East Rockaway schools honor 9/11 with ceremonies of reflection and community

To honor the memory of those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, students and staff at Centre Avenue and Rhame Avenue Schools gathered for remembrance ceremonies that blended reflection, gratitude and unity.

At Centre Avenue, the morning ceremony brought together administrators, students, teachers and families outside the school. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Principal Calia Kelly shared words written by students on colorful paper chain links they had created in class. Their messages carried not only remembrance and gratitude for the heroes of 9/11 but also promises of kindness and acts of service they could take today. The ceremony closed with a moment of silence.

Later in the afternoon at Rhame Avenue, students and teachers assembled on the field for a ceremony led by teacher Alexis Freudenberg. Every student had decorated a link in a long paper chain, which teachers connected into one continuous circle. The community then linked arms around the chain, forming a larger unbroken circle. Together, they observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of 9/11 and to recognize the strength of a community that supports one another through difficult times.

Both ceremonies served as powerful reminders of a day that forever shaped many East Rockaway families, while also reaffirming the district’s commitment to honor, compassion and unity.

 

Photo captions:

1: Students held links of a paper chain they created outside Centre Avenue School in East Rockaway.

2: Centre Avenue’s remembrance ceremony was led by Principal Calia Kelly.

4: Students at Rhame Avenue School assembled on their field, surrounding a long paper chain they had made and connected into a circle.

5: Rhame Avenue students linked arms, symbolizing the strength and unity of the community.

 

Photos courtesy of East Rockaway UFSD