Each year, Northport K-8 School honors the heroes and victims of the 9/11 tragedy and begins the educational process of teaching our students about September 11th in the school media center. The media center has been dedicated to the eight children who perished on September 11th. This year has been especially powerful. In partnership with SLPS Board Member Dr. Donna Mills, Northport sixth graders had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Tony Ross, brother of Cee Cee Ross Lyles. Cee Cee, a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 93, was from Fort Pierce. She was the beloved niece of Dr. Mills. The program started with a lovely rendition of “America the Beautiful” by teacher Tiffany Tredor playing her violin. Introductions and 9/11 background information was given by Principal Glenn Rustay and Media Specialist Lynne Gruszka. Northport Instructor Sandra Tyndale-Harvey sang a heart stoppingly beautiful rendition of the the song “Cling.”
Students’ emotions were evoked when viewing a beautiful movie about 9/11 and the children lost created by New Horizons Student Assistance Specialist Maryanne Warren. They then listened to Tony Ross talk about his memories of his little sister. Army veteran Bill Arnold, who also helped start the Northport Veterans Partners in Education program was on hand to talk about his visit to the Shanksville, PA Memorial to Flight 93. Honored guests at the program were a cadre of local veterans, including Jim Burk. Also on hand were SLPS Superintendent E. Wayne Gent, Deputy Superintendent Jonathon Prince, Rev. Kenneth Mills, a group from New Horizons School Support Specialists, many local veterans and community members, including Frank Sisto, NYPD first responder and security expert for SLPS. The Northport community was so pleased to host and help educate our students about this tragic event in history that altered the trajectory of our country’s path.
