Schools remember 9/11 victims, commemorate Patriot’s Day

Schools in the area planned a variety of activities and lessons this week to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and to remember the military servicemen and servicewomen who have died overseas in subsequent conflicts.

Lake Hamilton Intermediate School held a program Monday morning in its gymnasium to start the week. Larry and Janice Brown, parents of Lake Hamilton alum and U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Adam Brown, explained the price their son paid when he was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010.

“If you look up the word patriotism in the dictionary, it says ‘devoted,’ ‘love,’ ‘support,’ ‘defense of your country’ and ‘national loyalty,’” Janice Brown said. “Adam truly was patriotic. He loved everything about our country.

“From the time he was a little boy, he always wanted to be fair. He just felt like everybody

should be equal. No matter who you are, Adam wanted everything to be equal.”

Brown said her son realized the privilege of being American. She encouraged students to follow the American model to work together productively and peacefully.

“Adam was willing to fight for the rights of all people, even the people he disagreed with, because that is how freedom works,” Janice Brown said. “I know we can’t all be SEALs, but we can be good citizens.”

She said honesty is the most important duty of being a citizen, but compassion, respect and responsibility are also important.

Her husband noted the fourth- and fifth-graders at the school were not alive in 2001. Most high school freshman were not born before September 2001.

Almost 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks. The deaths included 343 firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 New York police officers and two paramedics.

A total of 1,402 people died in the north tower of the World Trade Center and 614 died in the south tower. Casualties included 87 people on American Airlines Flight 11, which struck the north tower; 60 on United Airlines Flight 175, which struck the south tower; 59 on American Airlines Flight 77, which hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.; 40 on United Flight 93, downed in Shanksville, Pa., en route to the White House; and 125 who died inside the Pentagon.

Larry Brown told students the United States government launched its global war on terrorism in the aftermath of Sept. 11. He said his son and U.S. Army Cpl. Loren Miles Buffalo, of Mountain Pine, are among about 7,000 military servicemen and servicewomen to give their lives in the war on terror in defense of the rights of the American people.

“Don’t take those lightly,” Larry Brown said. “Don’t ever just assume that you are going to have that, because freedom is something that has to be paid for. And freedom is worth fighting for. And freedom is not free.”

The student body performed a patriotic musical medley together before they dismissed. Principal Stacy Howell stressed the importance of Patriot’s Day.

“You need not forget this day,” Howell said.

Activities were set up in Lake Hamilton Junior High’s library media center last week to teach students about the events before, during and after the terrorist attacks.

Similar stations were set up last week for Hot Springs Intermediate School students in their library media center. Sue Deleon’s classes analyzed photographs and discussed the events to create their own memorial.

Army National Guard Officer Christopher Pierce visited classrooms Friday at Langston Aerospace and Environmental Studies Magnet School to read to students. Third-grade teachers at Gardner STEM Magnet School developed a presentation to show students about the “true heroes” of Sept. 11.

Teacher Amber Moss organized a flash mob Monday at Lakeside Middle School to honor those who lost their lives in the attacks and display patriotism on Patriot’s Day. Sixth- and seventh-grade choir students sang “America the Beautiful” at 9:11 a.m. along the school’s main hallway.

“I think it is important to show reverence,” Moss said. “I wanted to just stop for a moment in time and let them have a piece of patriotism as well, because that is one of my favorite patriotic songs.”