Abraham Batista elected to attend Northern Essex Community College after graduating from Lawrence High School in 2007 for two reasons.

First, he wanted to save money on his college education. And second, he was looking to develop his academic skills so he could succeed in college-level courses.

At Northern Essex, Abraham started with fundamental courses such as basic reading, basic writing, and basic math. Once he built his academic foundation, he moved into more advanced college-level courses and, with the help of the support he received from the math lab, did well in his studies.

Abraham graduated with a certificate in computer information technology in May and is transferring to UMass Lowell where he will continue his studies in this field with the goal of earning a bachelor’s degree.

While at Northern Essex, Abraham ran for the college track team, worked nights in the college’s computer lab, and was an active participant in the PACE program, a federal support program for first generation college students like him. Through career planning at the college, he also secured a part-time job which he “loves,” working as a network specialist for Eastern Bag and Paper in Tewksbury.

When asked how he balances two part-time jobs and a rigorous schedule of courses, while finding the time to run track for the college, Abraham admits it’s not always easy. “Academics have to be the priority,” he says. “I have to focus on what’s important, my education.”

Abraham has proven that hard work, a positive attitude, and a willingness to seek out support services at the college can lead to college success and he is happy to share his story with others.

Forty-five Years Later, Tom Sexton Fondly Recalls Time at NECC

Former Alaskan Poet Laureate Tom Sexton is a celebrated poet with 12 published books but he is also a storyteller and many of the stories he tells are of the two years he spent as a student at Northern Essex during the mid-’60s.

Attending classes in the former Greenleaf Elementary School in Bradford; playing chess in the student center in the basement, and trips to a local bar for some liquid confidence before delivering a speech in public speaking class are just some of the memories he shares from his time at the college.

While he is quick with a joke, Tom is completely serious when he credits Northern Essex with “giving me a wonderful life.”

“At NECC, I started paying attention to the fact that I was intelligent. I was challenged by good teachers who made me realize I loved learning.” He stills fondly remembers many of those teachers, Marlene Molinoff and Roland Kimball who taught English; Norman Landry who taught math; and Frank Padellaro who taught economics, and says “For them, the student always came first.”

At the college, he began writing poetry, inspired by Professor Molinoff, and joined the literary society. He was the founding editor of Parnassus, the college’s student literary and arts magazine, which is still thriving. “Those were wonderful times,” he muses. “I can’t explain how wonderful it is to know Parnassus is still publishing.”

Tom transferred to Salem State, earning a bachelor’s of English in 1968. When the University of Alaska accepted him into its master’s program, he and his wife of one week, Sharyn, drove from Salem, Mass. to Fairbanks, Alaska in a battered Volkswagen bus.

After graduation, he was hired to begin a creative writing program at the new Anchorage campus of the University of Alaska. He taught there for 25 years, serving as chair of the English Department for 10 years, and was poetry editor of the Alaska Quarterly Review. He is currently a professor emeritus of English at the University of Alaska.

From 1995 to 2000, he was poet laureate of Alaska.

At 71, Tom is writing more than ever. His most recent book, I Think Again of Those Ancient Chinese Poets, will be followed by a thirteenth book in January. “The fact that I’ve published 12 books amazes me,” he says.

While Tom has grown to love Alaska, he still appreciates the place where he grew up. “I’d love to live in the Merrimack Valley, but Alaska has been very good to me and my wife. It’s difficult to leave.”

Imagine learning and practicing drawing blood without ever touching a human arm. The students in Northern Essex Community College’s allied health programs are doing just that using a Laerdal Virtual Phlebotomy System purchased with a grant from the Webster Family Fund of Danvers and the Essex County Community Foundation.

Virtual Phlebotomy is a comprehensive, self-directed learning system for training phlebotomists from the novice to the expert level.

Students practice drawing blood by inserting needles into a device that simulates what the patients would feel and what the students would experience when collecting blood specimens. The students can immediately review the results on the computer screen. The virtual patient’s actual response is dictated by the way the student handles the device. Responses can include bruising, bleeding, or vein collapse, providing students with a 3-D graphic virtual reality. The system offers different scenarios for patients of different ages. In addition, the virtual phlebotomy system tracks the learner’s progress and focuses on learning objectives.

This provides students with a virtual experience before progressing to practice on lab partners and real patients.

“From our previous work with experiential learning using simulators in our other labs, we know how much our students benefit from being able to use this type of technology while in a safe learning environment,” says Jackie Long-Goding, dean of health professions at NECC. “Their self-confidence soars and this carries over into their ability to function as competent, entry-level phlebotomists when they go to clinical. Patient care is enhanced. This is a goal not only for the college, but also our clinical agency educational partner as well.”

For more information on health care programs offered at Northern Essex, visit the college’s website, www.necc.mass.edu or call enrollment services at 978 556-3700.