Students Stretch a Moment of Silence

<p>The date is Wednesday, September 11, 2002. A full year has passed since the news of our greatest tragedy pierced the airwaves at Fox Lane High School, located in Westchester County, just an hour north of New York City. While for the most part the school has returned to "normal", the spirit of this anniversary leaves the hallways slightly more quiet and less pushy than usual.</p>

<p>"Please excuse the interruption," said principal, Dr. Stephan Falcone, addressing the student body at 8:46 AM, eerily using the same sorrowful greeting he did one year ago. "This is Wednesday, September 11," he began. "Today we pause to remember. the victims of the tragedy that occurred one year ago in Pennsylvania, in Washington D.C. and in New York. We pause to remember the families of those victims. We also pause to remember those who heroically sacrificed themselves to save and protect their harmed and injured friends. 9/11 is an event that will forever be etched in our consciousness. We will remember. At this time I would ask you all to rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Please remain standing for one minute of silence."</p> <p>As the national minute of silence came to a close and other classes returned to their lesson plans, Dr. Maika's second period psychology class still sat hushed and shaken. "The whole class was silent for about five minutes, but it felt like longer. No one knew what to say, and so no one said anything. You could just see the sadness written on everyone's face," explained psychology student Amanda Spector. "So we all sat there in utter silence until Dr. Maika said he didn't know how we could go on with a regular lesson. And for the rest of the period no one felt that they should talk, so everyone was still pretty silent or talking in low voices." Amanda was not alone in her need to stop and reflect. Many others paused to remember what their thoughts had been on 9/11/01. "I'll never forget looking out the window of my eighth period class on September 11, 2001 and seeing three army helicopters fly overhead towards the city," recalls junior Lindsay Pearlman. "That was a reminder to me as to just how close we really were." People across the country and around the world have sent their condolences to those directly affected by last year's tragedy. What some local students have found surprising however, is that upon meeting complete strangers outside of New York, condolences would be directed to them.</p> <p>Fox Lane senior, Brendan Ryan described his experience when he attended a hockey camp in Canada this summer. "All the kids in this hockey camp up near Montreal, Canada were split up into teams once we got there. Most of the kids on my team were from Ottawa or Quebec, and two were from Chicago. Only Sam WardenHertz and I were from New York. The kids on the team were totally out of control and always swearing in the locker room. But as soon as I had mentioned that I was from New York, the whole locker room was struck with silence. They all looked at me wide eyed and didn't say anything until this kid sitting next to me said `Oh, are you ok?' They started treating me with utmost respect and I felt proud to be a New Yorker."</p> <p>A year has brought a different kind of pride and awareness to Gus Ahrens, whose father, Robert, was one of the lucky ones who came home from the World Trade Center that night. Evacuated from Four World Trade Center after the planes struck the towers, Mr. Ahrens headed straight to Fox Lane High School and took Gus out of class to be with him. Gus served as his father's support system and vice versa. Now a Senior at Fox Lane, Gus said, "I have found that my work ethic has actually improved in class and on the (football) field. I think a big part of that is from an understanding of how lucky I am to just be alive."</p>