Remembering September 11 in Local Schools

With two kids by her side, and three others in a semicircle with their classmates around the flagpole at , Dinelia Delgado in 2011 remembered where she was and how she felt on Sept. 11, 2001.

Delgado in 2001 was living in New York and she made it home that day to witness for herself a city in crisis. “Horrible, nobody could move,” she said about the sites she remembered seeing. “Everybody was scared.”

It is important, she added, tears brimming in her eyes, that people remember.

“To remember everybody who lost family, I feel sorry for them,” Delgado said. “When it comes to 9/11, I always remember that.”

Kingswood, like scores of schools throughout Hillsborough County and the nation, each year remembers the events of 9/11 with a celebration of what it means to be patriotic in a country that has survived the horror and prevailed.

Below is a sampling of what schools in Eastern Hillsborough County were planning to do to mark the day.

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REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER 11 IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS

SCHOOL 9/11 REMEMBRANCE ACTIVITIES Colson Elementary Students encouraged to wear red, white and blue to school on September 11. Throughout the week, morning show to feature American heroes; classrooms to discuss patriotism.  Kingswood Elementary Students to gather around the flagpole at 8:30 a.m. dressed in red, white or blue.  The Tampa Bay Technical High School honor guard to present the colors. Students to give the Pledge of Allegiance, sing patriotic songs and observe a moment of silence for those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Kingswood patrols to be inducted by a member of school security. Mulrennan Middle Teachers to use SpringBoard and DC Comics September 11 commemorative issues to lead discussions on heroism.  Students to create "Found Poems" from articles they read related to 9/11.  Students to sign butcher paper in the cafeteria affirming that they will never forget the victims.  The video "We Remember" to be played on the morning show, along with a recognized moment of silence. The school to fly the "Flag of Honor," an American flag purchased at Ground Zero that contains the names of those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Nelson Elementary Students to gather in the courtyard for "Ribbons To Remember," to honor the heroes of 9/11. Parents serving in the military to help students place ribbons colored red, white, blue and yellow on four trees, in remembrance of the groups of people affected that day. The Durant High School JROTC colorguard to present the colors. Randall Middle For a fourth year, students to create a red, white or blue lawn identification marker for a victims of 9/11, placed to create a large American flag. This service-learning project is coordinated by the Randall Area Youth Service (R.A.Y.S.) Council. A Hillsborough County Fire Rescue lift truck was to capute the memorial image from above.The R.A.Y.S. Council last year won a national award from KidsVoting USA for this effort. The memorial will remain up through Sept. 14. Seffner Elementary School marquee to read, "We remember 9/11." Flag to fly at half-staff. Moment of silence during the morning show. Videotaped chorus presentation singing patriotic songs. Students to  wear red, white, and blue to show patriotism. Lessons to be taught in regard to, "What is a hero?" Yates Elementary Presentations led by MacDill's SWAT team, Orient Road and Falkenburg jail officials, local fire rescue responders, and the Boy Scouts.  Heroes to be presented with gifts; chorus to sing patriotic songs. Source: Hillsborough County School District

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How did your school commemorate 9/11? Have some photos to show us? Please post your pictures and your thoughts, in the comment box below.

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