Photojournalism

Sulley Imoro of Ghana (near) leaps into the air while performing a traditional dance while 5th-8th grade teacher Michael Day (back left) and Alfred Kpebesaame of Ghana play the drums during a West African drum and dance performance for sixth graders at Hawthorne Brook Elementary School in Townsend on October 20, 2010.

Austin Bornstein of Ashburnham flips off a diving board at the Naukeag Lake Club on Packard Hill Road in Ashburnham on June 21, 2011.

Leominster's Steven Colella hangs over the fence after attempting to catch a foul ball as his teammate Kevin Griffith stands by during their game against Fitchburg on May 10, 2011.

Bob Membrino, 77, of Fitchburg gives a haircut on July 23, 2010 to Pang Thao of Leominster who has been going to Bob's Barber Shop on Water Street in Fitchburg once a month for three years. Bob is now retired after being a barber since 1964.

Holy Name's Anthony Hodges intercepts a pass intended for Gardner's Erik Haney (left) during the Division 2 playoff game at Doyle Field in Leominser on November 29, 2011. Holy Name won 34-7.

Jason and Kate Engelhardt work at clearing water from their home on 157 Center Bridge Road in Lancaster on March 16, 2010. Their home, which they've only been living in for about a year, was flooded from recent heavy rain that caused the Nashua River to overflow, which is located just behind their backyard.

Lancaster residents Matt Glover, Max Zoller and Erik Osachuk paddle a canoe across the center of Bolton Road in Lancaster on March 17, 2010 which remained flooded from recent heavy rain.

Ingrid Martinez of Fitchburg cleans freshly fallen snow off her car in a parking lot on Day Street in Fitchburg on January 21, 2011.

A bird chirps as a bee flies overhead in Fitchburg on July 21, 2011.

Leominster High School senior cheerleader Brittany Gauvin is tossed into the air during a practice on September 10, 2010.

EMT Paul Dubenetsky picks up a dog that is given oxygen after it suffered from smoke inhalation from a two-alarm fire at 8 Birch Street Passway in Fitchburg as EMT Danny Harris holds the oxygen tank while the dog's owners stand by at left on September 17, 2011. The dog was transported to a veterinary hospital.

A double rainbow appears briefly over Fitchburg, seen from Main Street, after a strong thunderstorm on September 29, 2011.

Fitchburg's goalie Dan Finn deflects the puck away from his goal as Leominster's Joey Apicella skates on during their game on January 20, 2011.

Firefighters climbe a ladder to battle a 6-alarm fire at the historic Johnsonia building on Main Street in Fitchburg late on June 13, 2011. Nobody was injured, but the building was a loss.

Fitchburg Fire Chief Kevin Roy checks his phone in front of the Johnsonia building in Fitchburg on June 14, 2011, the day after a 6-alarm blaze gutted the building the night before.

Westfield State's Jeff Winchell (right) scores a touchdown as Fitchburg State's Sean Golden (left) and Mike Vaughan (right) were unable to stop him during their game at FSU's Elliot Field on November 5, 2011.

WWII veteran Chaplain Donald Christian provides an opening prayer in City Hall for Leominster's Veterans Day exercises on November 11, 2010.

Fitchburg firefighters respond to a scene on Mount Elam Road where a large tree fell across the road due to strong wind gusts as Tropical Storm Irene made its way through North Central Mass on August 28, 2011. Many other trees and power lines were taken down in the surrounding towns.

Adam Rainaud hits onto the 16th hole from a sand trap during the 3-day event of the 102nd Massachusetts Open Golf Championship at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg on June 29, 2011.

Jennifer Roberts of Deep River, CT, an advanced beginner dancer, gets a coating of hairspray by her mother Judy Roberts who puts finishing touches on ther hair during the Flying Irish Feis, an Irish step-dancing competition, at the Courtyard by Marriot in Fitchburg on September 3, 2011.

The Roberge family, from left, Sarah, Meghan, Andrew, and parents Pauline and John mourn outside of St. Cecilia's Church in Leominster after the casket of Army Pfc. Jonathan Roberge is brought off a horse drawn wagon for the funeral mass on February 19, 2009. Jonathan died at the age of 22 on February 9, 2009 in Iraq when an explosive detonated near the Humvee he was driving. He is the first Leominster serviceman to die in combat since the Vietnam War.

P.J. Nikki of Westminster performs a kickflip (which he landed) while skateboarding at the Ryan C. Joubert Memorial Skatepark in Fitchburg on April 6, 2011.

A firefighter gets out of the way of falling debris while fighting a two-alarm fire at 77 Cedar Street in Leominster on February 6, 2009. The multi-family home was completely gutted by the fire.

Monty Tech senior Aaron Martin competes in the high jump during a meet against Parker Charter School on May 17, 2011.

Children compete in a kids race at the 27th annual Turkey Trot Race in Fitchburg on November 18, 2007.

Leominster's Olivia Comeau dives over her teammate Katie Fredrickson while competing in the 200 freestyle relay during their swim meet against Shrewsbury at Fitchburg State University on January 10, 2011.

A construction worker digs a trench in a classroom where pipe will run out to an acid waste tank where waste chemicals from science labs will be discarded as construction and renovation continues at Leominster High School on August 18, 2011.

Umi Garrett, 10, of California rehearses on April 15, 2011 in the Dukakis Performing Arts Center at Monty Tech in Fitchburg to prepare for her performance with the Thayer Symphony Orchestra's season finale concert. Umi appeared on Ellen DeGeneres Show in May 2009 to showcase her piano playing talent and plays in concerts worldwide.

Oakmont's Sarah Morse looses grip on her stick while trying to hit the ball upfield during the State field hockey Division 2 championship game against Watertown at Worcester State University on November 19, 2011. Watertown defeated Oakmont 3-1.

Lunenburg's Matthew Pratt (left) scores during his team's 6-0 win over Clinton on September 7, 2011.

Wind blows snow into the air as a local walks down an unplowed Fox Street in Fitchburg during a snow storm on January 12, 2011.

Leominster's Jesse El-Ghoul deflects the football behind him as he blocks the punt by Fitchburg's Connor Lemieux during the Centrall Mass Division 1 playoff game at Doyle Field in Leominster on November 29, 2011.

The moon rises over wispy, pink clouds in Fitchburg on the evening of December 8, 2011.

Justin Galvin of Pepperell receives his diploma during North Middlesex Regional High School's 50th Commencement Exercises held in Fitchburg State University's Recreation Center on June 3, 2011.

Fitchburg residents Khamani Lewis, Jeremiah Player and Intechquaity Robinson eat snow cones outside of Elm Street Congregational Church in Fitchburg on September 26, 2007.

Nashoba Regional High School goalie Lusan Dellagrotte makes a diving save during practice on November 10, 2010.

Fitchburg High School junior Anthony Dellogono lays on the ground after running a leg of the junior/senior race during the 97th running of the Fitchburg Relay Races at Crocker Field on May 26, 2011.

Geraldine Teague of Fitchburg touches the urn containing her son Byron Teague's ashes as Pastor Tom Hughes of Fitchburg's New Creation Community Church stands by at the burial ceremony for FHS senior Byron Teague on March 26, 2010 at Forest Hill Cemetery in Fitchburg. Byron was a well loved, popular student and a talented basketball and football player. He was killed as a passenger in a car accident.

Threatening clouds roll in over Fitchburg during a thunderstorm on the evening of June 9, 2011.

A Fitchburg firefighter stands by at left as an EMT holds up a sheet to block the view where a man died in a suicide car fire as another EMT (seen through the window) walks around the back of the truck at 399 Princeton Road in Fitchburg on August 1, 2011.

Malorie Falkins of Fitchburg swings on a warm summer day at the Coggshall Park playground in Fitchburg on August 22, 2011.

A girl checks out the lights amongst other locals during the annual Lancaster tree lighting on November 30, 2011.

Whitinsville senior Nathan Swaim, Hopedale senior Peter Berdos, Hopedale junior Anthony Tandy, and Bromfield senior Nickolas Kronauer sprint to the finish line of the boys' division 2 race at the MIAA 2011 Cross Country Tournament at the Gardner Municipal Golf Course on November 12, 2011.