Have you ever thought of joining a sports team here at Northern Essex? Think you wouldn’t have time to juggle classes, work and a sport? Wrong! The students on the NECC baseball team beg to differ.
Baseball is an all American sport. Here’s some of the NECC baseball players giving their opinion on college sports:
Ryan Mcauliffe:
#19
Playing baseball since the age of 5
2 year pitcher at NECC
“Gets you in the right direction for college , it has a nice set schedule but is strict.”
Harrison Smoske:
#6
Playing baseball since the age of 1
1 year center at NECC
“Gets you involved , it’s somewhat strict although sometimes it is tough with work.”
Jake Rogers:
#16
Playing baseball since the age of 1
3 year 1st basemen at NECC
“Helps with school, and you got to keep your grades up because its strict.”
Zarif Pajazetovic
# 28
Playing baseball since the age of 7
2 year pitcher at NECC
“It gives you something to do through the semester.”
Ryley Wannock
#5
Playing baseball since the age of 3
2 year shortstop at NECC
“You have to keep your grades up and be responsible.”
Mac Singleton
#8
Playing baseball since the age of 3
2 year 2nd basemen at NECC
“You get a great experience being on the team.”
Coach Jeff Mejia, who has been coaching the team for 3 years now, said the advantage of students playing in a college atmosphere rather than in high school is that “many students tend to be more focused in the classroom when playing a college sport, as their time is limited, so they tend to get their assignments and studying done sooner than later.”
NECC is a great segue for the players to move on to four-year schools.
A lot of the players mentioned how it can be strict being on a college team.
“We as an athletic department work very well with the registration and advising center to help all our athletes excel in and out of the classroom,” said Mejia.
The team is alike a family. The way the coaches and the players interact with each other really shows their love for the game.
Karen Mitchell is the director of the Pathways to Academic and Career Excellence also known as the PACE program at Northern Essex Community College.
Mitchell has been working at NECC for 21 years or one-third of her life. Mitchell started at NECC in 1993 as an academic adviser/career councilor. During her time as an academic adviser from 1993 until 1997, Mitchell advocated Perkins Vocational Education grants for college woman in non-traditional careers and assisted Lawrence high school juniors and seniors in making the transition to college through the Massachusetts Educational Opportunity Project (MEOP).
In 1997, Karen became the director of the PACE program at NECC. The Pace program is a federally funded program. Started by President Lyndon B. Johnson in The Educational Opportunity Act of 1964, the program is available to 250 students, or two-thirds of students at NECC as mandated by Congress.
PACE participants must come from families with incomes at least 150 percent or less of the federal poverty level, and either parent must have graduated with a bachelor degree or higher.
PACE was originally part of the Trio Project started by the Educational Opportunity act of 1964. It stands for the three education programs that were started in 1964. Currently there are now eight educational funded programs provided by the federal government. The programs are available to students in more than 1,000 colleges in the U.S., the Caribbean
and the Pacific Islands.
Mitchell graduated from The University of New Hampshire, Durham in 1973 with a Bachelor of the Arts in Spanish and minored in education. Mitchell started working in education as a Spanish teacher at Kennett High School in Conway, N.H. from 1974 through 1977.
Mitchell then earned a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. in 1979. She went on to work as a student adviser for New England College in Henniker, N.H. from 1979 until 1988.
In 1988, Mitchell became a college counselor at Great Bay Community College in Stratham N.H. and worked there until 1993. In 1993, she started working at NECC.
In 1995, Mitchell earned a second masters degree in Education from the University of New Hampshire, Durham. She has also attended NECC. In 1999 she was awarded a certificate in Computer Applications with high honors in the subject.
Mitchell continued teaching Spanish to students online from 2009 through 2012 for students of the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School in Exeter, N.H.
Mitchell’s office is located in the student advising center on the second floor of the Haverhill campus. She also travels to the Lawrence campus once a week.
Mitchell said her favorite part of the job is “to help students achieve their goal and dreams, it is phenomenal.”
Michael Markham, who also works for PACE, said, “Karen is energetic, kind, and compassionate in putting students ahead of everyone. She is good working with students who face challenges.” Markham has been working with Karen for the last 17 years.
Mitchell likes to travel. While attending the University Of New Hampshire, Durham, she spent her junior year studying abroad at the University of Navarra in Pamplona Spain. She has also been to France, England, Hawaii, Guatemala, and she has visited Yellowstone. She would like to visit Iceland and Switzerland in the future.
NECC students taking 3D foundations with adjunct art professor Dianne Pappas worked in small groups to create the artwork installations seen around the Haverhill campus.
“This is an advanced concept,” said Pappas. “It’s about creating an experience, or an environment.”
Pappas feels it’s especially useful to the students to start experimenting with these concepts and challenges early in the semester.
For more information, contact Dianne Pappas at dpappas.necc.mass.edu.
Conflict arose for the dance club this semester when it was discovered that they would not be able to use the dance studio.
The dance studio was going to be used for another class at the time the dance club had planned to meet.
Zany Dwight, a freshmen in college who attends the dance club, said everyone was “pretty bummed.”
Since the rooms at the college have always been open for use, the college decided to put a yoga class in the dance studio because they saw an open space in the schedule.
The instructors found out only two weeks before the club was supposed to start meeting. Since it had already been decided, they were forced to search for another room to meet in.
Michelle Deane, the coordinator of the college’s dance program, said it was “Really difficult.”
It was a disappointment that the students wouldn’t have access to the mirrors in the dance studio to help them better see how they can improve, as well as the larger space to dance in.
But the group has made the best of the situation.
However, she also said “I was surprised how Tracy (the choreographer of the dance club) was able to make everything come together.”
Tracy DiJulia is a NECC graduate who has been the dance instructor for the past four years.
Dean described her coreography as “fun and flirty.”
As someone who tended to take dance more seriously, Deane said Tracy brought a “new voice” to the program.
Deane said they tried to find the biggest classroom available, and work as a team to make the dance club happen despite the inconvenience.
She added “I am confident that next semester we will have the dance studio back.” As of right now they are meeting in the science building in a classroom.
They push the desks in the center of the room over to the side to make room to dance. The projector in the classroom was used to show the video of the song that they were learning how to dance to.
The dance club is open for everyone, and the philosophy of the club is that “Everyone can dance.”
Dwight described the dance club as “really fun” and said it was “a challenge even though I’ve been dancing a long time,” which she said she liked about it.
People with a lot of experience, or even little to none, are all welcome to attend the club.
She said she feels like having a mixed group like that is actually beneficial in some ways, because everybody can help each other out. Both girls and guys participate.
The two dance instructors took some time afterwards to help people who were struggling with the dance moves.
They ran through the steps one by one until those who were struggling felt more confident, and then went through the dance with music.
Some girls recorded the dance on their phones as a reference to use when practicing before the next meeting.
With everyone helping to make the best of the situation, it looks like the dance club isn’t going to be phased much by the change of location.
For more information about the NECC dance club contact Michelle Deane at (978)- 556-3957, or visit her at her office located at C314J in the C building. You can alos reach her by email at mdeane@necc.mass.edu.
Columbus day has a questionable past | NECC Observer
Columbus Day has been a controversial holiday for a long time. There are several reasons for the controversy; first, it’s generally understood to celebrate Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America. Which he didn’t do.
What Columbus discovered was the Bahamas, and he only found them because he expected to be able to get to India — having massively underestimated the size of the Earth against (correct) scientific consensus.
As for the holiday’s history: Benjamin Harrison was the first president to instate Columbus Day as a holiday, in response to increasing violence towards Italian immigrants and citizens.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic-Italian organization, petitioned to have it made a federal holiday, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt did so in 1937. Nixon reaffirmed it as a federal holiday in 1972.
Even though Columbus Day is a federal holiday, it is not a national holiday.
A few states in the U.S. do not acknowledge Columbus Day as a holiday, and not all schools and workplaces have the day off. Only federal institutions are mandated to close for Columbus Day. States, schools and workplaces often disregard it because of Columbus’s problematic history.
First: The Bahamas, as well as the American continents, were already inhabited when Columbus arrived, and so had already been ‘discovered’ for quite some time.
Second, Columbus was looking (to find India) for spices, jewels and precious metals for the Spanish monarchy.
Columbus was imperialistic, hateful and violent. He was not respectful towards the indiginous people in the lands he colonized, and his behavior towards the people living in the lands he invaded has been described as genocidal.
He pillaged the islands and sold their inhabitants as slaves.
The heritage of Italian Americans is an important cultural touchstone that’s worth celebrating, but no one could in good faith make the case that Columbus Day does that.
What Columbus Day does is perpetuate mis-education about America’s history and celebrate imperialism, colonialism and genocide.
As a state, not federal, institution, NECC has a choice about whether to celebrate Columbus Day. The Observer Staff is not against getting a day off. But we should consider, at least, giving a different reason for it.
Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, when people recognize the contributions Hispanic Americans have made to the U.S. and celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage.
There’s a considerable and diverse Hispanic population making their own contributions to the NECC student body.
This fall, 37 percent of all students attending NECC are Hispanic. The Lawrence campus alone has a Hispanic population of over 61 percent. Haverhill’s hispanic population is 29 percent.
This diverse group makes up a large portion of the NECC student body. Many are taking advantage of NECC’s resources to follow their career goals and continue their education.
Pablo Santana, an accounting major from the Dominican Republic, is currently in his second semester at NECC and hopes to continue his education after this.
“I think I’m going to transfer to UMASS Lowell… for their accounting program,” Santana said.
Others plan to use their education to start their own businesses.
Edwin Checo, a computer science major from the Dominican Republic, has a different plan. “I’ll probably work part-time until I build my own [computer programming] business,” Checo said.
Hispanic students transitioning into this environment often face many different problems that native speakers never have to worry about.
The difference in language, culture, values can be overwhelming to students trying to acclimate to the college environment. This transition can be extremely difficult, especially at the beginning.
Some students say that NECC can do a better job of helping non-native English speakers adapt into the college environment.
Paula Peña, a full-time NECC student majoring in Graphic Design, has lived in Massachusetts for about four years and had a hard time adapting to her new environment.
“I think they should offer better counseling services,” Peña said.
“I didn’t feel I had the proper guidance to help me take advantage of my time. I sort of had to figure things out by myself when I didn’t have the slightest idea how things work here,” said Peña.
NECC does offer mental health counseling services headed by Marcia Winters who can be reached at mwinters@necc.mass.edu as well as a Student Success Center which can be reached at ssc@necc.mass.edu.
According to the Eagle Tribune, “Northern Essex was one of only three schools in Massachusetts — and the only public campus — to receive a federal Title V grant for Hispanic Serving Institutions which helped fund a Student Success Center in Lawrence.”
This transition often impacts far beyond the school environment.
To some Hispanics and other immigrants, the difference in culture is so tremendous that it’s difficult to communicate with their peers in a way that they’ll be understood.
It’s not only students that have a difficult time with this transition process.
Professor Ligia Domenech teaches courses from World War II to World Civilization. Domenech moved from Puerto Rico three years ago, where she had taught at the University of Puerto Rico, and said that her transition was very difficult at times, but that the college facilitated the process.
“They [NECC] have a program here that’s like an induction program,” Domenech said. “Throughout the whole first semester, you have two hours a week of orientation … That helped a lot.”
Domenech said any school would benefit from having foreign professors. “It’s fantastic for the school to have foreign faculty,” Domenech said. “They bring a different perspective. A different style … I think it’s important that we have more of those models for the students.”
Domenech said she faces many hardships as a Hispanic professor at NECC. She constantly feels the pressure to do well so that NECC staff see Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in a positive light.
“When they see me, they see how Puerto Rican professors are. I’m representing all of us,” Domenech said. “And I don’t want them to have a negative image, because then they won’t contract others.”
Despite the initial oppositions that many students and faculty presented a year ago when the parking passes became mandatory, people are generally now accommodating of the $8.50 ∑it costs to park on NECC’s campus.
There are still outliers who refuse to pay for parking sheerly on principle, one anonymous student stating, “it’s too much to keep track of: books, tuition, supplies, parking. They should put it all under one bill.” This is a luxury that even most private schools don’t enjoy.
Parking passes helped fund the sanding of the parking lots during the winter, a necessary action, due to restrictions on using salt as an ice deterrent because of water-body proximity issues.
“It’s not that big a deal as long as it’s helping keep students safe” said Luke Miller, 22, a current student at NECC.
Parking pass payments also helped to fund repairs in the pavement.
For new pupils, the parking pass doesn’t come as much of a shock, particularly since many other schools, such as UMass Lowell, or North Shore also require paid passes to park on campus.
“I was finishing my last semester when they began issuing parking passes, and I was a little peeved there was yet another thing I had to pay for,” said Coty Markee, 23, alumni of NECC.
When parking passes became required, students were frustrated that there were no free lots available close to campus.
As a result of the parking passes, traffic through the back lot at the Science Building has significantly increased, security reports.
Due to the ticketing program and threats of being towed, students who still refuse to purchase passes have now found themselves parking on the opposite side of the Haverhill campus from most classrooms, saving their eight dollars and walking a little farther to class.
I attended NECC for three years. For two, I was on staff at the Observer.
During those two years, those four semesters, I met people from all walks of life. I worked in Athletics, did orientations for Student Engagement, was friendly with Public Relations. I knew almost everyone.
Fast forward three months since graduation, and it’s like starting all over again.
I came to the University of Massachusetts Amherst on Aug. 29. I was terrified to start over again. I didn’t have any friends that came here, I didn’t know anyone here beforehand and I didn’t really know what to expect. I was afraid of class difficulty. I was afraid to fail.
As it turns out, those were silly fears. Let me say one thing about the transition to a living at a four-year school: if you try hard at Northern Essex, really try, classes are no different.
NECC helped me skip a required 300-level course. The journalism program, Mary Jo Shafer especially, prepared me as well as anyone could have.
I’m taking four journalism classes and so far everything we’ve gone over, Mary Jo has already taught me.
While the academic side of school is similar, the social aspect is where everything gets crazy.
Living at school is such a different experience than attending a community college.
At NECC, I had my share of friends around campus. It’s such a small school that having two or three people in the same few classes isn’t uncommon.
While my biggest class is only 30 people, all of my suitemates are in the large lecture-style classes that can boast higher than 200.
For someone who had around 25 students in every class for three years, that boggled my mind.
Transferring in also unfortunately puts students at a disadvantage. Everyone in my year has had two years of getting to know each other.
Whether they met in class, at a game, or at a party, it seems like everyone in journalism knows everyone else. In a way, it’s the same thing at NECC. But trying to break in and show them what you have is harder.
It’s been a month, and I’m enjoying it. I miss Northern Essex.
I learned a lot there and made many friends that I still cherish. But the challenges of UMass Amherst are something I welcome with each passing day.
NECC taught me how to break apart and excel. In a month, I’ve found an on-campus job, an internship and started writing for the campus magazine.
If you’re patient, NECC will teach you to do it too.
Scooptopia has a barn theme and serves many frozen treats. | NECC Observer
As you walk in through Entrance K at NECC’s campus at Riverwalk, just down the hall is the newly opened Scooptopia. Greeted by bright colors and an outdoorsy theme, Scooptopia offers a variety of ice creams, gelato, and sorbetto all homemade!
Owners’ Karen Small and her husband Frank opened Scooptopia in 2011 where it originated in Downtown Java Joe’s at Methuen Square in Methuen, Mass.
They had a one year lease in Downtown Java Joe’s, and left when the lease was up and the shop then became Gemma’s Cafe.
Since they left, Karen and Frank never stopped looking for a place to reopen their business.
“We never left the business, we just had no place to go. We had all of our equipment, and were just keeping our options open,” says Karen.
Karen came upon the space where the Coffee Cann used to be. It was a decent size area, and had the amenities that could fit their equipment.
“I saw the space, talked to my husband, then contacted The Riverwalk to lease the space,” says Small.
Right away Karen and her husband got to work, and construction went underway in January.
“My husband sketched out what we wanted. A farm theme with green grass,” says Small.
They hired an architect who helped to find a tin roof and reclaimed wood. They put it together and it turned out the way Karen and Frank wanted it to be.
When first walking into Scooptopia the customer is greeted by the counter in the form of a barn with the tin roof stretching outward, and with wood above.
Surrounding the walls is wood, and to the left is what appears to be a barn window. To the right is a mural of an ice cream sundae floating down a chocolate river with mint chocolate chip grasses.
Above the barn is blue paint to represent the sky, and green tile to represent grass. A cheerful and happy atmosphere.
“We wanted to bring the outside indoors, and it was lots of fun designing and putting it all together,” says Small.
Scooptopia finally opened in the beginning of summer in June. The hours of operation as of right now are Monday through Friday noon to 8 p.m.
“In the future, we hope to expand to the weekend, but as of right now we are holding steady,” says Small.
Scooptopia offers many different flavors of ice creams, sorbetto, and gelatos. The flavors are always changing month to month to keep it fresh, but will always have the basics such as chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry.
There are also specials during the months. This October, Scooptopia is offering Caramel Apple,Candy Corn, Pumpkin Whoopie Pie, Sweet Potato Marshmallow, and possibly Roasted Garlic.
“We are working on a Surprise Trick-O-Treat Bag flavor. It will be everything you would normally get in a trick-o-treat bag such as Hershey’s, Kit Kat, M&M’s, Milky Way, and so on. It is just finding the right flavors with it not being too much,” explains Small.
Scooptopia gets their ingredients locally, and internationally.
“We get our whoopie pies, and fruits from Mann’s Orchard, for the sorbetto and our whoopie pie flavor. The rest of our gelato material is imported from Italy,” says Small.
Many people do not know the difference between the three frozen treats. Ice cream is made with cream, unlike gelato which is made with milk.
Some people believe that sorbet, and sorbetto are the same thing, but they are not. Sorbet is made with milk, and sorbetto is fat free and dairy free, made with water and fruit. The menu offers gluten free treats which are marked by a pink star next to the name of the flavor.
The prices are reasonable for students, staff, and outside patrons who come in. A small gelato priced at $3.50 and a small ice cream, or sorbetto priced at $4.25. With reasonable quantities, they offer a small sample spoon to try out their different flavors.
“I want this shop to be different. I want to stand out, that’s why I’m always trying to make new different flavors such as Roasted Garlic, Biscotti, and Dill Pickle. It’s a unique process, but it is a lot of trial and error,” says Small.
Reopening Scooptopia, has been a fun process for Karen and Frank. It took lots of effort, but they’re now being rewarded for the hard work.
“I love owning the shop, seeing the customers, and catering to their needs,” says Small.
Scooptopia is located in the Riverwalk at Entrance K down a short hallway.
It may seem as though fall has just begun but the Maintenance Department at NECCs Haverhill campus has already begun preparing for winter.
Keeping the NECC campus safe for students, faculty and staff is a year-round job that requires careful planning and considerations for the surrounding area.
Steve Shepard has spent many hours clearing low-hanging tree branches that would eventually become covered with heavy snow and ice.
Meanwhile, his co-workers are getting the leaf-blowers and shovels lined up.
“Once we get the leaves sorted out, it’s full march ahead for winter. It’s definitely a team effort,” said Shepard.
There is one detail about ice removal at NECC that is different than in other areas of Haverhill. The signs on Kenoza Street that say “Salt Restricted Area.”
Due to its close proximity to Kenoza Lake, the Haverhill campus is considered a salt restricted area which prohibits the use of rock salt for the purpose of melting ice.
Rock salt contains small bits of gravel, which is extremely hard and can become lodged in the paws of animals.
Besides the wildlife which inhabit the wooded area that surrounds it, Kenoza Lake is home to many species of fish. It is also the source of Haverhill’s drinking water. The chemistry of the lake would become dangerously altered by allowing the use of rock salt on roads and walkways nearby.
“I love going fishing there,” said Ashley Jacobson of Newburyport. “I’m glad NECC is doing their part to protect the environment.” Jacobson, 29, is an architect who frequently works in Essex County.
She is familiar with salt restricted areas and usually advises homeowners to use animal-safe products for melting ice on their property.
Robert Donna, a Home Depot associate is already stocking the shelves with alternative products for melting ice and is ready to educate his customers on the importance of choosing a product that is safe for the environment and pets.
“Ice-Melt is the most popular one and we almost ran out completely last winter. Had to get some shipped down from Maine,” said Donna.
Ice-Melt is a non-salt product containing Calcium Chloride and is engineered to generate heat.
The NECC maintenance crew has a lot of experience with Ice-Melt and is prepared to keep plenty of it within reach this winter. And by the way it sounds, we are in store for a messy one.
“We’ll be clearing snow at 4 a.m. if we need to,” said Shepard.
Maintenance will do what it takes to keep us all safe this winter.
