday, Nov. 5, the Northern Essex Community College theater department, “held an outdoor performance of the play “Tiny Beautiful Things.”
This was a special performance for staff members and students to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the college, the 50th anniversary of the Haverhill campus, and the 30th anniversary of the Dimitry Building in Lawrence.

A lighting display of the number 60 in honor of the college’s anniversary. Photo by Mike Dean

The play is based on the memoir by “Wild” author Cheryl Strayed and was adapted to stage by Nia Vardalos of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” fame.
Strayed, played by award-winning actress and current NECC student Gwynnethe Glickman, writes for an advice column under the alias “Sugar.”
Throughout the play, she attempts to help those who write to her by addressing their questions and problems with sincere honesty, going as far as sharing her own traumatic stories of a similar nature.

Zaida Buzan, Remani Lizana, and Natalie Scott play supporting roles portraying various troubled people seeking out advice from “Sugar”.
As the sun began to set and the air became cooler, the subjects discussed became more mature. Topics ranging from jealousy, work relationships, incest, infidelity, miscarriage, and physical abuse to name a few, complete with coarse language and really frank descriptions especially from “Sugar” herself.
“Tiny Beautiful Things” was certainly not for the easily disturbed. In addition to the disquieting content mentioned above, a lot of palpable emotional tension was powerfully conveyed by the four actors. It was so intense, we the audience could feel it ourselves as we were in the moment. It’s a blunt and moving play that despite all the potentially distressing subjects discussed, ends with a sense of relatability and most importantly, hope.
“I thought that all four performances were extraordinary,” said Brianne Beatrice, director and Performing Arts and Communication program. “I am so unbelievably proud of the production as a whole.”

Vardalos congratulated the crew via Twitter, encouraging them to “break many legs.”

The performance was held at the grassy knoll just outside of Bentley Library on the Haverhill campus.
A simple stage was constructed to provide the actors a platform to play off of.
The event was hosted by President Lane A. Glenn.

Refreshments were provided for the audience to enjoy. Photo by Mike Dean

A substantial crowd of attendees were offered hot chocolate, hot cider, and cider doughnuts free of charge.
In commemoration of the anniversary, gift bags were handed out to the audience containing an NECC thermal cup as well as a large decorated, frosted butter cookie.
“We had very large crowds and I was extremely grateful,” said Beatrice. “The entire experience was truly life changing.”
The event was considered a big success.

 

 

Features, Home Page News Bytes

NECC Profile: Kimberley Lyng

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With the end of the Spring semester drawing closer, Professor Kimberley Lyng naturally has a lot on her plate like many of her fellow faculty members, especially with acting as adviser for this year’s Speechapalooza.
At the same time however, she finds the busy schedule energizing as she enjoys seeing her Public Relations students connect about planning the event, even more so while still in the midst of the pandemic.
A relative newcomer to the NECC Community, Lyng acquired the position of Journalism/Communication Program Coordinator in Fall 2020, after Amy Callahan stepped down to focus more on her duties as Dean of Liberal Arts.
With Lyng’s long and impressive background of Communications/Journalism experience, having previously worked in newspapers, television, and public relations, it’s no wonder why she would b ea valuable asset to the department. “I’ve been so impressed in her professionalism and enthusiasm,” stated Callahan. “She’s very compassionate, encouraging, and she knows how to translate her expertise into effective, engaging teaching.”
When asked about being hired during the pandemic, “it was kind of an interesting time because when you’re being a program coordinator, you want to have those in-person interactions with people because it helps you get to know them more,” reflected Lyng during a Zoom interview. “But then I feel like everything is easier in person.”
Lyng grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and had a strong love of the arts since she was a child, particularly when it came to writing.
As she got older, Lyng further pursued that particular interest of hers, writing a substantial amount of work for her high school newspaper.
She then went to Bates College in Lewiston, Maine where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Art History/French, as Journalism wasn’t available.
“Art History had a lot of connections,” Lyng shared. “A lot of it was writing intensive, there was some history which was really interesting to me, and along with taking French was extremely helpful when I went to work on TV.”
After graduating Bates, Lyng took on various jobs related to her field, such as editorial assistant for Community Newspaper Publishers, to writing stories for The Somerville Journal and Cambridge Chronicle, to even winning an award for a documentary she produced at the 1995 Chicago Film Festival.
After thoseaccomplishments, she went to Syracuse University to pursue her Master’s Degree in Communications, as well as to experiment more with broadcasting.
“Syracuse is the broadcast school. If you want to try broadcasting, it’s awesome,”  stated Lyng, who also encouraged taking profession-related jobs in between academics, as they “provide a way in.”
Prior to her hiring at NECC, Lyng had worked as executive producer and managing editor for WCVB Channel 5 and Boston Metro respectively, as well as Communications Coordinator at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts where she was awarded Teacher of the Year for two consecutive years.
“Kim is a wonderful teacher, resourceful, has excellent experience, is energetic, and holds students to high standards. From knowing her and supervising her, I would recommendher to any institution, which is looking for well-qualified instructors,”  stated BobOwczarek, a now-retired faculty member at Pine Manor and close colleague to Lyng.
Lyng has not only won the praise of her fellow staff members, but also the love and admiration of her students.
“I have had Professor Lyng over the last two semesters and have found her to be an amazing professor,” stated Isa Grullon.
Grullon is not onlya student of Lyng’s classes, but also the NECC Observer’s own editor-in-chief.
“There were times over the last two semesters where I just honestly wanted to give up, but she pushed me to continue forward, and I am so grateful she did!” said Grullon. 
In addition to Grullon’s praise, Lyng is described as a teacher who “truly values the input of her students and cares about their success in and out of the classroom,” said  Owen Devlin, another of her students.
“She is one of the best instructors I have ever had and I look forward toworking with her again!” he said.
At the end of her busy days, Lyng looks forward to retreat to her seaside community in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
It is there where she lives with her family,and they have lived there for over a decade.
NECC is lucky to have her, and the community looks forward to what she’ll bring next to the college.
Arts and Entertainment, Slider

Review of ‘Da 5 Bloods’

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“Five bloods don’t die, we multiply” is a quote heard frequently in director Spike Lee’s latest film Da 5 Bloods, a thrilling tale that’s equal parts revisionist war epic and treasure hunt adventure, while also infusing his typically provocative social commentary that’s just as relevant today as it was back in the time period it’s partially set in 60 years ago.

The plot follows four African-American Vietnam veterans – Paul, Otis, Eddie, and Melvin – who return to the country to track a supply of gold bricks they hid during one oftheir last missions, as well as recover the remains of their fallen platoon leader, “Stormin” Norman, played by late great Chadwick Boseman.

Along the way, the squad tackles various topics often accompanied with correlating flashbacks, such as racial inequality including stereotypes associated with the Black man, modern politics, other issues they left behind in Vietnam, as well as personal demons such as PTSD and greed.

If that wasn’t enough, they soon discover they’re not the only ones seeking the fortune.

Da 5 Bloods has been on my watchlist for a while now, having been a fan of Lee’s work ever since I saw BlacKkKlansman for the first time.

What gave me the motivation to watch it now was that I recently attended an NECC JRN/COM career panel, where I met two people who worked on the film: Veronica Vozzolo, the second assistant editor who edited the first two minutes of the film, and Luftar Von Rama, who served as editor for the visual effects.

They provided a lot of great insights into how they worked on this film and other projects, so naturally my interest rose even more.

I’m glad I finally did see it, as not only is Da 5 Bloods one of the best films of 2020, it’s also one of Lee’s best films period and a worthy follow-up to BlacKkKlansman.

The social commentary is right-on point and feels like it was written not too long ago, and I definitely mean that as a compliment.

Referring back to the first two minute swonderfully edited by Vozzolo, they establish what messages to expect perfectly by showing archival footage, including interviews from well-known civil rights advocates, protests, and of course footage of the war taken overseas. It’s horrifying given the implications, but also beautiful given the craftsmanship on display.

The editing after that by Adam Gough is also excellent, cutting to the right camera angle when the scene calls for it.

Longtime Lee composer Terrance Blanchard’s score is also amazing, and may be his best one yet.

Speaking of music and social commentary, the film also features an assortmentof Marvin Gaye songs, with an a cappella rendition of “What’s Going On” standing out in particular. When you take out the otherwise upbeat-sounding instrumentals and listen solely to the lyrics, it’s actually very somber to hear “Brother, brother, brother, there’s too many of you dying,”“war is not the answer.” or “don’t punish me with brutality.”

All of this ties into the themes superbly.

Delroy Lindo gives one of the best performances of the last year as Paul. Hisc haracter is definitely the one most affected by PTSD (something he himself admits in one scene), disillusioned by how America failed to honor the Black men who served in a war the country should’ve never got into.

He’s paranoid, often moody, and sometimesjust plain hostile to those around him, even to his own son, played by Jonathan Majors. That being said however, he’s by far the most interesting member of the group.

Other cast members who deliver strong work include Clarke Peters, Majors, and Boseman, the last of which isn’t in the film too much, but still plays a major part in the story, andwhenever he is on screen, he definitely owns every scene he’s in. Rest in Power.

One other thing worth pointing out is that the film is very violent, and is probably not for the faint of heart. It may be Lee’s most violent film since Summer of Sam o rMiracle at St. Anna (the latter film actually has a couple thematic similarities to this and I recommend checking both out as well).

Sure the action sequences are expectedly bloody for a hard-R film, not to mention very well done, but the most disturbing part is,once again referring to the archive footage, is that some of the gorier scenes were real.

When you realize that, it can be a bit hard to watch, but it’s warranted given the importance of the message, especially being given this high amount of energy and passion.

Da 5 Bloods is funny, shocking, sad, intense, and nothing short of spectacular. It’s beyond me why this was only nominated for Best Original Score at the Oscars (even though Blanchard’s score was great), but the film is skillfully directed, impeccably acted, and in time will be seen as an important masterpiece.

 

 

News

Virtual twon hall to address summer/fall plans

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On Monday March 29th from 11am to 12pm, Audrey Ellis, Assistant Director of Student Success Management, will be hosting a NECC Virtual Town Hall featuring Bill Heineman, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs via Zoom to discuss the plans for the Summer and Fall 2021 semesters.

“We will focus on the types of courses NECC will be offering in the summer and fall 2021 semesters”, stated Heineman.

He further outlined, “There will be a brief presentation on this as well as some information about how other services for students might be changing during those terms.”

As part of this live event, students are encouraged to formulate and submit questions that they have, regarding the coming months at NECC, in advance. “There will be lots of time for student questions and a panel of NECC administrators, and myself, will do our best to answer those questions.”

Heineman further added in response to the upcoming agenda of the meeting. This type of platform has served as a communication tool, in reaching out to the college community since the onset of COVID-19 back in March of last year.

“We wanted to make sure that we covered as many communication modalities as possible, and we wanted our students to get the chance to have questions answered ‘live’ by the college leadership”, explains Ellis. “I make sure that the questions are being answered and that the correct panelist is answering each question.”

She further adds “With so much being online these days, it’s nice for students to still hear these important updates directly from our leadership team and in their own words.”

Spurred by the pandemic, innovation has had an important role in NECC’s approach in connecting with its student body.

“Playing a large role in making sure that our communication is comprehensive with our students, around the ongoing changes related to COVID-19, is of great importance and it made sense that I take on the role of moderator,” states Ellis.

“Students can submit their questions via Navigate – by filling out the Quick Poll, or by sending an email to aellis@necc.mss.edu with the subject line:’Town Hall Question’ and if they have other questions ‘live’, they can submit them and we will get through as many as we can in the hour,”instructs Ellis.

In looking forward to the upcoming meeting, Vice President Heineman offered two important take-aways that he hopes are made known to the students: “First, students will have more choices in the types of courses they can take in the fall semester than they had this year, especially in terms of courses that require regular meetings with their instructors and classmates. Second, that students should pay close attention to NECC communication of all types between now and September because conditions and plans could shift.”

“We have to continue to be flexible and expect possible changes,” explained Heineman; “We are going to do everything we can to minimize the disruptions such changes will cause for students but the uncertainty of the pandemic will still be a fact of life we all have to deal with.”

This one hour meeting will allow students to hear all of the updates directly from college leadership.

“Whether or not they’re able to watch the Town Hall live, they’re able to watch the recording if they have questions,” Ellis stated and she further elaborated, “We will record the meeting and post it on the NECC website once it is available and if there are interpreters requested, those will be included live and in the recording.”

To connect to the Virtual Town Hall from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device, please click this URL to join: https://zoom.us/j/91280965807 Passcode: 968631

Arts and Entertainment, Home Page Featured News

Interactive comedy hour offers a night of laughts

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On Wednesday evening March 3rd, NECC Student Life Activities presented an online interactive comedy hour to have fun and loosen up life during COVID times, hosted by professional stand-up comedian and adjunct professor David Rattigan.

The crowd warmed up “with a tiny bit of education” as Rattigan put it, with a short six-slide PowerPoint as an introduction, outlining the pitfalls the comedian experienced throughout the quarantine and how he survived due to “the benefits of laughter.”

Nothing was off limits, including being a father of a 15 year old who was perpetually in a bad mood, to looking for comorbidities to get the vaccine, and performing at a winter comedy festival to a crowd of only ten in a venue  for 250, with the punchline being that most of the attendees were staff members.

“Life is terrible – especially since 2020 started,” stated Rattigan. “We are stuck with the options to either laugh or cry, ultimately we can improve our lives with laughter.”

The final slide summed up what the purpose of this evening was intended by displaying a quote “Humor can band teams, boost your career and make even the most boring and stressful jobs bearable,” written by Rachel Feintzeig of The Wall Street Journal of Feb 21 2021.

Feintzeig’s quote, provided by Rattigan, was the segue into the remaining 45 minutes of the program which was reserved for audience participation.

The participants included approximately 17 people comprising both students and faculty of NECC. As the virtual online host, Rattigan led the attendees, in an unmuted setting, in five different exercises putting them in the spotlight and promoting interactions that elicited laughter.

These activities were initiated, bringing each audience member center stage, introducing themselves followed by making a crazy noise. This ice breaker set the tone for further comedic improv that included “one upping” each other, filling in the blanks of famous quotes, sharing jokes and telling funny stories as well as working in small groups, via chat rooms, creating parodies of celebrities as Presidents along with slogans to go with their campaign.

“Just have fun,” encouraged Rattigan.

During the one hour event, smiles were observed on everyone’s faces, along with laughs and cheering each other on.

“I didn’t realize how long it has been since I’ve had a good laugh”, stated NECC Criminal Justice major Emma Atwood.

Towards the end of the hour Rattigan summed up the experience,“A lot of the comedy comes from people breaking out of their comfort zones and doing something fun and creative.”

At NECC, Rattigan, an adjunct professor who teaches a variety of communication courses, has been making students laugh while helping them learn.

He is also an accomplished professional stand-up comedian who has personally appeared and played various comedy venues all over the Northeast. Dictated by COVID-19, his venues had to take on a new format.

“I did some outdoor shows during the pandemic, and have done a few indoor shows to very small, socially distant crowds. It was a very different dynamic, but all the comics I’ve talked to were happy to just get out and perform.” said Rattigan during an interview.

Rattigan has previously done a few online comedy shows, and developed the night’s program based on a speaking presentation on the benefits of laughter.

“I’ve prepared by teaching virtual on-line classes which, as students know, can be tragic or comic depending on your point of view.”

He further added that, “I’m told that I’m very dry. I write about things that frustrate me, or I find ironic, or just seem funny to me. I like many styles, but mostly things that surprise me.”

This event was initiated by Student Life Activities coordinators Stepahnie Haskell and Maria Hernandez. “Maria and I were asked by the Dean to create new virtual events. Some students mentioned Rattigan’s comedic gifts and seeing his background in stand-up comedy, he was recruited to helm the event.” revealed Haskell. She went on to say, “Less people signed up last fall, but more people registered to attend this year, yet overall attendance was similar in the fall.”

When asked if the event was a success, Haskell’s reply was, “If you have more than one person laughing, we had 17, then consider that a success!”

 

Home Page Featured News, News

Speechapalooza to return

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NECC’s annual fundraising event, Speechapalooza, will be returning as an online event this spring with new adviser Kimberly Lyng at the helm and hosted by students enrolled in the Principles of Public Relations course, introducing speaking talents of various members of the college community while collecting donations for a charitable cause.

The overall planning for this event is in the early stages of development and the protocols will be set in the near future, but it is not too early to consider to be part of this well received public speaking and fundraising event. This fact is reinforced by Lyng, coordinator of journalism/communication, as well as serving as adviser of Speechapalooza, stating “students that are considering participating and/or have any questions are welcomed to contact me through my NECC email.” Lyng can be reached at klyng@necc.mass.edu.

In the past, this event has spotlighted talented student speakers who come from all over the Merrimack Valley and beyond. Speech topics have been as wide and varied as the students that have delivered them. Some past speech topics have included battling drug addiction, the clarification of biomedical engineering, life in auto racing and how to start your own Youtube channel – to name a few.

Andrew Venditti of Haverhill, one of last year’s student co chairs of the event, had been quoted as saying, “Our line upis a wonderful reflection of the students coming to our school.”

Students are free to present on a topic they are passionate about while strengthening their communications skills.

Any interested students participating in various communication classes are encouraged to participate.

David Rattigan, Adjunct Professor and last year’s adviser, confirms this and states, “the feedback I’ve received from participating public speaking students is that it’s been worthwhile. They enjoyed the challenge, and it’s been enjoyable to watch them succeed as speakers outside the classroom.”

In regards to the selection process, Rattigan went on to say, “I think it varies for each teacher running the event, Dean Amy Callahan founded it and ran it until last year, but what we did last year is had a PR student curate the speeches. The student then wrote emails asking all public speaking teachers to make recommendations and send us recordings that we held in Dropbox. She picked the ones she liked best, and accepted my recommendation on two or more that we needed to fill out the program.”

The student Rattigan was referring to was one of the many novices studying communications who were part of the process of making this event come to life despite of COVID. It didn’t come about without its challenges.

Jonas Ruzek of Amesbury, a former NECC student and one of last year’s Executive Planning Committee Co-Chairs stated, “I thought the whole process to be challenging. It was difficult to organize in-person let alone remotely.” Ruzek further went on to say, “So when we did decide to keep organizing remotely, it was hard to get motivated; we were considering not doing it after all. But we held several long Zoom meetings and got to work fairly quickly.”

The committee divided tasks among all the members. Some of the duties io n the past years, included emailing professors, publishing articles in the NECC Observer, making advertising posters, creating Instagram and YouTube accounts, conducting media research, creating a media contact list as well as hosting the online event.

Trey Cruz of Lawrence and a Speechapalooza host of 2020’s venue was quoted stating, “The tenacity with which our PR students pursued this event shows a lot about how hard-working NECC communications students are.”

In light of COVID, in the Spring of 2020, Allison M. Dolan-Wilson, the NECC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the NECC Foundation, assisted the students into incorporating the Student Emergency Fund into the online event. This fund provided laptops and/or internet access, tuition assistance and stipends for students dealing with the challenges of learning remotely.

COVID is still among the populace, but Spring is headed our way and with this new season, there is a new group of students who, albeit remotely, will be facilitating Speechapalooza.

The event, in continued tradition, will be run by the students of the communication course, Principles of Public Relations. Lyng stated, “As part of this process, the PR students are involved in figuring out what date they want to hold this event, what media platforms they want to use, what charity will be recognized and how they plan to promote it. By being part of this entire process, students learn what real PR professionals go through when they are actively planning and promoting an event for their organization.”