Insanity. Repercussions. Sadness. Heros. All of these are words that describe an event that happened twelve years ago. No matter what nationality, religion, or walk of life a person comes from, there is no way to avoid the consequences of 9/11.

“It changed everything we do,” said Rich Firmage, assistant principal. “Truly, it changed the way we live in the world.” Before 9/11 sporting events and concerts were no-hassle events with no checking of bags, or even metal detectors in some cases. After our weaknesses were so publicly shown to us on that Tuesday morning, security has beefed up on all fronts. “It was the harshest way we could learn who we are as a country,” said Sarah Tibbitts, senior.

Seniors this year will be some of the last people to have actual memories of 9/11. The generations that follow will have to rely on what videos, pictures and first-hand experiences that we have all collected for them. “Everything was kind of confusing,” said Tibbitts. “I remember being in kindergarten and my teacher was upset and I didn’t know why. There is just a lot of confusion connected to it.” Firmage, was a junior high woodshop teacher at the time and remembers watching it on the news with his daughter that morning. “I turned on the TV and the first tower was on fire, then the second plane hit. I remember watching the towers fall,” he said.

The attacks on 9/11 will forever be etched into the city of New York, and the minds of those who witnessed it. As the years go by and the shock of it all wears down, maybe it won’t be such a large topic, but “It will never be forgotten,” says Firmage. Tibbitts said, “If we didn’t recognize that yes, bad things did happen, we couldn’t have moved on.”