Remembering 9/11, 17 years later in the Mat-Su

PALMER — On Sept. 11, 2001, the tragedy at the World Trade Center, and ensuing events, changed the country and the world forever. On Tuesday, the 17th anniversary, residents across the Valley reflected on the events of that day and remembered those lost.

American flags flew high in the sky in both Palmer and Wasilla, and Sherrod Elementary and West Lake Fire Department each hosted their own events. Sherrod held its annual Patriot Day.

“I think it’s important that we remember our past,” Sherrod Elementary School music teacher and Patriot Day coordinator, Deborah Cooper said.

Cooper carried over this tradition from Larson Elementary School, spanning about 18 years, before 9/11. It started as a school-wide celebration for the National Anthem Day. She called it “Singing at the Pole Day.” Students and teachers alike sang the National Anthem and Alaskan Flag Song.

“Then, 9/11 happened,” Cooper said.

After that historic day, she combined the National Anthem Day and 9/11 remembrance into a full week of reflection, activities and discussion.

“The main reason is to create that pride,” Cooper said.

After each Patriot Day, teachers go to their class and talk about what they just did and the why, Cooper said.

“As a music teacher, it’s part of my responsibility to teach those songs, those actions, those games that we learned as children. If I don’t teach them, if your parents don’t teach you and do patty cake with you, or you don’t learn Red Rover on the playground, those games are gonna’ be lost; and if we don’t talk about 9/11,if we don’t talk about our addles that we’ve had, people become Blasé, ‘it’s no big deal.’ But, if we keep that information alive and keep sharing it, and talk tour children about what it is to be proud to be an American, I think that we won’t lose that patriotism,” Cooper said.