Where Were You on September 11?

I remember Sept. 11, 2001 was a sunny and warm day. I was in the fifth grade at Stackpole Elementary School in Upper Southampton. The school day began like any other but curiously many of my peers began disappearing from class; their parents were picking them up only minutes after the session had begun.

Students began to question the teacher about why our friends were leaving so unexpectedly. She looked up from her computer monitor, wiped tears from he face and told the class that it was a beautiful day and my peers parents had all decided to take them to the shore. At such a young age, I believed my teacher.

Little did I know, just a few hundred miles to the north, west and south that groups of terrorist were orchestrating the most devastating attacks on the American homeland since Pearl Harbor.

By late afternoon, we were told during a special assembly that New York, Washington D.C. and a part of our state were bombed by "bad people." Our school's principal then dismissed us to our buses.

Once home, I was glued to the TV news coverage of the attacks. 

In the days following Sept. 11, our classroom and playground discussions focused on the attack and their lasting impacts. I remember sitting at the playground and looking up and seeing for the first time in my life a sky devoid of all aircraft.

That's my story.

Now, it's your turn.

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001? How did it effect you? Tell us your story in the comments section below.

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