NECC English Professor and Peace Poetry coordinator Elle Yarborough (left) with adult winner Nancy Earley of Andover, who also designed the cover of this year’s chapbook.

“Peace, Peace, where are you? I’m looking everywhere for you!” Those are the opening lines of a peace poem written by Yasser Azzou’s, a kindergartener at The Islamic Academy for Peace in Methuen. It was one of 11 first place winning poems in Northern Essex Community College’s 11th Annual Peace Poetry Contest & Reading.

The now annual event was held Friday, May 3, in the Hartleb Technology Center on the Haverhill campus, 100 Elliott St.

Dozens of students from area public and private schools, kindergarten through high school read their original peace poems in front of hundreds of family members and friends.

The 2019 first place winners include:

Kindergarten, Yasser Azzou, “Peace in Your Heart,” The Islamic Academy for Peace, Methuen.

First Grade, Selena Almedia, “Crashing Waves,” Tilton School, Haverhill.

Second Grade, Sena Kaplan, “Peace is Beautiful,” The Islamic Academy for Peace, Methuen.

Third Grade, Bella Lomaka, “Peace,” Sargent School, North Andover.

Fourth Grade, Adel Sounalah, “Peace Knows No Differences,” The Islamic Academy for Peace, Methuen.

Fifth grade, Niranjan Nair, “Once Upon a Time…,” Sanborn School, Andover.

Sixth Grade, Aisha Farheen Riaz, “The Flame of Peace,” The Islamic Academy for Peace, Methuen.

Seventh Grade, Andrew Kanakor, “Better World,” Saint Michael School, Lowell.

Eighth Grade, Timothy Tran, “The End of War,” Lowell Catholic, Lowell.

High School, Rayna Rodriguez, “O’ Brave New World,” Methuen High School, Methuen.

Adult Category, Nancy Earley, “Shattered Peace,” NECC Student of Andover.

NECC President Lane Glenn (left) with Enzo Surin, a poet, publisher, social advocate, and associate professor of English at Bunker Hill Community College who was the keynote speaker.

Since its inception 11 years ago, more than 11,000 peace poems have been submitted, according to event organizer English Professor Elle Yarborough.

Poet and Associate Professor of English, Enzo Surin, from Bunker Hill Community College delivered the keynote address. Surin is a Haitian-born poet, educator, publisher, and social advocate.

“It’s great to see this many faces gathered tonight to celebrate what was considered a dying art. Somebody is always saying something about how no one reads poetry anymore yet the latest numbers tell us that poetry is being read and written at an astronomical rate, especially poetry that is socially and politically conscious,” Surin told the friends and families of the poetry winners. “The best news about the surging number of those who are gravitating to poetry is that they are our youth. That’s right, a younger generation is actively engaged in both reading and writing poetry. And that is something we should all be very excited about.”

Surin, who received the 2017 Brother Thomas Fellowship from The Boston Foundation, told the audience that poetry is important for several reasons.

(Left to right) Sena Kaplan, Adel Sounalah, and Yassar Azzou, of The Islamic Academy for Peace in Methuen were first place winners.

“Poetry provides us with the platform to not only express ourselves but also a pathway to create and nurture community. That is one of the reasons why I love to write. Poetry provided me with opportunities, such as tonight’s event, to connect with people that I would not have otherwise,” he said. “And because writing poetry is a win-win endeavor, I am also able to connect with myself; to find peace within myself despite a world that often tries its best to destroy our peace. Poetry helps me find ways to keep my peace so that I could be of service to others. It also gives me the confidence to say what needs to be said because writing is not a passive form of social action.”

Dr. Paul Saint-Amand, a retired NECC English Professor, created the Peace Poetry Contest & Reading, quite simply to promote peace. The Rockport resident and Vietnam-era veteran was honored for his contribution to the promotion of peace. NECC President Lane Glenn presented him with the award and thanked him for his work.

The contest is sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, the Division of Liberal Arts, the English Department, and the Service Learning Committee. A committee of NECC students and faculty judge the submissions. In addition to the first place winners, an additional 70 or 80 poems are published in a chapbook.

Here are the winning poems.

Additional information can be found at the Peace Poetry website.

For additional information, contact Yarborough at eyarborough@necc.mass.edu

Rosalin Acosta (right in photo), MA secretary of labor and workforce development and former NECC trustee, presented the Patrick Award to NECC President Lane Glenn and NECC Vice President Noemi Custodia-Lora.

Boston – The Boston Foundation is pleased to announce that Northern Essex Community College has been selected as the recipient of the 5th Annual Deval Patrick Prize for Community Colleges. The College was selected for the $50,000 award in recognition of PIÉS Latinos de NECC, a program established in 2016 to help immigrants with college credits and/or high school diplomas with additional certifications/training from other countries to reach their professional potential.

Since 2016, the program has evaluated the credentials of more than 600 immigrants, including dozens with university degrees from foreign countries, helping them gain credits and/or enroll in coursework that moves them into and through higher education in Massachusetts, at NECC and other institutions.

As a result, the program addresses the issue of ‘brain waste’ among the Merrimack Valley immigrants, where immigrants with strong education backgrounds or credentials from other countries are forced into low-wage, low-skill jobs because those credentials are not accepted or understood here.

“At a time when we know demand for skilled workers is high, this program opens doors for hundreds of talented students who can fill those roles, but deserve credit for the relevant work they have done,” said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. “We applaud NECC for its creative and effective approach – knowing that it is just one example of the remarkable work going on at the Commonwealth’s community colleges.”

The PIÉS program works with students at a number of levels – from those who come in with robust credentials but may need volunteer work, academic ESL or other coursework at NECC to continue their studies at NECC or a four-year school, to those with high school diplomas or technical certificates who would benefit from work-based training or stackable, portable credits in addition to having their high school diploma validated.

As a result, the program reaches beyond simply validating participants’ experience to give them strategic pathways to better careers in areas like education and information technology.

“Community colleges are strengthened by the diversity and experience of our students, as we work to launch them on a road to future success,” said Lane Glenn, President of Northern Essex Community College. “PIÉS Latinos de NECC ensures that immigrant students not only get the credit for academic and work experience that they deserve, the program helps them navigate the best possible path to their personal, professional and academic goals.”

Trustee Marianne Paley Nadel; Cheryl Goodwin, NECC staff; Trustee Chair Jeff Linehan; Irene Chalek, NECC staff; Noemi Custodia Lora, NECC staff; Trustee Anita Worden; NECC President Lane Glenn; Rosalin Acosta, secretary of labor and workforce development; and Kelly Saretsky, NECC staff.

Northern Essex Community College was recognized at an event at the Boston Foundation on May 1. Earlier in the day, the Foundation released a new report from authors Richard Kazis and Nancy Snyder that highlighted the need and opportunity for the Commonwealth to create policies and programs that increase access to paid internships for community college students.

To learn more about PIÉS Latinos de NECC, contact Analuz Garcia, agarcia@necc.mass.edu, 978 738 7423 (office) or 978 971-1177 (cell).

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The Boston Foundation, Greater Boston’s community foundation, is one of the largest community foundations in the nation, with net assets of more than $1 billion. In 2017, the Foundation and its donors paid $130 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of more than $194 million. The Foundation is a close partner in philanthropy with its donors, with more than 1,000 separate charitable funds established either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes. It also serves as a major civic leader, think tank and advocacy organization, commissioning research into the most critical issues of our time and helping to shape public policy designed to advance opportunity for everyone in Greater Boston. The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), a distinct operating unit of the Foundation, designs and implements customized philanthropic strategies for families, foundations and corporations around the globe. For more information about the Boston Foundation and TPI, visit tbf.org or call 617-338-1700.

A free business and accounting fundamentals non-credit certificate program will be offered through Northern Essex Community College’s adult English Language Learners program this fall.

The 20-week program will begin Monday, Sept. 16. Registrations will be accepted through then. Classes will be held Monday through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at NECC’s Dimitry Building on 45 Franklin St, Lawrence.

The 20-hour a week program includes English literacy and civics education, math, and digital literacy.

This program is designed for intermediate and higher level English learners who want to improve their English and academic and occupational skills needed to pursue higher education or employment.

Testing dates for the program are April 25, May 16, May 30, and June 6 from 5 to 6:15 p.m. at the Riverwalk campus, 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence.

For additional information on the program or to register, contact Kizzy Borbon, integrated English literacy & civics coordinator, NECC’s Center for Adult Education Programs and Preparations at kborbon@necc.mass.edu or call 978-659-1283.