Brentwood school community marks 25th anniversary of 9/11

A quarter-century after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Brentwood school community gathered at Brentwood High School to remember the lives lost and honor the courage of those who responded in the nation’s darkest hours. The board of education, local dignitaries and lawmakers, teachers, administrators and students joined in the emotional memorial service, led by AFJROTC cadets as well as their instructors SMSgt. Wayne Hanna and MSgt. Armando Perez.

“Today, 25 years later, I stand here looking at another generation of Brentwood students – students who were not yet born on Sept. 11,” said Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera, standing beside a large group of high schoolers. “And that is one of the many reasons this day matters. It is our responsibility to make sure the next generation understands what happened and why we must never forget. We remember the innocent lives that were lost, the first responders and heroes who showed extraordinary courage, and the families whose lives were forever changed. And we remember how, in the days that followed, people came together with kindness, compassion and a willingness to help one another. And when I think about that spirit, I think about Brentwood. When someone needs us, we come together. We show up. We take care of one another.”

The ceremony carried that message of remembrance through music, reflection and tradition. AFJROTC cadets recounted the historical significance of Sept. 11 and rang ceremonial bells in remembrance of the lives lost aboard each of the four planes. Together, the tributes offered a quiet reminder that 25 years later, remembrance remains both an act of honoring the past and a responsibility to the generations who will carry its memory forward.

 

Photo captions:

 

1: The Brentwood Board of Education, joined by local dignitaries, lawmakers, superintendents and union leaders, gathered at Brentwood High School’s newly renovated Sept. 11 memorial courtyard.

 

2: AFJROTC cadets posed with the ceremonial bell and a patriotic floral arrangement during the memorial service.

 

Photos courtesy of the Brentwood Union Free School District 

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