Seventeen years ago our country encountered a traumatic event which changed the lives of millions. At Minarets High School, we honored those who died and remembered them by raising our new American flag and flying it at half mast in our annual tradition. In the afternoon, students were released from class and stood as Dr. Daniel Ching and the student body talked and raised the new flag in silence. Dr. Daniel Ching gave a speech about his experience and about how, despite events in our country’s history that divide our country, we still manage to unite and be there for one another.
Students were asked on campus what they thought about Minarets gathering the students and raising the flag which many said was a good tradition to start here at our school. Corrin Nielsen, sophomore, says “I think it was absolutely beautiful that they choose 9/11 the day to raise the flag every year because it symbolizes the unity in the nation as we all came together after that horrible Incident”. Students felt that despite what happened it brought people together regardless of differences and brought the nation together as a whole. “Many things happened that day, there was it was a tragic event. There was a lot of heroism and a united a lot of people, from different races, religions and even different standpoints and political opinions” says Ryan Hough, sophomore.
Ben Regonini, a History teacher at Minarets, says that it’s important for students to remember what happened because although it happened seventeen years ago the effects still tackle with us today and how we’re still handling it today. “We talk about how Pearl Harbor was hit and that was the cause of World War 2 and this was our cause to go into the Middle East and take out the guys that did this. We’re still involved with with them today so I think it’s definitely important because you [students] weren’t even born yet or just born when it happened. You [students] have gone through this Middle East crisis that that we’re still in now since you [students] were born and 9/11 was the kickoff for that” said Regonini.
Despite it occurring before many of our students being born after September 11th, Minarets students are still thoughtful and believe it is important for future generations to know about. A junior who was interviewed, Jayci Coon, says that “History is history and all that but this was more recent than most things and a lot of people can't comprehend that because even myself I wasn't born then. But it's good to know how like things like this can happen. And it's important for us to know that everybody is a person and you need to think about that. Together if we are all against each other that doesn't help out at all if we're all together and we help one another that can make us more powerful than we think we can be”.
Picture taken by senior Adam Colgin