Today, at 8:47, our school had a moment of silence in recognition of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Three students - Julian Suarez (11th grade), Megan Pinciak (12th), and Sophia Kebbede (11th) read the following announcement to the school:
On Sunday, our country will be taking time out to remember the tragic events of September 11th, 2001. On that day, men driven by hate and intolerance killed almost 3,000 people. In spite of those efforts to tear our country apart, in the days and months that followed, millions of Americans gave of themselves to help make our country a better place. Some helped clear wreckage in Manhattan, some joined the military to help protect our nation, and many more found ways to give back to their own community. What we learned from that heartbreaking day was that in order to preserve the country we love, we all have a responsibility to give back. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'. He knew back then what many of us came to realize after 9/11 – that if we want to create a better world where events like 9/11 will never happen again, it starts with helping those around us.
It's easy to forget that 9/11 wasn't just about America -- the attacks shocked the whole world, and about one fifth of the victims were not US citizens. September 11th should be a day of learning -- learning about the many cultures and ideas that make up our world. All of us are lucky to spend our days in a place of rich ethnic, racial, religious, and ideological diversity . Even as we unite to remember the many lives lost on 9/11, let's also take the time to learn about, and celebrate, the differences between us.
South Hadley High School has a great tradition of service. Last year alone we held the largest can drive in our history to help ease hunger in our own community; dozens of us walked for breast cancer, sang songs to the elderly at Christmas, served holiday meals at Kate's kitchen, and sold baked goods for cancer. When our town started a food pantry in January(?), hundreds of us mobilized to organize the donations that allowed to pantry to open its doors. When Monson High School was hit by a devastating tornado last spring, we raised thousands of dollars in record time to help their recovery efforts, and this fall we are still working to help them rebuild. This year, we hope to do even more - but we’ll need your help. Find a way to get involved in one of these projects or help start one of your own.
