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QA &
with senior Veronica Bruehert
Q: What do you remember most about that day? A: I remember coming home and my dad was home and he was never there. I didn’t know about it until later that night. ….. I kind of just kept asking why. Q: How was your family involved in 9/11? A: My uncle was in the World Trade Center on the ninety sixth floor when the plane hit. ….. He was on the phone with my aunt and it lost connection.
Students and staff reflect on tragic event ten years later Emily Moore Reporter
A
lmost everyone in America had a TV or radio on and was watching to see what had happened. Parents were watching, hugging their young toddlers and calling to check on their husbands. Kids were getting herded together into one room, confused and unaware. Teachers had their televisions on and were watching the event with their class. Schools across the country were dealing with this tragedy, finding ways to calmly handle the situation. Some even performed patriotic actions, such as singing the national anthem. Ten years ago, a tragic incident took place that will go down in history books. The teachers remember the date very well. The students however, don’t remember quite so much. “Some kids just didn’t understand the magnitude of what was going on,” math teacher, Les Page said. High school memories from this date ranged from nothing at all to a detailed sequence of that day’s events. It’s true that most high school students know all about it now, but at the time some of the kids didn’t know of it being a serious event that would affect Americans for many years to come. Multiple students of varying age don’t remember 9/11 at all. There were a few that remembered a snippet of their experience. “I remember standing outside Sunset Ridge [Elementary] after I got off the bus, all the kids were talking and everyone was worried.” junior Abbey Eubanks said. There were very detailed memories, however, from the seniors. “I remember it was sunny outside and we had recess indoors,” senior Heather Jackson said. “I was really confused. People were getting called down to the office and I hoped I was next.” The teachers, however, remembered the
situation better than the four through seven year-olds that are high school students now. “I was putting books into one of our math teachers rooms, we were just opening the school at that time and we were receiving new books,” said Page. “It was on the radio that a plane had hit a tower.” Even the high school students didn’t quite understand what was going on. “We had some students who really just didn’t understand the severity and magnitude of the situation,” Page said. “Some were pretty joking about it. We had a long discussion and one even came up and apologized.” Teenagers and children didn’t understand the implications that this event had on our country. Americans have been dealing with the consequences of others actions for ten years now to keep our country safe. There were many mixed feelings floating around that day, from anger to sadness to confusion. “I knew that people had lost their lives and somebody purposely did that.” Page said. Ten years have passed and for some people, the pictures are still burning into their mind. “I remember seeing a few flashes of a helicopter view of the buildings crumbling,” freshman Christopher Mason said. Teachers had more vivid memories of the destruction on that day. “[I remember] how long it was… the planes circling, trying to land.” Page said. “The planes were leaving big contrails in the air, circles everywhere.” Eleven days ago was the tenth anniversary of this tragedy. For some this date evoked terrible memories and feelings of loss. Americans have an event that will lie in our country’s history forever. It affected U.S. laws, international relations, and security. Bin Laden’s death gave more closure to the situation and people involved. However, the memory of the tragedy will live on. These memories are the glue that holds Americans as a nation, together.
Q: How close were you with your uncle? A: He was my dad’s brother. He was my closest uncle on my dad’s side. We went to see him once a year. Q: How do you pay your memories to them on that day? A: There’s a memorial at Morse Elementary and we go and see that. I was there when they put it up. We are going to see the memorial in New York this summer. My dad doesn’t talk about it much, it’s a silent and serious day. Q: How do you think all this gives you a different outlook on that day compared to others? A: I understand it better than most. I think it has a deeper meaning because I was so directly affected. I have accepted that he’s gone. We need to grow and change from it. Q: What would you say to the others who aren’t sure how the event affects them? A: Have respect for those who lost their lives. Understand that you can’t change what happened, don’t get angry, just remember