SGB Week Ahead

September 11, 2023

SGB First Full Week of School 2023

Dear SGB Families,

As we begin our first full week of school at SGB we will hold a brief prayer service tomorrow morning for grades 1-8 to remember 9/11.

I know everyone has a story of where they were that day. I had left teaching briefly (3 years) to work in NYC at CHANNEL ONE, a news program for students. CHANNEL ONE was shown in middle and high schools every morning across the country. On Sept. 1, 2001, I had just handed in my resignation and given my 2 week notice so I could return to the classroom.

Except I was still there on 9/11, as I sat with our team we watched our own news program during our daily morning meeting. It was immediately shut off and a live feed turned on when the first plane hit the Tower. By the time the second plane hit, we were trying to comprehend what was going on just blocks away. CHANNEL ONE'S news team was located in LA and they regularly hopped on planes to go capture breaking news. However, all the planes were grounded and none of our news teams could make it to NY. I volunteered to go. As insane as it sounds, I'm better when I can feel useful in difficult situations. They gave us a van and press passes to myself and my assistant. Our first stop was to pick up Lisa Ling and then we headed to Ground Zero.

I remember heading downtown as everyone else went north. I remember seeing Times Square empty, except for the big burly NY firefighters we stopped to talk to who were covered in white soot with tear stains on their faces. It's an image that I have never forgotten.

Another image I remember was stopping at St. Vincent's hospital down by the village. Their front entrance was lined up with nurses, doctors, orderlies, stretchers and wheelchairs...waiting. They waited there but no casualties arrived. Besides the professionals, there were also hundreds (no exaggeration) of New Yorkers lined up around NY to donate blood if needed.

The tragedy that day will be remembered forever. It's our job to never forget.

We will focus on the humanity and how so many came together to help each other.

To love thy neighbor.

Every person who took care of another. Every volunteer who drove in to lend a hand, some coming as far as Michigan in their station wagon filled with sandwiches. Heroes.

We will take today's Gospel and remember that "when two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:20). Tomorrow, SGB will gather and pray for those we lost and all those who "Loved their neighbor" that day.

God bless,

Ms. Clarke