Urbana Junior High eighth-grade students took part in Friday morning’s September 11 remembrance ceremony at Freedom Grove, putting their classroom learning into action. In preparation for the event, students studied the history of September 11, 2001, learning about the attacks, the lives lost, and the first responders, military members, and others who served in the aftermath. Their participation provided an opportunity to connect what they learned in the classroom with a meaningful community remembrance and to better understand the importance of honoring those who came before them.

The ceremony brought together local officials, first responders, military members, students, and community members for a morning of reflection. Moments of silence honored key moments of September 11, including the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and the crashes of Flights 93 and 175. The Freedom Grove memorial includes a 12-foot section of steel from the South Tower of the World Trade Center, recovered from Ground Zero and brought to Urbana through community efforts.