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I'm sure we will always remember where we were on September 11, 2001. I was still a student in Garr Christian Academy's elementary school. Although I had no knowledge of it at the time, it happened shortly after the school day started.
Well, our class went about our morning going from subject to subject. I'm not very well aware of the time. but I am suspecting at around 10:45 my teacher got a note. One of the teacher assistants came up and handed it to her. I was still unaware of the notes contents, but it must have said that one plane had hit the World Trade Center, then a second plane hit the other building; a suspected terrorist attack. I watched as my teacher's eyes suddenly got so big, and she took a very deep breath. I'm not sure what my expression was like, but the kids in the desks near her all looked at her and asked what was the matter. She just looked up at the teacher who had just read the same thing. They both looked so stunned, but didn't say anything to us at all.
We went into a lock down at about 12: 00 noon (I remember because it was right after lunch). No one could get in, no one could go out. But they did have to man the doors because some parents came and picked up their kids early. They couldn't stop that, of course. I remember we hardly had any students left in the building that day. Looking back, I didn't really understand what happened. I can understand that now though.
I remember that at the end of the day, the principal made an announcement to the kids, saying that when they go home they will see and hear some things in the news. She told them to go straight home, but not to worry about what they hear, because they are safe, and it didn't happen here in North Carolina. Many of our students would have to go home to an empty house; she just wanted them to know they would be okay.
When my parents finally told me, I must say that my first reaction was more of an "Oh, darn it" moment. Like it was bad, but it wasn't that big of a deal. But today it is different. I realize better what really went down that day, and it stirs up emotions that I can't even describe other than to say that they are not good at all.
Looking back to that night, I can remember how I should have felt. Since I lived near an airport, I was accustomed to seeing planes in the sky almost all the time. But this night, the sky was empty. Way high in the sky I remember seeing a single plane, and right now the feeling is so eerie, because I now know it could only be a military jet, for nothing else was allowed in the sky.
The next day at school, the kids were all very upset with the teachers because they couldn't tell them what happened. They felt they should have been told. I agree with them in a way, but it would have upset us greatly, and moreover scared the crap out of us. In the days to follow I would hear from different kids that they had relatives, friends, or just knew of someone who had been on one of the planes or in the twin towers.
It's surely something none of should, or can ever forget. It was an attack on our country, it was an attack against each and everyone of us.
P.S. - I really should have posted this five days ago. My apologies.
You know, I’ve been thinking….
Volunteer work.
Many junior high and high schools are now requiring their students to spent a certain number of time doing volunteered community service. Some people believe that this is the best idea since microwave popcorn. That this will help to shape America’s future and encourage good citizen ship. Well, I’ve been thinking lately a lot about how it is becoming more and more popular for this in schools. I have been thinking on whether it is fair or not, or if it really is good to require it. At any rate, I have come to my conclusion.
Forced volunteerism is no volunteerism at all.
Honestly, required volunteer work is an oxymoron. How can you be forced to do volunteer work? It’s not really volunteering at all. Also, for those of you who believe it promotes the young people being good citizens: I disagree. Look, it’s a proven fact. Kids hate doing what they are told, especially by adults, particularly the school board. I think this is just setting us up for no volunteer work, and developing a hatred for volunteerism. Now don’t get me wrong. Volunteerism is all fine and dandy in nature. But if you are forced to do it, you want nothing more than to get out of it A.S.A.P.
Just a thought I saw fit to share. Forgive me if this sounds like gibberish….
And for those of you who will be commenting with responses like, “Oh, they aren’t forced to do it! They can not do it, and just get a bad grade…” Well newsflash! If you were given the choice between failing or forced work, which one would you choose???
Ah, the sweet smell of funnel cakes mixed with body odor. Aren't street fairs just the greatest!? Over this wonderful three-day weekend, their was a little carnival held in the town of Matthews. Most of my weekend was spent here with a few friends. It was a lot of fun, actually. The streets were alive with people! I'm guessing that is why it is called Matthews Alive... But you get it, there was a lot of people. On Friday evening, my entire family, including my aunt, uncle, and cousins, went down to check things out. I rarely go to this annual gathering, so I was a little lost in the crowd. My parents were kind enough to let my younger sister and I venture out in to the streets on our own where we met up with a few friends of ours. Our evening was spent riding the rides that had been set up, such as the Hog Drop, which I found to be very intimidating; the Tempest, where some random full grown lady went all off on me and my friends for accidentaly cutting her in line; and some carnival-styled Farris Wheel type ride that I do not remember the name of. Anyway, I had a good time doing those as well.
Saturday evening was when the real fun began. This time, my parents didn't even go with us to the festival! Which is a big step up for them. They dropped me and my sister off at the United Methodist Church which was about a block away from the fair. My friends' parents did the same. We spent some time walking around, looking for people we knew or went to school with. But within an hour of fruitless searching, we decided that we should go on some more rides before it got too late. This time all we went on was the Hog Drop, which I was dead set against but they out numbered me, and that Farris Wheel ride. Well, speaking of that Hog Drop ride, it was almost like a torpedo in a way. It shot you around in circles, I guess you could say. Well, I, at some times, can be dreadfully scared of heights. And this ride wa extremely high (not really, but from up there it seemed so). After we went on it the first time, the guy who was supposed to be letting us off of it went up to my sister and asker her if we had been on the ride yet. Don't ask me why he didn't know, because I am not sure why the heck he wasn't watching us! At any rate, my sister replied with a no, because she had heard him wrong. Needless to say, I had to sit through the torture again! That was not a fun time for me....
But after the rides I got a funnel cake and it was good. Then we spent some more time walking around and looking for people we knew. Before long it was time to go home. We walked to my friends' house where my parents were waiting. My friends' dad and my mine scared the living daylights out of us by popping out from behind a car. Then it was time to go home. And that was that.... The End
