Grimes School third-graders commemorate anniversary of 9/11

At Grimes School on Thursday, the annual 9/11 commemoration became a living history lesson, bringing the events of the tragic day in 2001 into focus for a generation of students born years after the event that changed America.

Librarian Tracey Wong spoke to a group of third-graders and used a compelling visual presentation to describe the fateful day in which al-Qaida militants killed almost 3,000 people.    

Two hijacked airliners struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, one plane hit the Pentagon and a fourth slammed into a Pennsylvania field after passengers courageously tried to overpower the terrorists.

“I was supposed to be working in the city. I was getting to my office at 9 o’clock and I heard what happened,” Ms. Wong told the students in the library. “They closed the office and I tried to go home and went to Grand Central, but it was closed so I couldn’t take a train and cell phones weren’t working.”

The children sat in rapt attention as she described the terrible sequence of events at the iconic towers – American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., American Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. and United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pa.

One student, Manuel Castenada, raised his hand to announce that he recently visited the hallowed site, where the National September 11 Memorial & Museum now stands.

“I saw two big square holes and many names,” Manuel said, adding that he was visiting the area to buy Pokemon cards. “It’s important to talk about it because if you don’t help, people will die. Bad people were on the planes and they crashed into the buildings.”

Another student, Avery Mosley, echoed those sentiments and said his father had been living on 125th Street in Manhattan on that day.
“A lot of people died so we have to remember 9/11,” he said.

Ms. Wong then handed out sheets of paper and asked the students to jot down what they knew and learned about 9/11. She also spoke to the children individually to encourage and help them accomplish the task.

“I tried to scaffold the teaching by having the visuals because I think children relate to pictures better rather than me just getting up and saying something,” she said after the end of the session.

“A lot of the information out – e-books and regular books – are not at the elementary level so it’s very important that you break it down for the kids,” Ms. Wong continued. “I go around and offer one-on-one support because they’re all at different levels academically.”

She stressed that it is important to commemorate 9/11 because the event “touched a lot of people personally. I think they should understand that community helpers like firefighters and police officers are there for the community.”

The librarian added that children should view first responders as allies among them.

The victims of the horrific attacks -- which also injured over 6,000 people -- came from more than 90 countries.

In the ensuing years, tens of thousands of first responders, recovery workers and survivors developed health problems, including cancers and respiratory ailments, linked to toxic dust and debris at Ground Zero.  

The terror attacks reshaped American life, leading to strict security measures at airports and public buildings, triggered the “War on Terror” and prompted the message of “never forget” into the collective consciousness.

On Thursday, a solemn ceremony including several moments of silence took place at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, where two memorial pools are ringed by waterfalls. Many of those in attendance held up photos of lost loved ones. Separate events were held for those who perished at the Pentagon and in rural Pennsylvania.