To mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, ninth graders at Massapequa High School’s Ames Campus studied an event that is historical to them, but was lived through by the adults in their lives.
Social studies classes were devoted to discussions of the tragedy and the aftermath, with much of the focus on the extraordinary efforts of first responders and citizens. Teacher Tara Camilleri reviewed with students what they already knew about Sept. 11 and showed them a video from the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum, which is located at the site of the World Trade Center.
Students in her class identified characteristics of the people who stepped up to help others that day, such as bravery, determination, empathy and resilience. Ms. Camilleri emphasized that these are traits they should always live by.
In Nicole Reiss and Paul Corr’s social classes, they showed students “Boatlift,” a documentary about the boat operators who helped approximately 500,000 people evacuate Manhattan. In the spirit of the teamwork shown by boat captains that day, each student then colored in a piece of an image to create a class poster commemorating the Sept. 11 attacks.
Jason Gelardi, curriculum associate for social studies, said that in addition to the videos and news articles, teachers also served as a primary resource for students by sharing their own recollections of the day.
“As the years go by,” he said, “9/11 becomes further in the past. It’s reaching a quarter century. Everyone who’s old enough to remember it has a story.”
Mr. Gelardi added that age-appropriate Sept. 11 lessons took place throughout the district. At the elementary schools, students gained a basic understanding of the significance of the day and why it is remembered every year. Individual stories of humanity, triumph and tragedy were the focus in middle school and high school classes.
“We want to honor the day with the respect that it deserves,” he said.
