By: Ethan Walshe

Staff Writer

Ten years ago yesterday, a tragedy struck our nation. On the fateful morning of September 11th, 2001, four hijacked American and United Airlines planes were taken from their scheduled courses and changed the United States forever. On the calm autumn morning, American Airlines flight 11 and United Airlines flight 175 collided with the north and south towers of The World Trade Center in New York City, while AA flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon and UA flight 93 crash landed outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania after brave passengers interfered with the hijackers, preventing them from reaching their target destinations in Washington D.C. 3,000 men, women and children lost their lives. Amongst the chaos and horror occurring across the eastern seaboard, where was I on the tragic day that our country was brought to its knees? I was five years old, at home as though it were any other Tuesday morning, wondering why I wasn’t going to be taken to my afternoon kindergarten class that day.

I do not remember many details about that day or indeed the ensuing years of struggle and combat in the Middle East that followed. I recall complaining to my mom about not going to school and being upset when I couldn’t watch TV because my mom was watching the day’s events unfold. It has only been in recent years that I have begun to understand exactly what happened on that Tuesday morning in September or even what’s been going on for the past turbulent decade. And I am in no way the only one.

The events of September 11, 2001 are generally overlooked by my generation: today’s high school senior was only seven or eight years old when this tragedy occurred, its incoming freshman only four or five. We have grown up in a decade of turmoil and uncertainty that has been rampant, many of us not quite understanding the entire situation. We may have learned that “some bad men killed many people” when we were younger, but by now we have a larger grasp on the state of affairs. Even today’s adults were 10 years younger than they are now, perhaps completely different people leading completely different lives.

A few members of the Westford Academy community were in fact at WA on that morning, including Head Guidance Counselor Mark Lucey and Dean of Students Michael Parent.

They both described it as a very somber day at WA. It had started like any other until various reports of a plane hitting the World Trade Center started spreading throughout the school. Websites were checked, televisions turned on in classrooms and people remained glued to them. As details came in, it soon became apparent that students and staff at WA had family members or loved ones either on the planes that struck the buildings or inside the buildings themselves.

“It was a day where we had bells but there was no instruction going on in classrooms. It was all time in which teachers were comforting and discussing or being a friend or a lending ear to some students,” said Parent.

“There wasn’t a mass exodus out of the building or a traffic jam out front. It was amazing how normalcy still kind of prevailed,”  Lucey reflected.

The events of that day were described as having a sort of “numbing effect.” The idea of such horrific events could transpire so fast without any warning or baseline for understanding. Disbelief was certainly a common emotion. And yet, whilst all of this confusion and shock was apparent everywhere, both close to home at Westford Academy and all over the United States, today’s high school student was a very young child, and most likely confused out of their minds over why everyone was so upset.

Sophomore Nick Nudler remembers the day quite vaguely, mainly recalling the sense of confusion he experienced when he heard that two planes had crashed into the World Trade Center.

“I remember thinking ‘now Dad can come home from work early!’” he said.

A decade later, he reflects upon the events with more seriousness, having grown up in the era that followed. He now views 9/11 as far more than just an attack. He sees it now as the beginning of a new era for the United States.

“[This has been an] era of fear and paranoia for the U.S.. Despite it’s name, these past ten years have brought the most hope and advancement in unity and patiotism in this county than ever before, I believe,” he said.

For anyone who has grown up in this “era of fear and paranoia” it has become normalcy. Many of us do not remember what it may have been like to board an airplane without extensive security checks or to not have to worry that somewhere out there there were terrorists bent against the destruction of the United States. Where there had previously been a sense of security, there was now caution.

“I think there was a sense of security, that yes there were these terrorist things that happened in the world, that because of our ocean or our geographical isolation we were somehow safe… [9/11] made us all feel vulnerable in the world for the first time. And for anyone growing up now that is just part of their being,” remarked Lucey.

The sad fact is that many younger kids, below today’s high school level, do not and may never quite understand the significance of what happened on September 11, 2001 through no fault of their own. They were very small children at the time. But it is very important that these events never be forgotten, and the next generation of kids be told just what happened on that now historic day.

“I think it will be up to the schools to introduce some curriculum in the near future regarding 9/11,” said Parent. “The curriculum should cover that so that we always remember that part of history; that it’s something we never forget.”

Ten years. It’s a hard number to wrap your head around. That ten years ago our country changed forever. That first responders who survived the initial attacks are still dying to this day, due to lung cancers from the smoke and toxins that became airborne as the buildings collapsed. 9/11 is and always will be a reminder of the worst that can happen. But it is also a reminder of the best that can come out a people, a nation. The heroic stories that we see on the news must not be forgotten. The people who were affected must never become distant memories in the backs of our minds. We must honor and remember them for the years to come, as they have become some of the most important stories and people in our lifetime.