Written by: Erin Ehlang - DMS 7th/8th ELA teacher
In honor of September, 11th and National Day of Remembrance and Service, the 8th graders at Dickinson Middle School put together an exhibit honoring, memorializing, and celebrating heroes in our society. Each student had the opportunity to research a hero of their choice and tell their story of courage and selflessness. Many students chose to tell the stories of heroes from 9/11, including first responders, business workers in the building, civilians in the area, and even service dogs. Some students chose to write about heroes from other events that demonstrated heroic efforts of service.
It is our hope at DMS that these stories are shared and never forgotten. Ellesen Laumb, an 8th grader at DMS, writes in her Hallway of Heroes essay, “We can remember those [heroes] by doing the smallest act. This may be wearing red, white, and blue on September 11th. Or this may be creating a memorial of any kind. If we all work together, we can make sure that every life lost will be remembered.”
In addition to The Hallway of Heroes exhibit, the Students at DMS also participated in a Walk of Remembrance on September 10th by walking 2,996 feet to honor lives lost on 9/11. This event was yet another way our students were able to reflect on the tragedy of 9/11. Students gave up their lunch recess to participate, and it was a successful event at DMS!
It was humbling for our students to learn about events such as 9/11. As teachers, we observed students learn about sacrifice and selflessness, and it was touching to watch. As a community, it is important to remember the heroes whose stories are told, but also the heroes whose stories go untold. There are many things that divide our society, but we should never forget the heroes that bring us together.