On the morning of September 11, 2001, New Yorkers woke up to a beautiful late summer day, unaware of the tragedy that would soon unfold. It was a typical Tuesday as thousands of people prepared for work and school, with many heading to the World Trade Center—a complex of seven buildings that included the iconic twin towers. Standing 110 stories tall and reaching 1,360 feet, the twin towers dominated the downtown skyline as the tallest buildings in New York City.
No one could have imagined that within hours, these towering symbols of the city’s strength and ambition would be reduced to rubble.
In an instant, what seemed like a normal day turned into a nightmare. As people in the city went about their routine, something unusual caught their attention—the sound of a low-flying airplane that was much too close to the buildings. To their disbelief, the plane flew directly into one of the twin towers, marking the beginning of a devastating sequence of events that would change the world forever.
I remember that morning vividly, as I’m sure many of you do as well. At the time, I was the principal at our middle school. I’ll never forget when an employee called me from home, asking if I was aware of what was happening in New York. As she filled me in on the shocking events, I immediately contacted the District Administrator.
We decided to keep our classes in place, and I made my way from room to room, trying to explain something that was beyond comprehension. The uncertainty hung in the air. Students, with worry in their voices, kept asking about the weather—wondering if maybe the planes couldn’t see the buildings. “Maybe,” I answered, though deep down, none of us could make sense of the unimaginable.
It was a day that changed all of us, a day when we struggled to find the right words to explain the inexplicable. Today, the students in our classrooms were not even born when these events took place. For them, 9/11 is part of history they learn about in books and through stories passed down. As educators and families, it’s our responsibility to ensure they understand the gravity of that day—not just as a tragic event but as a moment that reshaped our country, showing the power of unity, resilience, and compassion in the face of unimaginable adversity.
On this anniversary, let’s honor the memory of those lost and teach our children the importance of standing together, even in the darkest of times. Our role is to keep the lessons of that day alive, ensuring that future generations carry forward the values of empathy, courage, and hope.
