September 11, 2026
On September 11, 2001, the United States experienced an event that would forever change the country’s history. For many students at Costa Mesa High School today, 9/11 is something learned about in classrooms and textbooks rather than something personally remembered. But for the teachers who lived through that day, the memories remain much more personal.
Twenty five years later, the impact of September 11 can still be felt in the way Americans remember the lives lost, the communities affected and the changes that followed. To better understand what that day meant to those who experienced it firsthand, CMHS teachers were asked to reflect on where they were, what they believe today’s students should know about the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
MS. CROSS
I remember eating breakfast at home and watching the initial news reports. Then I went to the first period, where I had AP U.S. History. My teacher had the news on and said there was no lesson for the day. We listened and watched the updates. Nobody talked. At the end of class, he said, ‘This is one of those events that alters the course of history. The world will be a different place, and you will always remember where you were when this happened.
Why we should remember: 9/11 was a major event in our country’s past. It shaped not only our foreign policy, but also the world we live in. In order to understand or discuss current events, you need to understand the events that led us to where we are today. 9/11 is one of those events.
MRS. DELZER
I was a senior in college getting ready for class when my roommate said, ‘Come watch this on TV.’ We actually witnessed the second plane hit the Twin Tower.
Why we should remember: It was a tragedy that took the lives of so many people, including the first responders. We should never forget that day.
MS. SCHREINER
I was 12 years old, watching live on TV when the second plane flew into the tower. I remember being scared and teachers talking to us about what had happened. We were afraid to go to school that week.
Why we should remember: it is important because the events of that day changed global politics and societal security. Beyond being a national tragedy, 9/11 serves as a historic turning point, and its effects are still actively experienced today. We also need to remember the first responders and civilians who helped their communities during that time.
CELESTE ALION
I remember my friend calling me around 7 a.m. to ask if I was watching the news. I was getting my three kids ready for school, and I turned on the TV right before the second tower was hit. It was devastating to watch, especially as the buildings collapsed. I was shocked and very sad. It was a confusing day. Watching it unfold on TV and not being able to do anything to help was difficult. I was praying for everyone in those buildings and all the first responders trying to save them. After taking my kids to school, I was driving home, and it was very quiet outside. There were no planes flying in or out of John Wayne Airport.
Why we should remember: There are a lot of conspiracy theories floating around about that day, but the bottom line is that over 3,000 people lost their lives—people from all over the world. It opened our eyes to the fact that we, as a nation, are not immune to terrorist attacks on our own soil. I think it’s important to understand what happened and what laws were passed after this event. Also, when horrific things happen, many, many people in our country come together to help each other in any way we can. The outpouring of care and support was amazing. From every available boat on the Hudson River coming to rescue people and take them to Staten Island, to the good people of Gander, Newfoundland, who took in and cared for over 7,000 stranded passengers from various airlines that had to make emergency landings there. And scores of everyday people did what they could to help. Then there was the bravery of the people who challenged the terrorists and forced their plane to crash in a field in Pennsylvania rather than allowing it to hit a target in Washington, D.C. Just like learning the history of World War II, future students need to learn about this tragedy and its aftermath so we will never forget.
MR. FERNANDO
I remember being in third grade and coming back from recess. Our teacher was really scared and anxious, but no one in my class knew what was going on. When my parents picked me up early, I thought, ‘Cool! I get to watch SpongeBob today!’ Instead, my parents were glued to the TV, and all I understood was that something had happened with a plane. I found out the next day at school what had actually happened.
Why we should remember: I know there are a lot of memes about 9/11 these days, but it was a very real and very scary event. Speaking about this topic should be taken seriously and treated with respect. Even for those of us who were too young to understand what was happening, we could feel the tension everywhere, especially around tall buildings or airplanes. I also remember hearing about racially charged attacks against people who looked Muslim or Middle Eastern, even when they weren’t. As a brown-skinned latchkey kid, that was scary for me at the time too.
MR. GRADY
This was my first year as a teacher. I heard about the attacks on the radio on my way to school that day. We spent the day watching the reports on TV, and a large part of the school year was spent talking about 9/11 and the subsequent war in Afghanistan. One of the secretaries at the school where I was working lost a loved one in the Twin Towers that day. I vowed to myself that I would teach a lesson on 9/11 every year on or near the anniversary of the attack.”
Why we should remember: This was a watershed moment. Whether students realize it or not, their world was forever changed by the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
MR. PIAZZA
I was substitute teaching a second-grade class when I found out what was happening during a break in the teachers’ lounge. I had to go back and act normal all day for these young kids who were only seven years old and couldn’t comprehend what might be happening. I wanted to be glued to the TV and was worried about where else in the U.S. things might happen. It was very stressful. Those kids are 32 years old today, and I wonder what they remember.
Why we should remember: This event is the same as all terrorist events in history. No worse, no better. I would hope students see what LEAD UP to the event and caused people to be so angry, mad and revengeful that they would do such a tragic thing. Unfortunately, as you can see in today’s world events…we haven’t learned a damn thing.
MRS. EDWARDS
I was waiting at the signal to turn into the parking lot for school when the announcement came over the radio. It felt surreal. A few days after the attack, a history teacher and I flew to New York to help with the Red Cross. We served food to emergency workers who were working around the clock to find survivors. The experience was a strange mix of sorrow, disbelief and pride.
Why we should remember: It is important to remember that our nation, despite how divided we are about politics, is one nation that will come together in times of need.
MRS. RASMUSSEN
I was at my parents’ house a couple of weeks before starting my sophomore year of college. They didn’t have a TV, so I was listening to the news reports on the radio. The first time I saw video footage of what had happened, it was stunning. It was too big to comprehend. I also remember that a Spider-Man movie was supposed to be released that featured a shot of him spinning a web between the two towers. Needless to say, they pulled the release and edited those scenes out.
Why we should remember: It was a huge tragedy and an event that shaped our world in major ways. It changed the way we travel by plane, introduced airport security, and took away the sense of safety that we had relied on before that event.
MS. DIFRANCESCO
Right after dropping my sons off at school, I turned on the television while having my coffee. Around 9:00 a.m., I initially thought I was watching a movie, but then I realized it was real. I was completely numb and kept thinking, “I can’t believe this is actually happening.” I watched as the first plane had hit one of the towers in New York, followed by the second plane. Because the news was being broadcast live, the reality of what was happening was overwhelming. All I could think about was whether anyone could possibly survive. As the situation unfolded, the towers remained standing for a time, and then people began trying to escape the fires. It was devastating to watch. Knowing how crowded and walkable New York City is, I remember thinking about how difficult it must have been for so many people to escape the collapsing buildings. It was heartbreaking then, and it remains heartbreaking today. Then the Pentagon was attacked, bringing even more tragedy. I remember thinking about the bravery of the people aboard Flight 93. They knew they were in an extremely dangerous situation, yet they chose to act in an attempt to protect others. They, along with the first responders who risked their lives to help, will always be remembered as heroes. It is true when people say that you can never forget.
Why we should remember: Absolutely. It is important to remember 9/11 not only because of the terrorist attacks themselves, but because events like this can teach future generations about the consequences of conflict and the importance of understanding the world around us. I believe that something similar could happen again someday, and remembering history can help us learn from the past. The way our country interacts with other nations can have an impact on our future. Remembering 9/11 allows students to reflect on those consequences and understand why history should never be forgotten.
MRS. KAHAWAI
I was a senior at UC Santa Barbara. I was riding my bike to work at 6:00 AM as the opening manager of a smoothie shop in Isla Vista, right next to the college. It is really weird, because I remember thinking what a beautiful morning it was, and literally having the thought go through my head “I feel so lucky to be alive.” I walked into the smoothie shop and my co-worker told me that our country was under attack. I have a bunch of family who live in New York so I was immediately worried for their well-being. We also didn’t know that it was over…we got word about the crash at the Pentagon and then flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania. People didn’t know where the targets were…would they also come west? Disneyland closed and planes were grounded and classes were cancelled. People were first afraid and then they were very, very sad. It felt heavy. I was at work all day. People who came into the shop all seemed like they were in shock. It was hard to know what to do, what to say.
Why we should remember: Sometimes things happen that we wish didn’t, but that must be remembered. This is one of those things.
MRS. ORDUNA
It was my junior year of high school. I remember walking out the front door on my way to school after the first plane had hit. At the time, I casually said to my mom, “Wow! How did a pilot just fly right into a building?” As the morning continued and more information became available, I remember how unusually quiet the school was. In every class, the news was being shown on television, and everyone watched in complete silence. It was one of the eeriest days I have ever experienced.
MS. MAYBERRY
I was up early getting ready for work when I saw coverage of the first tower being hit. I then watched the second plane hit the other tower live on television. At that moment, I realized this was not an accident and called my family to wake them up and tell them that it appeared our country was under attack.
Why we should remember: It is important to remember the lives that were lost and the heroes who ran toward the scene and entered the buildings to try to rescue others. There were also many heroes inside the buildings and aboard the planes who helped people escape and worked together to save as many lives as possible. Remembering their courage and sacrifice helps ensure that their actions are never forgotten.
MR. HALE
I had just moved back from Washington, D.C., and had started student teaching at CMHS the week before. Around 6:00 a.m., my brother, who was working for the Police Department at the time, called and told me to turn on the news. I was completely heartbroken and in shock. Nothing like this had ever happened to our country, and I was especially worried about my friends living in the capital. Tragically, my friend Brady Howell was killed when the plane struck the Pentagon. Later that month, the office where I had previously worked became the site of even more terror when it was targeted by the anthrax mailings. It was a terrifying period that affected me on many different levels. Yet, despite all of the tragedy, it was incredible to see how our country came together. For a brief moment, Democrats and Republicans remembered that, above all, we are all Americans.
*Brady Howell’s name appears on Banner #5 of our memorial images above.*
Why we should remember: It is important to remember that we are all Americans and that we are stronger when we are united rather than divided by our differences. Remembering 9/11 can remind us of the importance of coming together during difficult times and putting aside our differences to support one another.
MS. UPTHEGROVE
I was driving to work when I saw a message on the freeway sign saying that the airport was closed. I remember wondering why, since I had been listening to a CD in my car and had not turned on the radio. When I arrived at work, I saw that my coworkers were frightened, shaken, and crying because of what they had heard and seen on the news that morning. None of us were really able to work that day. Instead, we watched television and listened to the radio, struggling to believe what we were hearing and witnessing.
Why we should remember: It is important to remember the community heroes who helped innocent victims, many of whom gave their lives that day or later suffered the lasting physical effects of the event. Remembering their courage and sacrifices helps honor the people who stepped forward to help others during one of the darkest moments in our history.
MRS. SOLDIN
I remember getting ready for school during my first year teaching at Mesa when I heard a news reporter mention that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I did not see the first impact live, only the footage that was replayed on the news. At first, it was believed that the crash might have been an accident. I continued watching as I got ready and then saw the second plane hit the other tower. At that moment, I knew it was not an accident. I began to panic because my husband was a police officer in Long Beach, where there are also high-rise buildings, and he was still at work. I quickly got my children to daycare and headed to school. While I was driving, I learned that another plane had hit the Pentagon, and my anxiety increased. When I arrived at school, I immediately turned on the television in my classroom. At the time, we did not have streaming services, so the TV was on a large portable cart connected to cable. A few minutes after turning it on, I watched the South Tower collapse. I stood in front of the television in disbelief, knowing that I was witnessing a major historical event. We spent much of the day watching the events unfold. My classes came in, and we watched together. Many students had questions that I did not necessarily have answers to, but we discussed the possibilities together. One memory that has always stayed with me was when one of my APUSH students came into class carrying a large bouquet of balloons for her 16th birthday. As she began to understand what was happening, she started to cry. Her excitement about her birthday quickly turned into sadness, and I felt deeply sorry for her. Eventually, I received a call from my husband confirming that he was safe. Unfortunately, his department went on red alert, and he began working 12-hour shifts, meaning I would not see much of him for several days.
Why we should remember: It is important because 9/11 is history, and it changed America forever. It changed government policies and procedures as well as the everyday lives of Americans and people around the world. Remembering 9/11 helps honor those who tragically lost their lives. It is not only about mourning them, but about remembering that they were real people with families, friends, and lives of their own. Remembering allows us to move forward while hopefully learning from the past and working toward creating a better world. I also believe it is important to remember how 9/11 brought Americans together. People came together in unity instead of allowing their differences to divide them.
MR. HANCOCK
On September 11, 2001, a friend who was living in Europe, nine hours ahead of us, called me early in the morning before I would normally have been awake. His exact words were, “Dude, get up! We are under attack!” I turned on the television and saw that planes had struck the World Trade Center towers. At the time, I was in my fourth year of teaching. I came to work, opened my classroom, turned on the television, and watched as the events unfolded throughout the day. We had cable television in the classrooms at the time. I remember a student asking me, “Are they going to get us?” referring to CMHS. I told the student no. The news had reported that all airplanes in the United States had been forced to land, leaving the skies empty. I left the television on throughout the day because this was not something I could simply pretend was not happening. When the school day ended, I went home and joined the rest of the world in trying to understand what had happened.
Why we should remember: First, we should seek to understand why the attackers did what they did. This was not random violence. It is similar to the way students should study what led the Nazis during World War II to commit the atrocities they did. When humanity reaches such an extreme point, survivors should do everything they can to understand what went wrong and work toward preventing it from happening again. The answers are not always simple, and sometimes they can be uncomfortable, but they are worth seeking. There is also a positive lesson to remember. A person’s true character is often revealed during stressful circumstances. Bravery, honesty, and loyalty are not proven simply through words. We learn that someone is honest when they return something valuable that they could have kept, and we learn that someone is brave when they willingly face danger to help others. On 9/11, we saw how people responded in the face of extreme fear and danger. Society did not simply collapse into chaos. Instead, people organized and ran toward danger to help others. That day demonstrated that many people are willing to show kindness, courage, and compassion, even toward people they do not know. If another major disaster were to happen, I am more confident than I was before 9/11 that people would once again put aside their differences and come together to do what needs to be done.
DR. LEDON EAGLESTON
I was in third grade on September 11, 2001. I remember our classroom had a built-in television on the wall, and our teacher turned on the news so we could see the footage of what was happening. At that age, I don’t think I fully understood the magnitude of the attacks, but I remember recognizing that something very serious had happened. I also remember that we had a classroom assistant whose family was in New York, and she was understandably very concerned about their safety. Seeing her reaction, along with the reactions of the other adults around us, made the seriousness of the day very real to me. What stands out most is how intense the atmosphere in the classroom felt. There were several adults talking to us about what was happening and explaining how significant and impactful these attacks were. Even though I was young and couldn’t fully comprehend everything I was seeing on television, I remember the feeling of that day and how much it affected the adults around me.
Why we should remember: I think it’s important for students to continue learning about and thinking about 9/11 because it was an event that shaped so much of the world they live in today. Similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, the attacks were not something that ended on the day they happened. They influenced politics, public policy, national security, travel, and the way Americans understood threats to our country for years afterward.
For example, policies like the Patriot Act and changes to airport security, including the creation of the TSA, were direct parts of the post-9/11 era. It’s important for students to understand not only what happened, but also how a major historical event can lead to significant changes in our laws, institutions, and everyday lives.
I also think it’s important to understand the human impact, particularly on New York City and the families and communities directly affected. For students, remembering 9/11 can help them understand how history is connected to the present and why it’s important to think critically about the decisions our country makes in response to major events.
MRS. PORTWOOD
I woke up to my mom running down the hall. I walked downstairs in my pajamas as she turned on the TV and we watched the second plane crash into the building. My dad was a firecaptain and called, saying he wasn’t coming home that morning. Our nation was under attack and there were fears that Disneyland would be targeted, so they needed to be on call. We went to school. The TV was on in all our classes playing footage. We thought the planes were empty… then came the information that there were passengers on the flights. It was the beginning of my freshman year of high school. I remember being very sad, but more afraid that my dad was going to be sent to New York or required to respond to something happening in California.
Why we should remember: 9/11 is a unique event in our nation’s history. It serves as a turning point for a lot of things and many aspects of life were never the same. The way airports function and the WHYs behind certain procedures and concerns get lost when we forget the reasons.
On 9/11 I think it is also important to really think about how civilians handled the situation as well as the staff that put themselves at risk trying to save people. Beyond the people who died that day or week, there were illnesses that exposure caused and people were never the same or died from. Students should reflect on what they would be willing to do in this situation. What would they do to save their neighbor or save themselves? What sacrifice and true cost came from the event, considering the reaction of the US. What racism resulted? What fears? Students should reflect on this and think about what we can learn from this event.
Most importantly, students should take away that our entire lives can be changed so quickly by something you can’t control. Be grateful for what you have and spend time with those you love. You never know what the next moments will bring.
MR. WALDRAM
I remember being a college student and driving to my 8 AM class listening to KROQ on the radio. The usually comedic morning hosts weren’t joking around. They were talking in a very somber tone about the twin towers falling. I was completely shocked. In class, our professor gave us a writing assignment on how these events would affect the global market place. Our class thought that was inappropriate timing and we walked out to the student union building to keep watching the news. Everyone was glued to their television sets. At my part time sales job each household I visited was watching the latest reports. First responders covered in soot digging through debris to find survivors. The entire day was spent very quietly going to my sales appointments and measuring windows while watching the television for the latest updates. The planes were all grounded so the skies were clear. The roads were empty because everyone was at home. There was a heaviness in the air and a distinct feeling that things would not be the same afterwards.
Why we should remember: This was a defining moment for our nation and for the world. The entire world came together to support us. We were united in ways that we never had before experienced as a people. We came together to help and uplift one another. It is also important to remember the reaction did not remain all positive. There were also divisions that surfaced. Hate and bigotry reared its ugly head. Civil liberties were threatened. Yet, through it all, communities that pulled together, showed kindness and compassion to one another, and embraced each other regardless of ethnic or religious backgrounds stood out as shining examples.
MS. POWERS
I was a freshman in high school, outside for Archery, when the teacher came out and asked me to gather everyone, pack up and head inside. She looked worried so we moved quickly. Once inside, we sat quietly in the common room for several minutes, wondering what happened, before being told to report to our home rooms. It was there that we watched everything unfold – the fire, the smoke, the planes, the papers, the people, the towers, we saw it happen live, on television. The teachers sat back in just as much confusion, shock, awe and grief as we did, answered our questions as best they could, let us call our family if we knew anyone who might be there in NY, and left the doors open if we needed to take a minute to ourselves. School was canceled for the day, but we were still there, frozen in time.
Why we should remember: Afterward, it kinda seemed like everyone was in mourning, and in that, we found unity. Perhaps it was because we experienced this together, or maybe because it lit a fire in some, but something was taken from us that day and we chose to connect, remember, and as the saying goes, “never forget.”
MR. MASON
I had fallen asleep watching Letterman the night before. When I woke up the next day the news had made the announcement that the north tower had been hit and my mom yelled “we’re under attack!” I went to Spanish class at Santiago Canyon College that morning and we all watched the news in class in horror as the events unfolded.
Why we should remember: It was a terrible event, yet it brought the country together. The initial reactions of Americans supporting one another in the wake of a tragedy shows what we as a country are capable of.
Although 9/11 happened 25 years ago, the memories and lessons from that day continue to affect those who experienced it and the generations that followed. The stories shared by CMHS teachers show not only the fear and uncertainty of that day, but also the courage, compassion, and unity that emerged from it. Remembering 9/11 allows students to understand its impact, honor those who lost their lives, and recognize the importance of coming together during difficult times. As time passes, remembering the people and lessons behind this historic event ensures that it is never reduced to simply a date in a textbook.
