On Monday, September 12th, we bowed our heads in remorse for the innocent men, women, and children that sadly lost their lives in the tragic event that took place fifteen years ago on September 11th. Especially this year, the 15th anniversary, this day means so much to people who lost someone close to their hearts or someone who was a part of it in some other way. Either being a hero in helping the people that were injured or helping someone to ensure their safety over their own, we remember everyone that was involved during that horrific day. On Monday, September 12th, we specifically dedicated our school day to remembering the heroes and the innocent of 9/11. Our moment of silence during the announcements was extremely powerful and left a big impact on the school throughout the day. Along with our empowering silence, each student that wore red, white, and blue that day, showed their respect for everyone who was a part of 9/11.

However, for the first time, our freshman class was not yet born when this tragic event occurred. Yes, maybe many juniors and seniors do not remember the details of that day because they were too small to remember, but specifically the freshman were not part of this tragic and important day in history. To our incoming freshman class, this terrorist attack could be just another event to learn in history class, as if they were learning about Pearl Harbor, The Civil War, or The Boston Tea Party. “I wasn’t alive so I want to learn more about 9/11 so I could feel like I was at one point there. September 11th, as tragic as it was, is a very interesting topic in our history and I wish I was more involved in it,” said freshman Philip Cassidy on how he was not a part of September 11th. Upperclassman might not remember the day that 9/11 happened, but most students live through 9/11 through their parents. Most parents will tell the story of where and what they were doing that day and then explain what their child was doing that day too. All the freshmen were born post 9/11; they have no story of where they were. They weren’t part of life yet. Freshman Daniel Vanlaere comments, “Knowing about 9/11 and not being apart of 9/11 is really weird. It’s interesting to learn about the event in class but extremely sad.”

While the freshman class was not even born for 9/11, even though the upperclassmen were born before 9/11 most students do not remember that day whatsoever. The only thing they try and grasp onto is what their parents told them. President of SGA and part of the graduating class of 2017, Johanna Chernakoff comments on what she was doing during 9/11, “I asked my mom what I was doing that day and sadly, it wasn’t anything at all interesting. She has just dropped me off from daycare and then went to her car. That’s when she found out. I wish I was more apart of the day then just being dropped off at daycare, but it still holds a special place in my heart for all the fallen.”

We will never forget 9/11. No matter what, the events of the horrific day will live with us forever and we will never let it die. It’s a reminder that we as a country are strong, brave, and true. This past Monday, making sure to wear red, white, and blue, commemorating a moment of silence for the innocent and keeping the victims of 9/11 in our heart, we are keeping the memory of 9/11 alive. We are making sure to honor the heroes and pay tribute to the fallen.