Remembering 9/11

Alexa Orozco

“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” George W. Bush

On September 11, 2001 a group of hijackers from the Islamic extremist group called al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners that then attacked targets in the United States. Two planes were flown into the World Trade Center towers in New York City. A third plane hit the Pentagon outside Washington D.C and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. This event is often referred to as 9/11 where about 3,000 people died during the attacks.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and a memorial will be taking place in New York. From 3 p.m. to midnight the Tribute in Light will be displayed as a remembrance to the 9/11 attacks. The Tribute lights create two vertical beacons of light to stand for the World Trade Centers. In memory of the 16th anniversary of 9/11, hundreds of people from the families of the victims to military figures will be gathered at the 9/11 memorial site for the commemoration ceremony.

Plymouth High School’s own English teacher, Mrs. Bradway shared her experience of the event.

“I was watching TV, and saw the planes hit. When 9/11 happened I was only in the Reserves, going to base one weekend a month for drills. On the morning of 9/11, I was recalled to active duty. That meant I had to quit my job, leave my boyfriend ,now husband, and stay at Grissom AFB for the next 2 years.” said Mrs. Bradway, who was serving in the Air Force during the time.

Mrs. Bradway recalled the effects of the events and said “People became increasingly paranoid almost overnight. Security heightened everywhere. TSA (Transportation Security Administration) became a thing. Stupid rules about safety came into being. Anti-terrorist and anti-muslim rhetoric blossomed.”

Relatives of those that serve in the armed forces Anna Bush, Emanuel Lopez, and Kaylen Andrzejewski share their experiences.

Bush said “It’s nerve wracking because you never know if they're going to be okay or not” Both of Anna’s grandfathers served in the military. One served as a Navy Seal and the other in the Army.

Lopez said “Having a family in the armed forces is kind of scary. I have my brother Pablo in the Navy, stationed in Norfolk, VA. It’s sad missing someone when you don't know if they're coming back. I've had cousins go to the Marines and come back, it’s great when family can come back, because sometimes people are not fortunate enough to have their family come back. “

Andrzejewski said “It’s scary and I worry about it sometimes, every once a month he calls and tells of how the air is dirty and he can’t see through it” Kaylen’s cousin is in North Korea.

For those that serve in the military, the impact they leave on those people close to them is huge.

Lopez said “It feels pretty great to have family in the military, because you know they are doing something good for themselves and our country. If it wasn't for the people that are fighting and have fought, I do not know where our country would be at. I'm really thankful for my brother serving, and also for the other people too.”

Future Plans for PHS Clubs

Samuel Carroll

As the year goes on, more and more clubs at Plymouth High School will be announcing their future plans for the year and being more aggressive in their recruitment methods. Junior and President of Improv club, Katy Smith, said “This year we've had roughly 30 kids showing up to every meeting which is CRAZY. It's been a lot of fun teaching them games from last year and even some games our vets haven't even played before.” It sounds like they have had a good start, but how will they fare in the future?

“Depending on how consistent this giant number of attendees stays, we plan on trying out our showcase idea. Along with that, we also have social medias lined up to begin. Right now, our twitter (@PHS_improvclub, run by our social media director, Claire Peters) is posting funny videos and out-of-context quotes from our past meetings,” she expanded. Improv club is a great destresser and way to meet new people for Freshmen and Sophomores especially. Don’t miss them on their way up!

Smith leaves us by stating that, “I hope that the new club members improve on their improv-ing as well as our veteran members. Since improv is a safe space to destress, it's a really special thing to watch a member grow not only with improv-ing, but socially. [Improv] is an extremely unique club and this is one of the many things that members get to witness.”

Next up is Bridge Bust, led by Junior Olyvia Clarke. They are known for their annual competition at Purdue where they pit the best bridges against each other to see who holds and who folds.

Clarke said that improvement-wise, she would love if, “...more people join Bridge Bust. It is not as hard as you might think. It's a lot of fun, you feel good when you see your completed bridge, and you get to get out of school for a day!” It definitely sounds like a great way to relax on slow days.

Bridge Bust is going to focus on what it does best this year, “Build our bridges with hard work and see how much weight they can hold,” said Clarke. Whether it be bridging the gap to a new destination or laying a foundation to support future endeavors, Bridge Bust is a surefire way to be involved.

Last, but not least, is Key Club. Senior Maggie Nate spearheads Key Club as president and boasts a long list of accomplishments from previous years. Key Club members have partnered with Kiwanis for Blueberry festivities, led fundraisers, volunteered for multiple organizations and created donation drives for charities and care centers.

President Nate said, “We will be completing some of the same service projects as last year. We are also currently working on developing new projects. Each officer will be responsible for creating and leading one. More information about those will be released as the year advances.” Even with their fair share of accomplishments, Key Club does not look to be slowing down anytime soon.

When asked what Key Club would like to improve the most, Nate proclaimed, “This year, I'm excited to increase member involvement in our monthly service projects and raise awareness for the needs of local and international organizations. As a club, I hope that we exemplify team work, develop servant hearts, and seek out ways to improve the lives of those around us.” A perfect mission statement for such a community-based club. PHS students should take a look at this chart created by Editor Hope Carter to explore clubs.