On Tuesday, September 11th, 2001, a total of 40 passengers and crew boarded United Airlines Flight 93. Earlier that day, terrorists hijacked three other commercial airplanes, flying two into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Virginia. Upon learning of these disastrous developments, the passengers and crew of the United flight took action, fighting back to prevent the possibility of another planned attack. These 40 heroes lost their lives that day, as the plane crashed in a field just east of Pittsburgh in Somerset County.
Yesterday, 70 NASH students and four teacher volunteers traveled to the Flight 93 Memorial, a two-hour drive from Wexford. NASH social studies teachers Mr. Lyons and Mrs. Frasca organized the trip for their students.
“It is an incredible opportunity to see a world-changing event that is two hours away,” Lyons said. “You can talk about Flight 93 all you want in class, but when you see it with your own eyes it brings this historical event to life.”
September 11, 2001 was one of the darkest moments in American history. The memorial gave students the opportunity to understand the history of it.
“I am very glad I took this opportunity to go because I was able to learn about the heroism of the passengers,” NASH junior Camille Schantz said. “I learned about how they got up from their seats and fought the hijackers and prevented others from losing their lives.”
The memorial is self-guided, allowing students and teachers to learn the stories of the 40 passengers and crew members and honor their courage. One section of the walk-through allows visitors to listen to the phone calls that passengers had made to their loved ones that day.
“When teaching the events of September 11, 2001 to juniors each year, it is important to realize that these students were born in a world post-9/11,” Frasca said. “They only know of the world and its proceedings after the terrorist attacks on our country. As a history teacher, I encouraged my students to participate in this field trip so that they can see what happened on that day and how the heroes on United Flight 93 ultimately saved the lives of hundreds if not thousands more. It is hard to believe that this significant event in our nation’s history is a little over two hours away from Wexford.”
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For junior Elizabeth Petschke, the trip was particularly emotional.
“It made me feel very sad for all the surviving families and for all of the victims of the crash,” she said.
On their way back to NASH yesterday afternoon, Lyons reflected on the lasting importance of the memorial.
“When you read the stories, see the artifacts, and experience the crash site, everyone develops their own takeaway and lesson,” he said. “For me, it is a time to reflect on what happened that Tuesday, September 11th and appreciate and honor those crew members and passengers who sacrificed their lives so that other Americans would live. It makes me proud to walk on these grounds every time I do so.”
Mike Lyons • Mar 22, 2024 at 9:41 am
Scout, this is a well-written article that captured the essence of the field trip. Thank you for writing it.