Brentwood Students Mark 25 Years Since 9/11 With Memorial Ceremony

BRENTWOOD, NY — A quarter-century after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, members of the Brentwood school community gathered at Brentwood High School to remember the lives lost and honor those who responded.

Members of the Brentwood Board of Education, local officials and lawmakers, teachers, administrators and students attended the memorial service at the high school's newly renovated Sept. 11 memorial courtyard.

The ceremony was led by Air Force Junior ROTC cadets and instructors SMSgt. Wayne Hanna and MSgt. Armando Perez.

“Today, 25 years later, I stand here looking at another generation of Brentwood students – students who were not yet born on Sept. 11,” Superintendent Wanda Ortiz-Rivera said while standing beside a group of high school students. “And that is one of the many reasons this day matters. It is our responsibility to make sure the next generation understands what happened and why we must never forget. We remember the innocent lives that were lost, the first responders and heroes who showed extraordinary courage, and the families whose lives were forever changed.”

The ceremony included music, reflections and traditions commemorating the attacks.

AFJROTC cadets recounted the historical significance of Sept. 11 and rang ceremonial bells in remembrance of those who died aboard each of the four hijacked planes.

The observance was held as communities across the country marked 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

“We remember how, in the days that followed, people came together with kindness, compassion and a willingness to help one another,” Ortiz-Rivera said. “And when I think about that spirit, I think about Brentwood. When someone needs us, we come together. We show up. We take care of one another.”