Shades Valley High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) held a 9/11 Memorial Ceremony Wednesday morning in memory of the lives lost 23 years ago.
Students said they wanted to demonstrate how America is still one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Even though the students were not born on Sept. 22, 2001, they said it is important to keep the memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives during the terrorist attacks that day.
“These stories need to be remembered by all generations to ensure we never forget," a student stated during the ceremony.
The JROTC students marched onto the football field, presented colors and the school’s band played the national anthem as local firefighters and law enforcement officers stood among the crowd.
Flowers were placed on memorials representing each terror attack as ceremonial cannons were fired. Irondale Mayor James Stewart was among the officials who placed the flowers.
“Taps” was played before the closing of the ceremony.
A total of 2,977 people were killed in the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field where passengers of United Airlines Flight 93 overtook hijackers before they could reach their intended destination.
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