September 11 Announcement

Good morning, this is Dr. Dias.

September 11 will forever mark the anniversary of a tragedy that continues to impact every American. I would like to take a moment for us to recognize this infamous anniversary.

September 11, 2001, was a Tuesday. Schools were open and functioning when the news came. The horror that unfolded was difficult to process, and impossible to comprehend. Even today, it is painful to think about the terror that so many people experienced. In the months and years that followed, our country banded together in a manner that I had never experienced or thought possible. Last year I read a poem written by some 3rd grade students. I chose the medium of  poetry because I believe that it has the ability to convey emotion more than any other written word. While twelve years have passed, and the resolve of the country is constantly challenged by multiple wars, political strife, and a fragile economy, I would like you to pause for a moment and listen to a different poem, written by a sixth grade student immediately following the attacks:

I hold in my hands ...
The dust.
The dust and wreckage of the towers.
Even though I wasn't there,
I can still feel it.
It has damaged my hands with dirt.
It has damaged my heart with sorrow.
It has damaged my body with fear,
and it has damaged my life with war.

I hold in my hands..
Hope.
Hope for the future.
Hope for peace.
Hope for my country's freedom.
And hope for America to win this war on terrorism.

-Aaron Walsh

Thank you, and please rise, and join me in giving our Pledge of Allegiance