Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. On Sept. 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. Two crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, killing 2,977 people, including 441 New York first responders who died from the collapse, fire, smoke or by jumping to escape. A third plane struck the Pentagon, killing 179 people, while the fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought the hijackers and prevented them from reaching Washington, D.C.
At Ukiah High, staff and students reflected on what the day means now.
Science teacher Adam Lane remembered being a UC Davis sophomore when he first heard the news. Alone in his apartment without a television, he walked to the campus gym to watch the coverage. “I went there and just kind of watched it all, just kind of shocked, stunned,” he said. Friends were asking one another if this was the start of World War III. “It was the biggest…terrorist event in my life. Pretty significant thing. … It changed the way we did lots of stuff from visas and passports to the way we still board planes today.” Lane recalled a friend in the Army who was grounded on a runway bound for the Middle East when flights were halted: “It was pretty crazy to hear how they were mobilizing.”
Math teacher Brian Montgomery also remembers the day vividly. He was a sophomore in high school when the attacks happened. “I was actually ditching my ceramics class to go play video games when they put it on the TV,” he said. The news rattled him. “It might have been the first time an attack got that close and really hit at home. I think it showed our lack of security. Wow, we were infiltrated that deep.”
English teacher Michael Riedell called it the most difficult day of his career. In his third year of teaching at the time, he said many students were frightened and looking to him for reassurance. “So many people were so confused and so many students were so afraid. And I didn’t know what to say because really we didn’t know if World War III had just started. I felt like my job was to tell people that everything was going to be okay. But I really had no idea and nobody did.” For Riedell, the attacks marked a turning point. “It pretty much started two wars, directly or indirectly … it really impacted lives all around.”
Photography teacher Lech Slocinski said that for today’s teenagers, the tragedy can be hard to grasp: “It’s hard for people today to comprehend it because they weren’t around when it happened.”
Students at Ukiah High, many of whom were not yet born in 2001, are still learning about the event. Freshman Gavin Hunter admitted, “I don’t know much about 9/11,” but he understands why it’s remembered: “I know we remember it today because of all the people killed. It was a tragedy.”
Sophomore Anne Marie Brown also reflected on the ongoing impact. She noted that two planes crashed into the Twin Towers, trapping many people inside. “We still talk about it because so many lives were changed that day,” she said, adding that the grief of families who lost loved ones remains.
Nearly a quarter century on, Sept. 11 is both a history lesson and a living memory at Ukiah High — something teachers who witnessed it firsthand recall with clarity, and students continue to grapple with from a distance.
Salvio Senerchia was born in Santa Rosa and has lived in Mendocino County his whole life. He is a Freshman and in his first year of Journalism. He has a deep care for the world, its imperfections and inequalities. Salvio loves all things soccer, and is interested in law. He is an avid Liverpool F.C. fan and hopes to visit the city and attend a match! He loves learning, especially History, Math, and any and all reading and writing. He enjoys writing about current and past events and conflicts. Salvio loves traveling, exploring the world and learning about the places he visits.
Annie Singer
Audriena Ramos
Audriena Ramos is a junior at Ukiah High. She is from Alpine, Texa and moved to Ukiah five years ago. This is her first year taking journalism. She is the vice president of the UHS Women's Empowerment club, and outside of school, she enjoys doing ballet with Mendocino Ballet.
