Honoring Sept. 11 at Minarets

by Derek Ray

On Sep. 11, 2001, a series of four airplanes were sent by foreign terrorists to destroy an American monument or structure. Two planes struck the iconic World Trade Center towers in New York City, one struck the side of the large Pentagon building in Pennsylvania, and the fourth was headed for the White House in Washington D.C., but instead crashed into a field due to the passengers being aware of the hijack and took control away from the terrorists. This day changed America in many ways, three of them being people contributing and doing the right thing, families brought closer together, and security being taken up several notches then what they were set to do before the attacks.

Principal Daniel Ching addressing the entire school at the Flag Raising Ceremony.

The students and staff at Minarets High School have their own way of commemorating the event and remembering the lives of all those people, whether they were firemen saving the victims in the towers in Manhattan, or the people who saved the White House from being struck by the airplane. Every year, Minarets holds a ceremony to raise the new flag for the year as a symbol for our country and the bravery of the people before us who did everything to allow freedom for America. Everyone in the school stands before the flag, removes their hats and caps, and have a moment of silence which is contribution to the people who not only died on that day, but even the ones who were surviving victims.

John Johnson, Jay Smoljian, and Brett Moglia raising the flag during the ceremony.

Principal Daniel Ching explained, “We do it at Minarets because it is tradition that focuses on Americans rising again and uniting together. The flag represents our county and our community's mission to move forward.” He also wanted to add that he wants us all to know is, “this country is bigger than our disputes and disagreements that we so often see in the media. We are united on the ideals of freedom and the American Dream. Serve other people, focus on the positive, and help those in need. On September 11th we were reminded that we are all in this together. People joined together to help no matter what they had going on. I will always remember the American Spirit that was so perfectly demonstrated in the service to mankind and fellow Americans that followed the tragedy.”

This special service is a great way to remember those who passed tragically on that day and to remember that in America, we are all one united!

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