I
Pledge Allegiance...
By
Gina Verone
As
we are all aware, on September 11, 2001, New York City was targeted
once more–an attack so ferocious, so unforgiving leaving Americans
in a state of shock and despair. As the morning progressed at
my school, parents came in, family members called, teachers and
students were solemn and quiet as they awaited word of the status
of the attack and their family members whereabouts. The school
community united on that morning in a quiet, calm manner. It wasn’t
necessarily their words of fear but rather their faces that will
forever remain etched in my mind as a sorrowful reminder of the
loss of innocence that was stripped from their very hands on this
horrific day. As the days have passed, so many students across
this great nation are questioning these acts of cowardice brought
about by hatred and ignorance. Deep within their souls, they are
searching for the return of some sense of normalcy in their lives.
During a recent discussion with a group of AP Government students
at my high school, I asked them to put into words how they felt
about the current state of the nation. Amongst this group there
was a quiet resolve and a loss of words. These seventeen and eighteen
year old young men and women were unable to capture how this truly
has affected and impacted their lives. It is the sudden loss of
words amongst our youth that expresses so perfectly the deep loss
the United States of America has faced. While we all go about
our normal routines, we somehow know things are no longer the
same. The date will forever be etched in our minds and while the
names of people may escape us, the faces and sense of loss will
not.
Our students remind us most clearly what is important in life
and what is important to them during their teenage years–a sense
of safety, security, and freedom. It has often been said that
if we fail to learn about our history, we are doomed to repeat
it. While history has taught us this, it is the words of John
F. Kennedy that has delicately reminded us of how courage brought
us all closer on this day. “The stories of past courage can define
that ingredient–they can teach, they can offer hope, they can
provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For
this, each man must look into his own soul.” It was indeed the
acts of courage by thousands of Americans that expressed so clearly
what our country is made of. Our history will also define this
tragic event as a day that will live in infamy as well. It will
be a reminder that as one united front the United States will
stand firmer and stronger in the wake of tragedy and triumph in
the name of glory. How we handled the events of September 11,
2001 as a school and community, is not much different than how
schools in other parts of the United States dealt with the morning
on this tragic day, coming together and uniting in a way that
has made America and Americans stronger and closer than ever before!
#
Gina
Verone is an assistant principal at Pequannock Township High School
in northern New Jersey.
They recently held a “Walk to Freedom” to raise money for the
American Red Cross World Trade Center Relief Fund. Their efforts
resulted in a $20,000 donation.
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
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the publisher. © 2001.
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