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MOUNT PLEASANT, N.Y. Pleasantville and Mount Pleasant schools took time Friday to honor those who were lost on Sept. 11 and to discuss the tragic events that occurred.
Pleasantville High School held a ceremony in front of its entrance Friday morning attended by all students, faculty and administrators. Students gave speeches and performances in memory of the tragic event.
"This is an amazing show of Pleasantville's spirit in the community," Principal Dawn Bartz said.
Bartz addressed the students on the importance of remembering the events that occurred that day, even though some of them were too young to comprehend them at the time.
Guests at the ceremony included Pleasantville Police Chief Richard Love and local resident Andrea Garbarini. Garbarini's husband was a New York City firefighter who lost his life on Sept. 11. Her son, Dylan, is currently a ninth grade student at Pleasantville.
Garbarini gave a speech about the importance of looking at the good that can come out of such a terrible tragedy.
"I think it was the worst day of humanity, but it was also the best because there were many that helped their fellow human being that day," Garbarini said.
Garbarini, accompanied by her son Dylan and Bartz, placed a commemorative yellow ribbon on the flag pole outside the school in memory of all those lost on Sept. 11.
At Westlake High School, a group of seniors took the opportunity to give insight on the significance of Sept. 11 to students across the country. Students in an English elective course titled, "Children's Literature" spoke with a select group of third grade students in Indiana via Skype about the historical relevance of 9/11.
Principal Keith Schenker said the Indiana school reached out to schools in the New York City area and his faculty saw it as a great learning experience for both. The current seniors at Westlake were in third grade at the time of the attacks.
"Our librarian Mary Knopp actually stumbled upon the school that was reaching out to schools in New York and I ran by our faculty and they saw it as a great opportunity and immediately latched on," Schenker said.
The Westlake students read the book "The Little Chapel that Stood" by A.B. Curtiss to the Indiana students and discussed the significance and meaning as a group.
What do your children know about Sept. 11? Comment below.
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