As the nation and the district prepare to mark the anniversary of September 11, 2001, fifth graders at School No. 2 experienced a moving lesson that brought this historic day to life.
For students born years after the attacks, 9/11 can feel like a distant event in a history book. But thanks to Bella Lambrakopoulos (Ms. Lamb), fifth grade teacher at School No. 2, they were able to take part in a live special virtual tour of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, giving them a vivid, emotional connection to the tragedy and heroism of that day.
Located at the World Trade Center site in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum honors the nearly 3,000 victims of the September 11 attacks and the six people who lost their lives in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It serves as a powerful symbol of remembrance and resilience for people across the nation and the world.
𝐀 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
Through a partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the museum offers Virtual Field Trips — interactive, age-appropriate programs led live by museum educators via Zoom. These sessions bring history directly into classrooms, blending storytelling, visuals, and real-time Q&A to help students engage with the events of 9/11 in meaningful ways.
School No. 2 was one of only 200 schools across the tri-state area chosen for this free opportunity. During the live session, Linden students connected with peers from Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and across New Jersey, asking questions and reflecting on the lessons of courage, unity, and resilience.
𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲
Students were able to virtually explore deeply symbolic artifacts that represent both loss and heroism, including:
-- 𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝟑 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐤, 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐃𝐍𝐘 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲.
-- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐭, 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞.
-- 𝐀 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬.
-- 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫, 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐,𝟗𝟖𝟏 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.
𝐀 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y Perkins emphasized why these lessons are vital for students who were born long after the attacks.
“As we approach the anniversary of September 11, it’s essential that our students understand not only what happened that day, but also the incredible bravery and unity that followed,” said Dr. Perkins. “Through experiences like this virtual tour, our young learners gain a deeper connection to history and to the values of courage, resilience, and compassion that continue to define us as a community and a nation.”