9/11 has changed my life in more ways than one. Seriously. I didn' t even know anyone who died. Today on the sixth anniversary I wanted to pay tribute, but also give you something to read at the same time. In 2004 when I was graduating from high school, I was one of a few seniors asked to write a senior statement to be published in the school newspaper, the Newtonite. I immediately knew I wanted to write about 9/11.
Here is what was published in our graduation issue.
"For the past four years, Newton North has been part of many memories that will stay with us forever. We've won awards, made life-long friends, attended proms, and even became state champions. However, one day at North will especially stay clear in our minds forever. As freshman, the class of 2005 was still learning to find its way around the expansive North on our fourth day of high school. The date was September 11th, 2001. Just about every senior I’ve asked remembers that day at Newton North in fine detail. It can be compared to the day President Kennedy was assassinated, and our parents remembering their exact whereabouts at the moment they found out. As for myself, my day started in Mr. Vignone’s history class, which went as usual except for him turning on the radio, which he had never done. My next class was English with Ms. Craig-Olins. It was here when Mrs. Huntington made her first announcement to the school, briefly describing what had happened up until that point. I then remember hearing a rumor that more had happened then was announced, but I brushed it off as crazy and impossible. Later in gym class, we didn’t do much because it was signup day, so people quietly talked. I heard Ms. Baugher and another teacher talking about what they knew, and it confirmed the rumor from earlier. As soon as class let out I went to the library and got on a computer to see for myself. A small crowd of stunned kids gathered around to see too. Not much else went on at school that day, although I did sneak into a classroom that had the news on for a little while. I don’t think many kids, including myself, really understood how big the events of the day were at that time. However, it seemed more serious when the bus my friend and I took home everyday, was free of charge, just to get everyone home safe. That night, aside from being glued to the television, I looked through some photos and video I had taken myself less than a month earlier on a trip to New York, which I am now so glad to have. For the Newton North class of 2005, we are the last students to have been at North on that day, and even after a new school is built, it’s something we won’t ever forget."
I took this picture 28 days prior to 9.11.2001
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