9/11 survivors talk to students in Irondequoit
Posted at: 09/10/2012 6:14 PM
By: Christine VanTimmeren | WHEC.com
Local schools are thinking ahead to the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Monday, students at Dake Junior High School in Irondequoit heard from two people who survived the attacks including French filmmaker Jules Naudet who documented everything.
The students are seventh and eighth graders. They don’t remember 9/11 and it’s difficult for them to grasp how it affected all of us.
To seventh and eighth graders at Dake Junior High School, 9/11 is just another event in a history book. They know what happened and they might even know people who were there that day, but how they understand it is a little different.
Matthew Schrage, Dake Junior High School Principal, said,” It’s just as important to emphasize the message of perspective in addition to remembering the historical events of that day as our way of remembering those that were affected by the events on 9/11.”
People like filmmaker Jules Naudet and survivor David Ricca, who was in the 2nd tower. On Monday, students heard from both men, what they saw, how they felt and how they reacted.
Chelsei Gallina, 7th grader, said, “It was amazing because you got to hear what it was really about.”
Noelle Gangarossa, 7th grader said, “They were very courageous and just telling everyone about their story and their perspective.”
It was history not in a book, but right in front of them.
Gangarossa said, “It sets an example for how we should be, because there was so many brave people that just risked their lives for others.”
And the best part was when they had questions, they got answers. The students didn’t see the firefighters on 9/11. They didn’t watch the towers fall. They didn’t cry with loved ones, but on Monday, they learned what the world learned that day, cherish your loved, help others in their time of need and the courage people showed that day is certainly worth remembering.
Aliya Conlon, 7th grader, said, “They were trying to teach us that you should just cherish everything you have and to be thankful for what you have.”
Jules Naudet and his brother were shooting a documentary with Engine 7 Ladder 1 firefighters in lower Manhattan when 9/11 happened. He was able to get video of the plane hitting the first tower. He continued to shoot footage the rest of the day and put together a documentary called 9/11. Jules is headed back to New York City where he will remember the day with the firefighters who helped save his life that day.
David Ricca was in the second tower on 9/11. His office got the call when the first tower was hit, so he immediately started heading down the stairs to get out. He said he was on about the 30th floor when the plane hit the second tower and was still able to get out.
Have a story you want our news team to investigate? Call us at 585-232-1010, click here to send us an e-mail or leave us a Facebook post or tweet.
|
|
 |
Print Story |