OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — It’s been 23 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. One group of Oshkosh students wants to make sure Americans never forget.
- Oshkosh North High School’s Communities Program honored the 23rd anniversary of 9/11 with a day of community service.
- Students and staff volunteered at local organizations, including a domestic violence shelter and a homeless shelter.
- Senior student I’yari Walton highlighted the importance of making a difference despite not being alive during 9/11.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details for the web)
Students and staff at Oshkosh North High School's Communities program marked the anniversary of 9/11 with a day dedicated to giving back.
Rick Lieb, co-founder of the Communities program, said the students wanted to turn the day of tragedy into a day of unity and service.
"Our kids have decided that they want to do something about it," Lieb said. "Because they want to do something about it and turn a day of tragedy into a day of unity and service."
Lieb added that the students chose to act on 9/11 to better understand its impact, even though they didn’t live through it.
"35% of Americans—that’s about 100 million people—were not born or were too young to remember what happened on that day," Lieb noted. "So as an educator, I feel it’s my responsibility."
The students spent hours researching, watching footage, and speaking with relatives who lost loved ones. They also volunteered at local organizations, including a domestic violence shelter, a homeless shelter, and helped lay down mulch for a walking path.
I’Yari Walton - a senior at Oshkosh North - said she appreciates the opportunity to make a difference, even though she wasn’t born on 9/11.
"I like that I’m out here still making a difference on 9/11 even though I wasn’t born then," Walton said. "I know what I’m doing is making a change."
The day served as a reminder of the unity that helped the nation through that fateful day 23 years ago.
The Oshkosh North Communities Program hopes to continue growing while uplifting the community, just as they did today.
