Beyond Our Campus - 9/11 Memorial NYC Trip
On November 8th, a group of 43 students, faculty, parents, and firefighters from the town of Hardwick boarded a bus to experience
On November 8th, a group of 43 students, faculty, parents, and firefighters from the town of Hardwick boarded a bus to experience a much-awaited trip to the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. Weekend director, Joel Slupnicki, planned the trip with support from faculty adviser Diana Mackiewicz. The majority of the students on the trip had been taking classes on Terrorism and Counter-terrorism and this trip served as a culminating event for them.
The 9/11 Memorial Museum is a breathtaking and almost ineffable place to visit. There are reminders outdoors and indoors of the immensity of the place where the Twin Towers once stood. Furthermore, as one descends into the museum, the walk proceeds down almost seven floors to the very bottom where one may see the giant slurry wall left behind and the last standing building support. There are artifacts like an old fire truck that bears a crumpled and dented body. Additionally, a huge case stands full of artifacts that seeks to provide information about the terrorist group, al-Qaida, and its leader, Osama bin Laden. Within this case is the brick carved out from the safe house where bin Laden was found in Pakistan and the campaign coin that was given to each member of the mission after its successful conclusion.
After almost two hours of viewing the many artifacts and striking displays it was time to head upstairs and outside to Battery Park. We were extremely fortunate that the day was beautiful and just right for walking and, soon thereafter, we were on the ferryboat to the Statue of Liberty. We had Pedestal passes to the Statue of Liberty which gave all of us fantastic views of the New York City skyline and the harbor. From there we “queued up” for the ferry to Ellis Island, which was short on distance but long on meaningfulness for some who actually located in the Registry Room their family members who arrived through Ellis Island. The final observation from Ellis Island left all of us with a view that many immigrants may have shared—the booming skyline of New York City ever changing in the light of the sky, as well as the Statue of Liberty far off in the opposite direction serving as a majestic beacon of hope for all newcomers.
What an absolute joy it was to experience some of America’s greatest landmarks—both new and old—through and with the eyes of our students.