Students think differently about Sept. 11
HIGH POINT — When terrorists brought down four planes on Sept. 11, 2001, the teens in Tracy Repko’s leadership class at Southwest High were still learning to read and write.
These students are the first generation to spend their lives in the shadow of those attacks and — despite that or because of it — they believe there is a chance for world unity.
“I think we could,” said Brianne Acosta, a junior. “I think we just have to work hard at it.”
The students spent their class period Friday doing various activities centered on unity. From creating posters to promote unity to using each others’ weight to pull themselves up, the order of the day was strength through togetherness.
Susan Feit’s group, the National Conference for Community and Justice, created the lesson and led it. The group works to promote social justice through outreach programs such as working with the leadership class.
Feit said Friday’s lesson was an attempt to get the students to think differently about Sept. 11.
“How can we use this day to move beyond the pain, the fear, the bigotry and hate, to promote brotherhood and sisterhood? By taking hold of our future,” she said. “So the natural place to go is to our young leaders.”
The students also wrote letters to Iraqi students and U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Leia Trotter, a senior, was like most of her classmates and wrote to Iraqi students. She wrote a poem about herself, outlining the things she loves, needs and fears. She said she and the recipient of her letter will likely have some differences but there will be similarities as well.
“She still will probably need everything I need, like love and laughter,” she said.
Students who wrote to soldiers told them they were missed and that they hoped they could come home soon.
Repko, who started the leadership class in 1999, said she wants her students to find optimism in the tragedy.
“Sometimes you’re just dealt bad things, but you have to focus on the positives,” she said.
Feit said Friday’s class was meant to find ways to talk about the day beyond the tragedy.
“You could do nothing on Sept. 11 because it’s such a touchy subject but that’s not responsible,” she said.
Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com
Accompanying Photos
Photo Caption: Southwest High School student Will Shisler posts a note for Iraqi students and U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
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