Five NECC respiratory care students participated in the Fight for Air Climb. From left to right: Ryan Wiggins, Zachary Quigley, Andrew Milton, Scott McCully and Courtney Webb.

Five students from Northern Essex Community College’s respiratory care program recently participated in the Fight for Air Climb, helping to raise awareness and critical funding for the American Lung Association. Their challenge: to race up the 789 stairs at One Boston Place in downtown Boston as fast as possible.

The students were split into teams by class. The “NECC Respiratory Freshmen” team consisted of Courtney Webb of Woburn, Mass.; Scott McCully of Sandown, N.H.; and Ryan Wiggins of Bedford, N.H.; while the “NECC Respiratory Seniors” team was made up of Andrew Milton of Salisbury, Mass. and Zachary Quigley of Kingston, N.H.

Quigley’s time was the second-fastest out of all 1,326 participants; the 27-year-old man climbed the hundreds of stairs in just 5 minutes and 17 seconds. Overall, the two Northern Essex teams raised a total of $1,307.

Donations are still being accepted on the teams’ individual pages, linked above. Donors can gift any amount from $5 upward, and all proceeds benefit the mission of the American Lung Association.

NECC offers an associate degree in respiratory care which prepares students for practice at the therapist level, where they will work closely with physicians and nurses to diagnose lung and breathing disorders, and evaluate and treat patients to help them recover lung function. Graduates are prepared for the National Board of Respiratory Care credentialing exams, CRT and RRT, and for state licensure as a respiratory therapist. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.

For more information, visit the website or contact Program Director Jennifer Jackson-Stevens at (978) 655-5893 or jjacksonstevens@necc.mass.edu.