We will be studying all different aspects of 9/11. What are your earliest memories of the attacks? Where were you? What did your parents tell you (at the time) or were you unaware of the events? Compare your experiences with your classmates. Post by Sunday June 5 for full credit. All posts after June 3 must refer to a previous post.
61 comments:
I was in second grade on 9/11, and I remember that I had the day off because there was a power outage at Sandy Hook School. I remember that my dad called my mom in the morning from work and asked her to turn on the television. My memory isn’t great at this point, but I know that my mom was in shock in front of the TV crying watching reruns of the attacks. She didn’t want my siblings and me to see the screen, but it was impossible not to catch glimpses. I think that I was just in shock too- but as a sheltered child, I really didn’t understand what was going on. I just knew that these attacks were scary and they were hurting people and families across the U.S. and that the families affected by the attacks needed help. I remember that my family did the best we could to support the victims; for example, my dad went to the city to distribute Campbell soup to the firefighters later that week. Overall, I just remember it being a very confusing and frightening experience- I only wonder how I would have reacted if I were a few years older…
Maria Dutsar
Class 6
At the time of 9/11 I lived in southern New Jersey, and remember being in school when the attacks occurs. I remember our school going into a lockdown and my 2nd grade teacher reading to us in the corner of our classroom. When we finally went to lunch, there were rumors circulating that a burglar was outside the school and that was why we were in a lockdown. At the end of the day, I was surprised that my mom was at school to pick me up, seeing as she was usually in Philadelphia working at that time. She and my teacher discussed the event while I tried to gather information about what was going on. I don't remember much more about that day besides my mom trying to explain to me on the way home what had happened. I don't really remember talking about it too much more with my parents, but mostly found out what I did from the news coverage on the TV at my house. Although I was pretty young when it happened, I'm sure 9/11 will be a day I remember for the rest of my life.
-Erin Tumney
Surprisingly enough, I cant remember hearing about 9/11. It was probubly was a normal day and nothing significant happened. I would have been About 7 years old and my parents being protective wouldnt have told me or just sat me down and told me what happened. I dont remember it, however, so I proububly did not understand at the time and later on I was able to grasp the concept as to what had happened. I was very interested by this blog so I just asked my father and mother what had occurred. My father did not say anything but my mom just simply said that something bad had happened. Very interesting thing to know.
Lisa Ferrari
Period 1
My earliest memories of the 9/11 attacks was when I was home and I just remember that the T.V. was on and that everyone started freaking out. I knew that something bad had happened, and I remember seeing all of the things on the news and watching it with my family, but I don't remember that much being explained to me. I just took in that something awful was happening and that everyone was concerend about it. Since i was little at the time it just seemed that maybe I wouldn't understand what exactly was happening and that there would be too much explanation. In time though I just understood everthing and the I can still remember the event, but it just seems a little fuzzy and almost surreal that it happened and that I was alive then because it just seems strange. In the end my experience was that I knew something bad was happening, but not until after the fact did I realize exactly what was happening.
Hunter French
Class1
9-11, for me is a very distant memory. A few occurrences stand out in my mind.
I remember that I was in second grade at the time. The day of the attacks, our school (Head O' Meadow) did not get out early. I remember hearing my parents arguing later that night because my mom wanted my dad to go get me out of school, but both my parents were working so they couldn't.
I remember getting home and walking into a house that was dead quiet. Literally, no one spoke. The only sounds I heard came from the TV. My parents did not believe it was right to shelter me from such a tremendous event in the world so I sat there next to my dad and watched the news all day and night.
I remember asking my dad what happened and seeing him walk out of the room, unable to answer my question.
I remember seeing terrifying images flash across the TV, although I could barely make sense of any of them. I just knew that whatever happened, it was bad.
I remember getting frustrated at being confused and asked my mom what happened. Her words were simple enough. She said that there were bad people in another country who didn't like America. She said they stole planes and crashed them into big buildings in New York City. She said a lot of people died.
I remember not understanding why someone would ever want to kill themselves like those men who stole the airplanes. To this day, I still don't.
I remember walking into school the next day and talking with my classmates about what everyone knew, trying to find a solid answer to our questions.
I remember I knew more than most kids, and I didn't know much.
I remember my teacher coming over and telling us to stop talking about it.
I was young when 9-11 happened. I have a few vivid memories of that horrible day. But I find it troublesomely interesting that the part about this assignment that shocked me most was that I have hardly any memories of what America was like BEFORE 9-11. It's so strange to think that almost 10/17 years of my life (roughly 59%, for those who are interested) has been spent in war time.
Justina Paproski
Class 4
My earliest recollections of the 9/11 attacks are quite hazy. I remember getting off at my bus stop and being psyched because my mom was there to pick me up. When I got in the car I could immediately tell that something was wrong. I being the bad seed that I was, naturally assumed I was in trouble. I can't remember the rest of the car ride. My next memory was when my mom and dad were trying to explain to me what had happened. The entire time they were trying to explain to me what happened I was bouncing a tennis ball up and down. I can remember the look of sadness in my mothers eyes as I repeatedly dropped the ball on the hard wood floor. I was fully aware of the events, but I didn't understand the true magnitude until much later. It didn't really hit me until much later when I asked cha cha "how many people died on 9/11?" The response said that "roughly 3000 Americans were killed on 9/11". I think it was the wording that finally made it sink in, just the fact that it said both "Americans" and "killed" ultimately made me see the gravity of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
As uninteresting as this may sound, I actually have no recollection at all of the September 11th attacks. I have many memories from my childhood, but ironically enough September 11 isn't one of them. I suppose the event just had very little impact on me as a child - I had no clear idea of what was going on and at the time life for me was nothing more serious than running through sprinklers and catching leaves in the stream behind my house. I do remember a couple of weeks after the event overhearing my father talking to my mother about friends of friends who were hurt or missing - but at the time I didn't corrolate that to what had happened to the twin towers.
Mikaela Kemsley
Class 1
As most of my classmates were, I was only 7 years old on 9/11. I have little recollection of the day, but I knew at the time something significant and bad happened. Many of the teachers were whispering and trying to find time to watch the news in teacher rooms, while many of my classmates' parents were picking them up early from school. However, nobody told the students what was happening so it seemed very secretive.
When I was finally told about the attack, I remember asking what the buildings meant and were used for because I had never heard of them. I was living in Monroe, CT, but my oldest sister had just left for college near Albany, NY. Being the capital of the state, my mother was very worried for her safety and wondered if she should come home. It took a few years later for me to finally realize the severity of the attack. At the time, I had no understanding of terrorists and their goal for the 9/11 attack on America.
Jessa Mason
Class 1
On September 11th, I was home from school. All of the students attending Sandy Hook School had no school because of a power outage. I thought it was going to be an exciting day, a day of no school! I remember sitting on my mom's bed with my mom watching TV when all of a sudden the show I was watching switched off and a news report came on. I saw fire and I saw buildings. I saw tears streaming down my mom's face. My head turned back and forth from the TV to my mom's saddened face. I was confused. I continuously asked my mom questions; what happened? what is going on? why are you crying? The only thing that my mom told me that I was able to understand was that there were some very bad people in the world. My mom, just like Maria's, did not want me to see this terrible event, but it was hard not to catch glimpses. I couldn't understand much either, like everyone said, but I knew that something truly devastating had just occurred.
Amanda Stanton
Class 6
End of the day, walking out of Mrs.Wharton's 2nd grade class at Head O Meadow, nothing seemed to be different from any other day...I got off the bus, and was in the kitchen with my mom at the time making pictures when the TV started to break the news of 9/11...I wasn't entirely sure what was going on..but I remember my mom calling my dad to make sure he was ok, considering his office at the time, was just a couple blocks away...Thankfully, he wasn't any closer...or else looking back on that horrific day could tell an entirely different story!
Mason W.
Honors Per.1
In 2001, I still lived in Bethel, CT and attended Rockwell Elementary School (I was in second grade at the time). I have a very clear memory of what happened on 9/11. A few students where gossiping at the lunch table that their teacher had been crying. They were each guessing at the reason behind this teacher's sadness, but no one took it too seriously. Near the end of the lunch period, I was called to the office for an early dismissal. This was very odd to me because I had never been taken out of school early before. I was picked up by my dad who seemed very stressed and uneasy. When I asked him what was wrong, he explained that "something very bad happened" and that he wanted everyone safe at home. However, unlike Maria’s experience and much like Carson’s, my dad went on to explain the events that had taken place in New York City. Though this was a bit frightening to me, I was not taken aback by it initially. Only when I actually saw the terror and havoc myself, did I understand the true magnitude of the tragedy that had taken place. I finished my lunch in the family room with my mom and dad fixed on the television. I watched as well, but simply could not understand. I asked questions like "Why would people sacrifice themselves?" and "Why were they so angry at us?" but these questions were met with a "Sshh!" sound until the commercial breaks.
It was a very uneasy day which led into an uneasy week. My teacher did not ignore the event, but instead read a carefully prepared speech regarding the incident. It was a very scary moment for my parents as well. Being that both were born in New York, my family still had very strong ties to the area. We even knew people that were in New York City at the time of the crash. As a child during 9/11, I found this incident terrifying, yet intriguing. I knew that this event was unprecedented in my lifetime and would probably have a lasting impact on our country, which it truly did.
-John Corsi
Class 4
Just like the rest of the class, I was also in second grade when the attack happened. I have very little memory of 9/11, only because I was so young and I didn't know anyone personally that was killed. I went to Sandy Hook Elementary School, and on Septermber 11th we had no school because there was an oil spill in our school. While I was home during the day, I remember my mom constantly watching the TV. She wouldn't really let me watch because the images and TV footage was so disturbing. I don't remember what my parents told me about the attacks. I'm sure they just told me that something very bad had happened in New York City amd that we would be okay. They didn't tell me too much because they didn't want to scare me. Unlike Justina, I don't remember talking about 9/11 the next day at school. I think we were all so young that we didn't understand what was going on.
On 9/11 I was home from school due to the power outage, and my mom took me to a Ford dealership that happened to have a TV turned to the news. The second tower had just been hit and after we left we watched for the rest of the day, well after the towers had fallen. My called and said no one from his office had been in New York, and the relatives called from Oregon to make sure we hadn't gone into the city. My mother told me it had to have been terrorists who wanted Americans to die, as two planes could not have been an accident and they had made no demands. I was well aware that many people had just died, and my parents did not try to hide this fact from me. This was probably the biggest difference between my and my classmates experiences. My parents don't believe in having me live a sheltered life and that I should know how the world really is. Being older at the time, I was able to understand that the world is a violent place, and that we would need to find and punish those responsible. This policy of my parents has most certainly given me a harsher world-view than most people in this area, buy hey, it's a harsh world.
At the time of 9/11, I was in second grade. I remember all the teachers acting strange later in the day, but no one would tell me or the other kids what was going on. When I got off the bus with my sister at the end of the day, I remember the weather was bright and shining and we were laughing as we walked down the drive way. I remember talking about how we wanted to go to the ice cream shop. But then we went inside and we saw our mother on her knees in front of the television, crying. She didn't even look up when we came inside. We sat as a family watching the towers get hit over and over again (the news was showing reruns). My parents later that night explained to my sister and I what had happened in terms we could understand. They also reassured us that our uncle Brian was safe, for he lived right next to the buildings. I was horrified at what had happened and I had nightmares about it for months afterwards. I also remember it being almost like taboo to speak about it in public. All of the teachers would tell us to be quiet if they herd us talk about what had happened. I also had an uncle that was supposed to be in the building the day of the attack but stayed home to watch my cousin. Over all, 9/11 was a frightening time for everyone. When it happened, even though I was so young, I knew that it was a tragic, yet historic event that would never be forgotten.
I was in second grade on 9/11 and unlike many other students I was in class that day. I remember Mrs. Peters, Katie's mom, walking into Mrs. Finelli's classroom to talk about what had happened previous that day. She told us that the Twin Towers in New York had been attacked. I had never seen the Twin Towers before and was unaware of the severity of the attack until I got home. Little did I know my dad would soon be deployed due to this incident. This is why this event became so significant to me and why I remember it in such detail. I remember my dad telling me that he would soon be leaving to go overseas and I soon realized that the 9/11 attacks were to blame. I do not remember every detail of 9/11 or the specific day my father was deployed but I do remember the sadness and remorse for those who had lost their family and friends in the attack as well as the significance of my father's absence.
Just as Maria said, I was in second grade and we happened to have the day off of school because there was a power outage. The news was on at home and I watched as my mom watched. She didn't try to hide it and no words were said. I didn't fully understand what was going on, besides that it was something bad. I was supposed to have a "play date" with someone in my neighborhood, but her father was close to the Twin Towers that morning and was safe, luckily. We had gone quickly to another person's house. The news was on and I watched the explosion shoot from the towers. That scene seemed to be on repeat on the screen. My mother spoke with other adults about it quietly, but they did not talk to me or my siblings about what was going on, besides that there was an attack and a lot of people died. It was a shocking and overwhelming day that lasted throughout the next few weeks.
I was in second grade when 9/11 happened. I honestly don't remember much, but I do remember that we were at school and all of a sudden we were having an early dismissal and I had no idea why, not that I really complained about it - I feel like me and my friends at the time had probably cheered that we got to go home early. From there, I remember coming home and my au pair at the time was watching the news. She didn't turn it off when my brothers and I got home, but she didn't explain it either. My parents came home early that night and I remember repeatedly asking them why, but I can't remember them ever giving me a response. I know that I felt something was off that say, but I didn't know what. My parents did eventually tell me that something bad had happened in New York City and I remember them being worried that my dad would have to go into the city with the Bridgeport Fire Department if they called him and told him to go in.
I don't remember much of what happened that day. It seems like one more day of my childhood, or at least, it did. I don't think I ever understood the significance and the magnitude of the attack until years later. I remember the aniversary of 9/11, when Middle Gate had an extended moment of silence and I had no idea why we were being quiet for so long because I still didn't know what had happened. A lot of us have posted about not being able to remember a lot: we were little and our parents didn't want us to worry so they didn't keep us posted on that sort of thing, well except for Justina's parents, apparently. 9/11 is definitely a sad day in history, though I didn't know that until years later.
Colleen Cosgrove
Class 4
Like some other people, i can hardly remember anything about 9/11. I was in second grade and i remember that school had gotten canceled that day because there was no power at Sandy Hook School. I remember knowing that something scary had happened in N.Y.C. and that a building had been knocked down,but i don't think anyone informed me about how serious it was. Being only seven,i did not think anything of it. I never saw any pictures or news clips of it until i was older. The one memory i do have of that day is my younger neighbors coming over. I remember sitting on the swings with them and trying to explain to them what had happened (because i thought i knew everything). They were scared because they knew that their parents were upset and that their grandpa was working in the city.
-Emily Kopcik class 1
My earliest memories were on 9/11, yet I wasn't quite 100% aware of what was going on. I was only in second grade,and no one told me. I remember being at home and my mom all frantic and worried and upset, making continuous long phone calls. My dad had been in NYC at the time, luckily he wasn't hurt by it since he wasn't around the attack area. Now looking back on that day though I realize my moms stress and anxiety, I also see why she didn't want to tell me directly yet until she got a hold of my dad. Of course when she finally did I think that the thought of informing me on the daily news had left her mind. She might have just been too preoccupied, or my innocence in the who carefree world I was still left stranded in might have given her strength to not completely lose it. Either way I just clearly remember the atmosphere that day, I just felt so discombobulated myself and I was even more so confused because I couldn't grasp why. Otherwise everything else was a blur and I don't think I fully understood what happened on that day till quite a bit later. Sometimes I feel cheated that I wasn't told, but I don't blame them for not wanting to share the news either. I wonder how I would have reacted if I was just informed on what was happening, instead of being left unaware.
Cassie Fallon
Class 1
I can remember certain aspects of 9/11 quite clearly while others are a little hazy. I remember I was in 2nd grade at Middle Gate Elementary and out of nowhere right before we were about to go to recess we were told it was canceled that day and to go back to our classrooms. We did, and we were told what happened by our respective teachers. I remember being picked up from school instead of going home on the bus, and how my parents were on the phone with our relatives who lived in New York making sure they were okay. I was aware of the severity of the attacks and the situation, but I wasn't sure how to react at the time, and I remember quietly sitting at the dinner table while my parents and my brother (in his senior year of high school at the time) discussed what happened.
With all due respect to the unfortunate families of 9/11 victims, that day did not make a significant mark on my emotions or mentality. Being in second grade, I was really only concerned much with having fun. Before we got sent home early, the teachers were very serious and morose as they explained it to us. I, however, had never even heard of the World Trade Center, nor was I aware of terrorist and anti-American activities. Rather, I was exited to come home early without any homework so I could spend the rest of the day watching cartoons. My only disappointment that day was the fact that every channel was tunning footage of the attacks, and thus there were no cartoons. My parents seemed more stoic than others, just shaking their heads at the television. Sorry that I don't share any emotional sentiments, but I wasn't concerned then, and the dust has had too much time to settle for me to be overly concerned now.
I was in second grade at Hawley school and although I don't remember the details of that day, I can recall some of the major events I experienced. It was mid morning and we were reading a book I believe. The class was sitting on the carpet when the principal came in and told us that there had been some type of attack but not to worry because they weren't coming here. I wasn't particularly affected emotionally at the time, being too young to truly comprehend what had happened, and the same seemed to be the case for the other students as well. From what I recall the rest of that school day was relatively normal until I got on the bus and came home.
When I walked in I remember coming into the living room and asking him if he heard what happened, to which he said yes as he stood in front of the TV watching the events unfold on the news. I have no memory of discussing it more with my parents that day, and it took me several more years to begin to realize the importance and tragedy of that day.
-Kevin Moses
Thinking back to 9/11 I don't really remember much but I remember it was actually a strange day for me. I woke up the morning and everything was normal until my mom told me we didn't school because the power was out at Sandy Hook, my elementary school. Of course all he kids on my street were ecstatic and immediately changed into play clothes, ready to take on playing outside all day. I don't really remember where I was, I was probably outside, but I went to go watch TV or something in the family room. However my mom already had it on which was really weird, moms don't watch TV or so I thought at that age in second grade. She saw me and told me to go outside she didn't want me seeing whatever was on the TV. Naturally I looked and just saw smoke and people and fire. My mom was on her phone probably with my dad, I think he was away on a business trip or her best friend. So I went back outside and told my sister that mom kicked me out of the house. Thinking she would be allowed in the house because she was older she went to go see what was happening. No such luck. My mom kicked her out too. Being the age we were we didn't care what was happening so we went back to playing at my neighbors house. I don't really remember much except that all day we went back and forth between houses without really knowing what happend.
I can't even remember if we talked about it at school the next day or if we even talked about it at all. I can't remember how I even found out what had happend, maybe my parents told me or maybe a teacher, I really can't remember. Thinking back now I wish I had understood that something was wrong so I asked questions or tried harder to see the news just so I could have a solid memory of that horrible day.
Like most of my other classmates, I was in second grade when those attacks struck our country. I remember being sat down by my second grade teacher, Mrs. Honeychurch. She made all of our class sit in a circle and discuss everything that happened. My dad later told me how much he liked my teacher for doing this. She made us put our emotions in the open and share. When I got home that day, I remember watching some of the aftermath on TV, but it didn’t really have much of an effect on me. In no way am I trying to offend any victims or family members of victims of the attacks, but I believe that I was just too young to understand. I honestly did not care that much back then. I was not aware at all of the cultural impact that it would have on our country later on. On the TV, all I recall seeing was extreme amounts of black smoke emanating off of something that I could not see. Though it really did not interest me at all, I still remember this image very well.
On 9/11/01, I was in second grade at Head O' Meadow elementary school. I went the entire day of school not knowing anything that had happened. No announcement was made, and even if our teachers knew, they didn't say anything to us. I remember taking the bus home with my sister, and when we walked into the living room, my grandparents and mom were all watching tv. We asked our mother what had happened and she said planes flew into the world trade center. My first thought was what was the world trade center? What a terrible accident! I had no idea this was a terrorist attack until pictures of Muslim men showed up on the screen, and they apparently were the "masterminds". I remember a picture of a Caucasian blonde woman kept coming up on the screen who had died on the plane, but I didn't know her significance or why they kept showing this woman over and over again. I didn't quite understand the actual event until some time afterward. Like Justina mentioned, people in our 2nd grade class were buzzing about it all day and our teachers were trying to quiet us. Everyone talked about it with excitement, not knowing how big of an ordeal it really was. Thinking back, I really wish I remember this day more clearly. I have flashes, but I forget my emotions, and I wish I remembered what I was feeling on that day.
Maddie Dorso Class 1
Similarly to many of the other students, I do not remember too much about 9/11. I was in 2nd grade and I remember having the day off because of power outages at Sandy Hook. The rumor was that a chicken nugget truck hit a power line. Really, the only thing that I remember vividly is sitting in my mom's room at the edge of her bed, watching the TV. The only light in the room was that protruding from the television. I watched the plane fly right into the building, and then I watched the building just crumble, smoke filling the sky around the disaster. At the time, I didn't understand anything that was going on. My young brain didn't put two and two together that a collapsing building of that size meant thousands of people dying, and thousands of families crying. I'm sure my mom tried to explain what was going on, but I don't remember what she told me. It's hard for me too look back now and realize how naive I really was back then. Part of me wishes that I understood what was happening at the time, but the other part of me is glad that I didn't know. The event was just so horrible.
-Jess Lynch
Class 1
On the day of 9/11 I was in 2nd grade in Mrs. Stobel's class at Middle Gate. As man other classmates said, the day is a little blurry for me but i do remember a few things about it. As Ishaar said, I remember recess being canceled and being told, vaguely by my teacher what had happened. I remember coming home and seeing both my parents and my older sister in the living room watching TV, which was odd to say the least. When i asked what was going on the shushed me and continued to watch the broadcast. The next day, as Colleen mentioned, there was an extended moment of silence that I didn't quite understand, all i knew is that something "bad" had happened. It was a time of confusion and vagueness which has since been cleared up.
Ben Stoller, Period 1
Like Lisa Ferrari, i dont really remember much about what happened during the 9/11 attack. i know i was in second grade and was in school when the attack happened. I think we got sent home early but at the time i didn't really know why. I was 7 years old, all i cared about was that school just got canceled. I think my biggest memory of it though was walking into my house after getting off the bus and seeing my mom in the living room watching tv with this terrified look on her face. It was weird enough without the look on her face because very rarely was my mom home sitting around, she was always moving and working. and i think as soon as i saw her i knew something was wrong. my moms not one to hide things from me as she always wants me to know everything thats going on so im always prepared and so she told me what had happened. Again at 7 years old, despite the fact this was such terrible news, my second grade comprehension skills couldnt seem to grasp what was happening and soon it was out of my mind and of little concern to me. the only real person in my family that was affected was my mom. and its not like she was a victim, she was just in this really high office building near the attack site when it happened for an interview, and after that shes always been afraid to go into the really big city buildings.
Erin Cunningham
Class 4
At the time that 9/11 occurred i remember i was in second grade at Nichols Elementary School and it was story time, and it was around 11 am i think and then the phone started going off as parents were coming in to pick up their kids. I remember that there was only about 8 kids or so left when i was called down to the office. At the time for me it fun, because i was getting picked up early but when i got in the car i found out the reason for the early dismissal. My mom didn't go into much detail at all, just like Justina's mom, all she said was that someone bad had stolen a plane and that they had crashed them into two buildings in New York. At that point i remember being scared and shocked, but my mom kept telling me it would be okay and i just kept asking questions that she would answer in a few words. After that i don't remember much, i just remember seeing the videos and listening to the news on TV and at the time i didn't really understand what was going on. Even the amount of deaths was so large, that i couldn't wrap my mind around that many people dying. I know that i will never forget that day, and it is sad to think that it could have all been prevented if we had taken Osama seriously from the start and listened and believed what he said.
I was actually still living in the city in the time of 9/11. Though I personally could not recall what I saw that day. I did manage to get an idea of what I was doing at the time a while back.
Because I lived in the city, my school got out early and was calling parents to pick up their children, as I'm sure was the case in all schools throughout New York. At first, for some ridiculous reason most likely, the school wouldn't let parents pick up their kids at first, which my mom wanted to do when the news came out immediately. After a while, my school called my mom and asked why she hadn't come to pick me up yet, which made my mom particularly angry because that's what she wanted to do earlier but wasn't allowed. My dad eventually got me and brought me home. As I said earlier, despite being in the city at the time of the event, I was still seven, so I could not remember anything that happened from that point on. However, according to my parents, I was able to recognize the trauma. I suppose that the most shocking thing to learn about my experience was that we were able to see the smoke from the top of our apartment building. I must have registered that too, because my parents said that I, like many others in my school, were drawing pictures of burning buildings with planes flying into them. The only clear memory in my head was something similar to how Maria's dad went to the city to distribute Campbell soup to the firefighters. As I recall, That following Christmas, my dad, sister and I took a cake to the firefighters who lived close by as a thanks for their work on that terrible day. I may not remember it clearly, but I can still recall the trauma deep inside of me.
Charlie Pryor
Class-6
When 9/11 happened, I was in the second grade, like most of my classmates. Although I didn't know at the time, the attacks actually occurred around when we were outside for recess. When we got back, the teachers all seemed slightly uncomfortable, but none of us asked why and none of the teachers told us.
The second thing that I noticed was that every bus that day had an extra adult (besides the driver) on it. This was odd, and I'm still not entirely sure what the goal of that was; my guess was that it was in case anyone's parents weren't home because they had been injured in the attacks.
When I got home, my parents told me what had happened; like many of my classmates, I was a naïve little child and thought that it was some kind of accident. My parents were like Chad's, though; they told me what had actually happened, because they though that I should know.
Like Maria, I was in second grade also when the 9/11 attacks occurred. While my memories of September 11th, 2001 aren't so clear, I can remember sitting in my class room as a voice came on the intercom, explaining what happened. I remember coming home that day to watch the news broadcasts, and turning away at the sight of the twin towers falling. I could sense that the emotions of our country were thick with palpable sorrow, and I probably cried, but didn't fully understand the magnitude of the attacks. I can't remember exactly what my parents told me. I can't remember much else from that day. Just as Maria said, I wonder how all of us would've reacted had we been older at the time.
Sage Musk
Class 6
I was in 2nd grade when 9/11 happened just like the rest of us. All I remember was that I was in school but I don't remember what specifally happened because I'm pretty sure we just kept on going through the day. Just like Lisa, I do remember my parents in shock when they got home later that day and I asked why and they said something bad happened and I was just like ok. It wasn't until the next day that I learned what had happened because we had a long moment of silence to start the day off.
Andy Kelley
I was in the second grade at Sandy Hook elementary school on 9/11. On that day, I remember school had been canceled because a delivery truck knocked down one of the power lines that goes the school. Both of my older sisters still had school, one of them was at the high school and the other was at the middle school.
I remember being on the floor playing with legos then my mom getting a call from one of the neighbors telling her to turn on the television. At that point in time the first plane had already flown into the first tower.
The clearest image I have is looking at the television and seeing a giant cloud of black smoke coming out the side of the building.
Like Mason and a bunch of other people said I also did not understand what was going on or why my mom was crying. Looking back I now understand. One of my mom's best friends from high school worked in the first tower that was hit.
Thankfully, she was on one of the lower floors so was able to get out in time but I can't imagine what that must have been like for all of the families who had a loved one working in one of those building. Not knowing whether they made it out alive or not.
The next day at school I can't really remember if our teacher talked to us about it or if I talked about it with my friends.
I wonder how it would have been if I was a few years older when it happened.
Peter Kerns
Class 4
Along with many in the classes, I was in second grade. I remember sitting in Mrs. Honeychurch's class when our principal and vice principal came to our classroom. They had us all sit on the floor in while they sat in the front of the room on a small plastic chair. I vividly remember Mrs. Peters saying, "There has been a horrible tragedy, there was an attack on the twin towers."
After that I cannot remember much, I only remember knowing that everyone else, (adults) were all very sad, and that led me to believe I should be sad as well. As I got home from school I remember seeing my mom, eyes fixed on the TV where there were news reporters, and a picture of A building, in smoke. I remember asking her repeatedly what was going on and she just sat, staring, not a word. Just a traumatic experience, I never saw my mom that way, which frightened me, more than anything else had.
-Katie Shirley
Kyle Wilcox
What I remember from 9/11 was being dismissed early from my second grade class from my old school in Redding. My mom worked in the building as a third grade teacher so I went to her classroom when we were told we were having an early dismissal. I asked my mom what had happened and why we were having this unexpected dismissal. She told me that everything would be okay but something very bad and serious had happened in NYC but she was not exactly sure what. She also had the radio on in her room which she rarely did so I knew something was up. I was worried but when I arrived home to meet my dad we turned on the TV and we all realized what had happened, but I wondered what would happen next, how will this affect me, is everyone ok, and many other questions without answers. This is what I remember of 9/11 includng the discussion of what had happened the next day in my second grade class. These are my vivid memories of 9/11 very similar to those of my classmates who reflected upon this tragedy above.
Kyle Wilcox
I remember that i was dismissed early from hawley school in second grade. I went home and saw my mom nervous. I asked her what happened and she told me a plane had crashed into the twin towers. She was worried because my uncle lives in New York City. She called him and he was fine. he had actually not even known it happened because he had not turned on the tv that day. He then looked out his window and saw a huge cloud of black smoke only a few miles away. Like many of my classmates, my parents tried to avoid the topic and did not allow me to watch the news on it.
I believe that most, if not all of us posting to this blog were in second grade at the time of the attack. And I don't know bout you but I don't remember much of second grade. I do, however, remember that specific day on September 11, 2001. I remember this day better than others not only because of the attacks, but because at my elementary school, Sandy Hook, there was a power outage. I spent the day at my friend's house and I remember my mom calling saying that I should come home now. She sounded like she had been crying. So she came and picked me up, drove me home without saying a word, and once home, her and Dad sat me down and tried their best to explain what happen that day to me as best as they could. I don't remember much of what they said, or did, after that point, seeing as it was about nine years ago, but I really wish I could remember how I reacted, or even if I understood it at all...
Chris Arnone
Class 4
Like John, my earliest memories of the 9/11 attacks was in my 2nd grade class at Rockwell Elementary in Bethel. Parents were allowed to pick students up early, but I remember most my class being there for the majority of the day. My mom could not pick me up and I remember having a “lock down” even though they hadn't called it anything more then sitting in the cubbie area for a while. The teachers seemed just as confused as we were during the whole thing and I remember other students telling me “people with bombs were flying over America”. I remember thinking they were literally talking about the black, round cartoon bombs. When my mom came to pick me up at school she told me there had been an attack on New York City. I remember watching the news and documentary on it for years and constantly being horrified at the people jumping from the towers. I could never get my head around what they must have gone through.
I remember I was in second grade at Head O Meadow when 9/11 occured. That morning was a rough one everyone in my family was fighting which was weird because we were so close knit. But, my father left that morning abruptly and angry. The day at school went seemingly normal. But, when I arrived home there was a sense of panic as the T.V. blared news of the senseless and disturbing attack in NYC. For 10 minutes my family waited by the phone for my father to tell us he was okay seeing as that he worked very close by. The phone finally rang and he was fine. We realized life is to short to get angry about such little things. The following days were hopeful as the Yankees rallied the city behind them in the World Series. Everyone Thank God started to have great pride for our wonderful country.
Brendan DeAngelis
Class 6
I was walking back from gym class in elementary school and all of the sudden I remember everyone leaving. Kids were just leaving and I had no idea why. I was confused as to why I wasn't being called to go home. I went home on the bus and when I walked upstairs I saw my mom sitting on the couch crying. I remember laying with her very confused. Like Amanda i kept catching glimpses of what was happening on T.V. and then hiding my face into my mom. They kept re-playing the planes crashing into the buildings. I was crying as well, but now that i think back I don't think i exactly knew why. My mom told me what was happening but I didn't get it. She told me there were really bad people who crashed the plane. I remember thinking why someone would want to kill themselves like that.
Nicole Rotante
Class 6
Like everyone else, I was in second grade on 9/11. Like all the other students that went to Sandy Hook, I was not in school because of a power outage. I remember one of my mom's friends had called the house, of course she wasnt home because she was at work, so my sister answered. The woman asked to talk to my grandma who was staying with us. Without telling us what was going on, she ran to the tv and turned it on. It just kept showing the planes hitting the twin towers over and over again. My grandma tried to hide it, but i could tell she was crying. At the time I didnt really know what was going on. My sister, being in fifth grade understood more, but we were still so young so it was very hard to grasp the concept. All we really understood was that these attacks were bad and people were dying. i remember seeing police and firefighters going into the building while people everywhere were running away from the burning buildings. Thats all about i remember from that day.
Katie Peters
Class 1
I was in the second grade and my teacher did not tell us what was going on. The first time I found out that something was going on was was when our teacher told us "a bad act had occurred". I was young so i pictured a man running up on stage and shooting actors". They all sent us to the church to pray, even though they did not tell us what was going on. At the end of the day when my mom picked me up from school, my dad was there too. This never happened so I knew something was wrong. I first saw the images from that day, when I walked in and saw the burning towers on the TV in my living room. My parents did not shield me from what was going on and I thank them for that. I feel it is irresponsible for parents and teachers to shield kids from real world events. It is very important to know what is going on even at a young age, and no matter how horrible it was, 9/11 is part of our history. I would want to tell my kids that I saw 9/11 on the news, not that I was shielded from it. Later I remember my family all went to the church for a memorial service when they gave us all candles, and they turned the lights out. I knew something bad was going on, but I had no idea of the scope of what was happening. On a side note, we were having all these trees planted in my yard on that day. Most of the trees on my property were planted on that day. I remember how nice the weather was, and how the landscapers were planting the trees. I like to think of those trees as a small memorial to those who died on that day.
Stephen Mais
Per 4
I forgot to mention one thing. About 5 days before 9/11, my dad and I were playing on paint on the computer. He would draw what I told him to. We had just drawn a cruise ship because we had just gotten back from our vacation. I still wanted him to draw some more, so I told him to draw New York and clouds and birds, and a boat. Then I told him to draw planes. I was like draw something else! So he drew the planes doping bombs over the trade centers. We had forgotten about the drawing for years, until we had our computer backed up because we were getting a new one. So we were looking through voice recordings and old photos, and we came upon the photo we drew of New York. It shocked us, because we had forgotten about it for so long. We ended up looking at the date and it was dated 9/5/01
Like most all of my classmates, I was in second grade during the 9/11 attack. Similar to what Mikaela and a few other people have said, I have little to no memory of that day. All I remember is being in Middle Gate School and throughout the day more and more students from my class being picked up. I laughed about it with my friend Nicole and talked about how lucky they were to be picked up. Eventually Nicole was also picked up, and I was the last of my friends. By the end of the school day only 2 kids remained in my class, me being one of them. Unfortunately that is all I remember of the whole day. I’m assuming that I asked my mom or dad why so many kids got picked up and got a general response. Looking back on it I wish that I had been more attentive about what happened. Although I was young, the fact that I was alive in this significant time in history amazes me every day.
Lauren Bauer class 4
The only memory that I have of 9/11 is singing America the Beautiful in unison with my second grade class, and the rest of the school at Middle Gate. Like Emily, I do not remember seeing any videos or pictures until much later. I really cannot remember discussing it at all with my parents. Either I was kept blissfully unaware, or I simply do not remember. Only until recently have I touched upon this subject, as we inserted an eight minute reenactment of 9/11 into the play I just finished working on. Until I was lead on a guided improvisation of the motions of tragedy that built up this day, I did not actually understand the utter horror of it. I am so glad I went through that, for prior to that I had no substantial concept of how much that affected the world- and each individual.
I remember being in second grade at Fraiser Woods School when all of a sudden many of my classmates were getting picked up bu their parents. I was told I would be staying for the rest of the day. And I was very confused because none of my teachers said anything about it. When I got home my parents told me that two towers in New York were hit by planes. That was about the extent of it. I did not know what terrorists were or why this was happening. And I got very scared when I saw the same video clip playing over and over. I saw some people jumping out of windows, and I think that was the most shocking thing of the whole event.
I agree with Hunter and Justina that the details of the event were not very clear back then, but over time the picture has been fully painted in my mind. "i remember being frustrated with being confused and asked my mom what happened." -Justina.
At the time of the world trade center being hit I remember I was in second grade at Fraiser Woods School. Many of my classmates were being picked up early but I was told to stay for the day and take the bus as usual. I got home and watched the same clip of the plans hitting the towers over and over again with my family. All my parents told me is that the buildings fell. I was left curious. One more thing I remember is that my mom was crying when I got home off the bus. Se said that when she was in the car she heard on te radio that the planes hit and then on another more local station she heard that there was a bomb in the Newtown Booth Library, but it has been dismissed. She was extremely concerned and scared after hearing that because it was so close to where we live.
I don't remember very much about the 9/11 attacks. I know that it happened during 2nd grade. I thought that I remembered being sent home from school, but, like Maria, I went to Sandy Hook School, so I must be mistaken since there was a power outage and school was closed that day.
My mom recalled that she was in Colorado at the time because she was taking a class for work. She said that at first she thought it wasn't real. They gave everyone the day off from the class so that people could go to church and contact family. My mom also said that she couldn't come home because airports were closed. Then, a couple of days later she was able to fly into Chicago. She said that she was lucky because many pilots were too afraid to fly. People in the airport would cheer when a flight crew showed up because it meant they could go home. My mom was supposed to fly into Hartford, but ended up having to land in Albany and then drive a rental car home.
I remember feeling scared, but also excited that something so tremendous was happening. Like Hunter, it was hard for me to understand what was going on. In my naivety, I didn't comprehend the grief and the mourning, only the chaos.
I didn't talk to my parents much about it, but I do remember asking my mom if it meant that we would go to war. It was frightening when she responded that she didn't know.
Hannah Maret
Class 6
On 9/11 I was living in Colorado. So when all the kids were in the Sandy Hook School during the power outage I was still getting ready for school. I specifically remember this morning vividly. I was upstairs in my fathers room watching Good Morning America while he was in the bathroom getting ready for his day. When the attack happened I freaked out, hit the bathroom door and told my dad a plane crashed into a building in Minnesota or another place beginning in an M. At first this wasn't the concern it became for my family. Once my dad realize it was in the World Trade Center in Manhattan he became increasingly worried. In 2001, my uncle worked in the World Trade Center but my dad was unaware which building he worked in. Eventually we found out that he worked in the 3rd of 7 buildings and thankfully not in one of the two towers. By the time I made it into school both towers had fallen and my teacher had a classroom discussion about the attack. I specifically remember asking "Why would someone fly a plane into a building." My store compared to some is that my recollection is strong when others only have glimpses or no memory of the event at all. Being two time zones behind the east coast I was able to be home to see the whole thing broadcast while everyone who live in Newtown at that time was in school.
On september 11th, 2001, I was a second grade student at Head O' Meadow Elementary School just like Mason. I remember having a secretary come into the class while we were all sitting in a circle on the floor, she whispered something to my teacher who then let us know that we would be leaving school early.
When I arrived home, I remember my mother being very upset and we stood infront of the television, watching the videos of the World Trade Center burning. The news channel then showed a clip of children in the streets in the middle east being given candy and celebrating. This affected me more than anything else that day. I asked my mother why they were so happy and she told me that they had been taught that Americans were bad people. I couldn't fully understand it, but this was the first time I had been aware of anti-Americanism.
I was second grade like everyone else and like everyone else like Maria and Amanda i went to Sandy Hook and there was a power outage at the school so we stayed home that day. All i really remember that day was that I was playing in my family room with my brothers and my mom came rushing in the room on the phone and turned on the T.V. to watch the news. I didn't really understand what was happening, I remembered thinking that we were watching a movie because i never had seen anything like that before other then in movies. but when my mom started crying i knew something was wrong i just didn't fully know until later. I think my mom didn't tell me what happened that day i don't really remember when i found out what really was going on. It is weird what Maria Dutsar said when she asked how she would have reacted if she was a few years older and actually knew what was happening i still think i would have thought it was a movie because the idea of something like that happening is just unbelievable for a child even most adults i knew were just in udder shock.
Brendan McNamara
class 1
It is surprising how little I remember about the day. All I can truly remember is sitting in my second grade classroom and hearing my principal’s voice over the loudspeaker. We were all sent home early, but at that age I really did not understand the significance and the impact this event would have on our country. I remember going home and watching fires and planes and towers in flashes of color and hearing the concern and shock in the voices of both the news reporters and my parents. My parents tried to explain to me what was going on like Justina’s and Carson’s parents, but it was so difficult to understand at an age like that.
Probably the scariest thing I remember about the day, personally, was that when my dad went to work the night of the attacks, there was a bomb threat to the emergency room at Danbury Hospital. Everyone had to evacuate, and after seeing what had happened earlier in the day, everyone was really worried. My dad, an ER physician, also treated many of the people who were actually in the buildings that were hit but escaped before the planes struck and survived; many of these people couldn’t sleep after everything they had seen, so he had to admit many of them to the pysch ward or send them to see psychiatrists. He also had to give many of them medication so that they would be able to fall asleep with the day’s events racing through their minds.
Erin B.
Class 6
I was a second grader at my old school in downstate, New York when the attacks occurred. Like many students, I do not really recall that day. I remember that a few of my classmates were being picked up early but I don’t think we were told what happened and we didn’t have an early dismissal. I also remember that my mom was out of the country and she called home when she found out that tragedy had struck the nation. That day when my dad had come back home, I remember watching TV and asking him what was going on, and why that happened. He told me the simplest way that he could by saying that there were people out there that did not like America so they purposely crashed planes into the World Trade Center to kill hundreds of people.
I don’t think that my teacher ever explained to my class what happened, but I do remember we all used what we each knew to try to figure out why it had happened. Like Justina said, I found it surprising that I have very little clear memories on a day I thought was just another but it turned out to be the last day for hundreds and hundreds of people.
Edith Campos
Class: 4
I remember I was in second grade when the attacks first happened, and the book fair for Head O’ Meadow was happening in two days so everyone was gearing up for that. When I got home from the bus, there wasn’t mass panic on the street, but there was this feeling that the world stopped. As I got closer to my house, there was this sense of dread that something bad happened. I remember having that same feeling two weeks earlier when this young singer died (can’t remember her name.) When I saw the news footage on the TV, my dad looked worried but I didn’t understand why. Like Maria, I didn’t know the full impact of what was going on. I remember seeing the WTC fall, but I didn’t see the planes crashing into them. I didn’t really know about the attack until the next day when our teacher explained the situation. They cancelled the book fair along with everything else that was supposed to happen in the month of September. That on day was an experience that came to dominate how most of us acted for some time. I remember every time I got on a plane I’d be worried and waiting to run right off. That was an experience that showed that the world is never as safe as we think it is.
I remember that i was in Middle Gate when the principal came into our class still shocked, and gave us the news as lightly as she could. I got to go home, and watched the coverage all day long, and i was old enough to slightly understand what was happening. I remember years after my mom told me that her friend was going to get on one of the flights that crashed, but she was bumped from the flight. It still scares my mo to think about what it would have been like if her friend got on that flight. Like a few others i was able to watch the news, and my parents felt i was mature enough that i could handle the details of what happened.
similar to what some of my class mates said, I really don't have much recolection of 9/11 the day it happened.I can't really remember any details, but I do remember that my teacher mrs. Washiko got very sad all of a sudden. I do remember though that like madeline's and Ishar's parents, my parents sat me down to try and explain to me what had happened, they too were very sad.
Adam Wruck
Class 1
I believe my 9/11 experience was very much like Carsons. For the most part, I was just really confused, all I knew was that something terrible happened in New York City.
At the time I think I was in second grade at Head O' Meadow, I don't remember if my teacher had said or done anything, they acted as if it was a normal day. It wasn't until I was on the bus that I found out something was up. She was shocked that we didn't know "what happened." And she didn't tell me when I asked because she wanted our parents to tell us, like it was some huge deal....it ended up being a pretty big deal in our country.
The rest of the day I remember all of the TVs always being on and my mom was on the phone a lot. She tried to explain to us what had happened> I understood that two planes went into two big skyscrapers in the city, but that was it. I didn't understand the significance that this tragic event had.
All I really cared about was that all of my shows were taken over by 9/11 news and Presidential interviews. I was more annoyed that the same stuff had been on since I got home from school than what happened, not allowing me to watch my cartoons.
Will Fletcher
Class 4
Much like Justina, I was in Head O' Meadow library when i remember being allowed to go home early. No one told us why, so I of course was incredibly happy. I had no idea how serious the situation was. Once i got home my parents sat me down and told me what had happened, i just brushed it off. To a young kid like myself, that seemed a million miles away and i didn't comprehend that someone had attacked our great nation. It took me sometime to realize that, and i can sadly say that since it never impacted me very personally, i never gave it much thought until this year when you brought it up in class.
Fratt
Class 4
5/05/11
Very much like Colleen, i remember being in school that day and being told the there would be an early dismisall. Getting out of school early at the time was a good thing and I really did not understand the full extent of what had happened until years later. I dop not remember exactly what my parents told me, but I don't think it was very descriptive, just that something bad had happened. Overall though, I think that living through 9/11 impacted my life because it changed a lot things, at school and in public places, that would have been different before.
I was in second grade on 9/11, and i too was told by my parents. When i got home from school, my mom was crying and my dad was looking more serious than i had ever seen him. They finally told me that there was a big explosion in the World Trade Center, and a lot of people had died. I discussed it with them for a while, and found out more and more. When i got to school the next day, rumors were everywhere. People were saying that someone was trying to blow up our country. That scared everyone in my class a lot. I cant remember anything else from that day, but ever since then i've had a knot in my stomach whenever i think about those tragic hours.
Jake T.
Class 1
During this weekend of September 11th, I watched a special by a man who made it out of the towers alive that morning ten years ago. He was on one of the lower levels, and was assisted out by a N.Y.P.D officer. It left me with a lot of mixed feelings. but the one that I think stands out most to me is how grateful we all should be for what we have. we should be grateful for the life we were given to resume. And I know this sounds cliche, but you never really know what you have until it is gone. I think these aspects are just looked over in today's society, and I can see that it is very easy to forget about. But I certainly do my best every day to at least think about it. i didn't lose a family member and it is still a tragedy, I can't even imagine what it was like for the victim's families. The more I think and talk about it the more I become grateful.
I have so many questions that come from this. What is the answer to terrorism? Do we fight fire with fire? Or do we try to approach it more peacefully? America certainly went to violence, but I think that just makes the situation worse. However going about it without violence shows weakness. I think terrorism is the hardest thing to fight because there is no definitive answer.
Tom B.
Class 4
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