Never Forget

Teacher Tara Krohn will always remember September 11, 2001. On that morning, she stood in front of her fourth-graders at Woolridge Elementary School in Virginia and learned the terrible news that the U.S. had been attacked.

Two planes flown by terrorists (people who use violence to spread fear or gain power) crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane hit the Pentagon, the U.S. military headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Passengers on that flight fought the terrorists and likely prevented an attack on either the White House or the U.S. Capitol. 

Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the attacks. That includes more than 400 first responders.

“The sacrifice and heroism of that day is unmatched,” says Krohn, who shares the story of 9/11 with her students each year. 

She also works with the Freedom Flag Foundation. The group promotes the use of a special flag to honor all those affected by the 9/11 attacks. The foundation encourages displaying the Freedom Flag and discussing its meaning each September 11. 

In 2018, Virginia passed a law making the flag an official symbol there. Lawmakers in several other states are considering doing the same.

To help spread the word, the foundation sends a free kit to selected schools across the U.S. each year. The kit includes a Freedom Flag, a piece of steel from the World Trade Center, and a book written by Krohn.

“Our goal is to make the Freedom Flag a national symbol of remembrance for 9/11,” she says, “so that future generations never forget.”