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Students share thoughts and fears following ceremony
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – “It makes me scared,” said one junior high student. “If we
attack Syria, we might have another 9-11… that scares me.”
This sentiment was shared by most of the 16 student leaders at
Greenville Junior High School. They were sobered by the Sept. 11
ceremony that had taken place from 8:25 a.m. to about 9 a.m. on Sept.
11.
While the students were aware of the possible ramifications of the
current events facing the U.S. they were almost evenly divided on
whether or not America should get involved in Syria. A bare majority
was against. Half of them were a year old on Sept. 11, 2001; the other
half not yet born.
“Syria hasn’t done anything to us,” said a student. “We should leave
them alone… if we attack, will China or Afghanistan attack us?”
Following the ceremony, GJHS Principal Chris Mortensen had called the
student leaders together to discuss with The Early Bird the meaning of
Sept. 11 from their perspective. They shared their thoughts, tying the
attack into what’s happening in the world today.
“I was three months old,” said a student who had talked with her
parents the previous day. “Mom went to college close to there. She was
taking an exam and dad was trying to reach her. He was worried.”
Shortly after the attack the exam was stopped and her mom was able to
call him back.
While fearful to some degree the students still felt America is strong.
“Even when I was little there was still bad things going on. But heroes
were still there to help,” said one. Another added “it helped me to
realize a lot of men and women died that day… they cared for our
freedom. We need to respect that.”
One was sad, yet proud…
“It makes me feel sad. A bunch of people died that day. But it also
makes me proud… as horrible and as confusing as it was the heroes still
came out.”
Several students referred to what they felt was jealousy on the part of the enemy…
“Terrorists are jealous of our country because we’re free. We can
do pretty much what we want, believe what we want, say what we want.”
Another student noted the enemy thought of the U.S. as just another
target. They were wrong. “After 9-11 we are still standing strong.”
Mortensen conducted the ceremony commemorating Sept. 11; honoring those
who lost their lives and remembering those whose lives were impacted 12
years ago. “Patriot Day” has been conducted annually at the junior high
school.
As it has in the past, the Greenville High School NJROTC performed a
military rifle drill and conducted the raising of the flag to half
mast. A moment of silence was observed at 8:46 a.m., the moment the
first plane hit the North Tower. Guest speaker Mark Lewis provided
details and a timeline of that day. Mortensen then listed the names of
local organizations being honored by students in Mrs. Hahn’s classroom:
Greenville Fire Department, Greenville Police Department, Greenville
Township Fire and Rescue, Spirit Medical Transport, Darke County
Sheriff’s Department, American Legion, VFW, Veteran’s Association,
Lewis and NJROTC’s Captain Denman.
Just prior to the ceremony Jamie Boomershine, eighth grade U.S. history
teacher, was preparing for her classes of the day. They were Internet
videos of the attacks on Sept. 11.
“How do you explain something like this to children who didn’t experience it? Some day they might have to do the same thing.”
When the students returned to the classroom Boomershine showed them the
videos taken 12 years ago. She told them some of the scenes were
graphic… they could close their eyes.
“I wanted to cry,” said one student after watching the flames burst out on one tower.
“Do you think history can repeat itself?”
“If it does, I think it will be worse than 9-11,” said another student.
Boomershine talked of her experience on Sept. 11. She was in the fifth
grade in Vandalia. She told the class there was an announcement over
the speakers telling teachers to turn off their televisions…
“My teacher closed the door to our room, lowered the blinds and turned on the TV.”
In the meantime one of ten Air Force One’s (the president’s plane) was
taking off so no one would know which one the president was actually
on, and there was a sonic boom when it passed the sound barrier. The
school was right next to the airport.
“We thought we’d been bombed.”
She had the students’ complete attention. Then asked…
“Can we learn from what happened? The whole purpose of U.S. history is
education… so you can learn. You will have decisions to make in your
lifetimes…
“Hopefully future generations can figure out what we can improve on. Make better decisions.”
See the complete photo set at Community Events Photo Gallery
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Published courtesy of The Early Bird
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