Ronkonkoma Middle School sixth graders in Jayne Enright’s and Maria DeMeo’s classes created a memorial wall to recognize those lost during Sept. 11 and to commemorate the tragic event’s 20th anniversary.

The students used their technology skills to research the names of souls lost in both New York and Pennsylvania. After determining their names, ages and hometowns, the students transferred the information to square construction paper tiles and placed them on the front lobby wall. Paper white roses also decorated each square, similar to the roses that are placed on the victims’ names on each of their birthdays at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan.

Ms. Enright said the goal of the project was for the students to “gain an understanding of the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, to memorialize the victims, and to realize that they were real people.”

“Each square represents a life,” Ms. DeMeo explained to the students.

Additionally, the student body participated in a virtual assembly on Sept. 10. After a moment of silence for the 2,977 persons lost, Principal Joseph Licato spoke to the students about the events of the tragic day. He also encouraged the students to be kind to one another, to appreciate the moment they are living in, and to appreciate the people in their lives and loved ones. The program commenced with Mr. Licato playing “This Land is Your Land” on his guitar.