It has been 25 years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, a day that forever changed the course of American history and claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people.
One Aiken High School teacher is ensuring that her students never forget. English teacher, Laurie Frazier, worked with her students to create a memorial wall commemorating each of the 2,977 lives lost by highlighting their individual stories. Her students researched and wrote about many of those impacted by 9/11, and they made sure that Aiken High School learned their stories with their own remembrance wall.
Laurie remembers that tragic event as if it were yesterday. At the time, she was an eighth-grade teacher at North Augusta Middle School.
"We were not supposed to let the kids know what was going on because they were taking standardized testing, and they didn't want to cause a panic. So, after I found out, I went back to the classroom and tried to be as normal as possible. Eventually, you could hear announcements of parents coming to get their kids, and students began asking, "What's going on?" until it eventually made its way into the classroom," Laurie Frazier said.
Her biggest inspiration behind this project comes from being aware that statistically, more than 25% to 30% of the U.S. population was born after the 2001 terrorist attacks or was too young to remember them. Being from Long Island herself, the events feel more personal.
"Just the feeling and the sense of hopelessness that happened on that day, and the tragedy and the people that lost their lives. I just feel like they need to be remembered," Laurie shared. "2,977 people lost their lives that day. Each person is more than just a number. They had families, hopes, and dreams, so it was important for me to share this with the students and get them involved because, as an older person, it is our job to pass this on to the kids so they can remember."
One thing she hopes the students take away from the project is the importance of compassion and unity.
"I hope that it teaches them to be more compassionate and to realize that we are Americans, and when something like 9/11 happens, we're all human and we're ultimately all in this together. That's the biggest message that I want them to remember."
