Local News

Billings West High School Seniors Remember 9/11

Posted: Sep 12, 2012 4:36 AM by Victoria Fregoso-Q2 News
Updated: Sep 12, 2012 4:36 AM

The flags at Billings West High School were flown at half mast Tuesday. The students wore red, white and blue ribbons around their wrists. Even though they were only 6 and 7 years old at the time, 9-11 is a date they remember.

"I just remember feeling so sad and watching the news and seeing what was happening," said Victoria Hampton, Senior Class President at Billings West High School.

"I had no idea what to think but my mom was crying and I was really scared, my brother was really scared," added Cate Hanna, the Student Council Vice President.

Now in their senior year, these students were only in 1st grade on September 11th, 2001. Since then their thoughts and understanding have changed.

"You get goose bumps all over you body," said Kyle Krenik, Student Body President. "It's something that is hard to explain. There's grief and sadness and it's hard to grasp that it actually happened."

"I really think on this day about the people who risks their lives like the fire fighters and the people who have lost family members," says Casey Burke, a senior and the Student Body Secretary.

To remember this day, the student council organized 'red, white and blue day'. Wearing these colors was thought up by Victoria Hampton, living in New Jersey at the time, she was able to see the impact it had on our country first hand.

"I knew a lot of students who were related to people who died in the attacks on 9-11."
For others, the realization of September 11th happened after hearing a child speak that lost his mother when the twin towers collapsed.

"Every year on 9-11 I always think of that boy and thinking if I were him, what it would be like to grow up without a mom," Hanna said.

No matter how much time passes, the students agree that September 11th needs to be observed.

"My grandpa actually told me a quote and it said 'Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.' And I believe in that quote and that's why I think it's important that we should just stick together and stay together as a country and never forget what happened," Krenik said.

Hanna added: "I think that when something bad happens you can turn it into something good and obviously 9-11 was really terrible and awful but our country wouldn't be as strong if it weren't for that."