Early in the morning, half an hour before school was set to begin, students, staff and parents gathered on Trinity Classical Academy’s front lawn on Wednesday to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks 18 years ago.
Nearly 3,000 flags were placed on Trinity Classical Academy’s front lawn on Wednesday in honor of the victims of the 9/11 attacks 18 years ago.
Each flag represented each of the 2,977 loved ones, first responders and volunteers who lost their lives that day.
This was the seventh year Trinity’s chapter of Young Americans for Freedom had led the 9/11 Never Forget Project, which is hosted by hundreds of Young Americans for Freedom chapters across the country.
During the ceremony, staff and students gathered to honor the lives lost that day 18 years ago as well as the four Americans killed that same day years later in Libya.
“Eleven years after these ruthless and evil attacks on our nation in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which we memorialize here today, another attack on our nation happened thousands of miles away from our shores,” student Chapman Wolf said, referring to Sept. 11, 2012, when the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, came under a coordinated attack by Islamic militants.
Students then placed four more flags to honor those killed that day.
“It’s hard to believe, but about one-quarter of the nation’s population has now been born after 9/11,” said Mike Garcia, 25th Congressional District candidate. “We have these signs that say, ‘Don’t ever forget,’ and I’m taking great solace and confidence in the fact that there’s so many youth here in our community doing things like this and paying tribute to the 9/11 victims, first responders and veterans that we will never forget. And it’s because of you and the leadership here on the YAF team.”
He went on to honor two community members who gave their lives during their military service — Marine Lance Cpl. Richard “Ricky” P. Slocum, 19, and Army medic, Spc. Rudy A. Acosta, 19.
Garcia then called the “real heroes” to join him at the front, including the Slocum family as well as any other first responders and armed forces in attendance, for a moment of silence while taps was played on a trumpet.
“On that day, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we responded with the best of America,” student Lexi Carr said, “with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring of strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way that they could. We are blessed to live in a nation where helping and protecting others is a priority.”
