To honor the memory of those lost on September 11, 2001, students and staff at Centre Avenue and Rhame Avenue Schools gathered for remembrance ceremonies that blended reflection, gratitude and unity.

At Centre Avenue, the morning ceremony brought together administrators, students, teachers and families outside the school. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Principal Calia Kelly shared words written by students on colorful paper chain links they had created in class. Their messages carried not only remembrance and gratitude for the heroes of 9/11 but also promises of kindness and acts of service they could take today. The ceremony closed with a moment of silence.

Later in the afternoon at Rhame Avenue, students and teachers assembled on the field for a ceremony led by teacher Alexis Freudenberg. Every student had decorated a link in a long paper chain, which teachers connected into one continuous circle. The community then linked arms around the chain, forming a larger unbroken circle. Together, they observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of 9/11 and to recognize the strength of a community that supports one another through difficult times.

Both ceremonies served as powerful reminders of a day that forever shaped many East Rockaway families, while also reaffirming the district’s commitment to honor, compassion and unity.