Northern Essex Community College’s student newspaper, The NECC Observer, recently received a gold medal certificate from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
The paper received 926 out of 1,000 points. It was scored on news, features, in-depth reporting, op/ed, sports, arts and entertainment, design presentation, editing, headlines, and general publication operations.
The certificate places Northern Essex among a group of student publications that received similar scores, said Ernie Greenslade, a spokeswoman for Northern Essex, which has campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence.
The newspaper is advised by the school’s journalism coordinator, Amy Callahan, and staffed by nine student editors, 20 correspondents who submit material from journalism classes, and a handful of other contributors from the college community. The student staff includes Julie Varney of Methuen, N.H., editor in chief; Joshua Jo of Methuen, news editor; Sam Sawyer of Boxford, opinion editor; Matt McCarron of Salem, N.H., sports editor; Patricia Smith of North Andover, features editor; Nicole Scopa of Haverhill, arts & entertainment editor; Jamie-Lee Rodriguez of Lawrence, campus life editor; and copy editor Alex Trecartin of Salem, N.H.
Brian Benson 
