9/11
Every week, I hold a library program for teens in grades 6-12. Most of them are on the younger end of the spectrum, which means most of them weren’t even alive fourteen years ago for the terrorist attacks of 9/11. For someone who experienced the event, felt the ripples and the heartache from afar, that’s hard for me to fathom.
Fourteen years ago, I was sitting in my Freshman English class when the announcement came on that there had been an attack on the World Trade Center. A few of my classmates didn’t even know what the World Trade Center was.
It’s still hard for me to talk about 9/11. Thinking about that day still brings tears to my eyes, which, since I’m sitting here watching some teens play Minecraft while trying to write this, makes things a little awkward here in the Tech Room. I remember hearing stories about people stuck in the towers, some huddled together in prayer, others choosing to jump. I remember hearing the incredible story of United Airlines Flight 93 and wondering what I would do were I a passenger on a hijacked plane. It was the first time I recognized what true hatred looked like, and what true bravery in the face of that hatred could do.
The teens I talk to every Tuesday may not remember when 9/11 happened, but they’ll learn about it. They’ll learn in the classroom, from their families, and from sites like Newseum.org. Newseum.org’s Archive from the 9/11 attacks documents front pages from across the country and around the globe in the aftermath of the attacks. The unforgettable images of the towers burning below headlines in a variety of languages illustrate the way the attacks shook the entire world. And the world will never forget.
Liz Strauss
Teen Librarian