Students perched on the edge of their seats Monday morning watching a documentary that unfolded the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, the emotion and horror of that morning becoming almost palpable in the dark classroom.
The documentary, shown by Bethel Park High School teacher Douglas Fink, showed raw footage from that day when two airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, causing black smoke to billow from the buildings as people desperately tried to escape.
It’s been 22 years since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks sent shockwaves across the nation as four hijacked airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, the Pentagon and a field in Western Pennsylvania.
That morning, parents panicked and pulled their children from school. People wondered if their office building could be hit next and many across the Pittsburgh region remember seeing United Flight 93 fly overhead as those aboard fought against their attackers, changing the trajectory of the plane and instead crashing it near Shanksville, Somerset County.
But for the 14- and 15-year-olds in Mr. Fink’s freshman American History Class, Sept. 11 has simply become another day they learn about in history classes, their only memories of the tragedy seen in video clips and from stories told by previous generations who lived through the event.
Across the region Monday, teachers created lesson plans aimed at keeping that history alive for young students who were not yet born when the tragedy struck. The theme has been touted for years, becoming a rallying cry during last year’s remembrance event at the Flight 93 memorial near Shanksville.
“It’s certainly a sad day but I think it’s important … to try to remember these days because of how many people were heroes and how many people sacrificed their lives,” Mr. Fink told his second period students after watching part of the documentary “In Memoriam,” which follows former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani through the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
At Bethel Park, Mr. Fink started his lesson with five basic questions: How many planes were hijacked, where did these planes crash, how many people were killed that day, who was responsible for the attacks and who was the United States president that day.
Students’ hands shot into the air, eager for a chance to answer. One teen incorrectly said that two planes were hijacked before being corrected by another who said there were four planes. The questions allowed Mr. Fink to give a quick history of the morning that started at 8:46 a.m. when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the first tower. Seventeen minutes later, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the North Tower.
The documentary, which featured videos and images from journalists and those who were watching from the street, showed the crashes in detail. Shock and disbelief could be heard by the people filming as black smoke billowed from the towers. People began jumping from open windows, desperate to get away from the tragedy.
Those watching from the street speculated that the attack was a bomb or a missile. People trapped in the towers left voicemails for the loved ones, not knowing what would happen next.
By 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed, sending debris through the streets of New York and forcing people to run for their lives. A half hour later the North Tower collapsed.
As New York was grappling with the severity of the attacks it was reported that a third plane had crashed into the Pentagon. And aboard Flight 93, passengers learning of the other attacks began to fight back against the hijackers, authorities believe, crashing the plane into a field and diverting it from its likely target in Washington D.C.
More than 3,000 people died in the attacks.
“The words that come to mind for me are it’s so shocking, sad, confusion and chaos,” Mr. Fink said. “I can’t imagine being there that day.”
For 22 years Mr. Fink has shown the documentary for students to commemorate the “very important day in history,” he said. Standing in front of the classroom in a black, long sleeve shirt reading NYPD soccer, Mr. Fink told the story of his brother who at the time of the attacks was on a waiting list to be a Pittsburgh police officer. But after seeing the impact the attacks had on the city, his brother chose to instead join the New York Police Department.
Throughout the region similar lessons were taking place.
The Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service at the Flight 93 National Memorial, created a virtual education program to teach children about the events of the day. Mars Area High School students along with members of the Pine-Richland/Mars Area U.S. Air Force JROTC planted around 3,000 American flags to commemorate those killed that morning.
The lessons carry on the rallying cry to “Never forget,” a saying strongly touted following the attacks.
And at Bethel Park, the lessons were personal for students sitting in the high school classroom.
Before the bell rang signaling the end of class, Mr. Fink put the name Ken Waldie on the board.
“Does anyone recognize this name,” Mr. Fink asked. Nobody raised their hand. The teacher went on to explain that Mr. Waldie was a 1973 Bethel Park graduate who had joined the Navy. Mr. Waldie was on Flight 11, which crashed into the first tower.
Today a scholarship for Bethel Park students is named in his honor.
“Who knows, you guys are only ninth grade now but in four years maybe one of you could actually achieve this scholarship,” Mr. Fink said. “It kind of steps back in the history of 9/11 and the impact it’s had on our community. Someone from Bethel Park that actually went to Bethel Park High School that unfortunately lost his life.”
First Published: September 11, 2023, 4:07 p.m.
Updated: September 12, 2023, 10:05 a.m.
