All posts by Observer Staff

Sports

Basketball Knights getting ready for 2021-2022 season

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NECC Knights Basketball head coach is Darren Stratton with 12 games left before the season starts.   Stratton graduated from NECC in 1996. He played from 1994-1996 and was head coach from 1999-2015. During his first chapter as coach he won more than 200 games, including advancing to Region 21 championship games in 2003 and 2009, according to neeccknights.com  

He returned back in 2020-2021 for his second turn around as coach.  

The basketball team was practicing Oct. 22 in the Sport and Fitness Center in Haverhill campus.  

Coach Stratton told me that they only have three  returners from last year. 

Coach Stratton talked to the players after practice on Oct. 22
Coach Stratton talked to the players after practice on Oct. 22 Photo by Jose Rodriguez, Sports Editor

“We have five international kids in our team this year and a kid from Florida so we have two kids from Turkey, three from Canada and one from Florida so we recruit all over anyone that’s willing to come to Northern Essex that can compete and basically we are trying to involve Northern Essex not only as community college but hopefully to grow as a regional and national power … so we expect a lot from this basketball team basically.”  

Christian Kinsley of Lawrence is one of the three captains of the NECC Knights. In high school he played two years of football and a year in track and played 4 years of basketball in high school. Last season he played five games averaging nine points per game 34% in the field goal , 22.2 % on the three point line, 100.0 % on the free throw line averaging 3.8 rebound per game and 1.6 assist per game, according neccknights.com. He mentions to me how is he preparing. “This year I tried to get my shot up before practice and after practice I tried to stretch and rest and get ready for tomorrow,” he said.  

He said he goes in to the court early before practice starts. 

Cameron Stratton of Lawrence is one of the three captains of the NECC Knights. Last season he played five games averaging 2.4 points per game 30.8 field goal, 37.5 % three-point,  in the field throw line 33.3 %, averaging 2.4 rebound per game and 2.4 assist per game according neccknights.com We all know that being an athlete and keeping track on your school work is not not easy.  

“Thankfully for academic coaching I go to academic coaching they keep me on track and basically I just get all of my work done through there,” said Cameron Stratton.  

Daniel Almarante of Lawrence is one of the three captains of the NECC Knights. Last season he played five games averaging 7.4 points per game, 57.1 % field goal, 50.0 % in the three-point line, 25.0 % in the free throw line, averaging 4.4 rebound per game and 1.6 assist per game according to neccknights.com He has been playing basketball since he was five. He mentioned to me “In high school I didn’t played basketball I did football and wrestling then I came to NECC to play basketball.” Taking a break from a sport that someone likes can be good to explore new sports to see if the person is interested and they like it. Almarante mentioned that in high school he used to do wrestling and probably he did it because he wants to learn how to defend himself from a situation and self-defense.  

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Police training on campus

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To the NECC Observer:

I have been an adjunct faculty member at the college for 18 years, and it has been my privilege to teach here, especially as a former student and graduate. The college has always been invested in partnering with our surrounding communities in an attempt to serve them in any way we can, and that is an admirable mission. Public community colleges should do more than simply educate students. We should be resources, in as many ways as we can, for the communities we serve and, for the most part, I’ve been very proud of how the college has fulfilled that mission.

In fairly recent years, however, the college has become home to two police training academies, and I have become increasingly dismayed and discomfited by the impact these training academies are having on our Haverhill campus. Some students and faculty have expressed discomfort at the way recruits address us as we are passing by. Even though they are doing so respectfully, it can feel threatening. Other students have expressed alarm at the harsh manner in which recruits are being spoken to, including the use of yelling and profanities. The training drills held on grounds outside of classrooms have always been at least mildly disruptive to those of us trying to teach in classrooms where the drilling can be heard, and to the students we are trying to teach.

This semester, I have noticed that the training drills increasingly resemble the kind of drills one would expect in the military. Recruits are crawling on the ground while flash-bangs are deployed, and they are practicing aggressive fighting maneuvers aimed at disarming and even disabling citizens they might interact with. Today when I arrived at campus, multiple police vehicles with lights flashing were all practicing interacting with occupants of vehicles, with guns drawn and pointed. I am forced to wonder why recruits are being trained to expect and respond to the most violent possible confrontations with the citizens they are charged with serving and protecting, and I personally feel less safe knowing this is the way police recruits are being trained on our very own campus. In light of the conversation nationwide on the need for police reform, and especially because the college has a criminal justice program, this seems especially relevant to the young people we are charged with not just teaching our subject matter, but teaching to think critically about national and world problems.

I hope that this will be a vehicle for further input from the college community at large, and I hope that the Observer will consider canvassing the college community for their opinions.

Respectfully,

Janet Clark

Slider, Sports

Top-seeded volleyball team heads into tournament

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The NECC Knights volleyball team plays Mass Bay Community College
The NECC Knights volleyball in action against Mass Bay Community College on Oct. 16. Photo by Jose Rodriguez, Sports Editor

The top-seeded NECC women’s volleyball team will host the NJCAA Region 21 tournament Oct. 23 at the Sports and Fitness Center.

The volleyball head coach is Mike Pelosi. It is his first head coach job at college, but he has experience coaching in high school and clubs.

Pelosi has more than 10 years experience with the Pumas Volleyball Club in North Andover and has experience at both Haverhill High School and Timberlane Regional High School.

On Saturday, Oct. 16 at noon the NECC women’s volleyball team faced off against Mass Bay Community College in the Sports and Fitness Center on the Haverhill campus.  Entering the Oct. 16 game the NECC Knights were five and one in conference games. That’s good for a .833% overall in their season. They were five and seven coming into the Oct. 16 contest. In non-conference games they were 0 and six, according to the NECC Knights website.

The first set they started off with a 5-0 and a 15-2 run to win the set 25-6.

They came aggressive as the game started. They had energy as the game progressed, and they were hungry to win.

This season in 10 matches NECC freshman Dejaale Torres of Lawrence had 2.54 kills per set, .080 hitting percentage, 0.32 assist per set, 0.30 blocks per set, 0.65 service aces per set and a 2.65 digs per set, according to the NECC Knights website.

The first team to win three sets wins the game. The first set is always key to win because that means the other team has pressure.   “After we played the first set it really brought our energy up and we started playing better,” said Torres.

The players were confident that they could put this game away after winning the first set.

The second set they started off to a slow start but managed to win the set 25-16.

Lowell High School graduate freshman Kaithlene Perez-Flores in 10 matches had stats of 1.49 kills per set, .084 hitting percentage, 0.27 assist per set, 0.11 service aces per set and 3.22 digs per set before the  Oct. 16 game, according to the NECC Knights website.

NECC Knights volleyball team celebrates after winning a set in a game against Mass Bay Community College Oct. 16.
NECC Knights volleyball team celebrates after winning a set in a game against Mass Bay Community College Oct. 16. Photo by Jose Rodriguez, Sports Editor

They were able to come back midpoint during the second set to win. “I feel like we all pick each other up and start focusing on the mistake and focused in the next point what we can do to fix that,” Perez-Flores said.

It was key for the team to focus and rebound to win the set after starting the second half slow. When the Knights had a 2-0 set lead that gave Mass Bay Community College almost no chance to win the game.

The third set they started a 14-2 run that was enough to defeat Mass Bay Community College in three straight sets 25-6, 25-16 and 25-7.  Before the game Coach Pelosi told the girls “we played this team before we had a success outcome against them, and I wanted to make sure that we came in with the same sense of focus and urgency against them so what I told them the outcome is not decided yet and it is not going to be the better team that win this match it’s going to be the team that plays better today.”

They had a pretty good idea who they were facing as they were facing the same team nine days prior of the Oct. 16 match up at Mass Bay Community College.  The Knights  won the season series against Mass Bay by going 2-0 and each time they faced each other the Knights shut out Mass Bay three set to 0.

The Knights team has home field advantage for the Oct. 23 game as they start a Region 21 tournament.They will play Holyoke Community College at 11 a.m. The winner will play the championship game at 3 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campus Life, Home Page News Bytes

COVID vaccine mandate

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As yet another semester begins, COVID continues to ravage our world.

At the start of the fall semester, many colleges and universities around the nation including Massachusetts have made the vaccine mandatory in order to return to class. However, NECC has taken a slightly different route. The college announced that vaccines would not be mandatory until January 2022. NECC continues to engage and encourage every student and faculty member to get vaccinated before then.

When it comes to the vaccine, Erica Schwane an art student, believes it should be mandated.

She says, “Yes, for the safety of students and staff. Not like schools having vaccine mandates is a new concept anyway.” Schwane goes on to say, “On one hand, it almost feels as if NECC is falling behind considering other schools have already implemented vaccine mandates.” She continues, “We’ve had the vaccine long enough where if a school decided to allow in-person classes already after the vaccine was released, then it should have been mandated already.”

Zachary Cutter, a journalism student, doesn’t necessarily agree that NECC is falling behind in some way.

“No, I don’t think so but better safe than sorry.” He says.

Many other colleges and universities have been adamant about the mandates, in order to keep students safe and return to a deeper level of normalcy. However, Cutter says that “most students may adapt.”

For more information on the NECC coronavirus response, including guidelines for visiting both campuses and other pandemic related policies, visit https://www.necc.mass.edu/public-safety/coronavirus-information/ .

Features

New England’s agricultural fairs are back after a year hiatus

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Topsfield and Deerfield had a taste of fried dough and normalcy early this month with the return of their long-awaited annual agricultural fairs. 

However, after the global pandemic forced the tradition to a halt this time last year, many feel that there needs to be precautions.

“It’s definitely a big concern. We’ve always had dozens and dozens of handwashing stations and hand sanitizing stations, but those numbers even increased this year.” According to David Thomson, head of public relations for the Topsfield Fair. 

The town of Topsfield has even gone as far as to institute a mask mandate for inside buildings. Deerfield, on the other hand, was ready to throw caution to the wind. 

“If people wanted to go in a building, it was up to them if they wanted to wear a mask or not. It’s such an open-air event […] pedestrian traffic goes one direction, they weren’t butting into people face first.” said Vice President of the Deerfield Fair, Richard Pitman.

Although according to some fairgoers, the pedestrian traffic Pitman refers to may be misleading. 

“Crowd movement was unpredictable and felt unorganized, it was hard to tell where one line started and the other ended,” said fairgoer and NECC student Ava Tavares.

Covid protocols aren’t the only hindrance caused by the pandemic this year. 

Thomson went on to say that “we lost some vendors. A few of them have gone out of business because of the pandemic, and others just weren’t able to get staffing in order to run their booth.”

Lost costs were a heavy hit for fairs last year, and with supply chain shortages, the typical high prices associated with fairs like these were even higher this year. 

“We’ve been fortunate that we got everything we need because we planned ahead but the prices have gone up, in some cases dramatically.” said Thomson. 

 “We didn’t know what to expect so we just went full speed ahead, it cost us a lot of money to not open last year because we still have to pay taxes, insurance, labor, maintenance. So we had a big amount to recoup here.” said Pitman 

One thing the pandemic hasn’t affected is turnout. More than 114,000 people attended the Deerfield Fair, and the Topsfield Fair saw a turnout of approximately 500,000. 

 

 

 

Features, Home Page News Bytes

How is COVID-19 affecting your college experience?

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Covid-19 has plagued the world. And it may even feel as if you’re the only one experiencing troubles, whether it’s in the classroom, on campus, or in your everyday lives. One thing for certain is we are all struggling through these troubling times.

In an interview with a select few students and teachers at Northern Essex Community College, We hear what they had to say about this change. Fellow student Shaun Hood made this statement about how he is dealing with college and the pandemic.

“The pandemic has definitely made college a lot more difficult. I did not enjoy having two semesters of completely online classes, and I am very happy to be spending much more time on campus this Fall, now that both of my two classes meet in person!”

For other students like Aliyah Quevillon, they face a more social problem.

“I think this virus has made things harder on all of us. I miss being able to see my friends faces.” Quevillon then goes on to say “I miss being able to hug my friends and be able to see them laugh and smile when I tell jokes.”

Quevillon also faces a learning curve,  “Learning with the mask itself is a problem, I usually find that it’s really hard to hear what they are saying because the mask makes everyone muffled.”

The school itself has taken precautions to try and make dealing with covid-19 easier. These include a covid vaccine mandate starting in January 2022, vaccine clinic on campus pop ups, FIT training seminars which are run by certified individuals teaching how to properly wear a N95 mask and 70 air scrubbers with the highest level MERV filters and HEPA filtration systems been placed in high traffic areas on campus. As well as wearing a mask on campus, and contact tracing sheets.

When talking to an all online student, Tara Duggan, she mentions that she “can’t wait to actually be able to come onto campus, but I am still waiting to feel safe enough with covid still going around.”

In another interview with Kimberly Small Lyng, an interpersonal communications director she claims that covid has had some effect in her classroom. “In some ways, yes and  some ways no. I’m teaching Interpersonal Communication in person with masks, which obviously has its challenges, but interestingly, it’s added another dimension to the course as we contemplate how masks have impacted the non-verbal messages we give to one another,” she said.

Lyng goes on to say that “The students are doing a great job through this. I’m really proud of them.”

Lyng states that she is looking forward to “continuing to work toward normalcy again. It’s been so nice to see and work with people. It’s wonderful that we have technology and it’s helped us through all of this, but nothing beats connecting with people in the real world.”

Through this entire pandemic we have seen many scares, many changes and a diverse community coming together. We are all working towards a common goal, the future, and towards normalcy. We are all in this together and will get through this.

 

News

NECC community prepares for vaccine mandate

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The presidents of the 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges recently announced there will be a new COVID-19 vaccine mandate going into effect this upcoming January. The mandate states that all students, staff and faculty members must be fully vaccinated before coming on campus.

While this may be controversial, NECC is still taking precautions to protect against COVID-19 and will continue to do so as the new year begins.

Along with supplying masks and sanitizer and installing plexiglass barriers, our school has taken further extensive measures to fight the virus.

The school now offers fit testing for N-95 respirator masks which gives hands-on instructions on how to properly wear the device and 96 air scrubbers with the highest level MERV filters and HEPA filtration have also been stationed in high traffic areas to maintain clean and pure air quality.

NECC has partnered with Greater Lawrence Family Health Center to provide vaccinations to the community. Vaccine clinic pop-ups are occasionally held on campus, both in Haverhill and Lawrence, to make getting the vaccine easily accessible. There will be a vaccine clinic on the Lawrence campus from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 27 in the Dimitry building lobby and from 9 a.m. to noon in the D building on the Haverhill campus on Oct. 29.

Vaccines are also available at local community centers, pharmacies and doctor’s offices.

NECC has also put together a selection of public health officials, student and academic leaders to form the NECC Covid Response Team. Their goal is to inform, encourage and provide services for students, staff and faculty members who are interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. They aim to be ahead of the curve of public health and government guidelines to sustain a healthy and happy community.

In an interview with the Chairwoman of the NECC Covid Response Team, Marissa Elliot, she states “We [NECC officials] are not allowed to be more liberal than Department of Public Health requirements but we can and often are more conservative if, in consultation with our internal experts, we deem it necessary to take additional steps to protect the safety and well being of the college community.”

While some members of the community support the new vaccine mandate, there are a handful who are in opposition of the decision.

In an interview with Leiliana Igartua, NECC student, she states “Yes we are told that it [the COVID-19 vaccine] is helping us but in my eyes people are still dying, including those who have received the vaccine. I think that it is our bodies and we shouldn’t have to do anything we don’t want to. We don’t know enough about this virus yet to have a vaccine for it.”

Although NECC considers logging contact data a considerable measure, some students feel uneasy about the QR codes located around campus which keeps a record of where students go on campus and when.

Igartua also says “I understand the purpose of it, but you also can’t tell who’s actually using them and when they stop tracking you.”

Joining colleges and universities across the country, NECC has enrolled in the White House COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge. Participating schools are dedicated to following three steps; engaging all students, staff and faculty members in the fight against this persistent virus, organizing campus communities around vaccine efforts, and delivering vaccine access for all.

The details of how NECC will be enforcing the new vaccine mandate is not yet known.

 

 

 

 

Home Page News Bytes, News

Local food banks are in desperate need of your help

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The amount of people unable to provide proper nutrition for themselves and their families had almost doubled at the start of the COVID pandemic. While that number is slowly decreasing, help is greatly needed at food banks all around the Haverhill area. With the increased number of food-insecure families, food banks are requesting more resources from the community.

“We are always looking for volunteers,” said Katherine Hailson of the Northern Essex Community College Americorps Vista.

One of the primary ways to help out the community and those who need the assistance is to spread the word. Covid negatively impacted the functions of many food banks, forcing changes to how food is distributed.

Many services, including the Salvation Army Haverhill Corps Community Center, had to change from client choice distribution to pre-bagged distribution, meaning that recipients of the food had less control over what food they were getting.

Other places, such as the Northern Essex Monthly Mobile Market, had to close down entirely for some time. “During the fall of 2019 (before COVID), we served an average of 104 individuals per month at our monthly Mobile Farmer’s market. Our programs completely shut down when COVID hit in spring 2020,” said Hailson.

Even though the rate of food insecurity is far above that of pre-COVID numbers, the Mobile Market only serves around 70 people per month now. The closing cost them a third of their clients.

This can be attributed to a lack of information surrounding how and where to get help. This lack of knowledge not only prevents people from receiving needed assistance but also prevents volunteers from knowing where they can help and how much the help is needed. “One thing everyone can do is simply spread the word about our programs,” wrote Hailson in an email.

The rise in food insecurity has been attributed to job loss and rising poverty rates throughout the pandemic, leading to some places serving far more people than they previously had.

“Before COVID –  30-50 households per day,” reported Pastor Lynnann Rivers of the Haverhill Corps Community Center on how many households they serve, “(now) 40-70 households per day we are open.”

Food banks provide much-needed food to tens of millions of people across the country. While a bag of carrots, apples, and lettuce may not seem like such a huge help, these foods account for a significantly larger percentage of the earnings of many food recipients compared to people who are not food insecure. To put the costs into perspective, 34% of food bank help recipients from Feeding America, the largest food bank network in America, have had to choose between paying for food or paying for medical care. Giving really helps.

Some communities in the United States, such as the Latino community, have experienced even worse effects on food security than others.  COVID has brought Latino families with children dealing with food insecurity from 16.8% to 47%, according to studies from the USDA and Northwestern University Institute for Policy Research. Barriers such as ID requirements and a lack of Spanish-speaking volunteers prevent Latino families from getting the help that they need. “We need Spanish-speaking volunteers on distribution days,” said Rivers.

If you are interested in volunteering with the Haverhill Corps Community center, you can contact Rivers at LRivers@use.salvationarmy.org. To volunteer at NECC’s Mobile Market you can email Hailson at khailson@necc.mass.edu.

 

Home Page News Bytes, News

Online learning has lasting appeal for some students

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Coronavirus and its harrowing pandemic have caused a resurgence and appreciation in virtual learning.

As universities and other educational institutions begin reopening, more students are choosing to stay online.

At Northern Essex Community College, with a student body of 5,233, approximately one-fifth of the population is enrolled in online courses.

The rise of virtually enrolled students is no coincidence; before the reopening of NECC, students were exclusively online throughout the pandemic.

Now, with the choice of in-person and online, more students are choosing to remain virtual.

Nicole Sabando, a second-year transfer student ofNECC, said “My parents are older than most people’s parents my age. Plus, they are immuno-compromised, I can’t risk their health. We’re vaccinated but that does not mean we can’tget [coronavirus]. Online is just the best way to go for the sake of my health and theirs.”

The risk of testing positive still remains a threat to many people’s health, and online is a safe option fort hose who cannot chance being exposed.

Although NECC has a mask mandate, Sabando says “I appreciate the precautions, but I also appreciate having the choice of how I get my education.”

Alternatively, Christian Furtado, second year student of NECC, says “I work two full-time jobs. I do not really have the time to sit in a classroom for however many hours a day. I want my degree, but I also need to be able to pay for it.”

The pandemic has posed a national threat to financial security — this includes students. With COVID unemployment benefits ending this year, students who collected unemployment are now headed back to work.

Furtado added “Online learning allows me to make my own schedule and manage my time how I want to. It’s a lot of responsibility [being online] but it’s what works best for me. The pandemic hit us like a truck, so now it’s back to work and back to school.”

Online learning has become a tool for Furtado; he gets to work long hours and get his work done.

Jayviar Laporte, second year student of NECC, says of online courses “It just feels right to me. I discovered during the pandemic that I work best individually. Online is best for my mental health.”
Laporte graduated high school at the height of the pandemic and chose to stick with what he has grown accustomed to.
“Social distancing and being stuck at home for so long was a blessing in disguise for me,” said Laporte. “At first I hated it, but now I love it. I learned self-discipline with my work and staying on track. I don’t procrastinate as much as I used to, and I honestly appreciate my education more, knowing it’s all on me.”
All three students agreed that their biggest struggle with online courses is time management.
Sabando said “The thing is, being at home makes it easy to forget about an assignment or to be unmotivated. You have to really want it to be able to do it. It’s definitely not for everyone.”
The pandemic made education hard for both students and teachers with the quick and not-so-smooth transition to virtual learning. Now that schools are reopening, online courses are still a norm for many people.
 
Opinion

‘Build Back Better Act’ is investment we need

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U.S. Congresswoman Alexandrea Ocasio-Cortez (D–NY 14th District) made a bold statement on her dress at the star-studded Met Gala last month. Ocasio-Cortez wore a white off the shoulder gown by Brothers Veillies with the words “Tax the Rich” in bold red letters emblazoned on the back of the stunning gown. Ocasio-Cortez was advocating for President Joe Bidens $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act, otherwise known as the Reconciliation Bill.

President Biden’s proposal in the Build Back Better Act should create new opportunities to boost education system, infrastructure, and increase accessibility to a higher education.  The Build Back Better Act will invest $111 billion to lower the cost of a higher education for students.  One way to do that is to increase taxes from 37% to 39.6% on anyone who makes over $400,000 annually and raise corporate income tax  from 21% to up to 28% (which is still lower than the Obama administrations corporate tax rate, which was 35%). Raising taxes on those individual and corporations will help pay for more accessible social programs such as two free years of a higher education at a community college or trade school.

The Build Back Better Act is a once in a generation investment that refers to the historical challenges that face the country and our young people.  The “millennials” are the most under educated generation in recent history in terms of lack of qualified teachers and overcrowded classrooms.  The Build Back Better Act will ensure that postsecondary education is affordable and accessible to high school graduates.  A recent survey of high school students found that the likelihood of attending a four-year college sank nearly 20% in the last eight months, down to 53% from 76% according to ECMC group, a non-profit aiming to help young borrowers.

Affordability, for post-secondary education in the United States, should be defined by what is reasonable to expect students and their families to contribute financially toward their post-secondary education.  This information should be publicly available and shared with both the students and their families in a clear, predictable manner.  College can seem like an unattainable goal for countless low- middle class, and lower-class students.  The thought of owing tens of thousands of dollars can be stress inducing, cause anxiety and make you second guess wanting to pursue a post-secondary education.  Ocasio-Cortez and the progressive movement are simply trying to make higher education affordable and attainable for all Americans who have a dream. According to a recent CNBC poll, students from lower socioeconomic households are eight times less likely to earn a four-year degree when compared to the top socioeconomic households (7.4% to 60%).

The significant increase in the cost of college has outpaced both inflation, but more importantly, families’ incomes over recent decades. The Build Back Better Act will be an investment that will also expand the value of the Pell Grant.  Pell Grants have not kept up with the increase in cost of education.  The Build Back Better Act will expand the Pell Grant by nearly $1,500 which would go on top of the $6,495 maximum currently to help lower income students pay for a two- or four-year degree, bringing the grand total to $7,995 per scholastic year.

The Build Back Better Act plan invests in evidence-based strategies to strengthen completion and retention rates at community colleges and institutions that serve their students from our most disadvantage communities.  President Biden understands that 15 years of school is no longer enough to attain higher paying jobs without a degree.  Between 2010 and 2016, majority of high school graduates needed education beyond high school, to earn a living wage income.  In 2021 there is a great need for skills development opportunities for high quality jobs.

The Build Back Better Act will help bring families out of poverty.  President Biden wants a more equitable, stable system to support our youth.  The Build Back Better Act gives lower income students a fair shot at success in life that otherwise might not be afforded to them.  If the Build Back Better Act becomes law in its current state, educators will see a boost to digital and online learning that has already grown dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Senate needs every Democrat to vote for the bills passage.  Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (West Virginia) and Krysta Sinema (Arizona) are the hold outs for this bill.  Senator Manchin has stated the price tag would have to come down somewhere between $1 trillion and $1.5 trillion for him to consider voting yes on the bill.  Senator Manchin has at least put out the notion that his vote could be swayed to yes if certain changes are made to the bill, the same can not be said for Senator Sinema.  The freshman senator from Arizona was recently welcomed home with demonstrators at the airport.  Her constituents want the Build Back Better Act signed into law.  They want answers as to why she is unwilling to vote yes on the 3.5 trillion-dollar reconciliation bill (Build Back Better Act) that would benefit all Americans with better paying wages to help lift people out of poverty.  Senator Sinema has tweeted in the past that she thought we should provide two years of post-educational education in community colleges or a trade school to all Americans.  Time will tell if Senator Manchin and Senator Sinema will do the right thing by their constituents and vote according to the will of the people rather corporate donors.