9/11 Flag Project Inspires Students, Dedication Planned

A class of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 6th graders set out on a mission in late 2010 to track down the flag flown at the site of Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Because they ask, we research it and that’s when we found out it was stolen,” Lori Jordan said, teacher at .

The 6th Grade Project Excel Teachers Lori Jordan and Terri Imhoff taught their language arts classes a section on 9/11 last fall.

After some digging, the class discovered the flag was picked up by a firefighter on his way to help just after the attacks on the Twin Towers took place. This flag was later taken to the Middle East and it’s not known what happened to it.

Jordan’s students decided to send the New York Fire Department a new flag in its place. To thank the students for their efforts, the dozens of firefighters who served at the site of the attacks, signed the flag and mailed it back to the class. The flag is now hanging in a glass framed case inside the school.

“I feel like finally someone saw us not as just a bunch of kids, as something more, a class that works hard to do stuff,” Samantha Gifford said, 7th grader.

After reflecting on the project, Imhoff said it was rewarding to see the students understand and exude pride for their country. 

“It kind of solidifies all your feelings when you see kids who are young feel that strong as well, Terri said.

And Gifford said she pays attention to the news while her parents watch at home, but seeing the events that took place that day were tough. 

“When I saw it, 102 hours or something, I nearly cried. It was hard to hold back the tears,” she said. “It’s just a national tragedy.”

This school year, the teachers and students will plan and host a a dedication ceremony for Sept. 9. Imhoff said the details are still in the works for a school assembly.