Students do their part in remembering 9/11
By Devon Wilkinson
September 11, 2001, became one of those days that those who lived through, cannot forget. All over the country, people can distinctly recall where they were, who they were with and the feeling in the pit of their stomachs with every new detail that came out about the disaster. Those who didn’t witness the tragedy in person had their eyes glued to the television. American’s felt powerless. And fear covered over our country faster than most of us has the time to process.
The Young American’s for Freedom was founded on the High Point’s University Campus in time for the 16th anniversary of September 11, 2001. The Young American’s Foundations is an organization that helps students, all across America, properly remember the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and America’s recovery that continues to follow. This is referred to as the 9/11: Never Forget Project.
Hannah Huemme, HPU senior and the founder and Chairman of the 9/11: Never Forget Project on campus, had been in the process of organizing the event since before the fall semester even started. “It is our duty as informed citizens to remember and recognize this personal attack on our country and to continue to stand strong for these founding principles,” comments Huemme.
Students, their families, and other organizations around HPU’s campus teamed up, to not only purchase the flags but also took the time to plant approximately 3,000 flags on the night of September 10th.
The flags were planted between Slane and Wanek at the “human link” sculpture. According to Huemme, “Many YAF chapters across the country experienced challenges from their schools in participating in this event. I am thankful for High Point University in their support of our project and the values of God, Family, Country, upon which this school stands.”
Spencer Brief, junior at HPU, was the VP of operations for the event and Huemme’s right-hand man. “I am from New York so I remember that day well but whether you are from New York or not, 9/11 affected everyone and continues to affect us each and every day,” says Brief. “We shouldn’t look back a feel hatred, we should look back in remembrance. On the anniversary of 9/11, the people of our country should take a moment to recall those men and women that lost their lives.”
Huemme, Brief and the others that participated in the event couldn’t have been happier with the impact the display. “After the flags were planted, many students walking by took photos of the memorial,” recalls Huemme. “We were very encouraged by the success as well as the appreciative response from all. One student walking by thanked us, and proceeded to share how his family was personally affected by 9/11 and how much this meant to them back home.”
The 9/11: Never Forget Project will hopefully continue to be supported and carried out by the future HPU students. And in just a few years, those students that will be the ones planting the flags will be individuals that were not alive to witness, arguably, one of the worst days in human history. These students will never know American pre-9/11.
Thousands of innocent Americans lost their lives but a piece of every American was lost on that sunny Tuesday morning. It seems all we can do is remember but we can also work towards becoming stronger as a nation because of it.